Collectibles: Tabards

Fingers crossed that one day tabards will have their very own tab, complete with visuals — much like mounts and companions — or are assigned to a dropdown/slideout box like titles. I vote for the former!

In either case, until that day we are stuck either destroying replaceable tabards to save space or simply hanging onto them and allowing them to take up precious bank and bag space.

• Companion Pets
• Tabards
• Mounts
• Titles
• Reputations
• Feats of Strength
• Miscellaneous and Obsolete Items (ie. bank clutter)
• and Soloing Old World Content

There is a 25 tabards achievement but with so many tabards in the game these days, it shouldn't be too long before they introduce a 50 unique tabards achievement (probably next expansion). But which will come first: an achievement for collecting 50 tabards or a dedicated tabards tab?

In this post, I'm going to divide tabards into two sections: tabards that I have; and tabards that I want. As with my Vanity Pet lists, this will show which tabards are fairly easy to get and which ones take extra effort, luck or are just plain no longer obtainable.

My Tabard Collection

Tabards that I have
The following is a list of tabards that I actually have right now, either in my bags or in the bank:

Gilneas Tabard — purchased from a vendor; I plan to use it for reputation gain in dungeons
Green Trophy Tabard of the Illidari — a TBC quest; can be destroyed and the alternative chosen
Knight's Colors — originally available from at least PvP rank 6, now a mere 100 honor points
Loremaster's Colors — reward for completing The Loremaster
Private's Tabard — 50 honor points
Renowned Guild Tabard — guild rep is still a long, tedious grind, even with this equipped
Sporeggar Tabard — costs 10 Glowcaps
Tabard of Ramkahen — this will get my to exalted
Tabard of Summer Skies — the second tabard that can be destroyed and the alternative chosen
Tabard of the Achiever — all you need are 25 tabards!
Tabard of the Argent Dawn — I have a feeling I missed it the first time around, but Wrath changed that!
Tabard of the Earthen Ring — more Cata rep
Tabard of the Explorer — was Northrend really so big as to warrant an epic quality tabard?
Tabard of the Guardians of Hyjal — Cata rep
Tabard of Therazane — probably the trickiest Cata rep tabard to get
Tabard of the Wildhammer Clan

I also had the following TBC tabards, but destroyed them because they are easily purchasable for 70s each — if I was so inclined to buy them back:
Aldor Tabard
Cenarian Expedition Tabard
Consortium Tabard
Keepers of Time Tabard
Kurenai Tabard
Lower City Tabard
Ogri'la Tabard
Sha'tar Tabard
Skyguard Tabard
Tabard of the Shattered Sun — one of my favourite looking tabards

Tabards that I want
Mostly for the sake of completion to the extent that I am able, but especially if they introduce a 50 tabards achievement in future. Even if I am unable to get a handful of these (because a few are tricky to get hold of), next expansion there should be six or seven new reputation tabards to make up for what I don't end up getting.

For now, I don't intend to get any of these tabards, since they only take up space. But when we get that much anticipated tabards tab I will definitely add as many as I can to my collection. :)

Arathor Battle Tabard — requires exalted with League of Arathor followed by five captured bases — should be epic
Argent Crusader's Tabard — 50 Champion's Seals
Baradin's Wardens Tabard — doesn't grant reputation, unfortunately — costs 40 Tol Barad Commendations
Darnassus Tabard — 70s from Darnassus
Exodar Tabard — 7s from Exodar
Gnomeregan Tabard — 7s from Ironforge
Ironforge Tabard — 7s from Ironforge
Silver Covenant Tabard — 50 Champion's Seals
Silverwing Battle Tabard — costs 2,059 honor points
Stormpike Battle Tabard — costs 2,679 honor points
Stormwind Tabard — 7s from Stormwind
Tabard of Conquest — reward from a difficult achievement, but a very cool tabard
Tabard of the Scarlet Crusade — drops from Scarlet Trainees in Scarlet Monastery — might have had this in the past, but will have to go farm it again if I want it (and it is cool, so maybe one day I will — again)

With 31 tabards under my belt (or over my robe), two more easily swappable (destroy and get the alternative from the vendor), and a handful more easily purchasable; I'm well on the way towards that future 50 tabards achievement and nicely padding out my tabards tab — when it shows up.

