PvE Holy Paladin Best in Slot (BiS) & Pre-Raid Gear
lettara • Published January 9, 2024
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.
Progressive BIS
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
| Item | Source |
 Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece | Emblem of Conquest x58 |
| Helmet of the Crypt Lord Helm of the Crypt Lord | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (10) Heroic |
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 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
| Item | Source |
| Wail of the Val’kyr Cry of the Val’kyr | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The absolute best necklace in the game for Holy Paladins is the 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
| Item | Source |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Pauldrons of the Combatant | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker | Trial of the Crusader – Beasts of Northrend (10) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
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 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
| Item | Source |
| Jaina’s Radiance Aethas’ Intensity | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Drape of Bitter Incantation Drape of the Sunreavers | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (10) Heroic |
| Maiden’s Favor Maiden’s Adoration | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The best cloak in the game for Holy Paladins is 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
| Item | Source |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Valorous Aegis Tunic | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Firestrider Chestguard | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Lifeforge Breastplate | Ulduar – BoE |
| Chivalric Chestguard | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Fungi-Stained Coverings | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
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
| Item | Source |
| Breastplate of the Frozen Lake Chestplate of the Frozen Lake | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| Breastplate of the Devoted | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM) |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Vestments of the Blind Denizen | Ulduar – Vezax (25) (HM) |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) (HM) |
The best chest piece in the game is the 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
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) |
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.
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
| Item | Source |
| Pharos Gloves | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Gloves of the Lifeless Touch Handwraps of the Lifeless Touch | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Gloves of Triumph Liadrin’s Gloves of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Gauntlets of the Thunder God | Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM) |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves | Ulduar – Mimiron (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.
The closest alternative to Pharos Gloves are the 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
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 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
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
The absolute best leg piece for Holy Paladin is the 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 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 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 Fire Orchid Signet, which is one of the best rings in the game, and purchasable from Sidereal Essences which you can get by farming Heroic++ Dungeons.
Similarly, with Sidereal Essences, you can purchase Nebula Band. These two rings will get you a lot of mileage and are very difficult to replace.
If you do not wish to farm Heroic++ Dungeons for the rings above, consider purchasing Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor for gold from Harold Winston in Dalaran. It is not as powerful as the options listed above, but it is still a solid ring and comes with the added bonus of a teleport to Dalaran every 30 minutes in addition to your hearthstone.
There is a significant drop off in quality after the three rings listed above, but there are still plenty of options that drop out of Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons.
Pre-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
| Item | Source |
| Starshine Circle | Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well |
| Fire Orchid Signet | Animated Constellation – 15 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Nebula Band | Animated Constellation – 19 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Conductive Seal | Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM) |
| Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor | Harold Winston (Vendor) – Dalaran |
| Signet of Manifested Pain | Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad |
| Ring of Decaying Beauty | Naxxramas – Sapphiron |
| Wyrmrest Band | The Obsidian Sanctum – Sartharion |
| Signet of Hopeful Light | Argent Crusade – Exalted |
| Seized Beauty | Naxxramas – Multiple Bosses |
Starshine Circle is not only the best ring acquirable before ToGC, but is also one of the two best rings in the entire game. If you are able, farm Algalon The Observer weekly for a chance at Reply-Code Alpha, the quest item that will lead you to this ring.
Fire Orchid Signet & Nebula Band are also phenomenal rings that can be farmed in Heroic++ Dungeons via Sidereal Essences.
If you have gold to blow, the Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor is a viable ring as well. It also comes with the added benefit of a teleport to Dalaran in addition to your hearthstone.
There is a significant drop-off in power past the rings listed above. It is not recommended to enter ToGC without one of the four rings above.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Ring of the Darkmender Circle of the Darkmender | Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic |
| Starshine Circle | Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well |
| Nebula Band | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10) |
| Fire Orchid Signet | Ulduar – Freya (10) (HM) |
| Conductive Seal | Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM) |
The best ring in the game is the Ring of the Darkmender. It is somewhat hard to acquire as it is contested by every healer in the game.
The best ring to pair it with is the Starshine Circle, which comes from Reply-Code Alpha, a quest item that drops from Algalon The Observer.
Outside of the two above rings, there are another two excellent options: Nebula Band & Fire Orchid Signet, which are both acquirable by farming Heroic++ Dungeons for Sidereal Essences.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets for a fresh level 80, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets outside of ToGC, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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.
Best-in-Slot
Soul Preserver is still one of the best trinkets in the entire game. When healing stacked targets, this trinket has the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana. .
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.
Talisman of Resurgence is another must-have trinkets. In a 25 man environment it does not compare to the trinkets above, but in a 5 or a 10 man raid it is typically superior to Soul Preserver.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Animated Constellation – 38 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Hammer of the Astral Plane | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Mariel’s Sorrow | Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight (Heroic) |
| 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++ to farm Sidereal Essences in order to purchase Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion. Note that this weapon is far superior to any other option on this list.
If you are not yet ready for Heroic++ Dungeons, you can start in 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-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
| Item | Source |
| Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings | Ulduar (25) – Fragment of Val’anyr x30 |
| Constellus | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Animated Constellation – 38 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| 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 weapon in the game is obtainable before even stepping in foot in ToGC: Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings. This weapon is no powerful, that nothing else in all of WotLK will ever compare for a Holy Paladin. It is difficult to obtain, however, and requires several clears of Ulduar 25 man and a fair bit of luck to complete.
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 |
| Blade of the Unbroken Covenant Mortalis | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Misery’s End Suffering’s End | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| 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.
Every other weapon in the game pales in comparison to Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings, but if Val’anyr is off the table, seek out Blade of the Unbroken Covenant. Note that these weapons are BIS for mages and second BIS for Warlocks, so consider passing to them if a Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings is in your future.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| 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 |
Ice Layered Barrier is by far the best shield option for a Holy Paladin upon hitting level 80. To acquire it, farm Heroic++ Dungeons to obtain Sidereal Essences.
While you’re out farming Sidereal Essences, keep an eye out for Pulsing Spellshield. It is not quite as good as the Ice Layered Barrier, but it will serve as a proper starter shield.
If you are not quite ready to start healing Heroic++ dungeons, 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 viable 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-ToC/Onyxia’s Lair
| Item | Source |
| Wisdom’s Hold | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Voice of Reason | Naxxramas – Kel’Thuzad |
| Shield of Assimilation | Naxxramas – Anub’Rekhan |
| Aegis of Damnation | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
By far the best shield option outside of ToGC is Wisdom’s Hold. It drops off of Thorim 25 man Hardmode in Ulduar, which is the easiest hardmode.
The Ice Layered Barrier is your next best option before ToGC, and is farmable in Heroic++ Dungeons via Sidereal Essences.
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.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Bastion of Purity Bastion of Resolve | Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic |
| Wisdom’s Hold | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Ulduar – Hodir (10) (HM) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) |
The best shield in the game for Holy Paladins is the Bastion of Purity. It is only contested by Elemental and Restoration Shaman, so hopefully it will not be too difficult to obtain if you are clearing ToGC on a weekly basis.
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.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Liadrin’s Headpiece of Conquest | Emblem of Triumph x50 |
| 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 Triumph to purchase your tier 9 helmet Liadrin’s Headpiece of Conquest. This helmet is very well itemized with both crit and haste, making it the perfect early pickup. If you manage to obtain two pieces of tier 9, the set bonus provides a very nice quality of life judgement duration buff.
Your next best bet is to get lucky in Heroic++ dungeons and receive a Valorous Aegis Headpiece, your tier 8 helmet. The tier 8 4 set bonus is extremely powerful when it comes to tank healing and is a great thing to shoot for upon hitting level 80.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece | Emblem of Conquest x58 |
| Helmet of the Crypt Lord Helm of the Crypt Lord | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (10) Heroic |
To prepare yourself for ICC, you’re going to want to step into Trial of the Crusader. All of your best helmet options drop there. The most powerful of which is your Tier 9.5 helmet, which drops off of the tribute chest from the end of ToC heroic. It is perfectly itemized with haste and crit which will increase your output substantially.
