The highest item level shoulder armor a level 51–60 character can wear as a Priest start with Frostfire Shoulderpads (item level 86, epic). 161 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 |  Frostfire Shoulderpads | 86 | 60 | 97 | Cloth | Quest: Frostfire Shoulderpads (vanilla) |
| 2 | Plagueheart Shoulderpads | 86 | 60 | 97 | Cloth | Quest: Plagueheart Shoulderpads (vanilla) |
| 3 | Shoulderpads of Faith | 86 | 60 | 97 | Cloth | Quest: Shoulderpads of Faith (vanilla) |
| 4 |  Glacial Mantle | 83 | 94 | Cloth | Drops from Grobbulus (Naxxramas) at 20.0% (vanilla) | |
| 5 |  Mantle of the Oracle | 78 | 60 | 89 | Cloth | Quest: Mantle of the Oracle (vanilla) |
| 6 |  Ternary Mantle | 75 | 60 | 86 | Cloth | Drops from Lord Kri (Ahn'Qiraj) at 16.7% (+2 more) (vanilla) |
| 7 |  Sylvan Shoulders | 70 | 60 | 74 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 8 |  Zandalar Confessor's Mantle | 68 | 78 | Cloth | Quest: Paragons of Power: The Confessor's Mantle (vanilla) | |
| 10 |  Highlander's Epaulets | 65 | 60 | 75 | Cloth | Sold by Samuel Hawke (Alliance) (vanilla) |
| 9 | Defiler's Epaulets | 65 | 60 | 75 | Cloth | Sold by Rutherford Twing (Horde) (vanilla) |
| 12 |  Sorcerer's Mantle | 65 | 69 | Cloth | Quest: Anthion's Parting Words (+1 more) (vanilla) | |
| 11 |  Deathmist Mantle | 65 | 69 | Cloth | Quest: Anthion's Parting Words (+1 more) (vanilla) | |
| 13 |  Virtuous Mantle | 65 | 69 | Cloth | Quest: Anthion's Parting Words (+1 more) (vanilla) | |
| 15 |  Master's Mantle | 63 | 58 | 61 | Cloth | Drops from Ysondre (The Hinterlands) at 1.9% (+459 more) (vanilla) |
| 14 | Eternal Spaulders | 63 | 58 | 61 | Cloth | Drops from Ysondre (The Hinterlands) at 1.9% (+459 more) (vanilla) |
| 18 | High Councillor's Mantle | 62 | 57 | 60 | Cloth | Drops from Foreman Jerris (Western Plaguelands) at 1.1% (+451 more) (vanilla) |
| 17 | Felcloth Shoulders | 62 | 57 | 60 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 16 | Elunarian Spaulders | 62 | 57 | 60 | Cloth | Drops from Foreman Jerris (Western Plaguelands) at 1.1% (+451 more) (vanilla) |
| 24 | Mooncloth ShouldersCHANGED | 61 | 56 | 65 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 25 | Resplendent Epaulets | 61 | 56 | 59 | Cloth | Drops from Scarlet Judge (Western Plaguelands) at 1.0% (+395 more) (vanilla) |
| 19 | Flarecore Mantle | 61 | 56 | 71 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 23 |  Mantle of the TimbermawCHANGED | 61 | 56 | 65 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 22 |  Argent ShouldersCHANGED | 61 | 56 | 65 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 20 |  Mantle of ConvictionFOREVER | 61 | 60 | 71 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
| 21 | Pauldrons of ConvictionFOREVER | 61 | 60 | 71 | Cloth | Crafted: Tailoring |
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: Priest Best in Slot.
Other slots: Head, Back, Chest, Wrist, Hands, Waist, Legs, Feet. Every slot and level.