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Thanks to the help of @Kirise , this is the f2p 20 guide.
Note: There is no GFd gear on this list and will be kept up to date. A lot of the bis gear is now Warforged legion invasion gear. This gear was a 20-30% drop chance to give +5ilvl and another 20-30% chance to give +10ilvl.
The arrival of the Legion prepatch brought 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.
- Characters continue to temporarily boost to 29. All item levels on gear below item level 34 no longer scale to 34.
- For every average item level you achieve above 25, you will receive a 0.1% bonus to all of your stats e.g. if you get your average item level to 45, you will receive a 2% bonus to your stats.
- Characters can now use their best armor types i.e. shamans and hunters can wear mail, and warriors and paladins can wear plate. Likewise, all characters now receive around a 5% boost to stats for wearing their native armor type.
BiS gear is the same within each armor type; weapon and offhand differences are separated by class within each armor type. Please see @StS Ralso 's great weapon guide for more details about weapons and offhands.
DISCLAIMER: Legion Invasion is bis in every slot for +5 and +10 but is not included on this list and the helmets are the only armor type available besides for alliance leather/mail eye patches. If you don't have Felforged Helmet or are not alliance, tough luck. You do not get the 10% stat increase and are completely out of the picture.
Cloth:
Head: Lucky Fishing Hat (ilvl 40). Flying Tiger Goggles (ilvl 20)
Neck: Brilliant Necklace (ilvl 25)
Shoulders: Faerie Mantle (ilvl 32, Alliance only). Magician's Mantle / Tattered Dreadmist Mantle / Exquisite Sunderseer Mantle (ilvl 25)
Back: Tumultuous Cloak (ilvl 25)
Chest: Je'neu's Robes (Horde only) / Robe of Kelris (Alliance only) / Auxiliary's Robe (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Wrist: Auxiliary's Cuffs (Rare, ilvl 28)
Hands: Phoenix Gloves / Greenweave Gloves (ilvl 25)
Waist: Enumerated Belt / Ghamoo-Ra's Bind / Girdle of Nobility / Sanguine Belt (ilvl 25)
Legs: Auxiliary's Leggings (Rare, ilvl 28)
Feet: Auxiliary's Treads (Rare, ilvl 28)
Rings: Argas Ring (ilvl 32) + Silver Piffeny Ring (ilvl 30)
Trinkets: Hook of the Master Angler (ilvl 65)
Weapon (Mage/Warlock/Priest): MH = Dusk Wand (ilvl 25)
Wands provide 5% extra stats, making them BiS.
OH = Bouquet of Black Roses (ilvl 60)
Leather:
Head: Any headpiece sold by Griftah (ilvl 100, rogue only), Rifle Commander's Eyepatch (ilvl 30, Alliance only).
Neck: Brilliant Necklace (ilvl 25)
Shoulders: Forest Leather Mantle / Prospector's Pads / Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders / Exceptional Stormshroud Mantle / Lasting Feralheart Spaulders / Preened Ironfeather Shoulders (ilvl 25)
Back: Tumultuous Cloak (ilvl 25)
Chest: Rookie's Tunic (Rare, ilvl 28)
Wrist: Rookie's Bindings (Rare, ilvl 28)
Hands: Naga Battle Gloves / Forest Leather Gloves (ilvl 25)
Waist: Vigorous Belt (ilvl 25)
Legs: Blackfathom Leggings (Horde only) / Blackfathom Leggings (Alliance only) / Rookie's Pants (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Feet: Rookie's Boots (Rare, ilvl 28)
Rings: Argas Ring (ilvl 32) + Silver Piffeny Ring (ilvl 30)
Trinkets: Hook of the Master Angler (ilvl 65)
****Weapon speed takes precedence over ilvl for melee and ranged melee except guardian and feral druid****
Druid
Weapon (Feral/Guardian druid): 2H = Recruit's Staff (Rare, ilvl 28)
Weapon (Balance/Restoration druid): Recruit's Hammer (Rare, ilvl 28), OH = Bouquet of Black Roses (ilvl 60)
Monk
Weapon (Brewmaster): Grand Staff of Jordan (Speed 3.7)
Weapon (Windwalker): MH = Brushwood Blade (Speed 3.0, Alliance only). For Horde: Sinister Scimitar (Speed 2.9), Recruit's Cleaver (Rare, ilvl 28)
Weapon (Mistweaver): Recruit's Hammer (Rare, ilvl 28), OH = Bouquet of Black Roses (ilvl 60)
Rogue
Weapon (Outlaw): MH = Brushwood Blade (Speed 3.0, Alliance only). For Horde: Sinister Scimitar (Speed 2.9), OH = Recruit's Quickblade (Rare, ilvl 28)