Your next best bet is the normal version of your tier 9 helmet, Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph. This is more more easily obtainable than the helmet listed above, and is purchasable via 1 Trophy of the Crusade & 75 Emblem of Triumph.
Your tier 8 helmet from Emblem of Conquest is not incredible on its own, but if you are fortunate enough to obtain 4 pieces of tier 8 gear, its set bonus is extremely powerful. Use this if it secures your 4 piece or you have no better options.
Helmet of the Crypt Lord is an extremely well itemized head piece that drops off of the final boss in Trial of the Crusader 10 man heroic. It has superior stats to most other helmets in the game, but since it is not tier, it lacks the potential of helping you get a tier set bonus.
Best-in-Slot
The best helmet in the game is your tier 10 heroic helmet, Sanctified Lightsworn Headpiece. Not only is it flawlessly itemized, but it also helps you obtain your tier 10 2 piece set bonus that is extremely powerful.
Before you can obtain the heroic version of your tier helmet, you’ll have to first obtain the normal mode version, Sanctified Lightsworn Headpiece. This is only slightly worse than its heroic alternative, but is still very powerful, especially if it contributes to your 2 piece bonus.
Ignoring set bonuses, Cowl of Malefic Repose is the strongest helmest in the game. Use this if you cannot yet get your 2 piece tier 10 set bonus.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Wail of the Val’kyr Cry of the Val’kyr | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The best necklace outside of ICC is the Wail of the Val’kyr. It has both crit and haste, making it one of the strongest output necklaces in the game.
If your concern is mana sustainability, the Charm of Meticulous Timing is one of the best necklaces 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.
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. Despite the spirit stat, this still offers high spell power & intellect and decent output via haste.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (25) (H) |
| Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (25) – BoE |
| Soulcleave Pendant | Icecrown Citadel – Deathbringer Saurfang (10) (H) |
The absolute best necklace in the game for Holy Paladins Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker. It is also best in slot for every caster and more healers, so it will be highly contested.
The normal version of Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker is your next best bet. It drops off of normal mode Blood-Queen Lana’thel, but is BoE and is likely purchasable on your servers auction house. It will surely be quite expensive, as it is incredible for just about any healer or caster class.
The next best necklace in the game is the Soulcleave Pendant from Deathbringer Saurfang 10 man heroic. It is inferior to the Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker ever so slightly, but will save you a big chunk of change if you’re lucky enough to acquire it.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Pauldrons of the Combatant | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker | Trial of the Crusader – Beasts of Northrend (10) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
The best shoulders outside of ICC are your heroic tier 9 shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph. They are perfectly itemized with haste and critical strike rating, and help you obtain your 2 piece tier 9 set bonus, which provides a nice quality of life increase.
Pauldrons of the Combatant from Ulduar are a close runner up. Instead of critical strike rating like your tier 9.5 shoulders, they have mp5 in its place. This will offer more mana sustainability at the cost of some output.
Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker are statted identically to your tier shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph with lots of crit and haste. They are much more easily obtainable as they drop from the very first boss in Trial of the Crusader heroic.
Another viable and powerful option is your normal mode tier 9 shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph. These are very easy to acquire, and only require one Trophy of the Crusade and 75 Emblem of Triumph.
Best-in-Slot
The absolute best shoulders in the game is your Tier 10 Heroic shoulders. Your primary goal when gearing this phase should be to acquire your Tier 10 2-piece set bonus, using both shoulders and helmet.
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 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Jaina’s Radiance Aethas’ Intensity | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Drape of Bitter Incantation Drape of the Sunreavers | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (10) Heroic |
| Maiden’s Favor Maiden’s Adoration | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The best cloak in the game before ICC, and the second best cloak in the entire game is Jaina’s Radiance. It is extremely difficult to acquire, as it requires you to clear heroic Trial of the Crusader 25 man without a single wipe. It is also highly sought after by nearly every caster and healer in the game, so it may be very contested.
The 10 man version, Drape of Bitter Incantation, is your next best option outside of ICC. It requires that you clear 10 man Trial of the Crusader without wiping, which is difficult, but far easier than doing so on 25 man.
Maiden’s Favor is another powerful option. While it may not be perfectly itemized for a Holy Paladin, its high item level gives it incredibly large base stats. It is better suited for classes that can make use of its spirit stat like Restoration Druids and Demonology Warlocks.
Drape of the Sullen Goddess from Ulduar still holds up well in comparison to the cloaks in tier 9. It may not have haste which we normally look for in our itemization, but its high intellect value and a gem socket make it a powerful option.
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 ICC, three tiers later.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (25) (H) |
| Jaina’s Radiance Aethas’ Intensity | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (25) |
The best cloak in the game is the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape. It drops off of Valithria Dreamwalker, which is fitting, since Valithria is a fight that the Holy Paladins will be expected to carry. It is heavily contested by other casters and healers.
Jaina’s Radiance from ToGC is a very close second. It has the same itemization as the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape, but with 5 less item levels is marginally worse.
The normal mode version of the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape is similar in value to the cloaks above, and will serve you well if your guild isn’t yet farming ICC heroics yet.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Valorous Aegis Tunic | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Firestrider Chestguard | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Lifeforge Breastplate | Ulduar – BoE |
| Chivalric Chestguard | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Fungi-Stained Coverings | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Breastplate of the Frozen Lake Chestplate of the Frozen Lake | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| Breastplate of the Devoted | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM) |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Vestments of the Blind Denizen | Ulduar – Vezax (25) (HM) |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) (HM) |
The best chest piece in the game outside of ICC is the Breastplate of the Frozen Lake. It has everything we’re looking for in a chest piece, with lots of critical strike rating and haste. It also has high intellect rating and three gem sockets for even more intellect.
A close second is the Breastplate of the Devoted from XT-002 Deconstructor heroic in Ulduar 25 man. It is nearly identical in stats to the chest piece listed above, but with 5 less item levels it has slightly lower stats.
Merlin’s Robe is a phenomenal chest piece that holds up against any other in the game. And fortunately it is a crafted BoE that should be available on your servers auction house, although it may be quite expensive.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Rot-Resistant Breastplate | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (25) (H) |
| Mail of Crimson Coins | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (25) (H) |
| Robes of Azure Downfall | Icecrown Citadel – Sindragosa (10) (H) |
The best chest piece in the game for a Holy Paladin is the Rot-Resistant Breastplate. It drops off of Rotface 25 Heroic in ICC which is considered to be one of the easier bosses. With crit, haste and a whole lot of intellect, this chest has everything we could possibly want!
A close second option is the Mail of Crimson Coins. It offers the most mana sustain in the entire game, but at the cost of some output potential relative to the Rot-Resistant Breastplate.
A distant third option is the Robes of Azure Downfall from 10 man heroic Sindragosa. It is statted for high output similar to the Rot-Resistant Breastplate and packs a lot of punch relative to anything else from 10 mans.
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-ICC
| 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) |
The best bracers in the game before ICC are the Bindings of the Winter Gale from Hodir 25 hardmode in Ulduar. They are superior to anything that drops in ToGC despite only being 252 item level due to their perfect itemization of haste and crit.
A close alternative are the crafted bracers Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers and Sunforged Bracers. Both are excellent options and are purchasable in your servers auction house. Sunforged Bracers will offer you more mana sustain, which may serve you better if your still early in the gearing process. If mana is no longer a big issue for you, you’re going to want to purchase the Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers instead.
Grasps of Reason are another excellent bracer option despite the spirit which is a useless stat for us. It is highly sought after by caster DPS and some healers, so you may have to fight them for it.
