WoW Forever Pre-Raid BiS: Gear for Every Class
WoW Forever pre-raid BiS for all nine classes: level 60 dungeon, crafted, quest and reputation gear for the Dec 9 raids, with unconfirmed drops marked.
In this guide 12 sections
WoW Forever pre-raid BiS is built from level 55 to 60 dungeons, crafted pieces, quest rewards, Alterac Valley and Darkspear Islands reputations, and a Booty Bay vendor, because no raid opens until December 9, 2026 (Blizzard). This guide gives a provisional level 60 list for every class, shows which items appear across many classes, and marks every drop that hasn't yet been seen in Forever's level 60 loot.
The lists for damage specs come from MythicSim, which simulates each item on build 1.60.1 and labels all of its lists provisional. The tank and healer lists come from Method, which marks its gear sections as work in progress. Neither is official, and Blizzard hasn't published any gear recommendation.
Checked against WoW Forever build 1.60.1 on November 12, 2026.
Quick summary
- No raid gear exists before December 9. The Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair open together that day (Blizzard), so every pre-raid list is dungeons, crafting, quests, reputation and PvP.
- Many drops are still unconfirmed. MythicSim flags 4 to 9 items per list that haven't yet been seen dropping in Forever. Crafted, quest and reputation items are the safe part of each list.
- Forever items are not all Classic items. The Forever Era's database counts 2,869 new items and 929 changed ones, so check every tooltip in game.
- A few items are on almost every list: Mark of Fordring for physical damage, Arcanoweave Cloak and Briarwood Reed for casters, and Don Julio's or Don Rodrigo's Band from Alterac Valley for both.
- Several picks cost Tarnished Undermine Reals at Pix Xizzix in Booty Bay. We couldn't find a published Forever source for how to earn that currency.
What does pre-raid BiS mean in WoW Forever?
It's the best gear you can get at level 60 without raiding. In Forever that window runs from the November 4 launch to the December 9 raid opening, and the raid tier doesn't help you inside it: the crafted Tier 1 pieces need Malleable Essence of Nature, which comes from disenchanting raid items. Our Tier 1 sets guide covers that side.
Two Forever changes affect which stats matter. Method's Protection Paladin page says hit is a single stat shared by melee, spells and ranged attacks, and that Intellect now also gives spell critical strike chance at 60 Intellect per 1%. Treat older Classic stat weights with caution.
Where does WoW Forever pre-raid gear come from?
From six places. This table is a planning aid, not a complete list of sources.
| Source | Examples on the lists | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Classic level 55 to 60 dungeons | Stratholme, Scholomance, Blackrock Spire, Blackrock Depths, Dire Maul | Most unconfirmed drops sit here (MythicSim) |
| New Forever dungeons | Blackmaw Hold (55 to 60), Shaper's Terrace (58 to 60) | Not on any list yet. Stats aren't published |
| Crafting | Dawn Armor, Devilsaur set, Gloves of Spell Mastery, Lionheart Helm | Stats confirmed. Needs Leatherworking, Tailoring, Blacksmithing or Enchanting |
| Quests | Mark of Fordring ("In Dreams"), Blackhand's Breadth | Faction versions of the Blackrock Spire quest |
| Reputation | Don Julio's Band, The Unstoppable Force (Alterac Valley); Theramore and Darkspear items (Darkspear Islands) | Reputation grind through battlegrounds |
| Vendor | Cutthroat's Signet, Arcanoweave Cloak, Adaptive Combat Assistant (Pix Xizzix, Booty Bay) | Paid in Tarnished Undermine Reals |
The new dungeons are the biggest gap. A community loot tracker, wowtbc.gg, has names for Blackmaw Hold drops such as Burnished Pridescales (plate chest), Bleak Eye Shoulderplates (plate shoulders), Horns of Varrox (leather head) and four new rings from the "Blackmaw Reclamation" quest, but no stats. Its Shaper's Terrace page has no bosses or loot yet. Until stats appear, nobody can say whether these beat the items below. Our new dungeons guide covers both dungeons.
Which items are on the most pre-raid lists?
