As of Patch 3.0, it is possible to stack spell hit ratings to a certain point to obtain 100% chance to hit on a level 83 raid boss. This point is known as the "hit cap". To reach the hit cap, you are required to have 17% hit. Every 26.23 spell hit ratings will grand you 1% hit. In other word, you will need a total of 446 spell hit ratings to reach the hit cap (17% hit). That's a lot of spell hit ratings to stack, but -
Almost all offensive caster classes have + 3 % hit talents in their talent trees. Shadow priests gain 6% hit with Misery and Shadow Focus so they only need 289 spell hit rating to reach hit cap. Moonkins gain 7% hit with Balance of Power and Improved Faerie Fire so they only need 263 spell hit rating to reach hit cap. Shamans, mages, and warlocks all have basic +3% hit talents in their respective talent trees (+6% for certain schools of spells) so they only need at most 368 spell hit ratings to reach hit cap.
Overall, reaching the hit cap is not difficult with talent specializations, except for Smite priests.
The priest talent trees do not have talents that increase your chance to hit with holy spells, so by default, you are required to have 446 spell hit ratings to reach hit cap for wotlk raids.
446 SPELL HIT RATINGS?!
Unfortunately, this is the sad dilemma that every wotlk smite priest have to deal with today. The rule of thumb for every offensive caster is to honor the hit cap beyond all other stats. But the game's itemization at this point is not designed to provide a caster with this much spell hit ratings while still support all other stats the caster needs. Stacking spell hit rating to 446 will almost certainly force you to neglecting other important attributes needed for a smite priest to be successful. What you can do however is to find the right balance based on your raid make up. So just how much spell hit rating do you really need to play a smite priest?A shadow priest's Misery debuff (+3% hit) or a moonkin's Improved Faerie Fire debuff (+3% hit) can increase your chance to hit on the debuffed target by 3%. If you have a draenei in your group, you gain an additional 1% to hit. Since Misery and IFF do not stack, in a perfect raid setting, the most hit you will gain from raid buff is 4%. This means you still need 13% hit or 341 spell hit rating to reach hit cap. 14% or 368 spell hit rating if you are horde due to lack of Heroic Presence.
The chance of not having a draenei in your raid is non-existent on the alliance side. So be sure to kindly ask your raid leader to place you in a draenei's group so you can get Heroic Presences. If you do not a shadow priest or moonkin in a 25 men raid group, you are in the wrong raid. :/
Note: Draenei's Heroic Presence is a group only buff and has a limited 30 yard range. So during raids, you do need to pay attention to the distance between you and your draenei buddy. Unless of course you are draenei yourself. Happy stalking. (Courtesy of Luthvian)
It is recommended that you carry two sets of gear for 10 man raids. One set with a total of 401 spell hit ratings and another with 368 spell hit ratings. If you have a shadow priest or moonkin in your raid, switch to use the 368 set. If you don't have neither of them in your raid, switch to your 401 set and just use Elixir of Accuracy (45) every hour for the duration of your raid.
Bosses in 5 man heroics are level capped at 82, so you only need 6% hit rating to reach the 5 man hit cap. 6 x 26.23 = 158 spell hit rating.
Chilly Slobberknocker - Quest: The Champion of Anguish, Zul'Drak
Stave of Youthful Sorrow - Quest: Tirion's Gambit, Icecrown
Zebra's Misplaced Staff - BOE Drop
Frostbite Warstaff - Quest: Conversing With the Depths, Dragonblight
Dagger
Flameheart Spell Scalpel - Kirin Tor - Revered, Alvareaux, Dalaran
Ritualist's Bloodletter - Quest: Time to Hide, Icecrown
Wand
Ancient Measuring Rod - Loken, Halls of Lightning (Normal)
Wand of the San'layn - Prince Keleseth, Utgarde Keep (Heroic)
Frail Bone Wand - Quest: The Rider of the Unholy, Icecrown
Wand of Blinding Light - Quest: The Cleansing of Jintha'kalar, Dragonblight
