- Author: Nevermore
- Date: August 16, 2023
- Updated: August 19, 2023
- Expansion: WotLK Classic
This section of the guide offers an in-depth list of the best possible options for each Phase along with alternatives, where available. There are two methods of gearing for PvP.
- The first method focuses on PvP items in every slot, except potentially a PvE Weapon and PvE Trinket.
- These builds focus on high Resilience Rating and Stamina, prioritizing survivability where possible.
- The second method is a Hybrid, focusing on PvE items in your off-slots, and PvP items in your main 5 slots.
- This approach sacrifices survivability in exchange for higher offensive power, significantly lowering your potential Resilience.
Hybrid Builds for Retribution Paladin
The list mainly features the Standard PvP Build, however, Retribution Paladin is a unique specialization that has access to two main Hybrid Builds:
- The first is a typical offense-oriented build where PvP items are dropped in favor of items with higher Strength, Critical Strike Chance, Haste Rating, and potential Armor Penetration.
- The second build functions similarly to the first but shifts from Physical stats into Spell Power. This is done to increase survivability against hard-hitting classes, like Death Knights. This is done by creating a war of attrition, where you simply spam Flash of Light and Consecration to help yourself survive. The build usually brings a one-handed weapon and a shield swap.
During Season 8, Retribution Paladins may also want to consider using 2-piece Tier 10. This gives their melee hits a high chance of resetting the cooldown of Divine Storm, opening up a lot of Burst potential, with back-to-back Divine Storms. If you do decide to go down this route, you may want to compensate for lost Resilience in off-slots.
Retribution Paladin Full BiS Item List
Each of the tabs below contains an accordion with an extensive list of items and explanations. You will find specific items nested under each Season tab after opening, such as Season 5 BiS Gear -> Shoulders. The majority of slots feature progressive upgrades, including options from previous phases, as well as the current BiS. Note that most items receive a price update when a new phase arrives, meaning you will be able to acquire the previous best options more easily.
Entry-Level PvP Gear (First Tab)
The first tab below, Entry-Level PvP Gear, comes with a special mention: if your character was around during the TBC Classic Era, you can choose to skip it. The reason is, you may find that your Brutal Gladiator Gear will have a larger impact than the items you will see in the first tab. Though, if your character was created anew for WotLK Classic and you find yourself dying rapidly and repeatedly in Battlegrounds, you might want to consider looking over it: the items in the first tab offer a decent amount of Resilience Rating without requiring any grind. Though, it must be noted that the first tab is better suited for the first two phases of the expansion — you are likely to find more powerful items in the later phases.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
Utgarde Pinnacle – King Ymiron (Heroic) | |
Zul’Drak – Betrayal |
The best possible choice that you can acquire early on without any sort of grind is the Titanium Impact Choker. It can be directly acquired with gold from the Auction House or from a Jewelcrafter. You may also use the Gold Amulet of Kings as a valid alternative if you simply don’t wish to buy the BoE item.
Lastly, you may use the Choker of the Betrayer as a decent initial choice that can easily be acquired from a quest while leveling your character.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
Gundrak – Zone Drop (Heroic) |
The Cloak of Bloodied Waters is one of the best cloaks that you can acquire as a Retribution Paladin early on, offering a solid boost to your overall damage output. The best part about the item is that it is a BoE, meaning that you can acquire it easily with gold without having to grind Honor Points for it.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
This will be the best option if you haven’t managed to acquire the Brutal Gladiator option from the previous expansion. This option doesn’t require any Honor Points grind and may simply be purchased with Gold from the Auction House or a Blacksmith.
Item | Source |
Kirin Tor – Exalted Reputation (8500 Gold) | |
Kirin Tor – Exalted Reputation (8500 Gold) | |
Gundrak – Gal’darah (Heroic) | |
The Culling of Stratholme – Chrono-Lord Epoch (Heroic) | |
Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom – Zone Drop (Heroic) |
Item | Source |
10850 Honor Points | |
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck |
The most important item that you can acquire in PvP is the Medallion of the Alliance/Medallion of the Horde! This item is vital for any PvP encounter, whether we talk about Arenas, Battlegrounds, Duels, or Open World PvP. Without it, you will be entirely susceptible to the concept of being “CC-Locked”. This means that you should aim to spend all of your initial Honor Points in order to acquire this item without thinking of using any single Honor Point for any other PvP item!
The Anvil of Titans is another great item that can be bought with Wintergrasp Marks of Honor and serves as a potent source of Resilience Rating while building your initial Season 5 PvP set.
As for the best possible PvE trinket that you can acquire to pair with your PvP trinket, the Darkmoon Card: Greatness stands as the greatest source of damage output for any Retribution Paladin in Season 5!
Item | Source |
Knights of the Ebond Hold – Revered Reputation | |
Drak’Tharon Keep – The Prophet Tharon’ja (Heroic) |
The best weapon that you can acquire for your Entry-Level PvP gear depends on your current Hit Rating. As you will initially struggle with Hit Rating, you will want to acquire the Titansteel Destroyer.
Season 5 is the only Arena Season in the WotLK Classic expansion that provides 3 separate gear sets for the players. The season itself is structured around 3 main stages. The initial stage contains gear available only from Battlegrounds that has the “Savage Gladiator” tag on the front of any item. The second stage contains items that may be purchased with Honor Points and Arena Points with the “Hateful Gladiator” tag on the front of the items. The final stage grants a new set that provides higher stats than the previous “Hateful Gladiator Set”, with the “Deadly Gladiator” tag placed in front of the items.
Season 5 is the only PvP season that breaks into three distinct parts while the other Seasons have only one available set throughout the entirety of the PvP Season.
Additionally, Season 5 is one of the worst seasons for Hybrid Spell Power Builds as there are close to no potent Spell Power items. There are only a few worthwhile options, with the Weapon Slots being your primary source of Spell Power. There is also the possibility of using Spell Power Cloaks, Rings, or Trinkets, however, they are very situational and only work against a few classes. You will primarily want to focus on the Standard PvP Build and dabble a bit into the first variant of the Hybrid PvP/PvE Build.
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
8400 Honor Points + 350 Arena Points | |
42000 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1950 Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Helm is the mid-season option that received a buff. Initially, it was available only for Arena Points, with a later change toward Honor Points + Arena Points.
Savage Gladiator’s Scaled Helm will be your initial choice once you gather enough Honor Points. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Hateful Helmet. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Helm entirely in favor of the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
The Eye of Eternity – Heroic Judgment at the Eye of Eternity | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10) |
Your Necklace Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Cloak Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option will be the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory. If you choose to use a PvE item instead for more Critical Strike Chance, the best possible Hit Rating item is Fool’s Trial.
Offense-oriented items:
The best possible option is Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph. If you choose to use a PvE item instead for more Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration, the best option is the Favor of the Dragon Queen. Even if Retribution Paladins don’t benefit as much from Armor Penetration as the other Physical Damage Dealers, it will still enhance our overall damage output.
The Gem of Imprisoned Vassals is the next-best alternative if you choose to use Haste instead of Armor Penetration, however, you will lose access to a Gem Socket.
Item | Source |
1750 Arena Points | |
6720 Honor Points + 550 Arena Points | |
35000 Honor Points |
The best option is the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum Arena Rating of 2000.
