Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS tier list! We will rank each DPS class available in the expansion and explain each class’s position on the tier list. This tier list is a current estimate of what is expected of DPS specializations and will be updated as soon as MoP Classic becomes available for testing.
 |  Aff Warlock | Destro Warlock |  BM Hunter |  Fire Mage | |
 | Arcane Mage Survival Hunter |  Feral Druid  Enh Shaman |  Shadow Priest Demo Warlock |  Frost DK |  Assassin Rogue |
 | Balance Druid Unholy DK | Subtlety Rogue  Windwalker Monk |  Ret Paladin  Arms Warrior | Arms Warrior | Ele Shaman |
 | Combat Rogue | Fury Warrior | Frost Mage | ||
 | MM Hunter |
- Affliction Warlock (S-Tier)
- Destruction Warlock (S-Tier)
- Beast Mastery Hunter (S-Tier)
- Fire Mage (S-Tier)
- Arcane Mage (A-Tier)
- Survival Hunter (A-Tier)
- Feral Druid (A-Tier)
- Enhancement Shaman (A-Tier)
- Shadow Priest (A-Tier)
- Demonology Warlock (A-Tier)
- Frost Death Knight (A-Tier)
- Assassination Rogue (A-Tier)
- Balance Druid (B-Tier)
- Unholy Death Knight (B-Tier)
- Subtlety Rogue (B-Tier)
- Windwalker Monk (B-Tier)
- Retribution Paladin (B-Tier)
- Arms Warrior (B-Tier)
- Elemental Shaman (B-Tier)
- Combat Rogue (C-Tier)
- Fury Warrior (C-Tier)
- Frost Mage (C-Tier)
- Marksmanship Hunter (D-Tier)
The first phase of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic arrives with three available raids that feature a hefty deal of Single-Target Damage and a considerable number of adds for AoE Damage. The most important factor to consider is that each specialization’s performance heavily relies on the encounter itself, with some specializations that rank lower on the list outperforming higher-ranking tiers in certain specific scenarios. While this was specifically emphasized in Cataclysm Classic, this is even more visible in MoP Classic as the raid encounters feature even more mechanics that require a large amount of movement.
- Mogu’shan Vaults
- Heart of Fear
- Terrace of Endless Spring
While the previous expansions for WoW Classic (WotLK – Cata) emphasized either a Caster or Melee meta, Mists of Pandaria will feature a much more balanced meta in which both Melee and Caster specializations are viable, with some classes/specs clearly showcasing an impressive performance. While it is difficult to ascertain how each specialization is properly performing in the first raids since there are no raid logs available, with all the logs being tied to the Throne of Thunder and Siege of Orgrimmar, it is possible to estimate a somewhat similar performance for the first phase. For complete clarity, we will need to wait for MoP Classic Beta and see how the PTR performance compares to what is already available on the logs.
One thing to keep in mind is that Mists of Pandaria Classic brings massive overhauls to every specialization, changing not only the way talents work but also the gameplay and signature abilities. As such, while the core aspects of the classes and specializations will remain the same at large, the finer aspects of their rotations and overall playstyle will feel very different.
Due to the Human Error component and the individual player skill involved in high-end PvE content, Tier S through B is highly relative, with only a few select specializations ranking clearly higher than the other specializations based on the currently available information.
S-Tier
The S-Tier represents the most powerful classes in the current meta – those with the highest damage and utility. These specializations are usually recruited in larger numbers due to their outstanding performance.
Affliction Warlock
While Affliction Warlock has seen rough days in Cataclysm Classic, Mists of Pandaria Classic is welcoming the specialization with open hands and a promise of vengeance for its past, being regarded as one of the top parsers for almost the entirety of the expansion. It is unknown whether we will see the insane performance that Affliction Warlocks displayed during the Siege of Orgrimaar or Throne of Thunder in the early stage as well, but we can certainly expect them to be along the top specializations.
Much has changed for Warlocks in general, and Affliction also received important overhauls. Their Soul Shards are now tied to their overall rotation through the Haunt spell, no longer just being a way to activate Soulburn. While most of their rotation remains largely the same with Agony, Corruption, and Unstable Affliction remaining present, they acquire a new main spell, Malefic Grasp which they will find themselves spamming consistently when not refreshing DoTs. Malefic Grasp not only deals consistent damage through a channel effect but also makes any active DoT on the target erupt for additional damage. The good old Drain Soul comes back into action in an even stronger form once the Execution Phase hits, replacing Malefic Grasp entirely. They also gain access to new effects through the changed Talent System such as the Grimoire of Supremacy which allows them to use stronger pets or Kil’jaden’s Cunning which gives them some mobility, allowing them to cast Malefic Grasp while moving. Their big cooldown was also turned into a simple Spell Haste buff through the new Dark Soul: Misery effect.
They keep the same amount of utility they had in Cata Classic, with familiar effects such as Healthstones, Soulstones, summons, and curses such as Curse of the Elements and a combined effect of Curse of Tongues and Curse of Weakness which is now Curse of Enfeeblement.
In terms of stackability, multiple Affliction Warlocks can be brought to a raid, and due to their overall outstanding damage, they are generally desired en mass. However, while it is expected of them to be among the top DPS specializations, it is yet uncertain whether we will see them top the DPS charts in the first phase, meaning that they are not yet the star of the show.
