Spiritual Guidance: Pre-raid gear guide for holy and discipline priests
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Spiritual Guidance for discipline, holy and shadow priests. Dawn Moore covers healing for disc and holy priests, while her archenemy Fox Van Allen dabbles in shadow. Dawn also writes for LearnToRaid.com and produces the Circle of Healing Podcast.
So you've gotten your priest to level 85 and now you want to get geared up to heal raids, huh? Not sure what dungeons to run or what tabards to wear? Not sure where to start or too lazy to go to Wowhead and find out the information yourself? Spiritual Guidance is here for you! This week I'll be listing off all the gear you can get your mitts on before you can get into raids.
Before we get started, you should know that when you first hit 85, you'll only want to run a handful of normal dungeons to get your average item level high enough to queue for heroic dungeons. Those normal dungeons are Grim Batol, Halls of Origination, and Lost City of Tol'vir. The other normal 5-man dungeons only drop 308 and 316 item level gear. Once you can queue for heroic dungeons, you'll see level 346 gear in all the dungeons. Normal mode raid gear is 359, but you can get a handful of 359 gear without raiding, either through crafting, reputation, or drops. Got that? Okay, let's get to the priest-specific stuff now.
Some disclaimers before we start. First, I won't be including any valor point gear in this list, because though you can get valor points from doing the heroic daily, you won't really find yourself with a significant amount of points to spend just getting ready to raid. I'll include those items in my raiding gear list later.
I also don't recommend any resilience gear. This is because you can't reforge resilience into usable stats for PvE. We'll tackle PvP and resilience gear at a later date, but feel free to spend any extra honor you have laying around to get yourself raid-ready. Just remember that the honor grind is horrific nowadays, so if you want to PvP later, you may want to save your honor for something you'll actually use in PvP.
Check out the Cataclysm professions for priests guide for information on profession exclusive gear.
Helm
iLvl 333
Crown of Enfeebled Bodies Grim Batol, Erudax
Spiritmend Cowl Crafted BoE from tailoring
iLvl 346
Aurelian Mitre Throne of the Tides (heroic), Lady Naz'jar
Blinders of the Follower Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Lord Walden
Crown of Enfeebled Bodies Grim Batol (heroic), Erudax
Mask of New Snow Justice Quartermaster, 2,200 justice points
iLvl 359
Je'Tze's Sparkling Tiara BoE world drop; the second Je'Tze item, without the cute word play. This drops randomly in the world, so keep your eyes on the auction house if you have deep pockets.
Pendant of Elemental Balance Requires honored reputation with The Earthen Ring
Tauntka's Necklace Lost City of Tol'vir, High Prophet Barim
iLvl 346
Amulet of Tender Breath The Vortex Pinnacle (heroic), Altarius
Celadon Pendant Justice Quartermaster, 1,250 justice points
Eye of Many Deaths Crafted BoE from jewelcrafting
Pendant of the Keep Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Baron Silverlaine
Pipefish Cord Throne of the Tides (heroic), Neptulon's Cache
Quicksilver Amulet Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Karsh Steelbender
Tauntka's Necklace Lost City of Tol'vir (heroic), High Prophet Barim
iLvl 359
Lightning Flash Pendant (Yellow Smoke Pendant) Requires exalted reputation with Wildhammer Clan (Dragonmaw Clan)
Shoulders
iLvl 333
Mantle of Master Cho Lost City of Tol'vir, Siamat
iLvl 346
Krystel Mantle Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Ascendant Lord Obsidius
Mantle of Loss Shadowfang keep (heroic), Lord Godfrey
Mantle of Master Cho Lost City of Tol'vir (heroic), Siamat
Meadow Mantle Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
Summer Song Shoulderwraps Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
Back
iLvl 333
Azureborne Cloak Grim Batol, Drahga Shadowburner
Cloak of the Dryads Requires honored reputation with Guardians of Hyjal
Solar Wind Cloak Halls of Origination, Rajh
iLvl 346
Azureborne Cloak Grim Batol (heroic), Drahga Shadowburner
Cloak of Ancient Wisdom Requires revered reputation with The Earthen Ring
Periwinkle Cloak Throne of the Tides (heroic), Lady Naz'jar
Solar Wind Cloak Halls of Origination (heroic), Rajh
Springvale's Cloak Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Commander Springvale
Chest
iLvl 333
Anraphet's Regalia Halls of Origination, Anraphet
Robes of Rampant Growth Halls of Origination, Ammunae
iLvl 346
Anraphet's Regalia Halls of Origination (heroic), Anraphet
Corsair's Overshirt The Deadmines (heroic), "Captain" Cookie
Musk Rose Robes Justice Quartermaster, 2,200 justice points.
