This guide has not been updated for 4.1 yet. There are no items from the new 5-mans in this guide.

With all new expansions there comes a need for new gear. This time around it’s no different. For the Restoration Druid who is going to be interested in gearing up once level 85 hits, there are some simple guidelines when it comes time to look at gear. This is a very rudimentary listing. For more info, take a look at Lissanna’s Guide. Cel over at The Face Tanking Academy also has a list of resto gear that is worth checking out.

Int is king. Spirit is good too, but Int more.

Haste is important. There’s no real haste “cap” anymore, but there is a level of haste which we want to get to, for pre-raid, that number is right around 7.2% from gear. Remember, Lissanna stated it well, you don’t want to gimp your Spirit just to stack Haste.

Crit can be important. Hots crit now, so crit is right up there with haste.

Mastery is important if you’re a tank healer most likely more-so than Crit. Not so important for a raid healer.

Anything else is pretty much a wasted stat point.

I’d suggest that if you are interested in raiding that you do take some time to gear up in heroics before you just go out there in your leveling gear. The level 85 Heroics are sure to drop some great gear for starting out in raids. Lets take a look at the gear I think will be helpful for you. There are multiple choices for each slot, as usual, and I am not here to tell you which is your BIS. That’s all up to your other gear and your play style. I’m just here to give you a quick reference for your own uses.

Without further ado, here is my list of Pre-raid level 85 gear, in no particular order. If you find any mistakes here, let me know. I set this up very fast using Beta loot.

Head:
Helm of Reorigination: HoO Quest Reward: Doing it the Hard Way
Cluster of Stars: 2200 Justice Points
Cowl of Rebellion: Vanessa Vancleef: Deadmines (H)
Willowy Crown:  Ascendant Lord Obsidius: Blackrock Caverns (H)

Chest:
Robes of the Loving Ursine: Defias Overseer: Deadmines (H)
Wrap of the Fallen City: The Fall of Neferset City: Uldum
Cursed Skardyn Vest: General Umbriss: Grim Batol (N)
Cursed Skardyn Vest: General Umbriss: Grim Batol (H)
Robes of Forgetfulness: 2200 Justice Points

Legs:
Leggings of the Lost Child: Wayward Child: The Stonecore
Leggings of the Path: Siamat: Lost City of the Tol’vir (N)
Blazewing’s Furious Kilt:
Leggings of Clutching Roots: Revered: The Earthen Ring
Leggings of Late Blooms: 2200 Justice Points
Leggings of the Path: Siamat: The Lost City of the Tol’vir (H)

Shoulder:
Mantle of Bestilled Winds: Altarius: Vortex Pinnacle (N)
Mantle of Wild Feathers: Honored: Wildhammer Clan
Mantle of Bestilled Winds: Altarius: Vortex Pinnacle (H)
Somber Shawl: 1650 Justice Points

Hands:
Deep Delving Gloves: Slabhide: The Stonecore (N)
Gloves of Baleflame: Closing a Dark Chapter: Grim Batol
Aessina-Blessed Gloves: Revered: Guardians of Hyjal
Blessed Hands of Elune: 1650 Justice Points
Deep Delving Gloves: Slabhide: The Stonecore (H)
Gloves of the Uplifted Cup: Baron Silverlaine: Shadowfang Keep (H)

Wrists:
Oasis Bracers: The Lost City of the Tol’vir: Zone Drop (N)
Armbands of Change: Corla, Herald of Twilight: Blackrock Caverns (H)
Oasis Bracers: Zone Drop: The Lost City of the Tol’vir (H)

Waist:
Underworld Cord: Earthrager Ptah: Halls of Origination (N)
Thatch Eave Vines: 1650 Justice Points
Underworld Cord :Earthrager Ptah: Halls of Origination (H)

Feet:
Awakening Footfalls: Temple Guardian Anhuur: HoO (N)
Treads of Revelation: A Villain Unmasked: Stormwind City
Awakening Footfalls: Temple Guardian Anhuur: HoO (H)
Decapod Slippers: Mindbender Ghur’sha: Throne of the Tides (H)
Tarvus’s Poison-Scarred Boots:

