Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm PvP DPS tier list! We will rank each DPS class available for expansion and explain each class’s position on the tier list. This tier list is currently updated for Phase 2 of Cataclysm Classic.
 |  Feral Druid |  MM Hunter |  Subtlety Rogue |  Fire Mage |  Aff Warlock |  Ret Paladin |
 |  Unholy DK |  Arms Warrior |  Shadow Priest | Balance Druid | ||
 | Frost Mage |  Enh Shaman | Frost DK | Ele Shaman | Assassin Rogue | |
 | Destro Warlock | Demo Warlock | BM Hunter | Fury Warrior | ||
 | Combat Rogue | Survival Hunter | Arcane Mage |
- Feral Druid (S-Tier)
- Marksmanship Hunter (S-Tier)
- Subtlety Rogue (S-Tier)
- Fire Mage (S-Tier)
- Affliction Warlock (S-Tier)
- Retribution Paladin (S-Tier)
- Unholy Death Knight (A-Tier)
- Arms Warrior (A-Tier)
- Shadow Priest (A-Tier)
- Balance Druid (A-Tier)
- Frost Mage (B-Tier)
- Enhancement Shaman (B-Tier)
- Frost Death Knight (B-Tier)
- Elemental Shaman (B-Tier)
- Assassination Rogue (B-Tier)
- Destruction Warlock (C-Tier)
- Demonology Warlock (C-Tier)
- Beast Mastery Hunter (C-Tier)
- Fury Warrior (C-Tier)
- Combat Rogue (D-Tier)
- Survival Hunter (D-Tier)
- Arcane Mage (D-Tier)
The first and second phases of Cataclysm Classic are defined by the PvP Season 9, featuring many exciting battles throughout Azeroth, in both the Open World and the beloved Battlegrounds and Arenas. While Season 9 is fairly similar to what we were used to back in the Retail Cataclysm, some of the specializations perform far better than expected, with many dominating both Battlegrounds and the Arena Ladder.
Besides the main ranking system which gauges how capable a specialization is: Overall Performance, Survivability, CC & Utility, and Gameplay Difficulty, there are two main things to take into consideration when placing a Specialization in the Tier List. The main thing to take into consideration is that all specializations tend to work in a “Counter System. This means that each specialization has both specific weaknesses and specific strengths against another specialization. While you may be extremely skilled at playing your Class/Specialization, other Specializations may have specific mechanics that can be used to break your rhythm and undermine your performance. One clear example would be the fight between an Unholy Death Knight and a Caster such as an Affliction Warlock. While the Affliction Warlock is extremely tanky and has a lot of survivability, the Unholy Death Knight has the necessary tools to counter the Warlock, resulting in a swift demise.
The second thing to take into consideration is Line of Sight. Caster Specializations are far more subjected to the LoS mechanics, especially when it comes to specializations such as Destruction Warlock or Frost Mage that require Hard-Casting. As such, many Caster Specializations can be at a disadvantage due to the terrain they find themselves in. LoS afflicts Melee Specializations as well but in a slightly different manner. While Melee Specializations are at an advantage when it comes to LoS since their abilities are Instant Casts, a Caster Specialization may use a combination of Stun, Root, Fear, and Slow abilities to utilize LoS to their advantage, either slowly chipping away at a Melee Specialization’s HP or completely bursting them down in mere moments while they attempt to reach the Caster.
The PvP DPS Tier List is a rough estimate based on the current Arena Ladder placements and overall performance observed both in Battlegrounds and Arenas. Due to the Human Error component and the individual player skill involved in high-end PvP content, Tier S through B is highly relative, with only a few select specializations ranking higher than the other specializations
S-Tier
The S-Tier represents the most powerful classes in the current meta – those with the highest damage, survivability, crowd control, and utility. These specializations are usually encountered consistently both in Battlegrounds and Arenas.
Feral Druid
Uh la la! That is the most accurate thing we can say about Feral Druids, simply put, they are absolute monsters. While Feral Druid struggles in PvE, the complete opposite is true in PvP, where the Feral demolishes a large majority of other specializations.
As an overall performance, Feral Druid simply has it all, it possesses high amounts of Direct Damage, high amounts of DoT (Bleed) Damage, a large amount of survivability, utility tools, and crowd control tools. It can outmaneuver and outplay a large majority of other classes all while offering diversity when it comes to the way it plays. Feral Druids are amazing in Open World duels and Arenas, however, they do struggle in Battlegrounds if they don’t manage to find isolated targets.
Their damage is so high, that they are often brought into Burst-types arena comps, such as the notorious “Kitty Cleave” and “Jungle Cleave” team comps that rely on heavily damaging a single target in 5-10 seconds. They also pair extraordinarily well with some Caster Specializations and fit well in comps such as “FLS”. Alternatively, if they face comps that are hard to burst down, Feral Druids can easily place DoTs on targets and utilize LoS to severely harm their opponents while remaining safe.
In terms of survivability, Feral Druids can simply quickly shift to Bear Form to soak a large chunk of damage while also having access to defensive abilities such as Enraged Regeneration and Survival Instincts to keep them alive. Feral Druids are also masters of engaging and disengaging combat, making it easy for them to simply retreat and heal themselves in case the situation demands it. Furthermore, the Predatory Strike talent allows them to quickly instant cast Healing Spells, making them quite adept at self-sustain. Although they are quite amazing at surviving, Feral Druids received a considerable nerf with the change to their Shapeshifting, with the act now no longer removing Rooting Effects, only Slowing Effects.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Feral Druids are usually considered to have an unfair advantage when compared to other specializations. The most annoying and at the same time, most cherished CC ability in their kit is Cyclone. With many arenas being generally defined by a well-timed instant-cast Cyclone, Feral Druids are often unstoppable. They can also use Skull Bash and Bash to control their enemies, stunning and interrupting them.
However, Feral Druids are plagued by one major issue, their overall gameplay difficulty! The Feral Specialization is considered to be one of the most difficult ones to play properly in PvP, due to their large number of abilities. Since their kit is overloaded with all manners of tools, the Specialization can quickly feel overwhelming when compared to others, with many players struggling to play it properly. Feral has the most difficult learning curve by far and is considered to be the hardest Specialization to master in Cataclysm.
Marksmanship Hunter
Finding themselves in a similar position with Feral Druids where they are weak in PvE but absolute monsters in PvP, Marksmanship Hunters are one of the most surprising specializations for the S-Tier. Although their spot is rather unexpected by some, the MM Hunter fans truly waited a long time for this moment to arrive, as the Specialization is absolutely insane in terms of damage output.