Until you manage to reach the 2000 Arena Rating mark, the best alternative will be the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders. The mid-season option will be the best option for a large number of players, as the 2000 Arena Rating mark can be quite difficult to achieve.
The Savage Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders will be your initial option! You will stick with this item until you manage to gain enough points for the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulder.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25) | |
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25) | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) |
Your Cloak Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Necklace Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
You may also use this slot for your Hybrid Spell Power Build and skip over the classic PvP and PvE Physical Damage items. However, as stated previously in the explanations section, the Build is highly situational in Season 5 due to the low Spell Power granted by the items.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory.
Offense-oriented Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph. If you choose to use the first variant of the Hybrid Build, the best possible choice is the Drape of the Deadly Foe since it grants a high amount of Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating. It is followed up by the Hammerhead Sharkskin Cloak which offers similar stats.
If you choose to use the Spell Power Hybrid Build, the Pennant Cloak is the best choice since it grants Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating combined with a decently high Spell Power. It is followed up by the Shroud of Luminosity which offers slightly lower stat values, with the exact same types of stats.
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
8400 Honor Points + 700 Arena Points | |
42000 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1600 Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece is the mid-season option that received a buff. Initially, it was available only for Arena Points, with a later change toward Honor Points + Arena Points.
Savage Gladiator’s Scaled Helm will be your initial choice once you gather enough Honor Points. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Hateful Chest. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece entirely in favor of the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece.
Item | Source |
27580 Honor Points | |
13790 Honor Points | |
Naxxramas – Gothik the Harvester (25) | |
Naxxramas – Grand Widow Faerlina (25) |
Your Bracers Slot will be entirely dedicated for Offense-oriented items, with a few exceptions that fit the Hybrid PvE Build which can be used to increase your Hit Rating or Expertise Rating.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build is the Deadly Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph once it becomes available. It is followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph.
The Savage Saronite Bracers is a decent initial choice that can be directly acquired with gold if you don’t wish to spend Honor Points on Brutal Gear as your initial option. You will want to use this item until you gain enough Honor Points for either the Hateful or the Deadly choice.
For the Hybrid Build, you will want to use either one of the Bracers of Unrelenting Attack or the Bracers of the Tyrant as a viable option, depending on your current need. The former option is the best if you still require Hit Rating to reach the 5% Soft Hit Cap, while the latter option is especially useful against classes that rely on high values of Dodge or Parry Rating.
Item | Source |
1350 Arena Points | |
5040 Honor Points + 400 Arena Points | |
35000 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1400 Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets is the mid-season option that received a buff. Initially, it was available only for Arena Points, with a later change toward Honor Points + Arena Points.
Savage Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets will be your initial choice once you gather enough Honor Points. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Hateful Gloves. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Helm entirely in favor of the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm.
Item | Source |
43400 Honor Points | |
21700 Honor Points | |
In Season 5, you will mainly want to use items in your Waist Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats, while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece slots. You will also want to maintain this slot for pure PvP items, instead of mixing in PvE items.
The best possible option will be the Deadly Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph.
If you don’t have access to Brutal Gladiator’s gear or if you simply don’t wish to farm it, you may simply buy the Savage Saronite Waistguard with gold as your best initial option until you get enough Honor Points to gain either the Hateful or the Deadly belt.
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
8400 Honor Points + 700 Arena Points | |
42000 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the thanks to the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1500 Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards is the mid-season option that received a buff. Initially, it was available only for Arena Points, with a later change toward Honor Points + Arena Points.
Savage Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards will be your initial choice once you gather enough Honor Points. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Hateful Legguards. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards entirely in favor of the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
43400 Honor Points | |
21700 Honor Points | |
In Season 5, you will mainly want to use items in your Feet Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats, while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece Slots. You will also want to maintain this slot for pure PvP items, instead of mixing in PvE items.
The Deadly Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph is the best possible option once it becomes available, followed up by the Hateful Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph.
As an initial option until you can acquire the Hateful Gladiator Boots, you can use Savage Saronite Walkers if you don’t have access to the Brutal Gladiator items or simply don’t wish to grind for them.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) | |
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (10) | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) | |
Kirin Tor – Exalted Reputation (8500 Gold) | |
Kirin Tor – Exalted Reputation (8500 Gold) | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25) |
The Ring Slots offer the highest versality when it comes to stat gains, being very similar to the Cloak and Necklace Slots. You may use those two slots for gaining a multitude of stats while also combining different archetype of items. You may choose to use two different PvP Rings at the same time or focus on the classic PvP/PvE ring variant.
The best rings for the Standard PvP Build are the Deadly Gladiator’s Band of Victory and the Hateful Gladiator’s Band of Triumph. You can either use them independently or paired up together. Ideally, you will pair them up with a Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating ring if you pick the first option and a Hit Rating ring if you pick the second option. Of course, this only applies if you are min-maxing your stats completely and you are as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap. If not, you will want Hit Rating rings in both slots.
Either one of the Strong-Handed Ring or the Surge Needle Ring will be a great addition besides your PvP ring as they both grant high stats and considerable Hit Rating. You may also choose to pair them together if you wish to play the first variant of the Hybrid Build.
Ruthlessness is the best option if you are dealing with comps that heavily rely on Dodge Rating and Parry Rating. You may find this item useful against Druids, Rogues, and Death Knights. The Ring of the Kirin Tor is a good alternative to it as it provides the exact same types of stats, only in lower amounts.
The Band of the Kirin Tor is a viable alternative that may be used in case you wish to play a Hybrid Build and can’t access the other options. Keep in mind that you can use the Band of the Kirin Tor and Ring of the Kirin Tor at the same time, provided you have enough gold to buy them.
Lastly, the Signet of Manifested Pain is the best possible option if you choose to use a Hybrid Spell Power Build since its secondary stats are very high when compared to any other similar item. If you choose the Spell Power Hybrid Build, make sure to use either one of the PvP rings as a secondary ring!
Item | Source |
21700 Honor Points | |
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck | |
The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion (25) | |
Utgarde Pinnacle – King Ymiron (Heroic) | |
The Eye of Eternity – Malygos (25) | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) |
The most important trinket that you can acquire in PvP is the Medallion of the Alliance/Medallion of the Horde! This item is vital for any PvP encounter, whether we talk about Arenas, Battlegrounds, Duels, or Open World PvP. Without it, you will be entirely susceptible to the concept of being “CC-Locked”.
Humans are the only race in the entirety of the game that doesn’t require this trinket thanks to their Every Man for Himself racial effect! Due to this effect, Humans can use two PvE trinkets to gain increased offensive power. The only downfall is that the additional offensive power results in a reduced Resilience Rating since their racial effect only provides the removal of CC effects, unlike the trinket that provides the effect and a large amount of Resilience Rating.
Besides the PvE trinkets, the Anvil of Titans is another great PvP option if you struggle with survivability while also providing a decently strong offense-oriented effect. You will want to avoid this item if you choose a Hybrid Build since it won’t provide enough offensive power.
The absolute best PvE trinket that you can combine with your medallion within this season is the Darkmoon Card: Greatness. This is thanks to the extremely high Strength proc that you can gain by using this item. The only other item that comes close in terms of damage output is the Fury of the Five Flights, however, it objectively performs worse since its effect requires a build-up. With the unpredictable nature of PvP, you may never even reach the point where you fully stack the Fury of the Five Flights or you may find yourself in situations where you will continuously have the buff on if we talk about long fights.
