Mend Pet

Disclaimer: This post was accurate as of patch 3.1.3.

Quite a long time ago, I wrote a post for Hunters similar to this.  Well, I find myself in a similar situation once again:  Hoping to upgrade my gear, but not always able to run heroics, and certainly not a big fan of relying on random drops.

So here’s a list for fledgling Retribution Paladins who would like to upgrade their quested greenies without having to depend on groups or the dreaded RNG!

Note: This list doesn’t include any items that require a specific profession to be equipped, such as Engineering helms, Jewelcrafting trinkets or Blacksmith weapons.  If you have a crafting profession, be sure to check your profession trainer to see what you can make!

(See the list after the break!)

Head

• [Spiked Titansteel Helm] Blacksmithing BoE
  Hope you’ve either taken up Mining or are very close friends with some Miners!  The Titansteel stuff is juicy, so you’re going to want to either be saving up mats or if you’ve got the gold, picking these off of the AH.
• [Helm of Command] Blacksmithing BoE
  The mats for this are a lot cheaper to come across, but there is a clear difference in the stats.  This one has none of that valuable hit rating!

Neck

• [Titanium Impact Choker] Jewelcrafting BoE
  The mats are a bit dear, but this is a really great necklace.  I just wish it had some crit on it!
• [Susurrating Shell Necklace] (A) / [Choker of Feral Fury] (H) 10 Champion Seals
  The tournament has brought in all kinds of goodies.  You can pick this up for only 10 seals (that’s just 2 days of dailies!)
• [Choker of the Betrayer] Quest – Zul’drak

Shoulder

• [Spaulders of the Giant Lords] Sons of Hodir – Revered
  You’ll be working on your SoH reputation anyway, I hope… so this is a no-brainer upgrade.
• [Polished Spaulders of Valor] 40 EoH – Bind on Account
  If you’ve got a sugar daddy main that’s willing to spoil your alts, this is still a nice piece even at 80.
• [Gold Star Spaulders] Oracles – Revered
  Oracles rep is pretty easy to get up, especially if you start doing your dailies while leveling!
• [Savage Saronite Pauldrons] Blacksmithing BoE
  PvP item, but decent stats and cheap mats make this easy.

Back

• [Cloak of Bloodied Waters] BoE
  The only level 80 cloak with Strength on it.  Expect to spend ~100g if you find it on the AH.
• [Ice Striker's Cloak] Leatherworking BoE
  What are we, Hunters?!  Nah, this is a nice piece if you can get the mats together.  AP is nothing to sneeze at!
• [Frostguard Drape] Tailoring BoE
  It’s got some Resilience which isn’t really needed for PvE, but a nice amount of crit if you need it.
• [Cloak of Holy Extermination] Argent Crusade – Honored
  You’ll probably hit Honored just doing quests in Zul’drak or Icecrown, so feel free to grab this if you’ve got nothing better yet.

Chest

• [Whalebone Carapace] Kalu’ak – Honored
  Kalu’ak rep is easy to pick up as you level through Howling Fjord, Dragonblight and Borean Tundra.
• [Savage Saronite Hauberk] Blacksmithing BoE
  Again a PvP item, but with quite easy mats.
• [Links of the Terrified Deity] 3-man Quest – Zul’drak
  You can solo 3-man quests!  You’re a ret paladin!

Bracers

• [Wristbands of the Sentinel Huntress] BoE – 40 EoV
  These can be purchased with 40 Emblems of Valor, so if you’ve got a main with Emblems sitting around, you can buy these.  Alternatively, you can find them in Trade or AH for ~1500g.
• [Cast Iron Shackles] BoE
  You can sometimes find a great deal on these if you keep your eye on the AH, maybe less than 100g.
• [Vengeance Bindings] Blacksmithing BoE
  The hit rating is nice and the mats are easy!
• [Savage Saronite Bracers] Blacksmithing BoE
  If you don’t do PvP, you’re better off with the Vengeance Bindings.  Nearly the same mats.

Gloves

• [Zeliek's Gauntlets] BoE
  Great BoE from Naxxramas.  Look at that expertise!  Yum!
• [Gauntlets of Vigilance] Quest – Storm Peaks
• [Savage Saronite Gauntlets] Blacksmithing BoE
  As with the rest of the Savage Saronite set, cheap mats, PvP set.

