World of Warcraft: Forever is finally out. Its full release brought major changes to many beloved classes. Some classes got major support and buffs, while others got nerfs. Whether you are a returning player or brand new, knowing which classes to start with can greatly enhance your experience in WoW: Forever. This tier list aims to do just that.
WoW: Forever Class Tier List
Paladin, Mage, Hunter, Warlock
Priest, Shaman
Rogue
Druid, Warrior
Tier List Explained
This tier list focuses on the class as a whole rather than individual specializations, though specs still factor into its ranking. Classes that are easier to get into and have consistent power scaling will generally rank higher than those that don't. Each class will be graded on these criteria:
Specializations
Having more than one meta or competitive spec significantly boosts a class's ranking.
Leveling
Easier leveling experience ranks the class higher.
Solo or Group Viability
Some classes struggle in solo play while others excel in a group setting, and a handful can do both. If a class can reliably do both, it will generally rank higher.
S Tier - Meta Classes
Paladin
The Paladin received tons of love in Forever. A lot of the issues that held this class and its specs back were addressed, turning a suboptimal pick into a group-play powerhouse. Blessing of Salvation is more than enough to earn it an S-tier spot. It's extremely capable as a tank and equally proficient as a healer, while still outputting a decent amount of damage. However, the class is outshined by others during leveling. Death is almost a non-factor thanks to the class's innate durability, but it does come at the cost of clear speed and efficiency. This means clearing packs of enemies can take much more time and effort.
Mage
Mages have consistently landed in the top tiers thanks to their kit. They are one of the best, if not the best, for AoE clearing. Beyond dealing tons of AoE damage, mages provide amazing team utility and can be used effectively in solo play. Each spec does something really well while still being capable of much more. Frost is the best at utility, Fire scales amazingly with Crit, and Arcane just does tons of damage.
Hunter
Hunter received some of the most comprehensive changes in World of Warcraft while keeping its unmatched status as the best Solo class. It's an extremely versatile class, capable of dealing consistent ranged damage, serving as a fully capable melee class, or even using a pet to deal tons of damage. All three hunter specs are viable and extremely fun and engaging to play. This class also offers one of the easiest leveling experiences, thanks to pets soaking up damage and letting you clear packs of enemies extremely efficiently.
Warlock
The Warlock class is one of the best to pick, thanks to amazing specs, serious damage and sustain, and enjoyable damage loops. Warlock has 3 specs: Demonology, Affliction, and Destruction, all of which are amazing specs to get into. One of the best changes to this class is being able to deal crit DoT damage; this makes Malevolence and Pandemic invaluable in the late game. Separating Banes and Curses transforms the class from a utility bot into a fully self-sustaining DPS machine.
A Tier - Strong Classes
Priest
Holy Priests still provide some of the best heals in the game, while Shadow Priest is one of the best PvP classes. However, Priests struggle to output consistent damage while leveling and require a lot of finessing to clear groups of enemies.
Shaman
Enhancement Shamans can use the Windfury totem, which skyrockets melee teams' DPS. Shamans have extremely strong group-play viability, but their leveling experience suffers from inconsistent damage output and the need for strong Mana sustain.
Why Priest and Shaman Share A Tier
Priest and Shaman both share the same strengths and weaknesses. Both classes are amazing at supporting the team. Holy Priests still provide some of the best heals in the game, while Enhancement Shamans can use the Windfury totem, which skyrockets melee teams' DPS. Both classes have extremely strong group-play viability, and Shadow Priest is one of the best PvP classes. However, leveling these two classes is abysmal. Both struggle to output consistent damage, with Priests requiring a lot of finessing to clear groups and Shamans needing strong Mana sustain.
B Tier - Average Classes
Rogue
Rogues deal tons of damage; unfortunately, that's all they can do. In a game where group play is incentivized, a class that specializes in dealing damage without much utility feels like a liability. While they're less desirable for raids and other group activities, playing Rogue solo is extremely fun and rewarding. Stealth essentially dictates when the fighting starts and lets you clear mobs with relative ease.
C Tier - Lacking Classes
Druid
Druids suffer from the jack-of-all-trades syndrome where they are decent at everything but amazing at nothing. They are outclassed by specialized classes in any field, whether it's DPS, tanking, or even healing. The main benefit of choosing Druid is that soloing is relatively enjoyable. Druids have a wide variety of tools to make mob farming and pulling a stress-free experience.
Warrior
Warriors have it rough and are a paradox. They have the worst solo leveling experience because of their gear dependency and lack of movement spells. This could be offset by great sustain, but sadly the Warrior lacks that too. When properly geared and backed by a decent healer or support, this class can deal tons of damage. Prot Warriors are some of the best raid tanks, and Fury Warriors can deal strong single-target damage. But to reach endgame raiding and content, players have to endure one of the worst solo leveling experiences, which makes this class a paradox.
