PvE Retribution Paladin Best-in-Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear

Author: Nevermore
Date: January 31, 2024
Updated: February 2, 2024
Expansion: Cataclysm

PvE Retribution Paladin

Talents, Builds & Glyphs

Stat Priority

Best Races

Gems, Enchants & Consumables

Rotation & Cooldowns

Best Professions

Best in Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear

Addons & Macros

Equipment will be the main source of your character’s power, contributing the biggest bulk of your stats. It is therefore very important that you choose the correct equipment for each slot — commonly referred to as “best in slot” equipment – to maximize your power.

This section of the guide will be divided into two parts: the first part of the section will have a simple BiS list. The second part of the section will have the best items along with all possible alternatives and extended explanations for their use.

As we currently are not aware of how Blizzard will implement Heroic+ Dungeons in Cataclysm Classic, we will only display the known versions of the items from their original format back from Cataclysm Retail.

This list is a current WIP until further information regarding item changes becomes available!

This will be the best option for this slot.

Those will be your best options for your ring slots.

Those will be the best options for this slot.

This will be the best option for this slot.

Those will be your best options for your ring slots.

This will be the best option for this slot.

Progressive Best-in Slot

Phase 1

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Reinforced Bio-Optic Killshades	Engineering Only
Heroic Anomuran Helm	Throne of the Tides – Heroic Erunak Stonepeaker & Mindbreaker Ghur’sha
Helm of Easeful Death	2200 Justice Points
Heroic Stonemason’s Helm	The Deadmines – Heroic Vanessa VanCleef

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Reinforced Sapphirum Helmet	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Nefarian (Crown of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Reinforced Sapphirum Helmet	Blackwing Descent – Nefarian (Helm of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Reinforced Bio-Optic Killshades	Engineering Only
Heroic Dragon Bone Warhelm	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Maloriak
Heroic Helm of Maddening Whispers	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Cho’gall
Dragon Bone Warhelm	Blackwing Descent – Maloriak
Helm of Maddening Whispers	The Bastion of Twilight – Cho’gall

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Buc-Zakai Choker	World Drop– BoE
Gift of Nadun	Ramkahen – Exalted Rep
Heroic Seedling Pod	Halls of Origination – Heroic Ammunae, Construct of Life
Pendant of Quiet Death	1250 Justice Points
Heroic Red Sky Pendant	The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic Grand Vizier Ertan

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Rage of Ages	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Nefarian
Rage of Ages	Blackwing Descent – Nefarian
Buc-Zakai Choker	World Drop– BoE
Gift of Nadun	Ramkahen – Exalted Rep

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Pauldrons of the High Requiem	1650 Justice Points
Heroic Raz’s Pauldrons	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Ascendant Lord Obsidius
Heroic Missing Diplomat’s Pauldrons	The Deadmines – Heroic Glubtok

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Reinforced Sapphirum Shoulders	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Cho’gall (Shoulders of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Reinforced Sapphirum Shoulders	The Bastion of Twilight – Cho’gall (Mantle of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Heroic Pauldrons of the Great Ettin	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Halfus Wyrmbreaker
Pauldrons of the Great Ettin	The Bastion of Twilight – Halfus Wyrmbreaker
Pauldrons of the High Requiem	1650 Justice Points

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Drape of Inimitable Fate	World Drop – BoE
Heroic Burned Gatherings	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Karsh Steelbender
Heroic Geordan’s Cloak	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic Siamat
Heroic Shadow of the Past	The Deadmines – Heroic Giubtok

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Glittering Epidermis	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Ascendant Council
Glittering Epidermis	The Bastion of Twilight – Ascendant Council
Floating Web	1250 Valor Points
Drape of Inimitable Fate	World Drop – BoE
Heroic Burned Gatherings	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Karsh Steelbender

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Elementium Deathplate	Blacksmithing – Plans: Elementium Deathplate
Heroic Phantom Armor	Shadowfang Keep – Heroic Lord Walden
Heroic Breastplate of the Risen Land	Halls of Origination – Heroic Earthrager Ptah
Heroic Lord Walden’s Breastplate	Shadowfang Keep – Heroic Lord Godfrey
Breastplate of Raging Fury	2200 Justice Points

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Battleplate of Ancient Kings	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Atramedes
Heroic Reinforced Sapphirum Battleplate	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Halfus Wyrmbreaker (Chest of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Battleplate of Ancient Kings	Blackwing Descent – Atramedes
Elementium Deathplate	Blacksmithing – Plans: Elementium Deathplate
Reinforced Sapphirum Battleplate	2200 Valor Points

