World of Warcraft sorts armor into four types: cloth, leather, mail, and plate. In current Retail, Blizzard’s class pages place Mage and Priest in cloth, Druid and Rogue in leather, Shaman in mail, and Paladin and Warrior in plate. Shields are a separate equipment category that some classes can also use. The current Retail armor entries for Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Evoker, Monk, Hunter, and Warlock are not stated in this guide, because Blizzard’s current class pages for those classes could not be confirmed when this article was written. The Classic-era lists are covered separately below and should not be applied to Retail.
The four armor types
Each armor type is a proficiency tier. A class can wear its listed type and the lighter tiers beneath it, but not the heavier ones. Plate is the heaviest tier and cloth the lightest. Blizzard’s class pages identify one core armor type per class, so the table below uses that wording.
Current Retail armor by class
The table covers the Retail classes whose current Blizzard class pages state an armor type. Shield entries are shown in their own column.
| Class | Armor type (current Retail, Blizzard class page) | Shields listed on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Mage | Cloth | No |
| Priest | Cloth | No |
| Druid | Leather | No |
| Rogue | Leather | No |
| Shaman | Yes | |
| Paladin | Plate | Yes |
| Warrior | Plate | Yes |
| Death Knight | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
| Demon Hunter | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
| Evoker | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
| Monk | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
| Hunter | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
| Warlock | Not stated (current class page not confirmed) | Not stated |
Classes with verified current entries
- Mage and Priest (cloth): the lightest tier, shown on Blizzard’s current class pages for both classes.
- Druid and Rogue (leather): the middle-light tier, shown on Blizzard’s current class pages for both classes.
- Shaman (mail): the middle-heavy tier. Blizzard’s current Shaman page also lists shields.
- Paladin and Warrior (plate): the heaviest tier. Both Blizzard class pages also list shields.
Classes whose current armor is not stated here
Six Retail classes are missing from the table above: Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Evoker, Monk, Hunter, and Warlock. Their current armor entries have not been confirmed from Blizzard’s live class pages, so this guide does not assign them an armor type. The Classic-era lists for Hunter and Warlock below do not carry over to Retail. Check the class page on Blizzard’s official site, or the class proficiency information in the game, for the current answer.
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Shields are a separate equipment type
Shields are not a fifth armor category. Blizzard lists them on the Shaman, Paladin, and Warrior class pages as equipment those classes can use alongside their core armor type. A Shaman, for example, is a mail class that can also equip shields. Shields do not change which armor type a class is assigned in the table above.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Classic-era armor and level requirements
Blizzard’s 2019 Classic starter guide lists armor options for the nine original classes. It describes Classic, not current Retail, so the entries below should be read only for that version.
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| Class | Armor options listed in the 2019 Classic starter guide |
|---|---|
| Druid | Cloth, Leather |
| Hunter | Cloth, Leather, Mail |
| Mage | Cloth |
| Paladin | All |
| Priest | Cloth |
| Rogue | Cloth, Leather |
| Shaman | Cloth, Leather, Mail |
| Warlock | Cloth |
| Warrior | All |
Level gating has also changed over time. Blizzard’s Legion beta patch notes state: “Hunters and Shaman can now equip Mail armor from level 1 (down from level 40).” The same notes state: “Warriors and Paladins can now equip Plate armor from level 1 (down from level 40).” These are historical leveling changes from that beta. They do not describe the current Retail class pages.
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Using this guide for your character
- Confirm your game version first. Retail and Classic use different armor lists.
- For a Retail class with an entry above, the listed armor type is the core tier for that class, and shields apply only to the three classes that list them.
- For a class marked “not stated,” use Blizzard’s current class page or the in-game class information rather than an older guide.
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