ClassicWoW.gg Guides, BIS, & News
TBC
Menu
Arcane Mage guide

Arcane Mage Best in Slot (BiS) List - TBC Classic

Updated
Mage
Arcane
Phase 3
Cowl of Tirisfal Glyph of Power
The Sun King's Talisman
Mantle of Tirisfal Greater Inscription of Discipline
Cloak of the Illidari Council Enchant Cloak — Subtlety
Robes of Tirisfal Enchant Chest — Exceptional Stats
Cuffs of Devastation Enchant Bracer — Spellpower
Gloves of Tirisfal Enchant Gloves — Major Spellpower
Anetheron's Noose
Leggings of Channeled Elements Runic Spellthread
Slippers of the Seacaller Enchant Boots — Boar's Speed
Band of the Eternal Sage
Ring of Ancient Knowledge
Serpent-Coil Braid
The Skull of Gul'dan
Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer Enchant Weapon — Sunfire
Naaru-Blessed Life Rod

Gear Set Breakdown

Int 473 Stam 426 SP 986 Crit 349 Hit 73 Haste 86

This BiS list reaches the 38-rating hit cap with 5/5 Arcane Focus, Totem of Wrath. Without Totem of Wrath, cover the difference from gear.

Alliance only: Inspiring Presence adds 1% spell hit in the Draenei party (~13 rating). It is never baked into these sets.

Stat totals are unbuffed — gear, gems, and enchants only. No consumables, talents, racials, or group buffs.

