[Cleonicus]

Axe of Bloodstained Ice from this quest [Sindragosa's Fall] in Icecrown is a 2-handed axe with 53 Defense.

[Optimoos]

It's probably worth mentioning that Signet of the Accord - Item - World of Warcraft is a BOE drop from Sartharion and may appear on your auction house. I was lucky enough to get this drop handed to me on my first Sartharion kill, a pug.

[Blightlenox]

If you can manage to get to atleast 525 Def then you can make up for the slack with Lesser Flask of Toughness - Spell - World of Warcraft.
That covers for 15 Def or roughly .61% Crit reduction and allows you to use something like Essence of Gossamer - Item - World of Warcraft instead of maybe another piece of gear that has pretty trash stats, just for the sake of Def.

[Khue]

Maybe this is an anomaly but on BDF, the Crusader's Square Pauldrons (name?) are frequently on the AH for 40-100 gold. I thought they were a fair price for an easy upgrade. Perhaps they belong on the list?

[Ayne]

Just wanted to add in the sword I got the other night from a quest in Icecrown.

Blade of the Empty Void - Item - World of Warcraft

[funkyzafara]

When I first saw the header I thought: 'General Cider's Easy Defense Guide.' Didn't know you turned General, Cider

[Kaylos21]

Is it sad that I am using Styleen's Scarab to put me over the top for the defensive cap? LoL. Without it in my current tank gear, I am at 539, with 543.

[Joacimcans]

not sure how much of the gear you wanted to be from heroics but Horn-Tipped Gauntlets - Item - World of Warcraft are really nice from heroic Gundrak Not amazingly high for Def rating but still a nice item to grab if your looking for upgrades that drop in heroics. The same with Arcane-Shielded Helm - Item - World of Warcraft which comes from heroic Nexus. Woeful Band - Item - World of Warcraft is a nice ring upgrade with 25def rating and 31 parry rating.

[sorednbored]

Cider, I have seen 2 separate reports of the Burning Skull Pendant - Item - World of Warcraft dropping in both Normal and Heroic Gundrak.

If this it true, might want to change your statement of "This is a relatively common BOE drop from Gundrak Heroic"

[Volador]

If you choose to pick up Titansteel Shield Wall - Item - World of Warcraft , I'd highly suggest either making it yourself or buying the mats and tipping a BS. I thought I'd skip the last 10 points of BSing and buy one off the AH. 4k BO for the shield, 650-700 BO for the mats.

[Theomach]

Source: Volador If you choose to pick up Titansteel Shield Wall - Item - World of Warcraft , I'd highly suggest either making it yourself or buying the mats and tipping a BS. I thought I'd skip the last 10 points of BSing and buy one off the AH. 4k BO for the shield, 650-700 BO for the mats.

I wish I had your server economy - I just paid 300g for one frozen orb last night. Titansteel is still between 300-400g as well (I just got mining to 450 last night, so I made my first titansteel bar.) I'm thinking prices will come down as time goes on and the newness of LK wears off, but I'm too impatient to wait.

[wrynn]

Frankly, I found myself at the 540 mark before I realized I had it. I went to chardev.org and made a nice profile and ideal gear set for pre-Naxx and while I now only have about half the gear I had on this list, I find myself sitting at 542 def. using items I didn't even know existed.

Just play the game and you'll be set sooner than you think. Don't sit around trying to target specific drops. If there is one thing I've learned in the last 3 years of playing, its when you are trying to will a drop to fall that it'll never come.

As an aside:

Source: Kaylos21 Is it sad that I am using Styleen's Scarab to put me over the top for the defensive cap? LoL. Without it in my current tank gear, I am at 539, with 543.

Never doubt the power of the Scarab. My Draenai Warrior went into a BWL pug at like lvl 66 and walked out with Styleen's. Biggest "go to" gear I've ever had. Used it all the way up to BT when I replaced it with Shadowmoon Insignia. I would go back to it now if I wasn't at the Uncrittable mark in Def.

[Kaylos21]

Source: wrynn Never doubt the power of the Scarab. My Draenai Warrior went into a BWL pug at like lvl 66 and walked out with Styleen's. Biggest "go to" gear I've ever had. Used it all the way up to BT when I replaced it with Shadowmoon Insignia. I would go back to it now if I wasn't at the Uncrittable mark in Def.

Definitely my longest serving peice of gear, as I got it when my old guild first started clearing BWL (when it was first patched in). Never imagined it would be useful to me for so long. Will replace it once I get that 111 stm trinket. I can easily get over 540 without, I have just been procrastinating enchanting my gear until I am sure I have some gear that will not easily be replaced without raiding.

[Studley]

Thought on Bracers. I'm perpetually Low on gold, Cobalt Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft these may be a better option for the broke tank. 300 armor, 3 stam, 2 str and 3 d rating less then the saronite ones. Extremely(spelling i know) less expensive.
Studley

[Alazin]

Its not mcuh, but for Horde Death Knights its the only current 2 hander that can have defense on it.

Sword of Justice - Item - World of Warcraft

The socket is where you can get what you need, JC's can put 27 defense gem or non JC'c can put the 14's / hybrids like 8def 12 sta.

[samhein]

Cider great guide there is one more chant its a 12 def to bracer its a rare bc drop

[uncaringbear]

Great guide, and a much needed one. I would suggest adding some of the rewards from regular quests. Some of the items have very nice stats, and a couple come to mind:

Gauntlets of Vigilance
this is obtained from the quest "The Reckoning"

The Crusader's Resolution
This is a reward from the quest "The Crusaders' Pinnacle"

Blade of the Empty Void
Reward from the quest "Tirion's Gambit"

I am sure there are more that should be included in the list.

Keep up the great work!

[th3ufo]

i tried to find any info about comparing +32 Stamina and 2% Increased Armor Value from Items meta vs. +21 Defense Rating and +5% Shield Block Value, but found nothing, can anyone please explain why is first meta choosen for raids, does it provide so much dmg reduction that covers 5% blocked damage?

[Edgar]

I would guess that the 2% armor value is more mitigation than the 5% Block Value just because you don't block every attack, but armor mitigates every hit you take.

The Block Value one seems to be more for a threat set of gear.

I hope I used the terminology right.

[Palehead]

I got my DK uncrittable without too much trouble, as some others have pointed out you can use the +def wrist enchant and get a smith to craft you a belt buckle and use a +def gem. As a DK i miss out on +Def weapons, shields and ranged slot, but I took BS and socketed Glove and Bracer for def, unfortunately the glove and bracer slots make the items soulbound so no good to include in guide most BS stuff is BoE this time round so there's some nice gear to be had if you know a friendly Smith