The Light and How to Swing It: Gearing options for ret paladins
Every week, WoW Insider brings you The Light and How to Swing It for holy, protection and retribution paladins. Seasoned ret paladin Dan Desmond is here to answer your questions and provide you with your biweekly dose of retribution medicine. Contact him at dand@wowinsider.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!
Earlier last week I updated my retribution guide for Mists, so if you're still scratching your head wondering what your talents do or why everything and its mother is spitting out holy power then please feel free to give that a look. Part of that update was to plug in the latest stat weights that help us determine, among other things, which pieces of gear we want and which ones we could probably do without. With heroic dungeons and three difficulties of raids available for plundering, as well as Hallow's End fast approaching, this is a great time to figure out which pieces you'll want to set your sights on.
Before we jump into it, however, a quick examination of those aforementioned stat weights shows us that the main stats we're looking, aside from strength, are hit, expertise, and haste. Note that pieces that natively possess hit and expertise are particularly nice because it will make reaching those caps much easier.
Remember that our tier won't reliably drop until Terrace of Endless Spring and Heart of Fear are released, but there is a small chance it will drop from Sha of Anger. Also keep in mind that gear out of Mogu'shan Vaults has raid finder, normal, and heroic equivalents.
I am going to try to squeeze this all into one post, so I hope you'll forgive me if I refrain from my usual snarky one-liners and bad jokes in order to provide useful info like drop locations and item costs.
Helm
Meteoric Greathelm drops off Trial of the King in Mogu'shan Palace.
Sightfinder Helm drops off Commander Vo'jak in Siege of Niuzao Temple.
The Horseman's Horrific Hood drops from the Hallow's End event.
Reinforced Retinal Armor is made by engineers at level 600 and is BoP.
Voice Amplifying Greathelm comes from being revered with Shado-Pan and costs 2,250 VP.
Greathelm of the Monstrous Mushan drops from Galleon.
Nullification Greathelm drops from Feng the Accursed in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Neck
Cloudstrike Pendant drops off Gu Cloudstrike in Shado-Pan Monastery.
Whirling Dervish Choker drops off Trial of the King in Mogu'shan Palace.
Helios, Durand's Soul of Purity is a rare drop off High Inquisitor Whitemane in Scarlet Monastery.
Buc-Zakai Memento is a BoE world drop.
Bloodseeker's Solitaire comes from being honored with The Klaxxi and costs 1,250 VP.
Ferocious Necklace of the Golden Lotus is a quest reward from The Final Power after hitting exalted with Golden Lotus.
Mushan Rider's Collar drops from Galleon.
Soulgrasp Choker drops from Gara'jal the Spiritbinder in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Shoulders
Serpentstrike Shoulderpads drop from Liu Flameheart in Temple of the Jade Serpent.
Acid-Scarred Spaulders drop from Striker Ga'dok in Gate of the Setting Sun.
Stonetoe Spaulders come from being revered with Golden Lotus and cost 1,750 VP.
Cloak
Drape of the Screeching Swarm drops from Raigonn in Gate of the Setting Sun.
Cloak of Failing Will drops from Sha of Doubt in Temple of the Jade Serpent.
Cristof's Crushing Cloak is a BoE world drop.
Cloak of the Dark Disciple comes from being revered with Shado-Pan and costs 1,250 VP.
Cloak of Peacock Feathers drops from Feng the Accursed in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Chest
Hateshatter Chestplate drops from Taran Zhu in Shado-Pan Monastery.
Riverbed Chestguard drops from Wise Mari in Temple of the Jade Serpent.
Ferocious Plate of the Golden Lotus is a quest reward from Battle Axe of the Thunder King after hitting revered with Golden Lotus.
Ghost Reaver's Breastplate is made by blacksmiths at level and is BoE.
Dawnblade's Chestguard comes from being revered with Golden Lotus and costs 2,250 VP.
Carapace of Crushed Conviction drops from Galleon.
Breastplate of the Kings' Guard drops from The Spirit Kings in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Wrists
Bracers of the Fallen Crusader drop from Thalnos the Soulrender in Scarlet Monastery.
Commanding Bracers drop from Houndmaster Braun in Scarlet Halls.
