A comprehensive overview of what tier sets are, how to earn them, and their bonuses.
You may have heard a lot of buzz about the return of tier sets in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands in patch 9.2. Unfortunately, if you are a new player or returning after a long time, it may be unclear what that means or how you go about taking advantage of it. In this guide, I want to give you all the information you need to start collecting a tier set to make your character stronger.
We’ll talk about how to get tier items in a moment and what powers they offer for your class, but let’s start by talking about what they are…
What are tier sets?
Tier sets are class-specific armor that make your character’s abilities stronger. When you equip 2 pieces of armor from the set, you will get a 2-set bonus that makes you stronger. Equipping 4 pieces gives you another boost in character power on top of the 2-set bonus.
The bonus you receive for your abilities depends on what specialization (spec) you are playing.
For example, if you are playing a Fury Warrior, earning a 2-set bonus will give you an extra charge of Raging Blow and deal 10% more damage. After equipping 4 pieces, your Raging Blow would give you a 20% chance of gaining Recklessness for 3 seconds. When you add the extra 10% damage to the power spike from Recklessness, you can see that tier sets can really make a difference!
Here is what the tooltip looks like for the Breastplate of the Infinite Infantry — the warrior tier set chest.
As you can see from the image above, your tier gear bonuses will update when you change specs. You don’t have to worry about farming up several sets if you frequently play more than one spec.
What tier set item slots are there?
Not every item slot is eligible for the tier bonus. In patch 9.2, 5 slots can count toward your set bonus, including:
- Chest
- Hands
- Helm
- Legs
- Shoulder
How do I get tier sets?
There are three ways to get tier sets in patch 9.2. You can get them from tokens dropped by bosses in the Sepulcher of the First Ones (SFO) raid, your Great Vault, or the Creation Catalyst.
Let’s take a look at each of these closer…
Tier Set Tokens from Raid
The first way to get tier gear is from tokens dropped by bosses in the SFO raid. After receiving a token, you can click on it to create a piece of equipment specific to your class. Like all other gear in the raid, the difficulty will determine the item level.
Here are the item slots you can get tokens for and the bosses that drop them in the raid:
| Slot | Boss(es) |
|---|---|
| Chest | Rygelon |
| Hands | Lihuvim, Principle Architect |
| Helm | Anduin Wrynn |
| Legs | Halondrus the Reclaimer |
| Shoulder | Lords of Dread |
Token Types
To make things even trickier, tokens are divided into 4 types — Mystic, Venerated, Zenith, and Dreadful. The type of token dropped will determine which classes can use it.
- Mystic Tokens – Druids, Hunters, and Mages.
- Venerated Tokens – Paladins, Priests, and Shamans.
- Zenith Tokens – Monks, Rogues, and Warriors.
- Dreadful Tokens – Death Knights, Demon Hunters, and Warlocks.
Token Drop Chance
As far as drop chances go, each boss will drop about 1 token for every 10 members of your raid. This means that a raid group with 20 players could expect to see about 2 tokens.
Tier Sets from the Great Vault
In addition to collecting tier from the raid, you can also earn tier pieces through your Great Vault. This is great because you don’t need to raid to get tier gear!
If you only do PvP or Mythic+, and you unlock one or more vault slots, you will have a chance to receive a tier piece at the item level you earned. As an important side note, if you aren’t happy with the item level of your tier reward in the vault, you can use valor or conquest to upgrade it in the future!
Creation Catalyst – Tier Set Crafting in Patch 9.2
The last way to earn a tier set is by crafting it yourself using the Creation Catalyst in Zereth Mortis. This is an excellent option for players who don’t do PvE or PvP (or those who do but have bad luck).
But how does it work?
How to Unlock the Creation Catalyst
To unlock the Creation Catalyst, you’ll need to complete the Zereth Mortis storyline through the third chapter — Forging a New Path. After doing so, you should notice a quest called The Catalyst Awakens being offered by Vilo in Haven.
