TBC Classic Affliction Warlock Phase 3 / 4 Gear and Best in Slot

If you would like to better understand the stat priority that helped decide the items used in this list, please consult our page about them below.

If you are starting out as a freshly-leveled Affliction Warlock, our pre-raid best in slot list is meant to give you an idea of non-raid items you can chase as a solo / pug player in preparation for raids. If your character is still progressing through the content of older tiers, then you may wish to consult their best in slot lists instead.

During Black Temple, you may also have need of additional gear devoted to maximizing your Shadow Resistance stat. Should this be the case, we recommend consulting our guide dedicated to acquiring pieces with this stat as necessary.

Tier 6 is the third Tier set that you can obtain in TBC Classic and is famously known for the wings that occasionally come out. Not only does it look amazing, it also has an extremely powerful 4-set bonus which increases the damage of your Shadow Bolt and Incinerate by 6%, which equates to aboout 120-130 Spell Power. The 2-set is much less exciting as it only heals you for 70 health every time your Corruption and Immolate does damage. This set also provides very good upgrades on the current slot as well. Obtaining this set should be a priority. You share this token with Paladins and Priests and it is pretty common to give the first 4-set to your Protection Paladin as it increases the damage of their Consecration by 10%. Typically after that they go to the Warlocks.

The tokens for Tier 6 are obtained from the following bosses. Note that the bracers, belts, and boots do not release until Sunwell Plateau in Phase 5.

• Helm — Archimonde in Mount Hyjal
• Robe — Illidan Stormrage in Black Temple
• Pants — The Illidari Council in Black Temple
• Shoulders — Mother Shahraz in Black Temple
• Gloves — Azgalor in Mount Hyjal
• Bracers — Kalecgos in Sunwell Plateau
• Belts — Brutallus in Sunwell Plateau
• Boots — Felmyst in Sunwell Plateau

If you would like to better understand the stat priority that helped decide the items used in this list, please consult our page about them below.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Hood of the Malefic	Archimonde — Mount Hyjal
Optional	Cowl of the Illidari High Lord	Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple

Hood of the Malefic is the absolute best in slot. Cowl of the Illidari High Lord is a very strong alternative and even has better stats than the tier helm. However your goal is to get the 4-set, so do not worry about it.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Loop of Cursed Bones	Zul'jin — Zul'Aman
Best	Brooch of Nature's Mercy	Akil'zon — Zul'Aman
Optional	Translucent Spellthread Necklace	Reliquary of Souls — Black Temple

We get two new necks from Zul'Aman and both can work as best in slot for Shadow Affliction. Which you choose is up to you as they are both on par with each other. Loop of Cursed Bones and Brooch of Nature's Mercy are both very good Haste necks. They are both pretty equal, with the Loop of Cursed Bones having 6 more Haste, while the other has 7 more SP. I prefer the Stam from the Loop of Cursed Bones, however whichever you choose is up to you. Translucent Spellthread Necklace is an amazing alternative and just keep using it until you get one of the two we just talked about.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Mantle of the Malefic	Mother Shahraz — Black Temple
Option	Mantle of Nimble Thought	Tailoring
Option	Blood-cursed Shoulderpads	Gurtogg Bloodboil — Black Temple

Mantle of the Malefic is the best in slot for shoulders. Mantle of Nimble Thought are another good pair of shoulders that have Haste, however your priority is to complete your 4-set of Tier 6. Feel free to use those until you are able to obtain your T6 shoulders

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Shroud of the Highborne	The Illidari Council — Black Temple
Option	Cloak of the Illidari Council	Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Option	Nethervoid Cloak	Trash drop — Mount Hyjal

Shroud of the Highborne is best in slot for Affliction. However this is a healer cloak and you should not have your eyes on this, unless you know that your guild is prioritizing it to casters, like many guilds do. If you are able to get this both Cloak of the Illidari Council and Nethervoid Cloak are both very good alternatives while waiting for the Haste cloak. Note that if for some reason you are having spell hit issues and can use the spell hit from Nethervoid Cloak then it will be the strongest cloak you can wear.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Vestments of the Sea-Witch	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Robe of the Malefic	Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Option	Robes of Rhonin	Archimonde — Mount Hyjal

Vestments of the Sea-Witch are still extremely strong and continue to be best in slot for Phase 4. Robe of the Malefic is strong as well, it just lacks the crit that Vestments has. However it is worth saying that if you were not able to get Vestments, then Robe of the Malefic works great to complete your 4-set of Tier 6. Robes of Rhonin are only used until you obtain either of the better options.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Bracers of Nimble Thought	Tailoring
Option	Cuffs of Devastation	Rage Winterchill — Mount Hyjal

Bracers of Nimble Thought are best in slot for Phase 4. Cuffs of Devastation are very good bracers to wear as an alternative until you are able to obtain Nimble Thought.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Gloves of the Malefic	Azgalor — Mount Hyjal

Gloves of the Malefic are the only gloves in Tier 6 that you want. Nothing else drops that compares to it, not only for stats, but to complete your 4-set.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Anetheron's Noose	Anetheron — Mount Hyjal
Best	Waistwrap of Infinity	Supremus — Black Temple
Option	Belt of Blasting	Tailoring

