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As you claw and fight your way across Northrend, you will soon realize
that you’ll need better gear if you want to hit all the cool
instances and survive. What’s a good way to do that, you ask?
Well, sit down and prepare yourself, fellow rogue, you’ll
have to do something totally alien to our
nature…….you’ll have to earn it. Hey,
hey! Put that blade back in its sheath. There’s no need to
resort to violence. I’m here to help. What I have to say is
sad, but you’ll have to…..shudder….work
hard to get some nice gear. How so? Well, my friend, the answer is
factions.
In Northrend, there are 10 factions that you can gain reputation with
and, through that reputation, purchase some nifty equipment.
We’ll examine each faction, show what useful (to rogues)
items they provide, how to gain reputation with the factions, and
roughly how long it’ll take to achieve higher levels of
reputation.
To begin with, each faction provides items based upon your reputation
with that specific faction. The higher your rep, the better the items
are. Below is a handy-dandy (look at my fancy wizard talk!) chart
showing the levels of reputation.
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="font-weight: bold;">Reputation Level
style="font-weight: bold;">Reputation Points needed for next
level
Neutral
3000
Friendly
6000
Honored
12000
Revered
21000
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As you claw and fight your way across Northrend, you will soon realize
that you’ll need better gear if you want to hit all the cool
instances and survive. What’s a good way to do that, you ask?
Well, sit down and prepare yourself, fellow rogue, you’ll
have to do something totally alien to our
nature…….you’ll have to earn it. Hey,
hey! Put that blade back in its sheath. There’s no need to
resort to violence. I’m here to help. What I have to say is
sad, but you’ll have to…..shudder….work
hard to get some nice gear. How so? Well, my friend, the answer is
factions.
In Northrend, there are 10 factions that you can gain reputation with
and, through that reputation, purchase some nifty equipment.
We’ll examine each faction, show what useful (to rogues)
items they provide, how to gain reputation with the factions, and
roughly how long it’ll take to achieve higher levels of
reputation.
To begin with, each faction provides items based upon your reputation
with that specific faction. The higher your rep, the better the items
are. Below is a handy-dandy (look at my fancy wizard talk!) chart
showing the levels of reputation.
style="font-weight: bold;">Reputation
level
To
gain reputation with each faction, you can do any of the following
three things: do normal quests that pertain to that faction as you
level, do daily quests for that specific faction, and wear a tabard (if
that faction has a tabard available) whilst doing level 80 dungeons.
Listed below are the Northrend factions.
style="font-weight: bold;">Northrend Factions
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
Alliance
Vanguard
Alliance
Only
Horde
Expedition
Horde
Only
Argent
Crusade
Frenzyheart
Tribe
Sholozar
Basin
Kalu'ak
Kirn
Tor
Knights
of the Ebon Blade
Oracles
Sholozar
Basin
Sons
of Hodir
Wyrmrest
Accord
Vanguard
Only
Expedition
Only
Crusade
Tribe
Basin
Tor
of the Ebon Blade
Basin
of Hodir
Accord
How long does it take to
raise your reputation, you ask? Basically, daily quests can give you
from 750 to 1500 reputation per day. For some factions, such as the
Sons of Hodir, you can gain access to a few more daily quests when your
reputation hits a certain level with them (normally Honored). A heroic
instance normally averages out to about 2000 reputation total, given to
whatever faction tabard you’re wearing at the time. If
you’re not wearing a tabard, then your reputation will go to
either Alliance Vanguard or Horde Expedition, based upon whichever side
you’re on.
Therefore, on the average, you’re looking at about 4 days
from Neutral to Friendly (even though you should start out with a
Friendly rep just by having completed the quests needed to get to level
80), another 4-7 days to get from Friendly to Honored, 8 days to get
from Honored to Revered, and then 13+ days to go from Revered to
Exalted. Naturally, doing level 80 dungeons whilst wearing a tabard can
speed the process along.
So which faction gives you awesome goodies and which ones give you
crap? Let’s take a quick look at what’s available
for rogues. By the time you hit 80, you should be right at Revered
status for either Alliance Vanguard or Horde Expedition and Honored
with one or two of the other factions just by the questing to level 80.
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Vanguard
Soldier’s Dagger
Revered
Sawed-Off
Hand Cannon
Revered
Arcanum
of the Savage Gladiator
Exalted
raise your reputation, you ask? Basically, daily quests can give you
from 750 to 1500 reputation per day. For some factions, such as the
Sons of Hodir, you can gain access to a few more daily quests when your
reputation hits a certain level with them (normally Honored). A heroic
instance normally averages out to about 2000 reputation total, given to
whatever faction tabard you’re wearing at the time. If
you’re not wearing a tabard, then your reputation will go to
either Alliance Vanguard or Horde Expedition, based upon whichever side
you’re on.
Therefore, on the average, you’re looking at about 4 days
from Neutral to Friendly (even though you should start out with a
Friendly rep just by having completed the quests needed to get to level
80), another 4-7 days to get from Friendly to Honored, 8 days to get
from Honored to Revered, and then 13+ days to go from Revered to
Exalted. Naturally, doing level 80 dungeons whilst wearing a tabard can
speed the process along.
