PvE Frost Death Knight Best in Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear

wotlk classic pve frost death knight best in slot (bis) & pre raid gear

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 – in order 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.

Best-in-Slot

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Progressive Best-in Slot

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Halls of Lightning – Loken (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your head slot. You have two possible options for finding adequate gear, you can either buy Spiked Titansteel Helm from the Auction House or create Charged Titanium Specs if you are an Engineer. Those items are quite strong and will allow you to prepare for 25-man raids easily. From a pure DPS perspective, Spiked Titansteel Helm performs better than the Engineering counterpart.

If you choose not to craft or buy any of those items, you can simply follow a progressive dungeon adventure for gathering your items. The best possible choice will come from the new Heroic Plus Dungeons and is represented by the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Helmet. This grants you the best combination of Hit Rating, Critical Strike Chance, and decent base stats.

However, if you don’t plan on buying any BoE item, it might take u a while until you can get your hands on Heroes’ Scourgeborne Helmet. You will want to use alternatives such as Titan’s Outlook and Helm of the Unsubmissive which grant an inferior yet decent DPS output.

A pretty decent choice to start with before you can actually get in any Heroic Plus Dungeons will be the Planetary Helm, that is if you decide to not buy the Spiked Titansteel Helm.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) BoE
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Naxxramas – Grand Widow Faerlina (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

The best possible option will be the Iron Riveted War Helm, however, in order for you to acquire this item, someone needs to clear Ulduar first and place the item in the Auction House or sell it directly. A more realistic choice for the first weeks of Phase 2 will be the Obsidian Greathelm, a choice that will aid you in reaching your Expertise soft cap and grant the best DPS output.

Another valid choice from a DPS output perspective will be the Valorous Scourgeborne Helmet, providing you with a good combination of Hit Rating and Critical Strike Chance besides high baseline stats.

Spiked Titansteel Helm remains a great choice if you do not wish to participate in any 25-man raids, granting you quite a decent DPS output. It will be specifically helpful if you severely lack Hit Rating. Lastly, Fire-Scorched Greathelm is another decent alternative, however, it provides less DPS output than the Spiked Titansteel Helm.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Thorim (25)
Ulduar – Thorim (25)
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25)

The best option for this slot is Conqueror’s Darkruned Helmet. This is mainly due to the tier-set bonus but also because of the high stats it offers. The 4-set item bonus is extremely important for the second phase of the expansion, as it massively amplifies Obliterate.

The second-best choice is Warhelm of the Champion. While it is inferior to the Conqueror’s Darkruned Helmet due to the lack of Armor Penetration, it can supplement you with Hit Rating in case you severely lack it.

The Iron Riveted War Helm. is another possible alternative, granting you a combination of high baseline stats and Hit Rating/Haste Rating. While the combination of secondary stats is definitely not the best available, its high baseline stats make up for it.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10)/Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Utgarde Pinnacle – King Ymiron
Violet Hold – Xevozz (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your necklace slot. The most accessible option if you have the right amount of gold will be the Titanium Impact Choker, granting you a high DPS output due to the Armor Penetration Rating it offers.

However, if you can not gain it, you have several other choices, some of them being even better, especially with the addition of the new Heroic Plus Dungeons. Normally, you will have to progressively upgrade your necklace if you choose to not buy the Titanium Impact Choker. The most realistic path is to start with items such as Necklace of Arcane Spheres and Gold Amulet of Kings which grant you a decent DPS output until you can get an upgrade.

The best possible option for you will be the Gem of Imprisoned Vassals, granting you a solid DPS output for 25-man raids. This is especially due to the high baseline stats and the combination of Haste Rating and Critical Strike Chance as secondary stats. Even if this necklace does not grant any Armor Penetration, the high Critical Strike Chance granted compensates for it.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
The Eye of Eternity – Heroic Judgement at the Eye of Eternity
The Eye of Eternity – Judgement at the Eye of Eternity
Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

The best possible choice before entering Ulduar will be the Favor of the Dragon Queen. Its high baseline stats combined with a high Critical Strike Chance and high Armor Penetration will provide the best DPS output. The only situation in which this item won’t bring you the best DPS output is a lack of Hit Rating and Expertise Rating. Pendant of the Dragonsworn is the next-best choice from a DPS output perspective, being the lesser version of Favor of the Dragon Queen

Fool’s Trial is a very good alternative, especially if you have issues with Hit Rating and you still want to maintain a solid DPS output.

Collar of Dissolution is another very interesting alternative, mainly due to the fact that it has the potential to out-damage the Favor of the Dragon Queen if your build severely lacks Expertise Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)
Ulduar – General Vezax (25)
Ulduar – Freya (25)

The best option for this slot is Frigid Strength of Hodir. From a simple DPS output perspective, this necklace offers the best option in the entire second phase, providing you with solid stats and quite a high amount of Armor Penetration. However, it can be quite hard to acquire as it is heavily contested.

The second-best option is Strength of the Heavens, providing you with a high Critical Strike Chance and moderate Haste. While Haste may not be so useful for a Frost Death Knight in small amounts, you will still manage to generate a high DPS output.

The other two presented choices are quite solid as well but weaker in comparison to the first two options. The Pendulum of Infinity will be highly contested by other classes as their BiS item while Seed of Budding Carnage presents itself as a very good alternative for a long list of specializations.

