In Season of Discovery, best in slot (BiS) items are different than seasoned WoW players might remember. With Phase 2, BiS items are limited to the new Level Cap of 40. So, here I’ll cover all BiS gear for a DPS Mage in WoW SoD Phase 2.
WoW SoD Phase 2: All DPS Mage Best in Slot Equipment and How to Get Them
For a DPS Mage in WoW SoD Phase 2, Fire and Arcane specs reign supreme. As such, we need to prioritize gear with stats that empower those talent trees. However, you can use these items with every specialization, if you prefer. I play as a Fire Mage, so these are definitely the pieces I’d want at Level 40.
Head
Starting from the top, the best in slot headpiece for Mage DPS is the Gneuro-Linked Arcano-Filament Monocle. This piece can also work for a Mage Healer, depending on the Mage Runes you’re running. It has three effects when equipped. You’ll restore four mana every five seconds. It increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 22. And it can be used to reduce the mana cost and efficiency of damage and healing spells once every 10 minutes.
The downside here is that the Gneuro-Linked Arcano-Filament Monocle is a bind on pickup Tailoring item. While I always train Tailoring and Enchanting professions as a Mage, that’s not the case for everybody. If you aren’t a Tailor, you’ll have to opt for an item like the Electromagnetic Hyperflux Reactivator from Gnomeregan, which increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 16.
Shoulders
Hopefully, you have a group to clear Gnomeregan for this piece, too. The best in slot shoulder piece for DPS Mage is the Synthetic Mantle. It gives you Stamina, Intellect, and a boost to damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 12. But if your luck is bad like mine, then you might want to pick up the Mantle of Doan or Inquisitor’s Shawl, both of which drop from Scarlet Monastery. They aren’t the best in slot, but they’re still strong picks.
Neck
With the best in slot necklace being the Piston Pendant from The Mad King Gnomeregan quest, you need to fight with everybody who hasn’t gotten the Thermaplugg’s Engineering Notes yet. The demand is high since the necklace from it is best in slot for every class. So, while working towards that, I recommend the Ghostshard Talisman from Scarlet Monastery. It’s not as good, but you still get some Stamina and a spell damage boost.
Cloak
As a DPS Mage, the Bloodrot Cloak gives you the most Stamina, Intellect, and strongest boost to damage and healing effects. And it’s fairly easy to pick up compared to other BiS gear since you only need two Silver Blood Coins from the Blood Moon event in Stranglethorn Vale. I’m not big on PvP events, but grabbing a friend for the sake of a nice armor piece makes a bit of fighting worthwhile.
Chest
Back to Gnomeregan. A DPS Mage’s best in slot chest piece is the Irradiated Robe, but you’ll have to fight for it with every other caster. Luckily, you can also grab crafted options from the auction house like the Cindercloth Robe for Fire or the Dreamweave Vest. There’s also the Robe of the Magi, which is a World Drop, but you might find it on the auction house as well. Even if you’re hunting for the Irradiated Robe, it’s not a bad idea to pick up one of the other options in the meantime for a nice power boost.
Bracers
If you aren’t into playing Warsong Gulch, then you’ll want to grab the Gossamer Bracers of Fiery or Arcane Wrath (taking the appropriate option for your spec). Since these are World Drops, you should be able to find them on the auction house. But if you don’t mind putting in the time and effort to get to Exalted with Warsong, then the Dryad’s Wrist Bindings are the best in slot. Aside from the boost to damage and healing spells, they have Stamina, Intellect, and Spirit, whereas the Gossamer Bracers have random enchantments.
Hands
Here’s where we get lucky again. Dreamweave Gloves are your BiS pick for hands. And you don’t even have to hunt them down. If you’re a Tailor like me, you can craft your own pair. But even if you aren’t a Tailor, they’re bind on equip. So, you can hire a Tailor to craft them or purchase a pair on the auction house.
Belt
Yes, Gnomeregan again. The best in slot belt for DPS Mage is the Volatile Concoction Belt, which actually gives you a bonus to spell hit as well as damage. But the Star Belt from Tailoring (or the auction house) is a good second choice. It also has Spirit and a bonus to spell damage and healing effects. It just doesn’t have the 1% extra spell hit bonus.
Pants
Guess what? That’s right, this piece is from Gnomeregan. The Irradiated Trousers are your best in slot for pants. If you have all three Irradiated pieces, then you also get some set bonuses. But on its own, you still have the Intellect, Spirit, and a bit of Nature Resistance. Along with the extra mana restoration and spell damage. Otherwise, you can get the Red Mageweave Pants as a second choice, which are crafted by Tailors and sold on the auction house. You still have Intellect and the spell damage boost here, so it’s a strong choice.
Boots
Here, the best in slot is the last piece of the Irradiated set: the Irradiated Boots. And shockingly, these drop from Gnomeregan. But I actually love the Extraplanar Spidersilk Boots crafted from Phase 1 as Level 40 boots as well. The stats still hold up compared to new Phase 2 options, you get the extra spell hit chance, and you basically get a use of Invisibility to reduce your threat in fights.
Rings
The best combination here is the Hypercharged Gear of Conflagration from Gnomeregan as one ring. Then Emberblood Seal (Fire) or Blood Resonance Circle (Arcane) for the second ring, both of which you get using five Silver Blood Coins from the STV Blood Moon event. But if you can’t grab the Gnomeregan ring easily, you could use a ring like the PvP ring from Warsong Gulch’s Honored reputation. This would be the Advisor’s Ring for Horde and the Lorekeeper’s Ring for Alliance.
Trinkets
Invoker’s Void Pearl from The Heart of the Void in Blackfathom Deeps is still one of the best in slot trinkets. The other is now the Miniaturized Combustion Chamber from Gnomeregan. While trying to grab that, you can also pick up the Rune of Perfection from Warsong’s Friendly reputation, which gives you Stamina while decreasing the magical resistances of your targets. And if you’re going for any of the other PvP reputation items, then you’ll get access to this one anyway. Why not pick it up?
Weapon
The Staff of the Evil Genius from Gnomeregan or the Staff of Jordan World Drop are your best in slot options. The Staff of the Evil Genius, unlike the Staff of Jordan, gives you some extra spell hit rating in addition to the increased spell damage. But you can buy the Staff of Jordan from the auction house, which is what I’m saving gold for since I don’t have hope that it’ll drop for me from pure luck.
And that wraps up the best in slot items for a DPS Mage in WoW Classic: SoD Phase 2. A lot of it means repeated runs of Gnomeregan, but at least it’s fun to raid with friends. From here, check out our guides hub for more topics like how to get the Cozy Sleeping Bag or where to find all Dark Riders.