Unfaltering Armguards are also quite decent and drop from one of the easiest bosses in Ulduar, Kologarn.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Crypt Keeper’s Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (25) (H) |
| Bloodsunder’s Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (25) (H) |
| Coldwraith Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (10) (H) |
The best bracers in the game are the Crypt Keeper’s Bracers. With crit, haste, high intellect and a gem socket, these bracers have everything we could possibly ask for.
A nearly identical option are the Bloodsunder’s Bracers. These are mail and therefore are sought out by Elemental and Restoration Shaman, so you may have to fight them for it.
Coldwraith Bracers are a great alternative and have the best mana sustain potential of any bracers in the game. They are much more easily acquireable as well, as they drop off of the first boss in ICC 10 man heroic.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Pharos Gloves | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Gloves of the Lifeless Touch Handwraps of the Lifeless Touch | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Gloves of Triumph Liadrin’s Gloves of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Gauntlets of the Thunder God | Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM) |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves | Ulduar – Mimiron (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.
Gloves of the Lifeless Touch are nearly identical to Pharos Gloves. They have slightly less haste, but offer some spell power in return. They drop off of Anub’arak 25 Heroic, the final encounter in Trial of the Crusader.
Your tier 9.5 gloves, Turalyon’s Gloves of Triumph, are a decent option as well, but it is not recommended to purchase gloves with a tier token if you are so lucky to obtain one. Instead, consider purchasing the tier helmet or shoulders instead as you will get more mileage out of them.
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
| Item | Source |
| Fallen Lord’s Handguards | Icecrown Citadel – Lady Deathwhisper (25) (H) |
| Unclean Surgical Gloves | Icecrown Citadel – Festergut (25) (H) |
| Stormbringer Gloves | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (10) (H) |
The best gloves in the game for a Holy Paladin are the Fallen Lord’s Handguards. They offer unparalleled output potential in the form of critical strike rating and haste. They also have super high base intellect and two gem sockets. They drop from Lady Deathwhisper 25 man heroic who is a relatively difficult encounter.
Unclean Surgical Gloves are a powerful alternative that have the best mana sustain potential in the game. They drop off of Festergut 25 heroic, which is significantly easier than most of the other heroic encounters in ICC.
Stormbringer Gloves are far and away the best option outside of 25 man ICC, and drop off of Valithria Dreamwalker heroic in 10 man. They offer incredible output potential with identical itemization to your bis gloves, Fallen Lord’s Handguards.
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-ICC
Lucky for us, the best belt outside of ICC is pretty easy to acquire. It drops from the first boss in 10 man Trial of the Crusader heroic, the Beasts of Northrend. The Belt of the Frozen Reach has everything we look for in gear: crit, haste, high intellect and extra gem sockets for even more int. And since it’s plate, it should be uncontested by anyone whose not 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 outside of ICC.
Belt of the Fallen Wyrm from Razorscale in 25 man Ulduar is a very solid option, and super easy to acquire. Razorscale is one of the easiest bosses in the game.
If you are looking for an immediate belt upgrade, check your servers auction house for a Plate Girdle of Righteousness. It is a crafted BoE with a lot of gem sockets, allowing us to deck it out with lots and lots of intellect. This belt should be fairly cheap since it’s several tiers old at this point and will get you lots of mileage.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Crushing Coldwraith Belt | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (25) (H) |
| Belt of the Blood Nova | Icecrown Citadel – Deathbringer Saurfang (25) (H) |
| Tightening Waistband | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (10) (H) |
The best belt in the game for a Holy Paladin is the Crushing Coldwraith Belt. It is flawlessly itemized with both haste, crit and two gem sockets. Luckily it drops off of a very easy boss (at least relative to other heroic bosses), Lord Marrowgar. Unluckily, it is super contested by just about every caster and healer in the game, so you may have to fight them for it.
A close second and superior mana option is the Belt of the Blood Nova. It lacks the critical strike rating of our BIS belt Crushing Coldwraith Belt, but has Mp5 instead.
Tightening Waistband is a great option from 10 man ICC. It drops off of Blood-Queen Lana’thel who is fairly challenging, and quite the DPS check. This belt offers decent output in the form of high spell power and haste rating, as well as decent mana sustain from its Mp5 stat.
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-ICC
When it comes to a solid pair of legs outside of ICC, we have many options. The best of which are the Legwraps of the Awakening. With heavy output stats like crit, haste and lots of spellpower, these legs pack quite the punch.
A nearly identical alternative are the Legplates of Failing Light. They have 2 less haste, but 2 more critical strike rating than the legs listed above, making them practically equal. They also have more armor on them since they are plate, so they will make you a bit more tanky if you ever take a physical hit.
Legguards of Concealed Hatred have the best mana potential of any legs outside of ICC. They lack some of the output potential in the form of crit that the two legs listed above have and instead have Mp5 in its place.
Conqueror’s Aegis Greaves & Valorous Aegis Greaves are not great standalone options, but if they secure your 4 piece tier 8 set bonus, they become extremely powerful. Your tier 8 set bonus makes your sacred shield insanely overpowered, making it a really effective tank healing ability.
Best-in-Slot
The absolute best leg piece for a Holy Paladin is super easy to acquire relative to any other best in slot piece. The Corrupted Silverplate Leggings drop off of Lord Marrowgar in 10 man heroic ICC, which is one of the easiest bosses in the instance.
There aren’t any other great leg options from ICC. Outside of Corrupted Silverplate Leggings, you’ll want to search in previous tiers to find well itemized legs. The BIS legs from ToGC, Legwraps of the Awakening will be your best option.
A nearly identical alternative are the Legplates of Failing Light. They have 2 less haste, but 2 more critical strike rating than the legs listed above, making them practically equal. They also have more armor on them since they are plate, so they will make you a bit more tanky if you ever take a physical hit.
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-ICC
The best boots in the game outside of ICC are the Boots of the Courageous. They are flawlessly itemized with crit, haste and two gem sockets which we can socket intellect gems into. They drop off of the very first boss in Trial of the Crusader heroic, the Beasts of Northrend, who are relatively easy.
Boots of Tremoring Earth are virtually identical to the Boots of the Courageous so get whichever one you can get your hands on first.
Treads of the False Oracle from Ulduar still hold up well to this day due to their high intellect and output potential. They drop off of the final boss in Ulduar, Yogg Saron on 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 ICC with. They are a crafted BoE that you can buy off the auction house, and since they are two phases old at this point, they should be affordable.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Plague Scientist’s Boots | Icecrown Citadel – Festergut (25) (H) |
| Boots of the Frozen Seed | Icecrown Citadel – Lady Deathwhisper (10) (H) |
| Shuffling Shoes | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (10) (H) |
The best boots in the game for a Holy Paladin are the Plague Scientist’s Boots. These babies are absolutely nuts, and nothing comes close. With high output stats like haste and crit as well as the highest intellect value in the game, this is an upgrade you’ll feel on your very next Holy Light.
Boots of the Frozen Seed are flawlessly itemized as well, and drop from 10 man ICC.
Your next best option are the Shuffling Shoes. They don’t offer as much output as the two boot options above, but they have the best mana sustain potential in the game.
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 Fire Orchid Signet, which is one of the best rings in the game, and purchasable from Sidereal Essences which you can get by farming Heroic++ Dungeons.
Similarly, with Sidereal Essences, you can purchase Nebula Band. These two rings will get you a lot of mileage and are very difficult to replace.
If you do not wish to farm Heroic++ Dungeons for the rings above, consider purchasing Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor for gold from Harold Winston in Dalaran. It is not as powerful as the options listed above, but it is still a solid ring and comes with the added bonus of a teleport to Dalaran every 30 minutes in addition to your hearthstone.
There is a significant drop off in quality after the three rings listed above, but there are still plenty of options that drop out of Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons.
