The Non-raiding Warlock's Guide to Great Gear

One reason many people raid in World of Warcraft is to get major upgrades to their gear. Better gear means a better ability to do your job in any sort of party situation. While being in a raiding guild and putting forth hundreds of hours of playing time to progression is the most common way to get the best gear available, some people don't want to put forth the commitment it takes to do so. This is a guide for non-raiding warlocks on how to attain the best gear available without having to raid!

I'm going to split this up into two categories: Affliction and Destruction. For purposes of this guide, if you're Demonology specced, you can pick either set of gear, depending on your playstyle. The stat-breakdown for what constitutes the "best" items will vary depending on spec. For Destruction, spell hit, spell crit, and spell haste will be slightly more important than raw spell damage because spell hit increases chance to hit (you can't deal damage on a resisted spell), spell crit affects your Improved Shadow Bolt (and you get a nice bonus from Ruin), and since most of your damage comes from your nuking spells, spell haste makes your DPS come out faster. For Affliction, you get a bit of leeway with your spell hit due to ranks in Suppression, and spell crit and haste are not quite as important (although they will come into effect once you have your targets fully debuffed and are casting your nuke spells). One more thing to note is that I will be prioritizing +shadow damage items because most warlock spells focus more on shadow damage (although for every shadow damage only item in Destruction, I will list a comparable item that helps fire and shadow).

AFFLICTION GEAR BY SLOT

Helms: For non-engineers, the Spellstrike Hood is easily obtained from many tailors. As a bonus, there are three gem sockets (one of each color), so you can customize this to your personal taste. For engineers, the Destruction Holo-gogs should be crafted, as these are marginally better than the Spellstrike Hood (and depending on your server, they are able to be upgraded with a BoE schematic that drops from the Sunwell--watch the Auction House). With the Engineering goggles, you get a meta gem slot for an extra boost.

Necklaces: This is a tricky item. You have your choice of farming rep or farming honor. The Vindicator's Pendant of Subjugation is a superb item (with a customizable gem slot), but it takes a lot of honor to get. A suitable alternative is the Shattered Sun Pendant of Acumen which can be purchased once you are Exalted with the Shattered Sun Offensive. Honor Grind or Rep Grind, it's your choice.

Shoulders: For tailors, this is easy as the Frozen Shadoweave Shoulders are quite good for Affliction Warlocks (the best available until Tier 5, even for your raiding counterparts), however for non-Tailors, the Fel-Tinged Mantle from Heroic Magister's Terrace is a nice alternative. Both shoulders have two gem slots.

Cloaks: The Cloak of the Betrayed from Normal Magister's Terrace is among the best available for Affliction Warlocks (and it's not even an epic!), and it has a gem slot (which is quite rare for cloaks). If you don't want to be seen in a blue, save up 60 Badges of Justice and get the Cloak of Arcane Alacrity from the badge vendor in Shattrath City.

Chests: For 100 Badges of Justice, you can purchase Shroud of the Lore'nial from the Isle of Quel'Danas. If you don't want to spend badges on your robe, you can either craft the Frozen Shadoweave Robe if you're a tailor, or you can get the Scarlet Sindorei Robes off of Kael'thas in Heroic Magister's Terrace. All of these robes have at least one gem slot, and each makes a different fashion statement.

Wrists: If you can find a tailor with the (rare) pattern for Bracers of Nimble Thought, you can have these crafted (3 Bolts of Imbued Netherweave, 4 Spellcloth, 8 Primal Manas, and 4 Hearts of Darkness), but those mats are a pain (and a lot of guilds don't sell their Hearts of Darkness). A good alternative would be Runed Spell Cuffs which can be purchased for 60 Badges of Justice.

Gloves: If you can find Anger-Spark Gloves on the Auction House, they will be your best bet, otherwise head to Heroic Magister's Terrace and get the Gloves of Arcane Acuity. Both gloves have two gem slots.

Belts: Belt of Blasting, which can be made by tailors (2 Nether Vortex, 4 Imbued Netherweave Cloth, 15 Primal Fires, and 2 Rune Threads) is hands-down the best belt for warlocks. If you can't be bothered with farming up more tailoring mats, get 60 Badges of Justice together and purchase the Voodoo-Woven Belt from Shattrath.

