Gear Your Hunter FAST! Hunter Phase 1 Pre-Raid Gearing Guide!

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here again with another gearing guide.

Having covered casters, healers, tanks, and rogues in one form or another already, there's really only one more class that NEEDS to have its own specific gearing guide - Classic's only physical ranged dps class, the hunter. This class is a super-fast leveler, so there's a really high chance that many, if not most of the first 60s on WoW Classic will be these marksmen with pets. And so, they're the ones that will probably benefit from this guide the most in phase 1.

But anyway, let's get right into the guide...

Alliance Step 1 - Do LBRS Once

Assuming you're already level 60, the first thing you should do as an Alliance hunter is to run LBRS at least once to obtain some great quest rewards, as well as up to 13 possible drops. Bijou's questchain (starting in the Troll section of the dungeon) awards gloves with 2% hit, which is excellent for hunters who need to aim for 9% total. Though you'll have to run out and in a couple of times to complete this quest chain in a single run, it's definitely worth it to do so.

Also, pick up the item General Drakkisath's Command off the final boss in order to get a short quest chain to defeat General Drakkisath in UBRS for a nice trinket. Since you'll have to do UBRS anyway, you might as well get this 2% crit trinket along the way.

In summary:

Maxwell's Mission [Alliance] awards the same gloves (2% hit) as the Horde Onyxia attunement.
General Drakkisath's Demise [Alliance] awards the same trinket (2% crit) as the Horde Onyxia attunement.
13 Useful Item Drops (see below for full list)

Step 1 - Do MC and Onyxia Attunements

No matter if you're Horde or Alliance, you'll need to complete the following two quests at some point if you plan on raiding in Classic. Pick up the appropriate quests from their respective locations: Attunement to the Core from the high elf outside BRD's entrance, Dragonkin Menace from Morgan's Vigil if you're Alliance, and Warlord's Command if you're Horde. Work through any portions of the quest chains that don't require dungeon runs first (Alliance), then run through BRD, LBRS, and UBRS as the quests require.

The reason you want to get this done before focusing on dungeons is simply to kill two birds with one stone - get attuned and possibly pick up some items along the way.

In summary:

Attunement to the Core which awards no gear, but requires a BRD run and has to be done anyway.
Onyxia Attunement [Alliance] [Horde] award gloves (2% hit) and trinket (2% crit) for Horde.
BRD - 20 Useful Item Drops (see below for full list)
LBRS - 13 Useful Item Drops (see below for full list)
UBRS - 13 Useful Item Drops (see below for full list)

Step 2 - Do these quests

After, or even between portions of, the attunement quests, work to complete these quests to obtain a great chest, trinket (Horde), neck, and bow, if needed:

Job Opening: Guard Captain of Revantusk Village (Hinterlands) awards a trinket (1% hit) for Horde only. Quest was initially added in Patch 1.5 though, so may not be available at launch!
High Chief Winterfall (Winterspring) awards a wonderful green quality chest.
In Dreams (EPL/WPL) awards a neck.
Order Must Be Restored / The Scarlet Oracle, Demetria (EPL) awards a ranged weapon.

Step 3 - Run more BRD, LBRS, and/or UBRS (more hit gear)

After finishing up your attunements and knocking out quests with appropriate gear, consider running more BRD, LBRS, or UBRS. BRD is the most lucrative in terms of item drops, with nearly every slot covered. However, there is a general lack of items with +hit there and there may be significant competition from rogues and dps warriors for the items that drop, so it might make more sense to run a different dungeon instead.

LBRS is great for hunters because it holds a considerably better selection of items, including 2 Beaststalker's items (shoulders and gloves) and two excellent ranged weapons - Riphook and Blackcrow. Plus, if you're running with guildmates who need the quests that you should've already gotten finished, you can build better friendships along the way.

However, my guess is that by this point you'll need more +hit in order to not miss all the time in raids. In this case, it would probably make the most sense to run UBRS. There are 13 useful items in this 10 man dungeon and all of them are highly sought after by rogues and warriors, but that's for good reason. They just have so much hit!

But really, any of these three dungeons will suit the bill just fine.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it. Do some quests, get attuned, and run some dungeons. Pretty easy, right?

Overall, gearing a hunter shouldn't be too difficult, but as you get more gear you do want to pay attention to what slots you're still missing and run the dungeon with the most usable items at that point. To that end, and as always, I've included a list below of all the dungeon drops hunters can make use of, including both leather and mail items, as well as what boss they drop from. So take a look and see what's available.

But anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide or found it useful, remember to follow my blog by adding yourself to my mailing list for new guides and content when they're released. Also, consider checking out my videos over on YouTube as I make all of these guides into videos over time as well. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates or to chat about WoW Classic at your leisure, and consider supporting me over on Patreon if you'd like to see more even after Classic launches. But no matter what, I'll see you all in Azeroth on August 27th!

Take it easy!

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Dungeon Loot

Blackrock Depths

20 Possible Items Total

Head
Savage Gladiator Helm from Hedrum the Creeper (arena)
Ragefury Eyepatch from Hurley Blackbreath (+2 crit)
Ghostshroud from the Trial of Seven

Neck
Imperial Jewel from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan

Shoulders
x

Back
Blackveil Cape from Gerstahn
The Emperor's New Cape from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan

Chest
Mixologist's Tunic from Plugger Spazzring.
Deathdealer Breastplate from the Trial of Seven (+2 crit)

Wrists
Rubicund Armguards from Eviscerator (arena)
Pyremail Wristguards from Lord Incendius

Hands
x

Waist
x

Legs
Searingscale Leggings from Pyromaster Loregrain

Feet
Fleetfoot Greaves from Houndmaster Grebmar
Swiftwalker Boots from Princess Moira Bronzebeard

Fingers
x

Trinkets
Hand of Justice from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan

Main Hand
Grizzle's Skinner from Grizzle (arena)

Offhand
x

Ranged
Houndmaster's Bow from Houndmaster Grebmar
Houndmaster's Rifle from Houndmaster Grebmar

Stratholme Live

9 Possible Items Total

Head
Mask of the Unforgiven from the Unforgiven
Crown of Tyranny from Balnazzar

Neck
x

Shoulders
Shadowcraft Spaulders from Cannon Master Willey
Wyrmtongue Shoulders from Balnazzar

Back
Archivist Cape from Archivist Galford (random stats)

Chest
Songbird Blouse from Hearthsinger Forresten (rare spawn)

Wrists
x

Hands
Skul's Fingerbone Claws from Skul (rare spawn)

Waist
Foresight Girdle from Archivist Galford (random stats).

Legs
x

Feet
Timmy's Galoshes from Timmy the Cruel

Fingers
x

Trinkets
x

Main Hand
x

Offhand
x

Ranged
x

Stratholme Undead

7 Possible Items Total

Head
x

Neck
x

Shoulders
x

Back
Stoneskin Gargoyle Cape from Stonespine (rare spawn)
Cape of the Black Baron from Baron Rivendare

Chest
x

Wrists
x

Hands
x

Waist
x

Legs
Beaststalker's Pants from Baron Rivendare
Shadowcraft Pants from Baron Rivendare

Feet
Beaststalker's Boots from Nerub'enkan

Fingers
Band of Flesh from Ramstein the Gorger (mostly for stam)

Trinkets
x

Main Hand
Bonescraper from Baron Rivendare. Could also be an offhand.

