79 Legion Gear Prep Guide

[Kirise]

bbbbbThe arrival of the Legion prepatch will bring significant changes to optimizing gear for XP-off players. Here's what you need to know for playing in instanced PvP (arenas and battlegrounds, not world PvP). Please let me know if this guide needs any corrections/additions/deletions!

• All characters in instanced PvP will receive stats based on a stats template predetermined by Blizzard, based on class and spec. Stats and enchantments on gear will no longer matter. Trinkets and weapon/gear procs will no longer work.
• All characters will continue to boost to 79. All item levels on gear below item level 283 will continue to boost to 283.
• For every average item level you achieve above 283, you will receive a 0.1% bonus to all of your stats e.g. if you get your average item level to 303, you will receive a 2% bonus to your stats.

Therefore, Legion makes item level the singular focus for XP-off gearing optimization. The following list covers what we know (so far) as BiS items. Any slot missing an armor or weapon type or stating "no finds" means no gear was found that exceeds ilvl 283, so any gear will work.

Every BiS piece of gear for 79s is an instance drop. ...Every. Last. One.

Head: Aurelian Mitre (ilvl 308, cloth), Willowy Crown (ilvl 308, leather), Renouncer's Cowl (ilvl 308, mail), Anomuran Helm (ilvl 308, plate)
Neck: Pipefish Cord, Barnacle Pendant, Quicksilver Amulet, Carrier Wave Pendant (ilvl 308)
Shoulders: Kyrstel Mantle (ilvl 308, cloth), Caridean Epaulettes (ilvl 308, leather), Harp Shell Pauldrons, Raz's Pauldrons (ilvl 308, plate)
Back: Burned Gatherings, Periwinkle Cloak, Eagle Ray Cloak, Twitching Shadows (ilvl 308)
Chest: Inquisition Robes (ilvl 308, cloth), Chromis Chestpiece, Wentletrap Vest (ilvl 308, mail), Abalone Plate Armor, Beauty's Plate (ilvl 308, plate)
Wrist: Armbands of Change (ilvl 308, leather), Manacles of Pain (ilvl 308, mail), Bracers of Cooled Anger (ilvl 308)
Hands: Mnemiopsis Gloves (ilvl 308, cloth), Wrasse Handraps (ilvl 308, mail), Clutches of Dying Light (ilvl 308, plate)
Waist: Beauty's Silken Ribbon (ilvl 308, cloth)
Legs: Beauty's Chew Toy (ilvl 308, leather), Heat Wave Leggings (ilvl 308, mail), Triton Legplates, Alpheus Legguards (ilvl 308, plate)
Feet: Decapod Slippers (ilvl 308, leather),
Rings: Entwined Nereis, Ring of the Great Whale, Signet of Transformation, Anthia's Ring, Skullcracker Ring, Kibble, Nautilus Ring (ilvl 308)
Trinkets: Witching Hourglass, Sea Star, Might of the Ocean, Porcelain Crab, Grace of the Herald (ilvl 308)
Weapons: Toxidunk Dagger, Steelbender's Masterpiece, Lightning Welk Axe, Torturer's Mercy, Berto's Staff, Cerith Spire Staff, Whitefin Axe, Amber Messenger, Corla's Baton (ilvl 308)
Off-Hand: Crepuscular Shield, Shield of the Iron Maiden, Beauty's Favorite Bone, Bioluminescent Lamp (ilvl 308)