We counted how often each item appears across MythicSim's nine reference lists below. This is our tally, and it shows where one dungeon run or one recipe helps several classes.
| Item | Slot | Source | Lists (of 9) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark of Fordring | Neck | Quest "In Dreams" | 6 |
| Cutthroat's Signet | Ring | Pix Xizzix | 5 |
| Cape of the Black Baron | Back | Baron Rivendare, Stratholme (drop unconfirmed) | 4 |
| Dawn Armor | Chest | Leatherworking | 4 |
| Don Julio's Band | Ring | Alterac Valley reputation | 5 |
| Adaptive Combat Assistant | Trinket | Pix Xizzix | 4 |
| Arcanoweave Cloak | Back | Pix Xizzix | 4 |
| Briarwood Reed | Trinket | Jed Runewatcher, Blackrock Spire | 4 |
| Sublime Wristguards, Ban'thok Sash, Skyshroud Leggings | Wrists, waist, legs | Dire Maul, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire (drops unconfirmed) | 3 each |
| Gloves of Spell Mastery | Hands | Tailoring | 3 |
| Ironbark Staff | Staff | League of Arathor, exalted (Alliance) | 3 |
Example: a guild with a Rogue, a Hunter and a Warrior all waiting on Cape of the Black Baron should agree on loot order before the first Stratholme run, not after the cloak drops.
What is the pre-raid BiS for each class?
Each table is one reference spec per class from MythicSim, which ranks items by simulated damage against a level 63 raid boss. "Drop unconfirmed" means MythicSim hasn't yet seen that item in Forever's level 60 loot. Theramore items come from the Alliance side of the Darkspear Islands reputations; Horde players earn the Darkspear Raiders' versions, which have different names.
Warrior (Fury)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Lionheart Helm | Blacksmithing |
| Neck | Mark of Fordring | Quest "In Dreams" |
| Shoulders | Theramore Epaulets | Theramore Expeditionary Force |
| Back | Cape of the Black Baron | Baron Rivendare, Stratholme (drop unconfirmed) |
| Chest | Timbermaw Tunic | Leatherworking |
| Wrists | Battleborn Armbraces | Warchief Rend Blackhand, Blackrock Spire (drop unconfirmed) |
| Hands / Legs | Devilsaur Gauntlets / Devilsaur Leggings | Leatherworking |
| Waist | Valiant's Waistguard | Pix Xizzix |
| Feet | Windreaver Greaves | Kirtonos the Herald, Scholomance (drop unconfirmed) |
| Rings | Cutthroat's Signet, Don Julio's Band | Pix Xizzix; Alterac Valley reputation |
| Trinkets | Adaptive Combat Assistant, Blackhand's Breadth | Pix Xizzix; Blackrock Spire quest |
| Weapons | Ironfoe, Bashguuder | Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, Blackrock Depths; Ghok Bashguud, Blackrock Spire (both unconfirmed) |
| Ranged | Satyr's Bow | Zevrim Thornhoof, Dire Maul (drop unconfirmed) |
The leather chest, hands and legs aren't a mistake in our copy: they're what the simulation picks for Fury on build 1.60.1.