Offhand
x

Ranged
x

Scholomance

18 Possible Items Total (10 of which are shared loot from mini-bosses with low drop chances)

Head

Bone Ring Helm from Rattlegore
Beaststalker's Cap from Darkmaster Gandling
Shadowcraft Cap from Darkmaster Gandling

Neck

x

Shoulders

x

Back

x

Chest

Tombstone Breastplate from Darkmaster Gandling (2% crit)

Wrists

Shadowcraft Bracers from Instructor Malicia (and trash mobs)

Hands

x

Waist

Frostbite Girdle from Ras Frostwhisper

Legs

x

Feet

Windreaver Greaves from Kirtonos the Herald (1% hit)
Shadowcraft Boots from Rattlegore

Fingers

x

Trinkets

x

Main Hand

x

Offhand

x

Ranged

x

Other

Cadaverous and Bloodmail Sets (Chest, Hands, Belt, Legs, Feet) from the 6 mini bosses, all low drop chance.

LBRS

13 Possible Items Total

Head
x

Neck
Talisman of Evasion from War Master Voone (for agi)

Shoulders
Beaststalker's Mantle from Overlord Wyrmthalak

Back
x

Chest
x

Wrists
Slashclaw Bracers from Halycon (1% hit)

Hands
Trueaim Gauntlets from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin
Shadowcraft Gloves from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin
Beaststalker's Gloves from War Master Voone
Slaghide Gauntlets from Urok Doomhowl (event; random enchantment)

Waist
Cloudrunner Girdle from Quartermaster Zigris
Chiselbrand Girdle from Bannok Grimaxe (rare spawn)

Legs
x

Feet
Swiftdart Battleboots from Spirestone Battle Lord (rare spawn)
Pads of the Dread Wolf from Halycon

Fingers
x

Trinkets
x

Main Hand
x

Offhand
x

Ranged
Riphook from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin
Blackcrow from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin (1% hit)

UBRS

13 Possible Items Total

Head
Eye of Rend from Warchief Rend Blackhand (2% crit)
Dragoneye Coif from Gyth

Neck
Emberfury Talisman from Pyroguard Emberseer (1% crit)

Shoulders
Truestrike Shoulders from Pyroguard Emberseer (2% hit)

Back
x

Chest
Nightbrace Tunic from Solakar Flamewreath
Beaststalker's Tunic from General Drakkisath
Shadowcraft Tunic from General Drakkisath


Wrists
Blackmist Armguards from The Beast (1% hit)

Hands
x

Waist
x

Legs
Blademaster Leggings from The Beast (1% hit, 1% crit)
Tristam Legguards from The Beast

Feet
x

Fingers
Painweaver Band from General Drakkisath (1% crit)

Trinkets
x

Main Hand
Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge from Warchief Rend Blackhand (high competition and only good for set bonus)

Offhand
Dal'Rend's Tribal Guardian from Warchief Rend Blackhand (high competition and only good for set bonus)

Ranged
x

A special thanks to itemization.info, vanillawowdb.com, and Atlasloot for providing all of the data used to compile this guide.

Memories of Vanilla #28 - Ding!

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here and today I'm back with a very important Memories story for you.

Ding, 60!

Back in the day, it took ages to get to max level in World of Warcraft. Like...months could go from the time you first created a character until you finally hit level 60. It was a grand adventure, and the feeling of accomplishment upon seeing that final yellow swirl glow around your character was one of the most amazing feelings in all of gaming, in my opinion.

Well after 27 episodes of leveling and adventuring through Azeroth, it's finally time to tell this particular story. Yes, today I'm going to share the story of how I finally hit level 60 in World of Warcraft. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the feels!

----------------------------

It was the early summer of 2006. School had just let out and I had a decent amount of things on my plate - working part-time, preparing documents and things for my upcoming foreign exchange, and, of course, lots of World of Warcraft time. It had been nearly a year since I'd first stepped foot into Azeroth and I was determined to finally get to 60 and get into raiding before I headed out across the world.

And so, one evening, after finishing up work and taking a much-needed shower, I logged in and looked at my experience bar - just over halfway through level 58. I had nothing to do the next morning. It was time. I was finally going to hit level 60...

The Noxious Glade

The grind began. Having talked with Leika about it before going to work that day, I flew up to Light's Hope Chapel to make my way over to my grinding spot just past the Browman Mill - the Noxious Glade. This area was perfect for my priest, as I could shackle any extra undead I accidentally pulled, mind control the cultists in the area, and collect lots of Scourgestones from the enemies to increase my Argent Dawn reputation along the way. Plus, they dropped lots of cloth for my tailoring, so it was really the ideal place to go.

The grind began. At this point, I was tapped out of quests and I also knew that running dungeons at this point would be mostly futile - as the experience from mobs wasn't really worth forcing my priest into groups. For hours, I ran in a loop around the undead-filled wasteland - mowing down skeletons, ghouls, and cultists as efficiently as I could - all the while watching as my experience bar slowly filled up.

Dread Weaver (My Final Pre-60 Mob)

Around 10:30PM, I hit level 59. My rested experience was all but spent, and I started to doubt if I'd be able to make my goal, but nevertheless I persevered - slaying wave after wave of the scourge forces. Hours passed; cans of Mountain Dew littered the area around my feet; and my eyes and hands grew wearier and wearier.

But it was worth it. It was just after 7:30AM when I killed that final skeletal mage. A yellow aura surrounded my dark-purple shadow priest and I sighed. It was finished. I had reached level 60!

I picked up the phone and immediately called Leika, who was less than thrilled that I woke him up so early on a day he didn't have work. But when I told him I'd capped, he jumped onto his computer.

"Dude, let's go do Stratholme!"

"YEAH!" I agreed. I was super-hyped since it would be my first dungeon as a max level character. I was finally going to be able to enjoy the endgame of World of Warcraft!

Stratholme

When he logged in, I asked him to set up the group while I took a shower since I needed another one after pulling an all-nighter. He agreed and I left for about 20 minutes, sending Silvite off on a flight path back to Light's Hope after grabbing some new spells. However, when I returned to my PC, he'd only been able to find a hunter to join us. Feeling the exhaustion set in, I wearily typed a message to my groupmates:

"Actually guys, I'm super tired from pulling an all-nighter. Leika, let's do this later... I'm gonna hit the sack..."

"Sure thing bud. Good night!" he replied.

I went upstairs, opened my bedroom door, and immediately passed out - with a huge grin on my face.

----------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Memories of Vanilla. This particular story is especially nostalgic for me, as you can probably imagine, as it was such a long time coming. Hitting level 60 was such a momentous occasion that to this day, I can't think of anything else in WoW that comes close to the feeling I experienced back then. Sure, Sarth +3 10 man and heroic Lich King 25 were big, but that first time hitting level 60 was just that much sweeter. And it's a memory of a time long past that I'll treasure forever.

But anyway, that's it for today. If you enjoyed this story, let me know by adding yourself to my email list and leaving a comment below. Also, follow me on Facebook and Twitter for content updates, and check out my videos over on YouTube for more! Finally, if you really enjoy my content like this, consider becoming one of my patrons over on Patreon as well, so that I can keep doing what I love in the future. I really appreciate the support. But for now, and as always, take it easy!

