- Author: Nevermore
- Date: June 11, 2023
- Expansion: WotLK Classic
In this section of the guide, we will help you choose the best equipment or alternatives that you can utilize for each of the different phases of the expansion. Having the Pre-raid tab contain items that you will want to acquire before you start any serious raiding!
This guide is divided into two sections. The first section is basic lists, providing you full sets for a fresh level 80 pre-raid, a level 80 preparing for their first foray into Trial of the Crusader, and an example of ideal gear to aspire to from Trial of the Crusader. The second section provides more alternatives for each slot, giving an example of gear progression between these three areas of gearing.
Heroic++, otherwise known as Defense Protocol Beta drops gear from 10-man Ulduar and Naxxramas. Heroic+, otherwise known as Defense Protocol Alpha, drops gear from 10-man Naxxramas, as well as regular Heroic gear. Future Phases are likely to add further Heroic difficulties.
Best-in-Slot
Progressive Best-in Slot
Before proceeding to the in-depth part of our guide, we will grant you some very important tips that you will have to keep in mind, especially as you progress through your journey and come across many different items.
As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for each separate slot. You will either be able to directly buy BoE items from the Auction House and other players, or, you will go through a progressive item hunt from Normal Dungeons, Heroic Dungeons, and the brand-new Heroic ++ Dungeons. Depending on your group, you may be able to directly join a Heroic ++ Dungeon, effectively skipping a harsh gearing process.
With the release of Phase 3 of the expansion, the new Heroic Defense Protocol Beta Dungeons will grant you both T7 and T8 items, per Boss Kill, with a guaranteed former Ulduar 10 (225) Ilvl drop. Heroic++, otherwise known as Defense Protocol Beta drops gear from 10-man Ulduar and Naxxramas. Heroic+, otherwise known as Defense Protocol Alpha, drops gear from 10-man Naxxramas, as well as regular Heroic gear. Future Phases are likely to add further Heroic difficulties.
However, those dungeons no longer provide any blue gear, meaning that if you seek a particular rare (Blue) item, you will have to venture through the Heroic version of the Dungeon.
Your Pre-ToC options will often be defined by the BiS items from the previous raid tiers, and any other new dungeons or raid BoE items that arrive with the new phase.
Your Best-in-Slot items will often vary depending on the rest of your equipment and the situation you find yourself in. Depending on the class itself, the specialization, the phase you find yourself in, and the PvE encounter you currently face, your BiS items can completely change to better adjust to whichever situation you may find yourself in. In some cases, you will find a single BiS set that can be 100% functional in any situation, while in other cases, you will need to adjust your item sets from one PvE encounter to another.
As a Tank, this is especially true! For example, you may find situations where you will want to stack more Dodge Rating or Parry Rating against Bosses that deal Physical Damage while you may want to stack Magical Resistances against bosses that deal heavy Magical Damage.
As a Blood Death Knight Tank, your main damage mitigation stats will be Parry Rating and Dodge Rating besides the standard Defense Rating which applies to all tanking specializations. You also have access to a special passive reserved only for Death Knights, called Forceful Deflection, which converts 25% of all your Strength into Parry Rating.
You will find that in most cases you will need to balance your gear between defense-oriented stats and Hit Rating/Expertise Rating. While some items may seem enticing and completely overpowered, you will have to keep in mind that you won’t be able to properly tank a boss without being as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap/Soft Expertise Cap.
You can’t keep a boss busy if you can’t manage to hit it!
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – Eadric the Pure (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
With the introduction of the new Heroic ++ Dungeons, you will find that acquiring powerful gear as a Fresh 80 is a lot faster and a far smoother process. The best possible choice for this slot will be the 225 Ilvl T8 item, the Valorous Darkruned Faceguard. While there are items that provide better secondary stats than the T8 helmet, we will want the T8 Helmet for the T8 item-set bonus which we will be able to activate since T8 items can now be easily acquired.
The next-best alternative for the T8 helmet in terms of items that provide Hit Rating will be the Helm of the Crestfallen Challenger as it provides a huge amount of Hit Rating!
If you already have Hit Rating from your other gear slots and already managed to activate the T8 item-set bonuses, the next-best alternative will be the Ironbark Faceguard. This item is suited only for builds that lack enough Expertise Rating! Another viable alternative in terms of gaining more Expertise Rating will be the T7 helmet, the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Faceguard. You may choose to use it strictly for the Expertise Rating since the T7 item-set bonuses will most likely be ignored in favor of the T8 bonuses.
If you can’t find any of the previously mentioned options, Thane’s Tainted Greathelm is a viable alternative that focuses on providing defense-oriented stats. It’s a solid beginning choice that is on par with the crafted items from Blacksmithing and Engineering. If you can’t find the Thane’s Tainted Greathelm either, then you will want to begin with either one of the Tempered Titansteel Helm or the Armored Titanium Goggles, with the Armored Titanium Goggles only being available for players that have the Engineering profession.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best possible choice for the Pre-ToC gearing process will be the Conqueror’s Darkruned Faceguard! This is mainly due to the high baseline stats combined with the access to the 4-item set bonus. While the item doesn’t grant the best defensive secondary stats, offering only two out of three defensive stats, the Hit Rating will be crucial, especially since we have issues reaching our soft Hit Cap.
The Helm of the Faceless is the next-best option, considering the stat spread that it offers. It’s a great choice in case you managed to supplement your Hit Rating through other sources. The main issue is that you will lose access to the 4-item T8 set bonus which can be quite strong. This item is best used in the situation where you already have your T8 set-bonus active from your other items. You can also choose to ignore the 4-set item bonus during Ulduar’s progression and simply use the item for its sheer stats.
The Ironbark Faceguard fits into the same category, being a better option for progression itself while u still seek the T8 item. It’s a great item considering its overall defensive stats, especially if you are already close to your Hit Rating soft Cap. While the item has a lower Defense Rating than Valorous Darkruned Faceguard, it will still prove itself to be a valuable item due to its high Parry Rating.
The Valorous Darkruned Faceguard is an overall better choice than the off-piece items if you take into account the amount of Hit Rating, Defense Rating, and access to the T8 item-set bonuses that it offers. The only moment in which the T8 piece is worse than the off-pieces is when your entire gear has no T8 items in it.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (25) | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (10) |
The best possible option for the third phase of the expansion will be Thassarian’s Faceguard of Triumph/Koltira’s Faceguard of Triumph! This is mainly due to the very high overall stats that the item grants, with a focus on providing large amounts of defense-oriented stats and Hit Rating! The item also grants access to the T9 item-set bonuses, with the Head Slot being one of the preferred gear slots for Tier Items.
Naturally, the next-best alternative will be its 245 Ilvl version, the Thassarian’s Faceguard of Triumph/Koltira’s Faceguard of Triumph as it grants precisely the same benefits, with the main difference of granting lower overall stats due to the Item level. However, while the 232 Ilvl version grants access to the same bonuses, the Thassarian’s Faceguard of Conquest/Koltira’s Faceguard of Conquest will be weaker than the 245 Ilvl Onyxia Helmet.
The Frostforged Greathelm is a great alternative to the T9 helmet that can be used in two situations. The first situation is the following: Since it provides the same types of benefits with the main differences being the added resistances that it grants and the lack of access to the T9 item-set bonuses, you will want to use it as an Off-Piece if you already have access to the other T9 items to activate your 4-item set bonus.
The second situation is the one in which you simply haven’t gathered enough Emblems of Triumph or other T9 items and you use it as a placeholder until you can gain enough Emblems of Triumph.