Pre-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Ring of the Darkmender Circle of the Darkmender | Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic |
| Starshine Circle | Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well |
| Nebula Band | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10) |
| Fire Orchid Signet | Ulduar – Freya (10) (HM) |
| Conductive Seal | Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM) |
Far and away the best ring in the game outside of ICC is the Ring of the Darkmender. It is also BIS for every other healer in the game, so you may have to fight them for it. It has super high intellect and a gem socket as well as an Mp5 stat, so this will have a large impact on your mana sustain.
The next best ring outside of ICC is the Starshine Circle, which comes from Reply-Code Alpha, a quest item that drops from Algalon The Observer. It is mana heavy similar to the Ring of the Darkmender, just with a slightly lower item level.
Fire Orchid Signet & Nebula Band are also phenomenal rings that can be farmed in Heroic++ Dungeons via Sidereal Essences. The Fire Orchid Signet offers more in the way of mana sustainability, where as the Nebula Band is more output heavy.
The Conductive Seal is also an excellent option despite the spirit (which is a dead stat for a Holy Paladin).
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom | Ashen Verdict – Exalted |
| Ring of Rapid Ascent | Icecrown Citadel – Gunship Armory (25) (H) |
| Marrowgar’s Frigid Eye | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (25) (H) |
| Cerise Coiled Ring | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (10) (H) |
Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom is far and away the best ring in the game for a Holy Paladin. Between its insanely high intellect, haste rating, and mp5 it is also has a spellpower proc on a 45 second internal cooldown. Due to its proc, no other ring comes close.
Ring of Rapid Ascent is the best ring in the game to pair it with. It is flawlessly itemized with output stats such as haste and crit and even comes with a gem socket that we can socket intellect into.
A mana sustain alternative to the Ring of Rapid Ascent is the Marrowgar’s Frigid Eye. It is easily obtainable from the first boss in ICC 25 heroic, Lord Marrowgar. It lacks some output because it doesn’t have any crit, but it makes up for it with plenty of Mp5.
The Cerise Coiled Ring is the best option from 10 man ICC. It has everything we’re looking for as a Holy Paladin: crit, haste, high intellect and a gem socket. It has slightly less stats than the other rings on this list since it is only 264 item level as opposed to 277.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets for a fresh level 80, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets outside of ToGC, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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.
Best-in-Slot
Soul Preserver is still one of the best trinkets in the entire game. When healing stacked targets, this trinket has the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana. .
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.
Talisman of Resurgence is another must-have trinket. In a 25 man environment it does not compare to the trinkets above, but in 5 or 10 man content it is typically superior to Soul Preserver.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Animated Constellation – 38 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Hammer of the Astral Plane | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Mariel’s Sorrow | Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight (Heroic) |
| 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++ to farm Sidereal Essences in order to purchase Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion. Note that this weapon is far superior to any other option on this list.
If you are not yet ready for Heroic++ Dungeons, you can start in 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings | Fragment of Val’anyr x30 |
| Blade of the Unbroken Covenant Mortalis | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Misery’s End Suffering’s End | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| Constellus | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Ulduar – Vezax (10) (HM) |
The best weapon in the game is obtainable without stepping foot into ICC. The legendary mace Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings offers unparalleled output. It may not have as good stats as some weapons from ICC, but its proc places a protective bubble on anyone you heal which is completely overpowered. No other weapon even comes close.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings yet, keep an eye out for Blade of the Unbroken Covenant or Misery’s End. Both of them are similarly powerful, but pale in comparison to Val’anyr.
Constellus is the best weapon from Ulduar (other than Val’anyr) despite its lack of haste. It has high intellect and a gem socket that we can socket with even more intellect, as well as Mp5, making this a very powerful item for mana sustainability.
Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion is a great option as well, and you can obtain it without even stepping into a raid via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Best-in-Slot
The best weapon in the game is obtainable without stepping foot into ICC. The legendary mace Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings offers unparalleled output. It may not have as good stats as some weapons from ICC, but its proc places a protective bubble on anyone you heal which is completely overpowered. No other weapon even comes close.
The Royal Scepter of Terenas II & Bloodsurge, Kel’Thuzad’s Blade of Agony have the greatest stats in the game. Even with a Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings you’ll want to search for one of these two weapons to use during periods where you’re purposely delaying your Valanyr proc.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| 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 |
Ice Layered Barrier is by far the best shield option for a Holy Paladin upon hitting level 80. To acquire it, farm Heroic++ Dungeons to obtain Sidereal Essences.
While you’re out farming Sidereal Essences, keep an eye out for Pulsing Spellshield. It is not quite as good as the Ice Layered Barrier, but it will serve as a proper starter shield.
If you are not quite ready to start healing Heroic++ dungeons, 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 viable 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Bastion of Purity Bastion of Resolve | Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic |
| Wisdom’s Hold | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Ulduar – Hodir (10) (HM) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) |
The best shield in the game outside of ICC is the Bastion of Purity. It is only contested by Elemental and Restoration Shaman, so hopefully it will not be too difficult to obtain if you are clearing ToGC on a weekly basis.
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.
Best-in-Slot
The best shield in the game is the Bulwark of Smouldering Steel from the first boss in ICC 25 man heroic, Lord Marrowgar. He is a relatively simple encounter so this should not be very difficult to obtain. This shield is very output oriented offering both haste and critical strike rating as well as high intellect and a gem socket.
The normal mode version of Bulwark of Smouldering Steel is your next best option. It is easily obtainable from the very first boss in ICC who is very easy on normal mode.
The next best shield option isn’t a shield at all, but an offhand. The Shadow Silk Spindle may lack the armor we normally take for granted in our offhand options, but that shouldn’t be a huge concern. It has great stats relative to any other offhand/shield outside of the Bulwark of Smouldering Steel. It is lacking a gem socket like most shields, but it makes up for it with incredibly high base intellect.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Liadrin’s Headpiece of Conquest | Emblem of Triumph x50 |
| 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 Triumph to purchase your tier 9 helmet Liadrin’s Headpiece of Conquest. This helmet is very well itemized with both crit and haste, making it the perfect early pickup. If you manage to obtain two pieces of tier 9, the set bonus provides a very nice quality of life judgement duration buff.
Your next best bet is to get lucky in Heroic++ dungeons and receive a Valorous Aegis Headpiece, your tier 8 helmet. The tier 8 4 set bonus is extremely powerful when it comes to tank healing and is a great thing to shoot for upon hitting level 80.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph Turalyon’s Headpiece of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Headpiece | Emblem of Conquest x58 |
| Helmet of the Crypt Lord Helm of the Crypt Lord | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (10) Heroic |
To prepare yourself for ICC, you’re going to want to step into Trial of the Crusader. All of your best helmet options drop there. The most powerful of which is your Tier 9.5 helmet, which drops off of the tribute chest from the end of ToC heroic. It is perfectly itemized with haste and crit which will increase your output substantially.
Your next best bet is the normal version of your tier 9 helmet, Liadrin’s Headpiece of Triumph. This is more more easily obtainable than the helmet listed above, and is purchasable via 1 Trophy of the Crusade & 75 Emblem of Triumph.
Your tier 8 helmet from Emblem of Conquest is not incredible on its own, but if you are fortunate enough to obtain 4 pieces of tier 8 gear, its set bonus is extremely powerful. Use this if it secures your 4 piece or you have no better options.
Helmet of the Crypt Lord is an extremely well itemized head piece that drops off of the final boss in Trial of the Crusader 10 man heroic. It has superior stats to most other helmets in the game, but since it is not tier, it lacks the potential of helping you get a tier set bonus.
Best-in-Slot
The best helmet in the game is your tier 10 heroic helmet, Sanctified Lightsworn Headpiece. Not only is it flawlessly itemized, but it also helps you obtain your tier 10 2 piece set bonus that is extremely powerful.
