Level 60 · Tank · Dungeons and crafting
Protection Paladin Pre-Raid Gear
The best Protection Paladin gear you can farm before your first raid in WoW Forever, slot by slot. Every item is still in the Forever client, uses its Forever stats, and has a known way to get it: a level 60 dungeon drop or a crafting recipe.
Last checked · Rankings are ours, from the stat weights listed below.
Dungeons to farm first
- Blackrock Depths: Verek's Collar, Shalehusk Boots
- Stratholme (Undead): Band of Flesh, Husk of Nerub'enkan
- Dire Maul North: Band of the Ogre King
- Scholomance: Vigorsteel Vambraces
- Upper Blackrock Spire: Spaulders of Valor
Craft or buy
- blacksmithing: Enchanted Thorium Helm (300), Enchanted Thorium Breastplate (300), Heavy Thorium Gauntlets (300), Sentinel's Waistguard (250), Azerothium Legplates (300), Blackguard (300)
- enchanting: Libram of Infusion (300)
- leatherworking: Shifting Cloak (300)
Bind on equip pieces can be bought from crafters or the Auction House.
Gear by slot
| Slot | Best known-source item | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Enchanted Thorium HelmiLvl 62 · Plate · BoE +12 Strength, +25 Stamina, +9 DefenseCrafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item |
|
| Neck | Verek's CollariLvl 56 +6 Strength, +7 Stamina, +3 Defense, +12 DodgeDrops in Blackrock Depths (Classic drop list) |
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| Shoulder | Spaulders of ValoriLvl 60 · Plate +9 Agility, +11 Strength, +17 Stamina, +4 DefenseDrops in Upper Blackrock Spire (Classic drop list) |
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| Back | Shifting CloakiLvl 62 · Cloth · BoE +17 Agility, +8 Stamina, +12 DodgeCrafted: Leatherworking 300, from a recipe item |
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| Chest | Enchanted Thorium BreastplateiLvl 63 · Plate · BoE +12 Strength, +26 Stamina, +9 DefenseCrafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item |
|
| Wrist | Vigorsteel VambracesiLvl 62 · Plate +7 Agility, +17 Stamina, +3 HitDrops in Scholomance (Classic drop list) |
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| Hands | Heavy Thorium GauntletsiLvl 65 · Plate · BoE +14 Stamina, +21 Strength, +12 DefenseCrafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item |
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| Waist | Sentinel's WaistguardiLvl 55 · Plate +14 Stamina, +13 Strength, +10 DefenseCrafted: Blacksmithing 250, from a recipe item |
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| Legs | Azerothium LegplatesiLvl 65 · Plate · BoE +24 Strength, +18 Agility, +27 StaminaCrafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item |
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| Feet | Shalehusk BootsiLvl 58 · Plate +10 Stamina, +18 Dodge, +100 ArmorDrops in Blackrock Depths (Classic drop list) |
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| Rings | Band of FleshiLvl 60 +3 Agility, +6 Strength, +16 Stamina, +40 ArmorDrops in Stratholme (Undead) (Classic drop list) |
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| One-hand weapon | BlackguardiLvl 70 · Sword · BoE +12 Stamina, +15 Parry · 51.6 dpsCrafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item |
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| Shield | Husk of Nerub'enkaniLvl 61 +10 Stamina, +2 Defense, +15 Nature ResistanceDrops in Stratholme (Undead) (Classic drop list) | — |
| Relic | Libram of InfusioniLvl 65 · BoE Equip: Increases the critical strike chance of your Holy Shock spell by 6%.Crafted: Enchanting 300, from a recipe item Relic effects cannot be scored; every relic with a known source is listed. | — |
Raid prep
Hyjal Summit, Barrow Deeps and Onyxia's Lair open on December 9, 2026. Have these ready for the first night, on top of the gear above:
Flask
- First choice: Flask of Natural Precision. Fewer dodged and parried attacks means steadier threat on the pull. Use: Increases your Stamina by 60. While in Mount Hyjal, Hyjal Summit, and the Barrow Deeps, you also gain 5% reduced chance to be dodged or parried.Alchemy 300, from a recipe item · 1 Death Lotus, 12 Marefoil, 9 Dreamfoil, 1 Imbued Vial
- Second choice: Flask of Natural Accuracy. Hit, for the same reason. Use: Increases your Stamina by 60. While in Mount Hyjal, Hyjal Summit, and the Barrow Deeps, you also gain 5% Hit Chance.Alchemy 300, from a recipe item · 1 Death Lotus, 12 Demonsage, 9 Golden Sansam, 1 Imbued Vial
- Onyxia's Lair: Flask of the Titans. The Classic tank flask, for Onyxia's Lair where the Natural flasks give only Stamina.Alchemy 300, unchanged from Classic · 30 Gromsblood, 10 Stonescale Oil, 1 Black Lotus, 1 Crystal Vial
You can only have one flask at a time, and each lasts two hours. All recipes: alchemy recipes.
Onyxia: attunement and fire resistance
Every raid member needs the Drakefire Amulet from the faction attunement chain (steps for Alliance and Horde), and Blizzard's raid overview tells raids to stack fire resistance. The most fire resistance this spec can wear in each slot, from known-source gear:
- Dark Iron Helm (Plate): +35 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item
- Dark Iron Leggings (Plate): +30 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item
- Dark Iron Gauntlets (Plate): +28 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Blacksmithing 300, from a recipe item
- Dark Iron Plate (Plate): +19 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Blacksmithing 260, from a recipe item
- Dark Iron Bracers (Plate): +18 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Blacksmithing 270, from a recipe item
- Onyxia Scale Cloak (Cloth): +16 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Leatherworking 300, from a recipe item
- Frozen Heart of the Mountain (Trinket): +7 Fire Resistance · Crafted: Enchanting 265, from a recipe item
Barrow Deeps
The Brooch of the Wardens is a key: "Grants access to the Vord'anaar Prison within Barrow Deeps." How you get it is not in the client data yet. Raid pages: Hyjal Summit · Barrow Deeps · Onyxia's Lair.
Consumables, potions and the spec's rotation are in the Protection Paladin PvE guide.
Professions for this spec
Our pick: blacksmithing and alchemy, from the crafted pieces in the table above, with the bind-on-pickup ones counting double.
Only if you craft them yourself (bind on pickup)
- blacksmithing: Sentinel's Waistguard (250)
Buy from a crafter, or make your own (bind on equip)
- blacksmithing: Enchanted Thorium Helm, Enchanted Thorium Breastplate, Heavy Thorium Gauntlets, Azerothium Legplates, Blackguard
- leatherworking: Shifting Cloak
- enchanting: Libram of Infusion
Alchemy makes the raid flasks above; a gathering pair (Herbalism with Mining or Skinning) pays for them. Gold-making builds: Legacy for gold · gold guide · profession guides.
Stat weights we used
Each item's score is its Forever stats times these weights, plus weapon damage per second for the weapons this spec swings. One point of the stat on the left is worth this much next to one point of the top stat. They are rough and ours, adapted from Classic stat values; they decide the order on this page and nothing else.
Stamina 1.5 · Defense 1.5 · Dodge 1.4 · Parry 1.3 · Block 0.8 · Agility 0.7 · Hit 0.6 · Expertise 0.6 · Strength 0.5 · Block Value 0.4 · Spell Power 0.4 · Attack Power 0.2 · Intellect 0.2 · Armor 0.05
Items need required level 50 or higher and rare quality or better.
Other Paladin specs: Holy Paladin · Retribution Paladin · all specs