PvE Holy Paladin Best in Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear - WotLK Classic

Author: lettara
Date: January 9, 2024
Updated: January 9, 2024
Expansion: WotLK Classic

PvE Holy Paladin

Talents, Builds & Glyphs

Stat Priority

Best Races

Gems, Enchants & Consumables

Rotation & Cooldowns

Best Professions

Best in Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear

Addons & Macros

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

It is important to remember that Best in Slot lists are not one size fits all, that just isn’t how the game works. The best set for a guild that kills a boss in 70 seconds will be different from the list for a guild that kills a boss in 120 seconds. An Alliance player and a Horde player will have different priorities and buffs. Your mileage will vary always.

This guide is divided into two sections. The first section is three basic lists, providing you full sets for a fresh level 80 pre-raid, a level 80 preparing for their first foray into Icecrown Citadel, and an example of ideal gear to aspire to from Icecrown Citadel. 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 Gamma drops 10-man Ulduar and Naxxramas loot, as well as Defiler’s Scourgestones, which can be used to purchase Trial of the Crusader 25 man loot as well as some hardmode 25 man Ulduar items. 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.

Note: This list may change over time with patches or new information. This list is an educated guess based on information available at the time of writing.

Curious as to how we arrived at this list? Check out the Stats section of this guide for an in-depth breakdown on what to look for on gear as a Holy Paladin in WotLK Classic.

Pre-Raid
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5

Item	Source
Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers	Engineering (440)
Helm of Purified Thoughts	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Battlemap Hide Helm	Utgarde Keep – Heroic
Cowl of Gul’dan	Sunwell Plateau

If you are not an engineer, Helm of Purified Thoughts will be your best bet. And good news: getting exalted with any WotLK reputation is easy! Once you’ve reached Friendly via quests, simply purchase a tabard from the respective quartermaster and spam Normal or Heroic Dungeons.

If you’re seeking an immediate upgrade, try running Heroic Utgarde Keep for a chance at Battlemap Hide Helm. It has a 12.5% drop chance.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have the Cowl of Gul’dan, your helmet should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Titanium Spellshock Necklace	Jewelcrafting (440) – BoE
Lattice Choker of Light	25 Emblem of Heroism

Both of these necklaces are extremely close in value. In fact, it’s a complete toss up as to which one is better, particularly when your gear is bad. Purchase whichever one is easier for you to attain.

Item	Source
Dark Runic Mantle	Halls of Stone – BoE
Mantle of the Tribunal	Halls of Stone – Heroic
Spaulders of the Violet Hold	The Violet Hold – Heroic
Erupting Epaulets	Sunwell Plateau

If you’re seeking shoulders, head over to Halls of Stone. Your two best options drop there. If you get unlucky, consider purchasing the Dark Runic Mantle off the auction house.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have the Erupting Epaulets, your shoulders should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Tattered Cape of Antonidas	Sunwell Plateau
Wispcloak	Tailoring (415) – BoE
Ancient Dragon Spirit Cape	The Oculus – Heroic
Shroud of Dedicated Research	Kirin Tor – Honored

TBC gamers rejoice! The Tattered Cape of Antonidas was bis in WotLK pre-patch, and it’s still holding up well today. We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau to acquire this cloak, as there are several alternatives that are extremely close.

Wispcloak will be your best option if you are struggling with mana. If your gear has cultivated a healthy mana pool already, the Ancient Dragon Spirit Cape may be your best option.

If you’re seeking a quick upgrade, the Shroud of Dedicated Research is super easy to attain. Getting reputation with any WotLK reputation is easy! Once you’ve reached Friendly via quests, simply purchase a tabard from the respective quartermaster and spam Normal or Heroic Dungeons.

Item	Source
Heroes’ Redemption Tunic	80 Emblem of Heroism
Revenant’s Breastplate	Leatherworking (440) – BoE
Drakewing Raiments	The Oculus – Heroic
Robes of the Crackling Flame	Kirin Tor – Exalted
Noble Judicator’s Chestguard	Sunwell Plateau

The #1 option, Heroes’ Redemption Tunic, is a no-brainer. The Holy Paladin 4 piece set bonus is insane, so start collecting tier now. 4 Piece aside, this is still the best chest option.

If you want an immediate upgrade, and have some gold to blow, consider purchasing the Revenant’s Breastplate. It’s comparable to the tier chest’s stats, granting slightly more output at the expense of mana sustain. If you are in this phase of gearing, however, we recommend valuing mana (Int, mp5) over output (haste, sp).

If you happen to already be exalted with the Kirin Tor, purchase the Robes of the Crackling Flame. There are better chest pieces that are easily attainable, so don’t spend time grinding exalted Kirin Tor just for this robe.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have the Noble Judicator’s Chestguard, your chest should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor – BoE
Limb Regeneration Bracers	Drak’Tharon Keep – Heroic
Bands of Fading Light	Utgarde Pinnacle
Cuffs of Winged Levitation	The Oculus – Heroic
Azure Cloth Bindings	The Violet Hold – Heroic

Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant is the best option for this slot, but costs a pretty penny. It requires Emblem of Valor which are only attainable in raids, but since this item is BoE, you will be able to buy it off other players who farmed the badges.

If bracers on a budget are what you seek, head over to Drak’Tharon Keep (h) and Utgarde Pinnacle (n). Both the Limb Regeneration Bracers and Bands of Fading Light are very close to one another, so we recommend chasing both if your aim is to gear as fast as possible.

Cuffs of Winged Levitation are a solid alternative if you don’t find Limb Regeneration Bracers or Bands of Fading Light.

Azure Cloth Bindings are a distant fourth, as they offer crit instead of haste like the bracers above.

Surprised to hear that crit is valued below haste? Check out the stats section of this guide for an in-depth explanation.

Item	Source
Heroes’ Redemption Gloves	60 Emblem of Heroism
Traditionally Dyed Handguards	Halls of Lightning – Heroic
Spellweave Gloves	Tailoring (435) – BoE
Gauntlets of the Soothed Soul	Sunwell Plateau

Since your tier set bonuses are so valuable, this guide highly recommends chasing the Heroes’ Redemption Gloves and ignoring the rest of this list.

It is worth noting that Traditionally Dyed Handguards are on-par with the tier gloves, and only fall behind when you unlock a set bonus. If you have these gloves already, your tier gloves should be one of the last items you go for.

If you are looking for an immediate glove upgrade, consider buying Spellweave Gloves, but know that they will be replaced very quickly by tier.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have Gauntlets of the Soothed Soul, your gloves should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Magroth’s Meditative Cincture	40 Emblem of Heroism
Sash of Blood Removal	Gundrak – Heroic
Belt of Dark Mending	Knights of the Ebon Blade – Exalted
Ghostflicker Waistband	Kirin Tor – Exalted

When it comes to this slot, there is no contest. Magroth’s Meditative Cincture blows the alternatives out of the water. In fact, Magroth’s Meditative Cincture is the 3rd best belt in the game, including raid loot.

Sash of Blood Removal is a great option if you have it, but we wouldn’t recommend chasing this item, because it is nowhere close to the best option.

Belt of Dark Mending and Ghostflicker Waistband are both attained from reputation, so consider using them temporarily if you’re already exalted with Knights of the Ebon Blade or Kirin Tor.

Item	Source
Leggings of Protective Auras	The Oculus – Heroic
Leggings of the Winged Serpent	Drak’Tharon Keep – Heroic
Leggings of Calamity	Sunwell Plateau

The Leggings of Protective Auras are by far the best option for this slot.

The second option, Leggings of the Winged Serpent are nowhere close, but can be a nice filler if your luck in The Oculus doesn’t pan out.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have Leggings of Calamity, your legs should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Sandals of Crimson Fury	The Wyrmrest Accord – Exalted
Revenant’s Treads	Leatherworking (440) – BoE
Sabatons of Erekem	The Violet Hold

The Sandals of Crimson Fury are attained via reputation. And good news: getting exalted with any WotLK reputation is easy! Once you’ve reached Friendly via quests, simply purchase a tabard from the respective quartermaster and spam Normal or Heroic Dungeons.

If reputation farming isn’t for you, consider purchasing the Revenant’s Treads. They provide slightly more haste than the Sandals of Crimson Fury, but are considered worse due to the intellect disparity.

