Ranking the Liberation of Undermine tier set looks from best to worst

The Liberation of Undermine is the raid in patch 11.1, and each of the 13 current World of Warcraft classes is getting a signature armor set. Time to don the Spaulders of Fashion Critiquing and evaluate each ensemble so you know which looks are worth writing home about. Keep in mind that with four raid difficulty levels and two PVP sets, each of these transmog options will come in six different color variations.

One overarching note is that none of these outfits really feel at home in a season when goblin culture is getting such a major focus. Not every single tier set across the decades has conformed to the theme of the raid that it comes from, but there is often a connection with at least some of the pieces. The Sparks of Violet Rebirth fit in with the destruction of Dalaran, Dragon Soul’s tier sets included nods to the different aspects, and I could list many more that are on point with the vibe of the raid or current world events.

You would expect the Liberation of Undermine armor to have more gears, or bombs, or anything that would tie it to our wily green compatriots. Alas, these looks feel disconnected at best, and leftover from previous content cycles at worst (I’m looking at you, Mages).

Let’s take a look at the fashion of The War Within Season 2, starting as always with this season’s best.

So good it’s kind of scary

Death Knights immediately make an impression with the Cauldron Champion’s Encore (above left). The skeletal vibe and the screaming skulls are incredibly on point for a soldier of darkness. The helm’s glowing eyes are a nice touch, but I am most in awe of those horns. Did the Death Knight craft them out of the spines of their enemies?

The Spliced Fiend-Trader’s Influence (above center) is what Warlocks will be wearing in Season 2, and it works. There is a fantastic array of colors across the six sets, a horrifyingly stitched-up headpiece, and just the right amount of unnecessary spiky bits. The shoulders are what seals this set’s place in the top tier. Take a look in-game or at the 3D model, because those chattering maws are on fire.

The thing I like most about the Roots of Reclaiming Blight (above right), the Druid set, is that all of the adornments really skirt the line between bone and root. This armor looks like it grew around the wearer, rather than being put on one piece at a time at the summoning stone. I don’t know what animal the shoulders are supposed to represent, but I kind of like that air of mystery.

Solid looks for any occasion

The Paladin armor, Oath of the Aurate Sentry (above left), has great detail in the featherwork and multiple lion heads. The glowing eyes in the helm look just a little too evil for me to give it top-tier status. You can catch Priests in the Confessor’s Unshakable Virtue (above, second from left) around Undermine, which features intricate ropework and dazzling gems. I waffled on the extremely distinct headgear before deciding that it works from every angle except directly behind, where it appears too much like it was crafted out of leftover Darkmoon Top Hats. And wait… are those socks and sandals?

Currents of the Gale Sovereign (above, second from right) is the Shaman ensemble, and it radiates elemental power. The animations on the various globes are striking, and the sharp lines make up for the overall effect of being slightly top-heavy. Evokers will be receiving the Opulent Treasurescale’s Hoard (above right), which pops with its swirling glow effects but fails to truly rise above the other similar outfits that we’ve seen our Dracthyr allies wear since their debut.

You’re going to raid in that?

Warriors are taking on the appearance of angry armadillos with the Underpin Strongarm’s Muscle (above left). I do like a lot of the elements — unique belt, mean-looking helm, earthy tones. I am struggling to get past the cute little clawed booties. Demon Hunters are looking like a Warden, a pit lord, and a fel reaver had their luggage mixed up with the Fel-Dealer’s Contraband (above right). Most of the color schemes look really sharp, but it does give an aura of trying to be too many things at once.

The Jewels of the Aspectral Emmisary (above center), seen on Mages in Undermine, might be the most striking appearance of the season. Who are our frostbolt-slinging allies trying to be? The headpiece has echoes of Vyranoth, the gloves look like they were custom-fitted for Thanos, and the whole ensemble wouldn’t be too far off a gritty anime version of Big Bird. Nevertheless, as a long-time Mage, I don’t dislike it enough to put it on the bottom.

Mistakes were made… fashion mistakes.

One of the things that will land any tier set on the bottom of my rankings is constantly forgetting which class it belongs to. This season’s Hunter outfit, the Tireless Collector’s Bounties (above left), looks a bit like some spare Mage robes and Death Knight accoutrements went through the wash together. I like the swept-in angle of the shoulderpads a lot, but I think that the pointed-up toes are some of the strangest footwear we’ve seen in a while.

The Ageless Serpent’s Foresight (above center) is what we’ll see Monks wearing once patch 11.1 drops, and it’s a lot to digest. The feet, hands, and wrists are superb, and I love the detailed ropework. The headpiece is admirably ambitious, but ultimately feels slightly too much like the sculpted face and impressive hair are mismatched. Also, if you think you’re going to walk around Undermine barefoot for the next six months without developing some sort of nasty foot rash, you’re dreaming.

Rogues look like how I feel after another six weeks of Plunderstorm in the Spectral Gambler’s Last Call (above right). I don’t mind the smoky pirate look that much, but it does look like their Leatherworker exhausted their budget before getting to the gloves or pants, and that’s what the Rogue was wearing when they showed up to the tier set photoshoot.

And with that, I’ll hang up my Pauldrons of Fashion Critiquing for the season. I’m impressed by the sheer daring in a lot of these looks, and as always I’m in awe of the numbers. When you look back at the nine ensembles from Molten Core and reflect on the 78 looks that we’re getting in Liberation of Undermine… well, it makes me very happy to be a transmog fiend.

So which of these sets do you think are built to blast, and which will you be leaving in the gutters of the Goblin capital?

Originally published February 13, 2025. Updated March 17, 2025.