This item is acquired in-game. See its sources below.
A Rare Plate Shoulder, item level 27, requires level 21, binds when picked up. Drops from Nerub'enkan in Stratholme - Service Entrance.
| Drop | Nerub'enkan in Stratholme - Service Entrance |
|---|
First seen in build 1.15.9.68940 (Classic).
In Classic Era it is item level 61, requires level 56, Uncommon quality, sells to vendors for 1g 28s 10c and is named Acid-etched Pauldrons. In The Burning Crusade it is item level 61, requires level 56, Uncommon quality, sells to vendors for 2g 16s 7c and is named Acid-etched Pauldrons. In Wrath of the Lich King it is item level 61, requires level 56, Uncommon quality, sells to vendors for 21s 60c and is named Acid-etched Pauldrons. In MoP Classic it is item level 53, requires level 48, Uncommon quality and sells to vendors for 1g 44s 43c.
| Version | Item level | Required level | Quality | Binding | Sells for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail (Midnight) | 27 | 21 | Rare | Binds when picked up | 35g 53s 28c |
| Classic Era | 61 | 56 | Uncommon | Binds when picked up | 1g 28s 10c |
| The Burning Crusade | 61 | 56 | Uncommon | Binds when picked up | 2g 16s 7c |
| Wrath of the Lich King | 61 | 56 | Uncommon | Binds when picked up | 21s 60c |
| MoP Classic | 53 | 48 | Uncommon | Binds when picked up | 1g 44s 43c |
In the Appearances collection, Acid-Etched Pauldrons is listed as Boss Drop. Appearance ID: 3876. No other item uses this appearance, so it is unique to Acid-Etched Pauldrons.
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files.
The in-game Adventure Guide lists Acid-Etched Pauldrons in the loot of 1 encounter.
Nerub'enkan in Stratholme - Service Entrance
Also drops from this encounter (7 other items):
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files (JournalEncounterItem, JournalEncounterCreature, Achievement) and the Blizzard Game Data quest API.
Plate is the armor type Death Knight, Paladin and Warrior wear. With Strength or Intellect, Acid-Etched Pauldrons suits Arms, Fury and Protection Warrior; Holy, Protection and Retribution Paladin; Blood, Frost and Unholy Death Knight.
The 10 items nearest to Acid-Etched Pauldrons (item level 27) in item level among Armor > Plate, Shoulder slot, from item level 26 to 29.
| Item | Item Level | Requires Level | Stats | Lowest Listed Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid-Etched Pauldrons (this item) | 27 | 21 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina, +6 Critical Strike, +4 Versatility. Boss Drop | Not listed |
 Lofty Shoulder Pads | 27 | 21 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 200 gold on 55 realms |
 High Chief's Pauldrons | 27 | 21 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 375 gold on 55 realms |
 Wyrmslayer Spaulders | 26 | 20 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina, +5 Critical Strike. World Drop | 50 gold on 60 realms |
 Vanguard Pauldrons | 28 | 22 | +4 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina, +10 Critical Strike. World Drop | 872 gold on 47 realms |
 Glorious Shoulder Pads | 28 | 22 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 3,340 gold on 58 realms |
| Sunscale Spaulders | 26 | 20 | +3 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina, +4 Critical Strike. World Drop | 211 gold on 56 realms |
 Warleader's Shoulders | 29 | 23 | +8 Stamina, +3 Strength or Intellect. World Drop | 475 gold on 45 realms |
 Heroic Pauldrons | 29 | 23 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 474 gold on 59 realms |
 Exalted Epaulets | 29 | 24 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 400 gold on 54 realms |
 Grimscale Pauldrons | 29 | 24 | +5 Strength or Intellect, +8 Stamina. World Drop | 2,929 gold on 53 realms |
Warleader's Shoulders has the highest item level here (29). The lowest listed price among them is Wyrmslayer Spaulders at 50 gold in the US Auction House.
Next item levels up from Acid-Etched Pauldrons among Armor > Plate, Shoulder slot: Ripfiend Shoulderplates (item level 32), Bloodfist Epaulets (item level 32), Heaving Plates of Protection (item level 37), Pauldrons of Edward the Odd (item level 37) and Crafted Dreadful Gladiator's Dreadplate Shoulders (item level 39).
Nearest lower item levels below Acid-Etched Pauldrons among Armor > Plate, Shoulder slot: Jouster's Pauldrons (item level 22) and Saltstone Shoulder Pads (item level 22).
Built from the World of Warcraft client build files and recorded Auction House snapshots.
Acid-Etched Pauldrons uses icon file 135049, which 59 other items also use. The 8 closest by item ID:
Sparkleshell Mantle ID 13131 · Armor - Mail · item level 18Spaulders of the Unseen ID 13116 · Armor - Leather · item level 29Pads of the Venom Spider ID 13103 · Armor - Cloth · item level 21Vital Shoulders ID 14212 · Armor - Cloth · item level 20Arachnidian Pauldrons ID 14296 · Armor - Cloth · item level 27Venomshroud Mantle ID 14443 · Armor - Cloth · item level 25Keeper's Mantle ID 14669 · Armor - Leather · item level 26Blue Dragonscale Shoulders ID 15049 · Armor - Mail · item level 29Blizzard numbers items as they are created, so the named items next to ID 13533 (13528 to 13538) were usually added in the same batch as Acid-Etched Pauldrons: the same quest line, zone, vendor or reward set.
Twilight Void Bracers ID 13528 · Armor - Mail · item level 27
Husk of Nerub'enkan ID 13529 · Armor - Shield · item level 27
Fangdrip Runners ID 13530 · Armor - Cloth · item level 27
Crypt Stalker Leggings ID 13531 · Armor - Leather · item level 27
Darkspinner Claws ID 13532 · Armor - Mail · item level 27
Banshee Finger ID 13534 · Weapon - Wand · item level 27
Coldtouch Phantom Wraps ID 13535 · Armor - Cloth · item level 27
Horn of Awakening ID 13536 · Quest
Chillhide Bracers ID 13537 · Armor - Leather · item level 27Windshrieker Pauldrons ID 13538 · Armor - Mail · item level 27The raw ItemSparse values for item 13533 in the current client build.
Read from the World of Warcraft client build files: Item, ItemSparse, Lock, Holidays, AreaTable and CollectableSourceVendor.
Acid-Etched Pauldrons is in the Classic Era game data, the era World of Warcraft: Forever is built on. Blizzard describes Forever as vanilla World of Warcraft plussed up: its story sits in year one, characters level to 60 and stay there, and it launches November 4, 2026. Blizzard has not said which vanilla items appear in Forever, so nothing here is a Forever claim; it is the Classic Era record for Acid-Etched Pauldrons next to the live retail market on this page.
Read next: World of Warcraft: Forever is Classic+, launching November 4 · Forever's class revamps and new race and class combinations · Classic Era page for Acid-Etched Pauldrons
A sighting in the beta client is a fact from our own database; the launch roster is Blizzard’s to finalize. World of Warcraft: Forever launches November 4, 2026. World of Warcraft: Forever is Classic+, launching November 4
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