Paladin (Retribution)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Stalwart Helm | Blacksmithing |
| Neck | Mark of Fordring | Quest "In Dreams" |
| Shoulders / Wrists / Waist | Lightforge Spaulders, Bracers, Belt | The Beast (Blackrock Spire), Lord Alexei Barov (Scholomance), Stratholme (all unconfirmed) |
| Back | Arcanoweave Cloak | Pix Xizzix |
| Chest | Dawn Armor | Leatherworking |
| Hands | Theramore Handguards | Theramore Expeditionary Force |
| Legs | Ironfeather Leggings | Leatherworking |
| Feet | Omnicast Boots | Golem Lord Argelmach, Blackrock Depths (drop unconfirmed) |
| Rings | Maiden's Circle, Songstone of Ironforge | World drop (unconfirmed); quest "The Princess's Surprise" |
| Trinkets | Briarwood Reed, Adaptive Combat Assistant | Blackrock Spire; Pix Xizzix |
| Weapon | Blade of Hanna | World drop (unconfirmed) |
| Libram | Libram of Law | Pix Xizzix |
Hunter (Beast Mastery)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Black Dragonscale Helm | Leatherworking |
| Neck / Shoulders | Mark of Fordring, Theramore Epaulets | Quest; Theramore Expeditionary Force |
| Back | Cape of the Black Baron | Stratholme (drop unconfirmed) |
| Chest | Dawn Armor | Leatherworking |
| Wrists / Hands / Legs | Beaststalker's Bindings, Gloves, Pants | Blackrock Spire and Stratholme (all unconfirmed) |
| Waist | Ranger's Belt | Pix Xizzix |
| Feet | Windreaver Greaves | Scholomance (drop unconfirmed) |
| Rings | Tarnished Elven Ring, Cutthroat's Signet | Dire Maul tribute (unconfirmed); Pix Xizzix |
| Trinkets | Royal Seal of Eldre'Thalas, Smolderweb's Eye | Quest "The Greatest Race of Hunters"; Mother Smolderweb, Blackrock Spire |
| Melee | Barbarous Blade | King Gordok, Dire Maul (drop unconfirmed) |
| Ranged | Ancient Bone Bow | Scholomance (drop unconfirmed) |
Rogue (Combat)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head, shoulders, wrists, waist, feet | Shadowcraft set pieces | Scholomance, Stratholme and Blackrock Spire (all unconfirmed) |
| Neck | Mark of Fordring | Quest "In Dreams" |
| Back | Cape of the Black Baron | Stratholme (drop unconfirmed) |
| Chest | Dawn Armor | Leatherworking |
| Hands / Legs | Devilsaur Gauntlets / Devilsaur Leggings | Leatherworking |
| Rings | Cutthroat's Signet, Don Julio's Band | Pix Xizzix; Alterac Valley reputation |
| Trinkets | Adaptive Combat Assistant, Hand of Justice | Pix Xizzix; Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, Blackrock Depths |
| Weapons | Ironfoe, Felstriker | Blackrock Depths; Warchief Rend Blackhand, Blackrock Spire (both unconfirmed) |
| Ranged | Satyr's Bow | Dire Maul (drop unconfirmed) |
Shaman (Enhancement)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Black Dragonscale Helm | Leatherworking |
| Neck | Mark of Fordring | Quest "In Dreams" |
| Shoulders | Darkspear Shoulderguards | Darkspear Raiders reputation |
| Back | Heliotrope Cloak | Guard Mol'dar or Guard Slip'kik, Dire Maul (drop unconfirmed) |
| Chest / Legs | Dawn Armor, Ironfeather Leggings | Leatherworking |
| Wrists | Slashclaw Bracers | Halycon, Blackrock Spire (drop unconfirmed) |
| Hands / Feet | Bloodmail Gauntlets, Bloodmail Boots | Scholomance (both unconfirmed) |
| Waist | Windseeker's Belt | Pix Xizzix |
| Rings | Don Julio's Band, Cutthroat's Signet | Alterac Valley reputation; Pix Xizzix |
| Trinkets | Adaptive Combat Assistant, Hand of Justice | Pix Xizzix; Blackrock Depths |
| Weapon | The Unstoppable Force | Alterac Valley reputation |
| Totem | Totem of Thunder | Enchanting |
Druid (Feral cat)
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Eye of Rend | Warchief Rend Blackhand, Blackrock Spire (drop unconfirmed) |
| Neck | Mark of Fordring | Quest "In Dreams" |
| Shoulders / Hands | Theramore Pauldrons, Theramore Gloves | Theramore Expeditionary Force |
| Back | Cape of the Black Baron | Stratholme (drop unconfirmed) |
| Chest / Legs | Timbermaw Tunic, Warbear Woolies | Leatherworking |
| Wrists | Bracers of the Eclipse | Prince Tortheldrin, Dire Maul (drop unconfirmed) |
| Waist / Idol | Shifter's Belt, Howling Idol | Pix Xizzix |
| Feet | Swiftwalker Boots | Princess Moira Bronzebeard, Blackrock Depths (drop unconfirmed) |
| Rings | Cutthroat's Signet, Don Julio's Band | Pix Xizzix; Alterac Valley reputation |
| Trinkets | Counterattack Lodestone, Blackhand's Breadth | Dire Maul tribute; Blackrock Spire quest |
| Weapon | The Unstoppable Force | Alterac Valley reputation |
Priest, Mage and Warlock
The three cloth damage lists share most of their slots, so they're in one table.