Sabatons of Erekem is a pure mana option. If you are struggling with mana, these boots may be best while you work to improve your mana situation.

Item	Source
Signet of Hopeful Light	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Band of Guile	The Culling of Stratholme – Heroic
Annhylde’s Ring	Utgarde Keep – Heroic
Signet of the Kirin Tor	Harold Winston – 8500g

The Signet of Hopeful Light is itemized perfectly, and has far more intellect than any pre-bis alternative. This ring sits safely at the top of this list. You acquire item via reputation and good news: getting exalted with any WotLK reputation is easy! Once you’ve reached Friendly via quests, simply purchase a tabard from the respective quartermaster and spam Normal or Heroic Dungeons.

Band of Guile and Annhylde’s Ring are both fantastic options and nearly identical to each other. Definitely farm The Culling of Stratholme(h) and Utgarde Keep(h) as much as you can until you attain one of them.

If you are seeking an immediate upgrade and are swimming in gold, consider dropping 8500g on Signet of the Kirin Tor. While it may get replaced quickly, it’s not a total waste, since it gives you a teleport to Dalaran on a 30 minute cooldown.

Item	Source
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting (400)
Eye of Gruul	Gruul’s Lair
Spark of Life	Halls of Stone – Heroic
Mercurial Alchemist Stone	Alchemy (400)

Darkmoon Card: Greatness is not just the best pre-bis trinket out there… It’s also the best trinket in the entire game! While its cost may be outrageous, we highly recommend saving up for it. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so crazy, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.

Soul Preserver and Eye of Gruul both function the same way, with one exploitable nuance: they both proc off of Glyph of Holy Light splash! When healing stacked targets, these trinkets have the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana.

Figurine – Sapphire Owl is a fantastic, high intellect alternative to the two OP trinkets listed above, but make no mistake: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver are far superior.

As mentioned above, Eye of Gruul has a high value on stacked targets when paired with Glyph of Holy Light. In the majority of scenarios, however, Figurine – Sapphire Owl will be the superior option.

Spark of Life is a great alternative to Figurine – Sapphire Owl and Eye of Gruul, but does not come close to the best two trinkets: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver.

Mercurial Alchemist Stone is a nice filler if you are an alchemist and have plenty of Runic Mana Injectors, but does not compare to the other trinkets on this list.

Item	Source
War Mace of Unrequited Love	The Nexus – Heroic
Titansteel Guardian	Blacksmithing (440)
Gavel of the Brewing Storm	The Wyrmrest Accord – Revered
Gavel of the Fleshcrafter	The Culling of Stratholme – Heroic
Hammer of Sanctification	Sunwell Plateau

While Titansteel Guardian has more spellpower than the War Mace of Unrequited Love, the mace is vastly superior due to a whopping 49 intellect disparity.

There is a steep drop off in value below these two weapons, but Gavel of the Brewing Storm is a great weapon to use temporarily. In fact, if you’re missing a weapon we recommend farming Wyrmrest Accord reputation first, as this reputation also grants our pre-bis boots, Sandals of Crimson Fury.

Gavel of the Fleshcrafter is also a great filler weapon. It will net you more mana sustain than the Gavel of the Brewing Storm, but less output.

We do not recommend spending time running Sunwell Plateau, but if you happen to already have Hammer of Sanctification, your weapon should be one of the last pre-bis pieces you go for.

Item	Source
Protective Barricade of the Light	35 Emblem of Heroism
Temple Crystal Fragment	Drak’Tharon Keep – Heroic

The badge shield Protective Barricade of the Light is far and away the best option for this slot, and fairly cheap too.

Temple Crystal Fragment is a decent alternative, and may even appear better than the badge shield at first glance, but since we cannot enchant an offhand with Enchant Shield – Greater Intellect, it falls behind.

Item	Source
Libram of Renewal	15 Emblem of Heroism

Cheap and overpowered. We recommend buying this the Libram of Renewal with badges before any other item.

This libram is effectively 350 Mp5 if you are mashing Holy Light.

Item	Source
Headpiece of Reconciliation	Naxxramas – Thaddius (25)
Faceguard of the Succumbed	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Headpiece of Fungal Bloom	Naxxramas – Thaddius (25)
Cowl of Sheet Lightning	Naxxramas – Thaddius (10)

The Headpiece of Reconciliation is slightly superior to the Faceguard of the Succumbed. However, since Headpiece of Reconciliation is far and away the best helmet for Resto Druids, it is recommended to opt for Faceguard of the Succumbed, the second best option. Resto Druids will make use of the 60 spirit, where as Holy Paladins don’t benefit from spirit at all.

Headpiece of Fungal Bloom and Cowl of Sheet Lightning are both great alternatives for mana intensive fights. Unlike the other options on this list, these two helmets have Mp5 (but less output stats).

Item	Source
Wyrmrest Necklace of Power	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Life Binder’s Locket	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm	Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Chains of Adoration	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses

Both caster rewards from Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity are the best necklaces in the game for us. The Wyrmrest Necklace of Power is more output heavy (despite having hit, which is mostly a dead stat for us) whereas the Life Binder’s Locket is a superior mana option. For the purposes of Tier 7 content, we recommend the output option Wyrmrest Necklace of Power.

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Spaulders	60 Emblem of Valor
Noble Birthright Pauldrons	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Elevated Lair Pauldrons	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Shoulders should be one of your four tier pieces. The 4 piece set bonus for Holy Paladins is really powerful, so you should aim to buy tier shoulders from badges early.

While it is not advisable to go for non-tier items in this slot, Noble Birthright Pauldrons & Elevated Lair Pauldrons are both excellent pieces because of their raw stats. Use these temporarily as you accumulate 60 Emblem of Valor.

Item	Source
Pennant Cloak	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Shroud of Luminosity	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)
Cloak of Kea Feathers	25 Emblem of Valor

Pennant Cloak is the best cape in the game for Holy Paladins. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most contested pieces in the game, as it is BIS for nearly every caster.

Shroud of Luminosity is a distant second, but is also contested by casters, and nearly identical in value to Cloak of Kea Feathers.

It is strongly recommended to rock the Cloak of Kea Feathers, and leave the other two contested options for your DPS.

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Tunic	Naxxramas – Four Horsemen Chest (25)
Heroes’ Redemption Tunic	80 Emblem of Heroism
Fallout Impervious Tunic	Naxxramas – Grobbulus (25)
Chestplate of the Great Aspects	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Tunic of the Artifact Guardian	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Chest should be one of your four tier pieces. The 4 piece set bonus for Holy Paladins is really powerful, so you should aim to buy Heroes’ Redemption Tunic from badges early.

The Fallout Impervious Tunic and Chestplate of the Great Aspects are extremely strong options, far better stat wise than Valorous Redemption Tunic. If you don’t yet have your 4 piece, these are powerful pieces to use in the interim.

Tunic of the Artifact Guardian is the best mana item for this slot, but it lacks the output of the other alternatives.

Item	Source
Abetment Bracers	Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Unsullied Cuffs	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Bindings of the Decrepit	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor – BoE

All bracers in this slot are very close in effectiveness. If you don’t yet have Abetment Bracers, we recommend using Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant and letting other players take Unsullied Cuffs and Bindings of the Decrepit.

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Gloves	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Heroes’ Redemption Gloves	60 Emblem of Heroism
Winter Spectacle Gloves	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Gloves should be one of your four tier pieces. The 4 piece set bonus for Holy Paladins is really powerful, so you should aim to buy Heroes’ Redemption Gloves from badges early.

The Winter Spectacle Gloves have the best stats of any gloves, but they don’t come close to the value of the Tier 7 4 piece set bonus. Use these temporarily if you’re still missing your 4 piece or don’t yet have a better piece to exclude.

Item	Source
Leash of Heedless Magic	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Waistguard of Divine Grace	Naxxramas – Patchwerk (25)
Magroth’s Meditative Cincture	40 Emblem of Heroism

Similar to the Pennant Cloak, the Leash of Heedless Magic is one of the most contested caster pieces in the game. While it may be our best belt, consider passing on it to casters, opting for Waistguard of Divine Grace instead.

If you have been unlucky with belt drops, Magroth’s Meditative Cincture is very easy to attain and a fantastic belt to use until acquiring one of the two belts above it.

