Pre-raid tank necks

So, there are a couple of quests that reward decent blue neck pieces. I'm trying to gear up both a ret set (current spec) and a prot set, and wonder which is the best option to take from each quest.

Quest 1 rewards:
Ret - Severed Noose of Westwind
Prot - Reinforced Titanium Neckguard

Quest 2 Rewards:
Ret - Choker of the Betrayer
Prot -Betrayer's Choker

I'm leaning to the Severed Noose for Ret (no "wasted" points in stam), and the Betrayer's for Prot (delicious stam plus yellow socket for def and even more stam). My only reservation is that the hit rating on the Betrayer's seems a bit of a waste.

Thoughts?
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Quest1: ret

Quest2: prot

I think the yellow socket in the 2-prot neck outweighs the dodge on 1-prot, since red gems are meh. Unless you need it for meta-gem, but you can probably slip a red one in your belt buckle for example.

The hit isn´t exactly wasted, just not as attractive as the dodge might seem.

Also +22 stam on the 2-prot regardless of gemming, in addition to the fact the the 1-ret is far superior to the 2-ret (agi > stam)


I keep ninja-editing this post. Looking a bit closer at what you wrote I think I´ll just say "I agree".
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Kieras <- armory
Proud cook of Savory Deviate Delight

Honestly...

I would actually try to pick up a Burning Skull Pendant (I believe that's the name) from the AH... very nice tanking neck... not too expensive on my server (around 50-60g...)

I think it's superior to both of these necks... just my opinon tho
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yeah, I banked my betrayer for the burning skull today
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http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Nagrand&n=Totdaar

Why not just run heroics until you get 25 badges and buy that one?
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i took the betrayer neck and put a +12def gem in it and replaced a few days later with the 25 emblem one. it is definitely a very solid choice fro tanking, more so than the other option you gave imo. especially because w/o full saronite/daunting gear getting uncrit is difficult and even then, saronite doesn't have anything else aside from defense and stam.
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I used the the Betrayers with a def gem for a long time while I collected badges for the Military Chain.

As it so happens the night I was in Gun'Drak to get my 25th badge for the neck, the BSP dropped.....

The BSP dropped shortly after one of my friends had gotten the badge neck.
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my group of people have run naxx for a few weeks now 10 man, and tonight we managed to kill kelthuzad. it took us just about 4 hours to clear all four quarters the night before. now, maybe your guild will have better performance from that off the bat, but what I'm saying is, if you have say a couple hours for naxx, that's enough time to do 4 heroics. gundrak will get you 5, draktheron 4, maybe pick up the daily, could be 5 or 6 badges for that, and then one more, say 3 badges. that should net you 14 or 15 badges in about 2 hours. heroics are certainly quicker to collect badges in, than 10 man naxx, starting out

just my thoughts
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not only are they quicker than naxx generally... they are infinitely quicker than TBC heroics were for the most part...

with a decent/good group:

Azjol Nerub = 20 min or so from first pull to last boss down (3 badges)
Nexus = 30-40 min clear... (5 badges)
Violet Hold = 20-30 min (no wipes - 3 badges)

not to mention that the daily will make it even better in some of these...

really not too hard to get badges even on limited time - on that note though - I would rock the BSP until you get some other badge upgrades (namely - LIBRAM)
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"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so" -Douglas Adams