On the same note, if you already have T9 items in your other slots and still require Expertise Rating, you may want to use your Emblems of Triumph on the 
Faceplate of the Honorbound/
Headplate of the Honorbound to gain a large amount of Expertise Rating. However, keep in mind that this is not the most optimum choice, meaning that you may end up wasting your Emblems of Triumph if you don’t have a surplus of them.
Lastly, the Frostforged Ringhelm is weaker than the T9 helmet but you can use it as a placeholder until you manage to gain either one of the previously mentioned items. The item itself is by no means overall weak, it is simply worse than the rest of the previously mentioned items!
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10) |
With the release of the new Heroic ++ Dungeons, we gain two different potent options as a fresh level 80 that were once available from Ulduar 10. Either one of the Fervor of the Protectorate or the Mark of the Unyielding can be used as potent options, with the former being an option for builds that lack Expertise Rating while the latter is better for builds that simply require more damage mitigation.
The Chained Military Gorget remains one of the great beginning options just like in the previous phases of the expansion. This item is better for builds that struggle with Hit Rating and it may prove itself to be extremely valuable until you can gain Hit Rating from your other gear slots.
The Amulet of Autopsy is yet another viable option for the beginning of your gearing journey, however, as it is an item from the first phase of the expansion, you will want to swap it as soon as you come across the Ulduar necklaces.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Freya (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Zone Drop (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best possible choice for the Pre-Toc gearing phase will be the Bronze Pendant of the Vanir. This is mainly due to its very high baseline stats, especially since it gained an upgrade. The item also grants you a perfect stat spread for your secondary stats, offering you a balanced amount of Defense Rating, Parry Rating, and Dodge Rating.
Regarding possible alternatives, you have two main choices that you can consider which are almost identical. The Shard of the Crystal Forest and the Titanstone Pendant are both viable alternatives that are nearly identical with the exception of 2 flat Strength points and one different secondary stat. The Shard of the Crystal Forest is a better choice if you are not close to your soft Hit Cap while the Titanstone Pendant is better if you are not close to your soft Expertise Cap.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Freya (25) HM | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) |
For this specific gear slot, we section the items into two different categories: items that provide you with Expertise Rating and items that provide you with Avoidance-increasing stats such as Dodge Rating and Parry Rating.
If you still require Expertise Rating, the best possible option will be the Endurance of the Infernal/Fortitude of the Infernal as it grants the highest possible amount of Expertise Rating while also providing a great amount of defense-oriented stats. The next-best alternative will be the 232 Ilvl version of this item, the Endurance of the Infernal/Fortitude of the Infernal. However, there is also another alternative that comes very close in terms of performance while also having a higher Ilvl. The Eskhandar’s Links comes very close to the Endurance of the Infernal/Fortitude of the Infernal since it has a higher baseline and higher defense-oriented stats. However, since it provides a lower amount of Expertise Rating, it will be the worse choice.
If you already have plenty of Expertise Rating, the best possible option will then be The Arbiter’s Muse/Legionnaire’s Gorget. This is due to the very high amount of raw Armor that it grants, paired up with high amounts of Defense Rating and Dodge Rating.
In terms of increasing your overall survivability and boosting your defense-oriented stats, the Bronze Pendant of the Vanir remains a very solid option that performs extremely well. It will prove to be an even stronger option than the 245 Ilvl version of The Arbiter’s Muse/Legionnaire’s Gorget.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – Argent Confessor Palatress (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
For this slot, the best possible choice depends on several factors as a fresh level 80. The two main factors which will influence your choice will be following: The rest of your gear slots and whether or not you already have other T8 pieces in order to activate the 4-item set bonus or a deficit in your Hit Rating which needs to be supplemented as some of the options specialize in granting Hit Rating while the others strictly enhance your overall survivability.
If you already have plenty of Hit Rating, the best possible options will be the Valorous Darkruned Pauldrons as it grants the highest possible Hit Rating available for a fresh level 80 while also granting access to the T8 item-set bonuses. It is followed up closely by the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Pauldrons in terms of damage-mitigation stats while also granting access to the T7 item-set bonuses. The T7 item set bonuses are rather weak in comparison to the T8 bonuses, however, you will want to use any T7 items that you can acquire before acquiring the T8 items.
If you don’t have enough Hit Rating, the best possible option will be the Regal Aurous Shoulderplates in terms of Hit Rating and defense-oriented stats. As a final Hit Rating option, it is followed up by the Abomination Shoulderblades which grant a decently high amount of Hit Rating, however, since their Ilvl is 200 they will grant lower overall stats.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) | |
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best possible choice for the Pre-ToC gearing phase will be the Conqueror’s Darkruned Pauldrons. This is due to the extremely good overall stat spread, granting you the highest possible baseline stats, a perfect combination of Defense Rating, Dodge Rating, and Parry Rating which increases your overall avoidance and damage mitigation while also granting you access to the T8 set-item bonuses.
Depending on your current Hit Rating, you can choose to use the Shoulderplates of the Deconstructor to enhance it, however, you may find that the simple T8 Shoulder Piece is a lot better if you already have other T8 items. The Valorous Darkruned Pauldrons is pretty close in baseline stats to the Shoulderplates of the Deconstructor, however, it will provide a better choice since it further enhances your overall avoidance through Parry Rating while also granting access to the T8 item-set bonuses. Of course, this is a better option only if you already have a good amount of Hit Rating.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) | |
The best possible choice for the third phase of the expansion will be Thassarian’s Pauldrons of Triumph/Koltira’s Pauldrons of Triumph. This is mainly due to the access to the T9 item-set bonuses paired up with very high overall stats with a focus on Hit Rating and defense-oriented stats. Since we will struggle with Hit Rating, this is by far the best possible choice!
Naturally, the next-best alternatives will be the 245 Ilvl version of this item, Thassarian’s Pauldrons of Triumph/Koltira’s Pauldrons of Triumph since it provides the same benefits with only a slight decrease in stats. The 232 Ilvl version of this item, Thassarian’s Pauldrons of Conquest/Koltira’s Pauldrons of Conquest will prove itself to be stronger than other 245 Ilvl items since it still grants us a considerable amount of Hit Rating and access to the T9 item-set bonuses.
For example, the Shoulderplates of Enduring Order/Shoulderguards of Enduring Order will be weaker than both the 232 Ilvl version of the T9 shoulders while also being weaker than the previous BiS from the second phase. The only viable reason for acquiring this item at the steep price that it has is if you already acquired the other T9 items or if you can’t acquire the T8 helmet, the Conqueror’s Darkruned Pauldrons.
The main reason why the Conqueror’s Darkruned Pauldrons is better than the Shoulderplates of Enduring Order/Shoulderguards of Enduring Order is the access to the T8 item-set bonuses while also having the precise exact same types of stats with only a minor difference in stat values.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
For this slot, you have many new possible options with the arrival of the new Heroic ++ Dungeons that can enhance your character in many different ways. The best possible option will be the Saronite Animus Cloak which grants a great mix of defense-oriented stats combined with a much-needed Hit Rating.
If you can’t find the first option, you can also use two different alternatives that can be acquired from the same Heroic ++ Dungeons, namely the Gale-Proof Cloak and the Cloak of Armed Strife. Both items come from the first phase of the expansion, serving a similar role to our first two mentions, with one of the cloaks granting you a Hit Rating and the other an Expertise Rating depending on your current needs.
Lastly, if you can’t participate yet in a Heroic ++ Dungeon, you will want to acquire the Durable Nerubhide Cape as it is a great starting item that can be acquired fairly easily. It will provide you with great initial stats that should aid you at the beginning of your journey while also being available for purchase either from a Leatherworker or the Auction House.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
The best possible choice for the Pre-Toc gearing phase will be the Titanskin Cloak. This is due to the high baseline stats combined with a substantial amount of Hit Rating and Expertise Rating. The item also grants you a gem socket that can be used for further stat customization.
