T8 values on the other hand are a lot based on shaman_hep, a very nice program that will deliver PERSONAL HEP, if you give him a combat log to read.

@mp5: The value of mp5 decreases the more you gear up. This reflects the insane amount of INT on all high-end raiding gear, which will pretty much cover a good chunk of your mana regen. Also, you shouldn’t look at mp5/SP as a ratio. You need exactly as much INT/mp5 so you have a little bit of mana at the end of most fights. If you think you reached that number, stack SP/haste/crit all the way.

For personal HEP I absolutely advise everyone to use shaman_hep. My HEP for T8 are just rounded HEP values from many personal combat logs and the shaman_hep thread over at EJ. They reflect that shamans do a good job at single target healing and the many tank healing assignments I picked up. If your guild uses you as chainheal machine I’d change the values to 0.7 for crit and o.8 for haste.

Could you explain what caused you to change the ratings from t7 to t8, so I can decide which to use in my very long transition? I.e. is it set bonuses? the fight/healing mix of Ulduar? For many reasons, including a better geared Holy Pally, I am far from BiS pre-Ulduar (2P T7, although I did successfully solo the AH boss to get Stonewearer to go with my Pigmented). I expect to get into some Ulduar pugs since I am a far better healer than anyone else on my realm … who isn’t logged in.

As I look for new gear, when should I start looking for upgrades based upon the newer formula? E.g., the night before 3.1, the T7 HEP was valid; the next day what was the case: the T7 still models my actual HEP (in Nax as well as Ulduar?) but make gear choices based upon the future (T8)? Should everyone be using the T8 ratios, or only people with t8 set bonuses? or only for Ulduar? or?

Yes, I have a math degree from long ago and am excessively interested in some minor numerical differences. Still, might as well use the best numbers out there.

( Pawn: v1: “Resto SU T7″: Intellect=1, Mana=0.03, YellowSocket=16, Spirit=0.01, Health=0.001, Hp5=0.01, SpellPower=1, Mp5=1.429, CritRating=0.428, HasteRating=0.572, MetaSocket=16, Armor=0.1, RedSocket=19, BlueSocket=16, Stamina=0.016 )

( Pawn: v1: “Resto SU T8″: Intellect=0.8, RedSocket=19, Stamina=0.016, CritRating=0.7, Mana=0.03, BlueSocket=16, MetaSocket=16, Armor=0.1, HasteRating=0.6, Health=0.001, Hp5=0.01, YellowSocket=16, SpellPower=1, Spirit=0.01, Mp5=0.9 )

I won’t add the Winter Spectral Gloves. They are haste heavy, and as soon as you equip haste you’ll be casting a lot of chainheals. If you cast chainheals, 4pcT8 is absolutely crucial. And I just don’t see a reason to not wear the T8 gloves but the Winter Spectral Gloves instead. For the same reason I won’t add the two Leggings you mentioned. They are both haste heavy and for a haste heavy chainheal set 4pcT8 < < random haste-heavy pieces. The alternative I listed to the T8 Legs are crit heavy. I listed them because it is really ok to break up the 4pcT8 bonus for single target healing.

On the other hand I think not wearing the T8 chest is a very good choice, so I added the chest you mentioned. The only reason to wear the T8 chest is if you're guild has trouble with Yogg-saron over a long time and you want to get the 4pcT8 as soon as possible. Or if you really feel you need those 30mp5 from T8 chest.

@haste vs crit: If you ever run a combat log of an Ulduar run, please try out shaman_hep. I'd be extremly curious what HEP values would result for your healing style. For me it's sometimes crit > haste, sometimes crit = haste and sometimes haste < crit, and I think that isn’t such a bad estimate, as different healing assignements just call for different gear. But crit might have been a stat I understimated in the past (extremly good synergy as throughput and mana regen stat for riptide ans LHW/HW spot healing, which I do a lot).

Quartz-Studded Harness (XT-002/25) and Winter Spectacle Gloves (Maly25) still worth noting IMHO, should you be gearing more towards the MP5 / raid healing set.

Gear wise – and I’m mostly sure about this from my own research, but not 100% – I think that your XT-002 neck is a hard mode drop; The Freya Gloves I believe are 10-man hard (which is a good thing, as the arguable BIS ring is as well), but that’s really about it.

Sterling work as usual, Drug.

Manchego’s last blog post..My Little Peanut Selected Speedy for Children’s Week.

thedoctor’s last blog post..Blood Break Up, Progression

BobTurkey’s last blog post..How to gem your elemental shaman