As an overall performance, Marksmanship Hunter possesses a decently high amount of survivability, plenty of utility & crowd control, and insane amounts of damage. The specialization stands out in all possible venues, including Open World, Battlegrounds, and Arenas, showcasing an extremely strong performance.
Most of their damage comes from instant-cast spells such as Cobra Shot, Arcane Shot, and Kill Shot, yet their pet also deals a considerable amount of damage. The specialization is amazing for kiting, having many mechanics that can use LoS to its advantage. However, Marksmanship is not renowned for long-lasting fights, instead preferring to burst down any enemy. For arenas, they pair extremely well with other burst specializations such as Feral Druid, Fire Mage, Enhancement Shaman, and Arms Warrior, with the most well-known comp being “Jungle Cleave”.
Although they fare extremely well in Arenas, Battlegrounds are another story entirely. Marksmanship Hunters dominate Battlegrounds, along with a few other specializations such as Affliction Warlocks and Balance Druids, as they simply abuse their mobility and kiting skills to sit in the back lines and wreak havoc among the enemy lines.
In terms of survivability, Marksmanship Hunter has a large number of traps that can be used to slow or root enemies while Scatter Shot and Disengage offer them the option to maneuver around and reposition themselves or kite enemies easily. They also keep their amazing Deterrence, giving them a slight invulnerability window that can be used to avoid burst attempts. Furthermore, Cobra Shot now works as a self-healing tool, healing a small percentage of their HP, which quickly adds up considering its short cooldown.
In terms of Crowd Control and utility, Marksmanship Hunters have the staple Ice Trap, Freezing Trap, and Silencing Shot at their disposal, yet they also gain a new tool in Cataclysm, Widow Venom, which now adds “Healing Reduction” to a Marksmanship Hunter’s arsenal. However, while they do have plenty of tools at their disposal, their overall range of Crowd Control spells is relatively small compared to other specializations.
Since they have access to Readiness, Marksmanship Hunters can either refresh their defensive tools or burst sequence on-demand, making them a truly terrifying foe.
Lastly, Marksmanship Hunters have one of the easiest learning curves for most players, with the difficulty increasing only in high-rated arena matches, as those scenarios require good coordination between proper trap use and offensive cooldowns to ensure successful burst windows.
Subtlety Rogue
Do you like to cause pure despair in your enemy’s mind and have them sit still for what feels like ages? Pick a Subtlety Rogue! Subtlety Rogues are one of the strongest Melee Specializations in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, showcasing a truly spectacular performance.
In terms of overall performance, the changes that Rogue received have boosted Subtlety by miles ahead of its previous version, receiving a potent self-sustain tool, a lot more Crowd Control, and an even higher damage output. Subtlety Rogues are considered kings and queens in Arenas and the Open World, yet they struggle in Battlegrounds whenever they are outnumbered.
They are notorious for being one of the most annoying and resilient foes to deal with, having a kit specifically made to stick to their targets no matter how much they attempt to escape. Subtlety Rogues pair extremely well with other specializations that have heavy Crowd Control tools such as the well-known Mage/Rogue and Discipline Priest/Rogue comps. They are also extremely good in 3v3 arenas, with “RMP” and “RLS” being regarded as some of the most powerful and hard-to-deal-with comps.
Subtlety Rogues are known for their consistent damage output and their very strong burst window through the use of Shadow Dance, although they do tend to prefer longer fights at higher-rated arenas as they tend to struggle with one-shotting targets due to their dependency on their allies.
While they were regarded as squishy targets back in WotLK with Evasion being their only potent defensive tool, Subtlety Rogues became exceedingly hard to kill in Cataclysm due to Recuperate. Since they consistently have this effect active on them, they can now go toe-to-toe with many specializations that were considered unbeatable for them.
When it comes to Crowd-Control and Utility, Subtlety Rogues have an engorged kit filled with all manner of tools, ranging from interrupts and incapacitating effects such as Kick, Gouge, Blind, and Sap to powerful stuns such as Cheap Shot and Kidney Shot, and even target-obscuring effects in Cataclysm such as Smoke Bomb. They also possess a variety of poisons that can provide effects such as Slow Effects or Healing Reduction.
In terms of Gameplay Difficulty, Subtlety Rogue sadly faces a similar fate with Feral Druids. Their kit is overloaded with abilities, making it quite difficult for inexperienced players to deal with it. As the learning curve is quite rough, with many high-rated Subtlety Rogues often planning their combo 5 to 10 seconds ahead right before engaging a target, the specialization is clearly not newbie-friendly. Additionally, learning to play the specialization is one thing, but mastering it is another thing entirely, with players required to sink in a large number of hours before they can confidently respond and properly react to the situations that they’ll find themselves in.
Fire Mage
Setting the world ablaze seems far more likely to happen in Cataclysm Classic, as Fire Mages gain an S spot on the Tier List thanks to the overhauls they receive.
In terms of overall performance, Fire Mages have been elevated to an absurdly powerful status quo, with the abilities and changes that come with Cataclysm making them a force to be truly reckoned with. While they were considered Hard-Casters in WotLK, Fire Mages can now cast Scorch while moving thanks to Firestarter, offering them an insane amount of mobility. Furthermore, the reworks to Combustion and Impact allow them to one-shot targets if Shatter procs are ensured as well. With their newfound insane burst damage, Fire Mages dominate Open World duels and Arenas. Although their performance is amazing in those situations, their performance in Battlegrounds is rather situational depending on what kind of comp they face and if they are outnumbered or not. However, thanks to Combustion and Impact, they can deal massive amounts of AoE damage if there are several enemies packed together in a small to medium radius.
Fire Mages pair extremely well with other classes that can deal heavy burst damage or classes with high crowd control, with Discipline Priest and Subtlety Rogue being preferred partners for 2v2. In terms of viability, Fire Mage is seen throughout the entirety of the ladder, ranging from low-rating to even the first few hundred top-ranked players, with many mages standing out as terrifying enemies to deal with. They fit very well in notorious comps such as “RMP”, “MLS”, and “Godcomp”.
In terms of survivability, Fire Mages have a few quirks up their sleeve, but compared to their damage output, their overall survivability is rather laughable, with only one Ice Block cast in their arsenal and Cauterize to save their butts in case they take heavy damage. Their high mobility allows them to somewhat kite their targets, although they rely on pure damage to win fights quickly since they are extremely squishy.
