Summary
WoW Midnight Patch 12.1 is now live, but the first week has some important gearing restrictions. While Mythic+ and several higher-level rewards are still locked behind the Season 2 launch, players can already build a strong foundation and reach Item Level 308 gear through Mythic Zero, Veteran rewards, faction quests, Lair Bosses, and smart crest upgrades. For players also preparing their economy for Season 2, WoW Midnight Gold can be useful for supporting their gearing plans.
1. Start With Your Weekly Quests
Before farming gear, visit Silvermoon and pick up the available weekly quests.
The two most important options are:
Unity Against the Void
Fading Void Whispers
The first weekly quest you complete rewards a Spark of Tides.
Only one Spark is available during the first week, so make sure you complete at least one weekly quest before the reset.
2. Collect Free Veteran Gear
Several Midnight faction quests provide easy Veteran gear.
You can visit different reputation vendors to collect rewards such as:
Veteran Headpiece
Veteran Necklace
Veteran Belt
Crucible of Erratic Energies Trinket
These quests require you to complete specific zone events.
If you already have high Renown from Season 1, these are some of the fastest gear upgrades available.
3. Don't Forget Your Alt Characters
One useful detail is that the Renown requirement is account-wide.
That means you can complete these reputation-related quests on your other characters and obtain additional gear.
For players preparing multiple alts for Season 2, this is an excellent opportunity to raise their item level quickly.
4. Hard Mode Prey Hunts
Hard Mode Prey Hunts are another reliable source of Veteran gear during the first week.
The first two Hard Mode Hunts reward Veteran gear.
However, Nightmare Prey Hunts are not available until Season 2 officially begins.
So, use this first week to complete the available hunts and prepare your character for the next stage of progression.
5. Lair Bosses Can Drop Veteran Gear
Lair Bosses are also worth running.
They are available through the World difficulty option and can be completed with a relatively small group.
The bosses can drop Veteran gear along with other useful items.
Because the encounters are designed to require fewer traditional raid roles, they are a convenient way to add another potential gear upgrade to your weekly checklist.
6. Mythic Zero Is Your Best Gear Source
If your goal is to obtain the highest possible gear this week, Mythic Zero dungeons should be your main priority.
Every boss in Mythic Zero has a chance to drop Item Level 292 Champion gear.
More importantly, Champion gear can eventually be upgraded to Item Level 308.
Mythic+ is not available yet, so Mythic Zero is currently the best dungeon-based source of high-level gear.
7. Run Mythic Zero With the Right Group
You can improve your loot efficiency by running dungeons with players who use the same armor type.
For example, a group consisting mostly of Plate users can make Plate drops more useful for the entire group.
If someone receives a duplicate item, another group member may be able to use it.
This makes organized dungeon groups particularly valuable during the first-week gearing rush.
8. Use the Veteran Gear Upgrade Trick
Don't immediately throw away your old Veteran gear.
Veteran gear can help reduce the cost of upgrading your new Champion pieces.
Once you obtain a Champion item for the same slot, the previous Veteran piece can effectively help you progress its upgrade level while saving valuable Champion Crests.
This makes those seemingly weaker Veteran rewards surprisingly important.
Keep your old gear until you are certain you no longer need it.
9. Get Another Champion Piece From the Vault
The Vault of the Void also offers an additional gearing opportunity.
Completing the introductory quest rewards a Venom-Cursed Fragment.
Combining two fragments provides a random piece of Champion gear.
Depending on which weekly quests are available, you may be able to obtain another fragment during the first week.
10. Spend Field Accolades Carefully
Field Accolade vendors in Silvermoon now offer Season 2 gear.
You can purchase:
Adventurer gear for 200 accolades
Random Veteran gear for 500 accolades
Specific Veteran gear for 750 accolades
The specific pieces are expensive, but they can be useful for replacing your weakest item-level slots.
If you saved Field Accolades during Season 1, this is a good time to spend some of them.
11. Craft Gear to Fill Weak Slots
Crafting is another option for fixing low-level gear slots.
Adventurer Crests can raise certain crafted items to Item Level 279.
Veteran Crests can push them to Item Level 292.
However, don't spend Veteran Crests too aggressively.
You will need them for upgrading Champion gear once Season 2 begins, so saving them can provide much greater value.
12. Don't Ignore Embellishments
Crafting can also help with gear embellishments.
You can have two embellishments active at the same time, providing useful additional power.
If your existing crafted gear doesn't have strong embellishments, making two suitable Veteran pieces can be a worthwhile investment before Season 2 begins.
13. What About Delves?
Delves are available, but their rewards are heavily restricted during the first week.
Even though all 11 tiers can be played, gear rewards are capped at the Adventurer track.
However, Delves can still provide Veteran Crests, making them useful for players who need additional upgrade materials.
14. Best Week-One Gearing Priority
For the most efficient progression, follow this order:
Complete your weekly quest.
Collect all available Veteran faction gear.
Complete the first two Hard Mode Prey Hunts.
Run the available Lair Boss.
Clear every Mythic Zero dungeon.
Complete the Vault quests.
Use Field Accolades to fill important gaps.
Save Veteran Crests for Champion upgrades.
Final Verdict
WoW Midnight Patch 12.1 gives players plenty of ways to prepare before Season 2 fully opens. Mythic Zero should be your main priority for Item Level 292 Champion gear, while Veteran gear remains valuable because it can reduce future upgrade costs.
If you combine free quest rewards, Mythic Zero farming, smart crafting, and careful crest management, you can enter Season 2 with a much stronger character—and potentially push your gear toward Item Level 308 much faster. Using cheap WoW Midnight Gold can also help support your gearing plans and prepare for upcoming Season 2 expenses.