Memories of Vanilla #27 - How to Become a Guild Officer

Hey dudes, Silvite Soltis here. And welcome back to another episode of Memories of Vanilla - my reflective series of my early adventures in World of Warcraft.

The Deadmines

Last time, I told about my warrior's bo staff and how exciting it was to bonk enemies in the face with a wooden stick. Well today, we're going to continue that story a bit with another warrior story. One of daring and adventure in every Alliance player's favorite leveling dungeon, the Deadmines.

Before starting though, remember to follow my blog by adding yourself to my mailing list below, should you enjoy my content. There's a lot more coming between now and August 27th, and I'm sure you don't want to miss out on it! But with that out of the way, let's get right into the story:



Back in 2006, I was a guild officer in a small, casual leveling guild on Whisperwind called "The Guardians of Azeroth." I don't remember why or how I became an officer - likely just the fact that I was one of the few members that was online all the time - but I do remember that around this time, we were looking to expand and bolster our ranks.

So, in an effort to do this, the GM and I decided to hold a test for interested participants. As far as I recall, exactly one person expressed interest - a level 35 warrior named Liberate.

Twin Cruel Barbs

And so, we had our candidate. Now what we needed was a test to see if he was worthy of the title of "Officer." Well, at this time, my warrior was around level 17 and I was planning to stop leveling at 19 to do some BG twinking, so I thought it would be cool if I could snag twin Cruel Barbs from the Deadmines in order to wreck some face in Warsong Gulch. And since Liberate was level 35, I devised what I thought would be a unique test of his skill.

He would have to run my warrior, Aoyamamotoko, through the Deadmines.

So, with a plan in mind, the instructions were given and we headed over to the dungeon. Within minutes of arriving outside, we stood at the instance portal, ready to face the challenge ahead.

Liberate moved in carefully, pulling packs of mobs back into the entryway and taking them down one by one. To be honest, though, I busied myself with looting everything rather than actually paying much attention to how he was doing. Moving through the caverns, we defeated each boss in time, though much like my initial run of the dungeon on Silvite, I accidentally pulled the patrols that spawned behind us after one of the bosses' demise. Oops.

Edwin VanCleef

Eventually, after wiping about 3 times from the high damage that elite mobs can inflict even on a level 35 warrior, we made it to the ship at the end of the dungeon. This was the final test. I stood pretty far back as Liberate ran forward and cleared the pirates and their parrots, only following when he beckoned me over. At last, we stood in front of him - Edwin VanCleef. It was the final test.

Liberate charged in and quickly dispatched the two bodyguards before focusing on VC himself. Throughout the fight, he got pretty low due to the damage of the additional bodyguards that spawned, but with some Sweeping Strikes and Retaliation, he was able to finish them all off. The boss fell, a new officer rose, and a nooby warrior got a shiny new sword.





I hope you enjoyed this story of my first guild's somewhat ridiculous officer-promotion protocol. It's one of those experiences from back in the day that I'll never forget. Liberate stayed with our guild all the way through vanilla, though we did part ways sometime around the beginning of TBC when our guild basically fell apart. I did meet him again later on during the daily grind on the Isle of Quel'Danas towards the end of that expansion, though, and we have been friends in the game ever since. Hell, he might even be reading this right now.

But anyway, that's all for today. If you enjoyed this story and would like to see more in the future, follow my blog by adding yourself to my email list below. Also, consider supporting me over on Patreon so that I can continue creating content like this and my videos in the future. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates when more content is posted, but until next time...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Early Endgame Guide (All Classes, Levels 55-60)

Hey dudes, Silvite Soltis here. And today, I've got another simplified guide for anyone aiming for level 60 in World of Warcraft: Classic.

After making 4 different "Phase 1 Gearing Guides," I started noticing a very distinct pattern that fresh 60s will need to follow. So, naturally, I thought it might be a good idea to take a step back from specific classes for a change and create a general "Early Endgame" guide that everyone can use to get started once they get close to the level cap. In order to make this accessible to all players, I haven't included anything that requires a guild or lots of gold to do, though I will say that like any activity in Classic, there will be a substantial time investment required to achieve success at 60.

But that being said, let's get right into it!

Step 1 - Do these Quests

The Battle of Darrowshire

Even before level 60, there are lots of really rewarding quests out in the world that can help you get geared up and ready for the endgame. While not all of them are applicable to every class and spec, here are a few that most players should aim to complete as soon as possible:

In Dreams (EPL). Amazing rewards for all classes. 

The Battle of Darrowshire (EPL). Awards tank ring and caster/healer necklace.

Order Must Be Restored/The Scarlet Oracle, Demetria (EPL). Awards a wand, bow, and intellect shield.

You Are Rakh'Likh, Demon  (Blasted Lands). Awards a 16-slot bag among other things.

Heroes of Old (Blasted Lands). Awards an MP5 trinket.

It's Dangerous to Go Alone (Un'Goro). Awards melee main hand or caster/healer offhand, and a trinket.

Step 2 - Get Attuned for MC and Onyxia

The Key to Onyxia's Lair

After, or in-between, completing the quests listed in step 1, you should begin working on your Onyxia's Lair attunement quest, as well as do a full run of BRD to get attuned for MC. Especially early on in WoW Classic, raids will pretty much have to just take everyone who's attuned, so if you're one of the lucky few that's ready to go in the first month or so, you may even be able to skip over some of the dungeon spamming later on.

...maybe...

That being said, getting attuned for these raids requires several dungeon runs in BRD, LBRS (Horde anyway), and UBRS, so you're pretty much guaranteed to get some gear along the way. Unless RNGeesus hates you...

Step 3 - Run BRD

Blackrock Depths

Alright, assuming you've gotten attuned for MC and Ony already, you're probably somewhat geared up. If not, however, there's one dungeon that is extremely lucrative for pretty much every class in the game - Blackrock Depths.

When creating my gearing guides for priests, caster dps, rogues, and warriors, I found myself constantly repeating this dungeon in particular. BRD just has so many useful items for every role, class, and player that it's hard to ignore it. Do a few full clears of this place and you should be decked out in no time.

Of course, if you'd rather run Strat, Scholo, and UBRS, you can. If you want to aim for pre-raid best-in-slot,  there's a ton of items in those dungeons and others. However, they just aren't as lucrative as BRD.

Step 4 (Optional) - Buy Gear

Orgrimmar Auction House

When all else fails, consider buying some gear. Hopefully you'll be somewhat geared up well enough just by completing your Onyxia and MC attunements and doing a few more dungeon runs, but if you really can't take it anymore, hit up the auction house and look for deals. There are bound to be some random items posted for cheap that can round out some slots. If you're not in a hurry to save up for that epic mount, consider investing a bit of gold into your character.

Though, to be honest, I won't be bothering with this step. I'm a cheapskate...

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - an extremely simplified 4-step guide for everyone planning to cap in Phase 1 of WoW Classic. Obviously, there are other things that you can do, and a lot more dungeons you'll have to run if you want to get full pre-raid BiS before stepping into MC, but I think that for those of us who want to get raiding as soon as possible, this is basically the best approach to early endgame.

