Choosing Aldor or Scryer

Introduction

One of the most important decisions when going into TBC as a level 60+ is whether you will choose Aldor or Scryer. This choice affects what parts of Shattrath you will be in as well as what patterns you will have access to with your chosen professions. This is not a permanent decision, however changing from one to the other requires significant time investment so making a good choice early on is much smarter.

Location Advantages

There are slight advantages between the factions that you can take into consideration, regardless of class or spec that might help sway your decision.

Aldor Advantages

The Aldor are higher up and require an elevator to get to. If you don’t take the elevator down you die, so it’s required. But the Aldor have direct access to the back door which leads directly to Nagrand. This is very helpful for leveling during the mid 60s. Scryer people can also access this back door, however they have to take an elevator and also have to be very careful to not agro the Aldor guards who are close to the access point.

Scryer Advantages

The Scryers are located on the ground level. This means that there’s no delay to entering or exiting the faction territory. As a bonus, the Scryers are closer to the flight path in Shattrath as well.

Items

The Aldor and Scryer have access to different items that are worth knowing about. They also have faction locked shoulder enchants. In general they even out, but if you’re looking to focus one stat then you need to know what faction to select.

Aldor Items

Anchorite’s Robes (Honored)
Lightwarden’s Band (Revered)
Vindicator’s Hauberk (Revered)
Auchenai Staff (Revered)
Aldor Tabard (Exalted)
Vindicator’s Brand (Exalted)
Medallion of the Lightbearer (Exalted)

Aldor Quest Items

Karja’s Medallion
Overseer’s Signet
Slippers of the High Priestess
Cleansed Fel Pauldrons
Gauntlets of the Redeemed Vindicator
Lightwarden’s Girdle
Kaylaan’s Signet
Aldor Ceremonial Wraps
Vindicator’s Light Vest
Kaylaan’s Spaulders
Girdle of the Lost Vindicator
Energized Helm
Warp-Shielded Hauberk
Resonating Axe
Warpweaver’s Gloves

Scryer Items

Seer’s Cane (Revered)
Retainer’s Leggings (Revered)
Scryer’s Bloodgem (Revered)
Gauntlets of the Chosen (Revered)
Scryers Tabard (Exalted)
Retainer’s Blade (Exalted)
Seer’s Signet (Exalted)

Scryer Quest Items

Thalodien’s Charm
Manastorm Band
Gauntlets of the Vanquisher
Socrethar’s Girdle
Netherfused Pauldrons
Greaves of Spellpower
Wand of the Seer
Warp-Master’s Maul
Sunfury Blade
Jeweled Halberd
Conjurer’s Staff
Spymaster’s Crossbow
Belt of the Sage
Brightdawn Bracers
Bloodguard’s Greaves

Shoulder Enchants

An important note for shoulder enchants is that some of the best enchants are actually still from Sapphiron in Naxxramas.

Aldor Enchants

Honored
Inscription of Discipline (15 Spell Damage and Healing)
Inscription of Faith (29 Healing)
Inscription of Vengeance (26 Attack Power)
Inscription of Warding (13 Dodge rating)

Exalted
Greater Inscription of Discipline (18 Spell Damage and Healing / 10 Spell Crit rating)
Greater Inscription of Faith (33 Healing and 4 MP5)
Greater Inscription of Vengeance (30 Attack Power / 10 Critical Strike rating)
Greater Inscription of Warding (15 Dodge rating / 10 Defense)

Scryer Enchants

Honored
Inscription of the Orb (13 Spell Critical Strike rating)
Inscription of the Oracle (5 MP5)
Inscription of the Blade (13 Critical Strike rating)
Inscription of the Knight (13 Defense)

Exalted
Greater Inscription of the Orb (15 Spell Critical Strike rating / 12 Spell Damage and Healing)
Greater Inscription of the Oracle (6 MP5 / 22 Healing)
Greater Inscription of the Blade (15 Critical Strike rating / 20 Attack Power)
Greater Inscription of the Knight (15 Defense / 10 Dodge rating)

Shattered Sun Pendants

The Aldor and Scryer will cause different effects for the pendants that are obtained during the Shattered Sun Offensive phase. There are four pendants that you can select and each one has a different effect depending on your faction.

Shattered Sun Pendant of Acumen

Aldor Exalted Effect
Light’s Wrath grants +120 spell damage and healing for 10 seconds.

Scryers Exalted Effect
Arcane Bolt inflicts 333-367 arcane damage.

Shattered Sun Pendant of Restoration

Aldor Exalted Effect
Light’s Salvation grants +117 spell power for 10 seconds.

Scryers Exalted Effect
Arcane Surge procs to instantly heal target for 618-682.