Peace.

Gaiwyn of Proudmoore

Cataclysm Factions And Their Rewards

I'm back from my 18-day holiday in New Zealand. :D

Speaking of going back, I'd like to revisit the roots of this blog a little. I'm going to move away from gold-blogging and talk a bit about the Cataclysm factions and the rewards you can purchase at Honored, Revered and Exalted with each. Perhaps this will help someone with planning where to level (as that directly affects your immediate reputation with any given faction) and which tabard to wear into dungeons first.

The five PvE factions are:

• Guardians of Hyjal
• Ramkahen
• The Earthen Ring
• Therazane
• Wildhammer Clan/ Dragonmaw Clan

NB. When something is listed as healing, it implies that it is a spirit-based item and as such also benefits caster specs of the appropriate hybrid class. Items listed as caster items are preferable for caster dps specs for hybrid classes, but spirit gear should not be ruled out completely.

Guardians of Hyjal (Wowhead)
Honored - Item Level 333
Cloak of the Dryads - Healing Cloak
Galrond's Band - Strength Ring
Mountain's Mouth - Tanking Neck
Sly Fox Jerkin - Leather DPS Chest

Revered - Item Level 346
Arcanum of Hyjal - Caster / Healer Head Enchant
Acorn of the Daughter Tree - Agility Neck
Aessina-Blessed Gloves - Leather Caster Gloves
Waywatcher's Boots - Plate DPS Boots
Wilderness Legguards - Mail Healing Legs

Exalted - Item Level 359
Belt of the Ferocious Wolf - Plate DPS Belt
Cord of [the] Raven Queen - Cloth Healing Belt
Treads of Malorne - Mail DPS Boots
Wrap of the Great Turtle - Tanking Cloak

Conclusion: Good for tanks, healers and plate dps. Arcanum for casters and healers.

Ramkahen (Wowhead)
Honored - Item Level 333
Ammunae's Blessing - Healing Ring
Belt of the Stargazer - Mail DPS Belt
Drystone Greaves - Plate Healing Boots
Shroud of the Dead - Strength Cloak

Revered - Item Level 346
Arcanum of the Ramkahen - Agility DPS Head Enchant
Quicksand Belt - Leather DPS Belt
Red Rock Band - Strength Ring
Robes of Orsis - Caster Chest
Sash of Prophecy - Mail Healing Belt

Exalted - Item Level 359
Desert Walker Sandals - Caster Boots
Gift of Nadun - Strength Neck
Sandguard Bracers - Plate Tanking Wrists
Sun King's Girdle - Plate Healing Belt

Conclusion: Good for casters, plate dps and plate healers. Arcanum for agility classes.

The Earthen Ring (Wowhead)
Honored - Item Level 333
Helm of Temperance - Caster Hood
Mantle of Moss - Mail DPS Shoulders
Pendant of Elemental Balance - Healing Neck
Stone-Wrapped Greaves - Plate Tanking Legs

Revered - Item Level 346
Arcanum of the Earthen Ring - Tank Head Enchant
Cloak of Ancient Wisdom - Caster Cloak
Leggings of Clutching Roots - Leather Healing Legs
Peacemaker's Breastplate - Plate Healing Chest
Softwind Cape - Agility Cloak

Exalted - Item Level 359
Earthmender's Boots - Mail Healing Boots
Flamebloom Gloves - Caster Gloves
Signet of the Elder Council - Agility Ring
World Keeper's Gauntlets - Plate Healing Gloves

Conclusion: Good for agility dps, plate healers and casters. Arcanum for tanks.

Therazane (Wowhead)
This faction is for shoulder enchants and rings for all classes and specs. Please note that currently the shoulder enchants are Bind on Pickup, meaning you will need to raise reputation with this faction on any character that you wish to give shoulder enchants to. They will likely change to Bind to Account in a future patch.

