With Ulduar's T8 gear being relatively lower in item level and lacking desirable set bonuses, some classes and specs find T8's 4-piece bonus unnecessary. In contrast, the T9 set from Trial of the Crusader (TOC) offers significantly superior bonuses. The 258 high-tier version is excellent, and even the 245 item level T9 set is highly beneficial for most classes. Here’s a breakdown of each class and spec’s recommended T9 set usage:

Warrior

• Protection Warrior: The 2-piece bonus increases threat, while the 4-piece enhances survivability.

• Fury Warrior: The 2-piece bonus grants 2% increased critical strike or 6% armor penetration, and the 4-piece adds 5% crit to Slam and Heroic Strike.

Warriors benefit greatly from T9’s tailored stats and bonuses. Both Prot and Fury Warriors should aim to complete their 4-piece T9 set.

Paladin

• Holy Paladin: The 4-piece T9 is underwhelming, so Holy Paladins can skip it and stick to off-pieces or the 2-piece T9 (helmet and shoulders).

• Protection Paladin: The 4-piece T9 bonus is strong, significantly enhancing survivability.

• Retribution Paladin: Though the 4-piece may seem lackluster, it does improve DPS to an extent. Ret Paladins have minimal need for armor penetration, so they can ignore off-pieces with this stat.

Death Knight (DK)

• Blood Tank DK (DKT): The 2-piece bonus is valuable for threat generation. The 4-piece is modest, only reducing the cooldown on Vampiric Blood by 10 seconds, so it’s less valuable.

• Unholy DK: T9 set bonuses are outstanding, making Unholy one of the top specs in TOC. With the T9 set, Unholy DKs achieve almost ICC-level DPS in TOC. The 4-piece is a must-have.

Hunter

Although the T9 set bonuses favor Beast Mastery, Survival is the optimal spec in Wrath of the Lich King (WLK). With TOC Hunter gear being relatively inexpensive, Hunters should aim for the full 4-piece.

Shaman

• Restoration Shaman: The T9 set bonuses are weaker than T8, so Resto Shamans should stick with their T8 set in TOC.

• Elemental and Enhancement Shaman: Both specs benefit significantly from T9 set bonuses and should acquire the 4-piece.

Druid

• Druids: With four different specs but only three T9 sets, Feral Druids (Bear and Cat) share a set. Bears don’t see much benefit, and Cats can get by with just the 2-piece.

• Balance Druid: The 4-piece bonus greatly enhances DPS, boosting a core skill’s damage by 4%, and the 2-piece bonus is also beneficial.

• Restoration Druid: Although the T9 bonuses are strong, Resto Druids aren’t often needed in TOC, so it’s not essential to prioritize T9 for this spec.

Rogue

Both Assassination and Combat Rogues should aim for the 4-piece T9 set, as the 4-piece bonus increases primary skill damage by 5%, making it an optimal choice.

Mage

With both 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses ranking among the best, Mages of all specs should prioritize completing their 4-piece T9 set as soon as possible.

Warlock

The 4-piece T9 bonus is also excellent for Warlocks, providing a 10% damage boost to two core spells for both Affliction and Demonology. This is highly valuable for multi-target situations, making T9 far superior to T8.

Priest

• Discipline Priest: Can completely skip T9 and continue using T8 instead.

• Shadow Priest: If aiming for optimal performance, consider acquiring the 4-piece T9, but it’s also possible to use off-pieces instead.

Conclusion

Apart from Resto Shamans and Discipline Priests, almost all other class specs will benefit from T9, with some needing the full 4-piece and others just 2 pieces.

Guidelines for Prioritizing T9 Set Pieces:

1. Skip the 232 ilvl T9 set; start with the 245 ilvl items and replace lower ilvl gear first.

2. Prioritize shoulders, as head items can be acquired from Onyxia, which has excellent stats even without T9. Use crafted items for chest pieces if necessary, and get gloves and pants from Vault of Archavon if available.

3. As the 245 ilvl T9 set pieces are badge-bought, you can earn enough badges in TOC to exchange for one piece per week. However, individual T9 pieces have little value alone, so wait until you can secure at least the 2-piece bonus.

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