Cloak:
Thousand Bandage Drape: Honored: Guardians of Hyjal
Azureborne Cloak: Drahga Shadowburner: Grim Batol (N)
Cloak of the Dryads: Honored: Guardians of Hyjal
Solar Wind Cloak: Rajh: HoO (N)
Azureborne Cloak: (H)
Cloak of Ancient Wisdom: Revered: The Earthen Ring
Periwinkle Cloak: Lady Naz’jar: Throne of the Tides (H)
Solar Wind Cloak: (H)
Springvale’s Cloak: Commander Springvale: Shadowfang Keep (H)

Neck:
Pendant of Elemental Balance: Honored: The Earthen Ring
Tauntka’s Necklace: High Prophet Barim: Lost City of the Tol’vir (N)
Acanthia’s Lost Pendant: Zone Drop: Blackrock Caverns (H)
Amulet of Tender Breath: Altairus: (H)
Celadon Pendant: 1250 Justice Points
Quicksilver Amulet: Karsh Steelbender: Blackrock Caverns (H)
Tauntka’s Necklace: High Prophet Barim: Lost City of the Tol’vir (H)

Rings:
Ammunae’s Blessing: Honored: Ramkahen
Band of Life Energy: Zone Drop: HoO (N)
Red Dragonheart Ring: Battle of Life and Death: Twilight Highlands
Veneficial Band: Lockmaw: Lost City of the Tol’vir (N)
Band of Life Energy: Ammunae: Halls of Origination (H)
Diamant’s Ring of Temperance: Revered: Therazane
Kibble: Beauty: Blackrock Caverns (H)
Ring of Frozen Rain: Asaad: The Vortex Pinnacle (H)
Ring of the Great Whale
Veneficial Band: Augh: Lost City of the Tol’vir (H)

Trinkets:
Rainsong: The Vortex Pinnacle (N)
Sea Star: Neptulon’s Cache: Throne of the Tides (N)
Tear of Blood: High Priestess Azil: The Stonecore (N)
Blood of Isiset: Isiset: HoO (N)
Tendrils of Burrowing Dark: Ozruk: The Stonecore (N)
Corrupted Egg Shell: Erudax: Grim Batol (N)
Gale of Shadows: Erudax: Grim Batol (N)
Witching Hourglass: Ascendant Lord Obsidius: Blackrock Caverns (N)
Blood of Isiset: Isiset: HoO (H)
Corrupted Egg Shell: Erudax: Grim Batol (H)
Gale of Shadows: Erudax: Grim Batol (H)
Rainsong: The Vortex Pinnacle (H)
Sea Star: Neptulon’s Cache: Throne of the Tides (H)
Tear of Blood: High Priestess Azil: The Stonecore (H)
Tendrils of Burrowing Dark: Ozruk: The Stonecore (H)
Witching Hourglass: Ascendant Lord Obsidius: Blackrock Caverns (H)

Main Hand:
Gurgthock’s Garish Gorebat: The Crucible of Carnage: The Twilight Terror!: Twilight Highlands
Scepter of Power: Setesh: Halls of Origination (N)
Elementium Hammer: Blacksmithing
Shimmering Morningstar: Revered: Baradin’s Wardens
Torturer’s Mercy: Rom’ogg Bonecrusher: Blackrock Caverns (N)
Biting Wind: Grand Vizier Ertan: The Vortex Pinnacle (N)
Biting Wind: Grand Vizier Ertan: The Vortex Pinnacle (H)
Scepter of Power: Setesh: Halls of Origination (H)
Torturer’s Mercy: Rom’ogg Bonecrusher: Blackrock Caverns (H)

Off-Hand:
Bone-Inlaid Sarcophagus Key
Book of Origination: Zone Drop: Halls of Origination (N/H)
Divine Companion: Inscription
Skyflight Beacon: Doing It Like a Dunwald: Twilight Highlands
Apple-Bent Bough: 950 Justice Points
Bioluminescent Lamp: Neptulon’s Cache: Throne of the Tides (N)
Prophet’s Scepter: High Priestess Azil: The Stonecore (N)
Bioluminescent Lamp: Neptulon’s Cache: Throne of the Tides (H)
Prophet’s Scepter: High Priestess Azil: The Stonecore (H)