At what level does the experience bonus from heirloom equipment stop working?

Question

After googling around and reading various forums, there is no quorum on when exp gaining experience from heirloom stops working.

I just hit level 80 on my alt, and some forums report it is level 80 - others say some work until 85, others until 81.

What's the correct answer for this since I can't find an official response from Blizzard?

Answer 1

Experience bonus and stat scaling stops when you first get to:

Level 80

• Shoulders
• Chest
• Ring
• Weapons*
• Trinkets*

Level 85

• Head
• Back

^{*These heirlooms do not provide an experience bonus, but the stats stop scaling.}

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This will still be true when Mists of Pandaria releases, so your Cataclysm heirlooms will not be worth using (for the experience bonus, at least) while leveling 85-90.

Answer 2

Heirloom experience bonus work until the level they are designed (not including the level). So for WotLK heirlooms you will stop gaining the xp bonus once you hit 80 and for Cata (cloak and helm) it will stop once you hit 85.

The reason for this is to prevent people from using heirlooms to level through new content faster or forcing them to using heirlooms when a new expansion is released.

Also the amount of stats bonus that is on gear from new expansions will most likely make up for the lost xp bonus. Also Cloak and Helm do not gain Cata level of stats before level 81, so if you can find a green helm/cloak while being level 80 it will most likely server you better until you hit 81 and the heirloom gain the expansions stats.

As of 5.2 upgraded versions of the level 80 heirlooms has been added, making them work until level 85, you can obtain them by trading in the level 80 item and some justice points.

Answer 3

The WotLK heirlooms work up to level 80. The guild obtained Cataclysm heirlooms work until level 85.