I hope you found this guide useful, or at least interesting. If you did, or if you think I should add anything to it, let me know by leaving a comment down below. I read every one and appreciate all feedback. If you'd like to see more, check out my video guides and other content over on YouTube, as I try to make video versions of all my written works over there when I have time. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates, and consider supporting me over on Patreon if you'd like more content in the future.

Thanks for reading! And as always, take it easy!

TOP 5 - Things I Love About Classic

Hey dudes, Silvite Soltis here again with another top 5 list. It's been a while since I've done one of these, huh?

August 27th is racing towards us and I can certainly say that my hype hasn't slowed a bit! I'm as eager as ever to head out into Azeroth on a sunny summer day instead of, you know, spending time with my family while it's nice out. After all, it's been over 12 years since I've fully enjoyed true Classic content, and I'm getting a bit antsy.

Anyway, because I can't contain my excitement, and since I haven't done a top 5 in a couple of months at this point, I thought it'd be fun to list out the top 5 things that I love about Classic. Of course, there are tons of things about the game that are enjoyable, and these are just my picks, but I'd love to know what you all think too. Let me know by posting a comment below!

But, without further ado, let's get right into it - starting with number 5:

#5 - The Music

As my friends and family know, I'm a man who's always had a deep affinity for music. Actually, my whole family does! So when I first stepped into Azeroth all those years ago, it didn't take long for me to find enjoyment. Speakers at full-blast in my friend's bedroom, jamming out to the Elwynn Forest soundtrack realy got me hooked to be honest.

Over the years, WoW has added many amazing songs - like the iconic Grizzly Hills and Storm Peaks tracks in WotLK for example - but none have ever captivated me like the originals. Hell, I even made a Top 5 list about this already, so you can probably tell how much I love this music. With my plans to go Horde this summer, I can't wait to jam out to the Barrens theme while reading Chuck Norris jokes and searching for Mankrik's wife, or Taz'Dingo to my heart's content on top of the Orgrimmar bank to the sound of the drum beats.

#4 - The Community

When people who really enjoyed the game back in 2004-2010 talk about modern WoW, the community aspect of the game often gets brought up as one of the reasons the game used to be so much better than it is now. And I can't disagree. Back in vanilla, I enjoyed every aspect of the game because of the adventures I had with others. Just look at my Memories of Vanilla series - most of the episodes involve dungeons or group content, or at very least a friendly encounter with another player.

Every time you went out into the world, you encountered other players. If you needed an enchant, you had to find an enchanter. If you wanted to run Zul'Farrak to overcome the dreaded 45-50 questing drought, you needed to find a group. And if you wanted to raid, you needed a guild to run with.

In WoW Classic, the community is the single most important aspect of the game simply because you HAVE to interact. It's not optional like it is in the more recent expansions to the game. And, to be honest, that's the way I believe an MMO should be. This ties into my next point...

#3 - The Immersion

So, it might be a bit repetitive to say this after describing the music and the community, but I feel that it still holds in its own right. WoW Classic is SUPER immersive. Like..."I can't stop right now, I'm in the middle of a dungeon fighting this draconoid. Be there in 45 minutes!" immersive.

From the music, to the questing, to the dungeons and raids, WoW Classic is a game that is really hard to get out of. Even now, over 12 years after the launch of TBC and 3 years post-Nostalrius, I'm still writing blogs and making videos about the game because of the impact it had on me. Every session is an adventure.

Whether you're questing through a zone, trying to grind out enough honor for a high level PVP rank, or just working on your professions, you can find yourself lost in the game. And this is actually a bit of a double-edged sword to be fair. It can be really easy to get into and hard to get out of, which is one of my biggest worries about official WoW Classic. But, so long as I have my wife to snap me back into reality, I think I'll be able to manage my time alright...just after this...one...quest......

Joking aside, the immersion factor is definitely one of the biggest reasons I love WoW Classic. Nothing has ever really gotten me into the flow like this version of the game. And I'm super-excited for that again!

#2 - The Dungeons

Taking points from the other three aspects already mentioned, as well as tying into the number 1 of this list, I put the dungeons at number 2. The dungeons of this game are all incredibly designed, mostly well-paced, and all rewarding in their own way. Though some are clearly favored over others by many in the community, there's no doubt in my mind that every dungeon is someone's favorite - which is a good thing.

As mentioned in my Top 5 dungeons list, I adored dungeons with lots of bosses and interesting mechanics like Scholomance and Zul'Farrak, but no matter what the dungeon was, I always had fun because of the experience. Gathering a group of like-minded adventurers, storming into an instance portal, and mowing down droves of enemies in an effort to get powerful items or to complete quests is an iconic part of the classic experience (and even up through most of WotLK, to be honest).

Combine that with the aesthetics in each dungeon and the different mini-goals you'd have to complete in each - such as obtaining keys or killing certain bosses to open other sections of the dungeon - and you've got a solid aspect to an already brilliant game!

#1 - The Sense of Progression

Ahh the feeling of FINALLY hitting level 40 and getting your mount. Or of getting a full set of blues! Or finishing your Onyxia attunement and stepping foot into the dragon's lair for the first time! There's nothing like the sense of progression that WoW Classic provides. Your growth as a player, and the steady improvement of your character are a constant throughout the lifetime of WoW Classic.

By progressing your character - leveling up, getting geared, completing more difficult dungeons and raids, and climbing the PVP ranks (should you choose to go that route) - you become even more attached to your character, your community, and the world of Azeroth as a whole. You are driven to higher heights, and find yourself completely immersed.

So, though the dungeons, community, and immersion are definitely big aspects that I love about Classic, the sense of progression is what I believe really drives the game. With 9 different classes to choose from and so many progression paths you can take, you really can always find something to do.

And I, for one, can't wait to sink my teeth into as much as I can...soon!

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I hope you enjoyed this Top 5 list. It was a lot of fun trying to rank the different aspects of WoW Classic that I love. Of course, there are tons of other things to love about the game - the different classes, zones, battlegrounds, tier sets, and more - but really when it comes down to it, these are the aspects that I think really make the game the most enjoyable for me.

But anyway, that's it for today. If you did enjoy this list, make sure to follow my blog by adding yourself to my email list below. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter, and check out my top 5 videos, and other content, over on YouTube. Also, let me know what aspects of WoW Classic you enjoy or are looking forward to the most by adding a comment down below. I look forward to hearing what you have to say, but for now...

Take it easy!

Gear Your Tank FAST! Prot Warrior Phase 1 Gearing Guide!

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here.

Since people really seem to enjoy my "get geared fast" guides, and constantly ask for more, I've decided to try and make one for every major role/class in early WoW Classic. So far, I've covered healing priests, caster dps, and rogues. Well, today, I've got a special treat for all you warriors out there - especially those of you who know your TRUE role in vanilla (#triggered).

That's right. Here's my WoW Classic Phase 1 Protection Warrior Gearing Guide! As always, please remember that this is NOT a pre-raid BiS list, but rather a list of steps that you should go through in order to get geared up as quickly as possible for raids upon reaching level 60. If you'd like to maximize your potential, I recommend finding a pre-raid BiS list or guide instead. But, if you're like me and want to get geared with the least amount of effort (which is still quite a lot, just to be fair), this guide should suit the bill just fine.

So, without further ado, let's get into the guide...