Pants: You have a few options here. Check the Auction House for Leggings of the Seventh Circle. If they aren't available, you can save up 100 Badges of Justice for Legwraps of Sweltering Flame or have a tailor craft Spellstrike Pants (10 Spellcloth, 5 Primal Might). All of these have at least two gem slots.

Boots: The best available boots are Boots of Incantations, available for 75 Badges of Justice, or if you're a tailor, Frozen Shadoweave Boots. Both have a gem slot.

Rings: The Fused Nethergon Band is obtainable for 100 Badges of Justice. Ashyn's Gift can be purchased if you're Exalted with the Cenarion Expedition. Barring these, Seal of the Exorcist (purchased with Spirit Shards) is acceptable as well.

Trinkets: Save up 41 Badges of Justice for the Icon of the Silver Crescent. Other than that, if you can put together the entire Darkmoon Blessings Deck, the card you get is an excellent trinket. Alchemists can purchase Sorceror's Alchemist Stone upon becoming Exalted with Shattered Sun Offensive. Quagmirran's Eye from Heroic Slave Pens and Timbal's Focusing Crystal from Heroic Magister's Terrace are also good choices.

Weapons: If you're a staff-user, try to get Terokk's Shadowstaff from Heroic Sethekk Halls. For a one-hander, either save up 150 Badges of Justice for the Scryers Blade of Justice, or get the Jaded Crystal Dagger from Heroic Magister's Terrace.

Offhands: Orb of the Soul-Eater can be purchased for a mere 25 Badges of Justice and is the best you'll find for Affliction Warlocks without raiding.

Wands: Either save up 25 Badges of Justice for the Carved Witch Doctor's Stick or run Heroic Underbog to get the Black Stalk.

DESTRUCTION GEAR BY SLOT

Helms: Same as Affliction, go for the Destruction Holo-gogs or the Spellstrike Hood.

Necklaces: Once again, same as Affliction. Get the Vindicator's Pendant of Subjugation or the Shattered Sun Pendant of Acumen.

Shoulders: Your best bet is the Fel-Tinged Mantle from Heroic Magister's Terrace. Barring that, you can rely on the Frozen Shadoweave Shoulders if you're a tailor (and not fire-specced).

Cloaks: If you can find Ancient Spellcloak of the Highborne on the AH, go ahead and buy it, otherwise take the (blue) Cloak of the Betrayed from Normal Magister's Terrace.

Chests: The Tormented Demonsoul Robes are marginally better than the Shroud of the Lore'nial for the same cost in Badges of Justice. If you'd prefer, you can use the Scarlet Sindorei Robes from Heroic Magister's Terrace. At least one gem slot is available on any of these.

Bracers: If you can get the Bracers of Nimble Thought crafted, by all means do so. Otherwise, farm up some honor and purchase the Vindicator's Silk Cuffs. If neither of those sound appealing, for 35 Badges of Justice, you can pick up Runed Spell-Cuffs.

Gloves: Anger-Spark Gloves are once again your best friends. If you can't find those, buy the Enslaved Doomguard Soulgrips for 75 Badges of Justice.

Belts: If you're Destruction specced, there is no reason not to get the Belt of Blasting crafted.

Pants: If Leggings of the Seventh Circle aren't available, spend 100 Badges of Justice on the Corrupted Soulcloth Pantaloons.

Boots: If you're a tailor, try to buy the pattern for Boots of Blasting to craft them (2 Primal Nether, 4 Shadowcloth, 4 Spellcloth, and 2 Runethread). Otherwise, for 75 Badges of Justice, get the Boots of Incantations. For tailors, Frozen Shadoweave Boots will work until you can get Boots of Blasting.

Rings: Pretty much, the same as Affliction. See above for your options.

Trinkets: Same as Affliction. See above.

Weapons: Once again, same as Affliction.

Offhands: Fetish of the Primal Gods (35 Badges of Justice) is slightly better for Destruction Warlocks than the Orb of the Soul-Eater simply because of the Spell Haste.

Wands: Same as Affliction.

With the gear choices listed above and a bit of hard-work (on YOUR schedule, not a raid's!), you can obtain gear on par with a lot of the raiding community. Sure, it's not the best gear in the game, but it is very close stat-wise, and you can do it without the commitment it takes to be in a raiding guild.