Pick up the quest and make your way to the Catalyst Gardens. The Creation Catalyst is a building that floats above the central pool of the Catalyst Gardens. You can fly into the catalyst or use the teleporter directly underneath it to complete the quest to unlock the catalyst!
How to use the Creation Catalyst
You can use the Creation Catalyst by clicking “Transform” after placing a piece of gear in the console in the middle of the room. Transforming a piece of equipment will require the Cosmic Flux currency you get in Zereth Mortis. The amount of needed cosmic flux varies based on what slot you are trying to transform.
Here is a breakdown of the costs associated with each gear slot.
| Slot | Cosmic Flux |
|---|---|
| Bracers | 600 |
| Cloak | 600 |
| Belt | 800 |
| Boots | 800 |
| Shoulders | 1,200 |
| Gloves | 1,200 |
| Chest | 1,500 |
| Helm | 1,500 |
| Legs | 1,500 |
Tier pieces are only available in the shoulder, gloves, chest, helm, and leg slots as a reminder. Using the Creation Catalyst to transform your bracers, cloak, belt, or boots will gain different stats, but you won’t be given the tier bonus.
Additionally, the Creation Catalyst has “charges” which limit how many items you can transform each week. At release, the catalyst allowed for 1 transformation a week. As the patch progresses, it will recharge faster, allowing for more transformations.
Luckily, if you are behind, any unused charges will accumulate for you.
Where to get gear to transform in the Creation Catalyst
Unfortunately, not every piece of equipment is eligible to be converted to tier in the catalyst. Only gear earned during Shadowlands season 3 can be transformed.
More specifically, the following sources of gear can be converted into tier pieces:
- Sepulcher of the First Ones raid
- Mythic and Mythic+ items earned in Season 3
- Cosmic Gladiator Gear
- Sandworm Relic Gear (purchased in Pilgrim’s Grace, Zereth Mortis)
- Drops from World Boss Antros
Note that cypher equipment earned in Zereth Mortis is not eligible to be transformed. For players who choose not to do PvE or PvP, the only routes to earn tier are from Antros and Sandworm Relic gear.
What tier set bonuses does my class/spec get?
Each class and spec combination has its own bonus provided by tier gear. The first bonus will kick in when you have 2 pieces of the tier set. Equipping 4 items from the set will provide your second bonus.
To help you figure out what your tier bonuses are in patch 9.2, I’ve put a list for every spec in collapsible menus below:
DEATH KNIGHT TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Dreadful Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
BLOOD (TANK)
Each Heart Strike cast extends Dancing Rune Weapon by 0.5 seconds and increases Strength by 1%.
Dancing Rune Weapon summons 2 weapons and you have a chance (equal to your parry) to retaliate with Heart Strike when taking damage.
FROST (DPS)
Extra 8% Critical Strike from Remorseless Winter.
Using Killing Machine fires a Glacial Advance through your target.
UNHOLY (DPS)
Every 5 Scourge Strikes that trigger Festering Wounds will apply Soul Reaper to your target and summon a ghoul for 15 seconds.
Minions deal 10% more damage and Soul Reaper’s secondary effect is 50% stronger when it triggers.
DEMON HUNTER TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Dreadful Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
HAVOC (DPS)
Blade Dance and Chaos Strike damage increased by 20%.
Metamorphosis lasts 6 seconds longer and every 60 Fury spent reduces its cooldown by 1 second.
VENGEANCE (TANK)
Immolation Aura damage has a 10% chance to generate a Lesser Soul Fragment.
Consuming a Lesser Soul Fragment reduces Immolation Aura or Fel Devastation cooldown by 1 second.
DRUID TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Mystic Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
BALANCE (DPS)
Entering an Eclipse spawns a Fury of Elune at 20% effectiveness that follows your current target for 8 sec.
The cost of Starsurge and Starfall is 15% lower in an Eclipse.
FERAL (DPS)
Using a combo point reduces the cooldown of Berserk by 0.7 sec.