As for Crowd Control and Utility, Fire Mage has all the Crowd Control that’s available to all Mage Specializations, such as Polymorph, Frost Nova, and Ring of Frost, while also bringing one additional unique effect, Dragon’s Breath. Dragon’s Breath is extremely potent since it’s an instant cast that can be used for reliable CC-lock sequences.
Lastly, in terms of Gameplay Difficulty, Fire Mage is not hard to play by any means, but it is plagued by one concept that may make or break a specific encounter, namely RNG. Since Fire Mage is so reliant on good RNG, Fire Mages must make sure that they fully utilize the Shatter mechanic which can be quite difficult to properly execute in tense moments where an enemy attempts to burst you down.
Affliction Warlock
Lo and behold, the kings and queens of curses and malevolent magic, Affliction Warlocks. A staple DoT class, Affliction Warlocks occupy the S-Tier as one of the strongest and sturdiest Caster Specializations in Cataclysm Classic.
In terms of overall performance, Affliction Warlocks are somewhat hard to pinpoint as there are several things to take into consideration. In terms of Battlegrounds, as long as they are not targeted, they are utter monsters that deal extreme amounts of damage by Multi-Dotting as many targets as possible. In terms of Arenas, they are heavily dependent on their partner, as Affliction Warlocks don’t fare well without healers. Even if they are extremely resilient, they require a healer to perform properly, as their self-sustain is often not enough given the abundance of Healing Reduction effects in Cataclysm. Lastly, in the Open World, Affliction Warlocks’ performance vastly depends on the matchup they face, with some matchups counting as hard counters while others are seen as favorable or even easy matchups. Most of their value comes from the ability to consistently pressure all targets with a multitude of DoTs, making it very difficult to survive against them in long-lasting matches.
Affliction Warlocks have the same toolkit they possessed in WotLK, with a few minor additions in Cataclysm such as Fel Flame which serves as an instant cast damaging tool and DoT extension tool, and Demon Soul which acts as a strong offensive cooldown. This means that Unstable Affliction and Corruption remain the most potent spells in their toolkit, although the addition of Fel Flame now allows them to be somewhat mobile as they can move and upkeep Unstable Affliction once it’s initially placed. Furthermore, Soul Swap is a new tool that allows them to Snapshot empowered DoTs and transfer them to an additional target, empowering their overall AoE pressure.
Affliction Warlocks pair extremely well with Restoration Shamans, Restoration Druids, and Discipline Priests, preferring them as partners for 2v2. For 3v3, they are part of some of the most well-renowned comps such as “Shadow Cleave”, “MLS”, “LSD”, and “FLS”, being consistently encountered throughout the entirety of the ladder, ranging from low-rating to the top spots.
In terms of Survivability, Affliction Warlocks are definitely the most resilient Caster Specialization in the entire game, having Fel Armor, Siphon Life, and Drain Life as their main sustain tools. They also have access to Death Coil and Healthstones which can also be used to heal a considerable amount of HP in tough situations.
As for Crowd Control & Utility, Affliction Warlocks started the “DotDoTFear” meme, spamming Fear as their main CC tool. They also have an instant cast Howl of Terror and Death Coil, however, Howl of Terror shares a Diminishing Return effect with Fear, meaning that careful use of the ability is advised. The main utility tools that Affliction Warlock brings are Dark Intent and Unstable Affliction. While the former is a simple buff, the latter, Unstable Affliction, is the overpowered effect, as it is used to safeguard debuffs and discourage or even prevent Dispel effects.
Lastly, Affliction Warlock is a difficult class to play, having an overloaded kit, with many abilities seeing play, even if they seem unlikely to be ever used. While Affliction Warlock may seem easy to play at a beginner level, an Affliction Warlock who desires to reach a high ranking needs to learn proper positioning and have an extreme situational awareness to properly make use of his/her vast tool kit. Two clear examples would be the use of Banish and Unending Breath, with Banish being a necessary tool against other Warlocks and Mages while Unending Breath serves as an additional buff that prevents the purge/dispel of a more important buff.
Retribution Paladin
Retribution Paladins receive massive overhauls in Cataclysm Classic, making them a force to be truly reckoned with since the addition of Holy Power. They currently occupy an S-Tier spot in Season 9, having an incredible Burst Damage output and a kit filled with self-sustain and defensive/utility tools.
In terms of overall performance, Retribution Paladins wreck their enemies in all possible scenarios, ranging from Open World duels to Battlegrounds, and Arenas. While they are extremely strong at the current moment, they are subjected to the same counter system, meaning that certain classes such as Arms Warrior, Enhancement Shaman, and Unholy Death Knight tend to prove difficult for them to beat. In Battlegrounds, they fare very well while assisted by their allies but they quickly fall off if they are outnumbered. In Arenas, they tend to prefer partners that can compliment their heavy Burst Damage, with Death Knights, Enhancement Shaman, Marksmanship Hunter, and Arms Warrior being their preferred partners. Since they now have access to Rebuke, and a vastly superior burst sequence, they can also choose hybrid healers such as Discipline Priests who can aid them with healing, damage, and crowd control.
Thanks to the new Holy Power system, Retribution Paladins deal great amounts of damage in mere moments by combining abilities such as Zealotry, Templar’s Verdict, and Crusader Strike. They also gain access to a very powerful offensive cooldown, Guardian of Ancient Kings which further allows them to melt their enemies.
In terms of survivability, you can forget the old Flash of Light spam as Word of Glory replaces it while The Art of War was also reworked to only affect Exorcism. Word of Glory provides incredible sustain to Retribution Paladins while tools such as Divine Protection, Divine Shield, and Hand of Protection still play a huge role.
As for Crowd Control & Utility, some of the abilities were overhauled, with Aura Mastery no longer being part of a Retribution Paladin’s kit, however, many of their old abilities from WotLK stand true, such as Hand of Freedom and Hand of Sacrifice. They keep their Hammer of Justice and Repentance, but they finally receive a well-deserved interrupt, Rebuke!
Lastly, Retribution Paladins have an extremely easy learning curve when it comes to their overall Gameplay Difficulty! The specialization is rather easy to pick up when compared to other specializations. Although being overall easy to understand and to properly play, it is true in some regards that the specialization can become complicated when facing certain foes such as Unholy Death Knights or Affliction Warlocks where some of their abilities need to be kept for critical moments. One clear example would be the proper use of defensive abilities such as Hand of Protection and Divine Protection in specific moments to avoid burst phases instead of using the abilities in a moment of panic.