Robes of Arugal Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Baron Ashbury
Robes of Embalmed Darkness Justice Quartermaster, 2,200 justice points
Robes of Rampant Growth Halls of Origination (heroic), Ammunae
iLvl 359
Dizze's Whirling Robe Random BoE world drop
Wrists
iLvl 333
Crimsonborne Bracers Grim Batol, Drahga Shadowburner
iLvl 346
Armbands of Exiled Architects The Deadmines (heroic), Vanessa VanCleef
Baron Ashbury's Cuffs Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Baron Ashbury
Crimsonborne Bracers Grim Batol (heroic), Drahga Shadowburner
Hands
iLvl 346
Daughter's Hands The Deadmines (heroic), Vanessa VanCleef
Dolomite Adorned Gloves The Stonecore (heroic), Corborus
Gloves of the Painless Midnight Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
Gloves of Purification Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
iLvl 359
Flamebloom Gloves Requires exalted reputation with The Earthen Ring
Grips of the Failed Immortal. Appears to be some sort of random BoE world drop; keep an eye out on the auction house, or while you're out doing your dailies.
Woundsplicer Handwraps Another random BoE world drop; just like the others, a lot of luck, or a little luck and a lot of money can get you these gloves.
Waist
iLvl 333
Evelyn's Belt Lost City of Tol'vir, Siamat
iLvl 346
Beauty's Silken Ribbon. Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Beauty
Belt of Falling Rain Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
Evelyn's Belt Lost City of Tol'vir (heroic), Siamat
Incense Infused Cumberbund Justice Quartermaster, 1,650 justice points
iLvl 359
Belt of the Depths Crafted BoE from tailoring.
Cord of Raven Queen Requires exalted reputation with Guardians of Hyjal.
Legs
iLvl 333
Legwraps of Astral Rain Halls of Origination, Isiset
iLvl 346
Leggings of Charity Justice Quartermaster, 2,200 justice points
Leggings of Iridescent Clouds The Vortex Pinnacle (heroic), Asaad
Legwraps of Astral Rain Halls of Origination (heroic), Isiset
Pensive Legwraps Justice Quartermaster, 2,200 justice points
iLvl 359
Breeches of Mended Nightmares Crafted BoE from tailoring
Flame-Ascended Pantaloons Crafted BoE from tailoring
Fingers
iLvl 333
Ammunae's Blessing Requires honored reputation with Ramkahen
Band of Life Energy Halls of Origination, Ammunae
Spirit Creeper Ring Lost City of Tol'vir, General Husam
Veneficial Band Lost City of Tol'vir, Augh
iLvl 346
Band of Life Energy Halls of Origination (heroic), Ammunae
Diamant's Ring of Temperance Requires revered reputation with Therazane
Kibble Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Beauty
Ring of Frozen Rain The Vortex Pinnacle (heroic), Asaad
Ring of Warring Elements Crafted BoE from jewelcrafting
Rose Quartz Band The Stonecore (heroic), Slabhide
Spirit Creeper Ring Lost City of Tol'vir (heroic), General Husam
Veneficial Band Lost City of Tol'vir (heroic), Augh
Trinket
iLvl 333
Blood of Isiset Halls of Origination, Isiset
Corrupted Egg Shell Grim Batol, Erudax
Gale of Shadows Grim Batol, Erudax
iLvl 346
Blood of Isiset Halls of Origination (heroic), Isiset
Corrupted Egg Shell Grim Batol (heroic), Erudax
Gale of Shadows Grim Batol (heroic), Erudax
Sea Star Throne of Tides (heroic), Neptulon's Cache
Tear of Blood The Stonecore (heroic), High Priestess Azil
Tendrils of Burrowing Dark The Stonecore (heroic), Ozruk
Witching Hourglass Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Ascendant Lord Obsidius
iLvl 359
Darkmoon Card: Tsunami Quest reward, sort of; just like in Wrath, scribes can make various cards, which can be assembled into a Tsunami Deck, which can be turned in for this amazing trinket.
Mandala of Stirring Patterns Requires exalted reputation with Hellscream's Reach (Baradin's Wardens), 125 commendations.
