Today: Trinkets!

We all love trinkets.

Many of use go crazy over trinkets.

Trinkets will lead to insane DKP bidding.

But let’s not forget: Trinkets cover only two of many slots. Many trinkets are relatively weak and can’t compare to the stats something like a chest piece offers. I just wanted to get this off my chest. If you’re gearing up your toon, have some kind of priority list in your head and never ever forget how strong your armor pieces are and how relatively week everything in your trinket slot is (often we even have to compete against caster DPS for strong throughput trinkets). Most trinkets are somewhere between 100-250 HEP. A 245 T9 chest piece easily packs 500 HEP.

Now, on with the show: Daidalos has done a very neat spreadsheet comparing Trinkets: I STOLE all his great math and combined it with the HEP values of EJ: Shaman – Restoration Thread (SP 1, MP5 1, INT 0.6, Crit 0.8, Haste 1.5). This results in HEP values, which let me create nice rankings. Instead of just making one huge list, I’m splitting the trinkets up in three categories: Throughput Trinkets, Regen Trinkets and the Mixed Section (Throughput as base stat and mana regen on proc/on use and vice versa).

Also never forget: Trinkets are a great way to adjust your gear to a new raid situation. Always keep a set of trinket in your bags, one for maximum throughput, one for maximum regen and a balanced set. As long as you’re not running out of mana, there isn’t really a reason to wear anything else than pure throughput Trinkets (When I say “not running out of mana” I include dropping Mana Tide Totem twice and popping a Mana Potion) or at least very strong trinket with both mana regen and throughput function. That’s why I’m splitting the trinkets up in three sections: You don’t have to pick the two trinkets with the highest HEP values but the two trinkets best suited for your next encounter.

When sorting the trinkets, I counted INT as Mana Regen Stat, even if of course you’re getting throughput stats (crit and SP as well). I counted crit as throughput stat, even if it of course also has a function as regen stat.

Pure throughput Trinkets:

• 233 HEP Scale of Fates
• 220 HEP The Egg of Mortal Essence aka Ancient Pickled Egg
• 200 HEP Illustration of the Dragon Soul
• 195 HEP Eye of the Broodmother
• 161 HEP Forethought Talisman
• 143 HEP Titan-Forged Rune of Alacrity (on use effect only viable for certain Hard Modes)

Combined Throughput and Mana Regen Trinkets:

• 289 HEP Solace of the Fallen (Heroic)
• 265 HEP Solace of the Fallen
• 196 HEP Show of Faith
• 185 HEP Pandora’s Plea
• 177 HEP Talisman of Resurgence
• 175 HEP Sif’s Remembrance
• 160 HEP Spark of Life
• 163 HEP Mercurial Alchemist Stone (1 Mana Pot, Fight length 5 min.)
• 158 HEP Soul of the Dead
• 135 HEP Je’Tze’s Bell
• 133 HEP Soul Preserver
• 122 HEP Energy Siphon
• 115 HEP Binding Stone (Heroic)
• 103 HEP Binding Stone

Pure Mana Regen Trinkets:

• 177 HEP Meteorite Crystal
• 121 HEP Figurine – Sapphire Owl
• 108 HEP Darkmoon Card: Greatness
• 105 HEP Spark of Hope
• 91 HEP Tears of the Vanquished

CAVE:

1. The HEP values are based mostly on logs out of 25 man raids. Of course there is some truth in it for 10 man raiding as well. Not so much for fresh 80’s running heroics.
2. Trinkets who have on-proc effect (“your spells have a chance to increase…”) can be a curse and a blessing. If your trinket procs additional spellpower/haste while you’re not casting any heals, the proc is wasted (except for refreshing your ES with a SP proc). Those trinkets also get weaker the less spells you cast.

What do we learn?

1. iLvL is not everything!
2. mp5 heavy trinkets are really bad. They get a tiny bit better for 10 man raiding or 5 man instances, where less raid buffs/external sources of mana regen are available.
3. INT heavy trinkets are only ok-ish.
4. The Egg of Mortal Essence is still really really good, if mana isn’t an issue, even if the value HEP value might be a tad too high (See the problem of trinkets with procs above).

If I’ve forgotten any trinkets, please let me know.