TBC Classic Protection Warrior Phase 2 / Tier 5 Gear and Best in Slot

In this guide we will go over the different gear available for Protection Warriors in Phase Two of TBC Classic. We will offer multiple different pieces as some can be rather expensive or very hard to obtain. In addition to that, we will show you different gear to look at for threat and for pure tankiness.

If you are starting out as a freshly-leveled Protection Warrior, 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.

Finally, there may be times where you may want to stack resistance to a particular damage type. For these moments we have created separate lists detailing the best gear to maximize your Fire, Frost, Nature, or Shadow resistances.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Tankatronic Goggles	1 x Powerful Earthstorm Diamond 1 x Enduring Talasite	Tankatronic Goggles — Engineering
Option	Destroyer Greathelm	1 x Powerful Earthstorm Diamond 1 x Shifting Nightseye	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern

Tankatronic Goggles is introduced in Phase Two for Engineers and is a very well-rounded helmet. Destroyer Greathelm is a very solid choice if you are not Engineering.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Frayed Tether of the Drowned	Fathom-Lord Karathress — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	The Darkener's Grasp	Kael'thas Sunstrider — The Eye

Frayed Tether of the Drowned is your go-to neck, offering some much-needed Hit Rating. The Darkener's Grasp can be used for extra tankiness, but generally is not needed and not recommended to get.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Destroyer Shoulderguards	2 x Solid Star of Elune	Void Reaver — The Eye

Destroyer Shoulderguards are our go-to shoulders for Tier 5 content, helping us complete our much-desired 4-set bonus.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Phoenix-Wing Cloak	Al'ar — The Eye

Phoenix-Wing Cloak offers you a high amount of defensive stats overall. Other cloaks such as Drape of the Dark Reavers may also be used to fill in missing Hit Rating.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Destroyer Chestguard	3 x Solid Star of Elune	Kael'thas Sunstrider — The Eye

Destroyer Chestguard is an insane chest piece, offering every stat you desire as a Prot Warrior. This chest will last you for most of the expansion.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Wristguards of Determination	Void Reaver — The Eye

Wristguards of Determination are a slight upgrade from our Phase One bracers, although Vambraces of Courage are still a very solid option.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Destroyer Handguards	no sockets	Leotheras the Blind — Serpentshrine Cavern
Tanky	Royal Gauntlets of Silvermoon	2 x Solid Star of Elune	Kael'thas Sunstrider — The Eye
Threat	Gloves of the Searing Grip	no sockets	Al'ar — The Eye

Destroyer Handguards are another piece used for our Tier 5 4-set bonus. Gloves of the Searing Grip are a solid option if you cannot get your 4-set bonus yet and do not need the gloves for your 2-set bonus. Royal Gauntlets of Silvermoon are a very strong pure tank pair of gloves, offering very high Stamina and Avoidance; these can be useful in certain situations.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Girdle of the Invulnerable	1 x Shifting Nightseye 1 x Solid Star of Elune	Leotheras the Blind — Serpentshrine Cavern
Threat	Belt of One-Hundred Deaths	1 x Shifting Nightseye 1 x Solid Star of Elune	Lady Vashj — Serpentshrine Cavern

Girdle of the Invulnerable is a very tanky belt, being the highest Avoidance belt in the game. Belt of One-Hundred Deaths can be used for pure threat as the Expertise is a massive gain.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Destroyer Legguards	1 x Shifting Nightseye	Fathom-Lord Karathress — Serpentshrine Cavern

Destroyer Legguards are the only pair of tank legs in Tier 5 and are very solid while helping complete our 4-set bonus.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Boots of the Resilient	2 x Solid Star of Elune	High Astromancer Solarian — The Eye
Threat	Red Havoc Boots	no sockets	Red Havoc Boots — Blacksmithing

Boots of the Resilient offer very high Stamina while Red Havoc Boots offer some threat through Block value, but require you to have Blacksmithing.

Rank	Item	Source
Tanky	Violet Signet of the Great Protector	The Violet Eye — Exalted
Tanky	Ring of Sundered Souls	Morogrim Tidewalker — Serpentshrine Cavern
Threat	Shapeshifter's Signet	Lower City — Exalted
Threat	Crystal Band of Valor	Tavarok — (H) Mana Tombs

For the most part you will want to use your threat options, but always have a few options at the ready for your ring slots depending on the needs of the fight.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Moroes' Lucky Pocket Watch	Moroes — Karazhan
Best	Goblin Rocket Launcher	Goblin Rocket Launcher — Engineering
Best	Gnomish Poultryizer	Gnomish Poultryizer — Engineering
Best	Timelapse Shard	Keepers of Time — Exalted
Threat	Dragonspine Trophy	Gruul The Dragonkiller — Gruul's Lair
Threat	Icon of Unyielding Courage	Keli'dan the Breaker — (H) The Blood Furnace

Depending on the fight and your gear you will want to swap around between these trinkets. Icon of Unyielding Courage is great for helping reach the Hit Rating cap. Timelapse Shard is very helpful with reaching Crit immunity, especially on fights where you are wearing resistance gear.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Latro's Shifting Sword	Aeonus — The Black Morass
Tanky	Mallet of the Tides	The Lurker Below — Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	King's Defender	Chess Event — Karazhan

Latro's Shifting Sword remains your highest threat weapon available for the pure speed it offers as well as the Expertise. Mallet of the Tides is a very solid weapon which should be used when you wish to be a little tankier.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Aldori Legacy Defender	1 x Solid Star of Elune	Gruul The Dragonkiller — Gruul's Lair
Option	Merciless Gladiator's Shield Wall	no sockets	Arena

Aldori Legacy Defender is still your best shield for Tier 5 content. Merciless Gladiator's Shield Wall is a very solid option, especially if you do not need the Hit Rating from Aldor Legacy Defender.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Barrel-Blade Longrifle	2 x Solid Star of Elune	Doomwalker
Best	Gyro-Balanced Khorium Destroyer	1 x Solid Star of Elune	Gyro-balanced Khorium Destroyer — Engineering
Threat	Serpentshrine Shuriken	no sockets	Trash mobs in Serpentshrine Cavern
Option	The Boomstick	no sockets	Anzu — (H) Sethekk Halls

We recommended using one of the Stamina ranged weapons available to you. Serpentshrine Shuriken is a great option if you are lacking Hit, and The Boomstick is a solid choice added in Phase Two, especially useful on resistance gear fights to help reach Crit immune.

For a list of recommended enchants, check out our Protection Warrior Enchants guide.