Weapon (Subtlety/Assassination rogue): MH = Jagged Wing Slasher (Speed 2.6), OH = Recruit's Dirk (Rare, ilvl 28)
Mail:
Head: Thelwaters Steelwoven Eyepatch (ilvl 30, Alliance only)
Neck: Brilliant Necklace (ilvl 25)
Shoulders: Grunt's Pauldrons / Cutthroat Pauldrons / Champion Herod's Shoulder / Mystical Pauldrons of Elements / Aged Pauldrons of The Five Thunders (ilvl 25)
Back: Tumultuous Cloak (ilvl 25)
Chest: Greenhorn's Armor (Rare, ilvl 28)
Wrist: Greenhorn's Armbands (Rare, ilvl 28)
Hands: Fletcher's Gloves / Deadly Serpentine Grips / Fortified Gauntlets (ilvl 25)
Waist: Earthbound Girdle / Spiked Chain Belt / Algae-Twined Waistcord (ilvl 25)
Legs: Greenhorn's Leggings (Rare, ilvl 28)
Feet: Greenhorn's Footguards (Rare, ilvl 28)
Rings: Argas Ring (ilvl 32) + Silver Piffeny Ring (ilvl 30)
Trinkets: Hook of the Master Angler (ilvl 65)
****Weapon speed takes precedence over ilvl for melee and ranged melee****
Hunter
Weapon (Survival): Bloodied Arcanite Reaper (Speed 3.8)
Weapon (Beast Mastery/Marksmanship): Recruit's Rifle (Rare, ilvl 28)
Shaman
Weapon (Elemental/Restoration): Recruit's Hammer (Rare, ilvl 28), OH = (Shield of the Stockades (Alliance only, ilvl 30) is bis however, if you do not already have a mail helmet it is more important to choose Thelwaters Steelwoven Eyepatch as it is in the same quest reward. Also, if you do have a mail helmet take into account that this shield is only 2 more ilvl then other shields). Shield Against the Evil Presence (Horde only) / Shield Against the Evil Presence (Alliance only) / Recruit's Redoubt (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Weapon (enhance shaman): MH = Venerable Mass of McGowan (Speed 2.8),
OH = Recruit's Cleaver (Rare, ilvl 28)
Plate:
Head:
Neck: Brilliant Necklace (ilvl 25)
Shoulders: Polished Spaulders of Valor / Burnished Pauldrons of Might / Pristine Lightforge Spaulders / Strengthened Stockade Pauldrons (ilvl 25)
Back: Tumultuous Cloak (ilvl 25)
Chest: Front-Line Breastplate (Rare, ilvl 28)
Wrist: Front-Line Armplates (Rare, ilvl 28)
Hands: Skeletal Gauntlets / Algae Fists (ilvl 25)
Waist: Brightplate Girdle (ilvl 32, Alliance only). Stalwart Belt (ilvl 25)
Legs: Plates of Aku'mai (Horde only) / Thaelrid's Greaves (Alliance only) / Front-Line Legguards (Rare, ilvl 28)
Feet: Front-Line Warboots (Rare, ilvl 28)
Rings: Argas Ring (ilvl 32) + Silver Piffeny Ring (ilvl 30)
Trinkets: Hook of the Master Angler (ilvl 65)
****Weapon speed takes precedence over ilvl for melee and ranged melee****
Warrior
Weapon (Arms): 2H = Bloodied Arcanite Reaper (Speed 3.8)
Weapon (Fury): MH = Bloodied Arcanite Reaper (Speed 3.8), Recruit's Decapitator (Rare, ilvl 28)
Weapon (Protection): Sinister Scimitar (Speed 2.9, Horde only), OH = Shield of the Stockades (Alliance only, ilvl 30). Shield Against the Evil Presence (Horde only) / Shield Against the Evil Presence (Alliance only) / Recruit's Redoubt (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Paladin
Weapon (Retribution): 2H = Bloodied Arcanite Reaper (Speed 3.8)
Weapon (Holy): MH = Mace of the Order (Alliance only) / Mace of the Sunwalker (Horde only) / Morningstar of the Order (Horde only) (Speed 3.3) OH = Shield of the Stockades (Alliance only, ilvl 30). Shield Against the Evil Presence (Horde only) / Shield Against the Evil Presence (Alliance only) / Recruit's Redoubt (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Weapon (Protection): MH = Mace of the Order (Alliance only) / Mace of the Sunwalker (Horde only) /Morningstar of the Order (Horde only) (Speed 3.3), OH = Shield of the Stockades (Alliance only, ilvl 30). Shield Against the Evil Presence (Horde only) / Shield Against the Evil Presence (Alliance only) / Recruit's Redoubt (Rare) (ilvl 28)
Thanks @Redgreenblur and @SikTh for posting about the engineering items, @Kryptonite for confirming the gear sold by Griftah, @raziel83 and @Holythane for the Stratholme Lily info, @AlisterCrow for the heads up on the STV trinket @Purj and @Trice for the info about rare gear from battleground strongboxes, and special thanks to @Amelletta for the information on warforged invasion gear.