Off Hand
Ward of the Violet Citadel - 25 Emblem of Heroism
Telestra's Journal - Grand Magus Telestra, The Nexus (Heroic)
Chest
Ebonweave Robe - BOE Tailoring
Heroes' Raiments of Faith - 80 Emblem of Heroism
Water-Drenched Robe - Ichoron, The Violet Hold (Heroic)
Robes of Lightning - Quest: Whatever It Takes!, Halls of Lightning
Turtle-Minders Robe - The Kalu'ak - Honored, Sairuk (Dragonblight) or Tanaika (Howling Fjord)
Wastewind Garments - Quest: The Noble's Crypt (A)/Torture the Torturer (H), Dragonblight
Foot
Titan-forged Slippers of Dominance - 15 Wintergrasp Mark of Honour
Leiah's Footpads - Quest: The Air Stands Still, Icecrown
Hands
Ebonweave Gloves - BOE tailoring
Lava Burn Gloves - Lavanthor, The Violet Hold (Normal)
Head
Titan-forged Hood of Dominance - 40 Wintergrasp Mark of Honor
Hate of Wintry Doom - BOE tailoring
The Argent Skullcap - Quest: The Crusader's Pinnacle, Icecrown
Chitin-Reinforced Hood - Quest: The Sapphire Queen, Sholazar Basin
Mildred's Cowl - Quest: Discipline, The Storm Peaks
Leg
none :(
Shoulder
Mantle of the Underhalls - Quest: Revenge for the Vargul, Icecrown
Spaulders of the Runeseeker - Quest: The Activation Rune, Un'Goro Crater
Bell-Ringer's Shoulderpads - Quest: Drak'aguul's Mallet, Grizzly Hills
Waist
Girdle of Bane - King Ymiron, Utgarde Pinnacle (Heroic)
Plush Sash of Guzbah - 40 Emblem of Heroism, Dalaran
Belt of Unified Souls - Meathook, The Culling of Stratholme (Heroic)
Flowing Sash of Order - Loken, Halls of Lightning (Heroic)
Sash of the Wizened Wyrm - The Wyrmrest Accord - Honored, Cielstrasza, Dragonblight
Lithe Stalker's Cord - Quest: The Vile Hold, Icecrown
Braided Bat Sinew - Quest: Clipping Their Wings, Zul'Drak
Wrist
Fleshwerk Shackles - Quest: Killing Two Scourge With One Skeleton, Icecrown
Southsayer's Wristwrap - Quest: Hell Hath a Fury, Zul'Drak
Highseas Wristwrap - Quest: A Righteous Sermon (A)/Fire Upon the Waters (H), Dragonblight
Cloaks
Hateful Gladiator's Cloak of Ascendancy - PVP reward: 38000 honor
Cape of Seething Steam - Volkhan, Halls of Lightning (Normal)
Dark Soldier Cape - Knights of the Ebon Blade - Honored, Duchess Mynx, Icecrown
Shroud of Akali - Gal'darah, Gundrak (Normal)
Neck
Encircling Burnished Gold Chains - 25 Emblem of Heroism, Dalaran
Hateful Gladiator's Pendant of Ascendancy - PVP reward: 38000 honor
Necklace of Taldaram - Prince Taldaram, Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom (Heroic)
Emeline's Locket - Quest: The Admiral Revealed, Icecrown
Amulet of the Malefic Necromancer - Quest: Poke and Prod, Icecrown
Rings
Amberglow Signet - Quest: The Brothers Bronzebeard (A)/Forging the Keystone (H), The Storm Peaks
Bat-Wool Signet - Quest: Basic Chemistry, Icecrown
Ring of Northern Tears - BOE Jewelcrafting
The Prospector's Prize - Krystallus, Halls of Stone (Heroic)
Voodoo Signet - Quest: For Posterity, Gundrak
Brunnhildar Runed Ring - Quest: Making a Harness, The Storm Peaks
Rancid Signet - Quest: Doing Your Duty, Grizzly Hills
Ring of Devoted Promises - Quest: It Could Be Anywhere!, Sholazar Basin
Oath Signet - Quest: Leaving Nothing to Chance (A) / All Hail Roanauk! (H), Dragonblight
Trinket
Figurine - Twilight Serpent - BOP Requires Jewelcrafting (400)
Mark of the War Prisoner - Cyanigosa, The Violet Hold (Heroic)
Rune of Infinite Power - Quest: Mystery of the Infinite, Redux, Dragonblight
Consumables: Food/Pots
Snapper Extreme - Cooking
Worg Tartare - Cooking
Spicy Hot Talbuk - Cooking
Elixir of Accuracy - Alchemy, Battle Elixir
Armor/Weapon Enhancement
Scroll of Enchant Boots - Icewalker, Boot
Scroll of enchant Boots - Surefooted, Boot
Scroll of Enchant Gloves - Precision, Gloves
Scroll of Enchant Gloves - Precision Strikes, Gloves
Scroll of Enchant Weapon - Accuracy, Weapon
Arcanum of Power - The Sha'tar - Revered, Almaador, Shattrath City
Note: As of Patch 3.01, hit rating on all consumables and item enhancement applies to Spell Hit Rating, Hit Rating (Melee), and Ranged Hit Rating.
Upcoming:
- Gems
- Raiding Spell Hit Gear
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