The highest item level chest armor a level 21–30 character can wear as a Mage on the Horde side start with Elder's Padded Armor (item level 35, uncommon). 137 items fit the slot and band; the top 25 are ranked here by item level, then quality, not by simulation.
| # | Name | ILvl | Req. | Armor | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 |  Tuxedo Jacket | 35 | 30 | 44 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 4 |  White Wedding Dress | 35 | 30 | 44 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 1 |  Elder's Padded Armor | 35 | 30 | 46 | Cloth | Drops from Vile Sting (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+418 more) (vanilla) |
| 2 |  Elder's Robe | 35 | 30 | 46 | Cloth | Drops from Vile Sting (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+418 more) (vanilla) |
| 7 |  Earthen Vest | 34 | 29 | 46 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 6 |  Durable Tunic | 34 | 29 | 46 | Cloth | Drops from Vile Sting (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+418 more) (vanilla) |
| 5 |  Durable Robe | 34 | 29 | 46 | Cloth | Drops from Vile Sting (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+418 more) (vanilla) |
| 10 |  Resilient Tunic | 33 | 28 | 45 | Cloth | Drops from Heartrazor (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+371 more) (vanilla) |
| 9 |  Resilient Robe | 33 | 28 | 45 | Cloth | Drops from Heartrazor (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+371 more) (vanilla) |
| 8 |  Green Silk ArmorCHANGED | 33 | 28 | 45 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 11 |  Sage's Cloth | 32 | 27 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Heartrazor (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+385 more) (vanilla) |
| 12 |  Sage's Robe | 32 | 27 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Heartrazor (Thousand Needles) at 1.1% (+386 more) (vanilla) |
| 16 | Robes of the Shadowcaster | 31 | 26 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Dark Iron Shadowcaster (Arathi Highlands) at 0.6% (+1 more) (vanilla) |
| 15 |  Raincaller Vest | 31 | 26 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+470 more) (vanilla) |
| 14 | Raincaller Robes | 31 | 26 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+470 more) (vanilla) |
| 18 |  Silver-thread Robe | 31 | 26 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+485 more) (vanilla) |
| 13 | Death Speaker RobesCHANGED | 31 | 26 | 48 | Cloth | Drops from Death Speaker Jargba (Razorfen Kraul) at 33.3% (vanilla) |
| 17 | Silver-thread Armor | 31 | 26 | 44 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+484 more) (vanilla) |
| 24 |  Dark Green Wedding Hanbok | 30 | Miscellaneous | Sold by Geenia Sunshadow (+2 more) (vanilla) | ||
| 22 |  Watcher's Jerkin | 30 | 25 | 43 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+470 more) (vanilla) |
| 23 |  Watcher's Robes | 30 | 25 | 43 | Cloth | Drops from Dragonmaw Battlemaster (Wetlands) at 1.1% (+470 more) (vanilla) |
| 20 | Nightwalker Armor | 30 | 25 | 43 | Cloth | Drops from Nightbane Tainted One (Duskwood) at 0.4% (vanilla) |
| 19 |  Azure Silk Vest | 30 | 25 | 43 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 21 |  Robes of ArcanaCHANGED | 30 | 25 | 43 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 25 |  Ivycloth Robe | 29 | 24 | 42 | Cloth | Drops from Brontus (The Barrens) at 1.3% (+449 more) (vanilla) |
Ranked by item level, then quality, among items with a known source: gear nothing drops, sells, rewards or makes yet (raids not yet open, the client's test items) is left out. The class filter keeps what the class can equip at level 30 (armor type, weapon skill, Dual Wield, the item's own class limit); the side filter drops items that only the other side's vendors and quests offer. Source: the best known drop first (a Forever rate at 10+ loots, else the vanilla 1.12 chance), then vendors, quest rewards and the profession that makes it. Reviewed picks: Mage Best in Slot.
Other slots: Head, Shoulder, Back, Wrist, Hands, Waist, Legs, Feet. Every slot and level.