Which factions' reputations are worth pursuing for gear/recipe rewards?

Question

It seems that most classic reputation rewards are no more interesting because they're low level recipes and items. WLK rep reward gears are also not attractive even for leveling alts because Cataclysm gears for the same character level have much better stats.

However, I just learned not all pre-MoP reputation are irrelevant in MoP, like Sha'tar reputation is the only way to get discount for guild items, although it's not gear reward but it can save me a lot of money on guild heirlooms. Also it's a good idea to get to exalted with Orgrimmar/Stormwind instead of other main cities for the discount for master riding.

So the question is as of MoP 5.3, which factions' reputations should I prioritize that reward valuable end game gears, recipes, special discount or unique items, given I have only limited time to play the game?

(I am not collecting mounts or after any grinding achievements like '60 Exalted Reputations'.)

Edit: If asking for a complete list is too much, can I have a list of the reputations not worth pursuing? E.g. Thunder Bluff because the rewards are only low level gears and mounts.

Answer 1

It really depends on your professions, since you said mounts are not a concern. So, I believe you would be looking at a few reps to help in terms of recipes, or 'helpful' items, and epic gear:

In MoP

• Tillers: you get your own food buff recipes and able to make Panderan Banquets
• Anglers: you get a raft and a mount that lets you run on water
• August Celestials: enchanting wrist recipes, epic gear for difficult slots (hands, bracers, also boots but see Shieldwall below)
• Order of Cloud Serpent: JC mount recipes (great at AH or for friends)
• Operation Shieldwall (Alliance) / Dominance Offensive (Horde): trinkets and 496 boots/belt
• Kirin-Tor: ring, back (both 496)

these provide epic gear but could probably manage without, and will probably replace quickly from running LFR and other reps

• Golden Lotus: chest, shoulder, ring
• Shado-Pan: head, back, trinket
• Klaxxi: legs, ring, belt, trinket (and 463 blue weapon at exalted)

And for myself personally, do the Argent Tournament grind and get the Argent Pony Bridle. It saves so much time from having to always get back and forth to a bank. This does not transfer across your other characters though, so you will need to grind it on all of them.

Other reps (especially earlier ones) are for epic gear or vanity items. Since, you no longer need to unlock AC or SP, you could avoid Golden Lotus. Shieldwall and Kirin-Tor (on Thunder Isle) will get you the higher gear faster.

Shado-Pan Assault is current 522 lvl, but that requires you to be doing Throne of Thunder raid, which you need 480 ilvl, so will probably need to get some nice drops or grind at least most MoP reps a little. You can get some decent rewards at just honored now.

UPDATE : with the recent patch 5.4, ilvl 496 is found A LOT and easily on the Timeless Isle, so you could easily forgo all but Shado Pan Assault gear factions above (you will still need to do Thunder Isle to advance the Black Prince rep/legendary line). Timeless Isle can be rough solo if under geared - many elite creatures with 5M plus hp and deadly abilities. Don't go as a fresh lvl 90 (if you even can) and try to go with a group.

Answer 2

I don't think it's possible to compile a comprehensive list of which factions/reputations are the "more important", as it's really a question of what the player is pursuing.

Take me for example, I love to collect mounts, so I pursued every faction that had a mount as a reward.

During a certain time (when I was leveling up multiples alts) I found the heirlooms from the Argent Tournament invaluable, so I farmed rep for it with numerous guys! Then later I moved on to achievements, and so I went crazy trying to get exalted with every faction.

And then there was a phase I went through collecting every vanity pet (BP) that I could... and wow am I glad that is over. Way too much work.