As Frost Death Knights require high amounts of Critical Strike Chance and Armor Penetration, you will often find yourself in the spot of having to trade one for another. Since Armor Penetration is still not as strong as it will be early in the expansion, you will find yourself often picking items that have a high Critical Strike Chance.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
The Sons of Hodir – Revered
Gundrak – Slad’ran (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your shoulders slot. You can either choose to directly buy your shoulders from the Auction House, gaining a good initial item such as the Trollwoven Spaulders or you may choose to farm reputation and gain an item such as the Spaulders of the Giant Lords. It is needless to say that each item has been arranged in the specific order of their DPS output, however, it is mandatory to say that depending on your current stats, these items may be swapped between each other for overall increased DPS. The Trollwoven Spaulders are a great initial choice due to the high Expertise Rating they offer.

If directly buying the items is not to your taste, you may choose the normal dungeon farming path and progressively gain upgrades. With the addition of the new Heroic Plus Dungeons, the best item choice will be the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Shoulderplates, granting you quite solid baseline stats besides the access to the tier set bonus.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Loatheb, Gluth (25)
Naxxramas – Gluth, Noth the Plaguebringer (25)
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

The best possible option for this slot during the Pre-Raid phase will be the Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates, granting you a combination of high stats, a decent Hit Rating, and a High Critical Strike Chance. This item also grants you access to the 4-item tier set bonus, which will provide you with the best DPS output.

The other options are very similar in damage output, each of them being a direct upgrade of the previous item. Shoulderguards of the Undaunted is the only exception, being an item that can be favored over the others if you severely lack Hit Rating and you choose to not use any gem/enchantment that will grant you Hit Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)
Ulduar – Auriaya (25)
Ulduar – Steelbreaker (25)

The best option for this slot is Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates. This is mainly due to the tier-set bonus but also because of the high stats it offers. The 4-set item bonus is extremely important for the second phase of the expansion, as it massively amplifies Obliterate.

The next best option is Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch. It provides you with 2 sockets, a considerable amount of raw stats, Critical Strike Chance, and Armor Penetration. From a pure DPS output perspective, you may want to use this item instead of the T8 set item until you manage to acquire all 4 set pieces.

Shoulderplates of the Eternal comes quite close to Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch, providing you with a solid alternative in case you are unlucky with the drop rate or simply waiting in line to get an upgrade. While it does not provide you with any Armor Penetration, it still grants you high enough stats to grant you a decent DPS output.

Lastly, you may use Shoulderpads of the Intruder, however, they provide a lower damage output than the other items listed before it. It is also an item highly contested by other classes and specializations, but if no one else needs it, you may confidently use it until you get an upgrade.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Ulduar – Kolorgarn (10) BoE
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Gundrak – Zone Drop (BoE)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your cloak slot. The best choice will be defined by the Shawl of the Shattered Giant. However, even if the item is a BoE and can be easily bought, it requires someone to clear Ulduar first, meaning that it will become the best option for a Fresh 80 only after a week or two of Phase 2 passes.

Alternatively, you can choose to buy the Ice Striker’s Cloak and maintain it until you manage to get in a Naxxramas 25.

As a new option that comes with the new Phase 2, you may choose to progress normally through Normal and Heroic Dungeons, reaching up to the new Heroic Plus Dungeons that will grant you strong items such as the Cloak of Mastery or the Cloak of Darkening from the former Naxxramas 10. For a frost Death Knight, the best starting choice would be the Cloak of Mastery.

Alternatively, if you don’t have enough gold for the Ice Striker’s Cloak, you can start with the Cloak of Bloodied Waters an item that grants you moderate baseline stats and a decent amount of Critical Strike Chance.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Ulduar – Kolorgarn (10) BoE
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Naxxramas – Zone Drop
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Just like we mentioned before, the best possible option will be the Shawl of the Shattered Giant, however, someone needs to clear Ulduar and place the item on the Auction House first in order for you to actually be able to use it.

Until then, the Drape of the Deadly Foe will remain the best possible choice for this slot as it grants you the best DPS output. The combination of high baseline stats and high secondary stats such as Critical Strike Chance and Haste Rating will grant you the best DPS output out of all the other options, with the exception of the Shawl of the Shattered Giant.

The other available options can be treated as downgrades of the Drape of the Deadly Foe, each of them being stronger than the last. For example, the Aged Winter Cloak will provide you with a better DPS output than the Cloak of Mastery.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – General Vezax (10)
Ulduar – Heroic: All is Well That Ends Well
Ulduar – All is Well That Ends Well
Ulduar – Razorscale (25)

The best choice by far for this slot is the Drape of the Faceless General. It grants you two gem sockets, a high Critical Strike Chance, and a high Armor Penetration rating.

Both Drape of the Skyborn and Drape of the Skyherald are solid choices, however, they are part of the “All is Well That Ends Well” quests, meaning that they may lock you out from gaining Brann’s Signet Ring.

A good initial alternative would be Drape of the Drakerider, as it provides you with a high amount of Critical Strike Chance and Armor Penetration Rating. However, it is weak in comparison to the other choices, as it does not offer gem sockets. Still, a better choice than any other possible alternative.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Ahn’Kahet: The Old Kingdom – Prince Taldaram (Heroic)
Drak’Tharon Keep – Novos the Summoner (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your chest slot. Since there are no possible BoE items for this slot, you will want to go through a progressive item hunt from Normal Dungeons, Heroic Dungeons, and the brand-new Heroic Plus Dungeons.

The best possible choice will be the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Battleplate, especially due to the access to the tier-set bonuses. However, until you can manage to get into the new Heroic Plus Dungeons, you will want to start with items such as the Breastplate of Undeath or Bonegrinder Breastplate from Heroic Dungeons which grant you a very solid baseline start. Depending on your current needs, you will either want to pick items with Hit Rating and Expertise if you are severely lacking or items with Critical Strike Chance, Haste Rating, and Armor Penetration if you are hitting the soft caps.