Wildhammer Clan (Wowhead)
Honored - Item Level 333
Gloves of Aetherial Rumors - Caster Gloves
Helm of the Skyborne - Mail Healing Helm
Mantle of Wild Feathers - Leather Healing Shoulders
Swiftflight Leggings - Leather DPS Legs

Revered - Item Level 346
Arcanum of the Wildhammer - Strength Head Enchant
Band of Singing Grass - Caster Ring
Crown of Wings - Plate Tanking Helm
Gryphon Talon Gauntlets - Plate DPS Gloves
Windhome Helm - Mail DPS Helm

Exalted - Item Level 359
Belt of the Untamed - Leather Healing Belt
Gryphon Rider's Boots - Plate Tanking Boots
Lightning Flash Pendant - Caster Neck
Stormbolt Gloves - Leather DPS Gloves

Conclusion: Good for plate tanks, casters, leather dps and leather healing. Arcanum for plate dps.

Dragonmaw Clan (Wowhead)
You should know by now that I don't play Horde! Rewards are equivalent to Wildhammer Clan rewards.

That's all from me for now!

Peace.

Gaiwyn of Proudmoore

Bear Essentials

Ding: 78.

Achievement: Fo' Grizzle My Shizzle.

I also completed Explore Grizzly Hills, netting me the Explore Northrend achievement. I got Tabard of the Explorer in my mailbox, as a reward.

If I can finish off Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, I will get both a World Explorer achievement and a title: the Explorer.

Next stop: Zul'Drak. Maybe. It depends on whether I am able to handle those undead mobs in Icecrown now that I am 78. >.<

Whatever happens, I will clear every zone before I am happy. I'm in no hurry to do it; but I will do it.

Gaiwyn of Proudmoore

Necropilises

All over Azeroth, necropolises have been springing up. This follows the start of a ghoul / zombie epidemic that has been spreading throughout both the world of Azeroth and that of Outland. The server has been going through a restart process each evening as more content is introduced.

This heralds the beginning of the Lich King's intrusion and eventual dominion. This Scourge Invasion is similar to that which happened two years ago with the original opening of Naxxramas. Back then, I managed to complete a few of the quests but never acquired a Tabard of the Argent Dawn.

I have acquired the Blessed Mantle, Robe and Gloves of Undead Cleansing and also the Tabard of the Argent Dawn so far. XD

With my mage, I have achieved all of the necessary Hallow's End requirements to complete Hallowed Be Thy Name. This is one of the World Event achievements towards What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been, the reward of which is totally drakelicious!

I respecced frost for our Molten Core run on Friday night. It was really cool raiding with some of my old friends from Unknown again. We pugged it to fill out numbers, but it worked out well and Rags didn't stand a chance.

We also ventured into Onyxia's Lair. She went down in about a minute and a half or so.

After that, we shot into BWL and cleared up to Firemaw with about 12 people. I had to log my rogue for the suppression room and kept her in for Broodlord. Unfortunately, neither of our tanks had Onyxia Scale Cloaks so the Firemaw fight itself was a no-go, but at least we all enjoyed ourselves and were able to reminisce about old times. ;)

Gogo, more achievements!

Gaiwyn of Proudmoore

Titles

There are some new user titles to be introduced with the expansion. A lot of these will be server first achievements. WTB Archmage Gaiwyn. XD

A couple of other things of note. Firstly, I remember reading about faction championing a while back. Information has been released regarding factions you can champion as you run instances. All you have to do is wear the tabard of your choice of faction to gain reputation with them. For the Argent Crusade, Knights of the Ebon Blade, Kirin Tor, and Wyrmrest Accord, all reputation gains while in level 80 dungeons and wearing their respective tabards will be applied to your standing with them.

Leatherworkers will be able to apply item enhancements that act as enchants. The same will also probably eventually apply to Blacksmiths and Tailors.

Gaiwyn of Proudmoore