TBC Classic Destruction Warlock Phase 2 / Tier 5 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 Destruction 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.

Do note that items from Heroic dungeons or that require Primal Nethers (which are obtained from Heroics) can be harder to get than raid items due to their daily lockout. Some Heroic dungeons are also harder than most of Karazhan.

If your character is still progressing through the content of Tier 4 or is ready to take on Tier 6, then you may wish to consult their best in slot lists instead.

Tier 5 is the second Tier set that you can obtain in TBC Classic and has always been known as one of the best-looking Tier sets in the history of World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, style is all that it brings. The 2-set bonus is quite literally useless in a raiding environment. The 4-set bonus can see some possible use as Destruction, but even then it would not be worth giving up those 4 slots for this bonus. You share this token with Hunter and Mage and it is best in slot for both of those Classes, so it will likely be a while before you can get your hands on any T5.

The tokens for Tier 5 are obtained from the following bosses:

• Helm — Lady Vashj in Serpentshrine Cavern
• Robe — Kael'thas Sunstrider in Tempest Keep
• Pants — Fathom-Lord Karathress in Serpentshrine Cavern
• Shoulders — Void Reaver in Tempest Keep
• Gloves — Leotheras the Blind in Serpentshrine Cavern

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Hood of the Corruptor	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern
Best	Destruction Holo-gogs	Engineering
Option	Voidheart Crown	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan
Option	Cowl of the Grand Engineer	Void Reaver — Tempest Keep

Destruction Holo-gogs is best in slot, however this is an Engineering-only item. If you are not Engineering, then Hood of the Corruptor is best in slot. You should look to keep using Voidheart Crown until you have obtained one of the above listed with the Meta socket. Cowl of the Grand Engineer is a very strong alternative; it just falls behind due to the lack of a Meta socket.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	The Sun King's Talisman	Kael'thas Sunstrider — Tempest Keep
Option	Ritssyn's Lost Pendant	Trash drop — Karazhan
Option	Brooch of Unquenchable Fury	Moroes — Karazhan
Option	Adornment of Stolen Souls	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan

The Sun King's Talisman is best in slot for Phase 2. Ritssyn's Lost Pendant remains very strong for Shadow Destruction and can be used until you obtain a Talisman. Both Brooch of Unquenchable Fury and Adornment of Stolen Souls can still be used as Fire and Shadow Destruction while waiting for your Talisman if you are for some reason lacking Spell Hit, or want more crit.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Voidheart Mantle	High King Maulgar — Gruul's Lair
Option	Mantle of the Corruptor	Void Reaver — Tempest Keep

Voidheart Mantle is still best in slot. While Mantle of the Corruptor has slightly better stats than Voidheart Mantle, it is not worth dropping your T4 2-piece bonus for such a minor upgrade.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ruby Drape of the Mysticant	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan
Option	Brute Cloak of the Ogre-Magi	High King Maulgar — Gruul's Lair
Option	Ancient Spellcloak of the Highborne	Doom-Lord Kazzak — World Boss

Ruby Drape of the Mysticant and Brute Cloak of the Ogre-Magi are both going to be best in slot based on your current Spell Hit. Ancient Spellcloak of the Highborne is still a very good option. However, it comes from a World Boss, making this hard to obtain for most.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Vestments of the Sea-Witch	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Robe of the Corruptor	Kael'thas Sunstrider — Tempest Keep
Option	Robe of Hateful Echoes	Hydross the Unstable — Serpentshrine Cavern

Vestments of the Sea-Witch are extremely strong and best in slot for Phase 2. Both Robe of the Corruptor and Robe of Hateful Echoes are great alternatives to use based on if you need Spell Hit or Crit while you wait for your Vestments

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Mindstorm Wristbands	Al'ar — Tempest Keep
Option	Veteran's Silk Cuffs	PvP Vendor

Mindstorm Wristbands are best in slot for Phase 2. Veteran's Silk Cuffs are a good alternative in the meantime.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Voidheart Gloves	Curator — Karazhan
Best	Spellfire Gloves	Spellfire Gloves — Tailoring
Option	Anger-Spark Gloves	Doomwalker — World Boss

Voidheart Gloves are best in slot for Phase 2 for Shadow Destruction due to keeping your 2-piece set bonus intact. Anger-Spark Gloves are still very good if you were able to obtain them from the World Boss and can be used in this slot, however you then need to use another piece of T4 in a different slot to keep your 2-piece T4 bonus. If you are Fire Destruction, then Spellfire Gloves are best in slot for Phase 2 and you would instead use T4 Helm to keep your 2-piece set bonus.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Belt of Blasting	Belt of Blasting — Tailoring
Option	Cord of Screaming Terrors	The Lurker Below — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Girdle of Ruination	Girdle of Ruination — Tailoring

