TBC Classic Shadow Priest Phase 1 / Tier 4 Gear and Best in Slot

In this guide we will go over the different gear available for Shadow Priests in Tier 4 of TBC Classic. We will offer multiple different pieces as some can be rather expensive or very rare to find. Some slots have multiple "best" items that can change depending on your current gear and Hit Rating needs.

If you are starting out as a freshly-leveled Shadow Priest, 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, however, your character is ready to take on the content of Tiers 5 and 6, then please utilize our updated lists instead.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Spellstrike Hood	3 x Runed Living Ruby	Spellstrike Hood — Tailoring
Option	Soul-Collar of the Incarnate	1 x Swift Starfire Diamond, 1 x Veiled Noble Topaz	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan
Option	Collar of Cho'gall		Gruul The Dragonkiller — Gruul's Lair

Spellstrike Hood remains your go-to options for helms, offering you a high amount of Spell Hit rating and Spell Damage.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ritssyn's Lost Pendant	Trash mobs — Karazhan
Option	Brooch of Unquenchable Fury	Moroes — Karazhan

Ritssyn's Lost Pendant is a great necklace, offering a high amount of Spell Power. Brooch of Unquenchable Fury is a good alternative if Hit Rating is needed, but may be difficult to acquire over other classes.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Frozen Shadoweave Shoulders	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Frozen Shadoweave Shoulders — Tailoring
Option	Soul-Mantle of the Incarnate	2 x Runed Living Ruby	High King Maulgar — Gruul's Lair

Frozen Shadoweave Shoulders is another great Tailoring piece that remains your best in slot for the entire phase.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ruby Drape of the Mysticant	Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan
Option	Shadow-Cloak of Dalaran	Moroes — Karazhan
Option	Illidari Cloak	Chief Engineer Lorthander BoE

Ruby Drape of the Mysticant is your ideal cloak to pick up some Hit Rating in this gear slot. Illidari Cloak is a great cloak if you can find one with the suffix "of Shadow Wrath".

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Frozen Shadoweave Robe	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Frozen Shadoweave Robe — Tailoring
Option	Shroud of the Incarnate	3 x Runed Living Ruby	Magtheridon's Lair

Frozen Shadoweave Robe is yet another Tailoring piece of gear that remains your best in slot for Phase One.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Ravager's Cuffs	Rokad the Ravager — Karazhan
Recommended	Bands of Nefarious Deeds	Maiden of Virtue — Karazhan
Option	Harbinger Bands	Attumen the Huntsman — Karazhan
Easy	Bracers of Havok	Bracers of Havok — Tailoring

Ravager's Cuffs are a massive gear piece with the suffix "of Shadow Wrath", offering an unmatched 58 Shadow Spell Damage; however, obtaining this is purely RNG and will not happen for most people. Bands of Nefarious Deeds is a much more reasonable option, giving you some much-needed base stats.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Anger-Spark Gloves	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Doomwalker
Recommended	Handwraps of Flowing Thought	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Attumen the Huntsman — Karazhan
Option	Soul-Eater's Handwraps	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Magtheridon's Lair

Handwraps of Flowing Thought are a great piece, helping you with some Hit Rating, high base stats, and plenty of Spell Power.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Belt of Divine Inspiration	2 x Runed Living Ruby	High King Maulgar — Gruul's Lair
Option	Girdle of Ruination	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Girdle of Ruination — Tailoring
Option	Lurker's Cord		Hyakiss the Lurker — Karazhan

Belt of Divine Inspiration is a great belt with high base stats, Spell Damage, and two sockets. Girdle of Ruination is an alternative you can get in the meantime from your local tailor. Lurker's Cord is a great waist piece when given the suffix "of Shadow Wrath", providing 81 Shadow Spell Damage; this, however, is very rare to get.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Spellstrike Pants	3 x Runed Living Ruby	Spellstrike Pants — Tailoring
Option	Leggings of the Seventh Circle	3 x Runed Living Ruby	Doom-Lord Kazzak
Option	Trial-Fire Trousers		Shared loot from Opera Event — Karazhan

Spellstrike Pants are your best leg option if you are still a tailor, as the set bonus pushes these above other options. If you do not have Tailoring Leggings of the Seventh Circle are a great alternative, but are very difficult to obtain. Finally, Trial-Fire Trousers are a great option if you do not need Hit Rating as they have high Spell Damage and base stats.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Frozen Shadoweave Boots	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Frozen Shadoweave Boots — Tailoring
Option	Ruby Slippers	2 x Runed Living Ruby	The Crone from the Opera Event — Karazhan
Option	Boots of Foretelling	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Maiden of Virtue — Karazhan

Frozen Shadoweave Boots are a massive gear piece, remaining your best in slot for the majority of the expansion. Ruby Slippers and Boots of Foretelling are your alternatives if you do not have Tailoring; pick whichever one best suits your Hit Rating needs.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Band of Crimson Fury	Magtheridon's Lair
Best	Ashyen's Gift	Cenarion Expedition — Exalted
Best	Seal of the Exorcist	Terokkar Forest PvP Vendor
Option	Cobalt Band of Tyrigosa	Nexus-Prince Shaffar — Mana Tombs (Heroic)

Rings in Phase 1 are typically used to help with Hit Rating. Pick up whichever ones you can obtain. WoW Classic has a few rings that can be used still at Level 70 if you have those.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Icon of the Silver Crescent	41 x Badge of Justice
Best	Quagmirran's Eye	Quagmirran — The Slave Pens (Heroic)
Option	Scryer's Bloodgem	The Scryers — Revered
Option	Arcanist's Stone	Epoch Hunter — Old Hillsbrad Foothills (Heroic)
Option	Eye of Magtheridon	Magtheridon's Lair

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 Hit Rating.

Rank	Item	Gems	Source
Best	Talon of the Tempest	2 x Runed Living Ruby	Doomwalker
Recommended	Nathrezim Mindblade		Prince Malchezaar — Karazhan
Option	Gladiator's Spellblade		PvP Arena

Talon of the Tempest is your best weapon for a while, but as it comes from a world boss it will be very difficult to get. Nathrezim Mindblade is a very strong second option, and nearly as good as the first. Finally, if you have the 1,850 rating requirement, you can get either Gladiator's Spellblade or Gladiator's Gavel and use that instead.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Orb of the Soul-Eater	25 x Badge of Justice
Option	Jewel of Infinite Possibilities	Netherspite — Karazhan

Orb of the Soul-Eater is a very strong Shadow Priest off-hand and extremely easy to obtain, making it easily your best option. Jewel of Infinite Possibilities can be used if you are still lacking Hit Rating, but is not recommended.

Rank	Item	Source
Best	Tirisfal Wand of Ascendancy	Shade of Aran — Karazhan
Best	Flawless Wand	BoE World Drop

Tirisfal Wand of Ascendancy is a great option to finish off any Hit Rating that might be missing. Flawless Wand with the suffix "of Shadow Wrath" is a great option, but is hard to find.

For a list of recommended enchants, check out our Shadow Priest Enchants guide.