The Meteorite Whetstone is a great option if you can’t gain any of the previously mentioned items. Retribution Paladins benefit a great deal from Haste Rating, especially if you choose to use Seal of Vengeance as you can apply the debuff faster. You may choose to use the Mark of Norgannon as an alternative that is better suited for fights against classes that heavily rely on Dodge Rating and Parry Rating since it grants a considerable amount of Expertise Rating while also providing the Haste Rating effect. The main difference is that you can now choose when to benefit from Haste Rating with this trinket, meaning that you can time it with your Burst.
If you choose to follow the off-meta “meme” Spell Power Hybrid Build, you may choose to use the Dying Curse as your best Spell Power source. The major issue with this item is that you have no control over the Spell Power proc, which means that you must time your burst accordingly. As mentioned in the “Season 5 Special Explanations” section, it is better to avoid the Hybrid Spell Power Build for this season since the items are highly unreliable.
Two-Handed Weapons | Source |
4500 Arena Points | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25) | |
Naxxramas – Four Horsemen (25) | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (10) |
When it comes to your Weapon Slots, things will get a bit tricky. What we mean by this is that there are two main ways of playing Retribution Paladin in PvP: You can either focus on a Shield & One-Handed Weapon for long fights and later swap on to a Two-Handed Weapon or you can maintain a Two-Handed Weapon for the entirety of the fight. The only consistent factor is that the One-Handed Weapon & Shield will always be items that focus on increasing your Spell Power. Your Two-Handed Weapon can also be either a high-end PvE Weapon or a high-end PvP Weapon. The choice depends on your current Resilience Rating and whether or not you want to increase it and the accessibility of the PvP Weapon in itself, as not everyone will be able to reach 2200 Arena Rating easily.
Two-Handed Weapons:
The best possible PvP Weapon that you can acquire is the Deadly Gladiator’s Greatsword, however, it requires a minimum 1800 Arena Rating which can be quite difficult to achieve for some players. You should also keep in mind that depending on the race you are currently playing, you will favor variants of this weapon. Human players will favor Maces and Swords thanks to their Expertise Rating racial while Dwarves will strictly favor Maces. Draenei and Blood Elves won’t have a favorite weapon archetype since none of their racial effects enhances a specific weapon type.
As for PvE Weapons, the best possible option is the Betrayer of Humanity, followed up closely by Armageddon. The reason for this is the weapons’ Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating secondary stat combination that provides the best damage output for Retribution Paladins in this current phase.
If you struggle with Hit Rating and you chose almost full offense-oriented items in the rest of your gear slots, the best possible option will be Death’s Bite as it provides a considerable amount of Hit Rating. Keep in mind that the Hit Rating provided by this weapon won’t be enough to reach the Soft Cap on its own without any other Hit Rating items!
One-Handed Weapons | Source |
3150 Arena Points | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25) |
Shields | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad (25) |
One-Handed Weapon & Shield
As mentioned previously, you will be able to use a One-Handed Weapon and Shield when faced against heavy hitter comps, no matter whether you choose the Standard PvP Build or the Hybrid Builds! You will also be able to create a macro in order to swiftly change your Two-Handed Weapon with a One-Handed Weapon and Shield to increase the potency of your Flash of Light. In the second case, you will want to make sure that you are not about to receive heavy damage when doing so as it will take a couple of seconds to take full advantage of the Spell Power weapons and use 1 or 2 Flash of Light casts.
The best possible PvP weapons that you can acquire are the Deadly Gladiator’s Gavel & Deadly Gladiator’s Barrier. Keep in mind that both items require an 1800 Arena Rating in order to be bought. Both items are viable whether you choose to play the Standard PvP Build or any of the Hybrid Builds, however, they perform significantly better in the Hybrid Spell Power variant.
If you can’t gain those items, either due to a lack of Arena Points or due to not reaching the necessary Arena Rating, the best possible alternatives will be The Turning Tide & Voice of Reason due to their high Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating. You may also choose to use them as a primary choice in case you already have more than enough Resilience Rating.
Item | Source |
1200 Arena Points | |
1200 Arena Points | |
4480 Honor Points 350 Arena Points | |
4480 Honor Points 350 Arena Points | |
3115 Honor Points | |
3115 Honor Points |
Your Libram choice depends entirely on your playstyle. You may use any Libram in all the possible build variants, with a few of them shining more in specific types of builds than the others. Keep in mind that both of the Deadly Gladiator’s Librams require at least 1800 Arenat Rating in order to be bought while the Hateful Gladiator and Savage Gladiator versions don’t require any Arena Rating.
The Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is the best option for increasing your overall survivability as you will constantly use Flash of Light, no matter what build archetype you choose. While this Libram is useful in any build archetype, it is especially potent in the Hybrid Spell Power Build. Nonetheless, many players choose to use it primarily in the Standard PvP Build when faced with heavy “Melee Comps” that result in a long fight.
The same situations apply to both the Hateful Gladiator’s Libram of Justice and the Savage Gladiator’s Libram of Justice. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Justice while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set.
The Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude is a great option for people who prefer to focus on bursting their targets. It works the best in the Standard PvP Build and the initial Hybrid Build. You should get this item if you know that you won’t be forced into long-lasting fights, as the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is objectively better if the fight doesn’t end as soon as possible.
The same situations apply for both the Hateful Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude and the Savage Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set.
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
1125 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Helm thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1950 Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Helm will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Deadly Helm. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm entirely in favor of the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Helm.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Flame Leviathan (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Thorim (10) HM | |
Ulduar – Kologarn (10) |
Your Necklace Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Cloak Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory if you previously had it and you didn’t manage to acquire the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory, however, you will generally want to gather Honor Points for either the first or second option.
If you plan on playing the Spell Power Hybrid variant, you may use either one of the Pendant of Fiery Havoc or the Pendant of the Piercing Glare as a viable Spell Power option that also grants a considerable Hit Rating. The former option is stronger than the latter due to overall high stats and available Gem Sockets. However, you should keep in mind that those options are heavily prioritized by caster classes, meaning that you will have a hard time acquiring them for a “Unique PvP Build”.
Offense-oriented items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph if you previously had it and didn’t manage to acquire the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph. Just as mentioned with the Hit Rating PvP option, you will generally want to gather Honor Points for either the first or second option if you didn’t already have the item.
If you choose to use the first variant of the Hybrid Build, the best possible item that you can acquire is the Pendulum of Infinity thanks to its high Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating. There are other possible variants, however, none other is strong enough to even be compared to the Pendulum of Infinity.
If you choose to use the second variant of the Hybrid Build, the best possible Spell Power option will be the Pendant of the Shallow Grave as it grants a large amount of Spell Power paired up with Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating. Once again, this item is highly contested, meaning that you might have a hard time acquiring it.
Item | Source |
1750 Arena Points | |
787 Arena Points | |
6110 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 2000 Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Deadly Shoulders. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders entirely in favor of the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – Hodir (25) HM | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (10) HM | |
Ulduar – The Iron Council (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10) |
Your Cloak Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Necklace Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
You may also use this slot for your Hybrid Spell Power Build and skip over the classic PvP and PvE Physical Damage items. Compared to the previous season, the Spell Power Hybrid Build becomes more viable with the updated Ulduar items.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory, followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory if you managed to acquire it in the previous phase. If you haven’t, then we would advise you to gather as many Honor Points as possible until you can acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory.