| Slot | Shadow Priest | Fire Mage | Destruction Warlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Felcloth Hood | Crimson Felt Hat | Crimson Felt Hat |
| Neck | Dark Advisor's Pendant | Star of Mystaria | Dark Advisor's Pendant |
| Shoulders | Felcloth Shoulders | Shroud of the Nathrezim | Shroud of the Nathrezim |
| Back | Arcanoweave Cloak | Arcanoweave Cloak | Arcanoweave Cloak |
| Chest | Robe of Winter Night | Robe of the Archmage | Robe of the Void |
| Wrists / Waist / Legs | Sublime Wristguards, Ban'thok Sash, Skyshroud Leggings | Same three | Same three |
| Hands | Gloves of Spell Mastery | Gloves of Spell Mastery | Gloves of Spell Mastery |
| Feet | Maleki's Footwraps | Fire Striders | Maleki's Footwraps |
| Rings | Don Julio's Band, Don Rodrigo's Band | Blessed Band of Light, Don Rodrigo's Band | Blessed Band of Light, Don Rodrigo's Band |
| Trinkets | Briarwood Reed, Frozen Heart of the Mountain | Briarwood Reed, Burst of Knowledge | Briarwood Reed, Burst of Knowledge |
| Weapon | Ironbark Staff | Ironbark Staff | Ironbark Staff |
| Wand | Skul's Ghastly Touch | Greater Eternal Wand | Bonecreeper Stylus |
Where the caster items come from (MythicSim):
| Source | Items |
|---|---|
| Tailoring | Felcloth Hood, Felcloth Shoulders, the three robes, Gloves of Spell Mastery |
| Enchanting | Frozen Heart of the Mountain, Greater Eternal Wand |
| Stratholme (unconfirmed) | Crimson Felt Hat (Magistrate Barthilas); Star of Mystaria, Shroud of the Nathrezim, Fire Striders (Balnazzar); Maleki's Footwraps; Skul's Ghastly Touch |
| Scholomance (unconfirmed) | Dark Advisor's Pendant (Vectus), Bonecreeper Stylus (Darkmaster Gandling) |
| Dire Maul, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire (unconfirmed) | Sublime Wristguards, Ban'thok Sash, Skyshroud Leggings |
| Blackrock Spire and Blackrock Depths bosses | Briarwood Reed (Jed Runewatcher), Burst of Knowledge (Ambassador Flamelash) |
| Pix Xizzix | Arcanoweave Cloak, Blessed Band of Light |
| Reputation | Don Julio's and Don Rodrigo's Bands (Alterac Valley); Ironbark Staff (League of Arathor, Alliance) |
Ironbark Staff is listed as an Alliance reward, so Horde casters need a different weapon. MythicSim's list doesn't name one.
What about tanks and healers?
Method has the only tank and healer lists we found, and only two are filled in so far. Its Protection Warrior and Holy Priest pages still mark their pre-raid sections as work in progress.
| Slot | Protection Paladin (Method) | Restoration Druid (Method) |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Stalwart Helm (Blacksmithing) | Living Crown (Leatherworking) |
| Shoulders | Warder's Pauldrons (Blacksmithing) | Wildheart Spaulders (Gizrul the Slavener, Blackrock Spire) |
| Chest | Enriched Thorium Breastplate (Blacksmithing) | Wildheart Vest (quest "Saving the Best for Last") |
| Hands, wrists, waist, feet | Warder's set (Blacksmithing) | Theramore or Raider Handwraps; Dryad's Wrist Bindings; Elderwild Waistcord; Mooncloth Boots |
| Legs | Enriched Thorium Leggings (Blacksmithing) | Ironfeather Leggings (Leatherworking) |
| Back | Cloak of Warding (Tailoring) | Hide of the Wild (Leatherworking) |
| Rings | Initiate's Signet of Vigilance (The Watchers), Don Julio's Band | Watcher's Signet of Resolve (The Watchers), Blessed Band of Light |
| Trinkets | Adaptive Combat Assistant, Cleansed Vilebranch Icon (source unknown) | Serenity Field (Pix Xizzix), Major Recombobulator (Engineering) |
| Weapon and off-hand | Sageblade (Blacksmithing), Antique Bulwark (source unknown) | High Warlord's Battle Mace and Premier Grand Marshal's Tome of Restoration (PvP), or Glowing Brightwood Staff |
Method's notes matter here. It says the Warder's Pauldrons are a level 42 item that will likely be replaced, that Expertise for tanks comes only from trinkets such as Adaptive Combat Assistant, and that Hand of Justice isn't confirmed in Forever. MythicSim, by contrast, puts Hand of Justice on its Rogue and Shaman lists without an unconfirmed flag, so check the Blackrock Depths loot yourself. The Druid's PvP weapons are rank 14 rewards, which our PvP guide puts at least 10 weeks into a season, so the staff is the realistic pick before December 9.