You have only two viable alternatives for this item, depending on your current Expertise Rating. The Cloak of the Makers and the Saronite Animus Cloak are two very similar items that can be used, with the main difference between the two being the avoidance forms they grant you. While Death Knights favor Parry Rating as their main avoidance form, they will benefit just as much from Dodge Rating, meaning that it doesn’t matter which item you choose as an alternative, as both are very similar.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) | |
Ulduar – Mimiron (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Auriaya (25) |
The best possible option for this slot in the third phase of the expansion will be Magni’s Resolution/Cairne’s Endurance. This is due not only thanks to its very high Ilvl but also because of its extremely high stats, displaying both potent baseline and secondary stats. The item itself is far better suited for builds that already have enough Hit Rating and Expertise Rating, as its focus is solely on providing defensive stats.
The Cloak of the Unmoving Guardian/Cloak of the Unflinching Guardian is the next best alternative, offering precisely the same type of stats as the Magni’s Resolution/Cairne’s Endurance, only in lower overall amounts.
For builds that still require Expertise Rating, the best alternative will be the Pride of the Eredar/Pride of the Demon Lord, as it grants a large amount of Expertise Rating. Naturally, the next-best alternative for increasing your Expertise Rating is its 245 Ilvl version, the Pride of the Eredar/Pride of the Demon Lord.
However, the Titanskin Cloak is an item from the previous phase of the expansion that remains extremely strong and it’s even better than the Pride of the Eredar/Pride of the Demon Lord in situations in which you still need both Expertise Rating and Hit Rating. If you didn’t manage to find the Titanskin Cloak, the Cloak of the Makers remains one strong option for increasing your Hit Rating if you can’t gain more Hit Rating from your other gear slots.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 32 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
The Wyrmrest Accord – Revered |
Depending on your current Expertise Rating, the best possible options for a fresh 80 will be either the Breastplate of the Timeless for builds that lack Expertise Rating or the Valorous Darkruned Chestguard for builds that have plenty of Expertise Rating and require more “Avoidance”. With both items having great baseline stats, the choice is entirely dependent on the Expertise Rating.
If you can’t gain any of the Ulduar items from the new Heroic ++ Dungeons, you can confidently use either one of the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Chestguard or the Massive Skeletal Ribcage from the first phase of the expansion. With both items granting decently high overall stats, the choice depends entirely on whether you need more Avoidance which can be received from the T7 chest piece, or more Expertise Rating which can be received from the Massive Skeletal Ribcage.
However, if you can’t find a group for the new Heroic ++ Dungeons, you can easily acquire Breastplate of the Solemn Council from The Wyrmrest Accord quartermaster which will grant you a considerable amount of Defense Rating and Expertise Rating.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 32 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Hodir (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best possible choice for this slot depends entirely on the rest of your items and whether or not you seek to activate the 4-item set bonus for T8. If you seek the 4-item set bonus for T8, the best possible choice is the Conqueror’s Darkruned Chestguard. This is not only due to the T8 item-set bonuses but also because of the high baseline and secondary stats that it offers. The T8 chest piece has secondary stats that aim to increase your overall avoidance while having two blue gem sockets that are perfect for Stamina gems that can enhance your overall Effective Health Points.
If you don’t seek the 4-item set bonus or if you chose to use the T8 legs, the Breastplate of the Timeless is the perfect alternative for the BiS spot. You can consider this item to be precisely the same as the Off-Piece used in this set, granting you the exact same types of stats. It will provide you with a great amount of baseline stats combined with high amounts of Defense Rating, Parry Rating, and Expertise Rating.
If you choose to use the T8 piece as your BiS, its best alternative is its predecessor, the Valorous Darkruned Chestguard. It offers exactly the same type of stats and access to the T8 item-set bonuses, however, the stats themselves are provided in a lower overall amount.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (10) Heroic | |
In our current setup, there are two possible BiS variants for this slot, with the BiS depending on what item you are using in your Leg Slot. If you are using the T9 legs to activate your T9 4-item set bonus, your BiS will be the Chestplate of the Towering Monstrosity/Hauberk of the Towering Monstrosity due to the Expertise Rating that it grants. Naturally, the next-best alternative for it will be its 245 version, the (Chestplate of the Towering Monstrosity/Hauberk of the Towering Monstrosity).
If you use the Expertise Rating legs (Legguards of Feverish Dedication/Legplates of Feverish Dedication), you will want to use Thassarian’s Chestguard of Triumph/Koltira’s Chestguard of Triumph as your actual BiS to activate the T9 4-item set bonus.
Naturally, for the situation in which you are using Legguards of Feverish Dedication/Legplates of Feverish Dedication for your Legs Slot, you will want to use the 245 Ilvl version of the T9 Chest Thassarian’s Chestguard of Triumph/Koltira’s Chestguard of Triumph as your next-best alternatives. The issue with the 232 Ilvl version of the T9 Chest is that it provides lower overall stats than the other available 245 options, with its only benefit being access to the T9 item-set bonuses. You will want to initially use it until you can manage to gain the following 245 items or the 245 Ilvl version of the T9 chest.
The Breastplate of the White Knight/Breastplate of the White Knight or the Chestguard of the Warden/Stoneskin Chestplate will be better alternatives to the 232 Ilvl T9 chest piece, with very similar stats to the 245 Ilvl T9. You may use them directly and simply skip the 232 Ilvl T9 version or keep the 232 Ilvl T9 version until you can manage to find either one of them.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
60 Emblem of Valor (BoE) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
As there aren’t many powerful options for this slot when it comes to a fresh level 80 character, the best possible choice will be the Flamewatch Armguards. The item is especially good as it provides us with Hit Rating, a stat that we will struggle to optimize. Depending on whether you can find it on the Auction House or not, the Bracers of Dalaran’s Parapets provide a similar set of stats, only for a lower overall amount. The main difference is the Avoidance form granted, with one item offering Dodge Rating while the other offers Parry Rating.
While not as strong as the rest of the items, the Minion Bracers are a good option for increasing your overall Avoidance since they provide both Dodge Rating and Parry Rating. This option is better for builds that already have plenty of Hit Rating, however, realistically speaking you will struggle with Hit Rating initially.
Lastly, you may use the Bracers of Lost Sentiments for increasing both your Expertise Rating and Hit Rating if you require both of them at the same time. Keep in mind that this option will offer overall lower baseline stats than the rest of the options, meaning that you will reduce your overall survivability.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Naxxramas – Instructor Razuvious (25) |
The best option for this slot during the Pre-Toc gearing process is Mimiron’s Inferno Couplings. This is due to its secondary stats which are considerably higher than any other option, granting you a significant amount of Hit Rating and Dodge Rating. The only issue with this item is that it has a lower Defense Rating than other possible alternatives.
The next-best alternative is the Flamewatch Armguards, offering the same types of stats as the Mimiron’s Inferno Couplings, with a lower overall secondary stat spread. The item grants a higher Defense Rating than the actual BiS, however, it offers a lower Hit Rating and Dodge Rating. The overall baseline stats are very similar, with only a minor difference between the items.
Lastly, the only alternative that can provide great stats is the Bracers of the Unholy Knight. This item is better for builds with a considerable amount of Hit Rating. This item is better for builds that require additional avoidance as it provides a good amount of Parry Rating, and a similar amount of Strength when compared to the Ulduar items which empower Forceful Deflection.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) Hc | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader -Icehowl (10) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (10) | |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) |
Depending on your current Hit Rating and how performant you are under the 8% Soft Hit Cap, you will have two main options for this slot in the third phase of the expansion. If you already have enough Hit Rating and your performance is great while being under 8% Soft Cap, the best option will be the Bracers of the Shieldmaiden/Armguards of the Shieldmaiden. This item also grants you a considerable amount of Expertise Rating besides its great baseline stats and high defense-oriented secondary stats. Naturally, the best alternative for it will be the 245 Ilvl version of it (Bracers of the Shieldmaiden/Armguards of the Shieldmaiden).
