Justice/Valor in 5.4

[mzanker]

Does anybody know if there's going to be a way to earn JP without having to do 5-mans? What are the dailies going to give - Justice or Valor? What are they giving on PTR?

I've enjoyed gearing up alts with Valor through dailies but I'm concerned this route is going to be taken away.

I suppose I don't technically need to gear up as I don't group with others for raids or 5-mans but a geared alt does make dailies easier.

P.S. I find 5-mans, scenarios difficult for various reasons. Nobody has any patience any more for people whose reactions are slower than the average 12yo

[Cartman]

Last time I checked on PTR all pre 5.3 VP items were available for JP and for their old amount (breast for 2250 etc.). Reputation requirements are removed.
The only items available for VP are the Shado Pan Assault items. They lowered the reputation needed for those, you can get all at friendly except the shoulders which are still available at exalted for gold.
Upgrading epic items still costs 250 VP, even if you can buy them for JP.
You still get VP for doing dailies.

A few Operation: Shieldwall items were still available for VP instead of JP, I think that's probably a bug because the amount of points needed was the old value and not the current discounted.

I also think this all is a bad idea as it slows down gearing up or at least makes it more difficult..
I assume LFR bosses still grant VP so the only source for JP are dungeons and scenarios.
The best way to get ready for the LFR seems to be the new island. You can find tokens like the ones you get doing the Barrens quest now but they are account bound and can be converted to itemlevel 496 items. You can also buy those things for the coins you get on the island.

[Cartman]

Yesterday I quested on the Island a bit and it seems the account bound tokes drop pretty frequent. It seems to be a good way to gear up twinks.
After one hour I had over a dozen different tokens for all armor classes and even one for ring and one for a trinket.

In addtion to that I found the recipe for the Hardened Magnificent Hide which can be created once a day.
With 21 of these hides you can create an itemlevel 553 belt, with 28 an itemlevel 553 leg armor.
Similar recipes exist for the other crafting professions.
And while creating the hide you will discover recipes for itemlevel 476 PVP armor, similar to the itemlevel 458 stuff.
These items are a good way to gear up for the first LFRs but it requires you are able to craft them yourself or at least know someone who can craft them for you for a good price. The leather armor pieces require 2 magnificent hides which is twice the amount needed for the itemlvel 458 stuff. And though the hides are pretty easy to craft (one for 20 leather once a day and more for 50 leather) they are too expensive in the AH.

[cabby]

Is this island something new with 5.4 that will be coming out in a few weeks?

[Cartman]

The Timeless Isle is a new zone located east of Jade Forest. You get sent there by Chromie at the Lorewalkers and can unlock a flight point on the island.
There are some quest chains on the island and many mobs of various difficulty, from normal animals with about 300K health, elite animals, rare elites, some nasty Yaungol and even a rare pirate ship.
Quests and animals grant you coins for which you can buy some stuff (including the itemlevel 496 tokens you also find when killing mobs or looting treasures and even an item that can be combined with a toke to create a level 533 or so item).

Some quests are grinding quests that remind me of the battlefield barrens event. So I'm not sure if this will still be fun after a week.

For more information about the patch check out the patch notes:
http://www.wowhead.com/news=218537/5...ed-august-20th

[mzanker]

Thanks for all the info regarding 5.4. If the dailies in 5.4 continue to give valor then I really don't know (with my hatred of 5-mans) how I'm going to be able to get better gear than the PVP stuff on the AH. Also, there'll be no incentive for me to get exalted with any factions on my alts (other than maybe to ride cloud serpents) as there'll be no real reward at the end of it.

I have a feeling my time with WoW is coming to an end...

[Cartman]

You "only" need to reach itemlevel 460 to be able to get into Mogushan LFR.
From questing through Dread Wastes you should have an itemlvel 437 amulet, 2 437 trinkets and 1 437 ring.
I recommend grinding Klaxxi reputation afterwards. While unlocking all Klaxxi quest givers you get a second 437 ring.
When you reach exalted with the Klaxxi you get a 489 ring as quest reward.
Also at exalted you can buy a 463 weapon from the Klaxxi for gold.

So with all the 476 PvP stuff, Dread Wastes amulet, ring and trinkets and the Klaxxi stuff you get an average itemlevel of 465.
If you exchange one trinket for a ghost iron drakeling you reach 466.
And finally you are able to purchase a 450 amulet and ring from a jewelcrafter which brings you to 468. But I don't recommend that because they are too expensive.
Melee classes can even get the 502 weapons crafted by a blacksmith. But those require 30 lightning steel ingots (for the whole chain of creating the 463, 476 and 502 weapon) so 30 days of creating ingots are needed. Normally those weapons cost about 20K gold...

With those items you should go to the Isle of Thunder and get the key for the treasure scenario. Open as many chests in the first part to get some Elder Charms of Good Fortune, the go through the Mogu, Heart of Fear and Terrace of Endless Springs LFR.
Remember that epic items can be upgraded for 250 VP.
But first get the 522 amulet from the Shado Pan Assault quartermaster, this item requires only neutral reputation.
And at that point you should be able to solo the easier elite mobs on the Timeless Isle so you can start questing there.

[mzanker]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I have even less intention of doing LFR runs as I have 5-mans. My wish to gear up is purely to make questing content easier (I don't want to have to wrestle with content after a day of wrestling with real-life issues in my job).

I already have a toon with an average ilvl high enough to do LFR runs - he's currently living at Sunsong Ranch farming (literally!) exotic leather which sells for than anything else you can grow on my realm.

[Cartman]

I also don't want to go raiding with all my chars (I have so bad drop luck, in the same time my friends were able to gear up 5 characters I didn't even manage to get 2 piece tier 15 bonus for one).
I just like to have the best equipment I can craft myself. So currently I'm also only harvesting materials at the ranch.
And the itemlevel 458 PvP gear mostly looks much better than the raid sets. Hopefully the 476 stuff has a different but still good style.