Casting Berserk causes you to strike all nearby enemies, dealing (400.25% of Attack power) bleed damage over 10 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.
GUARDIAN (TANK)
Using Barkskin causes you to Berserk for 4 sec.
You radiate (17.29% of Attack power) damage to nearby enemies and heal yourself for (25.8% of Attack power) every 1 sec while Berserked.
RESTORATION (HEALS)
Rejuvenation ticks have a 25% chance to grant Renewing Bloom which heals (20.8% of Spell power) over 8 sec. Swiftmend can consume Renewing Bloom.
Every 3 casts of Swiftmend give you Incarnation: Tree of Life for 9 sec.
HUNTER TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Mystic Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
BEAST MASTERY (DPS)
Kill Command’s critical strike chance is 15% higher for every stack of Frenzy your pet has.
Kill Command critical hits empower your next Cobra Shot or Multi-Shot, increasing the damage and cooldown reduction of Cobra Shot by 40% or causing Multi-Shot to grant an additional 6.0 sec of Beast Cleave.
MARKSMANSHIP (DPS)
Trick Shots also increase the damage of the affected shot by 30%.
Spending 40 Focus gives you 1 charge of Trick Shots.
SURVIVAL (DPS)
Kill Command resets have a 40% chance to make your next Wildfire Bomb incur no cooldown.
Wildfire Bombs deal 30% more damage (increased to 80% for bombs empowered by your 2-Set bonus).
MAGE TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (MysticToken), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
ARCANE (DPS)
Enemies affected by Touch of the Magi take 10% more Arcane damage.
Touch of the Magi’s duration is 4 sec longer and provides 25% mana regeneration for 12 sec.
FIRE (DPS)
Increases the duration of Combustion by 4 sec.
Fire Blast/Phoenix Flames recharge 50% faster while Combustion is active.
FROST (DPS)
Spells have a 25% chance of attacking your target with a Comet Storm (cannot occur more than once every 20 seconds).
Enemies hit by Comet Storm take 2% more damage from your Frost Spells, up to 10% for 8 sec.
MONK TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (ZenithToken), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
BREWMASTER (TANK)
Targets affected by Breath of Fire deal an additional 4% less damage to you.
Keg Smash deals 50% more damage, heals you for 66% of that damage, and grants 66% of Keg Smash damage dealt as maximum health for 10 sec.
MISTWEAVER (HEALS)
Essence Font’s extra healing effect increases by 5% and lasts 2 seconds longer.
Drinking Thunder Focus Tea summons a rune that increases all healing dealt while inside its bounds by 450.
WINDWALKER (DPS)
Fists of Fury deals 40% more damage.
After 10 offensive abilities, your subsequent 3 attacks deal 22% more damage.
PALADIN TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Venerated Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
HOLY (HEALS)
Using Word of Glory causes your next Light of Dawn to heal for 50% more and cast twice (Cannot happen more than once every 30 sec).
Every target hit by Light of Dawn has a 50% chance to reduce Avenging Wrath’s remaining cooldown by 2 sec.
PROTECTION (TANK)
Using Shield of the Righteous raises your Block chance by 4% for 15 secs and stacks up to 3 times.
Taking damage gives you a chance to cast Judgement at your attacker (equal to your Block).
RETRIBUTION (DPS)
Auto-attacks that proc Art of War also provide Seraphim for 4 sec.
Art of War procs have a 50% chance to reset the cooldown of Wake of Ashes instead of Blade of Justice.
PRIEST TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Venerated Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
DISCIPLINE (HEALS)
Using Power Word: Shield or Shadow Mend has a 15% chance to make your next Shadow Mend have no cost or cast time.
Power of the Dark Side boosts the effectiveness of Penance by an additional 45% and is triggered when Power Word: Radiance is cast.
HOLY (HEALS)
Holy Words begins Divine Conversation, which increases the cooldown reduction of your next Holy-Word-affecting spell by 15 sec.
Divine Conversation increases the strength of your next Holy-Word-affecting spell by 60%.