As for the Hybrid Builds, the best possible option for the first variant of the Hybrid Build will be the Drape of Icy Intent thanks to its very high overall stats. For the second variant of the Hybrid Build, the best possible option will be the Drape of Mortal Downfall, closely followed up by the Drape of Mortal Downfall. Both items have precisely the same types of stats, meaning that the former option is better simply due to its higher overall stats. Just as with the other Spell Power items, the main issue with those items is that they will be highly contested by all the caster classes, meaning that you may only acquire them once everyone else gained them.
Offense-oriented items:
The best Possible Option for the Standard PvP build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph, followed up closely by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph if you previously had it and didn’t manage to acquire the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph in the last phase. However, we recommended that you gather as many Honor Points as possible to acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Triump.
You may also use the Drape of the Faceless General as a viable alternative if you chose to use the Hybrid PvP Build. Even if the item grants Armor Penetration which is not particularly useful at this precise moment of the expansion, it will still enhance your overall damage output!
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
1125 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1600 Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Deadly Chestpiece. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece entirely in favor of the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece.
Item | Source |
27580 Honor Points | |
13790 Honor Points | |
6895 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – Mimiron (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) |
Your Bracers Slot will be entirely dedicated to Offense-oriented items, with a few exceptions that fit the Hybrid PvE Build which can be used to increase your Hit Rating or Expertise Rating.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build is the Furious Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph, closely followed up by the Deadly Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph if you already acquired them in the previous phase but haven’t managed to acquire the Deadly Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph. We advise you to use any option that you previously had until you gather enough Honor Points for the Furious Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph.
If you chose the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible item will be the Armbands of Bedlam as it grants large amounts of Critical Strike Chance and Haste Rating. This option is definitely superior if your aim is to quickly burst down your target.
If you struggle with your Hit Rating or simply struggle facing opponents that rely on Dodge Rating and Parry Rating as a main form of avoidance, the best possible option will be the Solar Bindings. The item offers significantly high amounts of both Hit Rating and Expertise Rating which should alleviate the previously mentioned issues.
Item | Source |
1350 Arena Points | |
675 Arena Points | |
4520 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1400 Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Deadly Gauntlets. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets entirely in favor of the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets.
Item | Source |
43400 Honor Points | |
21700 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – The Iron Council (25) | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (10) HM |
In Season 6, you will mainly want to use items in your Waist Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats, while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece slots. However, you may choose to use Hit Rating/Expertise Rating PvE items if you find better Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration items for your other gear slots.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph, especially if you already acquired the item from the previous phase of the expansion and haven’t managed to gain the Deadly Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph. We advise you to use whichever one of those two items you have available until you manage to gather enough Honor Points to buy the Furious Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph.
If you choose to use the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible options will be tailored towards increasing your Expertise Rating or Hit Rating. The best possible option for increasing your Hit Rating will be the Belt of Colossal Rage thanks to its very high overall stats while the best possible option for increasing your Expertise Rating will be the Soul-Devouring Cinch since it also possesses the highest possible overall stats.
Item | Source |
2250 Arena Points | |
1125 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1500 Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Hateful Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Deadly Leggings. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards entirely in favor of the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards.
Fresh 80
Item | Source |
43400 Honor Points | |
21700 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) |
In Season 6, you will mainly want to use items in your Feet Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats, while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece Slots. However, you may choose to use Hit Rating/Expertise Rating PvE items if you find better Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration items for your other gear slots.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build is the Furious Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph as an initial option if you already acquired the item from the previous phase and you haven’t managed to gain the Deadly Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph. If your character is entirely new and created in Season 6, we advise you to save your Honor Points until you can acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph.
If you choose to use the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible option is the Sabatons of Lifeless Night thanks to its overall high stats and Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating secondary stats. You may also choose to use the Battlelord’s Plate Boots as a viable alternative since it has the same types of stats if you don’t have access to Ulduar 25.
There is another valid option that you may use if you still haven’t achieved your Soft Hit Cap, namely the Boots of the Underdweller. It has almost the same stat pattern as with the other PvE options, with the only difference being its Hit Rating that replaces Haste Rating.
Item | Source |
33180 Honor Points | |
16590 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – All Is Well That Ends Well (Heroic) | |
Ulduar – All Is Well That Ends Well | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Zone Drop (25) | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10) | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) |
The Ring Slots offer the highest versatility when it comes to stat gains, being very similar to the Cloak and Necklace Slots. You may use those two slots for gaining a multitude of stats while also combining different archetypes of items. You may choose to use two different PvP Rings at the same time or focus on the classic PvP/PvE ring variant.
The best rings for the Standard PvP Build are the Furious Gladiator’s Band of Triumph, Deadly Gladiator’s Band of Victory, and the Hateful Gladiator’s Band of Triumph. You can either use them independently or pair them up together. Ideally, you will pair them up with a Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating ring if you pick the first option and a Hit Rating ring if you pick the second option. Of course, this only applies if you are min-maxing your stats completely and you are as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap. If not, you will want Hit Rating rings in both slots.
Utility Items:
The Seal of the Betrayed King is the best possible option for increasing your Hit Rating while also retaining a decently high amount of Critical Strike Chance! It’s damage output is quite similar to Brann’s Signet Ring, with both items having a very low damage output, despite their different stats.
Bladebearer’s Signet is the best option if you are dealing with comps that heavily rely on Dodge Rating and Parry Rating. You may find this item useful against Druids, Rogues, and Death Knights. The ring is also a great option if you also lack Hit Rating besides Expertise Rating.
Offense-oriented items:
Even though Armor Penetration is not the best possible stat for a Retribution Paladin, there are two specific items that will still grant a great overall stat spread, despite their Armor Penetration stat. Both Brann’s Signet Ring & Brann’s Sealing Ring are great options for increasing your overall damage output since a part of your damage will always be physical.
Lastly, either one of the Nebula Band or the Pyrelight Circle are great options if you choose to use a Hybrid Spell Power Build since their secondary stats are very high when compared to any other similar item. If you choose the Spell Power Hybrid Build, make sure to use either one of the PvP rings as a secondary ring!
Item | Source |
21700 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (10) | |
Darkmoon Faire – Darkmoon Nobles Deck | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) |
The most important trinket that you can acquire in PvP is the Medallion of the Alliance/Medallion of the Horde! This item is vital for any PvP encounter, whether we talk about Arenas, Battlegrounds, Duels, or Open World PvP. Without it, you will be entirely susceptible to the concept of being “CC-Locked”.
Humans are the only race in the entirety of the game that doesn’t require this trinket thanks to their Every Man for Himself racial effect! Due to this effect, Humans can use two PvE trinkets to gain increased offensive power. The only downfall is that the additional offensive power results in a reduced Resilience Rating since their racial effect only provides the removal of CC effects, unlike the trinket that provides the effect and a large amount of Resilience Rating.
Besides the PvE trinkets, the Anvil of Titans is another great PvP option if you struggle with survivability while also providing a decently strong offense-oriented effect. You will want to avoid this item if you choose a Hybrid Build since it won’t provide enough offensive power.