Waist

• [Belt of the Titans] Blacksmithing BoE
  This is an Ulduar belt, so only the richest paladins are going to be able to grab this beauty!
• [Girdle of Valorous Defeat] (A) / [Clinch of Savage Fury] (H) 10 Champion Seals
  What a great deal!  This belt has some really nice Expertise on it and only takes 2 days of dailies.
• [Clasp of the Fallen Demi-God] Quest – Gundrak

Legs

• [Legplates of Bloody Reprisal] Wyrmrest Accord -Exalted
  Much better than anything else you can get solo.  Start working on that rep early!  It’ll take a while to get to exalted.
• [Savage Saronite Legplates] Blacksmithing BoE
  As with the rest of the Savage Saronite set, cheap mats, PvP set.

Boots

• [Battlelord's Plate Boots] Blacksmithing BoE
  An Ulduar recipe.  Going to cost a lot to get this one.
• [Death-Inured Sabatons] Knights of the Ebon Blade – Exalted
  There are a lot of Knights daily quests, and you can do them with your Tournament dailies.  It’s worth it!
• [Spiked Titansteel Treads] Blacksmithing BoE
  Titansteel gear is great, but not cheap if you can’t mine!
• [Iron-Spring Jumpers] BoE
  BoE drop from Naxx.  If you’re low on hit, these are sure to push you over!
• [Berserker's Sabatons] BoE

Finger

• [Inscribed Ring of the Kirin Tor] Purchasable – Dalaran
  You need to own the 8500g ring and cough up an extra 1250g for this baby.
• [Inscribed Band of the Kirin Tor] Purchasable – Dalaran
  If you’re expertise capped, this would be your other option.
• [Ring of the Kirin Tor] Purchasable – Dalaran
  8500g, nice expertise ring!
• [Band of the Kirin Tor] Purchasable – Dalaran
  8500g
• [Titanium Impact Band] Jewelcrafting BoE
  Mats aren’t cheap, but it’ll cost you a lot less than 8500g!
• [Signet of Bridenbrad] Quest – Icecrown
• [Stained-Glass Shard Ring] BoE
• [Signet of Edward the Odd] BoE
  This has a neat little haste proc.

Trinket

• [Darkmoon Card: Greatness] Quest – Darkmoon Faire
  This won’t be cheap, you’ll be looking at around 8000g depending on your server’s economy.  Cheaper if you can make the cards yourself, of course.
• [Crusader's Locket] Quest – Icecrown
• [First Mate's Pocketwatch] Quest – Howling Fjord
• [Goblin Repetition Reducer] 70 Venture Coins
  Venture coins are pretty easy to grab by doing the dailies in Grizzly Hils.
• [Fezzik's Pocketwatch] Quest – Icecrown

Weapon (2H of course)

• [Titansteel Destroyer] Blacksmithing BoE
  If you only make 1 piece of Titansteel gear, let this be it!
• [Claymore of the Prophet] (A) / [Greatsword of the Sin'dorei] (H) 25 Champion Seals
  This is an amazing weapon for only 5 days of Argent Tournament dailies.  That’s a ton of hit!  It’s a bit fast though, and slower is better.
• [Runeblade of Demonstrable Power] Knights of the Ebon Blade – Revered
  If you’re working on your rep for the boots, you can always grab this.
• [Bloodied Arcanite Reaper] 65 EoH – Bind on Account
  Don’t underestimate the BoA gear!  This is pretty nice for hitting 80 with.
• [Whale-Stick Harpoon] Kalu’ak – Revered
  Kalu-ak rep is easy to get, so you should be able to grab this early if you want to.

Libram

• [Venture Co. Libram of Retribution] 30 Venture Coins
  This is an easy grind if you missed the Furious Blows one.
• [Libram of Furious Blows] Quest (A), Quest (H) – Borean Tundra
  Really the best Libram you can get until Valor badges/Naxxramas (or PvP if you’re into that).  Don’t miss this quest!

Related posts:

1. Upgrades for Anti-social Hunters
2. Hunter: Gearing for Karazhan (on a budget!)
3. Dungeon and Heroic Gear for Needy Ret Paladins!
4. How Ghugh Got His Groove Back
5. A Hunter in Karazhan: What’s in it for me?