Shadow Knight BiS List for Kunark Expansion
This page is my BiS (Best in Slot) list for Shadow Knight in Classic Everquest. I created this guide in 2024 after the Tower was released, this is a new zone which is available on Progression servers and it gives you an entire set of very powerful non-vis gear in early eras. For this reason I will have a (Pre-Tower) note for some items which let you know it was BiS before Tower. This makes the BiS list still useful for private servers.
Shadow Knights will first want to get Haste on an item for the biggest dps and threat boost. After that you'll typically want AC, Stamina and HP for tanking. Getting some Intelligence and Mana will be important too since that will give you threat, damage and survivability.
Weapon Slots
Primary: Shard of Night (Overseer Dal`guur or Queen Velazul Di`zok in Chardok)
Primary (2H): Innoruuk's Curse (City of Mist Shadowknight Epic: Innoruuk's Curse Quest)
Secondary: Shield of Elders (Elder Ekron or Phara Dar in Veeshan's Peak)
Range: Idol of the Thorned (Chief RokGus in Frontier Mountains)
Ammo: Idol of the Thorned (Chief RokGus in Frontier Mountains)
Visible Slots
Arms: Blood Ember Vambraces (skeletal baron, skeletal champion, skeletal harbinger, skeletal warlord or spectral revenant in Old Sebilis)
Chest: Will of Innoruuk (The Overthere Shadowknight Epic: Innoruuk's Curse Quest)
Feet: Umbral Platemail Boots (Amygdalan knight in Plane of Fear)
Hands: Slime Blood of Cazic-Thule (Dread, Fright, or Terror in Plane of Fear)
Head: Crown of Rile (Elder Ekron or Phara Dar in Veeshan's Peak)
Legs: Blood Ember Greaves (Venril Sathir in Karnor's Castle)
Wrist (1): Spirit Wracked Cord (Spirit Wracked Cord Quest or Grand Lorekeeper Kino Shai`din in Chardok)
Wrist (2): Imperial Wardog Collar (Deathfang in Chardok)
(Pre-Tower) Non-Vis Slots
Back: Shroud of Veeshan (Elder Ekron or Phara Dar in Veeshan's Peak)
Charm: N/A
Earring (1): Yunnb’s Earring (Elder Ekron or Phara Dar in Veeshan's Peak)
Earring (2): Pearly Sarnak Bauble (Arch Inspector Nibi`zi in Chardok)
Face: Enshrouded Veil (a bottomless devourer, a mortiferous golem or Embalming Fluid in Howling Stones)
Fingers (1): Regal Band of Bathezid (Chardok Regal Band of Bathezid Quest)
Fingers (2): Di’Zok Signet of Service (Chardok Regal Band of Bathezid Quest or Di'Zok Signet of Service Quest)
Neck: Amulet of the Sphinx Eye (Plane of Sky Shadowknight Test of Bash Quest)
Shoulders: Chokidai Hide Spaulders (Deathfang, a Chokidai Fleshripper, a Chokidai Growler, a Chokidai Sniffer, a Chokidai Whelp in Chardok)
Waist: Pegasus-Hide Belt (Plane of Sky Shadowknight Test of Slash Quest)
(Tower BiS) Non-Vis Slots
This section includes the best in slot items that come from Tower (aka Tides of Time), a dungeon added in 2024 which is available on the TLP servers. You can purchase a full set of non-vis armor from Tower which gets upgrades every 10 levels. During this era of EQ the best tower gear has the prefix "Outstanding"; in order to make this gear BiS though you'll need to purchase the augs that go with it too. Each piece of gear from Tower has a slot 25, you'll need to put an aug in this slot to make the Tower gear exceptional.
If you're a melee class you'll want to use the aug with Vigorous on it. Casters will want to choose the aug with Brilliant on it.
Back: Outstanding Cloak of Distant Echoes
Charm: Outstanding Charm of Distant Echoes
Earring (1): Outstanding Stud of Distant Echoes
Earring (2): Outstanding Stud of Distant Echoes
Face: Outstanding Mask of Distant Echoes
Fingers (1): Outstanding Ring of Distant Echoes
Fingers (2): Outstanding Band of Distant Echoes
Neck: Outstanding Neck of Distant Echoes
Shoulders: Outstanding Shawl of Distant Echoes
Waist(No Haste): Outstanding Belt of Distant Echoes
Note: Allakhazam doesn't have links to this level tower gear atm, they have spotty database links to all of the Tower gear from what I have seen.
Gear Alternatives
This section includes some other gear ideas which may or may not be BiS during this era. During this early phase of EQ you can't cap all of your stats and what's BiS varies a bit depending on your situation. That's why I wanted to give you a couple more options for gear instead of only using what's best in slot.
Primary (1H): Sarnak Warhammer, Ringed Mace of the Ykesha, Noctivagant Blade, Mace of the Shadowed Soul, Lamentation or Blade of the Black Dragon Eye
Primary (2H): Soul Binder, Rod of Mourning, Polished Obsidian Great Axe, Argent Protector or Arbitor's Combine Greatsword
Secondary: Sarnak Battle Shield, Clay Guardian Shield or Atramentous Shield
Range: Idol of the Thorned
Ammo: N/A
Arms: Blood Ember Vambraces
Chest: Blood Ember Breastplate
Feet: Blood Ember Boots
Hands: Blood Ember Gauntlets
Head: Blood Ember Helm
Legs: Blood Ember Greaves
Wrists: Blood Ember Bracer
Back: Siblisian Berserker Cloak
Charm: N/A
Earrings: Earring of Essence or Black Sapphire Electrum Earring
Face: Mask of Wurms
Fingers: Platinum Fire Wedding Ring or Djarns Amethyst Ring
Neck: Necklace of Superiority or Black Sapphire Platinum Necklace
Shoulders: Obulus Mantle or Poisoned Mantle
Waist: Runed Bolster Belt, Runebranded Girdle or Pegasus-Hide Belt