SHADOW (DPS)
Casting Devouring Plague provides a 40% chance to give you Dark Thought. Using Searing Nightmare has a 25% chance of granting Dark Thought.
Consuming a Dark Thought makes your shadow deal [(125.4% Spell power)] damage to all enemies within 10 yards of your target over 6 sec.
ROGUE TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (ZenithToken), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
ASSASSINATION (DPS)
Casting Shiv causes enemies within 15 yards to take 40% increased damage from your Poisons and Bleeds for 9 seconds.
Vendetta causes Poisons and Bleeds on your target to expire 100% faster.
OUTLAW (DPS)
Your Main Gauche also has a 25% chance of firing a Pistol Shot.
Pistol Shot loads a Hidden Bullet from your sleeves up to 6 times. After 6 bullets, your next Pistol Shot also fires Between The Eyes as though 6 combo points were spent.
SUBTLETY (DPS)
Shadowstrike has a 15% chance to proc Shadow Blades for 5 sec.
Finishing moves have a 3% per combo point chance to cast Shadowstrike at up to 5 enemies within 15 yards.
SHAMAN TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Venerated Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
ELEMENTAL (DPS)
Lava Burst deals 20% more damage, and you gain Lava Surge every 8 sec while your Fire Elemental is active.
Using Lava Burst extends the duration of your Fire Elemental by 1.5 sec. If your Fire Elemental is not active, then Lava Burst has a 20% chance to reduce its remaining cooldown by 10 sec.
ENHANCEMENT (DPS)
Consuming Maelstrom Weapon has a 3% chance per stack to summon a Feral Spirit for 9 sec.
Feral Spirits’ attacks gain a 20% chance to proc Stormbringer and reset the cooldown of Stormstrike.
RESTORATION (HEALS)
Your critical heals increase the crit chance of your next Chain Heal by 2% and stacks up to 50 times.
Your Chain Heal crits lower the remaining cooldown of one of your totems by 2 sec. Healing Stream, Healing Tide, Mana Tide, and Spirit Link Totem also cast Chain Heal when you drop them.
WARLOCK TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (Dreadful Token), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
AFFLICTION (DPS)
Malefic Rapture’s damage is increased by 25%, and each cast extends Corruption, Agony, and Unstable Affliction by 2 sec.
When Agony, Corruption, and Unstable Affliction are active, your Shadow Bolt has a 30% chance to make your next Malefic Rapture cost no shards and cast instantly.
DEMONOLOGY (DPS)
Call Dreadstalkers summons an additional Dreadstalker.
Hand of Gul’dan casts have a 15% chance (per shard) to summon a Malicious Imp. Upon death, the imp will either deal (85% of Spell power) damage to all enemies near your Implosion or will deal it to your current target.
DESTRUCTION (DPS)
Every 10 shards spent grants Ritual of Ruin which makes your next Chaos Bolt or Rain of Fire consume no shards and cast instantly.
You summon a Blasphemy for 8 sec after casting a Chaos Bolt or Rain of Fire empowered by Ritual of Ruin.
WARRIOR TIER SET BONUS (PATCH 9.2)
Obtained from Sepulchre of the First Ones raid (ZenithToken), Great Vault, or Creation Catalyst
ARMS (DPS)
Colossus Smash lasts 3 sec longer and increases the damage dealt to affected enemies by an additional 5%.
Tactician has 50% more chance to proc against enemies with Colossus Smash and causes your next Overpower to grant 2% Strength, up to 8% for 15 sec.
FURY (DPS)
Raging Blow deals 10% more damage and gains an additional charge.
Casting Raging Blow has a 20% chance to proc Recklessness for 3 sec.
PROTECTION (TANK)
Every 30 rage spent gives a stack of Seeing Red. At 8 stacks, you gain Outburst, making your next Shield Slam or Thunder Clap 200% more effective and grants Ignore Pain.
Avatar’s damage increase and reduction benefits are 10% higher, and Avatar instantly grants Outburst.
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