Belt of Blasting is best in slot for Phase 2 due to the high Spell Power, Spell Hit, and Crit. Cord of Screaming Terrors is a good alternative while you wait for the Pattern to drop and if you need Spell Hit. Girdle of Ruination is not as strong, but can still be used if you have not obtained either of the new belts yet.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Spellstrike Pants	Spellstrike Pants — Tailoring
Option	Leggings of the Corruptor	Fathom-Lord Karathress — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Leggings of the Seventh Circle	Doom-Lord Kazzak — World Boss

Spellstrike Pants are still best in slot going through Phase 2. It has 2 more sockets than Leggings of the Corruptor, just barely beating it out. While T5 Legs are a very good alternative, so are Leggings of the Seventh Circle, which are from a World Boss and difficult to obtain for many.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Frozen Shadoweave Boots	Frozen Shadoweave Boots — Tailoring
Option	Boots of Blasting	Boots of Blasting — Tailoring
Option	Boots of the Shifting Nightmare	Hydross the Unstable — Serpentshrine Cavern

Frozen Shadoweave Boots will remain best in slot for phase 2 for Shadow Destruction, unless for some reason you find yourself lacking Spell Hit, then you can use either Boots of Blasting or Boots of the Shifting Nightmare. If you are Fire Destruction then Boots of Blasting is best in slot.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ashyen's Gift	Cenarion Expedition — Exalted
Best	Band of Crimson Fury	Magtheridon — Magtheridon's Lair
Best	Ring of Endless Coils	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Ring of Recurrence	Chess Event — Karazhan

Rings in Phase 2, just like Phase 1, are typically used to help with Spell Hit Rating. Band of Crimson Fury and Ashyen's Gift are both still very nice rings if you need Spell Hit. Meanwhile, Ring of Endless Coils and Ring of Recurrence are great if you do not need any more Spell Hit and are great for Crit rings.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Icon of the Silver Crescent	41 x Badge of Justice
Best	Quagmirran's Eye	Quagmirran — Heroic The Slave Pens
Option	Scryer's Bloodgem	The Scryers — Revered
Option	Arcanist's Stone	Epoch Hunter — Heroic Old Hillsbrad Foothills
Option	Mark of the Champion	The Fall of Kel'Thuzad

Just as with the Phase 1, Icon of the Silver Crescent and Quagmirran's Eye will be your ideal trinkets for their great passive Spell Power and on-use/proc effects. Scryer's Bloodgem and Arcanist's Stone are great options to fill in any missing Spell Hit Rating. Mark of the Champion is an insanely good Trinket whenever you are fighting Undead or Demons if you were able to get it in Classic. Sextant of Unstable Currents looks better than it is, so do not worry about that trinket.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian	Naxxramas
Best	Talon of the Tempest	Doomwalker — World Boss
Best	Fang of the Leviathan	Leotheras the Blind — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Merciless Gladiator's Spellblade	PvP Arena
Option	Bloodmaw Magus-Blade	Gruul The Dragonkiller — Gruul's Lair
Option	Nathrezim Mindblade	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan

Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian, while a personal DPS loss, is a very powerful weapon in TBC, as it buff your party members. You should expect to wear this for that reason until T6. Talon of the Tempest is still one of the best weapons, however it is from a World Boss, making it hard for most to obtain. Use Merciless Gladiator's Spellblade if you have the Arena Rating to purchase it. Otherwise the realistic option is Fang of the Leviathan. Both Bloodmaw Magus-Blade and Nathrezim Mindblade can act as placeholders until you can get one of the better weapons listed above.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Flametongue Seal	25 x Badge of Justice
Best	Khadgar's Knapsack	25 x Badge of Justice
Best	Orb of the Soul-Eater	25 x Badge of Justice
Option	Fathomstone	Hydross the Unstable — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	Jewel of Infinite Possibilities	Netherspite — Karazhan

Orb of the Soul-Eater and Khadgar's Knapsack are both still strong Offhands for Shadow Destruction and Flametongue Seal is still best in slot for Fire Destruction. Fathomstone will beat out Orb of the Soul-Eater if you can get your hands on it. Use Jewel of Infinite Possibilities if you are in need of Spell Hit.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Wand of the Forgotten Star	High Astromancer Solarian — Tempest Keep
Option	Tirisfal Wand of Ascendancy	Shade of Aran — Karazhan
Option	The Black Stalk	The Black Stalker — Heroic Underbog
Option	Eredar Wand of Obliteration	Magtheridon — Magtheridon's Lair

Wand of the Forgotten Star is best in slot for both Shadow and Fire Destruction for Phase 2. You can use either Tirisfal Wand of Ascendancy, The Black Stalk, or Eredar Wand of Obliteration in the meantime based off of your current Spell Hit.

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.

If you have further questions about enchanting these items, our Destruction Warlock Enchants and Gems page below provides more information.