Understanding Gear Tiers
Endgame gear in most RPGs is organized into tiers — from crafted blue-quality sets all the way up to raid-exclusive legendary equipment. For paladins, the right gear choice depends heavily on your role: tanking, healing, or hybrid DPS. This guide breaks down the key gear slots and what to prioritize in each.
Armor Sets: What to Look For
Paladin armor is typically plate-class, giving you the highest base armor values in the game. However, not all plate sets are created equal. Look for these stat affixes when evaluating armor pieces:
- Block/Parry Rating: Essential for tanking builds. Increases your chance to mitigate incoming attacks.
- Holy Power / Spell Haste: Crucial for hybrid and healer builds to reduce cast times and amplify healing output.
- Set Bonuses: Many 4-piece or 6-piece armor sets grant unique passive bonuses — always check if the set bonus outweighs mixing higher individual item levels.
Top Armor Set Archetypes
| Set Type | Best For | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Raid Tier Set | All builds | Set Bonus Proc |
| Mythic Dungeon Gear | Tank / DPS Hybrid | High Item Level |
| Crafted Plate Set | Healers, Fresh 60+ | Holy Power / Haste |
| PvP Honor Set | PvP Paladins | Resilience / Stamina |
Weapon Selection
Your weapon is the single most impactful gear slot for paladin DPS output. Paladins typically wield one-handed maces or swords with a shield (for tanks) or two-handed weapons (for DPS-focused builds).
One-Handed Weapons + Shield
The defensive standard. A high block-value shield combined with a weapon that has a slow attack speed (to maximize proc rates on divine abilities) is the gold standard for holy tanks. Look for weapons with Holy Damage proc enchants.
Two-Handed Weapons
For Retribution-style DPS paladins, a slow, high-damage two-hander maximizes the damage from abilities like Crusader Strike and Divine Storm. Prioritize Strength and Crit Rating on these weapons.
Relic & Trinket Slots
Relics and trinkets are often the most impactful but most overlooked gear slots. Two standout categories for paladins:
- On-Use Trinkets: Active abilities that grant burst stats (e.g., +500 Strength for 20 seconds). Time these with your offensive cooldowns for massive damage spikes.
- Passive Proc Trinkets: Automatically trigger bonus effects. Ideal for tanks who can't afford to manage active cooldowns during hectic pull sequences.
- Holy Relics: Many RPGs include class-specific relic slots that directly empower signature paladin abilities. Always equip the highest-tier holy relic available.
Enchants and Gem Priorities
Don't neglect secondary enhancements. For tank paladins, enchant your chest with a Stamina bonus and your boots with a movement speed increase. For DPS paladins, prioritize Strength gems in red sockets and Crit gems in yellow sockets. Always match socket bonuses if the bonus grants a relevant stat.
Gear Acquisition Strategy
- Complete your 4-piece raid tier set first — the set bonus typically outperforms higher item level non-set pieces.
- Fill remaining slots with the highest item level gear available from Mythic dungeons.
- Use crafted items to fill persistent upgrade gaps — especially for slots rarely drop from raids (belts, bracers).
- Optimize trinkets last — they require the most testing to determine best-in-slot options for your specific build.
Final Thoughts
Gear optimization is an ongoing process. As new content patches arrive, stay current with item level increases and set bonus changes. The best gear is the one that matches your build's stat priorities — not simply the highest item level you can find.