Braided Black and White Bracer comes from being revered with The August Celestials and costs 1,250 VP.
Bonded Soul Bracers drop from Gara'jal the Spiritbinder in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Gloves
Dark Blaze Gauntlets drop from Lilian Voss in Scholomance.
Hive Protector's Gauntlets drop from Raigonn in Gate of the Setting Sun.
Ghost Reaver's Gauntlets are made by blacksmiths and are BoE.
Streetfighter's Iron Knuckles come from being revered with The August Celestials and cost 1,750 VP.
Starcrusher Gauntlets drop from Elegon in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Belt
Binding of Broken Dreams drops from Sha of Doubt in Temple of the Jade Serpent.
Grenadier's Belt drops from Saboteur Kip'tilak in Gate of the Setting Sun.
Klaxxi Lash of the Rescinder comes from being revered with The Klaxxi and costs 1,750 VP.
Cord of Crazed Strength drops from Galleon.
Pants
Pyretic Legguards drops from Flameweaver Koegler in Scarlet Halls.
Legplates of Durable Dreams are a BoE world drop.
Legguards of the Unscathed come from being revered with The Klaxxi and cost 2,250 VP.
Jang-xi's Devastating Legplates drop from Will of the Emperor in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Boots
Anchoring Sabatons drop from Wing Leader Ner'onok in Siege of Niuzao Temple.
Spike-Soled Stompers drop from Sha of Violence in Shado-Pan Monastery.
Angerforged Stompers are a quest reward from Remnants of Anger after killing Sha of Anger.
Tankiss Warstompers come from being revered with The August Celestials and cost 1,750 VP.
Stompers of Vigorous Stomping drop from Galleon.
Jasper Clawfeet drop from The Stone Guard in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Rings
Blade Trap Signet drops from Xin the Weaponmaster in Mogu'shan Palace.
Firefinger Ring drops from Brother Korloff in Scarlet Monastery.
Band of the Petrified Pumpkin drops from the Hallow's End event.
Jan'Ho's Unwavering Seal is a BoE world drop.
Ring of the Golden Stair comes from being revered with Golden Lotus and costs 1,250 VP.
Seal of the Bloodseeker is a quest reward from Shadow of the Empire after hitting exalted with The Klaxxi.
Signet of the Bandit Lord drops from Galleon.
Trinkets
Lessons of the Darkmaster drops from Darkmaster Gandling in Scholomance.
Carbonic Carbuncle drops from Yan-Zhu the Uncasked in Stormstout Brewery.
Coren's Cold Chromium Coaster drops from Coren Direbrew during Brewfest.
Relic of Xuen comes from turning in a Tiger Deck at the Darkmoon Faire.
Iron Belly Wok comes from being revered with Shado-Pan and costs 1,750 VP.
Jade Charioteer Figurine is a random trash drop in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Lei Shin's Final Orders drops from Will of the Emperor in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Weapons
Warmace of Taran Zhu drops from Taran Zhu in Shado-Pan Monastery.
The Gleaming Ravager drops from Armsmaster Harlan in Scarlet Halls.
Gravetouch Greatsword drops from Instructor Chillheart in Scholomance.
Mograine's Immaculate Might drops from Flameweaver Koegler in Scarlet Halls.
Lightbreaker Greatsword drops from High Inquisitor Whitemane in Scarlet Monastery.
Goresoaked Headreaper drops from Rattlegore in Scholomance.
Masterwork Spiritblade Decimator is made by blacksmiths at level 575 and is BoE.
Amber Flammard of the Klaxxi'vess comes from being exalted with The Klaxxi and should cost about 135 gold.
Mogu'Dar, Blade of the Thousand Slaves is a rare drop from Xin the Weaponmaster in Mogu'shan Palace.
Starshatter drops from Elegon in Mogu'shan Vaults.
Of course this is only ilevel 463 gear and up -- there remains a plethora of ilevel 450 and 458 weapons, armor, and jewelry from quest chains and Justice Points to help you get ready for heroics and whatever lays beyond. Happy farming (not the Tiller kind)!
The Light and How to Swing It teaches you the ins and outs of retribution paladins, from Ret 101 and how to gem, enchant and reforge your retadin, to essential ret pally addons.