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Greaves	75 Emblem of Valor
Heroes’ Redemption Greaves	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)
Leggings of Voracious Shadows	Naxxramas – Four Horsemen Chest (25)

Legs should be one of your four tier pieces. The 4 piece set bonus for Holy Paladins is really powerful, so you should aim to buy Valorous Redemption Greaves from badges early.

Leggings of Voracious Shadows are very well optimized, and can be a nice alternative to use before you have your 4 piece.

Item	Source
Boots of Healing Energies	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Poignant Sabatons	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25) – BoE
Eruption-Scarred Boots	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Footsteps of Malygos	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)
Sabatons of Rapid Recovery	40 Emblem of Valor

Boots of Healing Energies are the best item for this slot, and are uncontested. If you’re not finding luck in The Eye of Eternity, consider purchasing Poignant Sabatons on the auction house. They are a close second to the Maly 25 boots.

Sabatons of Rapid Recovery can be a great filler piece if you have extra badges to blow, and don’t want to drop the gold on Poignant Sabatons.

Item	Source
Signet of Manifested Pain	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Ring of Decaying Beauty	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Wyrmrest Band	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Signet of Hopeful Light	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Band of Channeled Magic	25 Emblem of Valor
Seized Beauty	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)

Signet of Manifested Pain is far and away the best ring in the game for Holy Paladins. Unfortunately, it is one of the most contested items in the game, being needed by nearly every caster. It is recommended that you opt for one of the other options on the list instead, leaving this ring to your caster DPS.

Ring of Decaying Beauty from Sapph, Wyrmrest Band from Sarth and Signet of Hopeful Light from reputation are all extremely close in value, so any combination of those will do just fine.

Item	Source
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting (400)
Eye of Gruul	Gruul’s Lair (25)
Soul of the Dead	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Spark of Life	Halls of Stone – Heroic
Mercurial Alchemist Stone	Alchemy (400)

Darkmoon Card: Greatness is not just the best pre-bis trinket out there… It’s also the best trinket in the entire game! While its cost may be outrageous, we highly recommend saving up for it. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so crazy, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.

Soul Preserver and Eye of Gruul both function the same way, with one exploitable nuance: they both proc off of Glyph of Holy Light splash! When healing stacked targets, these trinkets have the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana.

Figurine – Sapphire Owl is a fantastic, high intellect alternative to the two OP trinkets listed above, but make no mistake: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver are far superior.

As mentioned above, Eye of Gruul has a high value on stacked targets when paired with Glyph of Holy Light. In the majority of scenarios, however, Figurine – Sapphire Owl will be the superior option.

Soul of the Dead is a powerful mana regen trinket, but does not compare to most of the alternatives on this list. It is also far better for Discipline Priests, so it should go to them over a Holy Paladin.

Spark of Life is a great alternative to Figurine – Sapphire Owl and Eye of Gruul, but does not come close to the best two trinkets: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver.

Mercurial Alchemist Stone is a nice filler if you are an alchemist and have plenty of Runic Mana Injectors, but does not compare to the other trinkets on this list.

Item	Source
Torch of Holy Fire	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
The Turning Tide	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Hammer of the Astral Plane	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10)
Life and Death	Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Ice Spire Scepter	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)
The Impossible Dream	Naxxramas – Loatheb (25)
Deadly Gladiator’s Gavel	1930 Arena Rating – 3150 Arena Points

The best two weapons, Torch of Holy Fire & The Turning Tide are very close together in value. The former is better for mana sustain, while the ladder has slightly more output potential. While both of these weapons are heavily contested, the The Turning Tide is the most contested. You should opt for Torch of Holy Fire rather than steal The Turning Tide from caster DPS.

There is a massive drop-off between the best two weapons and the rest of the weapons on this list. Hammer of the Astral Plane and Ice Spire Scepter and great 10 man options, beating out most weapons that drop in 25s.

Life and Death and The Impossible Dream should be fairly uncontested, so these may be easy pickups for you as well.

If you’re a PvP gamer, your Deadly Gladiator’s Gavel should serve you well until you come into another weapon on this list.

Item	Source
Voice of Reason	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Shield of Assimilation	Naxxramas – Anub’Rekhan (25)
Aegis of Damnation	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (10)

Voice of Reason and Shield of Assimilation are very close in value, with the former being better for output and the ladder being stronger for mana sustain. Either are great options, and since you’re only competing with Resto Shaman, Elemental Shaman and Holy Paladins, these shouldn’t be too difficult to scoop up.

Aegis of Damnation drops from 10 mans and is comparable to the other two 25 man shields.

Item	Source
Libram of Renewal	15 Emblem of Heroism

Cheap and overpowered. We recommend buying this the Libram of Renewal with badges before any other item.

This libram is effectively 350 Mp5 if you are mashing Holy Light.

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece	Emblem of Conquest x58
Valorous Aegis Headpiece	Ulduar – Mimiron (10)
Ancient Iron Heaume	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25)

To secure 4pc, tier helmet is ideal over the alternatives given the strength of other options. This item is available via Emblems of Conquest making it very accessible. However, using tier in the other 4 slots and using an offpiece helmet is completely fine. A good alternative to tier in the interim would be the Ancient Iron Heaume, which is easily attainable from Iron Assembly (25).

Item	Source
Charm of Meticulous Timing	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Pendant of the Shallow Grave	Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM)
Sapphire Amulet of Renewal	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25) (HM)

Charm of Meticulous Timing is far and away the best necklace in the game, and with the recent XT HM nerfs, shouldn’t be too difficult to obtain. Pendant of the Shallow Grave is a very strong and easily accessible 10 man alternative from Thorim (HM), which is one of the easiest 10 man hardmodes. Sapphire Amulet of Renewal is also competitive, but drops from one of the harder bosses in the game: Iron Assembly (25) (HM).

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25)
Valorous Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Thorim (10)
Pauldrons of the Combatant	Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM)

To secure 4pc, tier shoulders are ideal over the alternatives given the strength of other options. They are somewhat difficult to obtain as they drop off of Yogg Saron (25) and are heavily contested. Luckily, Thorim (25) (HM) drops a solid piece to use in the interim: Pauldrons of the Combatant. Thorim is the easiest HM boss, so your guild shouldn’t have much trouble farming him.

Item	Source
Drape of the Sullen Goddess	Ulduar – Freya (25) (HM)
Sunglimmer Cloak	Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well
Pennant Cloak	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)

Drape of the Sullen Goddess is itemized differently than the other pieces on this list, but due to its massive intellect value is the best cloak in the game. Sunglimmer Cloak is superior for pure output, particularly on shorter fights, but is heavily contested. It is not recommended that you take Sunglimmer from a caster. Pennant Cloak holds up incredibly well in T8, so make sure to get your OS runs in weekly!

Item	Source
Breastplate of the Devoted	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Vestments of the Blind Denizen	Ulduar – Vezax (25) (HM)
Breastplate of the Stoneshaper	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) (HM)

The Tier 8 chestpiece is itemized poorly (no haste), so it is ideal to exclude it. Instead, aim for one of the three items listed above. Breastplate of the Devoted & Breastplate of the Stoneshaper should not be too difficult to obtain now that XT HM has been significantly nerfed. Vestments of the Blind Denizen is gated behind HM Vezax which may prove challenging.

Item	Source
Bindings of the Winter Gale	Ulduar – Hodir (25) (HM)
Grasps of Reason	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Unfaltering Armguards	Ulduar – Kologarn (25)

Bindings of the Winter Gale are not easily obtainable as they drop from Hodir (25) (HM), which is pretty difficult. They are, however, uncontested so it is recommended that you pass on non-plate bracers such as Grasps of Reason and hold out.

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves	Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Pharos Gloves	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Gauntlets of the Thunder God	Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM)

To secure 4pc, tier gloves are ideal over the alternatives given the strength of other options. This item is available via Emblems of Conquest making it very accessible. However, gloves are a great piece to exclude if you have either Pharos Gloves or Gauntlets of the Thunder God, but do not yet have a powerful chest piece.

Item	Source
Star-beaded Clutch	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Belt of the Fallen Wyrm	Ulduar – Razorscale (25)
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing – BoE

While Star-beaded Clutch is the best belt in the game, you should consider passing it to your resto druid first. There is a BoE that is competitive, as well as Belt of the Fallen Wyrm which is easily attainable from Razorscale (25).