Destruction Warlock
Destruction Warlocks are in for a big change, gaining access to many new effects in MoP Classic, elevating their overall performance to the S-Tier due to their newfound strengths. They sit in a similar spot with Affliction Warlocks, which is widely regarded as one of the top parsing specializations in MoP Classic and displays an amazing performance in both Single-Target and AoE situations.
Unlike Affliction Warlocks, Destruction Warlocks also gain a new resource called Burning Embers which replaces Soul Shards entirely. This changed their overall rotation to a combination of Burning Embers generator spells and Burning Embers spenders, with Incinerate, Conflagrate, Immolate, and Fel Flame becoming generators while Chaos Bolt and a new spell, Fire and Brimstone, becoming spenders. Conflagrate gained two charges becoming a way to speed up your Incinerate and Chaos Bolt through the Backdraft effect and it can be cast without requiring Immolate anymore. In addition, every Burning Embers generator can create even more Burning Embers by landing a Critical Strike, which synergizes perfectly well with their new Dark Soul: Instability effect.
Destruction Warlocks also gained a massive boon for their overall AoE, with Rain of Fire no longer being a channeled ability. The new Fire and Brimstone affect every target hit by a Single-Target spell, meaning that AoE Incinerate or AoE Immolate are now some of the most satisfying things they can do! While the specialization may seem extremely mana-intensive, it gained the Chaotic Energy passive which increases their Mana Regeneration by an insane amount which is further amplified by Spell Haste. However, their Havoc spell took a hit, now only working on up to 3 Single-Target effects for cleaving.
Their utility is much like the other Warlock specializations, meaning that Healthstones, Soulstones, summons, and curses such as Curse of the Elements and Curse of Enfeeblement are all available.
Since their overall damage is astonishing, most raids can expect to stack multiple Destruction Warlocks. Unlike Affliction Warlocks where there is a current question mark about their overall performance until the official Beta releases for MoP Classic, we can expect Destruction Warlocks to be top performers due to their very strong Single-Target and Cleave potential.
Beast Mastery Hunter
Lo and behold how one of the most unexpected specializations rises to the top in MoP Classic, with Beast Mastery Hunters displaying an unexpected performance. According to the logs, Beast Mastery Hunters can be expected to be in the S-Tier, displaying an astonishing overall performance in both Single-Target and AoE encounters.
A lot of positive changes were brought to Beast Mastery Hunter, retaining most of its kit and receiving significant buffs to some of its core spells. Kill Command is now stronger than ever while Cobra Strikes can now stack up to 6 times meaning that Arcane Shot also gained more significance. Bestial Wrath is still the biggest offensive cooldown which received a significant cooldown reduction while new abilities acquired from the new Talent System such as Dire Beast, Glaive Toss, and A Murder of Crows enhance their Single-Target Damage. Alternatively, they can go for strong AoE talents such as Lynx Rush and Barrage. They also gain a special passive which makes their pet deal impressive amounts of AoE Damage, Beast Cleave. Based on the available logs, we can observe Beast Cleave dealing insane amounts of damage in all AoE encounters, meaning that we can expect Beast Mastery pets to be astonishing in the first phase.
In terms of Utility, they retain most of their old tools such as Misdirection, Aspect of the Pack, Tranquilizing Shot, and Traps while they also gain access to Trueshot Aura. Sadly, they lose access to Ferocious Inspiration.
Due to their impressive overall performance, we can expect raids to stack multiple Beast Mastery Hunters, especially for AoE-heavy encounters due to how strong Beast Cleave is.
Fire Mage
Fire Mage is expected to be among the S-Tier specializations but can be considered as low as A or even B-Tier, due to its very high reliance on RNG and Critical Strike Chance which is rather scarce in the first phase of MoP Classic. While the specialization is expected to be one of the top specs in the later stages, easily being classed as A-Tier or even S-Tier depending on how you optimize your character, it currently presents itself as a huge question mark due to the RNG element.
While not expected to be the best at the moment, especially when compared to the raw power of Warlocks, Fire Mage retains its very fun playstyle while gaining a few new toys to play with. The playstyle still revolves around the classic Hot Streak which requires players to gain 2 x critical strikes in a row to generate an instant-cast Pyroblast. Fire Blast has been overhauled entirely into Inferno Blast, which now always generates a critical strike chance and spreads any active DoT effects for up to 3 targets. Sadly, this is a downgrade when compared to the previous Fire Blast + Impact combination from Cata Classic, but it eliminates the need to rely on the proc, as the previous version was proc-dependent. The other massive change is that Combustion now dubs as a stun that no longer pulls all of your DoT effects from the target and instead only pulls the Ignite damage. However, Ignite is no longer reliant on critical strikes, meaning that it will always be triggered upon using a Fire Spell!
While the specialization is very solid and fun to play, the issue with the dependency on Critical Strike Chance staggers its performance by a considerable amount, especially when considering the long hard casts it is subjected to as well.
As for utility, Fire Mage also took a hit, as it no longer buffs the raid with the old version of Critical Mass with which the target was more vulnerable to Spell Damage, effectively increasing all Spell Critical Strike Chance by 5%. Now, it shares the same utility as all other Mage specializations, meaning that Arcane Brilliance, Portals, and Mage Food are all they bring to the table.