A-Tier
The A-Tier represents strong DPS specializations that offer a great amount of damage, crowd control, and utility, but don’t have the best damage or the highest survivability. They will be encountered fairly often, yet they are not seen consistently.
Unholy Death Knight
Unholy Death Knights find themselves in an amazing spot in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, delivering a very strong performance.
In terms of overall performance, Unholy Death Knights have a plethora of effects that are great for almost any type of scenario, with a specific focus on countering Caster Specializations. They excel in open-world duels, Battlegrounds, and Arenas, being able to either deal heavy Single-Target Damage or spread diseases with the new Outbreak and Pestilence combos in team battles. They pair very well with a multitude of classes but they excel the most when paired with Retribution Paladins, Holy Paladins, Restoration Shamans, and Discipline Priests. There are a few comps that Unholy Death Knights are renowned for, among which, are the notorious “Vanguard” and “Vanguard Cleave”.
Their damage output also received a huge buff in Cataclysm with new abilities such as Dark Transformation and Outbreak, allowing them to pressure their enemies even more.
In terms of survivability, Unholy Death Knights have access to Icebound Fortitude, Death Pact, Anti-Magic Shell, Anti-Magic Zone, and even Lichborne if they choose so. They also have a strong self-sustain tool through the use of Death Strike, although spamming it does reduce their overall damage output by quite a lot as they are not able to use any other abilities if they are forced to self-heal consistently.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Unholy Death Knights bring Desecration and Ebon Plaguebringer as their main unique effects besides the normal Death Grip, Strangulate, and Chains of Ice. Furthermore, Unholy Death Knights have access to Necrotic Strike, a new ability that provides healing absorption, being available to all Death Knight specializations. This serves as an anti-healing tool since they don’t have access to any real Healing-Reduction tools.
Lastly, as for their Gameplay Difficulty, Unholy Death Knights are actually the hardest Death Knight Specialization to properly play, as their kit is far more overloaded than the other two available specializations while they also have to deal with the pet mechanic. While Unholy Death Knights may be proficiently played at low-ranked brackets without a lot of knowledge, at higher-rating, Unholy Death Knights need to know how to properly manage their runes in order to avoid creating a disastrous situation for themselves.
Arms Warrior
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Arms Warriors find themselves in a worse spot compared to WotLK in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, as they receive a few nerfs that dampen their overall performance.
In terms of overall performance, Arms Warrior continues to deal incredible amounts of damage while also receiving some new toys, yet its pressure is not as strong as it used to be. This is mainly due to the nerf that Mortal Strike received, paired up with a plethora of new similar abilities that dampen can be used against Arms to decrease its survivability. Furthermore, Arms Warrior had its burst potential slightly reduced, even with the addition of new powerful abilities such as Colossus Smash and Deadly Calm. Nonetheless, Arms Warriors still pair incredibly well with Holy Paladins, Retribution Paladins, Feral Druids, Discipline Priests, and Restoration Shamans. For 3v3, they are most renowned for the “Thunder Cleave” and “Kitty Cleave” comps, where they make use of their high Burst Damage in both AoE and Single-Target to wreck targets.
In terms of survivability, Arms Warrior is sadly lacking when compared to other Melee Specializations. It can go into Defensive Stance and tank for a while but at the end of the day, all who choose Arms require a healer to be truly effective. What saves Arms Warrior in this aspect is its overall great mobility, with Juggernaut providing enormous value and maneuverability.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Arms Warriors bring Throwdown, Mortal Strike, Blood Frenzy, and Trauma alongside their iconic “Shouts”. They do not necessarily excel in this department when compared to other A-Tier or S-Tier specializations, but they do make up for it with raw damage.
Lastly, Arms Warrior is fairly easy to grasp and master, especially with enough practice. Some players may tend to all in and LoS their healer which can be a grave mistake, but with enough matches, such mistakes can be easily corrected.
Shadow Priest
Shadow Priests receive a rightful place in the A-Tier in Season 9, with the mention that they become way stronger as the expansion progresses.
In terms of overall performance, Shadow Priests can be considered the Jack-of-all-Trades of Caster Specializations, offering a bit of everything. They bring high Single-Target Damage, the possibility to Multi-Dot, a plethora of Utility and Crowd Control spells, and even the potential to Off-Heal. Although they have such a strong kit, their overall performance can be impacted by the same issue that plagues other Caster Specializations, the major lack of Haste Rating. They tend to pair extremely well with a multitude of classes, but they excel the best with Affliction Warlocks, Fire/Frost Mages, Feral Druids, and Marksmanship Hunters. They also do very well when paired with Restoration Shamans. As for renowned 3v3 comps, Shadow Priests are part of a multitude of comps such as “Godcomp”, “Shadowplay”, “Shatterplay”, and “Thug Cleave”.
In terms of survivability, Shadow Priests can self-sustain themselves with a plethora of healing spells if the need arises but they also have a great amount of passive self-healing through Vampiric Embrace. They can also use Dispersion as a major defensive cooldown to mitigate all manners of burst sequences, which allows them quite a comfortable amount of safe play.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Shadow Priests bring a few unique effects besides the general effects available to all Priest Specializations, namely Vampiric Embrace and Vampiric Touch. Their most potent Crowd Control tools are Mind Control and Psychic Scream.
Lastly, for their overall Gameplay Difficulty, Shadow Priests have a relatively easy learning curve, however, they do tend to get much more complicated as you climb through the ladder. Being pitted against more skilled opponents forces Shadow Priest to learn proper LoS mechanics and movement mechanics, forcing the player to adopt a kiting playstyle as Hard Casting is simply not acceptable.
Balance Druid
Balance Druids are in for a treat with the arrival of Cataclysm, as their kit was majorly overhauled with a lot of goodies coming their way! They currently earn the A-Tier spot, however, with their performance being stronger later on during the expansion.
In terms of overall performance, Balance Druids better known as “Boomies” are an extremely tough enemy to deal with. They have great instant cast Single-Target damage and amazing AoE capabilities while also having a large amount of Crowd Control, Mobility, Utility, and Survivability. The only issue with Balance Druids that keeps them in check at the current state of the expansion is the overall low stats that the equipment offers. Additionally, while they are technically able to spam instant casts, they also require a fair bit of Hard Casting which is quite troublesome in Season 9 where Melee Specializations are stronger. They pair extremely well with other Hybrid Specializations that can provide strong damage and off-healing, being best paired with Shadow Priests, Affliction Warlocks, Restoration Shamans, and Subtlety Rogues. For 3v3 they are notoriously part of the “LSD” comp and other minor comps that involve Rogue, Priest, and Warlock.
