This list is from OutDPS.
I will use this list for my own reference, and edit my progress.
current as of patch 3.3.0
How do you get gear that is fit for raiding if you are not already raiding? These days the answer is not simply “run heroics for drops.” The answer is a bit more complicated, and so I decided to write this guide.
If not just heroics, where else can you get gear before raiding? Blizzard wants to make it easy for you, so they provide a number of sources. You can earn raid emblems (used to purchase gear) by running heroics, you can run Argent Tournament dailies for seals (again used to purchase gear), you can obtain crafted or other “Bind on Equip” items, and you can still run heroics for drops.
Your goal in gearing up for raids is to have all your items at ilvl 200 at a minimum and most items at ilvl 219 or higher. Beyond that, strive for the highest ranked items on the table so long as you can keep your 8% hit chance. If you obtain any set of items from this list, you will be geared enough for Naxx. If you obtain a set of rank 1 items from this list, you will be geared enough for the latest raid content.
Note that I do not include the latest raid content’s BoE items,
money dumps, or the latest crafted items. These are usually still too costly for the pre-raid hunter to be worth the effort. The same goes for items purchased with the latest emblems. They are obtained too slowly from the daily heroic to be worth mentioning, though you may find you can get one or two pieces that way as you gear up. If you do, choose items that will serve you well and that you won’t likely replace right away once you start raiding.
I include items purchasable with outmoded emblems because you may have some old emblems sitting around. Keep in mind that it is probably not worth it to obtain items purchasable with conquest or lower emblems unless you have a bunch of those emblems already and want to put them to use.