A-Tier
The A-Tier represents strong DPS specializations that offer a great amount of damage and utility, but don’t offer the best possible damage output. They will be found in almost every raid group and it will be common to see more than one of each.
Arcane Mage
Arcane Mage is expected to be among the A-Tier specializations in MoP Classic in the first phase, unlike its underwhelming experience during Cataclysm Classic. This is mainly due to the changes that occur to the Mage class as a whole which specifically benefit the Arcane specialization early on. Yet, while not tied to Critical Strike Chance as other specializations are, the class retains its infamous Mana-related gameplay which can make it very easy to mess up the rotation, leading to an underwhelming performance if not min-maxed correctly. The main issue that may affect their overall performance and may make them far lower ranked than a possible S-Tier is not their overall damage output but their dependency on “Hard Casting” and Mana Management.
The main change Arcane Mage sees in MoP Classic is a departure from the old Arcane Blast charges system and an embrace of the new Arcane Charge which acts differently than the old system. Now Arcane Charges can be generated by Arcane Blast, Arcane Missiles, and Arcane Explosion and are spent by using Arcane Barrage and Evocation. New spells are also added to their rotation thanks to the new talent system such as Rune of Power which replaces Evocation and the good old Living Bomb which was previously only tied to the Fire specialization. The greatest benefit of the changes is that their Mana Pool doesn’t dissolve anymore in mere seconds. This is especially true when considering passive effects such as Nether Attunement and how it is enhanced by Spell Haste.
Their utility is the same as all other Mage specializations, with Time Warp, Arcane Brilliance, Portals, and Mage Food being the classic options.
In terms of stackability, they are not as desired as other specializations since they are much more static, especially when considering how dependent they are on hard casting and the placement of Rune of Power.
Survival Hunter
Survival Hunter is expected to be yet another one of the top parsers in MoP Classic, with the specialization widely considered to be one of the best in the expansion, especially as it progresses. However, while receiving significant buffs, its gameplay is still largely related to RNG, which makes it unreliable at times and only places it in the A-Tier.
Unlike other specializations that received massive changes, Survival Hunters only gained some tweaks and new effects, retaining most of their old playstyle. They keep their signature Explosive Shot, Cobra Shot, and Black Arrow abilities with the Lock & Load passive representing both their biggest issue & asset. The problem is the high amount of RNG that the passive is submitted to since it’s still tied to the 20% chance to trigger based on Black Arrow and the additional nerf it received. The nerf that occurred to Lock & Load is that it can now trigger only once every 10 seconds dampening its overall potential by a considerable amount. Still, the specialization doubled down on its DoT identity, with Serpent Spread receiving a buff and a new effect, Viper Venom, which grants Survival Hunters Focus every 3 seconds whenever Serpent Sting deals damage. They also gain access to the same powerful abilities from the revamped Talent System as all the other Hunter specializations with A Murder of Crows and Barrage being particularly useful for them.
The best part about Survival Hunters in MoP Classic is that they are no longer tied down by the Sniper Training mechanic, meaning that they are now just as mobile as the rest of the Hunter specializations.
As for Utility, they retain most of their old tools such as Misdirection, Aspect of the Pack, Tranquilizing Shot, and Traps while they also gain access to Trueshot Aura. Instead, they no longer grant the Hunting Party effect to their allies.
Survival Hunters may still be stacked considering the strong overall damage potential, even with the Lock & Load nerf and RNG reliance. The only downside of the specialization is its overall low AoE, especially when compared to Beast Mastery Hunters.
Feral Druid
Feral Druids are expected to display a great performance at the beginning of MoP Classic according to the currently available data, with much of their kit being buffed in a way that ensures their success. However, even while their kit is largely enhanced, their rotation still remains difficult with a visible dependency on Gear, meaning that while they are expected to pump & parse, they are also expected to have a rough start at the beginning of the expansion.
Feral Druids received a massive overhaul when compared to their Cataclysm Classic version, with the specialization now being split into two separate ones (Feral & Guardian). The Feral specialization is all about the Cat Form and doubles down on the Bleed-oriented playstyle, with most of the abilities in MoP Classic now revolving around the mechanic. Shred and Ferocious Bite were reworked to emphasize this more while Rip plays an even more important role in the rotation. Savage Roar was also changed in MoP Classic to increase all Physical Damage Done by 40% instead of the 80% Auto-Attack Damage-increase buff it used to grant in Cata Classic. This change alone increases Feral Druid’s performance by a considerable amount, especially when considering the buffs to Bleed Damage as well. They also get to enjoy the vast variety of new toys acquired through the revamped Talent System which further improve their performance such as Soul of the Forest and Heart of the Wild/Nature’s Vigil.
Their utility is also vastly increased through new effects such as Ysera’s Gift, Ursol’s Vortex, Faerie Swarm, and Symbiosis, with the last effect adding a plethora of new possible Utility spells depending on which other class it’s used. In addition, old effects such as Mark of the Wild, Rebirth, Entangling Roots, Faerie Fire, Innervate, and Leader of the Pack are still present.
