Wrath of the Lich King Classic is now a thing of the past, and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic has taken its place. Azeroth has changed forever (again) and you can once again relive Deathwing's return and his horrific efforts to bring about the Hour of Twilight.
But before you can put a stop to Deathwing and his minions, you will need to gear up first. While Dragon Soul is not coming out until January of next year, you have several phases to acquire best-in-slot (referred to as BIS for short) gear so that you will be raid ready. If you want to gear up your Death Knight, here is what is BIS for you.
This article will be updated overtime with the BIS for each phase. Since Blackwing Descent, Throne of Four Winds, and Bastion of Twilight don't release until May 30th , this guide will cover pre-raid BIS.
World of Warcraft Classic Confirms Cataclysm Update With 'Changes'
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic is confirmed by Holly Longdale at this year's edition of BlizzCon and will feature significant gameplay changes.
BIS Gear For Blood Death Knights (Pre-Raid)
After the changes to stats and the addition of Mastery, Blood Death Knights became formidable tanks in the original Cataclysm, and that has not changed for Cataclysm Classic. After you reach Level 85, here is the gear you will want to obtain as soon as possible in order to be ready for the raids when they unlock. Alternatives have been provided as well, especially in the case where an epic from Archaeology is considered BIS.
Epic BoE gear has been excluded due to the fact that they aren't guaranteed drops and will be ludicrously expensive on the Auction House at this point in Cataclysm Classic . They aren't worth the cost when you can just wait to get some 359 gear from raids.
Slot | Item | Source | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
Head | Reinforced Bi-Optic Killshades | Crafted through Engineering, only usable by Engineers | Helm of Satesh (Drop from Satesh in Halls of Origination Heroic) |
Neck | Carrier Wave Pendant | Drops from Blackrock Caverns (Heroic) | |
Shoulder | Raz's Pauldrons | Drops from Blackrock Caverns (Heroic) | |
Back | Wrap of the Great Turtle | Purchased from Provisioner Whitecloud, requires Exalted with Guardians of Hyjal | |
Chest | Hardened Elementium Hauberk | Crafted through Blacksmithing | Lord Walden's Breastplate (Drop from Lord Godfrey in Shadowfang Keep Heroic) |
Wrist | Alpha Bracers | Drops from Halls of Origination (Heroic) | |
Hands | Fingers of Light | Drops from Halls of Origination (Heroic) | |
Waist | Hardened Elementium Girdle | Crafted through Blacksmithing | Sand Dune Belt (Drop from Augh in Lost City of the Tol'vir Heroic) |
Legs | Magma Plated Legguards | Purchased with 2,200 Valor Points in Stormwind (Alliance) or Orgrimmar (Horde) | Greaves of Splendor (Purchased with 2,200 Justice Points) |
Feet | Boots of Sullen Rock (Horde only) | Purchased from Grot Deathblow, requires Exalted with Dragonmaw Clan | Gryphon Rider's Boots (Alliance only, purchased from Craw MacGraw. Requires Exalted with Wildhammer Clan) |
Finger | Umbriss Band | Drops from Grim Batol (Heroic) | |
Finger | Red Rock Band | Purchased from Blacksmith Abasi in Uldum, requires Revered with Ramkahen | |
Trinket | Mirror of Broken Images | Requires Exalted with Baradin's Wardens (Alliance) or Hellscream's Reach (Horde) | |
Trinket | Lifebound Alchemist Stone | Crafted through Alchemy, it can only be used by Alchemists. | Leaden Despair (Drops from High Priestess Azil in The Stonecore Heroic) |
Weapon | Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds | Acquired through Archaeology | Sword of the Bottomless Pit (Drops from Ozruk in The Stonecore Heroic), Whitefin Axe (Drops from Ozumat in Throne of the Tides Heroic) |
Relic | Notched Jawbone | Crafted through Inscription | Stalagmite Dragon (Drops from Slabhide in The Stonecore Heroic) |
BIS Gear For Frost and Unholy Death Knights (Pre-Raid)
Frost Death Knights can provide not only solid DPS for their group, but also provide their team with the Improved Icy Talons passive buff. While they don't provide a passive party buff, Unholy Death Knights can also be a solid melee DPS in a raid group. It is important to note that some items that are BIS for Blood Death Knights are also BIS for Frost and Unholy as well. Especially Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds. Of course, getting this weapon should not be relied on since it requires a terrifying amount of hours worth of farming Archaeology (unless you get really lucky).
Slot | Item | Source | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
Head | Reinforced Bi-Optic Killshades | Crafted through Engineering, only usable by Engineers | Helm of Easeful Death (Purchased with 2,200 Justice Points), Stonemason's Helm (Drops from Vanessa VanCleef in The Deadmines Heroic) |
Neck | Gift of Nadun | Purchased from Blacksmith Abasi in Uldum, requires Exalted with Ramkahen | Seedling Pod (Drops from Ammunae in Halls of Origination) |
Shoulder | Raz's Pauldrons | Drops from Blackrock Caverns (Heroic) | Pauldron's of the High Requiem (Purchased with 1,650 Justice Points) |
Back | Shadow of the Past | Drops from The Deadmines (Heroic) | Eagle Ray Cloak (Drops from Commander Ulthok in Throne of the Tides Heroic) |
Chest | Elementium Deathplate | Crafted through Blacksmithing | Lord Walden's Breastplate (Drops from Lord Godfrey in Shadowfang Keep Heroic) |
Wrist | Alpha Bracers | Drops from Halls of Origination (Heroic) | |
Hands | Hematite Plate Gloves | Drops from The Stonecore (Heroic) | Gear-Marked Gauntlets (Drops from Helix Gearbreaker in The Deadmines Heroic) |
Waist | Elementium Girdle of Pain | Crafted through Blacksmithing | Belt of the Ferocious Wolf (Purchased from Provisioner Whitecloud, requires Exalted with Guardians of Hyjal) |
Legs | Magma Plated Legplates | Purchased with 2,200 Valor Points | Greaves of Gallantry (Purchased with 2,200 Justice Points) |
Feet | Waywatcher's Boots | Purchased from Provisioner Whitecloud, requires Revered with Guardians of Hyjal | Greaves of Wu the Elder (Drops from General Husam in Lost City of the Tol'vir Heroic) |
Finger | Gorsik's Band of Shattering | Purchased from D'lom the Collector, requires Revered with Therazane | |
Finger | Signet of Transformation | Drops from Blackrock Caverns (Heroic) | Circle of Bone (Drops from Erudax in Grim Batol Heroic |
Trinket | Impatience of Youth | Requires Exalted with Baradin's Wardens (Alliance) or Hellscream's Reach (Horde) | |
Trinket | License to Slay | Purchased with 1,650 Valor Points | Right Eye of Rajh (Drops from Rajh in Halls of Origination Heroic) |
Weapon (If dual wielding) | Scimitar of the Sirocco | Acquired through Archaeology | Cookie's Tenderizer (Drops from Captain Cookie in The Deadmines Heroic) |
Weapon (If dual wielding) | Resonant Kris | Drops from Lost City of the Tol'vir (Heroic) | |
Weapon (Two-Hand) | Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds | Acquired through Archaeology | Sword of the Bottomless Pit (Drops from Ozruk in The Stonecore Heroic) |
Relic | Relic of Aggramar | Purchased with 700 Valor Points | Notched Jawbone (Crafted through Inscription) |
