The highest item level one-hand weapons a level 51–60 character can wear as a Mage start with Death's Sting (item level 84, epic). 100 items fit the slot and band; the top 25 are ranked here by item level, then quality, not by simulation.
| # | Name | ILvl | Req. | DPS | Speed | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Death's StingCHANGED | 84 | 60 | 66.4 | 1.80 | Dagger | Drops from C'Thun (Ahn'Qiraj) at 8.0% (vanilla) |
| 2 |  Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker | 80 | 60 | 61.8 | 1.90 | One-Handed Sword | Quest: Rise, Thunderfury! (vanilla) |
| 3 |  Blessed Qiraji Pugio | 79 | 60 | 60.6 | 1.70 | Dagger | Quest: Imperial Qiraji Armaments (vanilla) |
| 4 |  Sharpened Silithid FemurCHANGED | 78 | 60 | 59.3 | 2.30 | One-Handed Sword | Drops from Viscidus (Ahn'Qiraj) at 14.3% (vanilla) |
| 5 |  Ancient Qiraji Ripper | 77 | 60 | 58.4 | 2.80 | One-Handed Sword | Drops from Fankriss the Unyielding (Ahn'Qiraj) at 10.0% (vanilla) |
| 6 |  Fang of KorialstraszCHANGED | 76 | 60 | 57.5 | 1.80 | Dagger | Quest: Treasure of the Timeless One (vanilla) |
| 7 |  Ravencrest's Legacy | 76 | 60 | 57.4 | 2.10 | One-Handed Sword | Quest: Treasure of the Timeless One (vanilla) |
| 8 |  Runesword of the RedCHANGED | 76 | 60 | 57.3 | 2.20 | One-Handed Sword | Quest: Treasure of the Timeless One (vanilla) |
| 9 |  Shadowsong's Sorrow | 76 | 60 | 57.4 | 1.70 | Dagger | Quest: Treasure of the Timeless One (vanilla) |
| 10 | BlackguardCHANGED | 70 | 60 | 51.7 | 1.80 | One-Handed Sword | Crafted: Blacksmithing |
| 11 |  Blade of Vaulted SecretsCHANGED | 70 | 60 | 51.5 | 2.30 | One-Handed Sword | Quest: Blade of Vaulted Secrets (vanilla) |
| 12 |  Black Amnesty | 66 | 60 | 47.8 | 1.60 | Dagger | Crafted: Blacksmithing |
| 13 |  Verimonde's Last ResortCHANGED | 66 | 43.2 | 1.40 | Dagger | Quest: Superior Armaments of Battle - Exalted Amongst the Dawn (+3 more) (vanilla) | |
| 14 |  Ironwood BladeFOREVER | 65 | 60 | 47.3 | 2.40 | One-Handed Sword | Crafted: Blacksmithing |
| 15 |  MindfangCHANGED | 65 | 60 | 47.4 | 1.70 | Dagger | Sold by Rutherford Twing (Horde) (vanilla) |
| 16 | SageclawCHANGED | 65 | 60 | 47.4 | 1.70 | Dagger | Sold by Samuel Hawke (Alliance) (vanilla) |
| 17 |  The LobotomizerCHANGED | 65 | 60 | 47.2 | 1.80 | Dagger | Sold by Jekyll Flandring (+1 more) (vanilla) |
| 18 |  Dark Iron ReaverCHANGED | 65 | 60 | 42.7 | 2.40 | One-Handed Sword | Crafted: Blacksmithing |
| 19 |  Electrified Dagger | 65 | 60 | 42.5 | 1.80 | Dagger | Sold by Thanthaldis Snowgleam (Alliance) (vanilla) |
| 20 |  Glacial Blade | 65 | 60 | 42.5 | 1.80 | Dagger | Sold by Jekyll Flandring (Horde) (vanilla) |
| 21 |  Ravenholdt Slicer | 65 | 42.7 | 2.80 | One-Handed Sword | Quest: The Perfect Poison (vanilla) | |
| 22 |  Shivsprocket's ShivCHANGED | 65 | 42.7 | 1.50 | Dagger | Quest: The Perfect Poison (vanilla) | |
| 23 |  The Thunderwood Poker | 65 | 42.5 | 1.80 | Dagger | Quest: The Perfect Poison (vanilla) | |
| 24 |  Holy War Sword | 65 | 60 | 38.6 | 2.20 | One-Handed Sword | Drops from Azuregos (Azshara) at 3.1% (+181 more) (vanilla) |
| 25 | SagebladeCHANGED | 64 | 59 | 46.4 | 1.80 | One-Handed Sword | Crafted: Blacksmithing |
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 60 (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: Main Hand, Two-Hand. Every slot and level.