Their main damage comes from Moonfire and Sunfire spam but also from the brand-new Wild Mushroom spell. They also fully benefit from the overhauled Eclipse mechanics. They also gain Starsurge as a major offensive ability.
In terms of survivability, Balance Druids benefit a great deal from multiple effects, ranging from their Moomkin Form to the ability to shapeshift in Bear Form to soak a large chunk of damage and use Enraged Regeneration. Balance Druids are also extremely adept at running and resetting fights, having extremely strong healing capabilities.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Balance Druids have an extremely overloaded kit. Their Crowd Control is vast, ranging from Faerie Fire to the new Solar Beam which acts as an area Silence, to the renowned Cyclone, Typhoon, and Entangling Roots. They can also use Skull Bash and Bash to control their enemies, stunning and interrupting them. Their Utility is also incredible, being able to provide spells such as Innervate, Moonkin Aura, and the Earth and Moon effect besides a vast range of direct healing spells and HoTs.
Lastly, Balance Druids are considered among the hardest specializations to master due to their extremely overloaded kit and the necessity of permanent kiting. They also required extensive knowledge of LoS mechanics, especially with the new Wild Mushroom ability which can be used to further exploit LoS.
B-Tier
The B-Tier represents specializations with considerable damage potential but lackluster crowd control and utility. Their survivability is also somewhat mediocre, having only a few defensive abilities. You will encounter those specializations fairly often in Battlegrounds but they will be much more of a rare sight when compared to the A-Tier and S-Tier.
Frost Mage
Many players have long awaited the arrival of Cataclysm to spam those juicy Shatter combos on their enemies, yet, they will find that Frost Mage is currently sitting in a weaker position than expected in Season 9. Frost Mage is plagued by an issue that is recurrent for some of the Caster Specializations, namely the dependency on Hard Casting and Haste Rating.
In terms of overall performance, if Frost Mages are allowed to sit still and Hard Cast, their damage quickly adds up, performing extremely well in all possible scenarios, ranging from Open World duels to Battlegrounds, and Arenas. However, the reality is that most Frost Mages quickly find that they are either LoSed consistently or perpetually Silenced or Interrupted, making their life often a living hell. Nonetheless, their damage output with big Shatter crits is nothing to scoff at, especially when combined with their plethora of CC and high survivability. Just like in the case of Fire Mage, Frost Mages pair extremely well with Discipline Priest and Subtlety Rogue for 2v2 while also fitting perfectly in the “RMP”, “MLS”, and “Godcomp” 3v3 comps.
Survivability-wise, they have access to double Ice Block thanks to Cold Snap and the beloved Ice Barrier. They are by far the tankiest Mage Specialization, albeit they do rely on proper kiting to survive against heavy hitters and burst-type specializations.
As for Crowd Control and Utility, Frost Mage has all the Crowd Control that’s available to all Mage Specializations, such as Polymorph, Frost Nova, and Ring of Frost, while also bringing one additional unique effect, Deep Freeze. They also gain further CC through the use of their Water Elemental, gaining one additional Nova spell.
Lastly, Frost Mage is by far easier to play than the other two Mage Specializations when considering its overall kit, as it’s not so RNG-reliant. Although the kit is designed in a much simpler manner, the issue with the requirement to Hard Cast persists in Arenas, making it quite hard to properly perform in high-rated matches.
Enhancement Shaman
Enhancement Shamans find themselves in the B-Tier due to one major issue, a lack of survivability. While the specialization has the potential to deliver tremendous Burst Damage in mere moments, if the burst sequence fails, most Enhancement Shamans are doomed to a swift death.
As for their overall performance, most Enhancement Shamans choose to pair themselves with other burst-heavy classes in Arenas, making them quite a serious threat in low-rating and medium-rating matches. They fit perfectly well in double DPS comps for 2v2, although they struggle against DPS/Healer comps at high-rating. As for 3v3 comps, Enhancement Shaman works best in burst comps such as “Turbo Cleave. In Open World duels, Enhancement Shamans can make quick work of most foes thanks to their burst sequence, although they do struggle in Battlegrounds, especially when outnumbered.
Their kit remains the same, with Stormstrike, Feral Spirit, Windfury Weapon, and Lava Lash remaining their main damaging tools while also gaining one new potent ability, Unleash Elements.
In terms of survivability, Enhancement Shamans are considerably weaker than other burst-type specializations since they only have access to Shamanistic Rage as a heavy-duty defensive cooldown. However, they do retain the Grounding Totem and Earthbind totem which slightly aid them in surviving longer.
In terms of Crowd Control and Utility, Enhancement Shamans have access to Hex, Frost Shock, and Wind Shear as their main CC tools while bringing a large amount of Utility which is similar to Paladins. Their kit is overloaded with a lot of utility tools that come in the form of Totems, making it a bit more difficult to manage than the utility provided by Paladins.
Lastly, in terms of Gameplay Difficulty, Enhancement Shamans can be classified as “easy to learn but extremely hard to master”. The main reason for this is that their burst sequence is easy to execute but their totem management system and overall positioning/reduced survivability make it very difficult for a player to master the specialization. As such, many Enhancement Shamans quickly dominate the lower-end brackets where they can easily one-shot an enemy in a double DPS comp but they really struggle in high-rated Arena matches.
Frost Death Knight
Frost Death Knights are somewhat mediocre in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, as they land themselves in the B-Tier with no sign of escaping it too soon.
In terms of overall performance, Frost Death Knights are somewhat of a jack of all trades, having decent survivability, decent burst damage, decent sustained damage, and decent crowd control. They tend to perform well in all manner of encounters, ranging from duels to Battlegrounds to Arenas, but they do not excel at anything in particular. They are universally compatible with a plethora of specializations but they do tend to work best with heavy burst-type specializations or healers such as Arms Warriors, Feral Druids, Holy Paladins, and Marksmanship Hunters.
Most of their kit remains the same, with the exception of one huge buff, the removal of Howling Blast‘s cooldown, making them excel even more at dealing AoE damage, especially in Battlegrounds
In terms of survivability, Frost Death Knights have access to Icebound Fortitude, Death Pact, Anti-Magic Shell, Lichborne, and Pillar of Frost which allow them to mitigate a large variety of effects. They also have a strong self-sustain tool through the use of Death Strike, although spamming it does reduce their overall damage output by quite a lot as they are not able to use any other abilities if they are forced to self-heal consistently.