Before you can obtain the heroic version of your tier helmet, you’ll have to first obtain the normal mode version, Sanctified Lightsworn Headpiece. This is only slightly worse than its heroic alternative, but is still very powerful, especially if it contributes to your 2 piece bonus.
Ignoring set bonuses, Cowl of Malefic Repose is the strongest helmest in the game. Use this if you cannot yet get your 2 piece tier 10 set bonus.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Wail of the Val’kyr Cry of the Val’kyr | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The best necklace outside of ICC is the Wail of the Val’kyr. It has both crit and haste, making it one of the strongest output necklaces in the game.
If your concern is mana sustainability, the Charm of Meticulous Timing is one of the best necklaces 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.
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. Despite the spirit stat, this still offers high spell power & intellect and decent output via haste.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (25) (H) |
| Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (25) – BoE |
| Soulcleave Pendant | Icecrown Citadel – Deathbringer Saurfang (10) (H) |
The absolute best necklace in the game for Holy Paladins Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker. It is also best in slot for every caster and more healers, so it will be highly contested.
The normal version of Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker is your next best bet. It drops off of normal mode Blood-Queen Lana’thel, but is BoE and is likely purchasable on your servers auction house. It will surely be quite expensive, as it is incredible for just about any healer or caster class.
The next best necklace in the game is the Soulcleave Pendant from Deathbringer Saurfang 10 man heroic. It is inferior to the Blood Queen’s Crimson Choker ever so slightly, but will save you a big chunk of change if you’re lucky enough to acquire it.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Pauldrons of the Combatant | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker | Trial of the Crusader – Beasts of Northrend (10) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph Liadrin’s Spaulders of Triumph | 75 Emblem of Triumph + 1 Trophy of the Crusade |
The best shoulders outside of ICC are your heroic tier 9 shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph. They are perfectly itemized with haste and critical strike rating, and help you obtain your 2 piece tier 9 set bonus, which provides a nice quality of life increase.
Pauldrons of the Combatant from Ulduar are a close runner up. Instead of critical strike rating like your tier 9.5 shoulders, they have mp5 in its place. This will offer more mana sustainability at the cost of some output.
Pauldrons of the Spirit Walker are statted identically to your tier shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph with lots of crit and haste. They are much more easily obtainable as they drop from the very first boss in Trial of the Crusader heroic.
Another viable and powerful option is your normal mode tier 9 shoulders, Turalyon’s Spaulders of Triumph. These are very easy to acquire, and only require one Trophy of the Crusade and 75 Emblem of Triumph.
Best-in-Slot
The absolute best shoulders in the game is your Tier 10 Heroic shoulders. Your primary goal when gearing this phase should be to acquire your Tier 10 2-piece set bonus, using both shoulders and helmet.
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 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Jaina’s Radiance Aethas’ Intensity | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Drape of Bitter Incantation Drape of the Sunreavers | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (10) Heroic |
| Maiden’s Favor Maiden’s Adoration | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| 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) |
The best cloak in the game before ICC, and the second best cloak in the entire game is Jaina’s Radiance. It is extremely difficult to acquire, as it requires you to clear heroic Trial of the Crusader 25 man without a single wipe. It is also highly sought after by nearly every caster and healer in the game, so it may be very contested.
The 10 man version, Drape of Bitter Incantation, is your next best option outside of ICC. It requires that you clear 10 man Trial of the Crusader without wiping, which is difficult, but far easier than doing so on 25 man.
Maiden’s Favor is another powerful option. While it may not be perfectly itemized for a Holy Paladin, its high item level gives it incredibly large base stats. It is better suited for classes that can make use of its spirit stat like Restoration Druids and Demonology Warlocks.
Drape of the Sullen Goddess from Ulduar still holds up well in comparison to the cloaks in tier 9. It may not have haste which we normally look for in our itemization, but its high intellect value and a gem socket make it a powerful option.
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 ICC, three tiers later.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Cloak of Burning Dusk | The Ruby Sanctum – Halion (25) (H) |
| Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (25) (H) |
| Jaina’s Radiance Aethas’ Intensity | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (25) |
The absolute best cape in the game is the Cloak of Burning Dusk from Halion 25 Heroic. It’s perfectly itemized with haste and crit providing us with good output, as well as having the highest intellect of any cloak in the game.
The second best cloak in the game is the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape. It drops off of Valithria Dreamwalker, which is fitting, since Valithria is a fight that the Holy Paladins will be expected to carry. It is heavily contested by other casters and healers.
Jaina’s Radiance from ToGC is a very close second. It has the same itemization as the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape, but with 5 less item levels is marginally worse.
The normal mode version of the Frostbinder’s Shredded Cape is similar in value to the cloaks above, and will serve you well if your guild isn’t yet farming ICC heroics yet.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Valorous Aegis Tunic | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Firestrider Chestguard | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| Lifeforge Breastplate | Ulduar – BoE |
| Chivalric Chestguard | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Fungi-Stained Coverings | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Breastplate of the Frozen Lake Chestplate of the Frozen Lake | Trial of the Crusader – Twin Valkyrs (25) Heroic |
| Breastplate of the Devoted | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (25) (HM) |
| Merlin’s Robe Merlin’s Robe | Tailoring – BoE |
| Vestments of the Blind Denizen | Ulduar – Vezax (25) (HM) |
| Breastplate of the Stoneshaper | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) (HM) |
The best chest piece in the game outside of ICC is the Breastplate of the Frozen Lake. It has everything we’re looking for in a chest piece, with lots of critical strike rating and haste. It also has high intellect rating and three gem sockets for even more intellect.
A close second is the Breastplate of the Devoted from XT-002 Deconstructor heroic in Ulduar 25 man. It is nearly identical in stats to the chest piece listed above, but with 5 less item levels it has slightly lower stats.
Merlin’s Robe is a phenomenal chest piece that holds up against any other in the game. And fortunately it is a crafted BoE that should be available on your servers auction house, although it may be quite expensive.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Rot-Resistant Breastplate | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (25) (H) |
| Mail of Crimson Coins | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (25) (H) |
| Robes of Azure Downfall | Icecrown Citadel – Sindragosa (10) (H) |
The best chest piece in the game for a Holy Paladin is the Rot-Resistant Breastplate. It drops off of Rotface 25 Heroic in ICC which is considered to be one of the easier bosses. With crit, haste and a whole lot of intellect, this chest has everything we could possibly want!
A close second option is the Mail of Crimson Coins. It offers the most mana sustain in the entire game, but at the cost of some output potential relative to the Rot-Resistant Breastplate.
A distant third option is the Robes of Azure Downfall from 10 man heroic Sindragosa. It is statted for high output similar to the Rot-Resistant Breastplate and packs a lot of punch relative to anything else from 10 mans.
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-ICC
| 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) |
The best bracers in the game before ICC are the Bindings of the Winter Gale from Hodir 25 hardmode in Ulduar. They are superior to anything that drops in ToGC despite only being 252 item level due to their perfect itemization of haste and crit.
A close alternative are the crafted bracers Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers and Sunforged Bracers. Both are excellent options and are purchasable in your servers auction house. Sunforged Bracers will offer you more mana sustain, which may serve you better if your still early in the gearing process. If mana is no longer a big issue for you, you’re going to want to purchase the Bejeweled Wizard’s Bracers instead.
Grasps of Reason are another excellent bracer option despite the spirit which is a useless stat for us. It is highly sought after by caster DPS and some healers, so you may have to fight them for it.