2,820 Simmed DPS ±2

Full Gear List — BiS and Alternatives

Item Source Wear when
Head
Cowl of Tirisfal BiS Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj (tier token)
Cowl of the Illidari High Lord Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 21 more hit rating before gems than Cowl of Tirisfal. Preserve your tier bonus elsewhere.
Cowl of the Tempest Hyjal Summit — Archimonde (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Destruction Holo-gogs Crafted — Engineering Use if you meet its Engineering requirement and need a crafted spell-power/crit helm; it provides no spell hit. Requires Engineering (350).
Neck
The Sun King's Talisman BiS Quest — Kael'thas and the Verdant Sphere (Tempest Keep)
Eye of the Night Crafted — Jewelcrafting Use when a Jewelcrafter can time the party spell-power active with a coordinated burn.
Chain of the Twilight Owl Crafted — Jewelcrafting Use when a Jewelcrafter can coordinate the party spell-crit active with a damage window.
Translucent Spellthread Necklace Black Temple — Essence of Anger Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 15 more hit rating before gems than The Sun King's Talisman.
Shoulders
Mantle of Tirisfal BiS Tempest Keep — Void Reaver (tier token)
Mantle of Nimble Thought Crafted — Tailoring Use for haste when the rest of your set covers the spell-hit target.
Pauldrons of the Aldor Gruul's Lair — High King Maulgar (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Mantle of Three Terrors The Black Morass — Chrono Lord Deja Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 12 more hit rating before gems than Mantle of Tirisfal. Preserve your tier bonus elsewhere.
Back
Cloak of the Illidari Council BiS Black Temple — High Nethermancer Zerevor
Shroud of the Highborne Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage Use when haste improves your casting and your mana can support the faster pace.
Royal Cloak of the Sunstriders Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider Use for spell power and intellect when hit is covered.
Brute Cloak of the Ogre-Magi Gruul's Lair — High King Maulgar Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Chest
Robes of Tirisfal BiS Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider (tier token)
Robes of the Tempest Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Vestments of the Aldor Magtheridon's Lair — Magtheridon (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Robe of the Elder Scribes Karazhan — Nightbane Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered. Keep the tier bonus active in other slots.
Wrists
Cuffs of Devastation BiS Hyjal Summit — Rage Winterchill
Bracers of Nimble Thought Crafted — Tailoring Use for crafted spell haste when your hit target is covered; these can be bought without being a Tailor.
Vindicator's Silk Cuffs Season 3 honor reward — available September 1 Season 3 option, available September 1. Use if you also need PvP gear; preserve your PvE hit target and tier bonuses when swapping it in.
Mindstorm Wristbands Tempest Keep — Al'ar Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Hands
Gloves of Tirisfal BiS Serpentshrine Cavern — Leotheras the Blind (tier token)
Gauntlets of the Sun King Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered. Keep the tier bonus active in other slots.
Gloves of the Tempest Hyjal Summit — Azgalor (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Spellfire Gloves Crafted — Tailoring Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set. Requires Spellfire Tailoring.
Waist
Anetheron's Noose BiS Hyjal Summit — Anetheron
Waistwrap of Infinity Black Temple — Supremus Use for haste when the rest of your set covers the spell-hit target.
Belt of Blasting Crafted — Tailoring Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 23 more hit rating before gems than Anetheron's Noose.
Cord of Screaming Terrors Serpentshrine Cavern — The Lurker Below Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 24 more hit rating before gems than Anetheron's Noose.
Spellfire Belt Crafted — Tailoring Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set. Requires Spellfire Tailoring.
Legs
Leggings of Channeled Elements BiS Hyjal Summit — Kaz'rogal
Leggings of the Tempest Black Temple — The Illidari Council (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Leggings of Tirisfal Serpentshrine Cavern — Fathom-Lord Karathress (tier token) Use to keep four-piece Tirisfal while moving an offpiece into another tier slot.
Legwraps of the Aldor Gruul's Lair — Gruul the Dragonkiller (tier token) Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set.
Spellstrike Pants Crafted — Tailoring Use only if four-piece Tirisfal remains intact elsewhere, or while still assembling that set. Requires Tailoring (350).
Feet
Slippers of the Seacaller BiS Black Temple — High Warlord Naj'entus
Velvet Boots of the Guardian Serpentshrine Cavern — The Lurker Below Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Blue Suede Shoes Hyjal Summit — Kaz'rogal Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 18 more hit rating before gems than Slippers of the Seacaller.
Vindicator's Silk Footguards Season 3 honor reward — available September 1 Season 3 option, available September 1. Use if you also need PvP gear; preserve your PvE hit target and tier bonuses when swapping it in.
Ring 1
Band of the Eternal Sage BiS Reputation — The Scale of the Sands (Exalted)
Ring of Ancient Knowledge Black Temple — trash drop Use when spell hit is covered and you want more haste. A second copy can be equipped.
Violet Signet of the Archmage Reputation — The Violet Eye (Exalted) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Band of Crimson Fury Quest — The Fall of Magtheridon (Magtheridon's head) Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 16 more hit rating before gems than Band of the Eternal Sage.
Ring 2
Ring of Ancient Knowledge BiS Black Temple — trash drop
Violet Signet of the Archmage Reputation — The Violet Eye (Exalted) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Ring of Endless Coils Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Band of Crimson Fury Quest — The Fall of Magtheridon (Magtheridon's head) Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 16 more hit rating before gems than Ring of Ancient Knowledge.
Trinket 1
Serpent-Coil Braid BiS Serpentshrine Cavern — Morogrim Tidewalker
The Skull of Gul'dan Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage Use when its spell hit fits your set and you can spend the haste active during a sustained damage window. Change the other slot too if it already holds this item; only one copy can be equipped.
Ashtongue Talisman of Insight Reputation — Ashtongue Deathsworn (Exalted) Consider this for crit-heavy casting or AoE where frequent spell crits can trigger the short haste buff.
Icon of the Silver Crescent Badge of Justice — G'eras, Shattrath Use when you want a reliable spell-power cooldown for burn phases rather than a random proc.
Trinket 2
The Skull of Gul'dan BiS Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage
Ashtongue Talisman of Insight Reputation — Ashtongue Deathsworn (Exalted) Consider this for crit-heavy casting or AoE where frequent spell crits can trigger the short haste buff.
Icon of the Silver Crescent Badge of Justice — G'eras, Shattrath Use when you want a reliable spell-power cooldown for burn phases rather than a random proc.
Sextant of Unstable Currents Serpentshrine Cavern — Fathom-Lord Karathress A crit-triggered spell-power option for sustained casting; it offers less control than an on-use trinket.
Main hand
Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer BiS Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage
Tempest of Chaos Hyjal Summit — Archimonde Use with a caster off-hand. Compare the pair’s total hit and spell power before replacing a two-handed staff.
Vengeful Gladiator's Battle Staff Season 3 arena reward — available September 1 Season 3 option, available September 1. Consider if you already earn arena points; compare the full two-handed setup before buying.
The Nexus Key Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider Use as a complete two-handed setup when its total stats beat your available main-hand and off-hand pairing.
The Maelstrom's Fury Black Temple — High Warlord Naj'entus Use when the complete one-handed pairing fits your spell-hit target; include the off-hand when comparing weapons.
Ranged
Naaru-Blessed Life Rod BiS Black Temple — Essence of Anger
Eredar Wand of Obliteration Magtheridon's Lair — Magtheridon Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Wand of the Forgotten Star Tempest Keep — High Astromancer Solarian Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 11 more hit rating before gems than Naaru-Blessed Life Rod.
Rod of Dire Shadows Quest — The Will of the Warchief (Hellfire Peninsula) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
The Black Stalk The Underbog — The Black Stalker Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.

Where this number comes from

It's the damage per second this exact gear set puts out in WoWSims: 10,000 simulated fights, each a 3-minute stand-and-hit fight against a single raid boss, with normal raid buffs and debuffs, Phase 3 gear only, no profession perks, and pet damage counted.

Use it to compare gear for this spec. It won't predict your logs, and it isn't for ranking specs against each other — real fights (movement, boss type, fight length, your raid) swing DPS far more than the small ± margin under the number.