In terms of stackability, Feral Druid falls under the category where either multiple or a single one can be brought to the raid as their overall performance is very solid, depending entirely on player preference.
Enhancement Shaman
While a bit unexpected when considering how Enhancement Shaman has performed in Cata Classic, especially when compared to Elemental, MoP Classic elevates Enhancement Shaman, enhancing its overall Damage at the expense of its Utility. It is tough to estimate exactly if Enhancement Shaman will be one of the top parsers from the start of the expansion, but looking at the currently available logs, they are expected to dish out considerable amounts of damage.
A lot has changed for Enhancement Shaman in MoP Classic, with the specialization maintaining some of its core features and receiving some buffs while taking some pretty hefty nerfs at the same time. The most drastic change that Shaman endures in MoP Classic is the adjustment of Totems, with the good old buffs provided by them now only functioning temporarily, often having a low duration. This affected all Shaman specializations, including Enhancement in various ways. Enhancement retains classic spells such as Stormstrike, Lava Lash, Feral Spirit, and Lightning Bolt weaving but most of its damage comes from its Melee Auto-Attacks and effects that trigger through them thanks to the buffs to Windfury Weapon and new abilities such as Unleashed Fury and Ascendance.
In terms of Utility, most of the buffs provided by Enhancement Shamans through totems are now granted as Aura buffs, meaning that effects such as Burning Wrath, Grace of Air, and Unleashed Rage are now granted by proximity instead of being granted through Totems. Totems now grant short-duration buffs with some totems lasting as little as 5 seconds while others can last up to 15 seconds.
In terms of stackability, Enhancement Shamans may be desired for their sheer damage in the absence of other casters, although since a single Shaman can now provide multiple buffs, raid comps are no longer required to bring multiple Shamans just for the buff effects. This means that it will come down to preference whether multiple Enhancement Shamans show up in a raid instead of necessity.
Shadow Priest
Shadow Priests are expected to find themselves in a sweet spot in MoP Classic, coming with a solid performance in both Single-Target and AoE in multiple fights due to the changes that occurred with the arrival of MoP. According to the current logs, their performance is worthy of the A-Tier when properly geared. However, they suffer the bane of all other caster specializations, meaning that Critical Strike Chance and Haste are vital.
Shadow Priests received considerable changes in MoP Classic, benefiting from quite a few quality-of-life improvements while also sadly being affected by some nerfs. The biggest change is that Shadow Orbs now is a resource that Shadow Priests generate by casting Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death and spending on a new and improved version of Devouring Plague. The downside is that Mind Flay no longer generates Shadow Orbs, but their overall value increases dramatically through the damage of the empowered Devouring Plague. In addition, new and exciting spells are added in MoP Classic such as Halo, /Divine Star, Mindbender, and Angelic Feather/Body and Soul. Those new effects come through the overhauled Talent System and add great variety to a Shadow Priest’s mobility and overall Single-Target/AoE Damage.
Furthermore, possibly the biggest buff is the overhaul of Shadow Priest’s Mastery, now giving DoT effects a chance to deal damage twice while also empowering all Periodic Shadow Damage.
Thanks to all those changes, Shadow Priests are expected to perform considerably better than their Cataclysm Classic Version, being among the top DPS specializations on the charts.
In terms of Utility, they take a big nerf, with Vampiric Embrace now being a low-duration active effect. The upside is that a Glyph allows it to increase the overall Healing it offers at the expense of some of its duration, resulting in a pretty strong Healing Cooldown if timed properly during a Burst Sequence. In addition, Vampiric Touch no longer grants the raid-wide Mana Replenishment effect. Luckily, Shadow Form still offers the 5% Spell Haste in MoP Classic.
As for Stackability, Shadow Priests present themselves with a potentially strong overall performance, including DPS Output, Off-Healing, and Utility, meaning that raids can expect to see more than one Shadow Priest per group.
Demonology Warlock
According to the logs and what we’re seeing with Affliction and Destruction Warlocks, Demonology Warlocks are expected to fall off grace in MoP Classic when compared to their past glory from Cataclysm Classic. However, the specialization presents itself with strong damage capabilities, at the expense of an overloaded kit.
Among all the Warlock specializations, Demonology received the biggest changes, with Metamorphosis now being tied to a new resource named Demonic Fury and an added new effect named Wild Imps which now allows Demonology to control a proper army of demons. The play style of the specialization changed drastically since Metamorphosis now only has a 10-second cooldown and consumes Demonic Fury per second, meaning that Demonology Warlocks juggle in and out of the Metamorphosis state during encounters. Their new and improved form now grants them access to a plethora of new spells, which add a whole new layer of depth and difficulty to the specialization, in a sense, overclocking it with many mechanics.
While they certainly have the potential to deal a great amount of damage their overloaded kit and clunky design puts them at risk of Human Error much more than the other specializations, making them land only the A-Tier.
In terms of utility, they offer all the same effects as the other Warlock specializations such as Healthstones, Soulstones, summons, and curses. However, Curse of the Elements and Curse of Enfeeblement turn into Auras while they are in Metamorphosis, granting them an upper hand in this department.
As far as stackability goes, since the other Warlock specializations simply perform better and have smoother gameplay, Demonology Warlocks are expected to be niche, only being picked by those who can truly master the specialization and overly complicated design.
