The highest item level shoulder armor a level 11–20 character can wear as a Hunter start with Magician's Mantle (item level 25, rare). 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Magician's MantleCHANGED | 25 | 20 | 32 | Cloth | Drops from Eroded Anubisath Warbringer (The Barrens) at 1.9% (+403 more) (vanilla) |
| 2 |  Slime-encrusted PadsCHANGED | 25 | 20 | 32 | Cloth | Drops from Mutanus the Devourer at 33.3% (vanilla) |
| 3 |  Forest Leather Mantle | 25 | 20 | 64 | Leather | Drops from Sever (Shadowfang Keep) at 20.0% (+548 more) (vanilla) |
| 4 | Prospector's Pads | 25 | 20 | 64 | Leather | Drops from Humar the Pridelord (The Barrens) at 1.6% (+527 more) (vanilla) |
| 5 | Rawhide Shoulderpads | 25 | 20 | 58 | Leather | Found in Large Iron Bound Chest (Gnomeregan) at 1.2% (+315 more) (vanilla) |
| 6 |  Reinforced Woolen ShouldersCHANGED | 24 | 19 | 28 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 7 | Feral Shoulder Pads | 24 | 19 | 60 | Leather | Drops from Marcus Bel (The Barrens) at 0.9% (+146 more) (vanilla) |
| 8 |  Pagan Mantle | 24 | 19 | 27 | Cloth | Drops from Branch Snapper (Ashenvale) at 1.4% (+148 more) (vanilla) |
| 9 | Shimmering Amice | 24 | 19 | 27 | Cloth | Drops from Swinegart Spearhide (The Barrens) at 6.6% (+184 more) (vanilla) |
| 10 | Serpent's ShouldersCHANGED | 23 | 18 | 68 | Leather | Drops from Lady Anacondra (Wailing Caverns) at 33.3% (vanilla) |
| 11 | Ritual Amice | 23 | 18 | 26 | Cloth | Drops from Lady Vespira (Darkshore) at 0.8% (+139 more) (vanilla) |
| 12 |  Scouting Spaulders | 23 | 18 | 59 | Leather | Drops from Jimmy the Bleeder (Alterac Mountains) at 8.6% (+177 more) (vanilla) |
| 13 | Rugged SpauldersCHANGED | 22 | 17 | 67 | Leather | Drops from Rethilgore (Shadowfang Keep) at 100.0% (vanilla) |
| 14 | Double-Stitched Woolen ShouldersCHANGED | 22 | 17 | 27 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 15 | Bandit Shoulders | 22 | 17 | 58 | Leather | Drops from Taskmaster Whipfang (Stonetalon Mountains) at 7.8% (+174 more) (vanilla) |
| 16 | Buccaneer's Mantle | 22 | 17 | 26 | Cloth | Found in Large Iron Bound Chest (Gnomeregan) at 1.2% (+151 more) (vanilla) |
| 17 | Mystic's Shoulder Pads | 22 | 17 | 26 | Cloth | Drops from Deepmoss Matriarch at 0.3% (+143 more) (vanilla) |
| 18 | Brocade Shoulderpads | 22 | 17 | 24 | Cloth | Found in Large Iron Bound Chest (Gnomeregan) at 1.2% (+315 more) (vanilla) |
| 19 | Aboriginal Shoulder Pads | 21 | 16 | 25 | Cloth | Drops from Sludge Beast (The Barrens) at 1.5% (+137 more) (vanilla) |
| 20 | Inscribed Leather Spaulders | 21 | 16 | 56 | Leather | Drops from Galak Mauler (Thousand Needles) at 1.3% (+165 more) (vanilla) |
| 21 | Lupine Mantle | 21 | 16 | 56 | Leather | Drops from Sludge Beast (The Barrens) at 1.0% (+138 more) (vanilla) |
| 22 | Seer's Mantle | 21 | 16 | 25 | Cloth | Found in Large Iron Bound Chest (Gnomeregan) at 1.2% (+157 more) (vanilla) |
| 23 |  Bashing Pauldrons | 20 | 15 | 55 | Leather | Drops from Haren Swifthoof (Loch Modan) at 100.0% (vanilla) |
| 24 | Canvas Shoulderpads | 20 | 15 | 23 | Cloth | Found in Armor Crate (The Barrens) at 3.3% (+322 more) (vanilla) |
| 25 | Patched Leather Shoulderpads | 20 | 15 | 52 | Leather | Found in Armor Crate (The Barrens) at 3.3% (+323 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 20 (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: Hunter Best in Slot.
Other slots: Head, Back, Chest, Wrist, Hands, Waist, Legs, Feet. Every slot and level.