Starterset legplates

Hi,

I will ding 80 next week. I will easily reach the defense cap using current gear (using enchant chest - greater defense and enchant cloak - titanweave, but only after the cost reduction of 3.0.8 )

I have the options of using either Daunting Legplates or Special Issue Legplates. Which one is better for a starter? The differences are:
+9 sta, +1 red slot, -19 def, +8 parry, -24 str, +46 hit
I am quite low on sta, therefore I think the legplates are better. But I will also lose 24 strength...

Other upgrades I will get later will be the Wyrmrest Accord Breastplate of the Solemn Council and Sabatons of Draconic Vigor.

Any suggestions or easy upgrades (from drops/quests/rep) are welcome. I prefer not to buy my upgrades in the AH, because I like to really "win" them.

Any suggestions?

My profile http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Aggramar&n=Zaluthar
(I use the Hammer of Quiet Mourning for tanking, but it might not be currently equipped in the armory.)

Get the special Issue Legplates if you will still have 689 defense rating afterwards.

Use Daunting if you need the defense for uncrit, otherwise go for the Special Issue Legplates. Do the Crusade quest chain in southeast Icecrown; it'll give much of the rep you need for the legplates as well as a spiffy helmet.

I recommend buying Daunting Gloves and Tempered Sauronite Belt off the AH as there are no easy quest/rep upgrades. It shouldn't be too expensive, they're both craftables with simple mats.

Thanks for the replies.

I don't need the Daunting Legplates for uncrit, so I will go with the Special Issue Legplates.

(I already have the required rep for it. Besides that, I am already using the Daunting Handguards and Tempered Saronite Belt (they were too cheap on AH). I also have the spiffy helmet from Icecrown.)

Daunting because you will need the extra defense later. Once you get into naxx you'll need the extra defense while the rest of your gear trades defense fro dodge. I was also partial to the legs from H CoS but that's not available till you are running heroics.

Also - on "easy" to get leg upgrades... bolstered legplates from heroic VH are the best choice here... heroic VH is very easy IMO - just find a healer who isn't terrible and burn through the place...

only problem I have ever had with that place is mana... since you can't simply pull more on the solo mob portals... this is remedied by popping divine plea when it's up - and getting off a couple of ticks of drink when you can - as well as judging wisdom...

otherwise - you can tank that in basically any gear with 535 defense

for the record... my brother tanked a successful run on his DK in basically crafted blues, with some quest gear... it's really not gear dependent - just have to know how the bosses work and have a decent healer...

run that place ad nauseum for your legs and trinket (good luck )

Due to other upgrades with less defense, I am obligated to keep the Daunting on for a while. (Until I am Argent Crusade Revered).

I kept both in my bank for a while. I opted for the special issue whenever I could, but whenever I'd upgrade a piece of gear and loose a bit of that lovely tempered saronite defense, swapping out legs was an easy way to stay uncrit . Don't vendor them until you have other means of quickly and economically staying about the crit line during gear substitutions.