There are 3 main PvE trinkets that you can use in Season 6, two of which come from Ulduar with the third remaining the same BiS from the previous season. The two main additions are Comet’s Trail & Dark Matter, both of which grant amazing bonuses. It doesn’t particularly matter which one you use, as both can massively increase your damage output. The former option is particularly better since Haste Rating reduces your overall GCD while the latter option is weaker against targets that have a high Resilience Rating since it grants Critical Strike Chance.
The Darkmoon Card: Greatness still retains one of the best spots, with its high Strength buff being one of the best available damage-enhancers in the game. You may compare it to the Blood of the Old God in terms of performance, which is objectively better if your build severely lacks Hit Rating.
If you choose to follow the off-meta “meme” Spell Power Hybrid Build, you may choose to use the Flare of the Heavens or the Dying Curse as your best Spell Power sources. The major issue with this item is that you have no control over the Spell Power proc, which means that you must time your burst accordingly. Unlike season 5, season 6 confers better Spell Power items that can make this variant truly viable.
Two-Handed Weapons | Source |
4500 Arena Points | |
3037 Arena Points | |
2025 Arena Points | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM | |
Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) HM | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) HM |
When it comes to your Weapon Slots, things will get a bit tricky. What we mean by this is that there are two main ways of playing Retribution Paladin in PvP: You can either focus on a Shield & One-Handed Weapon for long fights and later swap on to a Two-Handed Weapon or you can maintain a Two-Handed Weapon for the entirety of the fight. The only consistent factor is that the One-Handed Weapon & Shield will always be items that focus on increasing your Spell Power. Your Two-Handed Weapon can also be either a high-end PvE Weapon or a high-end PvP Weapon. The choice depends on your current Resilience Rating and whether or not you want to increase it and the accessibility of the PvP Weapon in itself, as not everyone will be able to reach 2200 Arena Rating easily.
Season 6 comes with two different variants of standard PvP weapons, with a clear difference between their stats and requirements. The upgraded versions of the weapons require 2200 Arena Rating while the normal PvP weapons require a minimum of 1800 Arena Rating.
Two-Handed Weapons:
The best possible PvP Weapon that you can acquire is the Furious Gladiator’s Claymore, however, it requires a minimum 2200 Arena Rating which can be quite difficult to achieve for some players. It is closely followed up by the Furious Gladiator’s Greatsword which is its normal version that becomes available once you reach 1800 Arena Rating.
If you struggle to reach 1800 Arena Rating, you may use the Deadly Gladiator’s Greatsword as a viable alternative as it no longer has any Arena Rating requirement. Keep in mind, however, that it is a costly item that should be prioritized only if you can’t acquire any other better alternative.
You should also keep in mind that depending on the race you are currently playing, you will favor variants of this weapon. Human players will favor Maces and Swords thanks to their Expertise Rating racial while Dwarves will strictly favor Maces. Draenei and Blood Elves won’t have a favorite weapon archetype since none of their racial effects enhances a specific weapon type.
If you use the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible option is Voldrethar, Dark Blade of Oblivion, thanks to its extremely high overall stats. Even if the weapon grants Armor Penetration, it still provides an extremely high damage output. It is closely followed up by Aesir’s Edge, which grants exactly the same types of stats, only in slightly lower amounts.
You may also use other options such as the Dark Edge of Depravity if you still require Hit Rating in order to reach the 5% Soft Hit Cap.
One-Handed Weapons | Source |
Ulduar – Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings (Quest) | |
3150 Arena Points | |
2126 Arena Points | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (10) HM | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) |
Shields | Source |
2025 Arena Points | |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) HM |
One-Handed Weapon & Shield
As mentioned previously, you will be able to use a One-Handed Weapon and Shield when faced against heavy hitter comps, no matter whether you choose the Standard PvP Build or the Hybrid Builds! You will also be able to create a macro in order to swiftly change your Two-Handed Weapon with a One-Handed Weapon and Shield to increase the potency of your Flash of Light. In the second case, you will want to make sure that you are not about to receive heavy damage when doing so as it will take a couple of seconds to take full advantage of the Spell Power weapons and use 1 or 2 Flash of Light casts.
Ideally, you will want items with Critical Strike Chance & Haste Rating for both your Main-Hand and Shield item slots. If you can’t find any items that have those secondary stats, you may even use items that grant Critical Strike Chance & MP5 as viable alternatives.
The best possible option, no matter whether you use the Standard PvP Build or the Hybrid PvP Builds, is Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings. This is not only due to its extraordinary stat spread, but mainly due to its unique effect which grants an absorption effect whenever you cast any healing spell. This item is strong enough to remain relevant even during Season 7 & Season 8!
If you can’t acquire Val’anyr, for the Standard PvP Build the Furious Gladiator’s Salvation offers the best possible stats while also requiring a 2200 Arena Rating. The Furious Gladiator’s Gavel is a weaker alternative that can be acquired with only an 1800 Arena Rating. However, there is only one shield variant that you can use, the Furious Gladiator’s Barrier, which can be acquired once you reach the 1800 Arena Rating.
If you choose the Hybrid PvP Build and you can’t gain Val’anyr, the best possible option is Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion, closely followed up by Constellus. The former option is stronger due to the Haste Rating it grants, even if it brings lower Spell Power.
Wisdom’s Hold is the best available shield that you can use from the PvE environment, with roughly only two other available options that may come close to it. This is due to the very high overall stats that it grants while also having Haste Rating & Critical Strike Chance as its secondary stats.
Item | Source |
1200 Arena Points | |
1200 Arena Points | |
600 Arena Points | |
600 Arena Points | |
3900 Honor Points | |
3900 Honor Points |
Your Libram choice depends entirely on your playstyle. You may use any Libram in all the possible build variants, with a few of them shining more in specific types of builds than the others. Keep in mind that both of the Furious Gladiator’s Librams require at least 1800 Arena Rating in order to be bought while the Hateful Gladiator and Savage Gladiator versions don’t require any Arena Rating.
The Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is the best option for increasing your overall survivability as you will constantly use Flash of Light, no matter what build archetype you choose. While this Libram is useful in any build archetype, it is especially potent in the Hybrid Spell Power Build. Nonetheless, many players choose to use it primarily in the Standard PvP Build when faced with heavy “Melee Comps” that result in a long fight.
The same situations apply to both the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Justice and the Hateful Gladiator’s Libram of Justice. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Justice while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set for this season.
The Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude is a great option for people who prefer to focus on bursting their targets. It works the best in the Standard PvP Build and the initial Hybrid Build. You should get this item if you know that you won’t be forced into long-lasting fights, as the Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is objectively better if the fight doesn’t end as soon as possible.
The same situations apply for both the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude and the Hateful Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set for this season.
Item | Source |
2025 Arena Points | |
1012 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Helm thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1950 Arena Rating.
Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Helm is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Helm will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Furious Helm. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Helm entirely in favor of the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Helm.
Item | Source |
29862 Honor Points | |
29862 Honor Points | |
14931 Honor Points | |
14931 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM | |
Trial of the Crusader – Eydis Darkbane (25) Heroic |
Your Necklace Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Cloak Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Relentless Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Furious Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory if you previously had it and you didn’t manage to acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Pendant of Victory, however, you will generally want to gather Honor Points for either the first or second option.
