Heya guys!!  Welcome to the T8 edition of Best in Slot Items for Death Knights!!  Today we’re gonna talk about the best Spaulders for your shoulder slot that you can get for your DK. 

Items have been broken up into 6 categories depending on your current Hit and Expertise Rating.  Please refer to the Hit and Expertise Revisited post if you have any questions regarding Hit and Expertise caps, their value, and how to get there.

PLEASE read the notes at the bottom of the post.  The notes are important.

Blood - Top 10 Best in Slot Shoulders

1. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  601.52 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  569.47 APE  (Hard)
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  555.68 APE
4. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  546.08 APE  (Set)
5. Treacherous Shoulderpads  537.15 APE
6. Valorous Darkruned Shoulderplates  519.25 APE  (Set)
7. Iron-studded Mantle  518.69 APE
8. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  516.99 APE
9. Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  513.09 APE  (Set)
10. Shoulderguards of the Undaunted  512.19 APE

Blood - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  563.15 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  516.99 APE
3. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  492.07 APE  (Hard)
4. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  474.09 APE
5. Concealment Shoulderpads  473.66 APE 

Blood - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  563.15 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  516.99 APE
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  474.09 APE
4. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  464.49 APE  (Set)
5. Mantle of Fiery Vengeance  461.99 APE (Hard)

Blood - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  563.15 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  516.99 APE
3. Concealment Shoulderpads  473.66 APE 
4. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  463.47 APE  (Hard)
5. Mantle of Fiery Vengeance  461.99 APE  (Hard)

Blood - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  563.15 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  516.99 APE
3. Mantle of Fiery Vengeance  461.99 APE (Hard)
4. Shoulders of Misfortune  454.04 APE
5. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  452.77 APE 

Blood APE Values for Tier Set Bonuses

• T7 2pc  60 APE
• T7 4pc  39 APE
• T8 2pc  83 APE
• T8 4pc  104 APE 

Frost - Top 10 Best in Slot Shoulders

1. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  582.64 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  534.87 APE
3. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  503.51 APE (Set)
4. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  502.47 APE  (Hard)
5. Shoulderguards of the Undaunted  497.17 APE
6. Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  495.9 APE (Set)
7. Treacherous Shoulderpads  488.46 APE
8. Valorous Darkruned Shoulderplates  480.64 APE (Set)
9. Iron-studded Mantle  467.09 APE
10. Heroes’ Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  448.71 APE (Set)

Frost - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  492.75 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  452.16 APE  (Hard)
3. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  439.17 APE
4. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  438.31 APE
5. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  406.95 APE (Set)

Frost - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  492.75 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  439.17 APE
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  438.31 APE
4. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  406.95 APE (Set)
5. Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  394.7 APE (Set)

Frost - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  492.75 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  439.17 APE
3. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  424.66 APE  (Hard)
4. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  417.81 APE
5. Concealment Shoulderpads  401.66 APE  

Frost - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  492.75 APE  (Hard)
2. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  439.17 APE
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  417.81 APE
4. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  386.45 APE (Set)
5. Mantle of Fiery Vengeance  383.46 APE (Hard)

Frost APE Values for Tier Set Bonuses

• T7 2pc  73 APE
• T7 4pc  97 APE
• T8 2pc  150 APE
• T8 4pc  75 APE

 Unholy – Top 10 Best in Slot Shoulders

1. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  529.535 APE (Set)
2. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  528.691 APE
3. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  505.646 APE  (Hard)
4. Valorous Darkruned Shoulderplates  502.037 APE (Set)
5. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  501.055 APE  (Hard)
6. Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  484.013 APE (Set)
7. Shoulderguards of the Undaunted  474.089 APE
8. Heroes’ Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  436.941 APE (Set)
9. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  434.911 APE
10. Shoulders of Misfortune  431.135 APE

Unholy - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  500.805 APE  (Hard)
2. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  484.927 APE (Set)
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  484.083 APE
4. Valorous Darkruned Shoulderplates  457.429 APE (Set)
5. Shoulderpads of the Intruder  445.806 APE  (Hard)

Unholy - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Melee Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  500.805 APE  (Hard)
2. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  484.927 APE (Set)
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  484.083 APE
4. Valorous Darkruned Shoulderplates  457.429 APE (Set)
5. Valorous Scourgeborne Shoulderplates  437.229 APE (Set) 