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Heroic Alpha Bracers	Halls of Origination – Heroic Anraphet
Terborus’s Rotating Bands	Terborus – BoE
Alpha Bracers	Halls of Origination – Anraphet
Heroic Bracers of Cooled Anger	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Karsh Steelbender

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Bracers of the Mat’redor	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Sinestra
Heroic Electron Inductor Coils	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Omnitron Defense System
Electron Inductor Coils	Blackwing Descent – Omnitron Defense System
Heroic Alpha Bracers	Halls of Origination – Heroic Anraphet

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Heroic Gear-Marked Gauntlets	The Deadmines – Heroic Helix Gearbreaker
Heroic Hematite Plate Gloves	The Stonecore – Heroic Slabhide
Endwyn’s Flickering Gauntlets	World Drop – BoE

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Reinforced Sapphirum Gauntlets	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Magmaw (Gauntlets of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Heroic Plated Fists of Provocation	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Chimaeron
Reinforced Sapphirum Gauntlets	1650 Valor Points
Heroic Gravitational Pull	The Bastion of Twilight –Heroic Ascendant Council
Plated Fists of Provocation	Blackwing Descent – Chimaeron

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Elementium Girdle of Pain	Blacksmithing – Plans: Elementium Girdle of Pain
Belt of the Ferocious Wolf	Guardians of Hyjal – Exalted
Beech Green Belt	1650 Justice Points
Garr’s Girdle of Memories	Mount Hyjal – Garr (BoE)
Heroic Belt of the Forgemaster	Grim Batol – Heroic Forgemaster Throngus

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Belt of Absolute Zero	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Maloriak
Belt of Absolute Zero	Blackwing Descent – Maloriak
Elementium Girdle of Pain	Blacksmithing – Plans: Elementium Girdle of Pain
Belt of the Ferocious Wolf	Guardians of Hyjal – Exalted

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Corefire Legplates	World Drop – BoE
Heroic Legguards of the Winnowing Wind	The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic Asaad, Caliph of Zephrys
Redsteel Legguards	Blacksmithing – Trainer
Legguards of the Winnowing Wind	The Vortex Pinnacle – Asaad, Caliph of Zephrys

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Reinforced Sapphirum Legplates	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Maloriak (Leggings of the Forlorn Conqueror)
Heroic Terrastra’s Legguards	The Bastion of Twilight – – Heroic Ascendant Council
Reinforced Sapphirum Legplates	2200 Valor Points
Corefire Legplates	World Drop – BoE
Terrastra’s Legguards	The Bastion of Twilight – – Ascendant Council

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Waywatcher’s Boots	Guardians of Hyjal – Revered
Heroic Greaves of Wu the Elder	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic General Husam
Greaves of Wu the Elder	Lost City of the Tol’vir – General Husam

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Massacre Treads	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Chimaeron
Massacre Treads	Blackwing Descent – Chimaeron
Treads of Savage Beatings	Blackwing Descent – Thrash Mobs
Woe Breeder’s Boots	1650 Valor Points

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Blauvelt’s Family Crest	World Drop – BoE
Heroic Skyshard Ring	The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic Altairus
Heroic Ring of the Darkest Day	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic High Prophet Barim
Heroic Signet of Transformation	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Corla, Herald of Twilight
Heroic Nova Band	Halls of Origination – Heroic Isiset, Construct of Magic
Heroic Circle of Bone	Grim Batol – Heroic Erudax, the Duke of Below
Skyshard Ring	The Vortex Pinnacle – Altairus
Ring of the Darkest Day	Lost City of the Tol’vir – High Prophet Barim
Signet of Transformation	Blackrock Caverns – Corla, Herald of Twilight
Nova Band	Halls of Origination – Isiset, Construct of Magic
Circle of Bone	Grim Batol – Erudax, the Duke of Below

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Dargonax’s Signet	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Sinestra
Heroic Ring of Rivalry	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Theralion and Valiona
Ring of Rivalry	The Bastion of Twilight – Theralion and Valiona
Blauvelt’s Family Crest	World Drop – BoE
Band of Bees	1250 Valor Points
Heroic Skyshard Ring	The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic Altairus
Heroic Ring of the Darkest Day	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic High Prophet Barim
Heroic Signet of Transformation	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Corla, Herald of Twilight
Heroic Nova Band	Halls of Origination – Heroic Isiset, Construct of Magic
Heroic Circle of Bone	Grim Batol – Heroic Erudax, the Duke of Below