Offense-oriented items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Furious Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph. You may still use the Hateful Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph if you previously had it and didn’t manage to acquire the Deadly Gladiator’s Pendant of Triumph. Just as mentioned with the Hit Rating PvP option, you will generally want to gather Honor Points for either the first or second option if you don’t already have the item.
If you choose to use the first variant of the Hybrid Build, the best possible item that you can acquire is the Charge of the Demon Lord/Charge of the Eredar thanks to its high Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating. There only other possible alternative is the Pendulum of Infinity as it shares the same types of stats, only in lesser amounts.
If you choose to use the second variant of the Hybrid Build, the strongest available Spell Power option will be the Cry of the Val’kyr/Wail of the Val’kyr thanks to its great Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating secondary stats. The only issue is that the item is highly contested, meaning that you may only gain it after every single other caster class gets its hands on it.
Item | Source |
1575 Arena Points | |
787 Arena Points | |
6110 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 2000 Arena Rating. However, this season is special since there is another item that is just as strong and can be acquired without any real Arena Rating requirement. We are talking about the Titan-Forged Shoulderplates of Triumph which will serve as the next-best alternative until you gain access to the Relentless Shoulders.
Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Furious Shoulders or once you gain enough Wintergrasp Marks for the Titan-Forged Shoulders. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating or how fast you can acquire the Wintergrasp Marks you may choose to skip the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders entirely in favor of either one of the Titan-Forged Shoulderplates of Triumph or the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Shoulders.
Item | Source |
29862 Honor Points | |
29862 Honor Points | |
14931 Honor Points | |
14931 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (10) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Tribute Chest (10) Heroic |
Your Cloak Slot can be divided between two main types of items. You can use items that increase your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration or items that increase your Hit Rating alongside any other offense-oriented stat. This slot shares a similarity with your Necklace Slot as you can use that slot for Hit Rating items as well.
Depending on how far away you are from the minimum Hit Soft Cap for PvP, you may choose to use Hit Rating options in both your Necklace and Cloak slots.
You may also use this slot for your Hybrid Spell Power Build and skip over the classic PvP and PvE Physical Damage items. Compared to the previous season, the Spell Power Hybrid Build may benefit from this slot as you will be able to acquire a 271 Ilvl Spell Power Cloak! However, you may only be able to acquire said Cloak if all the other casters from your guild already gain the item, as it is highly contested.
Hit Rating Items:
The best possible option for the Standard PvP build will be the Relentless Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory, followed up by the former BiS, the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory if you previously had it and didn’t manage to acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory. If you didn’t already acquire any of them, we would advise you to gather as many Honor Points as possible until you can acquire the Relentless Gladiator’s Cloak of Victory.
For the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible option will be Varian’s Furor/Garrosh’s Rage, followed up by the Cloak of the Victorious Combatant/Cloak of the Triumphant Combatant. Both items have the exact same types of stats, with the former option being the superior due to its overall higher stats. The items offer an incredible damage output if you manage to pair them up with other PvE items that enhance your Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating.
Offense-oriented items:
The best Possible Option for the Standard PvP build will be the Relentless Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph, followed up closely by the former BiS, the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph if you previously had it and didn’t manage to acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph in the last phase. However, we recommended that you gather as many Honor Points as possible to acquire the Relentless Gladiator’s Cloak of Triumph
You may also choose to use the PvE Hit Rating items as “Offense-oriented” items since their stats are extremely high if you pick the first variant of the Hybrid PvP Build. If you choose the second variant of the PvP Hybrid Build, the best possible option will be Jaina’s Radiance/Aethas’ Intensity followed up by the Drape of Bitter Incantation/Drape of the Sunreavers. Once again, the main issue with those items is that they are extremely hard to acquire, as they will be heavily contested.
Item | Source |
2025 Arena Points | |
1012 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1600 Arena Rating.
Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Furious Chestpiece. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece entirely in favor of the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Chestpiece.
Item | Source |
24822 Honor Points | |
12411 Honor Points | |
6895 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
Your Bracers Slot will be entirely dedicated to Offense-oriented items, with a few exceptions that fit the Hybrid PvE Build which can be used to increase your Hit Rating or Expertise Rating.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build is the Relentless Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph, closely followed up by the Furious Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph if you already acquired them in the previous phase but haven’t managed to acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph. We advise you to use any option that you previously had until you gather enough Honor Points for the Relentless Gladiator’s Bracers of Triumph
.If you choose the Hybrid PvP Build there are two main options that stand out which can be used to alter the rest of your build. The first one is the Boneshatter Armplates/Boneshatter Vambraces which are exceptionally good if you are struggling against classes that rely heavily on Dodge Rating/Parry Rating as their main form of avoidance.
The second option, Bracers of Dark Determination, is better suited if you choose the “Offense-oriented” options in your other slots. However, keep in mind that you will be far away from your Soft Hit Cap if you use this item as your sole Hit Rating option.
Item | Source |
1215 Arena Points | |
607 Arena Points | |
4520 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1400 Arena Rating.
Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Furious Gauntlets. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets entirely in favor of the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Gauntlets.
Item | Source |
39060 Honor Points | |
19530 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjolla Lightbane (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic |
In Season 7, just like in Season 6, you will mainly want to use items in your Waist Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats. You will want to prioritize such items while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece slots. However, you may choose to use Hit Rating/Expertise Rating PvE items if you find better Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration items for your other gear slots.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build will be the Relentless Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Furious Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph, especially if you already acquired the item from the previous phase of the expansion and haven’t managed to gain the Furious Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph. We advise you to use whichever one of those two items you have available until you manage to gather enough Honor Points to buy the Relentless Gladiator’s Girdle of Triumph.
If you choose to use the Hybrid PvP Builds, there are multiple available options, depending on the type of Hybrid Build that you choose to play. The Bloodbath Belt/Bloodbath Girdle is the best option if you struggle to fight against classes that heavily rely on Dodge Rating/Parry Rating while the Belt of the Merciless Killer/Belt of the Pitiless Killer is a great option for increasing your overall Hit Rating if you choose Offense-oriented items in your other slots.
You may also use the Cord of Biting Cold/Belt of Biting Cold as a viable Hit Rating/Spell Power option if you choose to use the Spell Power Hybrid PvP Build variant. However, as with many other Spell Power options, this option will be heavily contested in PvE, meaning that you may only acquire it once every other caster possesses the item.
Item | Source |
2025 Arena Points | |
1012 Arena Points | |
7700 Honor Points |
The best possible option is the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards thanks to the item possessing the highest possible stats. This item requires a minimum of 1500 Arena Rating.
Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards is the middle option that acted as the previous BiS. It will now be available for half the Arena Points price it originally had, while also no longer requiring any Arena Rating.
Deadly Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards will be available for Honor Points, serving as your initial choice if you didn’t acquire any PvP items from the previous season. You will exchange this item as soon as you gather enough points for your Furious Helm. Depending on how fast you can reach a high Arena Rating, you may choose to skip the Furious Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards entirely in favor of the Relentless Gladiator’s Scaled Legguards.