Step 0 - Pre-60 Preparations (Levels 50-55)

Before 60, make sure to quest in Un'Goro Crater for some good quest rewards. Also, consider completing the quest Locked Away to pick up the Dalson Family Wedding Ring, a +13 stamina ring. Not perfect, but easily soloable at around level 55 or so. There are quite a bit of other great quest rewards you can pick up while leveling, but we'll save those for step 4...

In the meantime, you can also pick up a couple of "...Of the Bear" greens from the auction house if you have the gold. But honestly, if you're playing a warrior...you're probably not super-wealthy, so... Sorry...

Either way, the more high-level items you have as a tank, the better-off you'll be in the dungeons, so at least take those quests into consideration from level 50 onward. Also, if you're playing Alliance pick up and start doing the pre-dungeon quests in the Onyxia attunement questchain. It will help you out later on.

Step 1 - Blackrock Depths (Pre-60, if possible)

Run BRD ASAP. As with most classes and specs, there are tons of items that drop in BRD for tanks. You can probably start running the dungeon at level 50 or so, at least for the early bosses and to get your Shadowforge Key.

Regardless of what items you get early on though, make sure to do this dungeon again after level 55 in order to knock out the MC attunement, as well as any steps to the Onyxia attunement that involve this dungeon. This will save you time in the long run.

Here is a list of all items that drop and quests you should focus on doing while running BRD. Note that there are possible drops for EVERY item slot for tanks except for neck and ranged weapon, and most of these items are as good, if not better than, items in the max-level dungeons:

Quests
Disharmony of Fire/Incendius! (Stalwart Clutch, waist).
Hurley Blackbreath/Lost Thunderbrew Recipe (Swiftstrike Cudgel, main hand)
The Princess Saved?/The Princess's Surprise (Thrall's Resolve, finger & Magni's Will, finger)
Operation: Death to Angerforge (Conqueror's Medallion, neck). Horde only.

Head
Golem Skull Helm from Magmus, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Shoulders
Ebonsteel Spaulders from Princess Moira Bronzebeard.

Back
Graverot Cape from Anub'shiah in the Arena. Not the best, but has decent stamina.
Cape of the Fire Salamander from Ambassador Flamelash (has fire resistance).
The Emperor's New Cape from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.

Chest
Carapace of Anub'shiah from Anub'shiah in the Arena.

Wrists
Emberplate Armguards from Lord Incendius. Random enchantment, but also fire resistance.

Hands
Fists of Phalanx from Phalanx in the Grim Guzzler (arguably better for dps).

Waist
Stonewall Girdle from Grizzle in the Arena.

Legs
Lavacrest Leggings from Bael'Gar.
Legplates of the Eternal Guardian from the Trial of Seven, which are SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Feet
Shalehusk Boots from Panzor the Invincible (rare spawn).

Fingers
Naglering from Golem Lord Arglemach, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.
Emperor's Seal from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Random enchantment.

Trinkets
Force of Will from General Angerforge, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Main Hand
Grizzle's Skinner from Grizzle in the Arena.
Rubidium Hammer from Bael'Gar.
Lord General's Sword from General Angerforge (better for dps).
Wraith Scythe from the Trial of Seven.
Ironfoe from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Epic mace with low drop chance and lots of competition from melee dps. Not a viable option.

Offhand (Shield)
Stoneshell Guard from Lord Roccor.
Rock Golem Bulwark from Panzor the Invincible (rare spawn).

Hopefully you manage to get a good haul from all of these BRD runs. By this point, you should be at or around level 60. If you're Horde, head over to Kargath to pick up the first quest for the Onyxia attunement if you haven't already. If you're Alliance, just move on and keep an eye out for Bijou...

Step 2 - Lower Blackrock Spire (at Least Once)

Alright, so after getting a bit of gear from BRD and being at or very close to level 60, it's time to run LBRS. There's not a ton of loot to be had here, but what you're essentially after is the quest rewards and attunements. It's MUCH more important for Horde to do this dungeon because of the Onyxia attunement. For Alliance, it's pretty much optional unless you really need a belt or trinket (which will likely involve 2 runs).

So if you're Horde, before doing the dungeon make sure to have the quest Warlord's Command so that you can avoid needing to run this dungeon too many times. If playing Alliance, the quest chain you're after is obtained in the troll room, just past Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin (up the other side of the ramp you'd normally go down, then to the left after the troll pack) and will involve finding an item, then heading over to Marshal Maxwell in the Burning Steppes, then killing 3 bosses, and running back to Marshal Maxwell.

Anyway, when you've got the right quests, head on in for a chance at a few useful items:

Quests
Warlord's Command/Maxwell's Mission (Omokk's Girth Restrainer, belt)

Neck
Talisman of Evasion from War Master Voone.

Hands
Reiver Claws from Overlord Wyrmthalak (better for dps).

Feet
Ribsteel Footguards from Urok Doomhowl (event spawn).

Trinkets
Heart of the Scale from Overlord Wyrmthalak. Very situational.

Main Hand
Demonfork from Bannok Grimaxe (rare spawn).
Rivenspike from Spirestone Butcher (rare spawn).

Ranged
Blackcrow from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin, which has hit.
Riphook from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin (better for dps).

Good work finishing up LBRS. If you're Alliance, don't forget to loot General Drakkisath's Command from Overlord Wyrmthalak, as that quest will be important when you get to UBRS.

Step 3 - Complete Your Onyxia Attunement

No matter if you're Horde or Alliance, the next thing you should focus on if you haven't already is finishing up your Onyxia attunement quest. Hopefully you'll already have most of it done by this point, but as it involves lots of dungeon running of lucrative instances - particularly BRD and UBRS - you might as well focus on this objective and get the Stamina+Fire Resist neck out of it to start fighting the Brood Mother as soon as possible.

Step 4 - UBRS, Questing, and More BRD as needed.

Ok, so once you've completed your MC and Ony attunements as a tank, you're probably already pretty well geared - especially Horde tanks who will have had to run UBRS at least twice at this point.

If not though, don't fret. You've still got a lot of options for loot, depending on what you still need.

Let's start with the most lucrative source of gear, UBRS. Excluding the two quest rewards that you should have by this point (assuming you finished your Onyxia attunement in step 3), there are 14 potential items for tanks that drop in here, most of which are awesome. Here's a basic overview:

Quests
For the Horde/General Drakkisath's Demise (Mark of Tyranny, trinket)
Onyxia Attunement Chain [Alliance] [Horde] (Drakefire Amulet, neck)

Head
Gyth's Skull from Gyth, which can be SUPER GOOD because of defense, but also has a random resistance enchantment (COULD be fire!)

Neck
Emberfury Talisman from Pyroguard Emberseer (better for dps).

Shoulders
Spaulders of Valor from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Back
Wildfire Cape from Pyroguard Emberseer. Just for FR.
Bloodmoon Cloak from The Beast.

Chest
Breastplate of Valor from General Drakkisath.
Lightforge Breastplate from General Drakkisath.

Wrists
Battleborn Armbraces from Warchief Rend Blackhand (better for dps).

Waist
Handcrafted Mastersmith Girdle from Goraluk Anvilcrack (rare spawn).
Brigam Girdle from General Drakkisath.

