The first boss in SSC, Hydross the Unstable, requires tanks in frost and nature resistance gear. He does either pure frost or nature damage, depending on the phase. His adds likewise also do pure frost or nature damage. Most strategies call for two main tanks and two off-tanks, one set with frost resistance gear and the other with nature resistance gear.
This guide will help your selected frost tanks to reach their resistance goals in the easiest and cheapest manner possible.
How Much Frost Resistance? | Main Tank Plate Set | Off-Tank Plate Set | Off-Tank Druid Set
Check out the Burning Crusade Classic Phase 2 Quick Start Guide
How Much Frost Resistance Is Needed for Hydross the Unstable?
Hydross the Unstable
How much resistance gear your tanks use is going to vary from guild to guild. It mostly comes down to how much damage (average and spikes) your healers can handle. Early public test realm runs were showing 100 to be a good starting minimum, but consider that is coming from guilds organizing and running 25-man PTR raids. More casual guilds will likely want more resistance, probably closer to 200. Sources from the original Burning Crusade recommended the 365 resistance cap.
The downside to more resistance is tanks generate less threat. The more resistance you use the more your DPS needs to hold back. So consider the balance between tank threat, healer throughput, and DPS patience. The recommended sets below will get you to 341 frost resistance buffed. It is easier to remove resistance pieces you don’t need than it is to gain more resistance in the middle of raid night.
Off-tanks may be fine with no resistance gear, according to early PTR reports. You can hit 170 frost resistance with just two pieces of gear and buffs. Not too bad for some extra insurance. And off-tanks should consider building their own full set to match the main tank, should they be absent one run.
If you want to go for a frost resistance cap you can. But remember anything over the cap is a complete waste, so stay as close to the actual cap as possible. You’re usually better off being a little under rather than a little over.
Recommended Main Tank Plate Frost Resistance Set
This recommended plate set will get you mostly to resistance cap with as little effort and cost as possible.
Iceguard set
Iceguard Helm = 50 FR
Glyph of Frost Warding = 20 FR
Pendant of Thawing = 30 FR
Iceguard Brestplate = 60 FR
Iceguard Leggings = 60 FR
The Frozen Eye = 35 FR
Frost Armor Kit x2 = 8 FR each
- Apply to the breastplate and leggings
Frost Resistance Aura or Frost Resistance Totem = 70 FR
- Requires either a paladin or shaman to be in the same group as the tank
- Frost Aura and Frost Resistance Totem do not stack
- Gift of the Wild’s resistance will not stack with either
Total Frost Resistance = 341
While not at cap, this should be sufficient for many raid teams. It uses the primary items Blizzard provided in TBC content and doesn’t waste any other gear slots.
Materials Needed
- 85 gold
- Khorium Bar x26
- Felsteel Bar x2
- Adamantite Powder x20
- Heavy Knothide Leather x8
- Primal Earth x5
- Primal Fire x56
- Primal Water x46
- Primal Nether x3
The blacksmith crafting the Iceguard armor must get the Primal Nethers themselves. But you could always form a guild group to farm them up. Or trade mats and some gold to get a blacksmith to use their nether for you.
Hitting Frost Resistance Cap
You can get the last 24 resistance points needed to hit the frost resistance cap by either enchanting some older tank gear, or by swapping flasks mid raid.
Enchants
- Shoulders: Inscription of Endurance = 7 FR
- Back: Enchant Cloak – Major Resistance = 7 FR
- Shield: Enchant Shield – Frost Resistance = 8 FR
- Feet: Frost Armor Kit = 8 FR
Do not depend on Flask of Chromatic Wonder to get your last resistance points. The recipe is not currently in TBC Classic, and expectations are it’ll be added in Phase 3 or 4.
Recommended Off-Tank Plate Frost Resistance Set
This recommended plate set will get you to where most guides recommend for off-tanking the frost adds. It is also a good starting point toward building a full set so you can be backup for the main tank.
Iceguard Helm = 50 FR
Glyph of Frost Warding = 20 FR
Pendant of Thawing = 30 FR
- The neck is cheaper to craft, but if you’d prefer to replace a ring and don’t mind the added cost you can use The Frozen Eye instead.
Frost Resistance Aura or Frost Resistance Totem = 70 FR
- Requires either a paladin or shaman to be in the same group as the off-tank (and ideally the main tank)
- Frost Aura and Frost Resistance Totem do not stack
- Gift of the Wild’s resistance will not stack with either
Total Frost Resistance = 170
Materials Needed
- 85 gold
- Khorium Bar x8
- Felsteel Bar x2
- Adamantite Powder x4
- Primal Earth x1
- Primal Fire x18
- Primal Water x16
- Primal Nether x1
Mats above assume Pendant of Thawing over The Frozen Eye.
The blacksmith crafting Iceguard Helm must get the Primal Nether themselves. But you could always form a guild group to farm them up. Or trade mats and some gold to get a blacksmith to use their nether for you.
Recommended Druid Off-Tank Set for Hydross the Unstable
Druids shouldn’t main tank Hydross the Unstable, as there isn’t enough good frost resistance gear to make them as effective as a warrior or paladin. Blame the Blizzard developers of 2007. But druids can take on off-tank duties.
Random Green of Frost Protection head item (level 60+) = 28-37 FR
- Check the auction house for cloth or leather “of Frost Protection” head items.
- Go with any level 61-70 piece you can find. You only need 15 frost resistance to match the plate-wearing off-tanks, which any 61+ item will more than offer. You’re sticking to the TBC items for the increased stamina.
Glyph of Frost Warding = 20 FR
Pendant of Thawing = 30 FR
The Frozen Eye = 35 FR
Frost Resistance Aura or Frost Resistance Totem = 70 FR
- Requires either a paladin or shaman to be in the same group as the off-tank
- Frost Aura and Frost Resistance Totem do not stack
- Gift of the Wild’s resistance will not stack with either
Total Frost Resistance = 183+
Materials Needed
- 85 gold
- Khorium Bar x2
- Felsteel Bar x2
- Adamantite Powder x20
- Primal Earth x5
- Primal Fire x12
- Primal Water x10
Main Tank Set Options
If you really want to give main tanking Hydross as a feral druid a go you’ll need to put a lot more time and cost into building a good frost resistance set. Unless you happen to have a frost resistance set from Naxxramas still in the bank.
- Start with the items above
- Glacial Cloak + Enchant Cloak – Major Resistance
- Polar Tunic, Bracers, Gloves, and Leggings from Naxxramas day (the head and shoulders are BoP drops from Naxx bosses and quite rare) + Frost Armor Kit x4
- Other TBC based options are mostly using leather pieces with gem slots and Void Spheres
Check out my old Naxx frost resistance guide for other pre-TBC ideas.
Do not depend on Flask of Chromatic Wonder to get your last resistance points. The recipe is not currently in TBC Classic, and expectations are it’ll be added in Phase 3 or 4.
In the end, you’ll still end up with less frost resistance than your plate-wearing peers. And likely less stamina than you usually tank with, too.