PvE Retribution Paladin Pre-Raid & Best in Slot (BiS)
Pride • Updated June 4, 2025
- Author: Pride
- Date: April 23, 2022
- Updated: June 4, 2025
- Expansion: TBC Classic
The following BiS lists have been mathematically optimized using RetSim made by Pride & Sulis & Baranor’s TBC Spreadsheet.
Note that the lists simply list the most powerful item for each slot. You will still need to reach the hit cap (9%, or 6% if your raid has a Balance Druid).
Pre-Raid
Head – Mask of the Deceiver
Alternative: Helm of the Claw
Neck – Choker of Vile Intent
Choker of Vile Intent will be your best option for this slot.
Shoulders – Ragesteel Shoulders
Ragesteel Shoulders will be your best option for this slot.
Back – Vengeance Wrap
Vengeance Wrap will be your best option for this slot.
Chest – Wastewalker Tunic
Alternative: Ragesteel Breastplate
Wrists – Black Felsteel Bracers
Black Felsteel Bracers will be your best option for this slot.
Hands – Flesh Handler’s Gauntlets
Flesh Handler’s Gauntlets will be your best option for this slot.
Waist – Deathforge Girdle
Deathforge Girdle will be your best option for this slot.
Legs – Shattrath Leggings
Alternative / Hit: Clefthoof Hide Leggings
Feet – Sha’tari Wrought Greaves
Alternative / Hit: Fel Leather Boots
Rings – Shapeshifter’s Signet & A’dal’s Command
This combination of rings will be your strongest option.
Pick up Shapeshifter’s Signet ASAP — it will be your best ring until Phase 5.
Trinkets – Bloodlust Brooch & Abacus of Violent Odds
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
You will be using Bloodlust Brooch until Phase 4, so it’s highly recommended that you purchase it ASAP.
Weapon – Lionheart Champion
Lionheart Champion will be your best weapon.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Alternative: Libram of Righteous Power
Libram of Avengement will be your best libram for all of TBC and is significantly better than Libram of Righteous Power.
Phase 1
Head – Justicar Crown
Alternative: Mask of the Deceiver
Neck – Mithril Chain of Heroism
Alternative / Hit: Choker of Vile Intent
Shoulders – Justicar Shoulderplates
Justicar Shoulderplates will be your best option for this slot.
Back – Vengeance Wrap
Vengeance Wrap will be your best option for this slot.
Chest – Justicar Breastplate
Alternative: Justicar Breastplate
Wrists – Bladespire Warbands
Bladespire Warbands will be your best option for this slot.
Hands – Grips of Deftness
Grips of Deftness will be your best option for this slot.
Waist – Girdle of the Endless Pit
Girdle of the Endless Pit will be your best option for this slot.
Legs – Shattrath Leggings
Shattrath Leggings will be your best option for this slot.
Feet – Ironstriders of Urgency
Ironstriders of Urgency will be your best option for this slot.
Rings – Shapeshifter’s Signet & Ring of a Thousand Marks
Alternative: Mithril Band of the Unscarred
If you don’t need the hit rating, you should use Mithril Band of the Unscarred over Ring of a Thousand Marks.
Trinkets – Bloodlust Brooch & Dragonspine Trophy
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
Dragonspine Trophy will be your best trinket for the entirety of TBC, so pick it up ASAP.
Weapon – Lionheart Champion
Lionheart Champion will be your best weapon.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Libram of Avengement will be your best option for this slot.
Phase 2
Head – Furious Gizmatic Goggles
Alternative / Non-Engineer: Crystalforge War-Helm
Neck – Pendant of the Perilous
Pendant of the Perilous will be your best option for this slot.
Shoulders – Shoulderpads of the Stranger
Shoulderpads of the Stranger will be your best option for this slot.
Back – Razor-Scale Battlecloak
Razor-Scale Battlecloak will be your best option for this slot.
Chest – Crystalforge Breastplate
Alternative: Krakken-Heart Breastplate
Wrists – Bladespire Warbands
Alternative / Hit: Bracers of Eradication
You generally won’t need more hit rating in this phase, but if you do, Bracers of Eradication will be a great option.
Hands – Gloves of the Searing Grip
Gloves of the Searing Grip will be your best option for this slot.
Waist – Belt of One-Hundred Deaths
Alternative: Red Belt of Battle
Belt of One-Hundred Deaths is an incredibly powerful item, offering a 40 DPS boost of the next best belt, Red Belt of Battle. However, it is exceedingly rare and in very high demand, so you may have to settle for Red Belt of Battle for a while.
Legs – Shattrath Leggings
Alternative: Leggings of Murderous Intent – read below
Human Paladins with all of the other 4 expertise items (Shoulderpads of the Stranger, Gloves of the Searing Grip, Belt of One-Hundred Deaths & Shapeshifter’s Signet) go above the expertise cap. Therefore they can finally switch out their Shattrath Leggings for Leggings of Murderous Intent
Every other race will unfortunately need to use Shattrath Leggings for this phase too.
