Mage gear help?

I'm trying to gear Ashlait (concentrating on chloro heals atm), but confused by all the options.

Here's what I currently have equipped:

Clever Hood of the Flowing Dark
Ceremonial Shoulderpads with +13 Int
Clever Robes of the Flowing Dark with +13 Int
Runescribe Gloves with SC +15
Resilient Darkcloth Belt
Cunning Darkcloth Leggings
Transplanar Slipperes with End +11
Dark Water Staff with Int +19
Endless Blaster with Focus +9
Drake Tooth Choker
Archmage's Phylactery
Clever Band of Spells
Exalted Soul-Iron Loop

Current stats (self buffed) are:
SP 824; SC 562; Focus 141; Int 456; Health 5724

Now, other than the obvious (that I'm not well/consistently runed, and some pieces are a whole lot better than others), here's what I'm wondering: Should I be buying the cheapest tier of plaque gear to replace the weakest links (most notably, the gloves and boots), or saving them up for the stuff off the Elder Relic Merchant?

I have yet to see any mage gear drop from any expert dungeon (closest I've come is that staff from an expert rift). I presume that's the RND just not being friendly to me atm, and not some sort of known issue that mage stuff never drops? =)

Edit: malformed link

» Edited on: 2011-05-22 13:17:17

There are two guides out that are very helpful in aiding the process of picking and choosing gear, by slot, and it offers advice on best runes for the slot as well. The big disclaimer though always applies - your mileage may vary! The first guide is slightly out of date now because it does not contain any gear after 1.2. The second guide is post 1.2 but does not contain any T1 gear, and is a bit less complete overall. Mage Gear Guide v3.0 Mage Gear Guide T2/GSB/10 Man Raids I hope this helps!

I'm not to 50 yet - and I almost hate to get there since I will have to figure out all this gear crap. I really wish there were recipes that let the crafters make all the gear I would ever need. I would much rather depend on them - than on drops.

I just hit 50 - You are already geared much better than me. I have the crafted robe but still need to get the matching parts. I have got some enchants from AH but it is hard to find what I need there or very costly. Can you recommend an expert outfitter in guild to assist with making the flowing dark hood and mantle? I am not concerned with the other slots so much but will deal with them later since I am just starting with expert dungeons. -Device Tre'lok

@Morigana: Gear only really matters to the degree you want to be on the bleeding edge of raiding. The best crafted gear is really quite acceptable for doing T1 ("Tier 1") content (the easiest level of expert dungeons). Theoretically, at least, as you do those T1 dungeons, you'll "naturally" get better gear to move on up from there. However, as you move up from there into T2 and T3, gear starts to matter more and more... and be progressively harder for a "casual player" to figure out/manage. I'm pretty content to not be on the front lines of raiding, as it were, and mostly follow along behind when the front-liners get something on "farm" status. ;-) Hence, why I was asking those folks for advice. @Device: Check out the marketplace here on the Gaischioch site. Through it, our crafters will make what you want, using their own materials, and receive marketplace funds (and "warm fuzzies" for helping guildies) in the bargain. That's where I got the robe, and I currently have a request in for the shoulders there as well. May not be the fastest way (if our crafters don't happen to have the recipe for what you're wanting, especially), and since things have to be added manually, you won't find everything you want there. But the flowing dark pieces are all there now. We have some wonderful outfitters who'll be more than happy to fix you up, I'm sure. Or just ask in guild channel if you have the mats and are just looking for someone to assemble them. Edit: missing word

» Edited on: 2011-05-24 11:35:53

I really don't care that much for dungeons - but I am praying for some good PvP in the future - which I fear will make me grind dungeons to get the gear. I might be wrong on this although it seems the same geer for T2 and T3 are being used in PvP now. Please let me know if I am under a misconception. Maybe I can achieve similar benefit from using the PvP soul - I just don't know.

Ah... I don't really do the WFs. I like my PvP large scale and open world; but there isn't much of that going on. :-( So I'm likely not the one to be commenting on PvP gear. But my understanding was that the gear you get from PvPing was the best there was for that. Maybe that has changed? Someone else will have to comment on that. When Trion gets their act together and gives us large-scale PvP, I know I'm going to have a lot of ground to make up... but I just really don't enjoy the current crop of WFs.

I am really hoping as you do - that they add open world (even if it is just one zone) PvP. I only do WF's occassionally since I like to PvP and it is either that or COD on my PS3. :) Even though I like the game - once I reach 50 with my three toons - besides doing Family nights I'm not sure what will be left. I really dislike grinding dungeons just that much.

PvP gear is 'purchased' on an entirely different system that is based only off of currency you earn from PvP'ing. They did that part very right! :) If you want the best PvP gear out there you get it by doing PvP and earning Favor that you spend on PvP gear. You have access to better PvP gear as your PvP rank increases. I hope that all made sense.

» Edited on: 2011-05-24 23:08:57