Warlock best in slot gear.
At 30 the warlock list moves to Razorfen Kraul, the Scarlet Monastery Graveyard and the two new dungeons, Excavation Site: Wetlands and the City of Dalaran. The Swinetusk Shank with the Orb of Soran'ruk now beats the Staff of Soran'ruk, Tailoring still makes the Shadow Gown and Black Slippers, and the ring for twenty library books is still your best ring.
Affliction Warlock BiS
Shadow damage first, and most of it now comes from Razorfen Kraul and the Scarlet Monastery Graveyard: the Swinetusk Shank, Stygian Bone Amulet and Thornweaver Drape from Kraul, the Bloodmage Mantle and Blighted Leggings from the Graveyard. Hold the Shank with the Orb of Soran'ruk from your class quest. Tailoring makes the Shadow Gown and Black Slippers, the City of Dalaran adds the Ephemeral Grips, and Engineers can wear the Spellpower Goggles Xtreme. Both factions wear the Spidertank Oilrag from Gnomeregan and keep the Gravestone Scepter. Alliance take the Belt of Arugal and Ring of Forlorn Spirits; Horde take the Warsong Sash and Reedknot Ring.
Stat priority: Shadow damage = spell power > spell hit > Fire damage (half value, Immolate only) > Intellect > Stamina; healing 0
Spellpower Goggles XtremeHead · Cloth · ilvl 43
Stygian Bone AmuletNeck · ilvl 34
Bloodmage MantleShoulder · Cloth · ilvl 35
Thornweaver DrapeBack · ilvl 30
Shadow GownChest · Cloth · ilvl 27
CosmeticShirt
CosmeticTabard
Spidertank OilragWrist · Cloth · ilvl 34
Undead Warlock
Level 30 · Affliction- Armor
- +311
- Stamina
- +36
- Intellect
- +35
- Spirit
- +35
- Spell damage
- +119
- Shadow damage
- +69
- Fire damage
- +9
- Arcane damage
- +9
- Mana per 5
- +3
Needs Engineering (215) to wear. It binds when equipped, so an Engineer can buy one: the schematic drops in Stranglethorn Vale, Tanaris and other zones above level 30.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself. The pattern drops in Blackfathom Deeps, Razorfen Kraul, The Stockade, the Scarlet Monastery Graveyard and Gnomeregan.
Binds when equipped and the trainer teaches it, so any Tailor can make it for you.
Blind Hunter is a rare spawn, so he is not there every run.
Scorn's Icy Choker shows up on other lists, but Scorn has no confirmed spawn in the beta.
A Thistlefur Mantle of Magic or of Shadow Wrath from the auction house can beat this.
Both quests ask for an item from Charlga Razorflank, the last boss of Razorfen Kraul. Open from level 29.
Alliance only, from level 30: escort Dalinda Malem out of Thunder Axe Fortress.
A Twilight Cape of Magic or of Shadow Wrath from the auction house can beat this.
Horde only: escort Lakota Windsong from the Darkcloud Pinnacle.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself. The pattern costs 30 Merchant's Favor from Mivin Shadowweave (Alliance) or Jim'bek (Horde).
An Elder's Padded Armor of Shadow Wrath from the auction house beats this.
Binds when equipped, so you can buy it.
Alliance only, from level 30. It follows the Kinelory escort that Quae gives in Arathi Highlands.
Horde only. Charlga Razorflank in Razorfen Kraul drops the scroll that starts it, then you kill Ambassador Malcin, a level 36 elite outside Razorfen Downs: take a group.
Alliance only, from level 30. One more Stamina than the Spidertank Oilrag, but Marez Cowl is a level 40 elite: take a strong group.
Horde only.
A Vital Handwraps of Magic or of Shadow Wrath from the auction house can beat this.
Binds when equipped, so you can buy it. The pattern is a world drop.
Belt of ArugalAlliance
Warsong SashHordeHorde only, from level 22.
Azshir the Sleepless is a rare spawn in the Graveyard.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself. The pattern costs 30 Merchant's Favor, and crafting it needs a Spinning Wheel, whose blueprint drops from the Unstable Sentinel in the City of Dalaran.
Binds when equipped, so check the auction house. Players report it from the City of Dalaran; which creature drops it is not known yet.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself. Tailoring trainers teach it at 150, and crafting it needs a Spinning Wheel (blueprint from the Unstable Sentinel in the City of Dalaran).
Horde only.
Binds when equipped and the trainer teaches it.
Twenty library books, counting the ten you turned in for the necklace.
Ring of Forlorn SpiritsAllianceAlliance only. The end of the long Stalvan Mistmantle chain in Duskwood.
Reedknot RingHordeBoth factions, from level 30. Jarl wants a Moonsteel Broadsword: buy one or ask a Blacksmith.
Escort Willix the Importer out of Razorfen Kraul.
Needs Engineering (140) to use.
The hound fights for you for 3 minutes.
It only stuns Worgen, so it earns its place in Shadowfang Keep and little else.
With the Orb of Soran'ruk this gives 49 Shadow damage, against 34 on the Staff of Soran'ruk. If you want a two-hander, Spine of the Devourer is the pick, or Fallen Dragon's Scepter for Alliance.
Lyn the Ignored is summoned with the Tome of Dalaran.
Alliance only. An elite quest against the dragonspawn at the Dragonmaw Gates: take a group.
The quest gives the Orb or the Staff of Soran'ruk, not both.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself. The formula costs 45 Merchant's Favor.
