WoW Forever BiS at level 30 for every class

The beta's level cap went up to 30 with the update on 1 October^[1], and the BiS lists on the Codex have moved up with it. Every class page now has a BiS at 30 tab in place of the old level 20 one. For each of the 27 specs it lists the best piece in every slot, two alternatives, and under every piece the place to get it. A quest names its giver, the zone they stand in and the faction it is for. A drop names its boss and dungeon, a rare its zone, and a crafted piece its profession, with a warning when only the crafter can wear it.

How the lists are chosen

A piece has to be wearable at level 30, and we have to be able to tell you where it comes from. The second rule is new. The level 20 lists also took pieces that had turned up in the game without a known source, and a quarter of their top picks said "source not known yet". This time a piece without a place is left out, however good its stats are. Right now that leaves out 84 new Forever items between level 20 and 30 that players have met in the game but nobody has recorded a source for. They will join the lists as their sources become known.

Each remaining piece is scored by its spec's stat priority. Armor follows the Classic rules: warriors and paladins wear mail, hunters and shamans stay in leather until level 40^[2], and cloth wearers get cloth. A quest reward with no level on it counts if its quest can be picked up by 30 and finished by a group at the cap, which is how the Gnomeregan rewards make it in.

The stats come from the Forever client itself, build 1.60.1.70205. Places out in the world, such as which rare drops a ring or which vendor sells a bow, come from Classic's data, and the page marks them "in Classic", because Forever may have moved them.

Where the best pieces come from

Dungeon drops are the biggest source of top picks at 30, followed by crafted gear. World drops come third. None of the 68 world drop picks bind until you equip them, so the auction house is the quickest way to get one.

At level 20 the Deadmines and Wailing Caverns led. At 30 it is Scarlet Monastery, Gnomeregan and Razorfen Kraul, which between them supply three in four of the dungeon picks.

Two pieces are top picks for 14 specs each: the bracers Spidertank Oilrag from Electrocutioner 6000 in Gnomeregan, and the neck Scorn's Icy Choker, which drops in Scarlet Monastery. The trinket Lookie's Spyglass from Cookie in the Deadmines is still the pick for 13 specs, as it was at level 20.

Of the 106 crafted top picks, 84 bind when picked up. A Pearly Gown is only yours if you are the tailor, so the page says so under every piece like it.

Casters

Mages, Elemental shamans and Balance druids share Hydrocane, the staff Viscous Fallout drops in Gnomeregan. Warlocks and Shadow priests take Staff of the Shade from Razorfen Kraul instead, because it adds shadow damage. If you would rather hold an off-hand item, every caster's main hand is Swinetusk Shank from Agathelos the Raging in Razorfen Kraul.

Scarlet Monastery gives casters two more pieces. Azshir the Sleepless drops Necrotic Wand, the wand for all three warlock specs, every priest and Frost mages, and Bloodmage Thalnos drops Bloodmage Mantle for the shoulders of 10 specs. Chests for cloth wearers are Tailoring gowns: Shadow Gown for warlocks and Shadow priests, and a Flame, Silky or Pearly Gown for each mage spec.

Healers

Holy and Discipline priests, Restoration shamans, Restoration druids and Holy paladins all wear Civinad Robes, a reward for finishing Gnomeregan. Horde players get it from Rig Wars, given by Nogg in Orgrimmar, and Alliance players from The Grand Betrayal, given by High Tinker Mekkatorque in Ironforge.

Their main hand is Royal Diplomatic Scepter, which in Classic dropped from the Dark Iron Ambassador, a rare inside Gnomeregan. Priests, druids and shamans who heal with a staff take Wind Spirit Staff, which in Classic came from Earthcaller Halmgar, a rare in Razorfen Kraul. Holy paladins' two-hander is Taskmaster Axe from Sneed's Shredder in the Deadmines.

Melee and hunters

Ironspine, a rare in Scarlet Monastery, drops Ironspine's Fist, the main hand for every rogue spec, Fury and Protection warriors and Feral druids, and Ironspine's Eye, a top ring for 11 specs.

Arms warriors, Retribution paladins, Enhancement shamans and Feral druids share their top two-hander, Viscous Hammer, a world drop. Warriors and Retribution paladins wear Avenger's Armor, which in Classic dropped from the elites of Razorfen Kraul.

Hunters and rogues take Dusky Leather Armor from Leatherworking for the chest. Every hunter spec swings Armor Piercer from Razorfen Spearhide in Razorfen Kraul and shoots Nightstalker Bow from the Blind Hunter, a rare in the same dungeon. Marksmanship counts Intellect for more than the other hunter specs, because Careful Aim in Forever turns all of a hunter's Intellect into attack power.

Tanks

Protection warriors and paladins both wear Ironspine's Ribcage, so Ironspine's loot covers a tank's chest as well as a rogue's weapon. Paladin tanks hold Crested Scepter from trash in Blackfathom Deeps. Both tanks lean on Blacksmithing for the head, waist and legs.

Every class's full list

The BiS at 30 page has every class side by side, or go straight to one:

• Warrior
• Paladin
• Hunter
• Rogue
• Priest
• Shaman
• Mage
• Warlock
• Druid

The lists are rebuilt from the game's data whenever it changes, so expect them to move as the beta goes on and as the sources of Forever's new items come to light.