Feet
iLvl 333
Hekatic Slippers Halls of Origination, Rajh
iLvl 346
Boots of Lingering Sorrow Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Baron Silverlaine
Hekatic Slippers Halls of Origination (heroic), Rajh
Main hand
iLvl 333
Gurgthock's Garish Gorebat Quest reward from The Crucible of Carnage: The Twilight Terror! in Twilight Highlands, requires level 84
Scepter of Power Halls of Origination, Setesh
iLvl 346
Biting Wind The Vortex Pinnacle (heroic), Grand Vizier Ertan
Elementium Hammer Crafted BoE from blacksmithing
Scepter of Power Halls of Origination (heroic), Setesh
Shimmering Morningstar Requires revered reputation with Hellscream's Reach (Baradin's Wardens), 85 commendations
Torturer's Mercy Blackrock Caverns (heroic), Rom'ogg Bonecrusher
Off hand
iLvl 346
Apple-bent Bough Justice Quartermaster, 950 justice points
Bioluminescent Lamp Throne of the Tides (heroic), Neptulon's Cache
Divine Companion Crafted BoE from inscription
Prophet's Scepter The Stonecore (heroic), High Priestess Azil
Staff
iLvl 333
Soul Releaser Halls of Origination, Earthrager Ptah
Staff of Siphoned Essences Grim Batol, Erudax
Very Manly Staff Quest reward from The Crucible of Carnage: The Twilight Terror! in Twilight Highlands, requires level 84
iLvl 346
Emberstone Staff The Deadmines (heroic), Foe Reaper 5000
Insidious Staff Requires revered reputation with Hellscream's Reach (Baradin's Wardens), 85 commendations
Soul Releaser Halls of Origination (heroic), Earthrager Ptah
Staff of Isolation Shadowfang Keep (heroic), Lord Godfrey
Staff of Siphoned Essences Grim Batol (heroic), Erudax
iLvl 359
Chelley's Staff of Dark Mending Random BoE world drop
Wand
iLvl 333
Wand of Untainted Power Grim Batol, Forgemaster Throngus
iLvl 346
Cookie's Stirring Rod The Deadmines (heroic), "Captain" Cookie
Wand of Untainted Power Grim Batol (heroic), Forgemaster Throngus
Faction reputations
The new factions all have tabards, just like in Wrath; with most factions, you can do a few quests to get friendly reputation, then grind out a good chunk of your reputation in dungeons using a faction tabard. (If you need help getting the tabards, Shy at WoW wrote up a nice guide for finding each faction vendor.)
If you do all of the available quests for each faction, you should typically get to honored, so it's not a bad idea to go back and do any quest zones you skipped. With Therazane, it's very easy to get to revered just doing the introductory quests and one to two days' worth of dailies. The Tol Barad factions are the only factions you can't get a tabard for, so you'll need to do dailies within the zone to get your reputation up. You can get to exalted much quicker depending on how often your faction wins the battleground, since extra dailies unlock when your faction controls the peninsula. The commendations you need to buy gear, you'll get plenty of while grinding up your rep.
If you didn't figure it out just by examining the list, the first Cataclysm reputations you'll want to grind out are with Guardians of Hyjal, Therazane, and the Earthen Ring. Hyjal and Therazane in particular have helm (Arcanum of Hyjal) and shoulder (Greater Inscription of Charged Lodestone) enchants that you're going to want if you're planning to raid.
Archaeology
If you're into archaeology, there are also a handful of 359 items you can assemble. The trinket in particular is amazing, but there is a lot of luck involved in the entire profession, so you could try for ages and never get what you want. You could also get what you want the first time you assemble the lot of fragments required to make whatever it is you're after though, so if you intend to go after any of the following items, good luck!
Selecting gear
As for what gear you should take, some of this stuff has spirit, some of it doesn't. My advice is to get as much spirit gear as you can, until you no longer feel like mana is a huge issue. This should happen with some new trinkets and mostly 346 gear. If you want to be extra precautious for raiding, stick to the spirit gear -- but remember that if the item level is higher, it's generally an upgrade, so don't keep a spirit item for a higher-iLevel intellect item. Intellect is the stronger stat once mana is no longer an issue.
For secondary stats, disc priests want a balance of all three secondary stats (you can consult the 101 guide if you haven't already). Holy priests should avoid taking too much crit and work at getting 12.5% haste. (I'll explain why later this week in holy 101.)
This wraps up the priest pre-raid gear guide. I'm still tidying up holy 101, but you can expect it toward the end of this week before we close out the year. Take care, and as always, hit the comments if you have any suggestions or questions.
Want more tips for carrying out your priestly duties? Spiritual Guidance has you covered. Check out our profession guide for priests in Cataclysm, Discipline 101 for playing your first discipline priest at level 85, and then review our article on working through levels 80 to 85 as a priest.