If you struggle to perform under the 8% Soft Hit Cap, the best possible option will be the Dreadscale Armguards/Dreadscale Bracers as it has similar overall stats with a focus on Hit Rating. While it provides overall lower damage mitigation, it will allow you to successfully land your attacks and taunts.
Saronite Swordbreakers/Saronite Swordbreakers can be considered the next-best alternative for the Dreadscale Armguards/Dreadscale Bracers, offering almost identical stats with the added benefit of being a BoE-crafted item. This item is more defense-oriented, offering higher overall defensive stats over Hit Rating, however, it will still provide a considerable amount of Hit Rating, fulfilling its purpose.
Lastly, the 232 Ilvl of Dreadscale Armguards/Dreadscale Bracers is extremely similar to the previous BiS, Mimiron’s Inferno Couplings, in terms of pure stat values. You may use whichever one of them as there is barely any visible difference.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
60 Emblem of Heroism/Vault of Archavon ( Archavon the Stone Watcher) | |
Trial of the Champion – Argent Confessor Palatress | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
For this slot, you will have multiple viable options that depend entirely on the rest of your items. We will separate this category into two different parts which will contain Expertise Rating items and Hit Rating items
For Expertise Rating items, you will find that the most powerful option is the T8 gloves, Valorous Darkruned Handguards, which will grant you medium-high stats and access to the T8 item-set bonuses. Another viable option for Expertise Rating will be Mercy’s Hold, which grants almost similar stats to the T8 gloves. The main difference, besides the sheer number of stats, is that one will grant you Dodge Rating while the other will grant you Parry Rating and access to the T8 bonuses.
For items that grant an increase in Hit Rating, the best possible option will be the T7 gloves from the first phase of the expansion, namely the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Handguards. Another viable yet weaker option is the Gauntlets of the Master which grants a higher Dodge Rating but overall lower stats.
The early options for the gloves slot should not worry you too much as you will quickly want to gather Emblems of Triumph and gain the T9 gloves as fast as possible. That is if you don’t plan on raiding Ulduar anytime soon.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
The Best option for this slot during the Pre-Toc gearing phase depends entirely on the rest of your gear, as you have two main options. The Handguards of Revitalization are the better option if you don’t seek to use the 4-item set bonus from T8 or if you already managed to activate it from the rest of your gear slots. Its a better choice for builds that already have plenty of Expertise Rating and want to gain more Gem Sockets for further stat optimization. The item has both extremely high baseline stats and extremely high secondary stats that improve your overall avoidance and Effective Health Points.
The Conqueror’s Darkruned Handguards are a far better choice if you seek to activate the T8 4-item set bonus while also granting a large amount of Expertise Rating. While it doesn’t offer as many baseline stats or gem sockets as the Handguards of Revitalization, we will want to use the T8 Gloves since we will opt for the Legs Slot Off-Piece.
The Valorous Darkruned Handguards are the precursor to the Conqueror’s Darkruned Handguards, granting you exactly the same type of benefits, only in an overall lower amount, with the T8 item-set bonus remaining the same. If you already have plenty of Hit Rating and your goal is to activate the T8 4-item set bonus, this item can be maintained until you manage to upgrade it, working as a very effective alternative. If you already activated the T8 4-item set bonus, you can choose to maintain this item until you manage to get the Handguards of Revitalization.
The Gauntlets of the Royal Watch are a good alternative if you have overall issues with your Hit Rating that causes aggro loss. You will lose overall avoidance and Effective Health Points if you choose this option, however, the Hit Rating can be considered Mandatory. Provided you already have enough Defense Rating. This option will make it harder for you to reach the T8 4-item set bonus, as you will have fewer T8 pieces if you also take into consideration the Off-Piece legs.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Freya (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Mimiron (25) |
The best possible option for this slot in the third phase of the expansion will be the Thassarian’s Handguards of Triumph/Koltira’s Handguards of Triumph. This is due to the item having the highest overall stats alongside its access to the T9 item-set bonuses which is very important. Sadly, ToC doesn’t grant us much room for customization when it comes to this slot, with all available items granting you precisely the same types of stats.
This means that the only viable alternatives will be the 245 Ilvl version of the T9 gloves, Thassarian’s Handguards of Triumph/Koltira’s Handguards of Triumph, and its 232 Ilvl version, the Thassarian’s Handguards of Conquest/Koltira’s Handguards of Conquest. As a reminder, keep in mind that each lower version will grant significantly lower stats, meaning that you will want to upgrade them as soon as possible! While their stats are lower, the item-set bonuses are not impacted by the Ilvl itself.
Since there are no other viable options from ToC, you will want to use the Handguards of Revitalization from Ulduar as it grants precisely the exact types of stats as the T9 item, only in lower amounts and with no access to the T9 item-set bonuses.
The other only viable alternative will be the T8 gloves, the Conqueror’s Darkruned Handguards, which offer access to the T8 item-set bonuses paired up with decently high defense-oriented stats. You will want to use this alternative for builds that lack Expertise Rating. Realistically speaking, there are far better ways to gain Expertise Rating, meaning that you will probably replace the T8 gloves as soon as you gain Expertise Rating from your other gear slots.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight |
The best possible choice for this slot will be the Indestructible Plate Girdle. This is due to two different factors, the first being that it is a BoE-crafted item that can be easily acquired if you have enough gold. However, this item is better suited for builds that already have plenty of Hit Rating! You can also choose to add Hit Rating Gems to supplement the lack of Hit Rating, but you will deprive yourself of Stamina if you choose to do so.
The next-best alternative for builds that lack Hit Rating will be the Stormtempered Girdle, followed up by the Girdle of the Pallid Knight. Since there are not many other possible alternatives, you will want to use the Ulduar 10 item over the Trial of the Champion one, however, it all really depends on which item you can acquire faster before finding the next upgrade.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best possible choice for this slot in the Pre-Toc gearing phase depends entirely on your Hit Rating and overall avoidance. For builds that lack Hit Rating, the Shieldwarder Girdle is the best possible choice. The Indestructible Plate Girdle is the better choice if you already have enough Hit Rating and require more avoidance. The Indestructible Plate Girdle is also an incredibly powerful item since it can simply be acquired from a Blacksmith or the Auction House, provided someone already has the recipe.
You may choose to use Hit Rating gems with the Indestructible Plate Girdle, however, you would lose a large amount of Stamina by doing so. You may also choose to ignore the Shieldwarder Girdle altogether if you use Hit Rating gems, however, you may need to optimize the rest of your build to reach as close as possible to the soft Hit Cap.
Lastly, you can use the Stormtempered Girdle as an alternative to the Shieldwarder Girdle since it offers the exact same type of stats, only in a lower overall amount.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) |
For this slot, the third phase of the expansion only grants items with a particular stat spread, meaning that each item uses precisely the same types of stats. This means that there will be almost no different alternatives that can be used to customize your Waist Slot in order to offer stats other than Defense Rating, Parry Rating, and Dodge Rating.
The best possible option for this slot will be the Girdle of Bloodied Scars/Belt of Bloodied Scars. This is due to the item granting the highest possible amount of stats when compared to the other viable alternatives! Naturally, the next-best alternative will be its 245 Ilvl version (Girdle of Bloodied Scars/Belt of Bloodied Scars), followed up closely by the Girdle of the Nether Champion/Belt of the Nether Champion which provides precisely the same type of bonuses, only in lower amounts.