Frost Death Knight
Frost Death Knights have been crowned by the community as one of the top Melee DPS specializations in the first stages of MoP Classic but whether that will be true or not remains to be seen in the official Beta. With what current available information we can gather, it seems their performance is overall A-Tier deserving depending on the encounter, with some encounters suggesting that they are somewhere around the B-Tier depending on the fight and the player. Their performance is supposed to be great in the first phase of MoP Classic since their kit is not as tied to Critical Strike Chance/Haste as it is for other specializations. Instead, it is highly reliant on the Weapon they acquire, meaning that they will have a rough start.
As for their kit, Frost Death Knights retain most of the abilities they had in Cataclysm Classic, with only a few slight changes and added new toys on top. Their biggest damage sources are Obliterate & Frost Strike for Single-Target while Howling Blast remains their signature AoE ability. The only new addition to the rotation is Soul Ripper which now provides Frost Death Knights with an Execution Tool. However, the ability is better for Unholy Death Knights since the execution part scales with Shadow Damage instead of Frost Damage. The rest of their changes are based on the new Talent System which forces them just like any other Death Knight specialization to choose between effects such as Runic Empowerment and Runic Corruption or Anti-Magic Zone and Lichborne among others.
In terms of utility, they can provide Anti-Magic Zone, Death Grip, Chains of Ice, Strangulate, Mind Freeze, Brittle Bones, and Remorseless Winter/Desecrated Ground. Their kit remained largely the same except for the two new Utility variants they gained at level 90.
Lastly, as for stackability, their fairly high expected Damage Output makes Frost Death Knights very desirable in a raid comp.
Assassination Rogue
Assassination Rogue is expected to find itself in a strong spot in the first phase of MoP Classic due to the considerable buffs that the specialization received alongside some cool overhauls that grant the specialization a very powerful Execution Tool. While they are expected to be very strong in the first phase, their performance is supposed to slow down as the expansion progresses, reaching the middle of the pack in the last stage during the Siege of Orgrimmar.
While the specialization maintained its core Mutilate & Envenom abilities, it also gained an extremely powerful Execution Tool named Dispatch which may even be triggered before the Execution Phase through the Blindside mechanics. They also maintained Vendetta and Venomous Wounds granting them both a powerful Burst Sequence and consistent damage through their Poison Damage & Bleed Damage. Old effects such as Cut to the Chase & Potent Poisons are still present, making their gameplay fairly smooth, generating a large amount of damage through simple Auto-Attacks.
In terms of Utility, they provide everything other Rogue specializations can bring, showcasing effects such as Expose Armor and Tricks of the Trade besides their classic Kidney Shot, Sap, and Blind effects. They also keep their Master Poisoner effect, increasing all Spell Damage dealt to a target by 5%. Furthermore, they bring additional Crowd Control through the revamped Talent System, with Nerve Strike and Dirty Tricks being especially useful.
Lastly, it is not recommended to stack multiple Assassination Rogues since Master Poisoner doesn’t stack.
B-Tier
The B-Tier represents mediocre damage specializations. They are still considered viable, as they do a decent amount of damage, but they typically cannot compete with the A-tier specs on the damage meters. However, in many cases, they provide valuable raid buffs that make them worth bringing anyway, as their utility makes up for their deficiency in raw damage.
Balance Druid
Balance Druids are somewhat tough to estimate precisely what their performance will be at the beginning of MoP Classic. The main issue with the specialization is that it revolves around staying immobile and hard-casting its spells, with most raid mechanics requiring a lot of movement. However, while it is very static, the damage it deals can be considered along the average output and even higher than average with the proper Gear, performing very well when paired with sufficient Spell Haste and Critical Strike Chance. Depending on the encounter Balance Druids can be considered either C-Tier or A-Tier, meaning that they are amongst the most volatile specializations, especially when considering their newly complicated kit.
When looking at the logs from Throne of Thunder and Siege of Orgrimmar, we can expect Balance Druids to rise to the challenge as the expansion progresses, with their performance becoming better as time passes.
Balance Druids retain their core gameplay mechanics, with Eclipse standing at the center of their entire playstyle with Starsurge, Moonfire, Sunfire, Starfire, and Wrath being their main tools. However, new effects such as Dream of Cenarius/Nature’s Vigil, Astral Communion, and Symbiosis add a new layer of complexity to their overall rotations. Symbiosis is perhaps the most complex and intricate one as it grants them one ability based on the class/specialization they use it on, with many possible spells resulting from the effect.
While their performance is certainly tied to the encounter itself and the gear they acquire, Balance Druid’s utility is off the charts with classic spells such as Mark of the Wild, Rebirth, Typhoon, Entangling Roots, Faerie Fire, and Innervate remaining part of their kit. The Off-Healing they provide is now also great since they gain additional effects tied to Healing such as Cenariod Ward and Ysera’s Gift. Furthermore, Symbiosis adds an even more crazy list of utility effects they can provide, depending on which class/specialization they choose to use it on.
Their stackability is somewhat low compared to their peers when considering how volatile they are based on the encounters they are facing.