Item | Source |
39060 Honor Points | |
19530 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) |
In Season 7, just like in Season 6, you will mainly want to use items in your Feet Slot that grant Offense-oriented stats. You will want to prioritize such items while having other items that bring utility such as Hit Rating/Expertise Rating in your other Off-Piece slots. However, you may choose to use Hit Rating/Expertise Rating PvE items if you find better Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating/Armor Penetration items for your other gear slots.
The best possible option for the Standard PvP Build is the Relentless Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph, closely followed up by the former BiS, the Furious Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph. You may still use the Deadly Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph as an initial option if you already acquired the item from the previous phase and you haven’t managed to gain the Furious Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph. If your character is entirely new and created in Season 7, we advise you to save your Honor Points until you can acquire the Relentless Gladiator’s Greaves of Triumph.
If you choose to use the Hybrid PvP Build, the best possible option is the Sabatons of Lifeless Night thanks to its overall high stats and Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating secondary stats. If you struggle fighting against classes that heavily rely on Dodge Rating/Parry Rating, the best possible option will be the Greaves of the 7th Legion/Greaves of the Saronite Citadel instead as it grants a large amount of Expertise Rating.
Item | Source |
29862 Honor Points | |
14931 Honor Points | |
8295 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Icehowl (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) HM | |
Ulduar – Zone Drop (25) | |
Heroic: All is Well That Ends Well | |
Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Ignis the Furnace Master (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (10) Heroic |
The Ring Slots offer the highest versatility when it comes to stat gains, being very similar to the Cloak and Necklace Slots. You may use those two slots for gaining a multitude of stats while also combining different archetypes of items. You may choose to use two different PvP Rings at the same time or focus on the classic PvP/PvE ring variant.
The best rings for the Standard PvP Build are the Relentless Gladiator’s Band of Victory, Furious Gladiator’s Band of Triumph, and the Deadly Gladiator’s Band of Victory. You can either use them independently or pair them up together. Ideally, you will pair them up with a Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating ring if you pick the first option and a Hit Rating ring if you pick the second option. Of course, this only applies if you are min-maxing your stats completely and you are as close as possible to the Soft Hit Cap. If not, you will want Hit Rating rings in both slots.
Utility Items:
The main PvE utility items that you can use grant either Hit Rating/Expertise Rating or a combination of both stats at the same time. The best possible option for increasing your Hit Rating for the first variant of the Hybrid PvP Build is the Seal of the Betrayed King. You may also use the Bladebearer’s Signet as a viable Hit Rating alternative that is also very useful against builds that heavily rely on Dodge Rating/Parry Rating, as it grants you a considerable amount of Expertise Rating.
For the Spell Power variant of the Hybrid PvP Build, the best Hit Rating option is the Firestorm Ring/Firestorm Band as it grants a considerable amount of HIt Rating besides its Spell Power.
Offense-oriented items:
The best possible PvE “Offense-oriented” items are the Ring of Callous Aggression/Band of Callous Aggression and the Band of the Violent Temperament/Ring of the Violent Temperament. Both items grant an amazing stat spread, with both items granting Critical Strike Chance & Haste Rating as secondary stats. There are no better offensive rings than those two, with their 245 Ilvl versions, being the next-best alternatives. The only item that comes close to their performances is Brann’s Signet Ring with its overall high stat spread.
Lastly, you may use the Loop of the Agile as a great option for the first variant of the Hybrid PvP Build if you can’t gain any of the previously mentioned items. It has lower overall stats than the other available items, however, it can be acquired with the new Sidereal Essence which removes the need for serious raiding.
Just as in the previous PvP Season, either one of the Nebula Band or the Pyrelight Circle are great options if you choose to use a Hybrid Spell Power Build since their secondary stats are very high when compared to any other similar item. If you choose the Spell Power Hybrid Build, make sure to use either one of the PvP rings as a secondary ring!
Item | Source |
9765 Honor Points | |
10850 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) Heroic | |
Ulduar – Algalon the Observer (25) | |
Trial of the Crusader – Fjola Lightbane (25) | |
Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence ( Sidereal Essence Vendor) | |
Ulduar – Yogg-Saron (25) | |
Ulduar – General Vezax (25) HM | |
Naxxramas – Zone Drop (25) | |
Ulduar – Thorim (25) |
The most important trinket that you can acquire in PvP is the Medallion of the Alliance/Medallion of the Horde! This item is vital for any PvP encounter, whether we talk about Arenas, Battlegrounds, Duels, or Open World PvP. Without it, you will be entirely susceptible to the concept of being “CC-Locked”.
Humans are the only race in the entirety of the game that doesn’t require this trinket thanks to their Every Man for Himself racial effect! Due to this effect, Humans can use two PvE trinkets to gain increased offensive power. The only downfall is that the additional offensive power results in a reduced Resilience Rating since their racial effect only provides the removal of CC effects, unlike the trinket that provides the effect and a large amount of Resilience Rating.
Season 7 in WotLK Classic also comes with a major change, the fact that you can no longer equip the same types of trinkets, even if they have different Ilvls. This means that if you play a Human Character, you may no longer use Death’s Verdict & Death’s Verdict or any other trinket that had multiple Ilvl versions.
The best possible trinket in Season 7 is Death’s Verdict/Death’s Choice thanks to its immense Strength buff that works in the same manner as the Darkmoon Card. Naturally, its next-best alternative will be its 245 Ilvl version since it grants a very similar amount of Strength. Human Characters may choose to use Death’s Verdict paired up with the Comet’s Trail as the best possible trinket combination for both the Standard PvP Build and the first variant of the Hybrid Build. Comet’s Trail is the best option if you haven’t yet acquired any version of Death’s Verdict/Death’s Choice.
The rest of the options remain the same as in the previous PvP season, with Dark Matter being a great option against targets with low Resilience Rating and the Blood of the Old God being a great option for builds that lack Hit Rating.
If you choose to follow the off-meta “meme” Spell Power Hybrid Build, you may choose to use the Flare of the Heavens or the Dying Curse as your best Spell Power sources just like in the previous season. The major issue with this item is that you have no control over the Spell Power proc, which means that you must time your burst accordingly. You may also use the Scale of Fates as a viable Spell Power/Haste Rating alternative that is better suited for Season 7 than Season 6 due to the overall increase in Spell Power that the ToGC items offer.
Two-Handed Weapons | Source |
4050 Arena Points | |
3037 Arena Points | |
3037 Arena Points | |
2025 Arena Points | |
19000 Honor Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
When it comes to your Weapon Slots, things will get a bit tricky. What we mean by this is that there are two main ways of playing Retribution Paladin in PvP: You can either focus on a Shield & One-Handed Weapon for long fights and later swap on to a Two-Handed Weapon or you can maintain a Two-Handed Weapon for the entirety of the fight. The only consistent factor is that the One-Handed Weapon & Shield will always be items that focus on increasing your Spell Power. Your Two-Handed Weapon can also be either a high-end PvE Weapon or a high-end PvP Weapon. The choice depends on your current Resilience Rating and whether or not you want to increase it and the accessibility of the PvP Weapon in itself, as not everyone will be able to reach 2200 Arena Rating easily.
With the release of Season 7, we now have access to multiple variants of PvP weapons. You will now be able to buy Deadly Gladiator weapons with Honor Points, Furious Gladiator weapons come in both variants just as in the last season, with the upgraded version having a minimum 2000 Arena Rating requirement. Relentless Gladiator weapons also come in two different variants: The normal version has an 1800 Arena Rating requirement but grants lower stats than the upgraded Furious Gladiator weapons while the upgraded version has a minimum 2200 Arena Rating requirement.