Feet – Cobra-Lash Boots
Alternative: Warboots of Obliteration
Rings – Shapeshifter’s Signet & Ancestral Ring of Conquest
Alternative / Hit: Band of the Ranger-General
Alternative / Hit (Weaker): Ring of a Thousand Marks
Trinkets – Bloodlust Brooch & Dragonspine Trophy
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
Weapon – Twinblade of the Phoenix
Alternative / Blacksmith: Lionheart Executioner
The Lionheart Executioner is roughly on par with Twinblade of the Phoenix – if you get one of them, you don’t really need the other.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Libram of Avengement will be your best option for this slot.
Phase 3
Head – Cursed Vision of Sargeras
Alternative: Helm of the Illidari Shatterer
Cursed Vision of Sargeras is an incredibly powerful item, offering a 20 DPS boost of the next best helmet, Helm of the Illidari Shatterer. However, it is exceedingly rare and in very high demand, so you may have to settle for Helm of the Illidari Shatterer for a while.
Neck – Pendant of the Perilous
Alternative / Hit: Choker of Endless Nightmares
Shoulders – Shoulderpads of the Stranger
Shoulderpads of the Stranger will be your best option for this slot.
Back – Razor-Scale Battlecloak
Alternative / Hit: Shadowmoon Destroyer’s Drape
Chest – Midnight Chestguard
Alternative: Lightbringer Breastplate
These two items are identical in strength, but Lightbringer Breastplate will typically be more contested, due to sharing tokens with Warlocks.
Wrists – Bindings of Lightning Reflexes
Alternative / Hit: Bracers of Eradication
Hands – Gloves of the Searing Grip
Gloves of the Searing Grip will be your best option for this slot.
Waist – Belt of One-Hundred Deaths
Belt of One-Hundred Deaths will be your best option for this slot.
Legs – Bow-stitched Leggings
Alternative: Leggings of Divine Retribution
Alternative (Tier 6 2-set): Lightbringer Greaves
Bow-stitched Leggings and Leggings of Divine Retribution are very close to each other in strength. However, Leggings of Divine Retribution will be very desirable by DPS warriors – let them have it first.
Alternatively, you can go for the tier 6 2-set bonus by using Lightbringer Greaves & Lightbringer Breastplate. Lightbringer Greaves are about 10 DPS weaker than Bow-stitched Leggings, but the mana regen effect is very potent.
Feet – Shadowmaster’s Boots
Alternative / Hit: Dreadboots of the Legion
Rings – Shapeshifter’s Signet & Band of Devastation
Alternative: Unstoppable Aggressor’s Ring
Alternative: Band of the Eternal Champion
Alternative / Hit: Stormrage Signet Ring
Band of Devastation, Unstoppable Aggressor’s Ring and Band of the Eternal Champion are all virtually identical in strength. Use whichever one you like the most, always along side Shapeshifter’s Signet.
Trinkets – Bloodlust Brooch & Dragonspine Trophy
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
Weapon – Torch of the Damned
Alternative: Cataclysm’s Edge
Torch of the Damned is about 30 DPS stronger than Cataclysm’s Edge, but you can use Cataclysm’s Edge until you get the Torch.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Libram of Avengement will be your best option for this slot.
Phase 4
Head – Cursed Vision of Sargeras
Alternative: Helm of the Illidari Shatterer
Cursed Vision of Sargeras is an incredibly powerful item, offering a 20 DPS boost of the next best helmet, Helm of the Illidari Shatterer. However, it is exceedingly rare and in very high demand, so you may have to settle for Helm of the Illidari Shatterer for a while.
Neck – Pendant of the Perilous
Alternative / Hit: Choker of Endless Nightmares
Shoulders – Shoulderpads of the Stranger
Shoulderpads of the Stranger will be your best option for this slot.
Back – Cloak of Fiends
Alternative / Hit: Shadowmoon Destroyer’s Drape
Chest – Midnight Chestguard
Alternative: Lightbringer Breastplate
These two items are identical in strength, but Lightbringer Breastplate will typically be more contested, due to sharing tokens with Warlocks.
Wrists – Bindings of Lightning Reflexes
Alternative / Hit: Bracers of Eradication
Hands – Gloves of the Searing Grip
Gloves of the Searing Grip will be your best option for this slot.
Waist – Belt of One-Hundred Deaths
Belt of One-Hundred Deaths will be your best option for this slot.
Legs – Bow-stitched Leggings
Alternative: Leggings of Divine Retribution
Alternative (Tier 6 2-set): Lightbringer Greaves
Bow-stitched Leggings and Leggings of Divine Retribution are very close to each other in strength. However, Leggings of Divine Retribution will be very desirable by DPS warriors – let them have it first.
Alternatively, you can go for the tier 6 2-set bonus by using Lightbringer Greaves & Lightbringer Breastplate. Lightbringer Greaves are about 10 DPS weaker than Bow-stitched Leggings, but the mana regen effect is very potent.
Feet – Shadowmaster’s Boots
Alternative / Hit: Dreadboots of the Legion
Rings – Shapeshifter’s Signet & Band of Devastation
Alternative: Unstoppable Aggressor’s Ring
Alternative: Band of the Eternal Champion
Alternative: Signet of Primal Wrath
Alternative / Hit: Stormrage Signet Ring
Band of Devastation, Unstoppable Aggressor’s Ring, Band of the Eternal Champion and Signet of Primal Wrath are all virtually identical in strength. Use whichever one you like the most, always along side Shapeshifter’s Signet.