Unholy Death Knight
While considered generally weaker than Frost Death Knights in MoP Classic by the community, the logs of Throne of Thunder and Siege of Orgrimmar indicate that Unholy Death Knight is stronger in both later stages according to the currently available logs. We can only speculate that Unholy Death Knight will have a strong performance at the beginning of MoP Classic but we can only confirm whether this will be true once the official Beta arrives. Compared to other higher-tier specializations and the fellow B-Tier, their Damage Output is fairly similar, meaning that their spot is currently justified based on the available data.
Unlike other classes and specializations, Unholy Death Knights retained most of their Cataclysm Classic abilities, with their core mechanics remaining the same and only a few new effects being added. Most of the changes are nerfs when looking at the previous version, with players now having to choose between effects such as Runic Empowerment and Runic Corruption or Anti-Magic Zone and Lichborne. Unholy Death Knights continue using Death Coil, Scourge Strike, Summon Gargoyle, Dark Transformation, and Outbreak. While most of their rotation remains the same, Festering Strike is now unique to Unholy Death Knights, no longer being usable by other specializations while Soul Reaper was added as a new Execution Tool which can be spammed every 6 seconds once the Execution Phase begins. The rest of their abilities remain the same, with only a few utility changes being applied.
While it is clear that Frost Death Knights tend to do more damage at the beginning of the encounter, the new Soul Reaper effect makes Unholy Death Knights perform better depending on the encounter’s length since the Execution Tool is based on Shadow Damage which synergizes with their Mastery effect.
In terms of utility, they can provide Anti-Magic Zone, Death Grip, Chains of Ice, Strangulate, Mind Freeze, and Ebon Plaguebringer. However, Ebon Plaguebringer no longer increases all Magic Damage taken by the target, applying Physical Vulnerability instead and amplifying all Physical Damage dealt to the target by 4%. They also still bring the Unholy Frenzy effect which can empower allies significantly.
Lastly, as far as stackability goes, there are no extra benefits from bringing multiple Unholy Death Knights to a raid comp, meaning that it is completely up to the Raid Leader whether he chooses to bring a single one or multiple.
Subtlety Rogue
Subtlety Rogues are expected to find themselves in the B-Tier at the beginning of the MoP Classic, with the current logs suggesting that they are around the middle of the pack. While this may change with the arrival of MoP Beta, the reality is that Subtlety Rogues will tend to do better as the expansion progresses, with their true potential being reached only during the Siege of Orgrimmar phase. Thankfully, they are easier to gear since all Daggers now have the same Attack Speed.
Subtlety Rogues received massive overhauls to their overall gameplay while maintaining the general identity of the specialization, having a focus on strong Finishing Moves and Bleed Dot effects. The biggest changes occurred to Hemorrhage which now applies a DoT effect on the target while they also gained a massive AoE boost through the new Crimson Tempest ability. They retain their Backstab/Ambush gameplay while having an easier time generating Combo Points thanks to the new Anticipation and Shadow Blades effects.
They also gain a lot more Crowd Control and Utility through the revamped Talent System, with Nerve Strike and Dirty Tricks standing out among the many new effects. Additional effects such as the Swiftblade’s Cunning also give the raid/party group an edge by increasing their Attack Speed while Shroud of Concealment provides an escape. Sadly, they no longer provide a Bleed Damage-increasing debuff but they still provide Expose Armor and Tricks of the Trade.
They also bring the Master Poisoner effect which increases all Spell Damage taken by the target by up to 5%. Since this effect can’t stack and they bring no other specific Utility tool, there is no reason to stack multiple Subtlety Rogues in a group.
Windwalker Monk
Windwalker Monks are the new Hero Class introduced in MoP Classic, functioning as a Melee DPS! Sadly, while they are supposed to be “Heroes” in this current expansion, their overall Damage Output is underwhelming when compared to the typical DPS specialization. While at first they may have been overpowered, the 5.4.8 patch that MoP Classic will function on ensures that they are balanced and fall in line with the rest of the specializations, offering a somewhat balanced performance.
Their attacks are based on Chi, having a playstyle balanced between Instant-Cast abilities and Channeled ones with a gameplay that feels like a combination of Enhancement Shaman and Rogue. They have decently strong Single-Target Damage with Jab, Blackout Kick, and Rising Sun Kick while also showcasing good AoE with Spinning Crane Kick and Fists of Fury. Of course, they also have powerful Burst Sequences with their signature Xuen summon and Touch of Death, although the logs showcase comparable numbers to the rest of the specializations from the tier. One of the strong points is their overall Mobility & Utility, allowing them to reposition themselves quickly and aid allies in case they require it
In terms of Utility, they bring a variety of effects ranging from Roots, Stuns, Incapacitates, Cleanse, Off-Healing, and even a Stat Boost named Legacy of the Emperor. Windwalker Monk is somewhat niche when it comes to stackability, meaning that it is completely up to player preference. Multiple monks may be brought for their overall versatility.
Retribution Paladin
Retribution Paladins are somewhere along the middle of the pack at the beginning of MoP Classic, benefiting from such cool overhauls but still struggling to keep up with the rest of the higher-tier specializations. The reason for this is their dependency on gear and their very cooldown/proc-based gameplay, which was further emphasized in MoP Classic. In addition, their overall damage scaling is also greatly reduced while some of their offensive cooldowns are removed, making them far better at providing utility than a high Damage Output.
