Just when the inhabitants of Azeroth thought it was safe to go back to Silithus, it was time for the Gates of Ahn’Qiraj to open. Just like it did more than 15 years ago, an event is taking place once again in Classic World of Warcraft that will start a whole new era for the players involved. New raids, new quests, and more and better gear are on the horizon.
Before entering that raid, it helps to know what you can roll on and what you can’t. By the time Phase 4 concludes, most players have cut their teeth on raids like Molten Core and Zul’Gurub, but what does the loot look like in Phase 5? Some of the BiS gear sets carry over from the previous patch while there are new pieces available for some classes once both the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj and Temple of Ahn’Qiraj are open. Exactly what gear is the best varies depending on a player’s class, spec, faction, and reputation level with the Cenarion Circle.
9 Mage - Enigma Vestments
Players that are familiar with Zul’Gurub already know this drill. Collect certain artifacts that drop from specific bosses in the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj and Temple of Ahn’Qiraj, and grind up to a certain amount of rep with a faction that has enlisted an army to kill its sworn enemies. It’s fairly easy for Mages to get into a raid group, but the downside to that is a player has to win a roll against a much larger group. The reward is a set made up of five pieces, but only the boots are the BiS in Phase 5.
8 Shaman - Stormcaller’s Garb
There are three different specs for Shaman and his set is ideal for all of them, even at Phase 5. The stats are similar to conventional caster items, improving spell power and critical strike chance, but they’re made of mail, and therefore are specifically for Shamans. Like other BiS items associated with the Ahn’Qiraj raids, a player has to collect special drops from the raids and grind up to a certain level of rep with the Cenarion Circle to obtain these armor pieces.
7 Rogue - Deathdealer’s Embrace
With the exception of weapons, whether it be dagger or sword, not much else changes for the Rogue BiS in Phase 5 when it comes to gear. Each weapon specialization wears the same armor set in Phase 5, Deathdealer’s Embrace. It’s acquired by grinding rep with the Cenarion Circle and collecting items from the raids Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj and Temple of Ahn’Qiraj.
The entire set is comprised of five pieces and it’s preferable to equip them all. Luckily, players don’t have to wait for random drops and lucky rolls. Just collect the required items from the raids and get them as rewards from the Cenarion Circle.
6 Paladin - Avenger’s Battlegear
There are three possible specs for the Paladin, and some of the BiS choices in Phase 5 vary depending on the one each player chooses. Retribution and Protection Paladins will wear certain pieces of the Avenger’s Battlegear set while “Healadins” will share the same gear as other healing classes.
Ret pallies will want to wear the full set while Prot pallies will don two pieces; the chest and the helm. Run the raids to grind rep with the Cenarion Circle to acquire the Avenger’s Battlegear set. If a player is a healing spec, most of the BiS items are random drops from high-level bosses like Nefarian and Hakkar that are also coveted by Druids, Priests, and Shamans.
5 Warrior - Battlegear of Wrath vs. Conquerer’s Battlegear
Protection or Fury? For a Warrior, this is such an important difference that there’s a separate set for each spec in Phase 5. Protection Warriors put their Battlegear of Wrath set together by killing bosses in Blackwing Lair and Molten Core and equip at least five out of eight pieces.
Fury warriors will want the Conquerer’s Battlegear for the increased defense and hit chance along with a reduction to the rage needed for key abilities. Conquerer gear easier to get, since all a player has to do is grind rep and collect certain items to acquire it.
4 Priest - Vestments of Transcendence vs. Garments of the Oracle
Of course, we love our healers, but who doesn’t adore the shadow Priest? So what if Warlocks have to share their gear once in a while, it’s worth it to have a notorious face-melter in the party. The BiS gear of the Priest varies to a huge degree depending on the spec, with Shadow Priests rolling on Oracle pieces and Holy ones going for Transcendence.
As with the Paladin healing set, Priest healing gear drops from certain high-level bosses in Phase 4 endgame raids, so a player needs some extra help from their friends to find these pieces. While Shadow priests have to share some pieces of high-level gear with Warlocks because of the buff to Shadow magic, the Oracle pieces are class-specific and fairly easy to get after running Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj and Temple of Ahn’Qiraj a few times.
3 Warlock - Doomcaller’s Attire and Bloodvine Garb
The bad news, Warlocks, is that it’s still all about the Bloodvine Garb for some slots. The good news is you can add some Doomcaller’s Attire to that and even it out. Like several other class-specific sets, these items don’t drop from bosses themselves but are acquired from certain NPCs in exchange for special items that are found in the raids. In Phase 5 the BiS for Doomcaller is comprised of two items; the headpiece and the shoulders. The rest is drops from bosses that Warlocks have to share with other casting classes.
2 Hunter - Dragonstalker’s Armor
Most of the BiS pieces for Hunters in Phase 5 come from the Dragonstalker Armor set. The pieces drop from a variety of bosses in dungeons like Blackwing Lair and Molten Core, making them among some of the toughest to get. Not only does this require running the raids various times to wait for them to drop, but players have to win a roll against other Hunters in the same raid. This is one of those Classic WoW moments when the community and the guild are an essential part of the gameplay.
1 Druid - The Defiler’s Purpose and The Bloodvine Set
With a total of four different specifications possible, no other class has as many possibilities for Phase 5 gear as the Druid. Balance and Restoration druids share the same gear as other healing classes like Paladins and Priests at this point, most of which drop from Blackwing Lair, the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj, and Temple of Ahn’Qiraj.
The Bloodvine Set, usually associated with Warlocks, is also ideal for Balance Druids in Phase 5. The Bis for Tank Druids is the Defiler’s Purpose set, which is actually a PvP set awarded from the caretakers of the Arathi Basin Battleground.
NEXT: World Of Warcraft Classic: 10 Strongest Items Of Power (& Why They’re So Good)
