The gear search drew this set from dungeons, quests, crafts, reputation and vendors before the raids open on 9 December, using only items with published Forever stats. It is plate built on Strength, crit, expertise and 9 % hit around a one-hander and a shield, at an average item level of 62.6. The helm and an expertise trinket are where the next best item costs most.

Pre-raid gear

Under each item are the runners-up and the score you give up by wearing them on this fight. On three bosses a tank keeps the single-boss set of the same length, so those tables repeat the single-boss ones.

"Level" means the gap is inside the sim's noise.

Main hand and shield

The Horde sets wear Annihilator, a Blacksmithing axe. It binds on equip, so you can buy one from a smith. Orcs get Axe Specialization's 1 % crit from it, and its Armor Shatter proc takes 165 armor off the boss a stack, up to three, for 45 seconds. The Alliance sets wear swords for the Human's Sword Specialization: Ironwood Blade on three minutes.

The shield is Evergreen Shield, a Blacksmithing craft, on every fight. Shield Slam adds your block value to every hit, so a shield's block value is threat for you.

Head, legs and trinkets

Lionheart Helm is the biggest single gap in the set: the next helm costs 37.5 TPS on a three-minute fight. Like Titanic Leggings, the legs on most fights, it is a Blacksmithing craft that binds on equip.

Adaptive Combat Assistant carries 2 % expertise, a stat almost no other pre-raid item has. Pix Xizzix sells it in Stranglethorn Vale. Swapping it out costs 19.9 TPS. The second trinket is close to a tie: the set wears Everlook Pathcarver, and Molten Heart of the Mountain is next.

Reputation pieces

The shoulders and gloves are Exalted reputation rewards. The Horde wears Defiler's Plate Spaulders from The Defilers and Raider Gauntlets from the Darkspear Raiders, the Alliance Highlander's Plate Spaulders from The League of Arathor and Theramore Gauntlets from the Theramore Expeditionary Force. Exalted takes longest of anything in the set, so begin those reputations first.

Enchants

• Weapon: Crusader. Its Strength proc, Holy Strength, is up 37.4 % of the fight.

• Head and legs: Arcanum of Rapidity and Arcanum of Rapidity. From fight to fight the search picks either the 1 % haste Arcanum of Rapidity or Lesser Arcanum of Voracity for each slot, so take whichever you can get. Voracity comes in five versions under one name: take the Strength one (+8 Strength).

• Chest: Greater Stats. Wrists and hands: Superior Strength on both.
• Back: Lesser Agility. Neck: Strength. Feet: Forceful Rugged Armor Kit.
• Shield: Greater Stamina. Stamina adds no threat, so the shield enchant hardly matters.

Consumables

The always-bring list for threat: Mighty Rage Potion (3.9 %), Elixir of the Mongoose (2.0 %), Juju Power (1.6 %), R.O.I.D.S. (1.3 %), an Elemental Sharpening Stone on your weapon (1.3 %), Smoked Desert Dumplings (1.1 %) and Juju Might (0.9 %). Dragonbreath Chili adds 0.2 %.

Flask of the Titans lowers your threat in our sims by 0.7 %, and Elixir of Lesser Fortitude and Rumsey Rum Black Label slightly, because our engine pays less Rage per hit the more health you have. Blizzard removed that rule on 8 October, so drink the flask anyway: it is the largest health buff on the list. Elixir of Greater Defense does nothing for threat.