Shattered Sun Pendant of Resolve

Aldor Exalted Effect
Light’s Ward grants +100 dodge rating for 10 seconds.

Scryers Exalted Effect
Arcane Insight grants +100 expertise rating for 10 seconds.

Shattered Sun Pendant of Might

Aldor Exalted Effect
Light’s Strength grants +200 Attack Power for 10 seconds.

Scryers Exalted Effect
Arcane Strike inflicts 333 to 367 Arcane Damage.

Professions

The last consideration for factions is that there are different BoP recipes that are only offered by each faction. Depending on your profession and what you want to make, make sure that you will be selecting the right faction for the profession you have. Here is a list of all professions recipes offered by each faction.

Tailoring

Aldor

Pattern: Flameheart Bracers (Friendly) makes Flameheart Bracers
Pattern: Flameheart Gloves (Honored) makes Flameheart Gloves
Pattern: Silver Spellthread (Honored) makes Silver Spellthread
Pattern: Flameheart Vest (Exalted) makes Flameheart Vest
Pattern: Golden Spellthread (Exalted) makes Golden Spellthread

Scryer

Pattern: Mystic Spellthread (Honored) makes Mystic Spellthread
Pattern: Runic Spellthread (Exalted) makes Runic Spellthread

Leatherworking

Aldor

Pattern: Blastguard Belt (Honored) makes Blastguard Belt
Pattern: Flamescale Belt (Honored) makes Flamescale Belt
Pattern: Blastguard Boots (Revered) makes Blastguard Boots
Pattern: Flamescale Boots (Revered) makes Flamescale Boots
Pattern: Vindicator’s Armor Kit (Revered) makes Vindicator’s Armor Kit
Pattern: Blastguard Pants (Exalted) makes Blastguard Pants
Pattern: Flamescale Leggings (Exalted) makes Flamescale Leggings

Scryer

Pattern: Enchanted Clefthoof Boots (Honored) makes Enchanted Clefthoof Boots
Pattern: Enchanted Felscale Gloves (Honored) makes Enchanted Felscale Gloves
Pattern: Enchanted Clefthoof Gloves (Revered) makes Enchanted Clefthoof Gloves
Pattern: Enchanted Felscale Boots (Revered) makes Enchanted Felscale Boots
Pattern: Magister’s Armor Kit (Revered) makes Magister’s Armor Kit
Pattern: Enchanted Clefthoof Leggings (Exalted) makes Enchanted Clefthoof Leggings
Pattern: Enchanted Felscale Leggings (Exalted) makes Enchanted Felscale Leggings

Blacksmithing

Aldor

Plans: Flamebane Bracers (Friendly) makes Flamebane Bracers
Plans: Flamebane Gloves (Honored) makes Flamebane Gloves
Plans: Flamebane Breastplate (Revered) makes Flamebane Breastplate
Plans: Flamebane Helm (Exalted) makes Flamebane Helm

Scryer

Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Belt (Friendly) makes Enchanted Adamantite Belt
Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Boots (Honored) makes Enchanted Adamantite Boots
Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Breastplate (Revered) makes Enchanted Adamantite Breastplate
Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Leggings (Exalted) makes Enchanted Adamantite Leggings

Jewelcrafting

Aldor

Design: Gleaming Golden Draenite (Friendly) makes Gleaming Golden Draenite
Design: Royal Shadow Draenite (Honored) makes Royal Shadow Draenite
Design: Pendant of Shadow’s End (Revered) makes Pendant of Shadow’s End

Scryer

Design: Runed Blood Garnet (Friendly) makes Runed Blood Garnet
Design: Dazzling Deep Peridot (Honored) makes Dazzling Deep Peridot
Design: Pendant of Withering (Revered) makes Pendant of Withering

Alchemy

Scryer

Recipe: Elixir of Major Firepower (Revered) makes Elixir of Major Firepower

How to switch factions

Each faction offers their own options for switching from one to the other, however the path will require a lot of work to complete. You only want to do this as an extreme completionist or if you really messed up your decision for some reason. 

Aldor to Scryer

Arcanist Adyria in Lower City offers the quest Voren’thal’s Visions requires you to turn in 8 Dampscale Basilisk Eye for 250 reputation per turn in. It requires 168 turn ins if you start at Exalted with Aldor to be able to be neutral with Scryer. 

Scryer to Aldor

Sha’nir in Lower City has a quest Strained Supplies that requires you to turn in 8 Dreadfang Venom Sac for 250 reputation per turn in. It requires 168 turn ins if you start at exalted with Scryor to be able to be neutral with Aldor.

Bottom Line

Choose the factions based on the locations, shoulder enchants, and RP considerations. At endgame, items and recipes from professions aren’t something sought after so those are temporary benefits.