In terms of Crowd Control & Utility, Frost Death Knights bring a few unique effects. They can entrap enemies in ice with Hungering Cold, although it can be interrupted if not used properly. They bring unique utility effects such as Improved Icy Talons which are extremely good for Melee-centric comps or Hunter-centric comps while they are also able to root their enemies thanks to Chilblains. Furthermore, Frost Death Knights have access to Necrotic Strike, a new ability that provides healing absorption, being available to all Death Knight specializations. This serves as an anti-healing tool since they don’t have access to any real Healing-Reduction tools.
Lastly, Frost Death Knights have a very easy learning curve, making it one of the easiest specializations to master in Cataclysm Classic. As their kit is relatively simple, the specialization is recommended for beginners who wish to practice climbing the ladder.
Elemental Shaman
Elemental Shamans have it tough in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, as they are considered one of the worst specializations to master or climb the ladder with.
In terms of overall performance, Elemental Shaman is plagued by the same issue that many Caster Specializations have, the requirement for Hard Casting. Although they do have this issue, it is not as prevalent as it is for other Caster Specializations since Elemental Shamans have an extreme amount of mobility and the ability to cast some of their spells while moving. However, even with the ability to cast and move, they are extremely susceptible to Crowd Control such as Interrupts and Silence effects.
While they are great in Battlegrounds where they can freely cast, they struggle in open-world duels and Arenas. They often require a hybrid Healer/DPS partner or a burst-type DPS, pairing well with Balance Druids, Fire Mages, Shadow Priests, and Retribution Paladins or Discipline Priests.
As for their survivability, Elemental Shamans have considerably dropped when compared to WotLK! While they were amazing back in the day, they now seriously struggle with most encounters. This is because their self-healing is not as strong as it used to be while Astral Shift is no longer part of their kit. Since they don’t have any real defensive cooldown apart from Thunderstorm which can be used as a knockback, Elemental Shamans are extremely vulnerable to Burst Damage.
Even if their survivability dropped considerably, their Single-Target Burst potential remains absolutely astonishing, with Elemental Shamans now being considered “true” Glass Cannons in most environments. Fulmination and Unleash Elements turn Elemental Shaman into a very dangerous Caster Specialization if left unchecked.
When it comes to their Crowd Control and Utility, Elemental Shamans have all the tools that Enhancement Shamans possess such as Hex, Frost Shock, and Wind Shear. Their kit is overloaded with a lot of utility tools that come in the form of Totems, with one addition, the Totemic Wrath effect, which turns their Fire Totems into sources of Spell Power.
Lastly, Elemental Shamans are one of the toughest Caster Specializations to play, as not only their kit is overloaded with Utility Tools, Damaging Spells, and Healing Spells, but due to their very low survivability, they are required to learn proper movement, and positioning, and LoS usage even more than other Caster Specializations.
Assassination Rogue
Assassination Rogues are very strong in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, yet they are far away from their true potential, landing themselves in the B-Tier.
Considering their overall performance, Assassination Rogues are generally strong, performing well in all possible scenarios, including Open World Duels, Battlegrounds, and Arenas. Their damage is mostly Magical, now having access to powerful new offensive and utility tools with the arrival of Cataclysm, but they do suffer from one general issue. The overall stats of the gear in Season 9 hold them back from their true potential, with Subtlety Rogues taking the spotlight completely. Assassination Rogues pair extremely well with the same type of arena partners that Subtlety Rogues do, preferring partners such as Fire Mage, Feral Druid, Discipline Priest, and Retribution Paladins. Just like Subtlety Rogues, they are also extremely good in 3v3 arenas, with “RMP” and “RLS” being regarded as some of the most powerful and hard-to-deal-with comps.
In terms of survivability, Assassination Rogues have access to Evasion and Recuperate just like the other Rogue Specializations, but they also have easy access to Quickening which vastly improves all healing they receive.
When it comes to Crowd-Control and Utility, Assassination Rogues have a kit filled with all manner of tools, ranging from interrupts and incapacitating effects such as Kick, Gouge, Blind, and Sap to powerful stuns such as Cheap Shot and Kidney Shot, and even target-obscuring effects in Cataclysm such as Smoke Bomb. They also possess a unique effect that vastly empowers their allies, Master Poisoner, which renders all targets they poison vulnerable to Magic Damage.
Lastly, in terms of Gameplay Difficulty, they share the same fate as Subtlety Rogues and Combat Rogues, having an overloaded kit that requires a tremendous amount of practice before true mastery can be achieved.
C-Tier
The specializations that make up the C-Tier are on the weaker side, having low amounts of survivability, while also dealing moderate damage. The main issue with the specializations in the C-Tier is that they are either on the weak damage output side or they are extremely reliant on Gear or specific gameplay gimmicks.
Destruction Warlock
Destruction Warlocks find themselves in a tough spot in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic as the spec has great potential, but is plagued by the current gear where Haste Rating is scarce, being stuck with the necessity to stay still and Hard Cast as a result.
In terms of overall performance, Destruction Warlock surely packs a punch, with Chaos Bolt and Conflagrate dealing great damage in all types of scenarios, whether we talk about Open World Duels, Battlegrounds, or Arenas. Although they do have a high amount of damage and their somewhat tanky nature, the necessity to sit still and Hard Cast makes them viable only in Battlegrounds. They pair well with other burst-type casters such as Fire Mage and Elemental Shaman, but due to the nature of their kit, they require extremely good positioning to actually pop off. In their current state, they are not viable for specs 3v3 comps such as “FLS” and “MLS”, but their overall viability and performance will rise as the expansion unfolds and Haste Rating becomes much more available.
Their survivability is decent, albeit the weakest when compared to the rest of the Warlock specializations. Aftermath protects them from Melee Specializations by offering them a chance to daze and kite them while Nether Ward and Nether Protection give them a decent amount of survivability against any type of Caster Specialization. Additionally, Fel Armor allows them to turn their damage into consistent damage, while Drain Life may be used in tight situations to save themselves while they await a potent heal.
As for Crowd Control & Utility, Destruction Warlocks use Fear as their main CC tool. They also have Howl of Terror and Death Coil, however, Howl of Terror shares a Diminishing Return effect with Fear, meaning that careful use of the ability is advised. Additionally, Destruction Warlocks maintain their iconic unique CC, namely Shadowfury. This stun is useful against any type of enemy, being especially good for setting up other CCs.
