Returning player needs a bit help with warrior

[Alenax]

Hello, I am back to Wotlk after 10 years, I forgot a lot of things, I have chosen arms warrior as my main, my question is, I see armor pen is my best stat and people telling me some great gear can be mail or leather if it has arpen. Is it true that it's better use for example leather chest with agility and armor pen than plate chest with strenght and critical chance, or will I get reported for looting mail/leather? thank you

[Thorbjorn]

You'll likely get reported for ninja looting leather items.
Leather items are only used to help you reach Arp cap when you're BiS/near BiS and because they'd provide a bit more DPS than any other strength replacement in that slot at that point. Those items are mostly in ICC25 Hc, so you shouldn't need or roll for leather items at all until then - strength will be the superior choice.
I suggest reading up more on warrior guides to fully understand WHY they take few leather items that they do. There's a few decent ones right here on the forum.

[Persivaln]

Hi there. Personaly i respect your choice for Arms, but you need to take into account that ppl do not like Arms warriors in PvE (even on low gear before 5-5.2kk gs where it is supperior to fury due to no rage starving and consistant dmg and less gear dependent). And rushing for arp on low gear is pointless due to it being impossible to reach cap of 1260 in Battle Stance. So do not bother with it and keep stacking strength + crit cuz you deal a lot of bleed dmg that ignores armor values.
In ICC (end game gear) there are few mail and leather items that might benefit you, but they are optional, cuz by using them it also makes harder to reach Hit and Expertise caps that are needed for efficient damage ouput.
But it's actualy possible to play Arms even in end-game content, you just need to perfectly know it and manage rage and speak a bit with RL.
There is dedicated thread in warrior sub-forum, visit it for detailed information

[Alenax]

thanks guys, this helped a lot