How should you plan pre-raid gear before December 9?
Lock in the confirmed items first and leave the uncertain ones for last.
- Craft what you can. Crafted items have confirmed stats and no drop luck. Our Leatherworking, Tailoring and Blacksmithing guides cover the leveling.
- Do the quests. "In Dreams" and the Blackrock Spire chain both pay out pre-raid items, and the Blackrock Spire trip overlaps with the Onyxia attunement.
- Start Alterac Valley and Darkspear Islands reputation early. Don Julio's Band, Don Rodrigo's Band and The Unstoppable Force sit on many lists.
- Farm dungeons with a list in hand. Every unconfirmed drop is a gamble until someone reports it, so check the dungeon's loot before you plan a week around one item.
- Run Blackmaw Hold and Shaper's Terrace anyway. Their loot isn't on any list yet, and a new item could replace a Classic one.
Level 60 is the only gear requirement Blizzard has published for the raids. You don't need a full list to step into the 10-player Barrow Deeps, and our raid preparation checklist covers flasks, resistances and rosters.
What we still don't know
- How Forever players earn Tarnished Undermine Reals. Pix Xizzix's Warcraft Wiki page covers older versions only.
- Stats for Blackmaw Hold and Shaper's Terrace loot.
- Whether each unconfirmed Classic dungeon drop still drops in Forever.
- Healer and tank lists for most specs.
We'll update this page as items are confirmed on live servers.
Want a hand with this?
If you would rather not farm every slot yourself, WoW Forever pre-raid gear help, dungeon runs and other WoW Forever gearing services are listed on FullBoosts. Read the publisher's rules before you buy any service from anyone, FullBoosts included. A marketplace listing isn't publisher permission.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pre-raid gear in WoW Forever? There's no single answer yet. MythicSim's provisional lists lean on crafted Leatherworking and Tailoring pieces, quest rewards like Mark of Fordring, Alterac Valley rings and items from Stratholme, Scholomance, Blackrock Spire, Blackrock Depths and Dire Maul.
Where do you get pre-raid BiS in WoW Forever? From level 55 to 60 dungeons, crafting, quests, Alterac Valley and Darkspear Islands reputations, PvP ranks and the Pix Xizzix vendor in Booty Bay. No raid opens before December 9, 2026.
Is WoW Forever gear the same as Classic gear? Not all of it. The Forever Era's item database counts 2,869 new items and 929 changed ones, and many Classic dungeon drops haven't been confirmed on live servers yet.
How do you get Tarnished Undermine Reals in WoW Forever? We couldn't find a published source for it in Forever. Several pre-raid picks are bought with them from Pix Xizzix in Booty Bay, so treat those slots as uncertain.
Do you need pre-raid BiS for the December 9 raids? No. Blizzard's only published requirement is level 60, plus the Drakefire Amulet for Onyxia's Lair. Better gear makes the first nights easier, but no item level gate has been announced.
Is Hand of Justice in WoW Forever? It isn't settled. MythicSim includes it on two lists, while Method's Protection Paladin page says it isn't confirmed. Check Emperor Dagran Thaurissan's loot in Blackrock Depths.
Sources
- Blizzard: WoW Forever raid overview
- MythicSim: WoW Forever BiS lists
- Method: Protection Paladin BiS gear and stats
- Method: Restoration Druid BiS gear and stats
- The Forever Era: item database
- wowtbc.gg: Blackmaw Hold loot table
- Warcraft Wiki: Pix Xizzix