Either the Blade-Scarred Tunic or the Chestplate of the Risen Soldier are great choices before managing to get your hands on the tier 7 chest.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Four Horseman, Gluth (25)
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Naxxramas -Maexxna (25)
Naxxramas -Sapphiron (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

The best possible choice will be the Valorous Scourgeborne Battleplate due to the high baseline stats and secondary stats it offers while also granting you access to the 4-item set bonus. As for possible alternatives, it all depends n how your Hit Rating and Expertise Rating present themselves. Typically, you will not suffer from a lack of Hit Rating as you will suffer from a lack of Expertise Rating, meaning that either of the Chestguard of the Recluse or the Undiminished Battleplate will be your second-best choice.

If you somehow have plenty of Expertise Rating yet you are doing poorly with your Hit Rating, the Breastplate of Frozen Pain will be a very solid choice.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Ulduar – Runemaster Molgeim, Steelbreaker, Stormcaller Brundir (25)
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Ulduar – Thorim (25) HM

The best option for this slot is Conqueror’s Darkruned Battleplate. This is mainly due to the tier-set bonus but also because of the high stats it offers. The 4-set item bonus is extremely important for the second phase of the expansion, as it massively amplifies Obliterate.

The next best option from a pure DPS output perspective will be the Steelbreaker’s Embrace. This item can be extremely good due to its high Expertise Rating in case you severely lack it from your other items.

Embrace of the Gladiator and Winter’s Icy Embrace are both viable alternatives, especially for the middle of your gearing process as they provide you with high stats. Keep in mind that you will often have to cycle through your gear or supplement it with enchantments and gems to reach the necessary soft caps for important stats such as Expertise or Hit Rating.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Violet Hold – Zone Drop BoE

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your bracers slot. The good news for a fresh 80-character is that there are many BoE items that can be directly acquired from the Auction House granting you an amazing damage boost. The best possible option you can get “on your hands” will be the Wristbands of the Sentinel Huntress, offering you a good amount of Critical Strike Chance and Expertise Rating. Alternatively, you can get Wristwraps of the Cutthroat if you have enough Expertise Rating.

If you have little to no gold and you still wish to acquire a decent BoE item, you can gain the Cast Iron Shackles.

If you do not wish to gain BoE items and skip a part of the gearing process, you can gain some pretty neat items with the addition of the Heroic Plus Dungeons. The Bracers of Lost Sentiments have a similar DPS output to the Wristbands of the Sentinel Huntress while the Cuffs of Dark Shadows make for an alright initial choice.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Naxxramas – Grand Widow Faerlina (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

All of the above-mentioned items are actually quite similar in DPS output, with the Bracers of Unrelenting Attack bringing the best DPS output in our current setup. Depending on your current stats, you may either need to keep the Bracers of Unrelenting Attack for increased Hit Rating or swap to the Wristbands of the Sentinel Huntress for increased Expertise Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)

The best possible choice for a Frost Death Knight in Phase 2 will be the Armbands of Bedlam. This is mainly due to the high baseline stats, combined with the gem sockets and Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating secondary stats combo. Even if the item does not grant any Armor Penetration, the raw stats certainly make up for it.

As the next-best option, you can use the Bitter Cold Armguards for a solid DPS output. This is mainly due to the high Critical Strike Chance combined with Armor Penetration, even if the Armor Penetration itself does not scale perfectly with Frost Death Knights in the second phase of the expansion.

Lastly, the Solar Bindings will provide a similar DPS output to the Bitter Cold Armguards, mainly due to the item providing you with Expertise Rating and overall high baseline stats. The DPS difference is quite low.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Four Horseman (25) BoE
Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25) BoE
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
The Oculus – Cache of Eregos (Heroic)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Violet Hold – Cyanigosa (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your gloves slot. Depending on how much gold you acquired on your journey or if you are on an “Alt”, you may want to acquire Zeliek’s Gauntlets directly as it grants you the best possible DPS output, granting you much-needed Expertise Rating along with a decent amount of Haste Rating and high baseline stats. You can also acquire the Gloves of Fast Reactions to achieve a similar result, with the only difference being the loss of Expertise over Critical Strike Chance.

Alternatively, if you do not have enough gold to gain any of the previously mentioned items, you will want to go through a normal dungeon crawl and obtain progressive items. The best alternative to the BoE items will be the Heroes’ Scourgeborne Gauntlets, especially if you manage to activate the 4-item set bonus. Any other item can be considered a direct downgrade. However, even if they are considered downgrades, each of them has its own role in your progressive path.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Naxxramas – Four Horseman (25) BoE
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Naxxramas – Patchwerk (25)
Naxxramas – Grand Widow Faerlina (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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. The best option from a DPS output perspective will be the Valorous Scourgeborne Gauntlets. This is due to its high baseline stats combined with the access to the 4-item set bonus.

As a second-best option, you can choose between Zeliek’s Gauntlets and Frosted Adroit Handguards as they both have similar DPS output. The Dislocating Handguards will provide you with a far better option than the previously mentioned options in case you severely lack both Hit Rating and Expertise Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Ulduar – Auriaya (25)
Ulduar – Freya (25)
Ulduar – General Vezax (10)

The best option for this slot is Conqueror’s Darkruned Gauntlets. This is mainly due to the tier-set bonus but also because of the high stats it offers. The 4-set item bonus is extremely important for the second phase of the expansion, as it massively amplifies Obliterate.

