Partners in Crime: First Mate Band and Missing Ring

Updated November 2, 2026

Partners in Crime is a two-ring set split across opposite ends of the leveling curve. The first half, First Mate Band, drops from Mr. Smite in The Deadmines and can be worn from level 17. The second half, Band of the Better Half, is a level 60 Epic ring with no confirmed source.

That makes the set worth understanding now and impossible to complete from a published route. Keep the early ring, use its set preview to judge the upgrade and watch for a level 60 source after launch.

• SetPartners in CrimeTwo rings
• First sourceMr. SmiteThe Deadmines
• Second sourceUnknownLevel 60 Epic
• Set bonusStrengthPlus an Angry proc

First Mate Band: Mr. Smite in The Deadmines

First Mate Band (284715) is a rare ring dropped by Mr. Smite in The Deadmines.

The ring’s stats changed on October 1: it used to give +6 Strength and +2 Stamina with a +20 Strength set bonus, and now gives +4 Strength and +5 Stamina with +22. Older guides quoting the first numbers are out of date.

Where to Find Mr. Smite

Mr. Smite waits at the ramp up to the Defias pirate ship, before Captain Greenskin and Edwin VanCleef, so you do not need to finish the whole dungeon for the ring. During the fight he stuns the party and swaps weapons as his health drops. The ring is part of his regular loot pool rather than a guaranteed drop, so plan on more than one run.

External MapInterior Map

Floors

F1F2

−+Reset

The Deadmines entrance38.2, 77.5

—

Band of the Better Half: Source Unknown

Band of the Better Half (284716) is the missing endgame partner ring. The item is in the game’s data with its full level 60 Epic stats, including Expertise Rating, but no boss, quest, vendor or world object has been confirmed as its source. That is not surprising: the beta capped characters at level 20 and later 30, far below the level 60 the ring requires.

Although its name pairs with Mr. Smite’s First Mate Band, no level 60 dungeon, raid, or pirate-themed quest chain has yet been verified as its source.

Partners in Crime Set Bonus: Plus Strength and Angry

Equip both rings and the set grants:

• +22 Strength while both pieces are equipped.
• Angry: melee swings have a chance to increase Strength by 50 for 10 seconds.

Both bonuses need both rings equipped; First Mate Band on its own gives neither. Together, the two rings and the set bonus add up to:

The flat Strength is the reliable part. It benefits Warriors, Retribution or Protection Paladins, Enhancement Shamans and other melee builds that value attack power. The proc adds a short burst window, but it does not change the fact that one ring has a level 22 item budget and the other is an endgame item.

The set is strongest when both pieces already fit your gear plan. Do not sacrifice two better ring slots just to trigger a cosmetic set name.

Is First Mate Band Worth Farming?

Yes, for a Strength character leveling through the Deadmines and the early twenties. The ring gives two useful stats, occupies a slot with few strong low-level choices and remains a required half of the set.

It is not worth endless runs for a caster, healer or Agility build. The set bonus is Strength-specific, and the missing half cannot be obtained through any known route.

If the ring drops on your first Deadmines clear, keep it. It binds on pickup, so it stays with the character that looted it: once you outgrow the slot, bank it on that character rather than disenchanting the only known half of the set.

How to Track Band of the Better Half After Launch

The source can change quickly once the live game opens more level 60 content. Use a repeatable evidence trail:

1. Check the item tooltip in game and record the current item ID and stats.
2. Search level 60 dungeon, raid and world-boss loot tables for the exact item name.
3. Check quest rewards from chains involving Mr. Smite, the Deadmines or pirates.
4. Confirm any claimed location with a screenshot showing the item source and the character’s map.
5. Update the source only when the drop, quest turn-in or vendor can be reproduced.

A database entry without a source proves that the ring exists, not that it drops.

Partners in Crime Checklist

1. Run The Deadmines for Mr. Smite. He is at the pirate ship ramp; First Mate Band is the half with a confirmed source.
2. Keep the ring even after an upgrade. It is required for the set and binds to the character that looted it, so bank it there.
3. Check both ring slots before equipping. The set needs two distinct rings, not two copies of First Mate Band.
4. Do not farm a guessed level 60 location. No source for Band of the Better Half is confirmed.
5. Record reproducible evidence after launch. A confirmed drop or quest is the only thing that can turn this partial guide into a complete route.

Where to Go Next