Before you read any further, be advised: THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUILD CHOICE. That is another subject altogether. If you would like to talk about builds, I would be happy to offer my assistence, but please, not in this thread. This is all about where to find the pimp gear for a crit built mage.
Another small thing, most of you know already where to find gear for your mage. Be it magisters (which I was fortunate enough to start melting recently) or any other number of things. This post will cover gear that gives +crit with spells ONLY.
The debate over +dmg vs + crit could go on forever. I have a guildmate who is all +dmg gear. He stomps me in the DPS department. It mostly boils down to personal preference. I collect crit gear for PvP and +dmg gear for PvE. A few of the items will double as both.
So onto the gear, we will be starting with the head and working our way around.
First up on our list is:
Crown of the Ogre King
At a 16.75% chance to drop from the King of the Ogres in Dire Maul North, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up.
Even better than that is:
Cap of the Scarlet Savant
This is a quest reward item. Most of you are familiar with it already. Very nice headpiece, but a royal pain to get. The pristine hide of the beast being the hardest part.
Neck:
Tempest Talisman
This one pops in at a 15.50% chance to drop. Farming Hydrospawn in Dire Maul is easy enough, getting a group together and wacking him a few times should do the trick.
Shoulders:
Shroud of the Nathrezim
A huge 6.59% chance to drop on these. Good luck getting them.
Cloak:
Heliotrope Cloak
This also drops in Dire Maul. You can farm the first guard in the instance at a 6.55% droprate.
This one is crafted:
Chromatic Cloak
The materials for it are pretty steep as far as money goes, probably not even worth it. Just get a heliotrope.
Chest:
Robe of the Archmage
This one is also crafted. The pattern drops in Blackrock Spire and the materials for this are also pretty steep. The robe is also BoP, so you have to actually get the recipe if you want it. I got the recipe awhile back and never got around to making it.
Another Chest:
Robe of Volatile Power
This is a drop from a number of different bosses in Molten Core, the droprate is less than 5% on pretty much all of them. I was lucky enough to get mine a few weeks ago. I will never need another robe.
Bracers:
Arena Wristguards
Drops in the arena in STV. I grabbed mine from a friend for 30g. You would have an easier time buying them than actually getting the chest. It is also a 5.09% chance to drop.
Better Bracers:
Blacklight Bracer
12.56% droprate from Lord Kazzak. Next to my robe, these are my pride and joy.
Gloves:
Gordok's Handwraps
Quest reward from Dire Maul.
Better Gloves:
Gloves of Spell Mastery
These are crafted. The pattern drops off of Azuregos and Kazzak at 0.24% and 0.10%, no one on my server even has it yet. Best of luck with that one.
Belt:
Belt of the Archmage
If you don't have one of these as a mage, reroll now. It is crafted, and not that hard to gather the materials for.
Better Belt:
Mana Igniting Cord
Another Molten Core drop, from various bosses, the highest droprate is off of Garr at 3.60% This thing makes me drool.
Pants:
Arcanist Leggings
There aren't really any other pants with + to crit. These drop off Magmadar in Molten Core at 14.69%
Boots:
Arcanist Boots
Same here, only pair of boots with crit. Lucifron from Molten Core has them and will give them to you 14.03% of the time.
Rings:
Band of Rumination
Dropped by Rend Blackhand in Upper Blackrock Spire at 13.31%
Dragonslayer's Signet
You get this from turning in the head of Onyxia. (You can wear two of these btw) Meaning yes, you can in fact turn in the head twice.
Ring of Entropy
Dropped by Lord Kazzak at a 7.55% droprate.
Trinkets:
Eye of the Beast
Quest reward, click the link next to the item as usual.
There are a few weapons with the famed + to critical with spells. Which one you use, which kind, and what offhand to use are not being discussed in this post. I will just post them.
Swords:
Inventor's Focal Sword
From Tinkerer Gizlock in Maraudon at 26.72% droprate
Azuresong Mageblade
From Golemagg in Molten Core at 15.41% droprate.
Staves:
Stoneflower Staff
Drops off of Tendris Warpwood in Dire Maul 23.83% of the time
Rod of the Ogre Magi
From King Gordok and his chest at 7.01% droprate.
Staff of Domination
Also from Golemagg at a 17.21% droprate. I will be carrying this. I like staves better than swords is my only arguement for this over the Azuresong Mageblade.
I hope this helps all you mages out there who love seeing those huge yellow numbers jump off the screen for you when you land a critical spell. Happy hunting guys!