Legs
Handcrafted Mastersmith Leggings from Goraluk Anvilcrack (rare spawn).
Warmaster Legguards from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Main Hand
Dal'rend's Sacred Charge from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Offhand (Shield)
Draconian Deflector from General Drakkisath, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

If you're fully geared at this point, great! You might not need to do anything else! But if you're missing a chest, ring, ranged weapon, or trinket, there's a few quests out in the world that can help you fill those slots in. The only reason you wouldn't want to spend time doing those earlier is the sheer number of tank drops in the dungeons you could obtain by this point.

Quests to Do (if all else has failed)
In Dreams (EPL) (Ornate Adamantium Breastplate, tank chest OR Mark of Fordring, dps neck)
The Battle of Darrowshire (EPL) (Ring of Protection, finger)
Order Must Be Restored/The Scarlet Oracle, Demetria (EPL) (Gorewood Bow, ranged)
You Are Rakh'Likh, Demon  (Blasted Lands) (Demon's Blood, trinket)

At this point, you should basically be geared well enough to tank MC and Ony. If you have any missing slots, consider backtracking into BRD to try for whatever item slots you might still be missing, but really, you should be good even with a few greens left.

Final Thoughts

Congratulations on gearing your warrior and good luck in the raiding scene! Honestly, there's a good chance that many of you who follow this guide literally will be fully decked out and ready to raid by the end of Step 1 or 2, but I figured it can't hurt to add a bit more. After all, everyone's going to get attuned to Onyxia anyway, right?

You might have noticed that I've included fire resistance gear in this guide alongside all the other items. This is because tanks are the ones who need the most FR in MC, so I figured it's worth considering picking up the items while running the dungeons. Even if you don't use them all the time, it's a good idea to keep them in your bags for Raggie!

But anyway, that's it for today. If you enjoyed this guide, or found it useful, remember to add your name to my mailing list to get notifications when new guides are released. Also, consider checking out my videos over on YouTube, as I eventually plan to turn all of my guides into video form. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates or to chitchat about Classic, and consider supporting me over on Patreon so that I can invest more time into making content like this for you in the future.

Thank you all for reading. I truly appreciate it. And as always...

Take it easy!

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All High-Level Dungeon Loot and Quest Rewards (for your reference)

BRD Loot

Quests
Disharmony of Fire/Incendius! (Stalwart Clutch, waist).
Hurley Blackbreath/Lost Thunderbrew Recipe (Swiftstrike Cudgel, main hand)
The Princess Saved?/The Princess's Surprise (Thrall's Resolve, finger & Magni's Will, finger)
Operation: Death to Angerforge (Conqueror's Medallion, neck). Horde only.

Head
Golem Skull Helm from Magmus, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Shoulders
Ebonsteel Spaulders from Princess Moira Bronzebeard.

Back
Graverot Cape from Anub'shiah in the Arena. Not the best, but has decent stamina.
Cape of the Fire Salamander from Ambassador Flamelash (has fire resistance).
The Emperor's New Cape from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.

Chest
Carapace of Anub'shiah from Anub'shiah in the Arena.

Wrists
Emberplate Armguards from Lord Incendius. Random enchantment, but also fire resistance.

Hands
Fists of Phalanx from Phalanx in the Grim Guzzler (arguably better for dps).

Waist
Stonewall Girdle from Grizzle in the Arena.

Legs
Lavacrest Leggings from Bael'Gar.
Legplates of the Eternal Guardian from the Trial of Seven, which are SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Feet
Shalehusk Boots from Panzor the Invincible (rare spawn).

Fingers
Naglering from Golem Lord Arglemach, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.
Emperor's Seal from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Random enchantment.

Trinkets
Force of Will from General Angerforge, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Main Hand
Grizzle's Skinner from Grizzle in the Arena.
Rubidium Hammer from Bael'Gar.
Lord General's Sword from General Angerforge (better for dps).
Wraith Scythe from the Trial of Seven.
Ironfoe from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Epic mace with low drop chance and lots of competition from melee dps. Not a viable option.

Offhand (Shield)
Stoneshell Guard from Lord Roccor.
Rock Golem Bulwark from Panzor the Invincible (rare spawn).

Stratholme Live Loot

Quests
The Great Fras Siabi (Smokey's Lighter, green trinket)

Shoulders
Wailing Nightbane Pauldrons from The Unforgiven, which are GOOD because of defense.

Chest
Skul's Cold Embrace from Skul (rare spawn), which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.

Wrists
Vambraces of the Sadist from Timmy the Cruel (better for dps).

Feet
Master Cannoneer Boots from Cannon Master Willey.
Lightforge Boots from Balnazzar.

Trinkets
Cannonball Runner from Cannon Master Willey (not very good, but something).

Main Hand
Soul Breaker from The Unforgiven.
The Cruel Hand of Timmy from Timmy the Cruel.

Ranged
Willey's Portable Howitzer from Cannon Master Willey (better for dps).

Stratholme Undead Loot

Back
Stoneskin Gargoyle Cape from Stonespine (rare spawn).

Hands
Gauntlets of Valor from Ramstein the Gorger.

Waist
Belt of Valor from trash mobs.

Legs
Legplates of Valor from Baron Rivendare.
Lightforge Legplates from Baron Rivendare.

Feet
Lavawalker Greaves from Maleki the Pallid (green quality with ONLY fire resistance).

Fingers
Band of Flesh from Ramstein the Gorger.

Trinkets
Ramstein's Lightning Bolts from Ramstein the Gorger (not very good, but could help with AoE tanking)

Main Hand
Skullforge Reaver from Baron Rivendare.

Offhand (Shield)
Husk of Nerub'enkan from Nerub'enkan.
Crest of Retribution from Ramstein the Gorger.

Scholomance Loot

Quests
The Lich, Ras Frostwhisper (Warblade of Caer Darrow, 2H Sword & Darrowshire Strongguard, shield)
Kirtonos the Herald (Mirah's Song, 1H Sword)

Head
Helm of Valor from Darkmaster Gandling.
Lightforge Helm from Darkmaster Gandling.

Shoulders
Stoneform Shoulders from Kirtonos the Herald, which are GOOD because of defense.

Chest
Deathbone Chestplate from mini bosses. Low chance, but VERY GOOD because of defense.

Wrists
Lightforge Bracers from Lord Alexi Barov and his trash mobs. Low drop chance.
Vigorsteel Vambraces from Darkmaster Gandling.

Hands
Boneclenched Gauntlets from Ras Frostwhisper, which are SUPER GOOD because of defense.
Deathbone Gauntlets from mini bosses. Low chance, but VERY GOOD because of defense.

Waist
Deathbone Girdle from mini bosses. Low chance, but VERY GOOD because of defense.

Legs
Deathbone Legguards from mini bosses. Low chance, but VERY GOOD because of defense.

Feet
Boots of Valor from Kirtonos the Herald.
Corpselight Greaves from Rattlegore.
Deathbone Sabatons from mini bosses. Low chance, but VERY GOOD because of defense.

Main Hand
Ebon Hilt of Marduk from Marduk Blackpool.

Bonechill Hammer from Ras Frostwhisper.

Iceblade Hacker from Ras Frostwhisper.

Silent Fang from Darkmaster Gandling.