The specialization received massive overhauls, including new and exciting toys that made their rotation smoother, despite their average DPS output. The Holy Power system introduced in Cataclysm Classic is maintained in MoP Classic. However, it is enhanced, allowing Retribution Paladins to now store up to 5 Holy Power Charges at a time. In addition, most of their spells now act as Holy Power generators, with Crusader Strike, Exorcism, Judgement, and even Hammer of Wrath now functioning as generators. Due to the removal of Zealotry, Retribution Paladins now only use their charges on Templar’s Verdict, Inquisition, and in some cases, Word of Glory. Furthermore, Divine Purpose received a buff, now having a 25% proc chance while they also received a new offensive cooldown, Execution Sentence. The spell acts as a DoT with a 1-minute cooldown, somewhat making up for the loss of Zealotry.
On the utility side, Paladins no longer provide Auras to their allies but they do retain their powerful Blessings & Hands that provide a lot of value to any raid comp.
Since Shamans no longer provide long-term buffs through their totems, Retribution Paladins now claim the highest spot in terms of provided utility, making them extremely desirable in raid compositions, despite their lower-end Damage Output.
Arms Warrior
Arms Warrior has fallen considerably when compared to its previous Cataclysm Classic version, with the specialization now being estimated to be between the B and A tiers in terms of overall performance. The specialization has received a massive overhaul, altering its previous playstyle dramatically, making it far more proc-dependent than before. While it is not as affected by Critical Strike Chance as Fury Warriors are due to its in-built mechanics, it struggles to perform as well as other specializations due to the amount of procs players have to keep track of and the reliance on Gear.
Just like all other Warrior specializations, the stances now function differently, with Battle Stance now being the main stance for most PvE encounters where you won’t receive any Damage while Berserker Stance is the primary stance for any encounter that features passive damage. The reason is that Berserker Stance now generates Rage based on the damage dealt and received while Battle Stance generates higher Rage based on the damage dealt.
Arms Warriors received massive overhauls, with Mortal Strike now acting as a Rage generator that can be cast without any Rage, Colossus Smash having no Rage cost, and Rend being eliminated from their rotation. Their Taste for Blood effect now generates up to 10 stacks of Overpower, effectively making Overpower into one of their main abilities which now becomes spam-able. Slam was also hugely buffed, making it the primary option over Heroic Strike in terms of performance due to its huge Weapon Damage scaling and new instant cast mechanic. In addition, new abilities such as Avatar, Skull Banner, and Stormbolt were also added which allow Arms Warriors to have a powerful burst sequence.
Since the upper-tier specializations are expected to perform better in the first stage of MoP Classic, Arms Warriors see little stackability, decreasing further in the latter stages when Fury Warriors start picking up the pace.
Their utility still grants allies impressive buffs through effects such as Banners, Shouts, Sunder Armor, Weakened Blows from Thunder Clap, and Rallying Cry.
Elemental Shaman
Elemental Shamans are expected to be in the B-Tier at the beginning of MoP Classic due to a dependency on Spell Haste and Critical Strike Chance which are rather scarce when compared to the rest of the expansion. While the specialization received massive overall buffs when compared to its previous iteration, the dependency on Gear is expected to hold it back at the beginning. However, due to this new kit’s huge dependency on RNG, Elemental Shamans may even be considered A-Tier and showcase an astonishing Damage Output if the winds of luck are favorable.
Elemental Shamans have received some massive gameplay overhauls while maintaining their core spells and overall class identity. Besides the nerf to the Totems which apply to all Shaman specializations, they can now cast Lightning Bolt while moving as a default while Lava Burst is now even stronger. In addition, they gain access to multiple new effects such as Unleashed Fury/Primal Elementalist and Ascendance which grants them a very powerful Burst Sequence. Furthermore, they also gain Echo of Elements which functions as Dragonwrath from Cataclysm Classic, allowing them to duplicate spells. Sadly, they will have to choose between Echo of Elements and Elemental Mastery.
In terms of Utility, they now bring their effects in the form of Auras, with Burning Wrath and Grace of Air being directly granted to all nearby allies. They also bring strong Off-Healing capabilities and good old effects such as Heroism/Bloodlust, despite the massive nerf their Totems received.
Due to their unpredictable nature, their overall stackability comes down to personal preference, as the RNG plays a heavy role in their overall performance.
C-Tier
The specializations that make up the C-Tier are on the weaker side of the DPS spectrum. They can still be considered viable, occasionally offering useful buffs and debuffs, and can very often be very fun to play. However, you aren’t likely to be in the top places of DPS meters with these specs, and you won’t have the easiest time finding a raid group, as they aren’t in high demand.
Combat Rogue
Combat Rogues are hard to place in the Tier List for the first stage of MoP Classic as the specialization seems to be average at best in most encounters when compared to both their brethren and the other classes, especially since they are very cooldown-reliant. While Combat Rogues received a considerable amount of buffs and some nerfs, their high dependency on Gear makes their performance unfavorable until the later stages of the expansion. Due to their Gear dependency and somewhat average performance, we’ll consider them C-Tier with a mention that with proper Gear, they may rise to the B-Tier.