The Indestructible Plate Girdle will actually be a better option than the 232 Ilvl version of the Girdle of the Nether Champion/Belt of the Nether Champion since it offers you Gem Sockets while also being a BoE-crafted item that can be easily acquired.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – Grand Champions | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
The majority of the items available as a Fresh level 80 for this slot will be centered around granting Expertise Rating. The best possible option will be the Gilded Steel Legplates, as it provides the best overall stat spread. The only issue with the item is that it will take a while to gain all the necessary Sidereal Essence in order to acquire it.
The next-best alternative will be the Valorous Darkruned Legguards, as it grants access to the T8 item-set bonuses. The rest of the items have exactly the same types of stats, meaning that it doesn’t necessarily matter which one you use. Archaedas’ Lost Legplates is another valid alternative which fits the same criteria.
The Legguards of Abandoned Fealty is a very similar item that grants almost the same types of stats, with the only difference being that it grants Dodge Rating instead of Parry Rating. Its overall stats are also lower than the rest of the Ulduar items, meaning that you will not want to prioritize it over the others.
However, if you already have Expertise Rating and you need Hit Rating, you may use the T7 legs as they grant a decent amount of Hit Rating. The issue with the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Legguards is that it grants overall lower stats than the other items, meaning that you will only want to use this item as a last resort.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) | |
Ulduar – Freya (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Ulduar – Kologarn (25) |
The best possible choice depends entirely on the rest of your main item slots! Depending on whether you already activated the T8 4-item set bonus, you may want to use the Legplates of the Endless Void as your actual BiS or the Conqueror’s Darkruned Legguards as the actual BiS if you haven’t already managed to activate the 4-item set bonus.
Without taking the T8 4-item set bonus into consideration, the Legplates of the Endless Void are the better option for overall Damage Mitigation and Effective Health Pool, granting you astonishing stats and 3 gem sockets for further stat customization. The Conqueror’s Darkruned Legguards offers lower baseline stats but it’s a better choice for builds that don’t have enough Expertise Rating. Without taking the T8 set bonus into consideration, the T8 legs offer overall lower survivability.
The Valorous Darkruned Legguards offer the same type of benefits as the Conqueror’s Darkruned Legguards, being its precursor item. The only difference is the stat values themselves, being considerably lower while offering the precise exact same type of stats. As an alternative to the T8 pieces, you can use the Gilded Steel Legplates as it grants the exact same type of stats as the T8 pieces.
Lastly, you can use the Saronite Plated Legguards for fights where you may sustain high physical damage, as the increased Armor Value will help you mitigate some of the damage. While it may not have a third secondary stat, the high amount of Strength the item provides will empower you through the Forceful Deflection, resulting in more Parry Rating.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) |
For this slot, the BiS depends entirely on your preference, the drop chance itself, and whether or not you are currently using the T9 Chest Piece or an Off-Set item.
If you choose to use the Off-Set chest, (Chestplate of the Towering Monstrosity/Hauberk of the Towering Monstrosity), the BiS choice for your Legs Slot will be the Thassarian’s Legguards of Triumph/Koltira’s Legguards of Triumph. You can think of it as a trade-off since the T9 Legs offer a large amount of defense-oriented stats while also making sure that you will activate the 4-item set bonus.
Since you want to activate the T9 4-item set bonus, the next-best alternatives for this optimization path will be the 245 Ilvl version of the item (Thassarian’s Legguards of Triumph/Koltira’s Legguards of Triumph), and its 232 Ilvl version (Thassarian’s Legguards of Conquest/Koltira’s Legguards of Conquest) as the next-best alternatives since they are basically the same item. The only major difference is the sheer amount of stats granted by the different Ilvl versions of the item.
Another valid option for increasing your overall damage mitigation will be the Legplates of the Endless Void. While the item doesn’t grant you access to the T9 item-set bonuses, it grants very similar stats to the 258 Ilvl version of the T9 legs.
If you choose to use the T9 Chest piece, , the actual BiS you will want to use is the Legguards of Feverish Dedication/Legplates of Feverish Dedication. Once again, you can think of it as a trade-off, gaining Expertise Rating and a plethora of useful defense-oriented stats alongside Gem Sockets from this item while gaining the T9 4-item set bonus from your Chest Piece.
If you choose to use the Expertise Rating legs, the next-best alternative for them will be their 245 Ilvl version, the Legguards of Feverish Dedication/Legplates of Feverish Dedication, as it’s basically the same item, only with lower overall stats.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Trial of the Champion – Eadric the Pure | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
For this slot, the best option as a Fresh Level 80 depends entirely on the rest of your gear slots and how far away you are from your Soft Hit Cap and Soft Expertise Cap. If you already have plenty of Hit Rating but require more Expertise Rating, the best possible option will be the Greaves of the Iron Army. Another option for gaining Expertise Rating from this slot is the Boots of Heartfelt Repentance. The issue with this item is that in comparison, it is considerably weaker since it has overall lower stats. This means that you will only use it for a short amount until you can gather enough Sidereal Essence.
If you already have plenty of Hit Rating and Expertise Rating, the best damage mitigation option will be the Spiked Deathdealers. You will probably want to prioritize acquiring the Spiked Deathdealers over any other item as they are a BoE-crafted item that offers a high amount of Dodge Rating, Parry Rating, and Defense Rating besides their high baseline stats.
The Plague-Impervious Boots are a similar option that grants precisely the same types of stats, only in lower overall amounts. They will also be harder to acquire since they drop in the new Heroic ++ Dungeons instead of being a BoE-crafted item. However, they will be a decently strong option if you can’t gain the Spiked Deathdealers due to a shortage of supply or lack of gold.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) |
The best possible option for this slot in the Pre-Toc gearing phase will be the Greaves of the Iron Army. This is due to the overall high baseline stats, paired up with high defensive secondary stats and mandatory Expertise Rating for your soft Expertise Cap. If you somehow gain Expertise Rating from your other slots, you may use the Spiked Deathdealers for increased avoidance.
It’s worth mentioning that you will most likely acquire Expertise Rating from your other gear slots in ToC, meaning that the Expertise Rating boots will be your best option if you use our previous BiS set from Ulduar.
The Spiked Deathdealers is the next-best option, granting you a high amount of damage mitigation through high defensive secondary stats. The only issue with this item is the lack of Expertise Rating, forcing you to rely on other items. On the plus side, this item can be acquired extremely fast since it’s a craftable item. All it takes is a considerable amount of gold.
Lastly, the Charred Saronite Greaves is another viable alternative if you lack Hit Rating. While the item may lack baseline stats, it makes up for it with high secondary stats such as a high amount of Defense Rating.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (10) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (10) | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
The choice for this slot is very similar to the Bracers Slot, as it depends on how comfortable you are operating under the 8% Soft Hit Cap. While performing under the 8% Soft Hit Cap is entirely possible and even viable, it will also force you to depend on RNG, especially for successfully landing your Taunts.
If you choose to operate under the 8% Soft Hit Cap, the BiS option for this slot will be the Dawnbreaker Greaves/Dawnbreaker Sabatons as it grants the highest amount of raw baseline stats combined with a very large amount of defense-oriented secondary stats. The next-best alternative for choosing this path will naturally be the 245 Ilvl version of this item, the Dawnbreaker Greaves/Dawnbreaker Sabatons, which grants the exact same type of stats in lower overall amounts.
If you can’t find the Dawnbreaker Greaves/Dawnbreaker Sabatons, you may still use the Spiked Deathdealers from the previous phase as it grants precisely the same types of stats, in lower overall amounts. Another added benefit of the Spiked Deathdealers is that they are a BoE-crafted item that can be easily acquired since the supply for them will always be high.