The next best item after the T8 set item is Gloves of the Stonereaper. It grants you quite a decent amount of Armor Penetration and Hit Rating in case your gear severely lacks it. However, since it offers Agility instead of Strength, its damage output is considerably lower than Conqueror’s Darkruned Gauntlets.

Both Gauntlets of Ruthless Reprisal and Gauntlets of the Wretched are viable alternatives as early choices before you can pursue an upgrade.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
The Nexus – Keristrasza (Heroic)
Utgarde Keep – Ingvar the Plunderer (Heroic)
Halls of Lightning – General Bjarngrim (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your waist slot. The best possible choice would be the Belt of the Titans, however, in order to be able to buy this item from the Auction House or from a Blacksmith, someone needs to clear Ulduar first and gain the pattern.

Until the pattern is gained, you have other much more viable options. You can either get Verdungo’s Barbarian Cord once you gather enough Emblem of Heroism for the most optimal DPS output or you can have an easy start and buy the Trollwoven Girdle for a decent damage output until you can get an upgrade.

The next best option before gaining Verdungo’s Barbarian Cord will be the Flame-Bathed Steel Girdle, granting you quite a similar DPS. The Sharp-Barbed Leather Belt is a far better option if you severely lack Expertise Rating.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxrama – Instructor Razuvious (25)
Naxxrama – Grobbulus (25)
Naxxrama – Gluth, Heigan the Unclean (25)
Naxxrama – Patchwerk, Gluth (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Just as previously mentioned, the best possible option will be the Belt of the Titans, however, this item will not be available in the first beginning weeks of Ulduar as blacksmiths require a pattern from the raid to craft it. In the meantime, the Girdle of Razuvious will be the best possible item for an optimal DPS output. This is mainly due to the Expertise Rating combined with Critical Strike Chance that the item offers.

The next best option will be the Girdle of Chivalry, however, the Hit Rating/Haste Rating combination is often not the best, meaning that you will want to quickly swap this item. On a different note, Stalk-Skin Belt will provide the same amount of DPS output, however, it highly depends on your current Hit Rating and Expertise Rating.

Lastly, you can use the Belt of the Tortured as an alternative to the Stalk-Skin Belt if you have an issue with your Hit Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Steelbreaker (25)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25)

Belt of Colossal Rage is the best choice for this slot, especially due to the high Critical Strike Chance it offers and the 2 sockets paired up with it. Since Frost Death Knights are heavily reliant on Critical Strike Chance, you will want to favor this item, despite its lack of Armor Penetration.

Starfall Girdle is the next best choice as it provides the closest DPS output compared to Belt of Colossal Rage. This item is also heavily recommended if you struggle with your Expertise Rating.

Belt of the Titans is an extraordinary early choice if you have enough gold in your pockets to acquire it from a Blacksmith or the Auction House. It provides you with ample Critical Strike Chance, Expertise Rating, raw stats, and 2 socket slots. However, it is inferior to the previous two choices.

If you do not have enough gold for Belt of the Titans or if you are unlucky with the first two items, you should use Girdle of Embers, as it is quite a strong choice, especially for the beginning. It grants high Armor Penetration and Critical Strike Chance.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
The Oculus – Varos Cloudstrider (Heroic)
The Culling of Stratholme – Meathook (Heroic)

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your legs slot. Since there is no BoE item that you can buy for this slot, you will have to go through a progressive dungeon crawl in order to get some great items.

The items we have listed are displayed in a specific order, from the best DPS output to the least DPS output. This means that the best possible option will be the Belabored Legplates, an item that becomes available with the new Heroic Plus Dungeons. This item not only fulfills your need for Hit Rating but also grants you high baseline stats and a decent amount of Critical Strike Chance besides its 2 gem sockets.

Heroes’ Scourgeborne Legplates grant you similar damage output, especially if you manage to activate the 4-item set bonus. Another valid choice that grants similar damage output will be the Leggings of Innumerable Barbs. This item grants you a combination of high baseline stats, 2 gem sockets, and a perfect combination of Critical Strike Chance and Haste Rating.

However, all of those options come directly from the new Heroic Plus Dungeons, meaning that, if you are looking for a more approachable option, you can either choose the Legplates of the Oculus Guardian or the Legplates of Steel Implants, as they both have the same type of DPS output. Legplates of the Oculus Guardian will be a better choice in the beginning, especially if you lack Hit Rating.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Thaddius, Gluth (25)
Naxxramas – Instructor Razuvious (25)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop)
Naxxramas – Thaddius (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Valorous Scourgeborne Legplates will grant you the best DPS output, mainly due to the high baseline stats, the combination of Critical Strike Chance and Haste Rating as secondary stats, and the access to the 4-item set bonus.

The second-best choice from a DPS output perspective will be the Legplates of Double Strikes, providing very similar damage to the Valorous Scourgeborne Legplates. Even if Armor Penetration is by far a better stat than Haste Rating, the 4-item set bonus grants a better damage output than the raw Armor Penetration granted by the Legplates of Double Strikes.

There are two other possible viable alternatives, however, Belabored Legplates specifically stands out. This item will be specifically powerful if you fail to gain other items that provide you with Hit Rating.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25)
Ulduar – Mimiron (10)
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25)
Ulduar – Yogg – Saron (25)

Since we want to make the most out of our set bonus, our “Legs” slot will be the only one that will be represented by an off-piece, as every possible choice is quite stronger than the Tier 8 item.

Plated Leggings of Ruination will be the main choice when it comes to our “Legs” slot, providing powerful raw stats, 3 sockets, and a high rating of Critical Strike Chance and Haste. Even if the item does not grant Armor Penetration, it makes up for it with its unusually high stats.