Combat Rogues received a combination of buffs and nerfs to their Single-Target and AoE performance, with the AoE changes being the most prominent. Blade Flurry can now affect up to 4 targets but Ambidextry no longer empowers Fan of Knives. This means they no longer have awful Cleave capabilities but weaker overall AoE. Luckily, a new AoE tool, Crimson Tempest was added, which somewhat makes up for the nerf. In rest, Main Gauche was buffed to deal higher damage while Bandit’s Guile is more effective.
Their Utility is the same as all other Rogue specializations, bringing no special effect that stands out. This also means that there is no specific reason to stack multiple Combat Rogues in the same group.
Fury Warrior
It is sad yet not surprising to see the Fury Warrior in the C Tier at the beginning of MoP Classic as Critical Strike Chance is scarce and Fury Warriors require massive amounts of it to be viable. Their overall performance, while expected to be among the middle-top for the later parts of the expansion once the Throne of Thunder becomes available, is currently expected to be sub-par for the first raids, with Arms dominating the early parts of MoP for Warrior.
Thankfully, Fury Warrior received some fun modifications to their overall playstyle, making them even more fun to play in the MoP Classic compared to their mediocre Cataclysm Classic variant. Similar to all Warrior specializations, the stances now function differently, with Battle Stance now being the main stance for most PvE encounters where you won’t receive any Damage while Berserker Stance is the primary stance for any encounter that features passive damage. The reason is that Berserker Stance now generates Rage based on the damage dealt and received while Battle Stance generates higher Rage based on the damage dealt.
The most important change to their overall gameplay is the shift of Bloodthirst & Colossus Smash toward Rage Generators instead of Rage Spenders, allowing them to have a much more fluid playstyle and Rage Management, benefiting from even more procs than before. Their AoE is also enhanced since Whirlwind no longer has a cooldown. In addition, similar to their Arms Brethren, they gain access to multiple new abilities thanks to the new Talent layout. For Fury Warriors, Wild Strike, Skull Banner, Dragon Roar, and Avatar are the stars of the show while Slam is no longer part of their kit, allowing them to have huge burst moments in both Single-Target and AoE scenarios.
Sadly, the issue is the overall Critical Strike Chance available from the gear, with those new toys and overall playstyle barely being performant in the first phase of MoP Classic.
The good part is their utility is strong, just like with the other Warrior specializations with Banners, Shouts, Sunder Armor, Weakened Blows from Thunder Clap, and Rallying Cry being very helpful for the raid.
Frost Mage
Frost Mage shares the same fate as it did in the previous expansion, being expected to find itself in the C Tier in MoP Classic. Even though a lot of data online suggests that Frost Mage was one of the top contenders in MoP due to the Private Servers, a closer look at the original logs from 2014 suggests that the specialization was average or even below average, with its overall performance decreasing more and more as the expansion progressed.
One of the reasons why Frost Mage may prove us wrong with the arrival of the MoP Beta is the Mastery mechanic which may save its overall performance, considering that it should share the same effect it had in the original 5.4.8 patch of MoP. Compared to its Cataclysm Classic mechanics, the change to Mastery represents the biggest overhaul, as in the rest, the specialization plays the same. Frostbolt/Frostfire bolt remain the primary abilities that prime the Fingers of Frost passive while Ice Lance & Deep Freeze act as spenders. However, Deep Freeze no longer deals damage, meaning that they have even fewer tools to work with.
In terms of Utility, they bring all the classic effects that other Mage specializations can bring, with Time Warp, Arcane Brilliance, Portals, and Mage Food being the classic options. Due to their expected performance, stackability is not an option.
D-Tier
Simply put, specs in the D-tier are considered to be not viable. They can be fun to play, but you will struggle to get invited to raids when playing one of these, and you may even find yourself getting kicked from groups, as your damage will be really bad.
Marksmanship Hunter
Marksmanship Hunter is at the bottom of the pack in MoP Classic, displaying one of the worst performances on the currently available logs in the later stages of the expansion. The specialization performs so poorly that most people choose not to play it entirely, considering either Survival or Beast Mastery being the staple Hunter specialization. As such, the same can be expected of the specialization at the beginning of MoP Classic, especially when considering its RNG-based components and high dependency on Gear.
While they keep most of their core mechanics such as Steady Shot, Chimera Shot, Serpent Sting, and Aimed Shot, they now receive a change in how Aimed Shot functions. Master Marksman now has a 50% chance to be triggered and requires only 3 stacks, which in theory should result in more Aimed Shot casts. However, the lower proc change combined with the overall RNG often means fewer casts, dampening their overall performance.
Their AoE is also considerably less powerful, as it is directly tied to their Weapon Damage. However, Bombardment did receive a buff that may trigger an additional DoT on the target, although the RNG doesn’t seem favorable either for this effect.
Their utility is the same as all other Hunter Specializations, especially when considering that Trueshot Aura is now a passive for all Hunters, meaning that they no longer have something special to bring for the raid. Furthermore, Silencing Shot is also no longer unique since Counter-Shot was added to all Hunter specializations.
Due to their expected poor performance, players won’t wish to stack Marksmanship Hunters in their groups, opting for BM/Survival Hunters instead.