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Freya (25)
Valorous Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Zodiak Leggings	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)

To secure 4pc, tier legs are ideal over the alternatives given the strength of other options. Zodiak Leggings are an incredible alternative if you do not yet have 4pc, or don’t have any other solid pieces to exclude from your tier.

Item	Source
Treads of the False Oracle	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)
Boots of Fiery Resolution	Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) (HM)
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing – BoE

Treads of the False Oracle are far and away the best boots in game for us, but are heavily contested. Consider passing both Treads of the False Oracle & Boots of Fiery Resolution to casters, while using Treads of Destiny in the interim.

Item	Source
Starshine Circle	Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well
Nebula Band	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)
Conductive Seal	Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM)
Fire Orchid Signet	Ulduar – Freya (10) (HM)

Starshine Circle is from the Algalon The Observer (25) quest. With it’s high item level, perfect itemization, and a socket for intellect, it is far and away the best ring in the game for Holy Paladins. There are several other viable rings in Ulduar, the second best of which drops from Algalon The Observer (10).

Item	Source
Meteorite Crystal	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting
Show of Faith	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)

Meteorite Crystal is the best trinket in the game by far. Using Beacon of Light we can gain stacks of Meteorite Crystal very quickly, especially if we use it during periods of buffed haste, like Hyperspeed Accelerators or Bloodlust.

Soul Preserver is still one of the best trinkets in the game. For nearly every fight in 25 man, you should be rocking this OP blue trinket. In some 10 man scenarios, or any scenario where you are not getting lots of value from Glyph of Holy Light, consider using Darkmoon Card: Greatness or Figurine – Sapphire Owl.

Item	Source
Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings	Fragment of Val’anyr x30
Constellus	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion	Ulduar – Vezax (10) (HM)

The BIS weapon is quite obvious: Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings. This is best on a Holy Paladin, so hopefully you are somewhere on your guilds priority list to receive it. If so, consider passing on weapons like Constellus and Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion, since you will eventually replace them.

Item	Source
Wisdom’s Hold	Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM)
Ice Layered Barrier	Ulduar – Hodir (10) (HM)
Pulsing Spellshield	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10)

There are several good shield options in Ulduar, the best of which being Wisdom’s Hold by a decent margin. Lucky for us, it drops from Thorim (25) (HM) which is commonly considered to be the easiest hardmode boss in Ulduar. Other than this shield, there are two 10 man alternatives that shouldn’t be too difficult to obtain: Ice Layered Barrier & Pulsing Spellshield.

Item	Source
Libram of Renewal	15 Emblem of Heroism

Libram of Renewal is still the best Libram in the game, and will continue to be for the entire expansion. This should be the first piece you buy with Emblems of Heroism.

Alternatives:

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Heroes’ Redemption Headpiece	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Helm of the Corrupted Mind	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Helmet of the Inner Sanctum	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers	Engineering (440)
Helm of Purified Thoughts	Argent Crusade – Exalted

Upon hitting level 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons in search of one of the three helmets above. If you don’t get any of them, consider crafting Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers. Alternatively, if you’re short on gold, you can farm reputation with the Argent Crusade to acquire Helm of Purified Thoughts.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Headpiece of Reconciliation	Naxxramas – Thaddius (25)
Faceguard of the Succumbed	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Headpiece of Fungal Bloom	Naxxramas – Thaddius (25)
Cowl of Sheet Lightning	Naxxramas – Thaddius (10)

Headpiece of Fungal Bloom and Cowl of Sheet Lightning are both great alternatives for mana intensive fights. Unlike the other options on this list, these two helmets have Mp5 (but less output stats).

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece	Emblem of Conquest x58
Valorous Aegis Headpiece	Ulduar – Mimiron (10)
Ancient Iron Heaume	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Torque of the Red Dragonflight	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Pendant of Lost Vocations	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Titanium Spellshock Necklace	Jewelcrafting – BoE
Lattice Choker of Light	25 Emblem of Heroism

Upon hitting 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons in search of one of the three necklaces listed above. If you are unable to acquire any of them, consider purchasing Titanium Spellshock Necklace off the auction house. Alternatively you can buy Lattice Choker of Light via Emblem of Heroism, but I wouldn’t purchase this until you already have your Libram of Renewal.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Wyrmrest Necklace of Power	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Life Binder’s Locket	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm	Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Chains of Adoration	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses

Both caster rewards from Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity are the best necklaces in the game for us. The Wyrmrest Necklace of Power is more output heavy (despite having hit, which is mostly a dead stat for us) whereas the Life Binder’s Locket is a superior mana option. Chains of Adoration has an extremely high drop chance from Naxxramas (25) because it drops off multiple bosses, and is a very solid option.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Charm of Meticulous Timing	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Pendant of the Shallow Grave	Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM)
Sapphire Amulet of Renewal	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Heroes’ Redemption Spaulders	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Retcher’s Shoulderpads	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Miasma Mantle	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Dark Runic Mantle	Halls of Stone – BoE

Upon hitting 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons in search of one of the three shoulder pieces listed above. Heroes’ Redemption Spaulders are far and away better than the other options, especially if it allows you to acquire your 4pc T7 set-bonus. Dark Runic Mantle is very cheap on the auction house, so consider buying that if you don’t get lucky with these other options.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Spaulders	60 Emblem of Valor
Noble Birthright Pauldrons	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Elevated Lair Pauldrons	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25)
Valorous Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Thorim (10)
Pauldrons of the Combatant	Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Drape of Surgery	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Shroud of the Citadel	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Wispcloak	Tailoring (415) – BoE

Upon hitting 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons for a chance at Drape of Surgery or Shroud of the Citadel. If you are unable to acquire either of these, consider buying Wispcloak off the auction house. This is a massive mana piece which will be extremely helpful to a fresh 80.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Pennant Cloak	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Shroud of Luminosity	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)
Cloak of Kea Feathers	25 Emblem of Valor

Pennant Cloak is the best cape in the game for Holy Paladins outside of Ulduar, and even holds up extremely well compared to any cloak that drops in Ulduar 10/25. Don’t miss an OS lockout until you acquire this piece!

Shroud of Luminosity is a distant second, but is nearly identical in value to Cloak of Kea Feathers, which is easily acquireable from badges.

It is recommended to purchase the Cloak of Kea Feathers from badges early on, as it is very powerful compared to the other items purchasable with Emblem of Valor.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Drape of the Sullen Goddess	Ulduar – Freya (25) (HM)
Sunglimmer Cloak	Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well
Pennant Cloak	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Lifeforge Breastplate	Ulduar – BoE
Chivalric Chestguard	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Fungi-Stained Coverings	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Lifeforge Breastplate is a great option for a fresh 80. While it may not hold up compared to many of the chest pieces that drop in T7 content, it’s a massive mana option that will make your character immeasurable stronger as a fresh 80. If you’re short on gold, simply farm Heroic+ dungeons until you acquire Chivalric Chestguard or Fungi-Stained Coverings.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Tunic	Naxxramas – Four Horsemen Chest (25)
Heroes’ Redemption Tunic	80 Emblem of Heroism
Fallout Impervious Tunic	Naxxramas – Grobbulus (25)
Lifeforge Breastplate	Ulduar – BoE
Chestplate of the Great Aspects	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Tunic of the Artifact Guardian	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Chest should be one of your four tier pieces. The 4 piece set bonus for Holy Paladins is really powerful, so you should aim to buy Heroes’ Redemption Tunic from badges early.

Lifeforge Breastplate is a great temporary option if you’ve got gold to spare. It is an Ulduar trash drop and isn’t overly expensive on most servers.

The Fallout Impervious Tunic and Chestplate of the Great Aspects are extremely strong options, far better stat wise than Valorous Redemption Tunic. If you don’t yet have your 4 piece, these are powerful pieces to use in the interim.