So which faction gives you awesome goodies and which ones give you
crap? Let’s take a quick look at what’s available
for rogues. By the time you hit 80, you should be right at Revered
status for either Alliance Vanguard or Horde Expedition and Honored
with one or two of the other factions just by the questing to level 80.
style="font-weight: bold;">Alliance Vanguard
Soldier’s Dagger
Hand Cannon
of the Savage Gladiator
style="font-weight: bold;">Horde Expedition
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Warsong
Shanker
Revered
Sin'dorei
Recurve Bow
Revered
Arcanum
of the Savage Gladiator
Exalted
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Arcanum
of the Fleeting Shadow
Honored
Cloak
of the Holy Extermination
Honored
Zombie
Sweeper Shotgun
Revered
Arcanum
of the Stalwart Protector
Revered
Boots
of the Neverending Path
Exalted
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Azure
Strappy Pants
Revered
Stolen
Vrykul Harpoon
Revered
Frenzyheart
Insignia of Fury
Exalted
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Pattern:
Dragonscale Ammo Pouch
Honored
Whale-Skin
Breastplate
Honored
Pattern:
Trapper's Taveling Pack
Revered
Traditional
Flensing Knife
Revered
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Arcanum
of the Flame's Soul
Honored
Lightblade
Rivener
Honored
Mind-Expanding
Leggings
Revered
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Arcanum
of Toxic Warding
Honored
Pattern:
Nerubian Reinforced Quiver
Honored
Unholy
Persuader
WeaponHonored
Arcanum
of Torment
Revered
Reaper
of Dark Souls
Revered
Darkheart
Chestguard
Exalted
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Glitterscale
Wrap
Revered
Oracle
Talisman of Ablution
Exalted
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Lesser
Inscription of the Pinnacle
Honored
Arcanum
of the Frosty Soul
Honored
Lesser
Inscription of the Axe
Honored
Pattern:
Mammoth Mining Bag
Honored
Spaulders
of Frozen Knives
Honored
Greater
Inscription of the Axe
Exalted
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Arcanum
of the Eclipsed Moon
Honored
Fang
of Truth
Honored
Cloak
of Peaceful Resolution
Honored
Dragonfiend
Bracers
Exalted
Shanker
Recurve Bow
of the Savage Gladiator
Argent Crusade
of the Fleeting Shadow
of the Holy Extermination
Sweeper Shotgun
of the Stalwart Protector
of the Neverending Path
Frenzyheart Tribe
Strappy Pants
Vrykul Harpoon
Insignia of Fury
Kalu'ak
Dragonscale Ammo Pouch
Breastplate
Trapper's Taveling Pack
Flensing Knife
Kirin Tor
of the Flame's Soul
Rivener
Leggings
Knights of the Ebon Blade
of Toxic Warding
Nerubian Reinforced Quiver
Persuader
Weapon
of Torment
of Dark Souls
Chestguard
Oracles
Wrap
Talisman of Ablution
Sons of Hodir
Inscription of the Pinnacle
of the Frosty Soul
Inscription of the Axe
Mammoth Mining Bag
of Frozen Knives
Inscription of the Axe
Wyrmrest Accord
of the Eclipsed Moon
of Truth
of Peaceful Resolution
Bracers
If you’re using
daggers, then definitely pick up the daggers from either Alliance
Vanguard or Horde Expedition. If you’re using a sword build,
then grab the Fang of Truth from the Wyrmrest Accord. Ignore the
Oracles faction totally. The trinket is only useful for PvP, whilst the
waist item is comparable to the one dropped in Utgarde Keep. Grab
whichever Arcanum most thrills you or pick up the Arcanum of Triumph in
Wintergrasp. While the faction Arcanums add Stamina, the Triumph one
adds attack power, which rogues always need. After you grab the basic
rewards available, I would suggest going for the Whale-Skin Breastplate
from the Kalu’ak, followed by the Spaulders of the Frozen
Knives from the Sons of Hodir or the Cloak of the Holy Extermination
from the Argent Crusade. After that, it totally depends upon which epic
item you want the most. If you’re doing a sword build, then
grind out the Knights of the Ebon Blade. You’ll get a nice
sword at Revered, and an awesome epic chest piece at Exalted.
Don’t be afraid to switch gears if you get a great drop in a
dungeon. If you’re grinding towards some boots and a sweet
pair of them drop for you, but they’re not quite as good as
the epic you’re going for, then switch to a different faction
to grind. You can always come back later to go for the epic, and
you’ll get a bigger return on your time investment by
upgrading a different piece of gear that needs it more. As much as I
hate to say it, get to work!
daggers, then definitely pick up the daggers from either Alliance
Vanguard or Horde Expedition. If you’re using a sword build,
then grab the Fang of Truth from the Wyrmrest Accord. Ignore the
Oracles faction totally. The trinket is only useful for PvP, whilst the
waist item is comparable to the one dropped in Utgarde Keep. Grab
whichever Arcanum most thrills you or pick up the Arcanum of Triumph in
Wintergrasp. While the faction Arcanums add Stamina, the Triumph one
adds attack power, which rogues always need. After you grab the basic
rewards available, I would suggest going for the Whale-Skin Breastplate
from the Kalu’ak, followed by the Spaulders of the Frozen
Knives from the Sons of Hodir or the Cloak of the Holy Extermination
from the Argent Crusade. After that, it totally depends upon which epic
item you want the most. If you’re doing a sword build, then
grind out the Knights of the Ebon Blade. You’ll get a nice
sword at Revered, and an awesome epic chest piece at Exalted.
Don’t be afraid to switch gears if you get a great drop in a
dungeon. If you’re grinding towards some boots and a sweet
pair of them drop for you, but they’re not quite as good as
the epic you’re going for, then switch to a different faction
to grind. You can always come back later to go for the epic, and
you’ll get a bigger return on your time investment by
upgrading a different piece of gear that needs it more. As much as I
hate to say it, get to work!
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