Unholy - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  500.805 APE  (Hard)
2. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  448.847 APE (Set)
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  448.003 APE
4. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  434.911 APE
5. Shoulders of Misfortune  431.135 APE  

Unholy - Top 5 Best in Slot Shoulders: Hit and Expertise Capped

1. Shoulderplates of the Celestial Watch  500.805 APE  (Hard)
2. Conqueror’s Darkruned Shoulderplates  448.847 APE (Set)
3. Shoulderplates of the Eternal  448.003 APE
4. Shoulderguards of Opportunity  434.911 APE
5. Shoulders of Misfortune  431.135 APE 

Unholy APE Values for Tier Set Bonuses

• T7 2pc  78.3 APE
• T7 4pc  160.2 APE
• T8 2pc  37.92 APE
• T8 4pc  115.7 APE

Notations

• (Hard) – This comes from a boss on Hard mode.  This will not be easy to get.
• (Set) – Remember to account for the 2 and 4 Piece Set Bonuses.  This will adjust the ranking of this item.
• (Crafted) – This should be easier to attain if you have the gold and can find a crafter with the recipie.
• (Emblems) – This can only be purchased through Emblems at a vendor.

Things to remember

1. Please see my “Best in Slot Items” (BISI) page for a comprehensive list of all BISI items.
2. THIS DOES NOT ADD IN SET BONUSES!!!  At the end of each Spec’s section, there is a listing of the APE values of the set bonuses.  When you attain a bonus you can then add in that APE to item values.  Remember it is not a bonus per each Tier item.  For example if you got 5 pieces of T8 Unholy you would add a total of 153.62 APE to your toon, and no more.
3. These items are weighted using a system commonly refered to as APE, or Attack Power Equivalency.  This uses mathematical formulas, and often times simulators, to determine how much each attribute contributes to your dps.  It equates item stat values into a numeric value that equals 1 Attack Power, or 1 AP.
4. APE means exactly what it says, this item has an equivalent value of x AP.  So if it says 1 is 519 APE and 2 is 492 APE, swapping from 2 to 1 would be like gaining 27 Attack Power.
5. Take everything here with a grain of salt.  Short of running a simulator, it’s nearly impossible to know what the best stats are for any one character.  APE changes as your stats change.  As one stat goes up, its value to your dps goes down.  Meanwhile other stats’ values will go up in value.  This however is a good baseline, assuming you have the equivalent best in slot items and have kept your stats balanced while gearing out.
6. Keep in mind  that my information could be wrong.  But even if it is, it is most likely the closest source of information to the actual truth about DK APE values available.
7. Agility adds armor, so if you have the Bladed Armor talent this can be adding AP as well as Melee Crit %.
8. Hit and Expertise can be capped.  You do not want more than you can actually use.  Items with a stat that you’ve exceeded the cap are not worth their “true” value anymore because you’re not getting all of the benefit.
9. 262.32 Hit Rating is equal to 8% Melee Hit (this is the Melee Hit cap).
10. 445.91 Hit Rating is equal to 17% Spell Hit (this is the Spell Hit cap).  The spell hit cap is 288.53 rating or 17% if you have 3/3 Virulence and Misery debuff up.
11. 213.2 Expertise Rating is equal to 26 Expertise (this is the Expertise cap).  172.2 expertise rating  (21 skill) will hit the cap when talented.
12. Your stats need to be balanced.  If you pick gear that always has +Strength on them, then you’re going to be screwed. These items are balanced around the concept that you do not overstack certain stats.  Aka, 4% hit and 3000 AP is bad.  But so is 15% hit and 1500 AP.  Sticking with these item lists will usually avoid that however.
13. If you don’t agree you should seriously take a moment to stop and think about what factual data you have to back up that feeling.  Often times the number crunchers out there find things that look wrong to the average person.
14. When gemming gear most of the time you will ignore the slot colors.  Only pay attention to slot colors when trying to meet a metagem requirement if you need to.  Otherwise every gem slot should be either +Strength, +Expertise, or +Hit.  These numbers assume you are using Rare gems available to any player.
15. For more information on the Expertise and Hit caps you should read here: Hit and Expertise Revisited.

-Suffer Well Brothers and Sisters.

Tags: Best in Slot Items