The Signet of Primal Wrath will be a small bit better than the others in the next phase, however.
Trinkets – Berserker’s Call & Dragonspine Trophy
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
Berserker’s Call is a slightly upgraded version of Bloodlust Brooch, and you replace it in the next phase, so it’s not a big deal if you don’t manage to get it.
Weapon – Torch of the Damned
Alternative: Cataclysm’s Edge
Torch of the Damned is about 30 DPS stronger than Cataclysm’s Edge, but you can use Cataclysm’s Edge until you get the Torch.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Libram of Avengement will be your best option for this slot.
Phase 5
Head – Coif of Alleria
Alternative / Hit: Duplicitous Guise
Both of these items are exceptional. Coif of Alleria typically has more competition, so it will be easier to pick up Duplicitous Guise.
If you go for Coif of Alleria, it is recommended that you also use Leggings of the Immortal Night — known as the armor penetration combo. If you go for Duplicitous Guise, you should use Felfury Legplates instead — known as the haste combo. The armor penetration combo is a decent bit stronger than the haste combo, but the haste combo will be significantly easier to obtain, as it has very little competition.
Neck – Hard Khorium Choker (Requires Jewelcrafting)
Alternative / Non-Jewelcrafter: Clutch of Demise
The Clutch of Demise is about 10 DPS weaker than Hard Khorium Choker, so overall not the biggest loss if you aren’t a Jewelcrafter.
Shoulders – Demontooth Shoulderpads
Alternative / Haste: Pauldrons of Berserking
If you go with the armor penetration combo (Coif of Alleria & Leggings of the Immortal Night) it is recommended that you use Demontooth Shoulderpads. If you go with the haste combo (Duplicitous Guise & Felfury Legplates) it is recommended that you go with Pauldrons of Berserking instead. The armor penetration combo is a decent bit stronger than the haste combo, but the haste combo will be significantly easier to obtain, as it has very little competition.
Back – Cloak of Unforgivable Sin
Alternative / Hit: Shadowmoon Destroyer’s Drape
Only use Shadowmoon Destroyer’s Drape for hit rating as a last option — it is a substantially weaker than Cloak of Unforgivable Sin.
Chest – Bladed Chaos Tunic
Alternative / Blacksmith: Hard Khorium Battleplate
Alternative / Leatherworker: Carapace of Sun and Shadow
It is highly recommended that Blacksmiths go for Hard Khorium Battleplate, as it is only 7 DPS weaker than the extremely highly contested Bladed Chaos Tunic.
Similarly, Leatherworkers can avoid the competition by opting to use Carapace of Sun and Shadow. The hit rating on it additionally allows you to skip having to compete for the also extremely highly contested Leggings of the Immortal Night.
Wrists – Lightbringer Bands
Lightbringer Bands will be your best option for this slot.
Hands – Gloves of Immortal Dusk
Alternative: Thalassian Ranger Gauntlets
Gloves of Immortal Dusk and Thalassian Ranger Gauntlets are virtual identical in strength. Their main difference is that Gloves of Immortal Dusk are crafted, while Thalassian Ranger Gauntlets are a boss drop (thus more rare) and better for Hunters. Thus it is recommended that you go for Gloves of Immortal Dusk.
Waist – Lightbringer Girdle
Lightbringer Girdle will be your best option for this slot.
Legs – Leggings of the Immortal Night
Alternative: Felfury Legplates
Both of these items are exceptional. Leggings of the Immortal Night are about 10 DPS stronger, but they are very highly contested, so it will be easier to pick up Felfury Legplates.
If you go for Leggings of the Immortal Night, it is recommended that you also use Coif of Alleria — known as the armor penetration combo. If you go for Felfury Legplates, you should use Duplicitous Guise instead — known as the haste combo. The armor penetration combo is a decent bit stronger than the haste combo, but the haste combo will be significantly easier to obtain, as it has very little competition.
Feet – Lightbringer Boots
Lightbringer Boots will be your best option for this slot.
Rings – Band of Ruinous Delight & Hard Khorium Band
Alternative: Angelista’s Revenge
Alternative: Signet of Primal Wrath
Alternative / Hit: Stormrage Signet Ring
Angelista’s Revenge and Signet of Primal Wrath are only 4-5 DPS weaker than Hard Khorium Band, so you can safely use either for a while.
The Stormrage Signet Ring will be a good option if you’re short on hit, though typically fairly hard to obtain as it is rare and highly contested.
Trinkets – Shard of Contempt & Dragonspine Trophy
This combination of trinkets will be your strongest option.
Weapon – Apolyon, the Soul-Render
Alternative: Shivering Felspine
Apolyon, the Soul-Render is about 20 DPS stronger than Shivering Felspine, but you can use Shivering Felspine until you get Apolyon.
Libram – Libram of Avengement
Libram of Avengement will be your best option for this slot.
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