New Rogue looking for some gemming clarifications

[Syrikk]

Hello all,

I am new to the Rogue class and was hoping to get some clarifications. I am going to spec into Combat, as it seems to yield the highest DPS in 5 man heroics. I have checked the spreadsheets in Rakez's signature (which is always the first thing everyone says to do), but I am finding that most of my gear, since it is so low level, isn't supported.

I know that as I upgrade my gear, everything changes, and I'd want to consult the spreadsheet to see how the DPS values of each stat changes, but in the meantime, is there a gem that I should be using that will be beneficial in a universal sort of way, so as to at least try to maximize whatever damage I will be able to do while I'm gearing up?

I've read that AGI is a generally accepted gem, and I've heard that its terrible.

I've heard that AP is good, and then I've heard that AP is bad for combat.

I've heard that I should go pure ArP out of the gate, and I've heard that I should wait until I am at some sort of cap before starting to gem ArP.

I'm not sure who exactly to believe, and I haven't been able to find anything conclusive (likely because at my level of gear, it just plain doesn't matter), but I would like to be the best that I can in the meantime.

I apologize if it sounds like I am asking for "hand-holding", I assure you I am not. I've done my homework, perhaps I am just looking in the wrong places. But at any rate, any help or advice is appreciated, even if its a link to a noobie spreadsheet that will have some more 232 and 226 gear in it :)

Thanks,
Syrikk

[killzonia]

I think Maeil posted somewhere that the amount of ArP 'needed' for it to surpass AP is around 600. That is, if you can reach over 600 arp through gems and gear you should do it, although there may be some cases where you need to match yellow sockets for higher dps and such.

The fact that you can't use the sheet doesn't help much, sorry about that. The only other thing i can suggest is to gem arp and see how it goes, if it doesnt go well switch back. Also, with cataclysm in a couple of months ArP will be removed so depending on how hardcore you expect to play your rogue in that time it may be worth gemming agi.

Don't take my word as law, its just what i would do.

Exisled

[Syrikk]

I have been using Agi gems to this point because I wasn't sure what else I could do. It had crossed my mind that in a few months (or less, really, when 4.0 drops) it won't matter at all.

I just know that I have heard some say that AP is good, some say that pure ArP is the way to go, and I haven't been able to find anything concrete one way or the other.

Hopefully once I start getting some better items I'll be able to put at least SOME of them into the spreadsheet and get some rough numbers.

Is gemming AP as combat beneficial in any way?

[killzonia]

Gemming AP would be beneficial to some extent, as it increases damage, but I'm not sure how it would match up to agility or certain amounts of ArP.