However, if you choose to ignore Hit Rating items for your other slots as well and only focus on defense-oriented items, you may find major issues in both maintaining aggro and actually hitting your target, meaning that you can optimally play under the 8% Soft Hit Cap, as long as you are as close as possible to it.
The Sabatons of the Lingering Vortex/Greaves of the Lingering Vortex will be your BiS if you choose to optimize your Hit Rating to get as close as possible to the 8% Soft Hit Cap. By doing so, you will renounce a small portion of your overall Avoidance Rating in favor of getting as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap.
As for the next-best alternative when it comes to the Hit Rating path, the 232 Ilvl Sabatons of the Lingering Vortex/Greaves of the Lingering Vortex will be the only viable option.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – Grand Champions (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) | |
With the release of the new Heroic ++ Dungeons and the new Sidereal Essence Vendor, you will have multiple available options as a fresh level 80 when it comes to your ring slots.
The most potent ring combination will be the Seal of Ulduar & Signet of Winter. This is mainly due to the incredible stat spread that you can gain by using both of the rings, gaining access to a large amount of Armor, Parry Rating, Dodge Rating, and Expertise Rating. From a sheer stats point of view, there isn’t any other option that grants you as many stats as this combination.
If you don’t have enough essence to gain the Seal of Ulduar, you may use the Mark of the Relentless as the next-best alternative, as it offers the same types of stats in lower overall amounts. If you can’t gain access to either of them, although you should be able to gain the Seal of Ulduar through the new vendor, you can use the Signet of the Accord as a valid alternative for increasing your Expertise Rating.
If you already have plenty of Expertise Rating from your other gear slots yet you lack Hit Rating, you will want to use the Deflection Band as a potent alternative for increasing your overall Hit Rating.
Lastly, if you have spare gold, you can choose to buy the Titanium Earthguard Ring as a starting option to help you clear the new Heroic ++ Dungeons for better items!
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Auriaya (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) |
The best possible ring combination is Fate’s Clutch & Platinum Band of the Aesir. This is mainly due to the large amount of stats that the pair grants you, however, the truly important part is the large amount of Expertise Rating that the rings confer. Besides the high amount of Defense Rating and Stamina you gain from the rings, the Expertise Rating will prove to be most beneficial.
When it comes to possible alternatives, there are few choices that actually can compare to Fate’s Clutch & Platinum Band of the Aesir. The Leviathan’s Coil and the Seal of Ulduar are the closest alternatives, with the latter option being a functional choice when combined with either one of the first two options. This is due to the Expertise Rating and the gem socket it offers.
The Leviathan’s Coil is the weakest choice when compared to the other rings, however, you can use it as a temporary option in case none of the other rings are available. You can also choose to ignore it altogether in favor of phase 1 rings which provide similar, if not, better stats. While the ring offers high baseline stats, the lack of a third secondary stat reduces the overall value of the item as it only provides a low amount of Dodge Rating besides Defense Rating.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) HM | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) | |
Ulduar – Auriaya (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (25) | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (10) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (10) |
The best possible choices for your ring slot in the third phase of the expansion will be a combination of Signet of the Traitor King/Band of the Traitor King and Fate’s Clutch. While the Signet of the Traitor King/Band of the Traitor King is the best possible choice in terms of pure damage mitigation that you can acquire in ToC, Fate’s Clutch will be our second choice due to the Expertise Rating that it grants which is vital in our current setup.
In terms of damage mitigation, you can use Loop of the Twin Val’kyr/Band of the Twin Val’kyr as the next-best alternative to the Signet of the Traitor King/Band of the Traitor King, followed up closely by its 245 Ilvl version as an alternative, the Signet of the Traitor King/Band of the Traitor King.
If you can’t gain access to any of those damage mitigation options, you may use either one of the Clutch of Fortification or the Loop of the Twin Val’kyr/Band of the Twin Val’kyr as a potent alternative, with the former being stronger than the latter due to higher overall stats.
As valid alternatives for the Fate’s Clutch, you will want to use the Platinum Band of the Aesir as the next-best alternative for increasing your Expertise Rating, followed up by the Seal of Ulduar as a decent alternative.
The Loop of the Twin Val’kyr/Band of the Twin Val’kyr is the weakest option presented among the available choices, however, it will still serve you well in the beginning of your gearing journey until you can attain more powerful options. If presented with the choice of using this ring versus using a ring from Ulduar, you should maintain the Ulduar Rings, as they are stronger.
Lastly, a special mention for the Signified Ring of Binding and the Runed Ring of Binding which are special rings used for encounters where you will suffer heavy Magical Damage. Those two rings are used for boosting your overall resistances and can be stacked with other resistance-increasing buffs such as Gift of the Wild, Prayer of Shadow Protection, ETC.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Azjol-Nerub – Hadronox (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10) |
With the arrival of the new Heroic ++ Dungeons and the Trial of the Champion Dungeon, we now have access to many powerful trinkets that can be acquired fairly easily.
The best possible trinket that you can use in this phase and can also be acquired very early on is The Black Heart. This is due to both the static Stamina buff that it grants and its On-Equip effect which grants an extraordinary amount of raw Armor Value on a very short internal cooldown. The best possible trinket you can combine it with is the Royal Seal of King Llane which also offers a more powerful static Stamina buff, however, it grants a weaker On-Use effect than The Black Heart.
As for viable alternatives that you can gain fairly easily, the Essence of Gossamer and the Figurine – Monarch Crab will be the next-best alternatives, as they will both grant you the best amount of Stamina available. However, you can only gain the Figurine – Monarch Crab if you have Jewelcrafting as one of your professions.
The Furnace Stone is another viable alternative that will grant a different form of damage mitigation through Dodge Rating and Armor Value. The only reason this trinket is not higher on the list is due to its long cooldown.
If you can’t find any of the previously mentioned items, you can also use the Repelling Charge as a viable defense-oriented trinket with a fairly decent On-Use effect.
While there may be stronger trinkets that you can realistically use from Naxxramas, it will be hard to attain them as a fresh level 80 unless you form a guild run or manage to find a group that will carry you and pass the loot over.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Azjol-Nerub – Hadronox (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) |
The best possible Trinket combination for the second phase of the expansion will be the & Royal Seal of King Llane. This is due to the large amount of Stamina that they can provide when paired together. Their on-use effects can also be used in conjunction with your other defensive abilities to create a very potent “Panic Button”! The greatest part about this trinket pair is that you can either activate them independently or at the same time.
While it may seem odd, the Essence of Gossamer remains a community favorite due to the high amount of Stamina that it offers. The absorption effect is not particularly significant, but the Stamina buff in itself is amazing.
If you don’t have access to Jewelcrafting, or any of the previously mentioned options, the next-best alternative is the Furnace Stone. This item grants you a high amount of Dodge Rating which will increase your overall avoidance by a decent amount, however, the strongest trait of this item is the On-Use effect. This item is potent in encounters where Bossess deal high amounts of Physical damage, as the 5448 Armor Value can be macroed along with other defensive abilities to create a potent survivability tool.
The General’s Heart is a similar option, however, its On-Equip effect is weak compared to the Furnace Stone. A far better option than The General’s Heart will be the Rune of Repulsion, as it grants a much more potent On-Use effect that can be turned into a “Panic Button”.
