Intro

Here is a guide I created that is designed for gear preparation for Restoration Druids before entering normal Cataclysm raids. This guide should answer the following questions:

* What is the best gear available for a Resto Druid before Cata Raids?
* Which instances should I run and which should I avoid?
* What reputation should I aim for first?
* How many justice points do I need?

This guide does not consider any profession oriented specific gear (unless the items crafted are BoE). However Archaeology items are thrown in considering anyone is freely able to pick up the profession if they desire to put the time into it.

Keep in mind this guide is mostly designed around the gear priorities for 25 man raiding. Running heroics and 10 man would have slightly different priorities. For example, 5 mans would rely less on spirit because the encounters are short, and 10 mans would value mastery.

Stat Priority

For the time being I'm considering Spirit/Haste gear as what one would aim for in every slot if it was available. After that it's kind of a toss up between Spirit/Critical and Haste/Critical gear. I'm leaning towards Spirit/Critical being of a higher value in early tier here because mana regen will be a concern in 25 man raids.

Mastery is an okay stat in 10 mans (it's strength is probably near crit) because Wild Growth can cover 6/10 players every 7/10 seconds. However, that's not the case of 25 man and in the mastery's current form I believe it should be avoided at all costs.

Reforging

Spirit/Haste = Don't reforge
Spirit/Critical = Reforge Critical to Haste
Haste/Critical = Reforge Critical to Spirit
Mastery = Reforge to Haste or Spirit

Pre-Cata Raid Gear

Weapon

Mace - Scepter of Power - Setesh - Halls of Origination
(1729 SP, 129 INT, 86 SPI, 86 HST)

Offhand - Apple-Bent Bough - Justice Point Vendor
(168 INT, 112 SPI, 112 HST)

Staff - Soul Releaser - Earthrager Ptah - Halls of Origination
(1729 SP, 302 INT, 202 SPI, 202 HST)

Staff - Staff of Sorcerer-Than Thaurissan - Archaeology
(1955 SP, 341 INT, 228 HST, 228 CRT)

Staff - Staff of Ammunae - Archaeology
(1955 SP, 341 INT, 247 SPI, 194 CRT)

* Mace/Offhand and Staff from dungeons are roughly equivalent stats, but the Mace/Offhand combo is better considering the new Offhand enchant of 100 INT.

Trinkets

Tear of Blood - High Priestess Azil - The Stonecore
(285 INT, 1710 SPI for 15 sec proc)

Witching Hourglass - Ascendant Lord Obsidius - Blackrock Caverns
(285 INT, 1710 HST for 15 sec proc)

Gale of Shadows - Erudax - Grim Batol
(285 HST, 340 SP stacked)

Tyrande's Favorite Doll - Archaeology
(321 INT, 4200 mana / 1 min CD)

Darkmoon Card: Tsunami - Darkmoon Faire
(321 INT, 400 SPI)

Necklace

Yellow Smoke Pendant - Dragonmaw Clan (Exalted)
(190 INT, 127 CRT, 127 MST)

Quicksilver Amulet - Karsh Steelbender - Blackrock Caverns
(168 INT, 120 SPI, 98 HST)

Rings

Ring of the Great Whale - Throne of the Tides Dungeon Drop BoE
(168 INT, 112 SPI, 112 HST)

Band of Life Energy - Ammunae - Halls of Origination
(168 INT, 120 SPI, 98 CRT)

Ring of Frozen Rain - Asaad - Vortex Pinnacle
(168 INT, 112 SPI, 112 CRT)

Ring of the Boy Emperor - Archaeology
(190 INT, 127 HST, 127 MST)

Abandoned Dark Iron Ring - Grim Batol Dungeon Drop BoE
(168 INT, 112 HST, 112 CRT)

Diamant's Ring of Temperance - Therazane (Revered)
(168 INT, 112 CRT, 112 HST)

Rose Quartz Band - Slabhide - The Stonecore
(168 INT, 112 CRT, 112 HST)

Cloak

Solar Wind Cloak - Rajh - Halls of Origination
(168 INT, 112 SPI, 112 HST)

Springvale's Cloak - Commander Springvale - Shadowfang Keep
(168 INT, 112 SPI, 112 CRT)

Azureborne Cloak - Drahga Shadowburner - Grim Batol
(168 INT, 120 SPI, 98 CRT)

Cloak of Ancient Wisdom - The Earthen Ring (Revered)
(168 INT, 112 CRT, 112 HST)

Relic

Tattooed Eyeball - Inscription Craft BoE
(107 INT, 54 HST, 82 CRT)

Book of Dark Prophecies - High Priestess Azil - Stonecore
(95 INT, 63 SPI, 63 CRT)

Book of the Well Sung Song - Vanessa VanCleef - Deadmines
(95 INT, 63 CRT, 63 HST)

Chest

Robes of Forgetfulness - Justice Point Vendor
(262 INT, 202 SPI, 162 HST, R/Y socket(+20 SPI))

Vest of the Curious Visitor - Glubtok - Deadmines
(262 INT, 192 CRT, 172 HST, R/B socket(+20 CRT))