LBRS Loot

Quests
Warlord's Command/Maxwell's Mission (Omokk's Girth Restrainer, belt)

Neck
Talisman of Evasion from War Master Voone.

Hands
Reiver Claws from Overlord Wyrmthalak (better for dps).

Feet
Ribsteel Footguards from Urok Doomhowl (event spawn).

Trinkets
Heart of the Scale from Overlord Wyrmthalak. Very situational.

Main Hand
Demonfork from Bannok Grimaxe (rare spawn).
Rivenspike from Spirestone Butcher (rare spawn).

Ranged
Blackcrow from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin, which has hit.
Riphook from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin (better for dps).

UBRS Loot

Quests
For the Horde/General Drakkisath's Demise (Mark of Tyranny, trinket)
Onyxia Attunement Chain [Alliance] [Horde] (Drakefire Amulet, neck)

Head
Gyth's Skull from Gyth, which can be SUPER GOOD because of defense, but also has a random resistance enchantment (COULD be fire!)

Neck
Emberfury Talisman from Pyroguard Emberseer (better for dps).

Shoulders
Spaulders of Valor from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Back
Wildfire Cape from Pyroguard Emberseer. Just for FR.
Bloodmoon Cloak from The Beast.

Chest
Breastplate of Valor from General Drakkisath.
Lightforge Breastplate from General Drakkisath.

Wrists
Battleborn Armbraces from Warchief Rend Blackhand (better for dps).

Waist
Handcrafted Mastersmith Girdle from Goraluk Anvilcrack (rare spawn).
Brigam Girdle from General Drakkisath.

Legs
Handcrafted Mastersmith Leggings from Goraluk Anvilcrack (rare spawn).
Warmaster Legguards from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Main Hand
Dal'rend's Sacred Charge from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Offhand (Shield)
Draconian Deflector from General Drakkisath, which is SUPER GOOD because of defense.



Thanks to the Atlasloot addon, itemization.info, and vanillawowdb.com for providing the information on drops, patches, and quests. Also thank you to my wife for not ripping my head off as I spent hours compiling all of this information here.

Gear Your Rogue FAST in WoW Classic! Phase 1 Rogue Gearing Guide!

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here again with my next Phase 1 Gearing Guide!

This time, I wanted to give myself a bit more of a challenge. As you might know, back in vanilla, I only ever capped my priest. So in general, I've been fairly familiar with the types of items that casters look for. Today, however, I've really stepped out of my comfort zone and gone with everyone's favorite gank-tastic class - the rogue.

As always, I ask that you keep in mind that this guide is by no means a pre-raid best-in-slot walkthrough, but rather a simplified guide telling prospective rogue players how they can get geared decently enough to hold their own in MC and Onyxia's Lair early on in WoW Classic, without spamming a dungeon over and over to get one item. Also, most of this gear could be used for hopeful feral druids, enhancement shamans, hunters, and even dps warriors as well, so even if you're not planning on playing a rogue, you might find it useful. I'm planning a guide for hunters and warriors in the future, since I'm sure there will be tons of them in Classic. But for now, let's step into the shadows and gear up some rogues, shall we?

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Step 1 - Wicked Leather

So, after scouring the databases and looking through a bunch of quest rewards, I found that before level 60, rogues really only have one decent option for items that don't drop from dungeons - the crafted "Wicked Leather" items.

Much like the Runecloth set for priests, the Wicked Leather items all have stats appropriate for rogues, but no additional perks - just raw agility and stamina. Still, since you start collecting these as early as level 47, it's a good way to start gearing up for the eventual dungeon runs early. Plus, they'll be ok-ish when you get into MC early on, in my opinion (again, I am not an expert by any means). So...yeah. Craft these if you're a leatherworker, or buy a couple pieces if you see them super-cheap on the AH.

Here are the items, in order of the level they can be equipped:
Wicked Leather Gauntlets (47)
Wicked Leather Bracers (48)
Wicked Leather Headband (51)
Wicked Leather Pants (53)
Wicked Leather Belt (55)
Wicked Leather Armor (56)

Step 2 - Complete "In Dreams"

Ahh, every class's favorite quest chain. Just like casters and healers, it's absolutely essential that you complete Tirion Fordring's quest chain in Plaguelands, as the final step awards you with an amazing necklace - the Mark of Fordring. Considering the lack of good neck pieces later on, you'll really want to have this bad boy ASAP.

Step 3 - Run BRD (a lot)

So, given that we'll be getting patch 1.12 values for items in WoW Classic, it is absolutely crucial that you run BRD...and run it a lot. There are 17 different items that rogues can feasibly make use of that drop in this dungeon. NINETEEN! And after comparing them to items in other high-level dungeons, I can safely say that most of the drops here are as good, if not BETTER than drops in the level 60 instances.

Furthermore, there will no doubt be scores of other players running this dungeon for these same reasons, so you can pretty safely bet that you'll be able to get, or start, a group from around level 55 or so. Unfortunately, however, many of the items you'll be aiming for come from deep into the dungeon, so be ready for the long haul and expect a lot of competition from dps warriors and hunters on some of the better items in here...

Here's a list of all of the items that rogues can make use of in BRD:


Head
Ragefury Eyepatch from Hurley Blackbreath.
Ghostshroud from the Trial of Seven.

Neck
Imperial Jewel from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.

Back
Blackveil Cape from High Interrogator Gerstahn.
The Emperor's New Cape from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. This has lots of stamina, but also some agility. So, it's still something.

Chest
Mixologist's Tunic from Plugger Spazzring in the Grim Guzzler.

Wrist
Cinderhide Armsplints from Lord Incendius. This has a random enchantment, but COULD be really good!

Waist
Girdle of Beastial Fury from Eviscerator in the Arena.

Legs
Warstrife Leggings from General Angerforge. This isn't very good for dps, but can be used if nothing better is obtained.

Feet
Shadefiend Boots from Anub'shiah in the Arena.
Swiftwalker Boots from Princess Moira Bronzebeard.

Trinket
Hand of Justice from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.

Main Hand
Lord General's Sword from General Angerforge. This is good because it's a sword, which fits well with the common sword-spec combat specialization for raiding.
Ironfoe from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. This item is REALLY good, but has a super low drop chance and there's always lots of competition. But, if you're doing Emp runs anyway, it's a possibility.

Offhand
Bloodfist from Phalanx.

Ranged
Houndmaster's Bow/Houndmaster's Rifle from Houndmaster Grebmar. While these ranged weapons are pretty much completely situational, there are several beasts in MC (the Core Hounds), so...yeah.

Hopefully you managed to get pretty decked out during your BRD adventures. If not, however, there's still hope. Take a look at what slots are still missing, then proceed onto step 4 accordingly.

Step 4 - Run Scholomance or UBRS (depending on missing slots)

Alrighty, you've run BRD about 6 million times and hopefully gotten a bunch of great items. However, there's a chance that you're still missing some slots. So what can you do?

Well...there are two more dungeons with lots of rogue loot to be had. Depending on your missing slots, however, you'll want to choose where to go next - Scholomance or Upper Blackrock Spire.

Both dungeons drop helms, shoulders, chests, and wrists. Scholo also has gloves, belts, boots, a main hand mace and an offhand dagger. UBRS on the other hand offers amazing legs, vastly superior shoulders, a ring, and a main hand sword which could be great for combat rogues in raids. Really, pick your poison here based on what you need.

