Prot DPS on the cheap (in progress)

[Gutboy]

This is a work in progress, listing effective gear choices for OTs who need to change approach for more DPS during raids or soloing. As an OT you can help the raid a lot more in some fights (Gruul, Solarian, Leo) if you have a decent set of DPS gear to switch to. Effectively, you gear as Fury, dual wield, and gem/enchant for Str, AP, Hit, and Crit. Following are selected gear choices for each slot based on our current progression, with best-in-slot and "budget" options. (I am not including T5, as I think it will be a long time before any of that becomes available to us for an off-spec.)

(Note: I don't PVP, so I really don't know how the gear available there compares with these items. You can go to www.maxdps.com/warrior/dps.php to see the DPS rankings with PVP gear included.)

Items in each category are roughly ranked worst-to-best. I will add links and more info as I can.

Head

Best: T4 (Prince), [item]Furious Gizmatic Goggles[/item] (Engineer BOP) which is similar to T5
Budget: [item]Overlord's Helmet of Second Sight[/item] (SMV quest)

Neck

Best: [item]Pendant of the Perilous[/item] (SSC trash), [item]Shattered Sun Pendant of Might[/item] (SSO vendor) requires exalted Aldor for best DPS; not sure if Scryer version is as good
Budget: [item]Necklace of Trophies[/item] (BOE), [item]Worgen Claw Necklace[/item] (Attumen), [item]Natasha's Choker[/item] (BEM quest), [item]Mithril Chain of Heroism[/item] (Chess)

Shoulder

Best: T4 (Maulgar), [item]Pauldrons of the Wardancer[/item] (Hydross)
Budget: [item]Ragesteel Shoulders[/item] (crafted) are close to T4, especially if you have the Blacksmith set bonus

Back

Best: [item]Cloak of Darkness[/item] and [item]Vengeance Wrap[/item] (crafted)
Budget: [item]Royal Cloak of Arathi Kings[/item] (Moroes), [item]Drape of the Dark Reavers[/item] (Shade), [item]Cloak of the Pit Stalker[/item] (Mag)

Chest

Best: T4 (Mag), [item]Bulwark of the Ancient Kings[/item] (Armorsmith BOP) is best of all
Budget: [item]Ragesteel Breastplate[/item] (crafted)

Wrists

Best: [item]Bladespire Warbands[/item] (Gruul), [item]Bracers of Eradication[/item] (Lurker)
Budget: [item]Demolisher's Bracers[/item] (Netherstorm quest)

Hands

Best: T4 (Curator), [item]Gauntlets of Martial Perfection[/item] (Gruul)
Budget: [item]Ragesteel Gloves[/item] (crafted; again, even better with BS set bonus)

Waist

Best: [item]Red Belt of Battle[/item] (crafted) is best available
Budget: [item]Borak's Belt of Bravery[/item] (SMV quest), [item]Rubium War-Girdle[/item] (Zereketh), [item]Girdle of the Endless Pit[/item] (Mag)

Legs

Best: T4 (Gruul), [item]Greaves of the Bloodwarder[/item] (Solarian)
Budget: [item]Legguards of the Shattered Hand[/item] are BOE and cheap for what you get

Feet

Best: [item]Ironstriders of Urgency[/item] (Nightbane), [item]Warboots of Obliteration[/item] (Morogrim)
Budget: [item]Sha'tari Wrought Greaves[/item] (SLab quest), [item]Vortex Walking Boots[/item] (Ogri'la vendor)

Rings

Best: [item]Ancestral Ring of Conquest[/item] (Lurker), [item]Ring of Lethality[/item] (Hydross), [item]Ring of a Thousand Marks[/item] (Prince)
Budget: [item]Band of Anguish[/item] (SMV quest), [item]Kaylaan's Signet[/item] (Netherstorm quest), [item]Garona's Signet Ring[/item] (Curator), [item]Mithril Band of the Unscarred[/item] (Netherspite)

Trinkets

Best: [item]Dragonspine Trophy[/item] (Gruul), [item]Bloodlust Brooch[/item] (rare occasion when it's worth it to use badges off-spec), [item]Figurine - Shadowsong Panther[/item] (JC BOP), [item]Tsunami Talisman[/item] (Leo), [item]Shard of Contempt[/item] (heroic Delrissa)
Budget: Various quest greens with Hit or AP, [item]Bladefist's Breadth[/item] (HFP quest) if you didn't pick the tanking one, [item]Abacus of Violent Odds[/item] (Pathaleon), [item]Hourglass of the Unraveller[/item] (Temporus)

Ranged

Best: [item]Wolfslayer Sniper Rifle[/item] (Opera), [item]Sunfury Bow of the Phoenix[/item] (Kara)
Budget: [item]Felsteel Whisper Knives[/item] (crafted)

Main Hand

(Obviously PVP weapons would be very useful here if you go that way. Go for something with about 2.5 speed and high max damage.)

Best: any Weaponsmith BOPs, [item]Vanir's Right Fist of Brutality[/item] (badges) is overall top DPS
Budget: various Kara drops such as [item]Big Bad Wolf's Paw[/item], [item]Fool's Bane[/item], [item]The Decapitator[/item], [item]Spiteblade[/item]

Offhand

Best: [item]Vanir's Left Fist of Brutality[/item] is well worth the badges
Budget: same Kara drops as above