Two-Handed Weapons:
The best possible PvP Weapon that you can acquire is the Relentless Gladiator’s Claymore, however, it requires a minimum 2200 Arena Rating which can be quite difficult to achieve for some players. The Furious Gladiator’s Claymore is the next-best alternative, with a minimum 2000 Arena Rating requirement. If you can’t reach the minimum 2000 Arena Rating, you may use the Relentless Gladiator’s Greatsword as the best possible option once you reach 1800 Arena Rating.
You may also buy the Furious Gladiator’s Greatsword, however, it is quite a costly item that should only be bought if you can’t reach a high Arena Rating or if you don’t have access to high-end PvE content. Luckily, the Deadly Gladiator’s Greatsword can now be acquired with Honor Rating, resulting in quite a decent amount of Resilience, even if the Weapon Damage is quite low for this season.
You should also keep in mind that depending on the race you are currently playing, you will favor variants of this weapon. Human players will favor Maces and Swords thanks to their Expertise Rating racial while Dwarves will strictly favor Maces. Draenei and Blood Elves won’t have a favorite weapon archetype since none of their racial effects enhances a specific weapon type.
For the Hybrid PvP Build, there are 3 different powerful items that you may acquire. Depending on whether you need more Hit Rating or if you struggle against Dodge/Parry Rating builds and you require Expertise Rating, you may use either one of Catastrophe/Grievance or Decimation/Fleshrender. The former option is the best option for increasing your Expertise Rating while the latter is the best option for increasing your Hit Rating.
If you already have plenty of Hit Rating and you don’t desire more Expertise Rating, the best possible option is Justicebringer/Dual-blade Butcher. This item offers the best damage output, even if it grants Armor Penetration, as a considerable amount of your damage is Physical Damage.
One-Handed Weapons | Source |
Ulduar – Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings (Quest) | |
2835 Arena Points | |
2126 Arena Points | |
1417 Arena Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic | |
Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
Shields | Source |
2025 Arena Points | |
1012 Arena Points | |
Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic |
One-Handed Weapon & Shield
As mentioned previously, you will be able to use a One-Handed Weapon and Shield when faced against heavy hitter comps, no matter whether you choose the Standard PvP Build or the Hybrid Builds! You will also be able to create a macro in order to swiftly change your Two-Handed Weapon with a One-Handed Weapon and Shield to increase the potency of your Flash of Light. In the second case, you will want to make sure that you are not about to receive heavy damage when doing so as it will take a couple of seconds to take full advantage of the Spell Power weapons and use 1 or 2 Flash of Light casts.
Just as in season 6 the best possible option, no matter whether you use the Standard PvP Build or the Hybrid PvP Builds, is Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings. This is not only due to its extraordinary stat spread, but mainly due to its unique effect which grants an absorption effect whenever you cast any healing spell. This item is strong enough to remain relevant throughout the entirety of Season 7 and even during Season 8!
Just as with the Two-Handed weapons, the One-Handed PvP weapons come in multiple variants, with the Shields remaining the same.
If you can’t acquire Val’anyr, for the Standard PvP Build the Relentless Gladiator’s Salvation offers the best possible stats while also requiring a 2200 Arena Rating. The Relentless Gladiator’s Gavel is a weaker alternative that can be acquired with only an 1800 Arena Rating. However, we now also have access to the Furious Gladiator’s Gavel which can be acquired without any Arena Rating requirement while also costing a decently lower amount of Arena Points. You may also use its upgraded version if you reach a minimum 2000 Arena Rating, however, it would be wiser to try to push 2200 Arena Rating and keep the points for the BiS option.
The Relentless Gladiator’s Barrier is the best PvP Shield that you can acquire with a minimum 1800 Arena Rating! You may now also acquire the Furious Gladiator’s Barrier for half its price with no Arena Rating requirement if you can’t reach the 1800 Arena Rating mark.
As for the Hybrid PvP Build with PvE weapons & shield, the best options will be either one of Misery’s End/Suffering’s End or Blade of the Unbroken Covenant/Mortalis. Both options have the exact same stat spread. meaning that it doesn’t really matter which one you choose. Once again, the main issue with the PvE Spell Power items is that they will be very hard to acquire if you don’t play the Holy Specialization in PvE. The Bastion of Purity/Bastion of Resolve is the strongest PvE shield that you can acquire, with a great stat spread divided between Critical Strike Chance/Haste Rating!
Item | Source |
1080 Arena Points | |
1080 Arena Points | |
540 Arena Points | |
540 Arena Points | |
3990 Honor Points | |
3990 Honor Points |
Your Libram choice depends entirely on your playstyle. You may use any Libram in all the possible build variants, with a few of them shining more in specific types of builds than the others. Keep in mind that both of the Relentless Gladiator’s Librams require at least 1800 Arenat Rating in order to be bought while the Hateful Gladiator and Savage Gladiator versions don’t require any Arena Rating.
The Relentless Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is the best option for increasing your overall survivability as you will constantly use Flash of Light, no matter what build archetype you choose. While this Libram is useful in any build archetype, it is especially potent in the Hybrid Spell Power Build. Nonetheless, many players choose to use it primarily in the Standard PvP Build when faced with heavy “Melee Comps” that result in a long fight.
The same situations apply to both the Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Justice and the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Justice. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Relentless Gladiator’s Libram of Justice while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set for this season.
The Relentless Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude is a great option for people who prefer to focus on bursting their targets. It works best in the Standard PvP Build and the initial Hybrid Build. You should get this item if you know that you won’t be forced into long-lasting fights, as the Relentless Gladiator’s Libram of Justice is objectively better if the fight doesn’t end as soon as possible.
The same situations apply to both the Furious Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude and the Deadly Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude. The former option acts as the best option until you can acquire the 1800 Arena Rating for the Relentless Gladiator’s Libram of Fortitude while the latter will be your initial option when you are building your first PvP set for this season.
Due to a lack of info in regards to the precise item changes that may occur with the release of WotLK Classic’s Phase 4, this section of the guide will receive an update once the PTR information becomes available. Furthermore, due to the uncertainty of whether or not Phase 4 will contain The Ruby Sanctum or not besides The Icecrown Citadel raid, we will abstain from posting a preliminary list.
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About the Author
Terrible set for season 8, do you ask people who play the class to confirm this or just toss it together quickly? Replace Wrathful ring with Signet of Twilight, replace Death’s Choice with Whispering Fanged Skulled (Equal amount of AP, but 3.35% more crit) Cloak needs to be replaced with Victory and NOT Triumph. This is the most stat optimal set-up on a 87 days of total play time Ret Paladin.
What if I don’t have 87 days played, what is my most optimal set-up then?
This doesnt even get hit cap with your “BIS” gear wtf
Wtf bro? Dark Matter is not season 5, its Ulduar item..
This list will be receiving an instant update as soon as possible. The data was added way before we even had the WOTLK Classic Beta.
any update?
Apologies but I had my hands tied with a large number of projects. I am currently in the process of updating the PvE guides. My next priority will be a revamp for the PvP guides starting July!
The current items for the Ret PvP list were added before we had any info on WotLK Classic.