The next two best options are either the Clockwork Legplates or the Fused Alloy Legplates, both of which present themselves with high overall stats. They are both similar in damage output, even if one of them presents a high rating of Armor Penetration.

Lastly, if you are unlucky enough to get your hands on either of the previous options or you simply do not have enough Emblems of Conquest to get the Legplates of the Violet Champion, you can Legguards of Cunning Deception as it provide you with a solid DPS output.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Gluth, Heigan the Unclean (25) (BoE)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Violet Hold – Zuramat the Obliterator (Heroic)
Knights of the Ebon Blade – Exalted

There are several choices when it comes to the “Feet” slot for a fresh level 80. The first and most powerful choice you can directly acquire in the first moment of reaching level 80 is Battlelord’s Plate Boots. However, you can not acquire them when Ulduar releases directly, since the item requires someone to clear Ulduar in order to gain the pattern.

Until you can do so, the next-best alternative is Iron-Spring Jumpers. It provides you with a high Hit Rating which will specifically aid you at the beginning of your gearing process while it will also grant you a high amount of Armor Penetration.

In case you can not acquire either of the previously mentioned items, you should acquire Ravaging Sabaton, The Obliterator Greaves, or Death-Inured Sabatons instead. You may find Death-Inured Sabatons the hardest to acquire since they require you to be Exalted with the Knights of the Ebon Hold, but if you somehow manage to get a lot of reputation early on, you may find this item to be quite strong.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Naxxramas – Anub’Rekhan (25)
Naxxramas – Gluth, Heigan the Unclean (25) (BoE)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Just like previously mentioned, Battlelord’s Plate Boots can be an extraordinary option if they are available in the Auction House. However, this requires at least a week or two after Phase 2 will be released. Your next best option will remain the BiS from Phase 1, Melancholy Sabatons.

In the current build that we have proposed, the Sabatons of Sudden Reprisal will provide a better DPS output than Iron-Spring Jumpers, however, this may not be the case with all builds if they miss some of the items presented. Iron-Spring Jumpers will still remain a very potent choice, especially if you lack Hit Rating.

Lastly, you can acquire Bladed Steelboots if you severely lack gold or if you are unlucky with item drops.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Ulduar – General Vezax (25)

Sabatons of Lifeless Night is arguably the best choice for this item slot. While it does not grant you Armor Penetration, it provides two sockets for free use, a high rating of Critical Strike Chance, and a high rating of Haste. You can choose to use either 2x Strength gems or 2x Armor Penetration gems to fully empower the item.

The second-best option is Melancholy Sabatons, while it is not an item from the second phase, it still packs a big punch with a high Armor Penetration Rating. You may find this item especially strong in this particular build setup that we have provided you, as it’s performance may be lower in a different item set.

Battlelord’s Plate Boots is an exceptionally good option that can be bought from the Auction House or directly from a player, making them easily accessible even before starting an actual Raid.

Lastly, if you are unlucky with the drop rate of the first two options and you do not have the gold or the time to farm it for the craftable items, you can choose to use Boots of the Underdweller until you can get your hands on an upgrade, as it provides solid stats.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)/Heroic +Dungeons
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Gundrak – Gal’darah (Heroic)
Azjol-Nerub – Anub’ar Warrior

As a fresh level 80, you have several choices for your ring slots. With the addition of the Heroic Plus Dungeons system, we will be able to secure items such as the Surge Needle Ring and Circle of Death which provides us with the best possible stat combination until we manage to get into a 25-man raid.

However, until we can get into Heroic Plus Dungeons, we have several great choices that can aid us in the meantime. You can either acquire BoE items such as Stained-Glass Shard Ring or Titanium Impact Band that grant you a solid DPS output at the beginning or you can go through the dungeon path and acquire progressive upgrades such as the Hemorrhaging Circle and Sealing Ring of Grobbulus. Another great choice, even if a bit pricy, would be the Ring of Invincibility, granting you a solid combination of baseline stats, Critical Strike Chance, and Haste Rating.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)/Heroic +Dungeons
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10)
Dalaran – Harold Winston

Your Pre-Raid 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.

You have many ring combinations that you can use for the Pre-Raid phase, however, one of them stands atop the rest with an exquisite balance of Expertise Rating and Critical Strike Chance. That ring is Ruthlessness. The main issue with our build is a constant shift on our Expertise Rating if we change any item, this ring resolves a big part of that problem. You can combine it with multiple other rings such as Circle of Death or Surge Needle Ring for the best possible DPS output.

There are other solid options such as Greatring of Collision and Ring of the Kirin Tor which grant a solid DPS output, however, if you do not have Ruthlessness paired up with them, your DPS output will drop drastically.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25)
Ulduar – Guardian of Life (10)
Heroic: All is Well That Ends Well
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)
Ulduar – Thorim (25)

Seal of the Betrayed King & Bladebearer’s Signet is the strongest combination of “Rings” that you can use! This is mainly due to the fact that they grant you a solid overall mix of Expertise Rating, Critical Strike Chance, Hit Rating, and raw stats. With the new Ulduar items, Bladebearer’s Signet became an overall stronger choice than Brann’s Signet Ring, even if it does not have any Armor Penetration. This is mainly due to it having Strength instead of Agility as one of its base stats while also providing you with a great Expertise Rating

Strength of the Automaton is a strong alternative to either of the initial choices. However, it will not be considered “BiS”, rather it would allow you to perform solid DPS. Band of Lights is a good choice for the beginning of your gearing journey, as it grants you Armor Penetration, Hit Rating, and a socket.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
The Nexus – Keristrasza (Heroic)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Drak’Tharon Keep – King Dred (Heroic)
Utgarde Pinnacle – King Ymiron (Heroic)

As a fresh 80 Death Knight, you have several trinket choices. The most notable one and arguably the best choice that you can acquire right off the bat for the entirety of Phase 2 will be Darkmoon Card: Greatness. The sheer DPS output granted by Darkmoon Card: Greatness DPS output granted will simply out-damage any other Trinket, as it grants you 390 Strength. This trinket is also very powerful as you will be able to buy it directly from the Auction House if you have the necessary gold.