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Fury of Angerforge	Blackwing Descent – Trash Mobs (BoE)
Darkmoon Card: Hurricane	Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
Impatience of Youth	Baradin’s Wardens/Hellscream’s Reach – Exalted Rep + 125 Tol Barad Commendations
Heroic Mark of Khardos	Grim Batol – Heroic Erudax, the Duke of Below
Heroic Heart of Solace	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic Lockmaw
Heart of Solace	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Lockmaw
Mark of Khardos	Grim Batol – Erudax, the Duke of Below

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Heart of Rage	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Chimaeron
Heroic Crushing Weight	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Ascendant Council
Heart of Rage	Blackwing Descent – Chimaeron
Fury of Angerforge	Blackwing Descent – Trash Mobs (BoE)
Crushing Weight	The Bastion of Twilight – Ascendant Council
Darkmoon Card: Hurricane	Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
Heroic Mark of Khardos	Grim Batol – Heroic Erudax, the Duke of Below
Heroic Heart of Solace	Lost City of the Tol’vir – Heroic Lockmaw
Heroic Essence of the Cyclone	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Halfus Wyrmbreaker
Heroic Prestor’s Talisman of Machination	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Nefarion
Essence of the Cyclone	The Bastion of Twilight – Halfus Wyrmbreaker
Prestor’s Talisman of Machination	Blackwing Descent – Nefarion
Unheeded Warning	The Bastion of Twilight – Trash Mobs

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Zin’rokh, Destroyer of Worlds	Archaeology – Troll Artifacts Reward
Blade of the Fearless	Baradin’s Wardens/Hellscream’s Reach – Revered Rep + 85 Tol Barad Commendations
Heroic Sword of the Bottomless Pit	The Stonecore – Heroic Ozruk
Forged Elementium Mindcrusher	Blacksmithing – Plans: Forged Elementium Mindcrusher
Heroic Foe Reaper	The Deadmines – Heroic Foe Reaper 5000
Heroic Arced War Axe	Shadowfang Keep – Heroic Commander Springvale

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Heroic Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Nefarian
Heroic Akirus the Worm-Breaker	Blackwing Descent – Heroic Maloriak
Heroic Shalug’doom, the Axe of Unmaking	The Bastion of Twilight – Heroic Cho’gall
Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood	Blackwing Descent – Nefarian
Zin’rokh, Destroyer of Worlds	Archaeology – Troll Artifacts Reward
Akirus the Worm-Breaker	Blackwing Descent – Maloriak
Shalug’doom, the Axe of Unmaking	The Bastion of Twilight – Cho’gall

Pre-Raid

Item	Source
Heroic Relic of Arathor	Shadowfang Keep – Heroic Lord Godfrey
Heroic Sandshift Relic	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Ascendant Lord Obsidius
Sandshift Relic	Blackrock Caverns – Ascendant Lord Obsidius

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Relic of Aggramar	700 Valor Points
Heroic Relic of Arathor	Shadowfang Keep – Heroic Lord Godfrey
Heroic Sandshift Relic	Blackrock Caverns – Heroic Ascendant Lord Obsidius

About the Author

Nevermore

Hey there folks, I am Nevermore and have been deeply passionate about WoW for more than a decade. Whether we talk about the hidden mysteries of Azeroth or the otherworldly Outland, my journey brought me here to share the things that I have experienced with you all.

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Rekeever

#12539

30 days ago

How did you come up with this BiS list? If you are running glyph SoT(which the spec should be) you can’t even reforge enough expertise off this gear to not be over cap. I truly appreciate the work you do, but this doesn’t seem to be supported by any math.

Nevermore(@nevermore)

Author

#12548

Reply to Rekeever

27 days ago

The BiS I’ve displayed is a current “Work in Progress” and should only be considered “Experimental” at best. Once we gain the appropriate SiM tools, a proper BiS List will be posted. This list should only be treated as the best possible guess for which items we will use until we get more appropriate info.
In regards to the Expertise issue, when testing the build, I’ve used Glyph of Exorcism, Glyph of Judgement, and Glyph of Templar’s Verdict. I’ve chosen those Glyphs since you can exactly reforge the build to grant 26 Expertise (reforged the Relic as well). It is true that if you use the glyph of SoT, the build would cross the 26 Expertise Soft Cap, which wouldn’t make it viable anymore.

It might be very possible that this setup requires additional tinkering and that there could be a way to increase the damage output while dropping Glyph of Judgement for Glyph of SoT. Update incoming after we get our hands on SIM tools.

Thank you very much for the feedback!

Last edited 27 days ago by Nevermore