There is no better tank for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight than Protection Warrior! They top our tank tier list thanks to an impressive toolkit, survivability, and damage profile. Our best in slot guide will help you obtain the best gear Dragonflight has to offer and do the most damage you can.

Item Slot Navigation Menu

Prot Warrior Best in Slot Stat Priority

The most important factor to consider when obtaining new gear is your stat priority. In general, you should follow a rule like this:

1. Strength
2. Haste
3. Versatility
4. Critical Strike
5. Mastery

Since tanking is more than about dealing damage, you want to make sure you're efficient with your gear and stats. Haste and Versatility is best for a defensive profile, but don't be afraid to play with different loadouts and stat profiles.

Important Notes For BiS Lists

It is important to note that any jump in ilvl by more than 10 points almost always results in the higher ilvl item being better. If you have an upgrade of 5 ilvl or less, compare the stats based on the stat priorities to decide the better item.

When weighing options of other items not listed below, refer to the stat priority of the class and spec. Keep in mind that stats eventually have diminishing returns, so it is not required to have absolutely every slot stack the same 2 stats. For simplicity, we offer the best per slot assuming you have not capped out these stats.

The calculations for diminishing returns are as follows:

• 0 to 30% in a stat - no penalty.
• 30% to 39% in a stat - 10% penalty.
• 39% to 47% in a stat - 20% penalty.
• 47% to 54% in a stat - 30% penalty.
• 54% to 66% in a stat - 40% penalty.
• 66% to 126% in a stat - 50% penalty.

In the case where you have reached 30% in a secondary stat, an item that has a secondary stat that is lower on priority may in fact be a better upgrade. This is why it is always important to sim your gear. For simplicity, we offer the best item in that slot assuming you have not capped out these stats.

Prot Warrior Best BiS Gear

The items appearing in these lists may come from Mythic+, Raids, or The Vault. Their item level will depend on the instance's level of difficulty (Normal, Heroic, Mythic, Mythic+ 1-20). This list does not include Renown or Crafting items as it is meant as a guide on what dungeons or raids to attend to get your best gear from these sources.

Item tooltips will show the Mythic 9 or the Normal Raid difficulty item level version.

Best Head

You won't find a "perfect" stat combo here, but there are some solid options beyond just the tier piece.

Back to Item Menu

Best Neck

Theorycrafting and data show that the Elemental Lariat is almost always your best neck piece. We recommend getting this crafted ASAP. Anything else is honestly not worth mentioning. Use a missive to ensure your desired stats.

Back to Item Menu

Best Shoulders

Both raid options have your best two stats. That includes the tier piece.

Back to Item Menu

Best Back

These two cloaks have your best stats. There are solid options beyond them, though, so make sure you sim for your best upgrade.

Back to Item Menu

Best Chest

Even though the non-tier raid option has Haste/Vers, we recommend tier here.

Back to Item Menu

Best Wrist

Take your pick; both of these bracers are fantastic.

Back to Item Menu

Best Hands

Tier is, once again, a solid option. Sim to see which tier piece you can get rid of if you have all five.

Back to Item Menu

Best Waist

There aren't many super solid good options for your belt, sadly. Sim to make sure you have the best one.

Back to Item Menu

Best Legs

Tier has your two best stats. We recommend picking those up over what you can get in Mythic+.

Back to Item Menu

Best Feet

Honestly, I'm not too excited about these options. Sim for your best upgrade.

Back to Item Menu

Best Rings

There's some good options for your rings, which makes never getting the rare drop from raid an easier pill to swallow.

Back to Item Menu

Best Trinkets

These trinkets range from stat sticks to beneficial procs and everything in between. Rather than talk about their strengths and weaknesses, we recommend trying them out for yourself and seeing what you like. That's the best way to get a good feel for what works and what doesn't.

Back to Item Menu

Best Weapons / Shield

You're a tank that can wear a shield, so we'll include those as well.

It's possible to get a set up where your weapon and shield both have Haste/Vers.

Back to Item Menu

Best Gems For Prot Warriors

Here we list the best gems you can socket your gear with for Prot Warriors. As always, it is best to sim to ensure you're using the best options available. These gems are chosen given consideration to your best stats.

• Epic unique gem - Fierce Illimited Diamond
• Remaining gems - Quick Ysemerald, Energized Ysemerald, or Energized Malygite

Best Enchants For Prot Warriors

Here are the best enchants available for Prot Warriors in Dragonflight.

• Cloak - Regenerative Leech
• Chest - Sustained Strength
• Bracers - Devotion of Leech
• Legs - Fierce Armor Kit
• Boots - Watcher's Loam
• Rings - Devotion of Haste
• Weapon - Sophic Devotion
  • Note: For AOE, we recommend Frozen Devotion

Back to Item Menu

How To Simulate To Determine Your Best Gear

Raidbots is a tool that World of Warcraft players can use to figure out if the gear they just looted is an upgrade. As mentioned earlier, there are so many nuances and diminishing returns as certain points in the game, that determining an exact set of bis gear is impossible. With the ilvl scaling of Mythic+ loot on higher keys and utility different gear has for different fights, there just isn't a pure "this is the absolute best for the entire Season" list. It's even something that certain classes have come across in Classic Wrath!

Don't worry, because we're still here to help. We highly recommend using raidbots to determine if an item you just acquired is an upgrade. Here's a quick guide to help you run simulations to see if your new item is an upgrade:

• Make sure you have the Simulationcraft add-on installed.
• With your new loot in your inventory, open your chatbox and type /simc.
• A window will open up. Copy the entire text and paste it on the Raidbots Top Gear page. I included my Simulation craft window for my personal character below

• This step is important. On the Top Gear page, scroll down and make sure you're selecting the gear you want simmed. If you do not select the gear you're wearing, as well as the gear in your inventory you just acquired, you won't know if you picked up an upgrade.
• Raidbots will then let you know which items allow you to maximize your DPS!

Back to Item Menu