Now, as usual, let's go through a list of all the items you COULD get from these dungeons, as well as what bosses they drop from, starting with Scholomance:

Head
Shadowcraft Cap from Darkmaster Gandling.

Shoulders 
Death's Clutch from Ras Frostwhisper. This has some useless stats for rogues on it, but again...it's something.

Chest
Cadaverous Armor from the 6 mini bosses. These have a very low chance to drop.
Tombstone Breastplate from Darkmaster Gandling.

Wrist
Shadowcraft Bracers from Instructor Malicia and trash mobs.

Hands
Gargoyle Slashers from Kirtonos the Herald.
Cadaverous Gloves from the 6 mini bosses. These have a very low chance to drop.

Waist
Frostbite Girdle from Ras Frostwhisper.
Cadaverous Belt from the 6 mini bosses. These have a very low chance to drop.

Legs
Cadaverous Leggings from the 6 mini bosses. These have a very low chance to drop.

Feet
Shadowcraft Boots from Rattlegore.
Cadaverous Walkers from the 6 mini bosses. These have a very low chance to drop.

Main Hand
Bonechill Hammer from Ras Frostwhisper.

Ebon Hilt of Marduk from Marduk Blackpool.

Also, if you do Scholomance, make sure to pick up the various quests and quest chains in the Western Plaguelands - especially "Barov Family Fortune" and its follow-up and the quest chains offered by Eva Sarkoff just outside the instance. The Barov Family Fortune chain awards the trinket, Barov Peasant Caller and Eva's quest chain (3 quests in a row involving killing Scholo bosses...so 3 runs) awards the 1-handed sword Mirah's Song. Both items are worth aiming for if you plan on doing multiple Scholo runs, so you might as well get them, right?


If, however, you choose to run Upper Blackrock Spire instead, you'll find some much better items overall, though it will likely take a bit more time to set up the groups and you'll have more competition on drops. Still, the legs and shoulders here are VERY enticing...

If you are still looking for a good trinket, I'd highly suggest running LBRS once before trying to do UBRS in order to complete the following quest chains. Alliance rogues will pick up the item Drakkisath's Command from the final boss of the dungeon, which will send you on a 2-step quest chain involving talking to someone in your capital city, then killing the final boss of UBRS, General Drakkisath. If you're Horde, you'll need to do the equivalent chain, "Warlord's Command" instead. These chains will reward you with Blackhand's Breadth, a solid trinket for early endgame and one you might as well get if you plan on running UBRS anyway.

Anyway, here's a list of all of the rogue items that can drop from UBRS. Some are better than others, but everything will help you hold your own once you get into MC and Onyxia's lair:



Head
Eye of Rend from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Shoulders
Truestrike Shoulders from Pyroguard Emberseer. These shoulders are super-good because of the 2% hit chance!

Chest
Nightbrace Tunic from Solakar Flamewreath.
Shadowcraft Tunic from General Drakkisath.

Wrist
Blackmist Armguards from The Beast.

Legs
Blademaster Leggings from The Beast.

Finger
Painweaver Band from General Drakkisath.

Main Hand
Felstriker from Warchief Rend Blackhand. This item is super rare, so probably you won't see it, but it is possible to obtain and could be a Main Hand or Offhand weapon.
Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge from Warchief Rend Blackhand.

Offhand
Dal'Rend's Tribal Guardian from Warchief Rend Blackhand. Pretty much only if you have the MH too though for the +50AP set bonus.

Final Thoughts

Congratulations on getting your rogue to 60! And good luck with the gearing process! With some luck, you'll get decked out pretty quickly and be ready to hit up the raids in phase 1...or go and gank lowbies in STV. Whichever you prefer.

I hope you found this guide useful, or at least enjoyable. If you did, or if you noticed any mistakes, make sure to leave a comment letting me know! I take all feedback seriously and am always looking to improve, so I'd love to hear what you have to say. Also, check out my other written gearing guides here or over on YouTube. So far I've got priest/healers, casters, and now rogues covered, but I'm planning more even as you read this. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates when new content is released, but for now thanks for reading. And take it easy!

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Additional Information (for your reference)

Hey all! As an added bonus to the simplified guide above, I've also included a list of item drops in the other high-level dungeons that rogues can aim for, should you wish to expand your dungeoning experience:


Maraudon (for one item)
1 item of use at level 60.

Finger
Blackstone Ring from Princess Theradras. Pre-raid BiS if I'm not mistaken.



The Sunken Temple (Not particularly lucrative at 60, just FYI)
Several decent items, but lots of RNG (8 usable items total).

Shoulders
Atal'ai Spaulders from the Troll Minibosses. Have random enchantment.

Wrist
Darkwater Bracers from Atal'alarion. Have random enchantment.

Legs
Atal'ai Leggings from the Troll Minibosses. Have random enchantment and are only green quality.

Main Hand
Dragon's Call from Shade of Eranikus. Very low drop chance.
Firebreather frrom Weaver, Dreamscythe, Morphaz, & Hazzas);
Blade of the Wretched from Ogom the Wretched. Not very good though.

Offhand
Dire Nail from Shade of Eranikus.
Fist of the Damned from Ogom the Wretched. Not very good though.



Stratholme (Live/Scarlet)
5 items to realistically aim for. 7 total.

Head
Mask of the Unforgiven from The Unforgiven.

Shoulders
Shadowcraft Spaulders from Cannon Master Willey.
Wyrmtongue Shoulders from Balnazzar.

Chest
Songbird Blouse from Hearthsinger Forresten, a rare spawn. Not super good either, but something.

Hands
Skul's Fingerbone Claws from Skul, a rare spawn.

Main Hand
The Cruel Hand of Timmy from Timmy the Cruel.

Ranged
Willey's Portable Howitzer from Cannon Master Willey.

Stratholme (Undead)
5 items to realistically aim for. 7 total.

Back
Stoneskin Gargoyle Cape from Stonespine, a rare spawn.
Cape of the Black Baron from Baron Rivendare.

Legs
Shadowcraft Pants from Baron Rivendare.

Finger
Band of Flesh from Ramstein the Gorger.

Trinket
Ramstein's Lightning Bolts from Ramstein the Gorger.

Offhand
Gargoyle Shredder Talons from Stonespine, a rare spawn.
Bonescraper from Baron Rivendare.



Lower Blackrock Spire
7 items to realistically aim for. 11 total.

Neck
Halycon's Spiked Collar from Halycon. Situational because only gives AP against beasts!

Hands
Shadowcraft Gloves from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin.
Slaghide Gauntlets from Urok Doomhowl, a rare spawn. Have random enchantment.

Waist
Cloudrunner Girdle from Quartermaster Zigris.

Feet
Pads of the Dread Wolf from Halycon.

Trinket
Smolderweb's Eye from Mother Smolderweb.

Main Hand
Keris of Zul'Serak from War Master Voone. This could be MH or OH.
Venomspitter from Mother Smolderweb.

Offhand
Fang of the Crystal Spider from Crystal Fang, a rare spawn.

Ranged
Blackcrow from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin.
Riphook from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin.

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Special thanks to the Atlasloot addon, itemization.info, and, of course, to YOU for making this guide possible.