Tunic of the Artifact Guardian is the best mana item for this slot, but it lacks the output of the other alternatives.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Breastplate of the Devoted	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Vestments of the Blind Denizen	Ulduar – Vezax (25) (HM)
Breastplate of the Stoneshaper	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor BoE
Limb Regeneration Bracers	Drak’Tharon Keep – Heroic
Iron Rings of Endurance	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Abetment Bracers	Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Unsullied Cuffs	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Bindings of the Decrepit	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor – BoE

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Bindings of the Winter Gale	Ulduar – Hodir (25) (HM)
Grasps of Reason	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Unfaltering Armguards	Ulduar – Kologarn (25)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Web Cocoon Grips	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Handgrips of the Foredoomed	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Spellweave Gloves	Tailoring (435) – BoE
Traditionally Dyed Handguards	Halls of Lightning – Heroic

Upon hitting 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons in search of Web Cocoon Grips or Handgrips of the Foredoomed.

If you are unable to acquire either of the two gloves listed above, consider buying Spellweave Gloves, but know that they will be replaced very quickly by tier.

It is worth noting that Traditionally Dyed Handguards are on-par with the tier gloves, and only fall behind when you unlock a set bonus. If you have these gloves already, your tier gloves should be one of the last items you go for.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Gloves	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Heroes’ Redemption Gloves	60 Emblem of Heroism
Winter Spectacle Gloves	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves	Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Pharos Gloves	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Gauntlets of the Thunder God	Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM)

To secure 4pc, tier gloves are ideal over the alternatives given the strength of other options. However, gloves are a great piece to exclude if you have either Pharos Gloves or Gauntlets of the Thunder God, but do not yet have a powerful chest piece.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Magroth’s Meditative Cincture	40 Emblem of Heroism
Remembrance Girdle	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Ghostflicker Waistband	Kirin Tor – Exalted

Upon hitting 80, consider purchasing Plate Girdle of Righteousness. This belt is one of the best in the game, and can take you all the way to end-game Hardmode Ulduar content.

If you cannot afford Plate Girdle of Righteousness, spending 40 Emblem of Heroism is certainly worth it for Magroth’s Meditative Cincture. Compared to the strength of other Emblem of Heroism items, Magroth’s blows them out of the water.

Remembrance Girdle is a good option that drops from Heroic+, so if you happen to have this piece already, you can consider your belt slot good enough for the purposes of entering Ulduar.

Ghostflicker Waistband is attained from reputation, so consider using it temporarily if you’re already exalted with Kirin Tor.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Leash of Heedless Magic	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Waistguard of Divine Grace	Naxxramas – Patchwerk (25)
Magroth’s Meditative Cincture	40 Emblem of Heroism

Plate Girdle of Righteousness is a Blacksmithing BoE with a lot of bang for your buck. It holds up well even compared to the best belts in the game. We highly recommend purchasing this best for the purposes of stepping into Ulduar.

Similar to the Pennant Cloak, the Leash of Heedless Magic is one of the most contested caster pieces in T7. While it may be a very good belt for HPals, consider passing on it to casters, opting for Waistguard of Divine Grace instead.

If you have been unlucky with belt drops, Magroth’s Meditative Cincture is very easy to attain and a fantastic belt to use until acquiring one of the two belts above it.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Star-beaded Clutch	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Belt of the Fallen Wyrm	Ulduar – Razorscale (25)
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing – BoE

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Heroes’ Redemption Greaves	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Avenging Combat Leggings	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Blackened Legplates of Feugen	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Leggings of Sapphiron	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)

Upon hitting 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons for a chance at any of the chest pieces listed above. You have a lot of options from Heroic+ in this slot, so without terrible RNG you should find yourself a nice pair of leggings fairly quickly.

It should be noted that given the power of the T7 4pc set-bonus, Heroes’ Redemption Greaves blows the other options out of the water.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Valorous Redemption Greaves	75 Emblem of Valor
Heroes’ Redemption Greaves	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)
Leggings of Voracious Shadows	Naxxramas – Four Horsemen Chest (25)

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Freya (25)
Valorous Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Zodiak Leggings	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Poignant Sabatons	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Footsteps of Malygos	Heroic + Dungeons (Former The Eye of Eternity 10 Drop)
Sabatons of Deathlike Gloom	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

Given the power of Treads of Destiny and Poignant Sabatons, it is highly recommended that you spend your time farming in order to purchase these over farming Heroic+.

Treads of Destiny are one of the best boots in the game, and Poignant Sabatons should be quite cheap if you are lacking gold.

Footsteps of Malygos and Sabatons of Deathlike Gloom are solid temporary options from Heroic+, but pale in comparison to the BoE boots listed above them.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Boots of Healing Energies	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)
Poignant Sabatons	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25) – BoE
Eruption-Scarred Boots	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Footsteps of Malygos	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)
Sabatons of Rapid Recovery	40 Emblem of Valor

Treads of Destiny are the best boots you can obtain without stepping into Ulduar, but will cost you a pretty penny.

Boots of Healing Energies are the clear runner up for this spot, and should be relatively uncontested.

If you’re not finding luck in The Eye of Eternity and don’t have a mountain of gold to spend, consider purchasing Poignant Sabatons on the auction house. They are a cheap and powerful BoE.

Sabatons of Rapid Recovery can be a great filler piece if you have extra badges to blow, and don’t want to drop the gold on Treads of Destiny or Poignant Sabatons.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Treads of the False Oracle	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)
Boots of Fiery Resolution	Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) (HM)
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing – BoE

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor	Harold Winston (Vendor) – Dalaran
Signet of Hopeful Light	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Circle of Life	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Ring of the Fated	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

The Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor is one of the best rings in the game, so it is highly recommended that you drop gold to purchase this.

The Signet of Hopeful Light is itemized perfectly, and has far more intellect than any other easily acquirable alternative. You acquire this item via reputation and good news: getting exalted with any WotLK reputation is easy! Once you’ve reached Friendly via quests, simply purchase a tabard from the respective quartermaster and spam Normal, Heroic or Heroic+ Dungeons.

Alternatively, consider farming heroic+ dungeons to acquire Circle of Life or Ring of the Fated, but know that these will be replaced fairly quickly.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor	Harold Winston (Vendor) – Dalaran
Signet of Manifested Pain	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Ring of Decaying Beauty	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Wyrmrest Band	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Signet of Hopeful Light	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Band of Channeled Magic	25 Emblem of Valor
Seized Beauty	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)

The Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor is one of the best rings in the game, so it is highly recommended that you drop gold to purchase this.

Signet of Manifested Pain is far and away the best ring that drops from Tier 7 content. Unfortunately, it is one of the most contested items of the tier, being needed by nearly every caster. It is recommended that you opt for one of the other options on the list instead, leaving this ring to your caster DPS.

Ring of Decaying Beauty from Sapph, Wyrmrest Band from Sarth and Signet of Hopeful Light from reputation are all extremely close in value, so any combination of those will do just fine.

Band of Channeled Magic has a wasted spirit stat, but if you have extra badges lying around, it will do just fine for the purposes of stepping into Ulduar for the first time.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Starshine Circle	Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well
Nebula Band	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)
Conductive Seal	Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM)
Fire Orchid Signet	Ulduar – Freya (10) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting (400)
Eye of Gruul	Gruul’s Lair (25)
Soul of the Dead	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Spark of Life	Halls of Stone – Heroic
Mercurial Alchemist Stone	Alchemy (400)

Darkmoon Card: Greatness is not just the best pre-bis trinket out there… It’s also one of the best trinkets in the entire game! While its cost may be outrageous, we highly recommend saving up for it. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so crazy, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.

Soul Preserver and Eye of Gruul both function the same way, with one exploitable nuance: they both proc off of Glyph of Holy Light splash! When healing stacked targets, these trinkets have the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana. Just like DMC:G, this is also one of the best trinkets in the game.

Figurine – Sapphire Owl is a fantastic, high intellect alternative to the two OP trinkets listed above, but make no mistake: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver are far superior.

As mentioned above, Eye of Gruul has a high value on stacked targets when paired with Glyph of Holy Light. In the majority of scenarios, however, Figurine – Sapphire Owl will be the superior option.

Spark of Life is a great alternative to Figurine – Sapphire Owl and Eye of Gruul, but does not come close to the best two trinkets: Darkmoon Card: Greatness and Soul Preserver.