Since they are so reliant on sitting still and Hard Casting, Destruction Warlocks are quite difficult to play properly in Arenas due to the knowledge requirement of proper positioning and movement. Even if their kit is by far the easiest when it comes to the Warlock Specializations, players will struggle in Season 9 until they acquire more Haste Rating later on in the expansion. Even with this major weakness, Destruction Warlocks are extremely easy to play while sitting still in the back lines of a Battleground, making it quite a fun specialization to farm Honor Points with.
Demonology Warlock
Demonology Warlocks received some of the most interesting overhauls and overall buffs to their spec, but they somehow find themselves in the C-Tier due to the same issue that plagues Destruction Warlock, the lack of Haste Rating and Hard Casting requirement. Furthermore, Demonology’s playstyle is considered the hardest to successfully pull off when considering all the Warlock Specializations, with many simply preferring the overpowered Affliction Warlock instead.
In terms of overall performance, Demonology Warlocks received a massive buff to Metamorphosis, making them a force to be truly reckoned with as the ability now grants them a massive percent damage buff to all of their abilities. If properly played, Demonology Warlocks manage to excel in both Open World duels and Arenas, although they pale in comparison to Destruction and Affliction Warlocks in Battlegrounds as they are cooldown-reliant. As they depend on their offensive cooldowns and the major burst they can inflict, they tend to pair well with other burst-type specializations in Arenas such as Enhancement Shaman, Elemental Shaman, Retribution Paladin, and Fire Mage.
In terms of Survivability, they are extremely hard to kill by Physical Damage Dealers thanks to Metamorphosis while also benefitting from all the standard spells that Affliction and Destruction Warlocks have in their kit such as Fel Armor, Drain Life, Death Coil, and Healthstones.
Demonology Warlocks have the same general types of Crowd Control & Utility that Affliction Warlocks and Destruction Warlocks possess such as Fear, Howl of Terror, and Death Coil. They also have two unique CC effects: Axe Toss which acts as a stun through the use of the Felguard and Aura of Foreboding which acts as a Root/Stun through the use of Hand of Gul’Dan.
Additionally, Demonology Warlocks provide Demonic Pact, which is a well-beloved unique effect for any Caster-heavy comps, both for Arenas and Battlegrounds.
Lastly, Demonology Warlocks are very difficult to master from a Gameplay Difficulty perspective. While they do have a lot of CC & Utility tools in their kit paired up with a strong hybrid cooldown, their dependency on Hard Casting often forces players to learn proper positioning and proper timing. Failing to do so can easily result in losing precious seconds of Metamorphosis, and more often than not can result in being CC-locked and killed as a result.
Beast Mastery Hunter
Beast Mastery Hunters are definitely not in a great spot in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, as the specialization feels completely underwhelming considering it is primarily made for PvP content.
In terms of overall performance, their damage feels okay but it simply can’t compete with the burst offered by other specializations, even if the specialization is designed around strong offensive cooldowns. In this sense, not only do their Marksmanship brethren perform way better at bursting down targets but Beast Mastery Hunters seem to lack the tools when compared with many other stronger specializations. A huge weakness that places them in such a low-tier is ironically their dependency on their pets. While their Bestial Wrath is extremely strong, making their pet immune to CC during its duration, their pet is susceptible to being killed quite easily. At higher-rated Battlegrounds and Arenas, players simply learnt to get rid of a BM Hunter’s pet quite fast, especially if a team battle is involved. Nonetheless, they do tend to perform very well in one-on-one scenarios as their pets can be used to dish out great damage while they safely kite around or reposition themselves to abuse LoS mechanics.
Where they do seem to shine a bit though is their overall survivability. In terms of survivability, Beast Mastery Hunter has a large number of traps that can be used to slow or root enemies while Scatter Shot and Disengage offer them the option to maneuver around and reposition themselves or kite enemies easily. They also keep their amazing Deterrence, giving them a slight invulnerability window that can be used to avoid burst attempts. Furthermore, they have access to a specific unique effect named Crouching Tiger, Hidden Chimera that reduces the cooldown of Deterrence and Disengage whenever they are hit, allowing them to use them much more often.
As for Crowd Control and Utility, they have the exact same general tools that all Hunter Specializations possess but they also bring a stun, Intimidation, and a plethora of special effects that mainly revolve around their pets. Since they can tame exotic pets, the pool of available CC and Utility tools is quite vast. Additionally, they also bring Ferocious Inspiration which empowers their allies, albeit in the case of this ability, it shares the same fate with Arcane Mage where Retribution Paladins are simply much better at providing the effect.
In terms of Gameplay Difficulty, Beast Mastery Hunters are relatively easy to grasp. The only issue that may arise comes with the pet itself as some players may not know when to properly retreat their pet.
Fury Warrior
The berserker fantasy sadly can’t be accomplished in Cataclysm Classic, as Fury Warrior has a mediocre performance in most PvP scenarios, landing itself in the C-Tier.
In terms of overall performance, Fury Warriors are simply terrible due to their dependency on cooldowns, low overall survivability, and lack of meaningful crowd control & utility. Since Fury Warriors depend so much on their Enrage mechanics to trigger powerful abilities such as Raging Blow and to amplify their overall output by using a powerful Enrage offensive cooldown, Death Wish, they are far too easily countered by Enrage dispels. They do manage to have an incredible Burst Damage if Death Wish is not dispelled, but once again, with the abundance of defensive cooldowns that most specializations have, Fury Warriors present themselves as “One Trick Ponies” that are rather underwhelming without their big offensive cooldowns.
While they technically can function and are viable to a certain extent, most Warriors simply choose to prefer Arms over Fury, with the latter specialization barely being seen on the ladder at all. They can function well with other classes that have high burst damage such as Enhancement Shamans or with healers that can help them mitigate their vast lack of survivability such as Discipline Priests and Holy Paladins.
In terms of survivability, Fury Warriors have close to no defensive abilities, except their increased mobility through the Heroic Fury and Skirmisher talents. However, even with those tools, the Juggernaut Arms Talent is far more valuable, making Fury Warriors more of a parody of Arms Warriors.
As for Crowd Control & Utility, they also find themselves severely lacking, with only Furious Attacks and Rampage to save them. Compared to their brethren who have access to Throwdown, Mortal Strike, Blood Frenzy, and Trauma, Fury Warriors are once again considered lamentable and at best, just a niched PvP specialization.
