Top 5 - Classic WoW Tier Sets

Hey dudes! Silvite Soltis here today with ANOTHER top 5 list.

Vanilla WoW is known for many things - the community, the epic-long dungeons and PVP battles, and the awesome leveling experience to name a few. And while I've covered a few of those in previous top 5s, there's another important aspect of the game that I haven't really touched on yet - Loot!

Loot and gear are among the most important items in any MMO. And of course World of Warcraft is no exception. And while we've had many (and I mean MANY) different gear sets over the years, I feel that those introduced back in Classic are among the most popular and artistically inspired pieces we've ever seen.

That being said, there are an absolute ton of great sets spread throughout the game, including dungeons, raids, and crafted gear. So, to start, we're going to head back into Molten Core, Blackwing Lair, Onyxia's Lair, Ahn'Qiraj, and Naxxramas to talk about my picks for the TOP 5 Classic WoW Tier Sets. Keep in mind that these are all my own personal opinion and mostly focus on their appearances, so don't be offended if you share a different view. We're all different people with different tastes after all, so instead of starting a flame war, feel free to share your own top 5 in the comments! I'd love to hear what you have to say.

But with that out of the way, let's get into the list...

#5 - The Earthshatterer

K so, as a person who basically only ever played Alliance, I'll be the first to say that I absolutely adore the shaman sets - all of them, to be honest. And while the first two tiers are a bit too colorful (and purple) to give me the impression of what a shaman should be, the tier 3 set LOOKS shamanistic to me. Glowing magma shoulders with somewhat sinister looking eye effects make this set look really fantastic. If I ever saw someone wearing this in a battleground, or even just out in the open world back in late 2006, I knew to steer clear.

That being said, it's definitely among the sets I saw the least back in the day - only really getting a good look when it was redone for Wrath of the Lich King's tier 7 and 7.5 sets. Still, it's an awesome looking set that I'm really excited to see my guildmates get in the future.

#4 - Battlegear of Wrath

Ahh, the classic warrior - with gigantic shoulderpads and a freaking axe on its helmet. The tier 2 warrior gear is definitely my favorite warrior set of all-time. Though it may be a bit too colorful for what one might imagine a badass fantasy warrior wearing, I think that's part of the aesthetic of this gear. The glowing green on the shoulders and the full-head coverage (complete with horns and blades) make this set just exude an aura of power and importance.

If your tank had this set, you knew you were well-protected. And if you play a warrior in Classic, you should be damn sure to run Onyxia and BWL every week to fill out this skull-covered mass of metal awesomeness!

#3 - Nemesis Raiment

Speaking of Tier 2, here's another set that I love from that era of raiding - the Nemesis Raiment for warlocks is one of the most badass sets of cloth armor out there. Not only does it get the shadowy feel of warlocks with its dark purple and fel-green color, but it also has demonic glowing skulls for shoulders and the helm. Plus, it's got massive horns on the top, which makes basically everyone wearing this set a full head taller.

Compared with the rainbow fabulosity of their tier 1 set, I feel this is a much more accurate representation of the edginess of the warlock. Sure, it might not offer as much protection as the warrior's Wrath set, but for a warlock dabbling in demonic energies and shadow magic, a sinister outfit like this will suit the bill just fine. If I played a warlock in Classic, this would have to be my endgame goal...

And I'd spam the hell out of Shadowbolt to get there...

#2 - Dreamwalker Raiment

The only druid gear I really like in Classic, the Dreamwalker Raiment is one of the most visually appealing sets in all of World of Warcraft to me even to this day. I was overjoyed to get the tier 7.5 version on my tauren back in WotLK, but I always wished I could have gotten the original back in the day for one reason above all else.

It's FREAKING green. Like...super green.

Yeah it's a bit of a personal preference, but I really love the color green. Add into the mix that the whole idea of druidism is about nature and ties in with the emerald dragonflight, and one can really start to see how well this set matches with the class aesthetic.

When I set out choosing a main for WoW Classic, I was actually really torn between two options - troll priest or night elf druid. And while in the end I chose to go with a troll, I can say 100% that this set was a very big influence on my heavy consideration of the druid class. Love it and really hope to see a lot of Tier 3 druids from 2021 or so - especially in my groups!

Honorable Mentions

Judgement Armor

Plagueheart Raiment

Frostfire Regalia

Vestments of Faith

Bloodfang Armor

Dishonorable Mentions - ALL OF THE AQ40 SETS!

          

#1 - Vestments of Prophecy

Vestments of Prophecy

Alright, so this is probably super-unexpected for a lot of people, but my ABSOLUTE favorite classic WoW tier set has got to be the Tier 1 priest gear - the Vestments of Prophecy. While the other sets in this list (including the honorable mentions) all have a special place in my heart, the priest tier 1 is just way closer to me.

There are a few reasons for this. Number 1, it's the only set that I got any pieces of back in the day (bought the belt from the auction house right around the launch of the Burning Crusade). As such, it's a got some sentimental value. Number 2, and more importantly, it just looks like how one would imagine a high-priest to look - whether in reality or in fantasy. The shoulders look like religious garments. The robe is embroidered in gold and silver, and the helm is more of an extension of the back, rather than a hat of some sort, making the character look more high-ranking in my opinion - especially when combined with the epic healing staff, Benediction.

But honestly at THIS moment, I think the biggest reason that I love this set so much is that it's the set I see myself wearing the longest upon reaching 60 in WoW Classic. As a dad with two small children, I probably won't be able to commit much time to hardcore raiding. And as such, I'll probably be an MC raider for a good chunk of WoW Classic's lifetime - assuming I can manage to raid at all. So, while I'd love to raid all the way up through Naxxramas, I feel that this set will keep me looking sufficiently badass no matter what comes my way. Sure, it might be a silly reason, but it's what I've got to look forward to. Plus, like I said, Benediction with this gear looks super-badass. So...yeah.

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So anyway, that's my list of the Top 5 Classic WoW Tier Sets. I'm sure that as we move forward through classic, my views will change as I see more and more gear, but for now I'd love to know what you think. Summer is fast approaching, so let me know which sets you think look the coolest by posting a comment below. If you enjoyed this list and would like to see more in the future, follow my blog by adding yourself to my email list below. Check out my videos over on YouTube, and feel free to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

But anyway, that's all for now. See you next time, and as always...

Take it easy!