Pre WotLK patch defense rating gear guide – the “easiest to get +def gear” list

From tomorrow on things will change. Gear will change. Talents will change. And you might – all of a sudden – not be uncrittable anymore. Here’s a list of available enchants, gems and def-rating-gear you might want to give a shot.I ordered the gear after “availability & potential amount of defense rating” – availability meaning reputation > crafting > regular drops > badges > heroic drops > raid drops. Potential amount of defense rating means the item full of +10 def gems – because I assume you’ll be wanting to replace as few items as possible, thus maximizing the +def gain on whatever you’re about to put on.

Edit: Changed the post’s title to fit the content more precisely.

Skipped Items

Everything has at least +16 def rating. Items with less were skipped. Also when there were equally hard to get items (eg. the 100 badge leggings) I’ve only included the one with higher potential defense, not to overcramp the list. And I only went as far as Zul’Aman, because I’m confident that if you raid further already, you’ll be just fine switching the one or the other enchant anyways. Also, am I the only one seeing a significant lack of +def bracers?

So here we go. The highest potential Item in each category is listed in red for your easy finding pleasure.

Enchants

• 12 Enchant Bracers – Fortitude
• 12 Enchant Cloak – Steelweave
• 15 Enchant Chest – Defenst
• 15 Shoulders Greater Inscription of the Knight
• 10 Shoulders Greater Inscription of Warding
• 16 Head Glyph of the Defender

Gems

• 12 Eternal Earthstorm Diamond
• 10 Thick Lionseye

Helmets

• 33 Felsteel Helm (Crafted) (3 sockets – up to 63)
• 20 Warhelm of the Bold (Botanica, Heroic & Normal) (1 socket + meta – up to 42)
• 30 Greathelm of the Unbreakable (Shattered Halls, Heroic & Normal)
• 32 Faceguard of Determination (50 Badges) (1 socket + meta – up to 54)
• 40 Battleworn Tuskguard (Zul Aman) (3 sockets, up to 70)
• 34 Eternium Greathelm (Karazhan) (3 sockets, up to 64)
• 24 Warbringer Greathelm (T4, Karazhan) (1 socket + meta – up to 46)

Neckpieces

• 19 Strength of the Untamed (Cenarion Rep)
• 22 Necklace of the Juggernaut (25 Badges)
• 22 Hailstone Pendant (Lord Ahune – Slave Pens, Heroic)
• 16 Barbed Choker of Discipline (Karazhan)

Pauldrons

• 17 Shouldergards of the Bold (Shadowlab, Heroic & Normal) (2 sockets – up to 37)
• 20 Fanblade Pauldrons (Auchenai, Heroic) (2 sockets – up to 42)
• 23 Spaulders of Dementia (Setthek, Heroic)
• 23 Mantle of Abrahmis (Karazhan) (2 sockets, up to 43)
• 20 Pauldrons of Stone Resolve (Zul Aman) (2 sockets, up to 40)
• 17 Warbringer Shoulderguards (T4 Gruul’s Lair) (2 sockets, up to 37)

Cloaks

• 23 Cloak of Eternity (Crafted)
• 26 Burnoose of Shifting Ages (Black Morass, Heroic & Normal)
• 25 Icebound Cloak (Lord Ahune – Slave Pens, Normal)
• 16 Slikk’s Cloak of Placation (35 Badges)
• 24 Gilded Thorium Cloak (Karazhan)

Chestplates

• 46 Vindicator’s Hauberk (Aldor Rep)
• 19 Breastplate of the Bold (Arkatraz, Heroic & Normal) (3 sockets – up to 49)
• 25 Jade-Skull Breastplate (Mecha, Heroic & Normal)
• 22 Chestplate of the Stoic Guardian (75 Badges) (3 sockets – up to 52)
• 34 Chestplate of Stoicism (100 Badges) (1 socket – up to 44)
• 27 Chestguard of the Warlord (Zul Aman) (3 sockets – up to 57)
• 25 Warbringer Chestguard (T4 Magtheridon) (3 sockets – up to 55)
• 26 Panzar’Thar Breastplate (Karazhan) (3 sockets – up to 56)

Bracers

• 17 Bracers of the green Fortress (Crafted)

Gauntlets

• 35 Gauntlets of the Chosen (Scryer Rep)
• 25 Felsteel Gauntlets (Crafted) (2 sockets – up to 45)
• 20 Gauntlets of the Iron Tower (Crafted) (2 sockets – up to 40)
• 24 Gauntlets of Dissension (Botanica, Heroic)
• 23 Warbringer Handguards (T4 Karazhan)
• 16 Iron Gauntlets of the Maiden (Karazhan) (2 sockets, up to 36)

Girdles

• 19 Belt of the guardian (Crafted) (2 sockets – up to 39)
• 34 Girlde of the Fearless (75 Badges) (1 socket – up to 44)
• 21 Iron-Tusk Girdle (60 Badges) (2 sockets – up to 41)
• 19 Girlde of the immovable (Slave Pens, Heroic) (2 sockets – up to 39)
• 24 Girdle of the various Deeds (Black Morass, Heroic)
• 23 Lion’s Heart Girdle (Ramparts, Heroic)
• 24 Crimson Girlde of the Indomitable (Karazhan) (2 sockets, up to 44)

Leggings

• 18 Timewarden’s Leggings (Keepers of Time Rep) (3 sockets – up to 48)
• 33 Felsteel Leggings (Crafted) (3 sockets – up to 63)
• 25 Greaves of the Shatterer (Shattered Halls, Heroic & Normal) (3 sockets – up to 55)
• 26 Legplates of the Bold (Black Morass, Heroic & Normal)
• 35 Sunguard Legplates (100 Badges) (2 sockets, up to 55)
• 27 Wrynn Dynasty Greaves (Karazhan) (3 sockets, up to 57)

Boots

• 18 Sabatons of the Rightous Defender (60 Badges) (2 sockets – up to 38)
• 19 Boots of the Colossus (Mana Tombs, Heroic) (2 sockets – up to 39)
• 24 Eaglecrest Warboots (Blood Furnace, Heroic)
• 21 Battlescar Boots (Karazhan) (2 sockets, up to 41)
• 20 Jungle Stompers (Zul Aman) (1 socket, up to 30)
• 23 Boots of Elusion (Karazhan)

Rings

• 20 Eternium Band of the Sentry (Arcatraz, Heroic & Normal)
• 22 Ring of unyielding Force (25 Badges)
• 22 Crystal Band of Valor (Manatombs Heroic)
• 23 Shermanar Great-Ring (Karazhan)

Trinkets

Nothing much there. Hope you still have that 32 Adamantine Figurine somewhere in your bank.

Shields

• 23 Ogri’La Aegis (Ogr’La Rep) (2 sockets – up to 43)
• 24 Platinum Shield of the Valorous (Shadowlab, Heroic & Normal)
• 13 Aldori Legacy Defender (Gruul’s Lair) (1 socket – up to 23, or 16 with blue socket bonus)

Weapons

• 16 Warbringer (Thrallmar Rep) or, if you’re a pityful ally, Honor’s Call (Honor Hold Rep)
• 13 The Sun Eater (Mecha Heroic)
• 13 King’s Defender (Karazhan)

Ranged Weapons (you didn’t expect that, eh?)

• 13 The Boomstick (Setthek Heroic)

And that’s that, as far as I see it. Happy re-speccing & enjoy the boosts!

Recommended Reading:

• Sometimes it’s good to be really, really defensive @ TankingTips.com

Recommended Reading

• Post-Patch Defense & Uncrittable Status @ Arideni

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