Mini-guide to get 635-640 ilvl once S2 starts, fully solo

Since there will be many players coming from 635+ ilvl from S1, I suspect the Premade Group Finder Boss will be more competitive at the start of this season especially as DPS. Here's a few tips that should get your ilvl more competitive for mid-level M+/Normal raids, assuming Blizzard doesn't make substantial changes, which they might.

  1. Get a 658 Cyrce's Circlet (ofc).
  2. Complete the full Undermine Campaign. Because Story Mode unlocks immediately on March 11th, it is likely that the quest to get a free Enchanted Runed Undermine Crest will also unlock at this time, which lets you craft a deterministic 658 item, although you may want to wait to see what other loot you get first. (unfortunately Sparks are limited, so can't craft a 2H weapon)
  3. Get Renown 7 with the Cartels of Undermine for Veteran Boots: if you completed the Campaign you will likely be close if not already there.
  4. Complete 4 Weekly tasks for the 4 Delve keys, plus 2 random Veteran gear. If you are doing the WQs for the Special Assignment, do them in War Mode.
  5. Do the 4 Bountiful Delves at T8 for four pieces of Champion 3/8 (642) Champion 2/8 (639) loot: since Brann's level carries over from S1, they should be straightforward if he is already leveled. Hopefully RNG is kind.
  6. Turn on War Mode and do the Sparks of War weekly for 1000 Bloody Tokens which can be traded for a deterministic non-jewelery non-trinket 4/8 Veteran (632) gear piece or two for your missing slots. Sparks of War can be obtained without PvP from looting Wax/Disturbed Earth: make sure you pick up that quest beforehand! You can get 100 Bloody Tokens for completing any WQ in War Mode if you need a few more, so 5-6 WQs for a deterministic Veteran 4/8 is pretty good. Hopefully there's a 500 Bloody Token WQ up after reset.
  7. Fill up missing slots with Enchanted Weathered Crest crafting (629) or 4/8 Adventurer (619) gear in any slot from the Delve Undercoins vendor.
  8. This is technically not solo and is optional, but win a PvP Battleground to get 9 (if unchanged) Gladiator's Heraldry: this can be used to craft up to 649 gear in any slot although your mileage may vary with crafters (4*/645 gear is the target to max out the slot for Carved Crests). You'll get enough Heraldry for 1-2 non-weapon slots.
  9. Craft your 658 item if you want.
  10. Upgrade your items with the many Weathered/Carved crests you have left.

That's the gist, obviously once you start M+/Normal Raids you'll be swimming in upgrades (e.g. can do Gilded Crest crafting once you can get into +6s reliably). But this should help get through the door.