Mercurial Alchemist Stone is a nice filler if you are an alchemist and have plenty of Runic Mana Injectors, but does not compare to the other trinkets on this list.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting (400)
Eye of Gruul	Gruul’s Lair (25)
Soul of the Dead	Naxxramas – Sapphiron (25)
Spark of Life	Halls of Stone – Heroic
Mercurial Alchemist Stone	Alchemy (400)

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Meteorite Crystal	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)
Soul Preserver	The Culling of Stratholme
Darkmoon Card: Greatness	Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck
Figurine – Sapphire Owl	Jewelcrafting
Show of Faith	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Hammer of the Astral Plane	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Infection Repulser	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Titansteel Guardian	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
War Mace of Unrequited Love	The Nexus – Heroic

Upon hitting level 80, start farming Heroic+ dungeons searching for Hammer of the Astral Plane or Infection Repulser.

While Titansteel Guardian has more spell power than the War Mace of Unrequited Love, the War Mace is vastly superior due to a whopping 49 intellect disparity.

Titansteel Guardian is a great BoE option to pickup right away, and it is fairly cheap. Note that this will be replaced quickly.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Torch of Holy Fire	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
The Turning Tide	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Hammer of the Astral Plane	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10)
Life and Death	Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Ice Spire Scepter	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10)
The Impossible Dream	Naxxramas – Loatheb (25)

The best two weapons before Ulduar, Torch of Holy Fire & The Turning Tide are very close together in value. The former is better for mana sustain, while the ladder has slightly more output potential.

There is a massive drop-off between the best two weapons and the rest of the weapons on this list. Hammer of the Astral Plane and Ice Spire Scepter and great 10 man options, beating out most weapons that drop in 25s.

Life and Death and The Impossible Dream should be fairly uncontested, so these may be easy pickups for you as well.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings	Fragment of Val’anyr x30
Constellus	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion	Ulduar – Vezax (10) (HM)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Aegis of Damnation	Heroic + Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Protective Barricade of the Light	35 Emblem of Heroism
Zom’s Crackling Bulwark	World Drop – BoE

Upon hitting 80, farm Heroic+ dungeons in search of Aegis of Damnation.

If you can’t mage to acquire Aegis of Damnation, the badge shield Protective Barricade of the Light is also an excellent option for this slot.

If you’re looking for a very quick and cheap temporary shield, Zom’s Crackling Bulwark will serve you well.

Pre-Ulduar

Item	Source
Voice of Reason	Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25)
Shield of Assimilation	Naxxramas – Anub’Rekhan (25)
Aegis of Damnation	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (10)

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Wisdom’s Hold	Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM)
Ice Layered Barrier	Ulduar – Hodir (10) (HM)
Pulsing Spellshield	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece	Emblem of Conquest x58
Valorous Aegis Headpiece	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Helm of Veiled Energies	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroes’ Redemption Headpiece	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Lifespark Visage	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Helm of the Corrupted Mind	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Helmet of the Inner Sanctum	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers	Engineering (440)
Helm of Purified Thoughts	Argent Crusade – Exalted

Upon hitting level 80, begin farming Heroic++ dungeons for Emblem of Conquest to purchase your tier 8.5 helmet, Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece. It’s stats are unparalleled compared to anything else outside of ToGC and has a very powerful 4-piece set bonus you can strive to obtain.

Your next best bet is to get lucky in Heroic++ dungeons and receive a Valorous Aegis Headpiece your tier 8 helmet. It still has the powerful 4-piece bonus mentioned above, and has only slightly worse stats than its tier 8.5 counterpart.

Aside from these two powerful options, there are several other viable helmets that drop from Heroic+ and Heroic++ dungeons.

If you are looking for a very easy to acquire helmet immediately upon hitting level 80, consider crafting Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers.

Alternatively, if you’re short on gold, you can farm reputation with the Argent Crusade to acquire Helm of Purified Thoughts.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece	Emblem of Conquest x58
Valorous Aegis Headpiece	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Ancient Iron Heaume	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25)
Helm of Veiled Energies	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)

To prepare yourself for Tier 9 content, you’re going to want to seek out your tier helmet. You can farm Heroic dungeons to acquire the tier 8.5 version Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece, or seek out Valorous Aegis Headpiece as a drop from both Heroic++ dungeons or off of 10 man Mimiron in Ulduar.

If you find yourself in an Ulduar 25 man, the Ancient Iron Heaume from Iron Assembly is also very desirable for its stats, although it’s lacking the potential power behind the Tier 8 4-piece bonus.

As a last ditch alternative, you can seek out the Helm of Veiled Energies from Heroic ++ Dungeons.

Best-in-Slot

The absolute best helmet in the game is your Tier 9 Heroic helmet. This is very hard to acquire, however, as it only drops after completing a ToGC on Heroic mode with more than 24 attempts remaining.

Much more easily acquireable is the Tier 9 non-heroic helmet. You can obtain this easily with a Trophy of the Crusade (which drops from both 10 and 25 man ToC) as well as 75 Emblem of Triumph.

Your tier 8.5 helmet Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece holds up quite well, particularly if you can maintain the extremely powerful 4 piece set bonus. If you do not have 4 pieces of tier 8 then you’ll want to look for Wow Alliance Crest Helmet of the Crypt Lord as its standalone stats are superior to the tier 8.5 helmet.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Pendant of the Shallow Grave	Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Pendant of the Piercing Glare	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Symbol of Redemption	Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight (Heroic)
Torque of the Red Dragonflight	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Pendant of Lost Vocations	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Titanium Spellshock Necklace	Jewelcrafting – BoE

Upon hitting level 80, your best bet for a powerful necklace is the Pendant of the Shallow Grave. You’ll need to farm 15 Heroic++ dungeons for 15 Sidereal Essences to obtain it, which can be quite time consuming. While you farm out this item, consider picking up another one of the options on this list.

Pendant of the Piercing Glare is less desirable than Pendant of the Shallow Grave, but if you’re lucky enough to obtain one, you should spend your Sidereal Essences on a different slot.

There are several other options that drop from Heroic+ dungeons if you are unwilling to farm the options above.

For an immediate upgrade upon hitting level 80, you can purchase the Titanium Spellshock Necklace off the auction house. It is two phases old at this point, so it should be affordable.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Charm of Meticulous Timing	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Pendant of the Shallow Grave	Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Sapphire Amulet of Renewal	Ulduar – Iron Assembly (25) (HM)
Wyrmrest Necklace of Power	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Life Binder’s Locket	Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Chain of the Ancient Wyrm	Judgment at the Eye of Eternity
Pendant of the Piercing Glare	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Chains of Adoration	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses

Outside of ToGC, the Charm of Meticulous Timing is the best necklace in the game. It drops off of Hardmode 25 man XT-002 Deconstructor in Ulduar, which can be difficult and healing intensive, so consider a necklace lower on this list if this seems impractical in the moment.

Easily acquirable necklace options drop off Sapphiron in Naxxramas. The Wyrmrest Necklace of Power is more output heavy (despite having hit, which is mostly a dead stat for us) whereas the Life Binder’s Locket is a superior mana option.

While you are farming Heroic++ dungeons, keep an eye out for the Pendant of the Piercing Glare. It can be a solid temporary neck piece to get you in the door of ToGC.

Best-in-Slot

The absolute best necklace in the game for Holy Paladins is the Wow Alliance Crest Wail of the Val’kyr. It is highly contested as virtually every caster wants this item as well. Luckily, we have a very close alternative from Ulduar, the Charm of Meticulous Timing.

Another powerful option is the Pendant of the Shallow Grave which drops both from Thorim Hardmode in 10 man, and is farmable from Heroic++ dungeons via Sidereal Essences.

Sapphire Amulet of Renewal is another viable option and drops from 25 man Ulduar, off of the Iron Assembly.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Observer’s Mantle	Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Valorous Aegis Spaulders	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Iceshear Mantle	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroes’ Redemption Spaulders	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Mantle of Inconsolable Fear	Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight (Heroic)
Retcher’s Shoulderpads	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Miasma Mantle	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Dark Runic Mantle	Halls of Stone – BoE

Upon hitting level 80, your best option for shoulders is to farm Sidereal Essences for the Observer’s Mantle. It is statted perfectly and will last you a long while.

Alternatively, you can fish for your Tier 8 shoulders, which drop from various Heroic++ dungeons. As a standalone item they are not incredible, but acquire 4 pieces of tier 8 to unlock your set bonus, and they become very desirable.

The Iceshear Mantle is also a viable option and drops from Heroic++ Dungeons.