Unfaltering Armguards are also quite decent and drop from one of the easiest bosses in Ulduar, Kologarn.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Phaseshifter’s Bracers | The Ruby Sanctum – Halion (25) (H) |
| Bracers of Fiery Night | The Ruby Sanctum – Halion (25) (H) |
| Crypt Keeper’s Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (25) (H) |
| Bloodsunder’s Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (25) (H) |
| Coldwraith Bracers | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (10) (H) |
The best bracers in the game are the Phaseshifter’s Bracers. With crit, haste, high intellect and a gem socket, these bracers have everything we could possibly ask for. Bracers of Fiery Night are nearly identical, but since they are cloth will be highly contested by all other casters.
Similarly itemized, the Crypt Keeper’s Bracers from Blood Prince Council are nearly as good.
Another indentically itemized option are the Bloodsunder’s Bracers. These are mail andz therefore are sought out by Elemental and Restoration Shaman, so you may have to fight them for it.
Coldwraith Bracers are a great alternative and have the best mana sustain potential of any bracers in the game. They are much more easily acquireable as well, as they drop off of the first boss in ICC 10 man heroic.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Pharos Gloves | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Gloves of the Lifeless Touch Handwraps of the Lifeless Touch | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| Turalyon’s Gloves of Triumph Liadrin’s Gloves of Triumph | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Gauntlets of the Thunder God | Ulduar – Thorim (10) (HM) |
| Conqueror’s Aegis Gloves | Ulduar – Mimiron (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.
Gloves of the Lifeless Touch are nearly identical to Pharos Gloves. They have slightly less haste, but offer some spell power in return. They drop off of Anub’arak 25 Heroic, the final encounter in Trial of the Crusader.
Your tier 9.5 gloves, Turalyon’s Gloves of Triumph, are a decent option as well, but it is not recommended to purchase gloves with a tier token if you are so lucky to obtain one. Instead, consider purchasing the tier helmet or shoulders instead as you will get more mileage out of them.
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
| Item | Source |
| Fallen Lord’s Handguards | Icecrown Citadel – Lady Deathwhisper (25) (H) |
| Unclean Surgical Gloves | Icecrown Citadel – Festergut (25) (H) |
| Stormbringer Gloves | Icecrown Citadel – Valithria Dreamwalker (10) (H) |
The best gloves in the game for a Holy Paladin are the Fallen Lord’s Handguards. They offer unparalleled output potential in the form of critical strike rating and haste. They also have super high base intellect and two gem sockets. They drop from Lady Deathwhisper 25 man heroic who is a relatively difficult encounter.
Unclean Surgical Gloves are a powerful alternative that have the best mana sustain potential in the game. They drop off of Festergut 25 heroic, which is significantly easier than most of the other heroic encounters in ICC.
Stormbringer Gloves are far and away the best option outside of 25 man ICC, and drop off of Valithria Dreamwalker heroic in 10 man. They offer incredible output potential with identical itemization to your bis gloves, Fallen Lord’s Handguards.
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-ICC
Lucky for us, the best belt outside of ICC is pretty easy to acquire. It drops from the first boss in 10 man Trial of the Crusader heroic, the Beasts of Northrend. The Belt of the Frozen Reach has everything we look for in gear: crit, haste, high intellect and extra gem sockets for even more int. And since it’s plate, it should be uncontested by anyone whose not 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 outside of ICC.
Belt of the Fallen Wyrm from Razorscale in 25 man Ulduar is a very solid option, and super easy to acquire. Razorscale is one of the easiest bosses in the game.
If you are looking for an immediate belt upgrade, check your servers auction house for a Plate Girdle of Righteousness. It is a crafted BoE with a lot of gem sockets, allowing us to deck it out with lots and lots of intellect. This belt should be fairly cheap since it’s several tiers old at this point and will get you lots of mileage.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Split Shape Belt | The Ruby Sanctum – Halion (25) (H) |
| Crushing Coldwraith Belt | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (25) (H) |
| Belt of the Blood Nova | Icecrown Citadel – Deathbringer Saurfang (25) (H) |
| Tightening Waistband | Icecrown Citadel – Blood-Queen Lana’thel (10) (H) |
The best belt in the game for a Holy Paladin is the Split Shape Belt from Halion in The Ruby Sanctum. It is flawlessly itemized with both haste, crit and two gem sockets.
Our next best option also has perfect itemization and it luckily it drops off of a very easy boss, Lord Marrowgar. Unluckily, it is super contested by just about every caster and healer in the game, so you may have to fight them for it.
A close second and superior mana option is the Belt of the Blood Nova. It lacks the critical strike rating of our BIS belt Crushing Coldwraith Belt, but has Mp5 instead.
Tightening Waistband is a great option from 10 man ICC. It drops off of Blood-Queen Lana’thel who is fairly challenging, and quite the DPS check. This belt offers decent output in the form of high spell power and haste rating, as well as decent mana sustain from its Mp5 stat.
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-ICC
When it comes to a solid pair of legs outside of ICC, we have many options. The best of which are the Legwraps of the Awakening. With heavy output stats like crit, haste and lots of spellpower, these legs pack quite the punch.
A nearly identical alternative are the Legplates of Failing Light. They have 2 less haste, but 2 more critical strike rating than the legs listed above, making them practically equal. They also have more armor on them since they are plate, so they will make you a bit more tanky if you ever take a physical hit.
Legguards of Concealed Hatred have the best mana potential of any legs outside of ICC. They lack some of the output potential in the form of crit that the two legs listed above have and instead have Mp5 in its place.
Conqueror’s Aegis Greaves & Valorous Aegis Greaves are not great standalone options, but if they secure your 4 piece tier 8 set bonus, they become extremely powerful. Your tier 8 set bonus makes your sacred shield insanely overpowered, making it a really effective tank healing ability.
Best-in-Slot
The absolute best leg piece for a Holy Paladin is super easy to acquire relative to any other best in slot piece. The Corrupted Silverplate Leggings drop off of Lord Marrowgar in 10 man heroic ICC, which is one of the easiest bosses in the instance.
There aren’t any other great leg options from ICC. Outside of Corrupted Silverplate Leggings, you’ll want to search in previous tiers to find well itemized legs. The BIS legs from ToGC, Legwraps of the Awakening will be your best option.
A nearly identical alternative are the Legplates of Failing Light. They have 2 less haste, but 2 more critical strike rating than the legs listed above, making them practically equal. They also have more armor on them since they are plate, so they will make you a bit more tanky if you ever take a physical hit.
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-ICC
The best boots in the game outside of ICC are the Boots of the Courageous. They are flawlessly itemized with crit, haste and two gem sockets which we can socket intellect gems into. They drop off of the very first boss in Trial of the Crusader heroic, the Beasts of Northrend, who are relatively easy.
Boots of Tremoring Earth are virtually identical to the Boots of the Courageous so get whichever one you can get your hands on first.
Treads of the False Oracle from Ulduar still hold up well to this day due to their high intellect and output potential. They drop off of the final boss in Ulduar, Yogg Saron on 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 ICC with. They are a crafted BoE that you can buy off the auction house, and since they are two phases old at this point, they should be affordable.
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Foreshadow Steps | The Ruby Sanctum – Halion (25) (H) |
| Plague Scientist’s Boots | Icecrown Citadel – Festergut (25) (H) |
| Boots of the Frozen Seed | Icecrown Citadel – Lady Deathwhisper (10) (H) |
| Shuffling Shoes | Icecrown Citadel – Rotface (10) (H) |
The best boots in the game for a Holy Paladin are the Plague Scientist’s Boots. These babies are absolutely nuts, and nothing comes close. With high output stats like haste and crit as well as the highest intellect value in the game, this is an upgrade you’ll feel on your very next Holy Light.
Boots of the Frozen Seed are flawlessly itemized as well, and drop from 10 man ICC.
Your next best option are the Shuffling Shoes. They don’t offer as much output as the two boot options above, but they have the best mana sustain potential in the game.
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 Fire Orchid Signet, which is one of the best rings in the game, and purchasable from Sidereal Essences which you can get by farming Heroic++ Dungeons.