Chestguard of Nature's Fury - Leatherworking Craft BoE
(341 INT, 205 CRT, 241 MST)

Boots

Decapod Slippers - Mindbender Ghur'sha - Throne of the Tides
(205 INT, 114 SPI, 151 CRT, R socket(+10 CRT))

Tarvus's Poison-Scarred Boots - Tarvus the Vile - Twilight Highlands Rare Spawn
(205 INT, 114 SPI, 151 CRT, R socket(+10 CRT))

Gloves

Deep Delving Gloves - Slabhide - Stonecore
(205 INT, 150 SPI, 130 HST, B socket(+10 INT))

Blessed Hands of Elune - Justice Point Vendor
(205 INT, 150 SPI, 130 CRT, B socket(+10 INT))

Helm

Cluster of Stars - Justice Point Vendor
(242 INT, 182 SPI, 162 HST, Y/M socket(+30 INT))

Legs

Leggings of Clutching Roots - The Earthen Ring (Revered)
(262 INT, 202 SPI, 162 CRT, Y/Y socket(+20 INT))

Leggings of Late Blooms - Justice Point Vendor
(262 INT, 162 HST, 202 MST, R/B socket(+20 CRT))

Shoulders

Mantle of Bestilled Winds - Altairus - Vortex Pinnacle
(205 INT, 130 SPI, 150 HST, R socket(+10 CRT))

Mantle of Soft Shadows - Anraphet - Halls of Origination
(185 INT, 120 SPI, 140 CRT, R/B socket(+20 SPI))

Bracers

Armbands of Change - Corla, Herald of Twilight - Blackrock Caverns
(168 INT, 98 CRT, 120 HST)

Oasis Bracers - Lost City of Tol'vir Dungeon drop
(168 INT, 120 SPI, 98 MST)

Belt

Withered Dream Belt - Dragonmaw Clan (Exalted)
(233 INT, 169 SPI, 149 HST, Y socket(+10 SPI))

Lightning Lash - Leatherworking Craft BoE
(253 INT, 152 SPI, 179 HST)

Thatch Eave Vines - Justice Point Vendor
(205 INT, 150 SPI, 130 HST, Y socket(+10 SPI))

Instance Priority Recap

Below is a breakdown of all the available Cata dungeons upon release. The number next to the dungeon reflects how many preferred items drop there. The list contains the desired items and also includes other decent alternatives.

High Priority

The Stonecore (3):

1. Spirit/Haste leather gloves
2. Spirit/Haste cloak
3. Healer Trinket (Int, Spirit proc)
4. Haste/Critical Ring

Blackrock Caverns (3):

1. Haste/Critical leather bracers
2. Caster Trinket (Int, Haste proc)
3. Spirit/Haste necklace (an epic critical/mastery reputation neck is available)

Halls of Origination (2):

1. Spirit/Haste Mace
2. Spirit/Crit Ring
3. Spirit/Haste Staff (prefer mace)
4. Spirit/Crit Leather shoulders (but Spirit/Haste shoulders available)

Medium Priority

Throne of the Tides (2):

1. Spirit/Crit leather boots (only available leather dungeon boots here)
2. Spirit/Haste ring (this is boe)

Vortex Pinnacle (2):

1. Spirit/Haste leather shoulders
2. Spirit/Critical ring

Lower Priority

The Deadmines (1):

1. Haste/Critical relic
2. Haste/Critical chest (but you should be getting justice point chest)

Grim Batol (1):

1. Caster Trinket (Haste, stacking SP)
2. Spirit/Critical cloak (but a Spirit/Haste is available)
3. Haste/Critical ring (it's boe)

Avoid

Shadowfang Keep (0):

1. Spirit/Critical cloak (but a Spirit/Haste is available)

Lost City of Tol'vir (0):

1. Spirit/Mastery bracers (but Haste/Critical is available. Also this is a random trash drop and BoP)

Justice Point Priority

After obtaining level 85 you should buy the leather helmet (Cluster of Stars) from the vendor. There is no better alternative (unless you're an engineer) because the other dungeon acquired helms contain mastery.

Next you should buy the leather chest (Robes of Forgetfulness). A decent dungeon chest is available with haste/critical, but the vendor item is better. Keep in mind there is a craftable epic leatherworking BoE chest, but it has mastery on it.

Lastly, the other item you may need to buy is the spirit/haste offhand if you acquire the desired spirit/haste mace from HoO.

These are the only three items one should need to buy unless one isn't able to acquire the better itemized items in the dungeons. The total justice point cost for these three is 5350.

Reputation Priority

Dragonmaw Clan (Exalted) - Epic BiS ilvl 359 Belt. Also a decent ilvll 359 epic Critical/Mastery neck.

Therazane (Exalted) - Epic shoulder enchants. Also a decent Haste/Crit ilvl 346 ring at Revered.

Guardians of Hyjal (Revered) - Epic Helm enchant.

The Earthen Ring (Revered) - Only non-mastery ilvl 346 legs here. Also a decent ilvl 346 haste/critical cloak at Revered.