Anetheron's Noose is the best in slot belt for Affliction. It is lacking the Haste that Waistwrap of Infinity has, but it makes up for it with both the gems. Both Waistwrap of Infinity and Belt of Blasting are exceptional options to use in the meantime until you obtain Anetheron's Noose. Do not stress on your belt slot as much as other slots, as Belt of Blasting is still an amazing belt that is only slightly behind the BiS belt.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Leggings of the Malefic	The Illidari Council — Black Temple
Option	Leggings of Channeled Elements	Kaz'rogal — Mount Hyjal
Option	Leggings of Devastation	Mother Shahraz — Black Temple

Leggings of the Malefic are best in slot for the legs. Leggings of Channeled Elements are actually better by themselves, however you want to use the Tier 6 legs to complete your 4-set. There is alternative gearing where you use Leggings of Channeled Elements and instead complete your 4-set with the Tier 6 Chest. This will depend largely on what you have at the time each item drops. Leggings of Devastation are worth mentioning. However, they are not better than either of the two pants we mentioned, but rather something to hold you down until you obtain the better pants.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Slippers of the Seacaller	High Warlord Naj'entus — Black Temple
Option	Boots of Blasting	Tailoring
Option	Frozen Shadoweave Boots	Tailoring

Slippers of the Seacaller are the best in slot boots for Phase 4. It allows you to drop some unwanted Spell Hit as well as pick up a couple sockets. Both Boots of Blasting and Frozen Shadoweave Boots are great alternatives to tide you over until you are able to get these boots.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ring of Ancient Knowledge	Trash drop — Black Temple
Best	Mana Attuned Band	Timed Chest 3 — Zul'Aman
Option	Ring of Captured Storms	High Warlord Naj'entus — Black Temple
Option	Band of the Eternal Sage	The Scale of the Sands — Exalted

Rings, as they have always been for TBC, are used as a spell hit slot. Simply put, if you need spell hit, you want to use Mana Attuned Band as it is insanely good with spell hit and haste on it. Typically at this point in the game you just swapped on your new Haste neck that you got earlier, which lacks the hit that Translucent Spellthread Necklace has. This means you need a little Spell Hit, and that is when Mana Attuned Band comes in perfectly. If you do not need any Spell Hit, then use two Ring of Ancient Knowledge.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	The Skull of Gul'dan	Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Best	Mark of the Champion	The Fall of Kel'Thuzad
Best	Hex Shrunken Head	Hex Lord Malacrass — Zul'Aman
Option	Icon of the Silver Crescent	41 x Badge of Justice
Option	Dark Iron Smoking Pipe	Coren Direbrew — only available during Brewfest
Option	Quagmirran's Eye	Quagmirran — Heroic The Slave Pens
Option	Darkmoon Card: Crusade	Darkmoon Faire

The Trinket slot leaves us with a few options. The Skull of Gul'dan is absolute best in slot for not only Phase 4, but for the rest of the game. This item is your #1 priority to obtain in the Raid. It is also highly contested; however it typically is Warlock priority.

As for the second slot, it depends largely on what you have. Mark of the Champion is the best for any bosses that are Undead or Demons, which is every fight in Mount Hyjal and most of the bosses in Black Temple. If you have this, use it frequently. If you do not have it, then you should be using Hex Shrunken Head. It is just a better version of Icon of the Silver Crescent and Dark Iron Smoking Pipe. Quagmirran's Eye is still a very good trinket that will scale up with you as you get gear, however your Eye procs can (and cannot) be wasted. Thus myself and many others prefer the on-use for more control outside of Patchwerk fights. Darkmoon Card: Crusade is a good alternative trinket that I use on fights with little to no movement. I prefer this trinket over Quagmirran's Eye.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer	Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Best	Tempest of Chaos	Archimonde — Mount Hyjal
Option	Blade of Twisted Visions	Zul'jin — Zul'Aman
Option	Vengeful Gladiator's Spellblade	PvP Arena

Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer and Tempest of Chaos are the most talked about items in not only the Warlock community, but the caster community in general as Zhar'doom is not only good for Warlocks, but BiS most of the other caster classes as well. However the mainhand/offhand scenario plays better down the road for Affliction Warlocks. Which you choose will more or less be out of your control and you should just be happy with either that you can get your hands on. Both weapons are insanely strong. Luckily, if you were not able to obtain one of those amazing weapons, Blade of Twisted Visions and Vengeful Gladiator's Spellblade are great alternatives that you can use until you obtain one of the T6 weapons.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Chronicle of Dark Secrets	Rage Winterchill — Mount Hyjal
Option	Fetish of the Primal Gods	35 Badges of Justice

Chronicle of Dark Secrets is the best in slot offhand for Destruction. You can use Fetish of the Primal Gods in the meantime until you can obtain Chronicle of Dark Secrets.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Wand of the Forgotten Star	High Astromancer Solarian — Tempest Keep
Option	Carved Witch Doctor's Stick	25 Badges of Justice

Wand of the Forgotten Star is still best in slot for both Shadow and Fire Affliction for Phase 4. In the meantime you can use Carved Witch Doctor's Stick until you are able to obtain Wand of the Forgotten Star. It loses out on the Hit/Crit but gives you a socket.

NOTE: There are multiple options for Warlock when gemming, due to the prevalence of Hit-capping and the varying levels of Hit you may receive from other gear, as well as the requirements for activating your Meta gem. We highly recommend that you go over the advice given on the gems page when choosing your gems for your current gear setup.