Similarly, with Sidereal Essences, you can purchase Nebula Band. These two rings will get you a lot of mileage and are very difficult to replace.
If you do not wish to farm Heroic++ Dungeons for the rings above, consider purchasing Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor for gold from Harold Winston in Dalaran. It is not as powerful as the options listed above, but it is still a solid ring and comes with the added bonus of a teleport to Dalaran every 30 minutes in addition to your hearthstone.
There is a significant drop off in quality after the three rings listed above, but there are still plenty of options that drop out of Heroic+ and Heroic++ Dungeons.
Pre-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Ring of the Darkmender Circle of the Darkmender | Trial of the Crusader – Lord Jaraxxus (25) Heroic |
| Starshine Circle | Heroic: All Is Well That Ends Well |
| Nebula Band | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (10) |
| Fire Orchid Signet | Ulduar – Freya (10) (HM) |
| Conductive Seal | Ulduar – Mimiron (25) (HM) |
Far and away the best ring in the game outside of ICC is the Ring of the Darkmender. It is also BIS for every other healer in the game, so you may have to fight them for it. It has super high intellect and a gem socket as well as an Mp5 stat, so this will have a large impact on your mana sustain.
The next best ring outside of ICC is the Starshine Circle, which comes from Reply-Code Alpha, a quest item that drops from Algalon The Observer. It is mana heavy similar to the Ring of the Darkmender, just with a slightly lower item level.
Fire Orchid Signet & Nebula Band are also phenomenal rings that can be farmed in Heroic++ Dungeons via Sidereal Essences. The Fire Orchid Signet offers more in the way of mana sustainability, where as the Nebula Band is more output heavy.
The Conductive Seal is also an excellent option despite the spirit (which is a dead stat for a Holy Paladin).
Best-in-Slot
| Item | Source |
| Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom | Ashen Verdict – Exalted |
| Ring of Rapid Ascent | Icecrown Citadel – Gunship Armory (25) (H) |
| Marrowgar’s Frigid Eye | Icecrown Citadel – Lord Marrowgar (25) (H) |
| Cerise Coiled Ring | Icecrown Citadel – Blood Prince Council (10) (H) |
Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom is far and away the best ring in the game for a Holy Paladin. Between its insanely high intellect, haste rating, and mp5 it is also has a spellpower proc on a 45 second internal cooldown. Due to its proc, no other ring comes close.
Ring of Rapid Ascent is the best ring in the game to pair it with. It is flawlessly itemized with output stats such as haste and crit and even comes with a gem socket that we can socket intellect into.
A mana sustain alternative to the Ring of Rapid Ascent is the Marrowgar’s Frigid Eye. It is easily obtainable from the first boss in ICC 25 heroic, Lord Marrowgar. It lacks some output because it doesn’t have any crit, but it makes up for it with plenty of Mp5.
The Cerise Coiled Ring is the best option from 10 man ICC. It has everything we’re looking for as a Holy Paladin: crit, haste, high intellect and a gem socket. It has slightly less stats than the other rings on this list since it is only 264 item level as opposed to 277.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets for a fresh level 80, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Soul Preserver | The Culling of Stratholme |
| Meteorite Crystal | Animated Constellation – 24 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Darkmoon Card: Greatness | Darkmoon Nobles Deck – Nobles Deck |
| 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) |
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. This is not only one of the best trinkets outside of ToGC, but one of the best trinkets in the entire game.
The Meteorite Crystal is also one of the most powerful trinkets in the entire game, and is now easily farmable via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Darkmoon Card: Greatness is extremely powerful for a fresh level 80. You can purchase it off of the auction house, although it may be expensive. The 90 static intellect is what makes it so valuable, and its proc can be extremely useful when combined with Divine Plea.
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 other trinkets on this list.
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.
Best-in-Slot
Glowing Twilight Scale offers unparalleled output. If you find yourself not needing the mana from other trinkets, the Glowing Twilight Scale is the clear choice.
Soul Preserver is still one of the best trinkets in the entire game. When healing stacked targets, this trinket has the potential to return a ridiculous amount of mana. .
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.
Talisman of Resurgence is another must-have trinket. In a 25 man environment it does not compare to the trinkets above, but in 5 or 10 man content it is typically superior to Soul Preserver.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Animated Constellation – 38 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Hammer of the Astral Plane | Heroic+ Dungeons (Former Naxxramas 10 Drop) |
| Mariel’s Sorrow | Trial of the Champion – The Black Knight (Heroic) |
| 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++ to farm Sidereal Essences in order to purchase Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion. Note that this weapon is far superior to any other option on this list.
If you are not yet ready for Heroic++ Dungeons, you can start in 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings | Fragment of Val’anyr x30 |
| Blade of the Unbroken Covenant Mortalis | Trial of the Crusader – Argent Crusade Tribute Chest (25) Heroic |
| Misery’s End Suffering’s End | Trial of the Crusader – Anub’arak (25) Heroic |
| Constellus | Ulduar – Algalon The Observer (25) |
| Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion | Ulduar – Vezax (10) (HM) |
The best weapon in the game is obtainable without stepping foot into ICC. The legendary mace Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings offers unparalleled output. It may not have as good stats as some weapons from ICC, but its proc places a protective bubble on anyone you heal which is completely overpowered. No other weapon even comes close.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings yet, keep an eye out for Blade of the Unbroken Covenant or Misery’s End. Both of them are similarly powerful, but pale in comparison to Val’anyr.
Constellus is the best weapon from Ulduar (other than Val’anyr) despite its lack of haste. It has high intellect and a gem socket that we can socket with even more intellect, as well as Mp5, making this a very powerful item for mana sustainability.
Aesuga, Hand of the Ardent Champion is a great option as well, and you can obtain it without even stepping into a raid via Sidereal Essences from Heroic++ Dungeons.
Best-in-Slot
The best weapon in the game is obtainable without stepping foot into ICC. The legendary mace Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings offers unparalleled output. It may not have as good stats as some weapons from ICC, but its proc places a protective bubble on anyone you heal which is completely overpowered. No other weapon even comes close.
The Royal Scepter of Terenas II & Bloodsurge, Kel’Thuzad’s Blade of Agony have the greatest stats in the game. Even with a Val’anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings you’ll want to search for one of these two weapons to use during periods where you’re purposely delaying your Valanyr proc.
Fresh 80
| Item | Source |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Animated Constellation – 25 Sidereal Essence (Sidereal Essence Vendor) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Heroic++ Dungeons (Former Ulduar 10) |
| 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 |
Ice Layered Barrier is by far the best shield option for a Holy Paladin upon hitting level 80. To acquire it, farm Heroic++ Dungeons to obtain Sidereal Essences.
While you’re out farming Sidereal Essences, keep an eye out for Pulsing Spellshield. It is not quite as good as the Ice Layered Barrier, but it will serve as a proper starter shield.
If you are not quite ready to start healing Heroic++ dungeons, 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 viable 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-ICC
| Item | Source |
| Bastion of Purity Bastion of Resolve | Trial of the Crusader – Faction Champions (25) Heroic |
| Wisdom’s Hold | Ulduar – Thorim (25) (HM) |
| Ice Layered Barrier | Ulduar – Hodir (10) (HM) |
| Pulsing Spellshield | Ulduar – XT-002 Deconstructor (10) |
The best shield in the game outside of ICC is the Bastion of Purity. It is only contested by Elemental and Restoration Shaman, so hopefully it will not be too difficult to obtain if you are clearing ToGC on a weekly basis.
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.
Best-in-Slot
The best shield in the game is the Bulwark of Smouldering Steel from the first boss in ICC 25 man heroic, Lord Marrowgar. He is a relatively simple encounter so this should not be very difficult to obtain. This shield is very output oriented offering both haste and critical strike rating as well as high intellect and a gem socket.
