TBC Classic Destruction Warlock Phase 3 / 4 Gear and Best in Slot
On this page, you will find the best PvE gear and best in slot items for your Destruction Warlock from TBC Classic Phases 3 and 4.
Destruction Warlock Phase 3/4 Best in Slot List
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.
Other Destruction Warlock Best in Slot Lists
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. 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.
TBC Phase 3/4 Destruction Warlock Tier Set
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
Phase 3/4 Best in Slot for Destruction Warlocks
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.
Head
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.
Necklace
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 Destruction. 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 Loop of Cursed Bones one having 6 more haste, while the other has 7 more SP. I prefer the Stam from however 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.
Shoulder
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
Back
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 Destruction. 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.
Chest
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.
Wrist
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 3. Cuffs of Devastation are very good bracers to wear as an alternative until you are able to obtain Nimble Thought.
Hands
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.
Waist
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 Destruction. 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.
Legs
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.
Feet
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.
Finger
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.
Trinket
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.
Main-Hand Weapon
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 Destruction 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.
Off-Hand Weapon
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.
Wand
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 Destruction 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.
Further Enhancements
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.
Changelog
- 08 May 2022: Guide moved.
This guide has been written by Crix, Co-Admin of the Warlock Discord and long time Warlock player. He raids with the guild Fusion and has cleared all WOTLK content as a Warlock, as well as makes Warlock related content on YouTube for Warlocks and streams Warlock gameplay daily over at Twitch.
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