The Rune of Repulsion can even be considered stronger in some situations than the Furnace Stone since Death Knights benefit a great deal from Parry Rating. However, if the attack that is targeting you can’t be parried and it simply inflicts an effect that deals Physical Damage, the Furnace Stone will remain the better option.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) | |
Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (10) HC | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (10) | |
Azjol-Nerub – Hadronox (Heroic) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
The best combination for phase 3 depends entirely on the encounter that you find yourself in. Some players may prefer to use both of the 258 and 245 Ilvl (Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Satrina’s Impeding Scarab for Alliance)/(Juggernaut’s Vitality/Juggernaut’s Vitality for Horde) while others prefer to use Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Juggernaut’s Vitality paired up with The Black Heart.
The double Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Juggernaut’s Vitality & Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Juggernaut’s Vitality will be less useful in overall fights as it only provides a flat increase in health besides its static health buff while the Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Juggernaut’s Vitality & The Black Heart offers both a huge raw Armor Value buff while also providing the flat increase in health which provides higher overall Avoidance.
While you generally want to keep Satrina’s Impeding Scarab/Juggernaut’s Vitality as your main trinket, you will most definitely want to acquire The Black Heart as your secondary trinket. It performs extraordinarily well, even overshadowing trinkets such as the Heart of Iron or the Royal Seal of King Llane which provide more static Stamina. The reason for this is its On-Equip effect which grants an absurd amount of raw Armor Value on a very low 50-second internal cooldown.
You will be able to replace The Black Heart with Heart of Iron or the Royal Seal of King Llane. Both the Royal Seal of King Llane and the Heart of Iron grant static Stamina buffs, the main difference between them is the form of Avoidance that they grant, with one item granting Dodge Rating while the other Parry Rating. In terms of raw damage mitigation, they are very close to each other.
The Fervor of the Frostborn/Eitrigg’s Oath will be another viable alternative that you can use, however, it is considerably weaker than the previous options. It will provide you with a stacking Armor Buff and a static Dodge Rating buff which will increase your overall avoidance, however, it will be considerably weaker than The Black Heart which will be a lot easier to attain in comparison.
The Essence of Gossamer and the Figurine – Monarch Crab will still be very viable options due to the static Stamina buffs which they grant., even if their On-Equip effects are weak in comparison to the other items.
Fresh 80
Two-Handed
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 50 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10) |
With the release of Phase 3 and its new features, we will now have access to stronger weapons during our first days as a fresh level 80. For a two-handed build, the best possible choice early on will be the Hammer of Crushing Whispers due to the massive amount of Hit Rating that it grants. Since most of our items will grant defense-oriented stats, Hit Rating will be a huge issue for our gearing process. This will result in a necessity to attain weapons with Hit Rating.
Luckily, the new Heroic ++ Dungeons grant us access to multiple Ulduar 10 items which focus on providing Hit Rating. The next-best alternative will be Stormedge followed up by Abaddon.
While none of the previously mentioned items grants defense-oriented stats, they grant us increased Strength which empowers our Parry Rating by 25% of all the Strength gained through the Forceful Deflection passive. For example, Hoperender is yet another former Ulduar 10 item that will empower your Hit Rating. However, it won’t empower the Forceful Deflection since it won’t provide any Strength.
Another valid alternative for increasing your Hit Rating and Parry Rating is Death’s Bite. This item maintains its spot as one of the most proficient weapons in the game, granting a great bonus to both Hit Rating, overall Stamina, and Strength.
Dual-Wield
Item | Source |
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) | |
Trial of the Champion – Eadric the Pure (Heroic) |
For Dual-Wield builds, the best possible item will be 2 x Shiver as the item grants plenty of Weapon Damage, a considerable amount of Defense Rating, and a great amount of Hit Rating. Besides its Parry Rating, it also grants plenty of Strength, further enhancing our Parry Rating through the Forceful Deflection effect.
However, since it costs a considerable amount of Sidereal Essence, you will likely want to use the Stoneguard instead to boost your Hit Rating. If you already managed to gain Hit Rating from your other gear slots at the expense of Expertise Rating, you will want to use Legacy of Thunder instead of the Stoneguard or Shiver.
Lastly, the Peacekeeper Blade is an alternative to the Legacy of Thunder that works in the same fashion. It provides you with a decent amount of Expertise Rating and medium-high defense-oriented stats.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Two-Handed
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) HM | |
Animated Constellation – 50 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM |
The best possible choice for the Pre-Toc gearing phase will be the Dark Edge of Depravity! This is mainly due to the high amount of Hit Rating it grants, paired up with the highest possible weapon damage. While there may be other weapons with higher weapon damage, the Hit Rating itself is crucial for our build. The Haste Rating will not impact your overall performance by a large amount, but it still reduces your global GCD and weapon swing timer, making it a decent addition. The Agility it grants won’t increase your overall Parry Rating since it does not synergize with Forceful Deflection, but it will grant you increased Armor and Dodge Rating!
The Hammer of Crushing Whispers works as the best possible alternative, granting you a similar amount of Hit Rating. The Critical Strike Chance granted by this item won’t be too beneficial, however, the increased Strength will also grant you Parry Rating through the Forceful Deflection passive.
Voldrethar, Dark Blade of Oblivion is another viable alternative, however, it reduces your overall Hit Rating by a considerable amount. The item will grant you high weapon damage and increased overall damage through Armor Penetration. However, the strong point is actually its high baseline stats which boost your Stamina and Strength by a considerable amount.
Dual-Wield
Item | Source |
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) HM | |
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (10) HM | |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) |
The dual-wield specialization shows some promising options, with the strongest possible option being Sorthalis, Hammer of the Watchers. Due to the overall high stats the item grants, using 2 x Sorthalis, Hammer of the Watchers will allow you to modify other item slots, especially since you will receive a large amount of Expertise Rating.
The best alternative if you wish to also enhance your Defense Rating will be Shiver. This item is also great since it enhances your overall Hit Rating. If you can’t gain Shiver yet, you will want to use Titanguard, as it grants a decently high amount of Hit Rating.
If you already have plenty of Defense Rating and Hit Rating, a proper alternative to the first two options would be the Caress of Insanity. However, this option is highly contested by DPS players, making it a proper choice only in cases where the first two options are completely unavailable.
Vulmir, the Northern Tempest can be considered the middle ground, offering you plenty of Hit Rating and Expertise Rating, at the cost of Defense Rating. Once again, this item is highly contested by DPS players, making it a temporary choice until you can find the first two options.
Best-in-Slot
Two-Handed
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (25) | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) HM | |
Animated Constellation – 50 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Onyxia’s Lair – Onyxia (10) |
For a Two-Handed build, your “BiS” will depend entirely on the current amount of Hit Rating that you have. In our current setup, you will want to focus on a Hit Rating item such as Decimation/Fleshrender. While the item doesn’t grant any Strength, it grants a large amount of Stamina and Hit Rating, resulting in the best possible survivability in our current setup.
The next-best alternative for increasing your overall Hit Rating will be Lothar’s Edge/Mor’kosh, the Bloodreaver. The only difference between this item and the actual BiS is that it grants Strength instead of Agility while having lower overall stats. Due to the Strength increase, you will gain a higher overall Parry Rating thanks to Forceful Deflection.
If you can’t find any of those two items and still require Hit Rating, either one of the Dark Edge of Depravity or the Hammer of Crushing Whispers from the previous phase of the expansion will still prove to be extremely valuable.
However, if you somehow manage to add Hit Rating to your build and lack Expertise Rating instead, you actual BiS will be Catastrophe/Grievance. This is due to the massive amount of Expertise Rating that it grants, besides a large quantity of Stamina, Strength, and 2 gem sockets. Since we gain a large quantity of Strength Rating, we will also gain Parry Rating through the Forceful Deflection passive effect.