The normal mode version of Bulwark of Smouldering Steel is your next best option. It is easily obtainable from the very first boss in ICC who is very easy on normal mode.
The next best shield option isn’t a shield at all, but an offhand. The Shadow Silk Spindle may lack the armor we normally take for granted in our offhand options, but that shouldn’t be a huge concern. It has great stats relative to any other offhand/shield outside of the Bulwark of Smouldering Steel. It is lacking a gem socket like most shields, but it makes up for it with incredibly high base intellect.
So im curious, this is one of the only lists that does not have any libram for BiS. Just curious what i should look for
what about the mimiron trink Pandora’s plea ?
Pandora’s Plea is a solid trinket, but not as good as the trinkets listed on the guide. The spell power proc isn’t great for holy paladins. For a more detailed explanation on why spell power isn’t super powerful for us, check out the stats section of the guide :)
Edit: The trinket is great for FoL spamming on HM Vezax– consider using it there!
What professions should a holy paladin choose?
You can find a description of the best available professions in the first part of the guide.
If darkmoon greatness is only pre-raid bis, is it even worth spending the 15k or w/e to get it?
Absolutely. Not only is it pre-bis, but it is also BIS for all of phase 1. Highly recommend! Also, on my server (and I assume every other server), DMC:G has plummeted in price.
if i have a strength darkmoon greatness should i still use that?
No, any other healer trinket will be better than DMC with strength
Hey Bobo,
Unfortunately the Strength DMC:G is useless for a Holy Paladin. To get a better understanding of which stats are best for us, check out the stats page :)
Hello,
I just want to point out that the Deadly cloak which is only like 30k honor is def better then most of the pre bis cloaks. It gives alot more haste, sp, int and stam. No bis guides is showing this but it truly is if u check it.
sry how is Boots of Healing Energies better than Poignant Sabatons
it has -4 int -12 haste – 35 crit and that all for the 33mp5 and 20 sp
Hello there! Boots of Healing Energies is in fact better than Poignant, and you’ll find any P1 bis list online saying the same. Considering comparing to Wowhead, icyveins, etc. But let’s not just copy the rest of the internet– let’s discuss!
4 int, 12 haste and 35 crit may seem like it’s valued over 33 mp5 and 20sp, but in fact, it is not. Crit is extremely low in value for holy paladins (for an in-depth explanation as to why, check out the stats section of the guide). And 33 mp5 is absolutely massive.
Unfortunately, as healers, we aren’t able to simply pluck in pieces into a simulator and find the right answer.
However, there are tools online that allows us to draw EP (equivalency points) for your own character. Try this tool: https://wotlkheals.herokuapp.com/
You’ll find that no matter what state your character is in, Boots of Healing Energies will far outweigh Poignant.
Any chance someone can do phase 3 & 4 for the paladin BIS .
Hey there Dale,
I’ll certainly be adding p3 and p4 BIS as we get closer to those phases. :)
Now that Heroic + is here.
Will you be updating this guide?
I think your Kinin Tor ring is wrong! I mean you’ve theorycrafted much more than I ever could, but still don’t think that’s the best holy pala ring choice
Does Trauma from Heroic Rotface proc off Glyph of Seal of Light ticks? Does Trauma’s healing proc Soul Perserver?
Without Valy’nar and before mace from 25 heroic LK is Trauma worth considering as an Hpal over other haste/mp5 options?
Leggings of Woven Death
Every Trinket except meteorite are crap af .Pandora,Solice (pdok25) and the Triumph trinket are way better
This “Bis legs” Aint the bis legs.[Plaguebringer’s Stained Pants] More stats than your legs listed above
where is another phase ??
Soul Preserver is terrible to Hpal. lmfao.
The majority of Hpal logs have Flash of Light being used right now, because Naxx damage is so ungodly low it’s the only thing to do. Mind this is also assuming you are cutting healers down to 3 like we are in my run. Even then I find myself bored and we cut to 2 on several fights just to be mildly interesting. Nobody gets hit hard enough to justify Hlight spam. Even tanks are barely tickled other than Patchwerk.
2% proc per cast makes it atrocious while Flashing… For it to even be viable we’d have to be using basically only Hlight and it be a fight where melee are clumped and melee are the people taking the damage for us to spot heal w/ beacon on the tank just to force it’s proc rate to like a psuedo 15% range per cast. The majority of fights this tier… are not qualifiers for that. Ergo It’s worse psuedo MP5 than the Raw int of the JC trinket.
Hey there! You bring up some interesting points. Thanks for contributing to the discussion!
However, I’d have to disagree with you.
If you were to look at any top Holy Paladin, you’ll actually more than likely find that not a single Flash of Light was cast during any fight whatsoever.
Here is the currently top HPal on warcraftlogs, for reference:
https://classic.warcraftlogs.com/reports/DBXxcgjPq7khZ9CA#boss=-2&wipes=2&start=404394&end=7852022&type=healing
During this T7 full clear, he gained 92,000 mana from Soul Preserver. He only cast Holy Light.
Here is the HPal that is the in best guild in the world, <BEEF BAR>:
https://classic.warcraftlogs.com/reports/HpcWKrqTBmxL3Xvn#type=healing&boss=-2&difficulty=0&source=20
During this T7 full clear, he gained 94,400 mana from Soul Presever. He only cast Holy Light.
If you peruse any Paladin in the top 5,000 or so, you’ll find a nearly identical spell breakdown, and a similarly massive amount of mana gained from Soul Preserver.
Just to be clear– I’m not saying you’re wrong. You are correct in that Soul Preserver is only BIS if you are mashing Holy Light onto a clump of several people. Perhaps your guild raids with more than 2-4 healers, or tends to be very spread out on fights. In that case, your playstyle of Flash of Light and different trinkets is great and I commend your adaptiveness!
For myself and many others, however, damage in T7 is more than enough to justify Holy Light spamming (with the exception of Noth and and Gothik, perhaps) and I find my raid to be somewhat stacked on virtually every fight.
If your raid team isn’t stacked on the majority of fights, consider speaking with them and explaining the value they’re missing by making AoE healing impossible.
Half the logs are inflated from intentional damage taken. Just to give them more to heal. Sure I could tell my raid to intentionally take more damage but that would hurt our clear time. We’re trying to get 1h 20m down more.
Also I did say exactly how many healers we run, 3 with it down to 2 on several fights. Also their fight durations are vastly longer than ours. It’s actually embarassing. Sure I suppose if you’re gonna generate logs just to prove your point by “taking more damage than necessary to give healers more work.” and Make fights take to long t o increase heal duration sure. We’re speed clearing and barely take damage to the point where when we 2 heal some bosses we’re still bored from seeing virtually no damage.
But hey if I want to retard parse next week maybe I’ll get everyone to sit in damage while I have Wings n shit up just like that monkey.
Do the fights correctly you’ll end fights in sub 2 minute marks and often find Preserver just won’t proc because again.. people are prooperly doing the content not just to inflate a log.
Hey again!
I agree with a lot of you’re saying, for sure. Many fights have damage so low that they’re virtually 0 healable. The more challenging fights, however, actually do quite a bit of damage– some of which have the highest damage taken we’ve seen thus far in classic.
Note that the logs I linked you were not only of the #1 parser, but also from the Holy Paladin of the #1 world guild who is speedclearing at crazy rates. I am also in a top 20 US speed clearing guild, and my experiences do not align with your own.
I would also point out that ‘standing in fire’ is largely a speed running strategy, not a healing parsing one. Blizzard on Sapphiron, Rain of Fire on Faerlina, the Safety Dance damage; all of these are easily healable, so moving out of them would be a waste of DPS.
If you want to continue to spam Flash of Light that is your prerogative and all the power to you :) but this guide, as well as every other guide on the internet, and every top Holy Paladin will likely not be changing from Holy Light spamming anytime soon.