Next up, Mirror of Truth will provide you with a hefty 1000 Attack Power on a reliable proc. However, you will have to spend 40 Emblem of Heroism to gain it, meaning that you will have to grind some dungeons first.

Meteorite Whetstone and Incisor Fragment are both great starting offensive options, however, you will want to quickly upgrade them. Sphere of Red Dragon’s Blood will be the closest item in terms of DPS output to the Mirror of Truth, making it worthwhile to farm The Nexus.

Lastly, with the arrival of the new Heroic Plus Dungeons, you will be able to grab Loatheb’s Shadow, which grants a similar DPS output to the Sphere of Red Dragon’s Blood.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (Multiple Bosses)
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Just like we mentioned earlier, Darkmoon Card: Greatness will be the best possible option before entering Ulduar. Your second-best option will be Grim Toll, giving you an ample Armor Penetration boost. While the Armor Penetration gained by this item is extremely high, its proc chance can be a bit chaotic, so do watch out for proper cooldowns timing.

Next up, you can either use Fury of the Five Flights or Mirror of Truth, however, their DPS output is far below the first two mentioned items.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Thorim (10)
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)
Naxxramas – Maexxna (25)
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (10)

When it comes to your trinkets, there are different combinations that you can call “BiS”. The damage varies depending on proc activation and whether or not it synchronizes with your other buffs.

There are two main combinations that provide examples of extraordinary DPS: Mjolnir Runestone & Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Darkmoon Card: Greatness & Comet’s Trail. Those two combinations prove to have the highest DPS output in any number of simulations.

Both Dark Matter and Grim Toll provide solid alternatives in case you can’t get your hands on either of the previously mentioned trinkets, however, their overall performance is inferior.

You may choose to use Darkmoon Card: Greatness & Pyrite Infuser at the beginning of the gearing process if you are new to the raiding scene, as it provides quite a strong first option.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Knights of the Ebon Blade – Revered
Azjol-Nerub – Anub’arak (Heroic)
Utgarde Pinnacle – King Ymiron (Heroic)

Update it after u have all the fresh items.

As a fresh level 80 Frost Death Knight, you will want to make sure that you acquire the best possible weapons as early as possible. The best addition to your arsenal will be the Titansteel Bonecrusher, granting you a powerful Main-Hand weapon with high baseline stats and a much-needed Expertise Rating. Since the item is easily accessible if you have enough gold, the question remains what is the best Off-Hand weapon that you can pair it up with?

For this, you have several potent choices, ranging from weapons that can be acquired from either Heroic Dungeons or the brand-new Heroic Plus Dungeons. Alternatively, you can also buy a decent initial weapon such as the Reaper of Dark Souls if you gain enough reputation with the Knights of the Ebon Blade. The best DPS output configuration that you can acquire early on will be Titansteel Bonecrusher/Torment of the Banished. However, you may choose to use either Hatestrike or Maexxna’s Femur, as the weapon combinations are fairly similar. The items have been ranked from highest to lowest based on their overall DPS output when having Titansteel Bonecrusher as a Main-Hand weapon.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Noth the Plaguebringer (25)
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) Rare Drop
Naxxramas – Patchwerk (25)
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Eye of Eternity 10 Drop)
Naxxramas – Grand Widow Faerlina (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

First of all, it is important to understand that you can either use any mix of those items or a duplicate of the same item. For example, you can either use Silent Crusader/Angry Dread or you can use Angry Dread/Angry Dread.

As far as DPS output goes Angry Dread will provide the best value, however, it is closely followed by Silent Crusader. Another good alternative would be to use 2x Split Greathammer, however, you would gain more DPS by combining Split Greathammer with Hailstorm.

Last Laugh is another decent alternative, even if it is mainly a tank weapon. Its sheer stats grant it a fair DPS output.

Lastly, Widow’s Fury provides the lowest DPS output, making it a worse item even than Last Laugh.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (10)
Ulduar -Thorim (25)
Ulduar – Freya (25)
Ulduar – Kologarn (25)

Caress of Insanity is the best choice for both of your weapon slots! While the weapon does not grant any Armor Penetration or Critical Strike Chance, its raw damage, stats, socket, and high Expertise Rating grant it the first spot.

Vulmir, the Northern Tempest is the second-best choice, offering similar stats to Caress of Insanity. Both weapons grant you the much-needed expertise, even if we will always position ourselves behind the bosses.

The other viable alternatives are Serilas, Blood Blade of Invar One-Arm, and Malice, both of them being far better suited for the beginning of the gearing process or mid-raiding., as their damage is far lower than the first two options.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
25 Emblem of Valor/Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)

There are only two good options for your Sigil Slot as a fresh 80 Death Knight. The truth about this slot is that Death Knights have very limited options in general. There are only two main options that you can possibly opt for.

The best possible option will be the Sigil of Awareness since it provides the best raw damage buff for our Obliterate! Since this directly amplifies the damage Obliterate does before dealing any critical strike or before any additional stats are added, this sigil greatly increases our overall DPS output.

Sigil of Haunted Dreams is the only other available option, granting you a raw Critical Strike Chance buff. Even if this seems like a good option initially, when you compare it to the raw damage buff of Sigil of Awareness, it simply pales in comparison.