Lastly, in terms of Gameplay Difficulty, Fury Warriors fit perfectly into the “Mash your head on the keyboard” meme. They basically have one big offensive combo that can be used to inflict heavy damage but that is susceptible to dispel effects while the rest of their meaningful abilities are locked behind the Enrage mechanic. This means that the specialization is fairly simple to grasp but extremely hard to play properly as the offensive burst combo must be performed extremely fast, lest it warrants instant crowd control and dispel spam.
D-Tier
Simply put, specs in the D-tier are considered to be not viable or completely underwhelming when compared to their peers. They can be fun to play but they are considerably weaker than the other DPS specializations. They are either locked behind specific gameplay gimmicks or simply require a lot of skill to mitigate their shortcomings.
Combat Rogue
Combat Rogue finds itself in the D-Tier, performing the worst out of the three Rogue Specializations, being much more suited for PvE content.
In terms of overall performance, Combat Rogue is not necessarily the worst, but it doesn’t do anything special either. When paired with a potent partner or crew, they can dish out decent damage in both Arenas and Battlegrounds, however, they are classified as “One Trick Ponies” due to their dependency on cooldowns. Even with the addition of Restless Blades which is supposed to aid them with their issue of cooldown dependency, their burst windows consisting of Adrenaline Rush and Killing Spree are simply way too weak in Season 9 to be considered anything else than D-Tier. They pair well with Mages and Discipline Priests in arenas, although they can’t perform their role in the same way that Subtlety Rogues or Assassination Rogues do in renowned comps such as “RMP” and “RLS”
In terms of survivability, they benefit from the same changes as Subtlety and Assassination Rogues, having access to Recuperate and Evasion.
When it comes to Crowd-Control and Utility, Combat Rogues have the same kit as Subtlety and Assassination Rogues, filled with all manner of tools, ranging from interrupts and incapacitating effects such as Kick, Gouge, Blind, and Sap to powerful stuns such as Cheap Shot and Kidney Shot, and even target-obscuring effects in Cataclysm such as Smoke Bomb. A unique effect that Combat Rogues provide is Blade Twisting which can trigger a massive slow on the target, eliminating the need for Crippling Poison.
Lastly, Combat Rogue shares the same fate as all the other Rogue Specializations, requiring vast amounts of knowledge and a sharp reaction time to properly perform. Even if Combat is much simpler by definition when it comes to the burst sequence and overall damaging tools, the difficulty comes from knowing how to properly chain your CC abilities to avoid Diminishing Returns.
Survival Hunter
Survival Hunters find themselves at the bottom of the pack, being part of the few specializations that are far better suited for PvE content rather than PvP content.
In terms of overall performance, Survival Hunters are very viable in both Open World duels and Battlegrounds, yet they massively struggle in Arenas. This is due to their tricky kit which relies on the T.N.T and Lock and Load mechanics to maximize damage. Since they don’t have access to on-demand powerful offensive cooldowns like Marksmanship Hunters or Beast Mastery Hunters, Survival Hunters simply struggle to keep up. However, their damage can be decent if Lock and Load procs consistently.
In terms of survivability, Survival Hunter has a large number of traps that can be used to slow or root enemies while Scatter Shot and Disengage offer them the option to maneuver around and reposition themselves or kite enemies easily. They also keep their amazing Deterrence, giving them a slight invulnerability window that can be used to avoid burst attempts. Unlike their Marksmanship Hunter peers, they lack a self-healing tool.
In terms of Crowd Control and utility, Survival Hunters have the staple Ice Trap and Freezing Trap at their disposal, yet they also gain a new tool in Cataclysm, Widow Venom, which now adds “Healing Reduction” to a Survival Hunter’s arsenal. However, while they do have plenty of tools at their disposal, their overall range of Crowd Control spells is relatively small compared to other specializations.
Lastly, Survival Hunters are fairly similar to Marksmanship Hunters when it comes to gameplay, relying on instant-cast spells. However, they are more difficult to properly play and execute their combos as they are RNG dependent on the Lock and Load proc.
Arcane Mage
Arcane Mage sadly finds itself at the bottom of the list, displaying one of the worst performances in PvP!
In terms of overall performance, Arcane Mage struggles to keep up with the rest of the specializations in almost all situations with maybe one exception, Battlegrounds. Since the specialization is reliant on the Arcane Blast mechanic and sitting still and Hard Casting, Arcane Mage simply can’t compete with any of the other Caster or Melee Specializations, being overpowered quite quickly with a quick chain of Interrupts and Stuns. Since it relies so much on sitting still and Hard Casting, a huge amount of Haste Rating is required to even make the specialization viable, which is simply not achievable in Season 9. This huge weakness may be avoided in Battlegrounds as an Arcane Mage may hide among the back lines and sit still to Hard Cast.
As for Arenas and Open World duels, Arcane Mages fail miserably, especially when compared to their Frost and Fire brethren which simply have far more tools in their kit. Since the Arcane Blast mechanic is at the core of the Arcane Specialization, which takes a lot of time to properly stack in the hopes of landing critical strikes that are far easier to achieve with either Fire or Frost, the entire mechanic is simply not viable at the current moment. This is mostly due to the abundance of interrupt effects and the squishy nature of the Arcane Specialization, making it a very easy target for the mass of Melee Specializations stomping casters left and right in the Arena.
In terms of Survivability, Arcane has almost no special survivability tool apart from Slow, which can be freely spammed on the target.
As for Crowd Control & Utility, Arcane has access to all the CC tools that the other Mage Specializations have, with Slow being unique to Arcane. For Utility, Arcane brings Arcane Tactics which is relatively okay, but weak when compared to the fact that other better specializations simply bring a similar effect, such as Retribution Paladins.
Lastly, Arcane Mage is exceedingly hard to play in PvP due to a single issue, the Arcane Blast mechanic. While the specialization can technically damage a target with instant cast Arcane Barrage and well-timed Arcane Blasts/Arcane Missiles from a safe distance, it is extremely hard to safely play the specialization without falling prey to a CC sequence that renders the Arcane School of Magic useless. Being so squishy and so vulnerable to Crowd Control forces Arcane Mage players to learn near-perfect positioning and kiting if they choose to play the specialization despite its current vast weaknesses.
Until more Haste Rating is available, the Arcane Mage dream is far from possible in Season 9 of Cataclysm Classic, unless you purely choose to play the class for fun without expecting to earn much glory in combat. We recommend learning to properly “Fake Cast” if you choose to play Arcane Mage, as it can dampen the effects of Interrupt-spamming.
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