If you are seeking an immediate and easily obtainable upgrade, you can purchase the Dark Runic Mantle off your servers auction house. They are two phases old at this point, so they should be affordable.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Pauldrons of the Combatant	Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM)
Conqueror’s Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25)
Observer’s Mantle	Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Valorous Aegis Spaulders	Ulduar – Thorim (10)

Pauldrons of the Combatant are by far the best shoulders acquireable outside of ToGC. They drop off of Thorim 25 man Hardmode, which is the easiest Hardmode in Ulduar.

Alternatively, your tier 8.5 shoulders are great as well. The Conqueror’s Aegis Spaulders aren’t phenomenal by themselves, but if you obtain 4 pieces of Tier 8 to unlock your set bonus, they become very powerful.

Best-in-Slot

The absolute best shoulders in the game is your Tier 9 Heroic shoulders. This is very hard to acquire, however, as it only drops after completing a ToGC on Heroic mode with more than 24 attempts remaining.

A close alternative are the Pauldrons of the Combatant, which are much more easily acquirable from 25 man Hardmode Thorim.

Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker are also powerful, and drop from the first boss in 10-man Trial of the Crusader.

Also obtainable from 10 (and 25 man) Trial of the Crusader are the Tier 9 shoulders Wow Alliance Crest Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph. They can be purchased via a Trophy of the Crusade which drops off of every boss and 75 Emblem of Triumph .

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Shawl of the Caretaker	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Drape of Surgery	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Shroud of the Citadel	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Wispcloak	Tailoring (415) – BoE

By far the best cloak option without stepping into a raid is the Shawl of the Caretaker which drops from Heroic++ Dungeons.

There are also some viable options out of Heroic+ Dungeons as well.

If you are looking for an immediate and easily acquirable upgrade, you can purchase a Wispcloak on the auction house. It is two phases old at this point, so it should be affordable.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Drape of the Sullen Goddess	Ulduar – Freya (25) (HM)
Sunglimmer Cloak	Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well
Pennant Cloak	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion
Shawl of the Caretaker	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Shroud of Luminosity	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses

Outside of ToGC, the Drape of the Sullen Goddess is the best cloak in the game. It does not have Haste like the items we typically look for, but its high intellect value and gem socket make it very powerful compared to other cloaks.

The Sunglimmer Cloak from Algalon The Observer is very powerful, but it not advisable to obtain it. You can only complete the Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well quest once, and it is superior to select the ring, Starshine Circle, instead.

The Pennant Cloak from The Obsidian Sanctum still holds up even in ToGC, two tiers later.

Shawl of the Caretaker is pretty good, and is easily obtainable from various Heroic++ Dungeons.

Best-in-Slot

The best cloak in the game for Holy Paladins is Wow Alliance Crest Jaina’s Radiance. These are both very hard to obtain, and extremely contested.

Similarly there is a 10 man version, Drape of Bitter Incantation. These cloaks are equally as contested, but considerably easier to obtain since 10 man ToGC is significantly easier than 25 man.

Maiden’s Favor / Maiden’s Adoration are better than anything in Ulduar and drop from 25 man Heroic Anub’arak.

Fresh 80

The best chest piece for a fresh level 80 (and one of the best chest pieces period) is Merlin’s Robe. You can purchase it off of the auction house, but it may cost you a pretty penny.

If you cannot afford Merlin’s Robe, consider farming Heroic++ dungeons for Sidereal Essences to purchase the Breastplate of the Stoneshaper.

Alternatively you can look for several chest options out of both Heroic++ and Heroic+ Dungeons.

If you are seeking an immediate and cheap chest upgrade upon hitting level 80, purchase the Lifeforge Breastplate. It is a tier old at this point so it should be affordable.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

The best chest option outside of ToGC is the Breastplate of the Devoted which drops from XT-002 Deconstructor Hardmode in Ulduar 25 man.

A very close alternative is the crafted BoE Merlin’s Robe. You can purchase it off the auction house, although it may be expensive.

Every other chest piece on this list pales in comparison to the two listed above. But you can find a semi-viable chest piece from just about every raid, or even the Breastplate of the Stoneshaper from farming Sidereal Essences from Heroic++.

Best-in-Slot

The best chest piece in the game is the Wow Alliance Crest Breastplate of the Frozen Lake from the Twin Valkyrs in 25 man Heroic Trial of the Crusader. It is uncontested, so if you are consistently clearing ToGC you are likely to get one.

Until then, you can farm Ulduar 25 man for a chance at the Breastplate of the Devoted or purchase Merlin’s Robe off the auction house.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers	Tailoring – BoE
Sunforged Bracers	Blacksmithing – BoE
Armbands of the Construct	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Runetouch Wristwraps	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor BoE
Limb Regeneration Bracers	Drak’Tharon Keep – Heroic
Iron Rings of Endurance	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

The best bracer option for a fresh level 80 (and one of the best bracers in the entire game) is the Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers. You can purchase them off the auction house, although they might be quite expensive.

Sunforged Bracers are also BoE and very powerful, but are considered slightly worse than the Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers. It is not advised that you purchase these.

There are also several bracer options from a plethora of Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons if you do not possess enough gold to purchase either of the above options.

Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant are a BoE option that should be considerably cheaper than the BoE options listed above. They are two tiers old at this point, so lack a lot of the power of the BoE bracers listed above.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Bindings of the Winter Gale	Ulduar – Hodir (25) (HM)
Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers	Tailoring – BoE
Sunforged Bracers	Blacksmithing – BoE
Grasps of Reason	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Unfaltering Armguards	Ulduar – Kologarn (25)
Abetment Bracers	Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25)
Unsullied Cuffs	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Bindings of the Decrepit	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean (25)
Cuffs of the Shadow Ascendant	60 Emblem of Valor – BoE

The best bracers in the game are the Bindings of the Winter Gale from Hodir Hardmode in Ulduar 25. No bracer from ToGC 10 or 25 man compares.

Your best alternative is the BoE crafted bracer, Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers.

Also from Ulduar are Grasps of Reason, but they are far more desirable for caster DPS, so it is not adviseable to take it from them if contested.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Bindings of the Winter Gale	Ulduar – Hodir (25) (HM)
Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers	Tailoring – BoE
Sunforged Bracers	Blacksmithing – BoE
Grasps of Reason	Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM)
Unfaltering Armguards	Ulduar – Kologarn (25)

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Gauntlets of the Thunder God	Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Valorous Aegis Gloves	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Web Cocoon Grips	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Handwraps of Resonance	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Handgrips of the Foredoomed	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Spellweave Gloves	Tailoring (435) – BoE
Traditionally Dyed Handguards	Halls of Lightning – Heroic

By far the glove option for a fresh level 80 are the Gauntlets of the Thunder God. You can acquire these by farming 19 Heroic++ Dungeons for Sidereal Essences.

A more than viable alternative are your tier 8 gloves, Valorous Aegis Gloves. Their stats alone are not outstanding, but if you manage to obtain 4 Tier 8 pieces, it will have been well worth it to unlock our 4 piece set bonus.

There are a variety of glove options from both Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons such as Web Cocoon Grips and Handgrips of the Foredoomed.

If you are looking for an immediate option upon hitting level 80, you can purchase the Spellweave Gloves off the aucion house. They are two phases old at this point, so they should be affordable.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Pharos Gloves	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Gauntlets of the Thunder God	Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves	Ulduar – Mimiron (25)
Valorous Redemption Gloves	The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25)
Heroes’ Redemption Gloves	60 Emblem of Heroism
Winter Spectacle Gloves	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25)

The best gloves in the game are Pharos Gloves from Algalon The Observer 25 man in Ulduar. Nothing in ToGC is quite as good.

Outside of ToGC and aside from the overpowered Pharos Gloves, the Gauntlets of the Thunder God are your next best bet. They drop from Thorim Hardmode from 10 man Ulduar, and are also obtainable via Sidereal Essences which drop in Heroic++ Dungeons.

Another excellent option are the Tier 8.5 gloves Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves. As a standalone item their stats are not exceptional, but if you can acquire the 4 piece Tier 8 set bonus they become very valuable.

Best-in-Slot

The best gloves in the game are Pharos Gloves from Algalon The Observer 25 man in Ulduar. Nothing in ToGC is quite as good.