Alliance only. A level 40 elite quest that opens at 30, from Marshal Redpath in Southshore: take a group.
The end of Hemet Nesingwary's three hunting chains. King Bangalash is a level 43 elite, so at 30 this is the hardest piece on the list.
Azshir the Sleepless is a rare spawn. Less spell power, but the best wand damage you can farm.
Binds when equipped: look on the auction house.
Level 20 lists.
What to wear at 20, from when the beta was capped there. Still useful on the way up to 30.
Affliction Warlock BiS
Shadow damage first. The Shadow Circlet, Gloves, Sash and Filigreed Shadow Leggings are Tailoring crafts, Necrology Robes drop from Shadowfang Keep trash, and the Staff of Soran'ruk comes from your class quest. The wand is the Gravestone Scepter from the Blackfathom Villainy quest, which both factions can do.
Stat priority: Shadow damage = spell power > Fire damage (half value, Immolate only) > Intellect > Stamina; healing 0
Shadow CircletHead · Cloth · ilvl 25Mark of the Pack LeaderNeck · ilvl 25
Magician's MantleShoulder · Cloth · ilvl 25
Heavy Woolen CloakBack · ilvl 21
Necrology RobesChest · Cloth · ilvl 25CosmeticShirtCosmeticTabard
Mindthrust BracersWrist · Cloth · ilvl 22Undead Warlock
Level 20 · Affliction- Armor
- +255
- Strength
- +5
- Stamina
- +46
- Intellect
- +46
- Spirit
- +16
- Spell damage
- +28
- Shadow damage
- +90
- Fire damage
- +34
- Mana per 5
- +3
Shadow GlovesHands · Cloth · ilvl 20
Shadow SashWaist · Cloth · ilvl 22
Filigreed Shadow LeggingsLegs · Cloth · ilvl 25
Spidersilk BootsFeet · Cloth · ilvl 25
Philanthropist's RingRing · ilvl 35
Sacred BandRing · ilvl 25
Minor RecombobulatorTrinket · ilvl 28
Lookie's SpyglassTrinket · ilvl 23
Staff of Soran'rukMain hand · Staff · ilvl 25
Two-hander equippedOff hand
Gravestone ScepterRanged · Wand · ilvl 29Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Aetherwisp BracersAllianceMindthrust BracersHordeBinds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Binds when picked up, so only the crafter can wear it: you need the profession yourself.
Kill Nightveiled Rotheap, a new elite patrol on the Wetlands river (around 49, 33), for Rotheap Innards and trade them to Rethiel the Greenwarden (around 56, 40). Alliance only, one ring per character.
Minor Channeling RingAllianceSacred BandHorde
Needs Engineering (140) to use.
If you would rather hold a one-hander: Evocator's Blade with Orb of Soran'ruk.
Warlock gearing tips.
- The Orb of Soran'ruk quest gives the Orb or the Staff of Soran'ruk, not both. If you took the staff at 20, the Swinetusk Shank with Raptor's Gaze or the Orb of Mystic Insight still beats it.
- The Shadow Gown and Shadow Leggings patterns cost 30 Merchant's Favor each from Mivin Shadowweave (Alliance) or Jim'bek (Horde). The leggings and the Black Slippers also need a Spinning Wheel, whose blueprint drops from the Unstable Sentinel in the City of Dalaran.
- The Shadow pieces bind when made. If you are not a Tailor, the Necrology Robes, Violet Sorcerer's Leggings and Hands of Darkness bind when equipped, so you can buy them.
- The Spellpower Goggles Xtreme need Engineering 215 to wear and the Minor Recombobulator needs 140. Without Engineering, wear the Filigreed Shadow Circlet and take the Satchel of Potions or Worgenbane Talisman for the other trinket.
- Alliance can do a little better in two slots with elite quests well above their level: the Arcane Runed Bracers from Marez Cowl (level 40) in Arathi Highlands and the Burning Sliver from the Crushridge ogres (39 to 40) in Alterac. They are listed as alternatives because few level 30 groups can finish them.
How these lists are built
The picks start from ForeverChanges' lists, the only ones that cover every spec for both factions at 20 and at 30. The level 20 lists are cross-checked against Icy Veins, Wowhead, Realm First and wowtbc.gg, the level 30 lists against The Forever Era, Kami-Labs and wowtbc.gg ("Also picked by"). Every item is read from Wowhead's Forever database, which fills in from the beta client as testers loot things. Blizzard hides item stats until an item has dropped, so a list can only use what has been seen. We check each pick fits its slot, can be used by the class and does not need a higher level than the list is for.
At 30 two kinds of items stay off the top line even when they would win. Random-suffix greens (the "of the Owl" kind) have no fixed stats to check, and rewards behind level 40 elites are out of reach for most level 30 groups. Both are named in the notes where they beat the pick. Class quest weapons are the exception: the Shaman and Warrior chains open at 30, so they stay on top.
Hover any item for the full Wowhead tooltip. The stats and totals on this page were read on October 15, 2026 and will move with beta builds.
Trinkets are still thin at 30. The Minor Recombobulator needs Engineering 140 to use, and casters who are Engineers can wear the Spellpower Goggles Xtreme from 215. Crafted pieces marked "binds when picked up" can only be worn by the crafter.
The 3D preview
Wowhead does not allow its 3D viewer on other sites, so "See it in 3D" opens its Forever dressing room with the whole set already equipped on the race and gender you picked. Neck, rings and trinkets have no model, so they are left off there.