It is recommended to buy Sigil of Awareness as fast as possible since it’s one of your greatest sources of DPS increase.

Pre-Raid

Item
Source
25 Emblem of Valor/Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)

Your Pre-Raid 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.

Just like mentioned previously, Death Knights have limited options when it comes to their Sigils sadly. The best possible option will be the Sigil of Awareness since it provides the best raw damage buff for our Obliterate! Since this directly amplifies the damage Obliterate does before dealing any critical strike or before any additional stats are added, this sigil greatly increases our overall DPS output.

Sigil of Haunted Dreams is the only other available option, granting you a raw Critical Strike Chance buff. Even if this seems like a good option initially, when you compare it to the raw damage buff of Sigil of Awareness, it simply pales in comparison.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25)

Sigil of Awareness is by far the best sigil choice for phase 2, mainly due to how much stronger it is in comparison to the other available Sigils. The reason for this is that it empowers Obliterate 315 damage.

As an alternative, you can choose to go for the Sigil of the Vengeful Heart, however, the mere 113 damage empowerment compared to the 315 damage from Sigil of Awareness is clearly inferior.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (10) BoE
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

If you have the money, Iron Riveted War Helm will be a solid pick-up to get hit as a newly minted level 80. Spiked Titansteel Helm is still a decent choice if you want to go the Blacksmithing route. Mimiron’s Flight Goggles do decent damage as the stats are optimized, but since it provides Agi instead of Str, we should aim for something else. Finally, Our 10-man Tier helm offers solid stats.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Thorim (25)
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (10) BoE
Ulduar – Thorim (10)
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

Warhelm of the Champion is our top pick out of what’s available in Ulduar, due to its raw ilvl and the hit and crit it grants us. Among our other choices are the BoE, Iron Riveted War Helm, and our 25-man Tier.

Our 4 piece bonus is pretty important to us, so you may want to keep using Conqueror’s Darkruned Helmet for quite a while.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Thorim (10)
Ulduar – Thorim (25)
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (10)

Our 4-piece Tier bonus is what we want, and there aren’t really any non-set alternatives.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10)/Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Strength of the Heavens is now available via Sidereal Essence, so with a little bit of patience in Beta Heroics, you can pick up this piece for your fresh DK. Barring that, we can grab Spiked Battleguard Choker for a small amount of Emblem of Conquest from the vendor.

We also have a couple Heroic ++ Dungeon options; they simply lack the ilvl and stat itemization of our top choices.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Shoulders
The Eye of Eternity – Heroic Judgement at the Eye of Eternity
The Eye of Eternity – Judgement at the Eye of Eternity
Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses

Frigid Strength of Hodir is our best option and, ideally what we go into ToGC with.

Strength of the Heavens has OK stat itemization for us with haste and crit rating; we can stick with this if we already have it. 

If we can’t get our hands on our top pieces, we can grab our Emblem or Dungeon options instead.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – General Vezax (25)
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor

The Executioner’s Vice gives us the most out of anything in this slot; we can also use the normal version The Executioner’s Vice, or the previous phase BiS, Frigid Strength of Hodir.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Ideally, we will get 10-man Tier in this slot as we go into ToGC because of the 4-piece bonus.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Ulduar – Auriaya (10)

Our best choice is upgrading to the Tier shoulders’ better version.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (10)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Like our other slots with a Tier piece, our best slot is the Heroic 258 ilvl wow classic horde leveling guideKoltira’s Shoulderplates of Triumph

The Normal version (wow classic horde leveling guideKoltira’s Shoulderplates of Triumph) will also work, as we really want that set bonus and don’t want to use this slot as our set drop piece.

In the meantime, we can hang onto our old Ulduar Tier.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

Drape of Fuming Anger is a great piece with decent stat itemization; if you don’t have luck getting it to drop, you can get Drape of the Faceless General for Sidereal Essence.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

Now, Drape of the Skyborn is the best thing we can get out of Ulduar, Brann’s Signet Ring is a reward from the same quest, and gives us much more than the cape; This means Drape of Icy Intent is a more realistic item to go for.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (10) Heroic
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – Heroic: All is Well That Ends Well
Ulduar – All is Well That Ends Well

This is going to be a tough piece to get because it’s looted from the Argent Crusade Tribute Chest and will only drop with all 50 attempts remaining; wiping on any encounter will exclude this from the loot table.

Consider the 10-man version, Cloak of the Triumphant Combatant, if the 25-man version is too contested.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Trial of the Champion – Eadric the Pure

Our Heroic ++ options do offer better dps than our 10-man Tier piece, but we should take it over them if it contributes to our set bonus.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Thorim (25)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Ulduar – Hodir (25)

If it helps complete our set bonus, we should definitely put Tier in this slot.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Ulduar – Runemaster Molgeim, Steelbreaker, Stormcaller Brundir (10)
Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Ulduar – Thorim (25) HM

Once again, Heroic 258 Tier, wow classic horde leveling guideKoltira’s Battleplate of Triumph, will be what we want in this slot and will be vital to get our 4-piece bonus. Get this piece first; it gives us the most from the Tier we intend to take.

Next in line is simply the normal version with reduced stats, wow classic horde leveling guideKoltira’s Battleplate of Triumph.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

If you’ve got the money, you can grab Titanium Spikeguards off the Auction House, keep in mind you will eventually want to replace them with Armbands of Bedlam from Mimiron 25.

