Need some more advice, mostly gem related =)

Alright so I've been dilligently working away on my gear since my last thread, managed to find a nice guild and do some Uld10/Uld25/Trial10/Trial25 runs, not to mention enough heroics and TotC Norm/H to get just about everything I need from there.

Unfortunately I've followed Petrus' Gear List and Digren's Gem/Enchant Guide just about as much as I can, and now I have reached an impass where I need to learn more than be told really =) Although I will keep trying xD Basically right now, I have been hovering above the def cap more than I'd like to be, and am trying to come back down in order to get some more stam/avoid out of it.

Here is my armoury link for your consideration: http://www.wowarmory.com/character-shee ... n=Sumokisa

The only thing I shift around really is my trinkets; Using Black Heart+Gossamer for a stam set, or Valor Medal+Furnace for dodge, and I usually lean toward dodge because that makes me hit the 102.4% cap, although the diminishing returns must be KILLING me since my stats with that are 28.53% dodge, 17.86% parry and 17.12% block 1379 (ew), with 546 def and 32.1k hp. With the stam trinks im under the 102.4% cap, but I have a nice 34.8k HP to sit on.

Basically, I just need some help prioritzing my gear/enchant choices to squeeze out a few more item points, since most of my upgrades are Uld25/Trials which I am running every opportunity so that I do get my drops as fast as I can.

Head: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=46175Currently T8.5 with 37stam/20def enchant, with the 32stam 2% armor meta and a 10def15stam gem for the 12stam bonus, dont think theres anything wrong here, need EoT's and trophys to upgrade.

Neck: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=45696 Uld10 drop, waiting on the Trial10 drop, nothing much else I can do, the EoC neck isnt really an upgrade for me.

Shoulder: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=47514 ToTH Drop... probably my worst piece, hopefully my guild will get to Faction Champions this week, or maybe Uld10 will yield rewards for me. +20Dodge +15Def enchant(wish there was a parry) and +30stam gem missing out on the +4dodge. I think my gem choice is good here, 4 dodge is pretty low value if memory serves.

Cloak: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40722 EoC Reward, enchanted with +16 Defense rating, since I am above cap would it be a good idea to swap that for the +agi enchant?

Chest: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=47254 Trial25, my pride and glory (lost the shield for this baby), enchanted with 22def rating, I could switch that out for +10stat since I am over the defcap, but from what I gather that isnt such a good idea. Gemmed with +10agi/+15 stam and +51stam for the 9stam bonus.

Wrist: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=47611 Trial10, another nice drop for me, with the +40 stam ench, nothing to debate here.

Hands: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=46174 Ema25, another lucky drop although its a BV piece in a non-bv set, should I maybe swap this out? Enchanted with +20 agi and gemmed with a +8agi +12 stam, going to replace the gem with an epic, should it be +10agi/+15stam or perhaps +10parry/+15 stam since my parry is so so low?

Waist: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=45825 EoC reward, belt buckle of course with a +30stam in it, nothing odd here.

Legs: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=45842 EoC reward, nothing to upgrade till I get an Uld replacement. +55 Stam/+22 Agi enchant of course, with +10def/+15stam and +10agi/+15stam to get the +6stam bonus, would I maybe benefit from shoving 2x+30 stam gems in there instead?

Feet: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=45166 Uld10 drop, hopefully my guild will down 25 Jaxx so I have a shot at getting these, otherwise the Spiked Deathdealers do not seem like enough of an upgrade for the cost. Enchanted with +15 stam and the run speed increase since I didnt spec into the ret talent.

Rings: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=47243 with +51stam and http://www.wowhead.com/?item=42643 with +24stam, I am thinking of using 35 EoC's for the defense ring, would this be the best use of them for me?

Trinkets: I have Black Heart/Gossamer for stam or Furnace/Valor Medal for dodge, depending on the circumstances.

Weapon: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=47500 ..the bane of my existance. I dont know what Blizz was thinking with this weapon model but I cant WAIT to replace it. Just waiting for that Naxx25, Uld10 or 25 FL to drop it for me. ench with 26 agi and +24stam gem.

Shield: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=42508 Just really had no luck with this one. I should run more Naxx25's and Maly10s I guess, has never dropped for me. Maybe the Trial25 shield will drop again for my guild =D ench with +20 def rating, I'm over the cap but it seems foolish to drop that for BV.

Soo thats my view on the items I have... I know you guys can probably see that from my armory but I felt better to offer my thoughts =) Basically my questions are:

Is my gem choice/ench choice for shoulders optimal? How about my ench choice for cloak? Im dubvious about my hand gem and even my hand item, anything to comment on there? Would swapping non-blue gems in my legs yield good rewards? Am I correct in going for the 35 EoC ring as my biggest upgrade? Why is my sword so ugly? Why will Malygos never drop her shield?!

And finally, what have I missed? Again I have used this as a brainstorming session to comb over all my gear and nitpick at it before asking you guys for help to assure it is as good as it can be! Any comments that you can offer on my item choices, gem choices, enchant choices and talent choices would be greatly appreciated, I am always looking to upgrade my gear! Also, I would love some reassurance that I can now throw away my EoCs on Ret os/Holy os/Deadly PVP gear =)

Finally I just want to put it out there, that should I really be this worried about minmaxing my gear? At this point in the game my guild is cruising through Trial10 (so far! *knocks on wood*), but wiping on Uld10/25/Jaxx25 mostly due to coordination issues (Hodir's Frozen Blows/people getting killed, people standing in lightning, people being on fire and not noticing!!), and hopefully things that are completely independent of my gear choices. Should I just relax with the gear and concentrate on getting Maly10/Naxx25 groups (things my guild dont really run) or just gearing up my offspec?

Again, all of your comments are greatly appreciated, I'm a lost little Paladin, and I just want to thank everyone here for their contributions all over the forums

Thanks,

Nick

I don't have time to review all your questions, but in response to a few I can answer quickly:

1. Your choice to forgo your shoulder socket bonus is fine for you. +4 dodge rating isn't that great, and other tanks on maintankadin forgo bonuses of that size to stack stamina as you have.

2. Your cloak enchant is suboptimal because +16 defense rating isn't as good as +22 agility or +225 armor. That said, rule #1 is to maintain the defense minimum, and you don't have to sacrifice all that much the drop to the defense enchant. I just overwrote my flexweave underlay on my cloak with the defense enchant because upgrades had left a hole in my defense rating.

3. I think putting an epic agi/sta gem in your gloves is a better choice than an epic sta gem, because losing 10 agi to gain 9 sta doesn't sound like a good trade to me. But again, I know other tanks here would make that choice.

4. I wouldn't switch to pure stamina gems on your legs as long as you need the defense from the gem at all. If you can sacrifice that defense rating, giving it and the agility up nets 24 stamina. I wouldn't do this, either, but that's at least better than the trade-off on your gloves.

5. You would probably be happier if you dropped Seals of the Pure and picked up Pursuit of Justice. You would be able to change your boot enchant and gain 7 stamina at a cost of a little threat that you probably don't need.

Good luck!