The closest alternative to Pharos Gloves are the Wow Alliance Crest Gloves of the Lifeless Touch which drop off of Anub’arak 25 Heroic.

Your tier 9 Heroic gloves are the next best option, but it is not advisable to purchase them until you have both T9 Helmet and Shoulders as they are actually BIS.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Windchill Binding	Emblem of Conquest x28
Belt of the Iron Servant	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Cable of the Metrognome	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Remembrance Girdle	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Ghostflicker Waistband	Kirin Tor – Exalted

The best belt you an acquire before stepping into a raid is the Plate Girdle of Righteousness. It is a crafted BoE that is one phase old at this point, so it should be affordable.

If you cannot afford the Plate Girdle of Righteousness, the Windchill Binding from Emblem of Conquest is your next best bet.

There are several other options that drop from Heroic++ and Heroic+ Dungeons, but they pale in comparison to the two belts listed above.

If you are seeking a non-expensive and easily acquirable belt, you can farm out exalted with the Kirin Tor for the Ghostflicker Waistband.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Star-beaded Clutch	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25)
Belt of the Fallen Wyrm	Ulduar – Razorscale (25)
Plate Girdle of Righteousness	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Windchill Binding	Emblem of Conquest x28
Leash of Heedless Magic	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos
Waistguard of Divine Grace	Naxxramas – Patchwerk (25)

Outside of ToGC, the Star-beaded Clutch off of 25 man Algalon The Observer is your best option. It may have spirit on it, but its high intellect value and two gem sockets make it far and away the best belt prior to Tier 9 content.

The Belt of the Fallen Wyrm is easily obtainable as it drops off of Razorscale in Ulduar who is an overwhelmingly easy boss to slay. It is only slightly contested by Holy Paladins and Resto/Elemental Shaman.

The crafted BoE Plate Girdle of Righteousness still holds up and is a more than viable option to enter ToGC with.

If you are unable to acquire the belts above, purchase the Windchill Binding for Emblem of Conquest.

The drop-off in quality past this point is substantial. It is highly recommended that you seek out one of the four belts listed above prior to entering ToGC.

Best-in-Slot

The absolute best belt in the game for Holy Paladins is the Wow Alliance Crest Belt of the Frozen Reach. It drops off of Heroic mode 10 man Beasts of Northrend and should be uncontested by everyone who isn’t a Holy Paladin.

Until you acquire the belt above, consider farming Algalon The Observer 25 man for a shot at Star-beaded Clutch. It may have spirit on it (which is a dead stat for us), but it has the highest intellect value on any belt in the game for us.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Leggings of the Weary Mystic	Emblem of Conquest x38
Valorous Aegis Legplates	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Heroes’ Redemption Greaves	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Avenging Combat Leggings	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Blackened Legplates of Feugen	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)
Leggings of Sapphiron	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas10 Drop)

The Emblem of Conquest mail legs, Leggings of the Weary Mystic, are the best option for a fresh 80 Holy Paladin. Simply farm Heroic++ Dungeons until you’ve accumulated enough Emblems, and purchase these quickly.

If you are lucky enough to obtain Valorous Aegis Legplates during your Heroic++ grind, they can also be a powerful option. As a standalone item they are not amazing, but accumulate 4 pieces of Tier 8 to unlock your 4-piece set bonus and you’ll be happy you did.

There is a significant drop-off in quality past this point. There are no other viable leg pieces from Heroic++, but there are several candidates from Heroic+.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Conqueror’s Aegis Legplates	Ulduar – Freya (25)
Leggings of the Weary Mystic	Emblem of Conquest x38
Zodiak Leggings	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)
Valorous Redemption Greaves	75 Emblem of Valor
Heroes’ Redemption Greaves	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses (25)
Leggings of Voracious Shadows	Naxxramas – Four Horsemen Chest (25)

The best legs outside of ToGC are your Tier 8.5 legs, Conqueror’s Aegis Legplates. Not only do they have the best stats compared to other options, but if you manage to acquire 4 pieces of Tier 8, you’ll experience a large power spike.

Your next best option is the Leggings of the Weary Mystic which is easily purchasable via Emblem of Conquest.

Your options aside from these two choices are highly limited and pale in comparison.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Legwraps of the Awakening Leggings of the Awakening	Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic
Legplates of Failing Light Leggings of Failing Light	Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic
Legguards of Concealed Hatred Leggings of Concealed Hatred	Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic
Conqueror’s Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Freya (25)
Valorous Aegis Greaves	Ulduar – Hodir (10)
Zodiak Leggings	Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10)

The absolute best leg piece for Holy Paladin is the Wow Alliance Crest Legwraps of the Awakening. These are fairly hard to acquire, as they are contested by multiple healers and casters and drop off of Heroic 25 man Anub’arak.

Luckily, we have another option that is nearly identical and uncontested by all except fellow Holy Paladins. Legplates of Failing Light are practically identical to Wow Alliance Crest Legwraps of the Awakening, but are considered worse since they have 2 less haste and instead have 2 more crit. These legs may have increased armor since they are plate, but armor should hold little to no weight in your gearing decisions.

Legguards of Concealed Hatred are considered less powerful than the two options listed above, but in reality they are a very viable option. They lack some of the output as the above legguards, but what they lack in output potential they make up for in mana sustainability.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Starlight Treads	Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Sabatons of the Iron Watcher	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Poignant Sabatons	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Footsteps of Malygos	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former The Eye of Eternity 10 Drop)
Sabatons of Deathlike Gloom	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

The best boots for a fresh 80 Holy Paladin are the Treads of Destiny. They are a crafted BoE and a phase old at this point, so they should be affordable.

If you are tight on gold, you can farm Heroic++ Dungeons for Sidereal essences in order to buy Starlight Treads. They do not have haste on them, which is something we typically look for in our gear, but their high intellect and gem sockets make them a powerful piece.

There are several other viable options from Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons such as the Sabatons of the Iron Watcher.

If you are seeking an immediate and very cheap upgrade upon hitting level 80, consider purchasing the Poignant Sabatons. They are a crafted BoE from Phase 1 of WotLK, so they should be very cheap.

Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair

Item	Source
Treads of the False Oracle	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)
Boots of Fiery Resolution	Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) (HM)
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing (440) – BoE
Boots of Healing Energies	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos
Poignant Sabatons	Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses – BoE
Eruption-Scarred Boots	Naxxramas – Heigan the Unclean
Footsteps of Malygos	The Eye of Eternity – Malygos

The best boots in the game prior to ToGC are the Treads of the False Oracle by a long shot. They are somewhat hard to come by, however, as they are highly contested and drop off the final boss in Ulduar, Yogg Saron Hardmode.

Boots of Fiery Resolution are the next runner up, and should be easier to come by, as they drop off of the very first boss in Ulduar, Flame Leviathan Hardmode. These are also highly contested and since they have spirit on them, it is not recommended that you take them from a class that can make use of it.

Treads of Destiny still hold up quite well and are a perfectly acceptable piece to enter ToGC with. They are a crafted BoE that you can buy off the auction house, and since they are a phase old at this point, they should be affordable.

There is a significant drop off of power below this point. It is not recommended that you enter ToGC without one of the three boots listed above.

Best-in-Slot

Item	Source
Boots of the Courageous Sabatons of the Courageous	Trial of the Crusader – Beasts of Northrend (25) Heroic
Boots of Tremoring Earth Sabatons of Tremoring Earth	Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic
Treads of the False Oracle	Ulduar – Yogg Saron (25) (HM)
Boots of Fiery Resolution	Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) (HM)
Treads of Destiny	Blacksmithing – BoE

The best boots in the game for a Holy Paladin are the Wow Alliance Crest Boots of the Courageous. They drop off of the very first boss in ToGC and are uncontested, so they should not be terribly hard to come by.

If you are not fortunate enough to get your BIS boots, you have a very close alternative Boots of Tremoring Earth. These are more contested as Restoration and Elemental Shaman also want these.

Fresh 80

Item	Source
Fire Orchid Signet	Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Nebula Band	Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor)
Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor	Harold Winston (Vendor) – Dalaran
Lady Maye’s Sapphire Ring	Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10)
Signet of Hopeful Light	Argent Crusade – Exalted
Circle of Life	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)
Ring of the Fated	Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop)

For a fresh level 80 Holy Paladin, you have fantastic ring options. The best of which is the