Since ToC doesn’t have any other viable Expertise Rating alternatives, you will have to look towards Onyxia’s Lair for the Sharpened Obsidian Edged Blade or the Keen Obsidian Edged Blade. Both items grant a great amount of Expertise Rating and Strength, with the former item being stronger due to the Ilvl and sheer stat spread.
Dual-Wield
Item | Source |
Trial of the Crusader -Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader -Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) HM | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) |
For a Dual-Wield build, your “BiS” will work the same as with the Two-Handed build, being based largely on the rest of your build and your current Hit Rating/Expertise Rating.
For builds that already have plenty of Hit Rating and Expertise Rating, the “BiS” option will be Silverwing Defender/Orgrim’s Deflector. This item is purely defense-oriented, granting you with large amounts of Defense Rating, Parry Rating, and Dodge Rating.
The next-best alternative will be the Honor of the Fallen/Blood and Glory as it is the exact same type of stats as the Silverwing Defender/Orgrim’s Deflector. The only difference between the two items is the sheer amount of stats that each item gives, with the Silverwing Defender/Orgrim’s Deflector being stronger due to better overall stats.
Since we have major issues with Hit Rating due to its scarcity, most of the time you will opt for the Stormpike Cleaver/Hellscream Slicer as it helps us reach as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap. While the other option provides great defense-oriented stats, our overall Avoidance is already high from our other gear slots. Naturally, the best alternative to it will be its 245 Ilvl version, the Stormpike Cleaver/Hellscream Slicer, as it grants the same types of stats in lower overall amounts.
If you still don’t have enough Hit Rating and can’t gain any version of the Stormpike Cleaver/Hellscream Slicer, you can use either one of Shiver or Titanguard as a valid alternative from the previous phase of the expansion as they both grant decently high amounts of Hit Rating.
If your build has enough Hit Rating but lacks Expertise Rating, the best possible choice will be 2 x Sorthalis, Hammer of the Watchers. This is the BiS option for the Dual-Wield build from the last phase of the expansion which grants a massive amount of defense-oriented stats paired up with a high amount of Expertise Rating. As far as Expertise Rating items go, there is no other better option in this current phase of the expansion!
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
With the release of Phase 3, two new strong Sigils will become available for purchase for a decent price of 25 Emblems of Triumph. The best possible choice for this slot as a Fresh Level 80 and throughout the entirety of phase 3 will be the Sigil of Insolence. This is due to the large amount of Dodge Rating that it grants, with a very special internal mechanic. You can effectively maintain the effect indefinitely as long as you cast Rune Strike, as its internal cooldown is 10 seconds with the effect having 20 seconds. This is possible since the internal cooldown is triggered when the effect procs.
The other available Sigil that can be acquired for the same cost is the Sigil of Virulence. While it does provide a decent amount of Parry Rating through the Forceful Deflection passive, more specifically 50 Parry Rating, the major issue with this item is that it shares the same cost as the Sigil of Insolence.
Apart from the two new Sigils, the Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight remains a very cheap and effective item that can enhance your overall Defence Rating by 53 whenever you cast Icy Touch. Until you can acquire the Sigil of Insolence, you will want to use the Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight as your most potent option.
Lastly, the Sigil of Awareness is another viable choice that focuses on increasing your overall threat generation. Even if Death Knights generate a large amount of aggro through the use of Icy Touch, the Sigil of Awareness will empower your overall Death Strike damage, resulting in higher overall threat generation whenever you use Death Strike.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Razorscale (25) | |
Just as mentioned previously, with the release of Phase 3, the Sigil of Insolence will be the best possible Sigil that you can acquire fairly early on by using Emblem of Triumph. It will maintain its position during the Pre-Toc gearing phase and will actually be the “BiS” for this slot during the entirety of Phase 3.
The Sigil of Deflection remains one of the most powerful choices for your Sigil Slot, even in Phase 3. This is due to the very high amount of Dodge Rating that it grants, increasing your overall avoidance by a considerable amount. However, if your gear doesn’t have enough Defense Rating, this Sigil should be replaced by the Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight!
The Sigil of Virulence will be another new addition that has the same cost as the Sigil of Insolence. In terms of pure survivability, it is weaker than the Sigil of Deflection, however, only by a slight amount. This is due to the Forceful Deflection passive which transforms 25% of all Strength into Parry Rating. However, since its cost is the same as the Sigil of Insolence, this item should be avoided.
The Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight is the best alternative if you don’t have enough Defense Rating, as it will grant you a considerable amount whenever you use Icy Touch. The only downfall of this item is that the effect is not permanent, meaning that you will have to upkeep it by continuously using Icy Touch.
In case you have plenty of Defense Rating and can’t gain the Sigil of Deflection yet, the best alternative is the Sigil of Awareness. The only function of this Sigil is to increase your overall threat generation by empowering Death Strike’s base damage. Ideally, you will want to use the other two sigils, since Icy Touch can generate a large amount of threat on its own.
Best-in-Slot
Item | Source |
Ulduar – Razorscale (25) | |
The best possible Sigil for the third phase of the expansion will be the Sigil of Insolence. Just as previously mentioned, this is due to the large amount of Dodge Rating that it grants, with a very special internal mechanic. You can effectively maintain the effect indefinitely as long as you cast Rune Strike, as its internal cooldown is 10 seconds with the effect having 20 seconds. This is possible since the internal cooldown is triggered when the effect procs.
The next-best alternative will actually be the Sigil of Deflection as it grants an indefinite buff as long as you keep casting Rune Strike. Unlike the Sigil of Insolence, this Sigil doesn’t have a proc chance, meaning that it will automatically trigger. The only reason why it is lower on the list is due to the lower amount of Dodge Rating granted.
The Sigil of Virulence is the next viable alternative due to our Forceful Deflection. Since our passive offers us 25% of all the Strength we gain, the Sigil of Virulence will grant us a 50 Parry Rating. When compared to the other options, it is severely underperforming, however, it will still prove itself to be better than the Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight which grants a flat 53 Defense Rating.
The main issue with the Sigil of Virulence is that it shares the same cost as the Sigil of Insolence which means that it will be objectively worse.
The Sigil of the Unfaltering Knight is the last viable choice, offering a decent amount of Defense Rating. The 53 Defense Rating will be slightly less effective than the 50 Parry Rating granted by the Sigil of Virulence, yet it will still prove itself to be very valuable. In terms of pure survivability, the difference is extremely low.
About the Author
So.. just curious why not mention the kirin tor rings as an option ?
Shoulders: Why is Pauldrons of the Colossus no option?
Hey. (not OP, just looking into the option provided)
Looking into the Pauldrons of the Colossus, they’re not listed, as the secondary stat is Shield Block. As DKs, we do not get to wield shields, so this particular stat is pointless for us.
The question then becomes “Is 1 yellow gem slot worth the drop in 5 defense and 40 parry?”.
Looking at the gems available (not including JC only Epic gems, as they’re UNIQUE(3), you can get 20 parry from a Flashing Cardinal Ruby (which loses the socket bonus as it’s red).
If you’re interested in the gem socket to buff out on Stamina, then the Pauldrons of the Colossus are a good alternative, but for a pure Best In Slot list, I agree with the guide creator of Iron Dwarf Smith Pauldrons.
Is there any reason why as a Blood tank, you don’t go Dual wield instead of 2H? Most one-hand weapons have tanking stats on them, whereas 2H weapons tend to have mostly DPS stats.
Hey there! While you may gain more Effective Health Points from dual-wielding, most of your abilities will not trigger properly since you don’t have access to the Threat of Thassarian talent. A dual-wield build will be functional if you plan on only spamming Icy Touch but it will not be as effective for your Rune Strike, Death Strike, and Blood Strike.
You can, however, make a dual-wield build viable! But it requires a few adjustments. It all comes down to personal preference as both builds can work.