Bitter Cold Armguards are our other option added to this phase. We can grab them for Sidereal Essence, and they are a nice addition if you have the time to farm them.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Focus on running Mimiron HM in 25-man weekly, as Armbands of Bedlam will be our BiS for the phase.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) Heroic
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)

While Armbands of Bedlam will be the best choice for the slot if you don’t have luck getting them to drop, wow classic horde leveling guideBoneshatter Vambraces from Beasts of Northrend is an alternative, and wow classic horde leveling guideArmplates of the Nether Lord from 10-man Jaraxxus is as well.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Naxxramas – Four Horseman (25) BoE

We have a couple of fresh 80 options for our glove slot, Gloves of the Endless Dark get a slight edge of 10-man Tier despite being Agi just because of the increased ilvl, but ideally, we will use this slot for our set bonus.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (10)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

25-man Tier for our set bonus is what’s best for us here.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Mimiron (10)
Ulduar – Auriaya (10)
Ulduar – Freya (10)

This slot is our ideal set drop-piece for Tier 9. These gloves have better stats than Tier since we don’t need the hit now.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Starfall Girdle is a great starter option for this slot, and it’s got nice gem slots and an OK stat offering.

If you need to prioritize your Sindereal Essence, Belt of the Singing Blade & Belt of the Titans are other options that can be acquired with Emblems or gold, respectively.

Soul-Devouring Cinch does work in a pinch, but your Sidereal Essence can be better spent, so only take this if it drops off Yogg in 10-man and if other physical DPS don’t need it.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – The Iron Council (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Belt of Colossal Rage is the best we will get out of Ulduar and serves as BiS in ToGC.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Steelbreaker (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (10) Heroic
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10)

Congrats if you already have Belt of Colossal Rage; this is what we want to aim for as BiS.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Obsidian Sanctum 10 Drop)

Like a lot of our fresh 80 recommendations, Fused Alloy Legplates, bought with Sidereal Essence, wins due to being the highest ilvl available to a fresh character, its a nice hit piece and will serve you well in progression.

Another option is the Emblem piece, Legplates of the Violet Champion.

10-man Tier is an ok pick if it helps you get set bonuses.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – Freya (10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

In addition to our fresh options, we can now try for Plated Leggings of Ruination from Ulduar, our ideal drop piece for Tier 8.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Mimiron (10)

Since we have more variety in glove options, we will want to use this slot for Tier 9.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Naxxramas – Gluth, Heigan the Unclean (25) (BoE)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)

In phase 3, we have two new pieces for fresh players that are accessible right away, Greaves of Iron Intensity & Battlelord’s Plate Boots, from Heroic ++ and Blacksmithing, respectively.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Algalon (25)
Ulduar – General Vezax (10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

We have a couple of Ulduar 25 options for boots, and if you’re lucky you can get Sabatons of Lifeless Night off Algalon.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25)

wow classic horde leveling guideGreaves of the Saronite Citadel are our best option and are slightly better than Sabatons of Lifeless Night.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)/Heroic +Dungeons

Darkstone Ring is a choice stat option with crit and hit that will help you out in the early gearing phase.

Band of Lights does well because of its ilvl, but because of its Agi, you might feel your Sidereal Essence is better spent elsewhere.

Power Enhancing Loop is another good choice; it’s lower on the list as it gives Arp, which we aren’t really going after.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25)
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10)
Ulduar – Trash (10)

Seal of the Betrayed King off Yogg is the best we can get and was BiS last Phase in tandem with Brann’s Signet Ring.

Our other options we can now pick up from 10-man Ulduar are decent picks as well.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Guardian of Life (10)
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (10) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25)

Luckily we don’t need to replace Seal of the Betrayed King; we just need to pick up wow classic horde leveling guideRing of the Violent Temperament.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck

Because of how we scale off of Str, Darkmoon Card: Greatness is the best thing we can put in a trinket slot, even in ToGC. We can also begin work on our other piece, Mjolnir Runestone, by farming Sidereal Essence.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck

In addition to our previous options, we can now try and get Comet’s Trail from Algalon.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) Heroic
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

We can try for Death’s Choice to replace Darkmoon Card: Greatness, but in all likelihood it won’t be Frost prio for several drops.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Our fresh options are our BiS list from the last phase; we want 2x Caress of Insanity. We can ride this until we see either version of Cudgel of the Damned.

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

Nothing to add pre-ToGC, Caress of Insanity is still our top pick.

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)

The only option better than Caress of Insanity will be either the Normal or Heroic versions of wow classic horde leveling guideCudgel of the Damned or wow classic horde leveling guideHellscream Slicer (it will probably be easier to get priority for a couple of Cudgels).

Fresh 80

Item
Source
25 Emblem of Valor/Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)

We won’t get a new Sigil this Phase, so go ahead and get yourself Sigil of Awareness

Pre-ToGC

Item
Source
25 Emblem of Valor/Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25)

Again, no better option than Sigil of Awareness; it simply gives us more than anything else.

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10)/Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Pre-ICC

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25) Heroic
Ulduar – Hodir (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – General Vezax (25)
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

Pre-ICC

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (10) Heroic
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – Heroic: All is Well That Ends Well
Ulduar – All is Well That Ends Well

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic
Icecrown Citadel (25) – Heroic Rotface
Icecrown Citadel (10) – Heroic Gunship

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Pre-ICC

Item
Source
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) Heroic
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25)

Best-in-Slot

Item
Source
Icecrown Citadel (25) – Heroic Gunship
Icecrown Citadel (25) – Gunship
Ulduar – Mimiron (25)

Fresh 80

Item
Source
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroic ++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Naxxramas – Four Horseman (25) BoE

Pre-ICC

Item
Source
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic