Photo of author

World of Warcraft Classic: PvE Class Ranking

Top Classes for Raiding in WoW Classic

In the world of World of Warcraft Classic, raiding has undergone significant changes over the years. With the release of the Classic version, players now have the chance to relive the glory days of 40-man raiding. While the boss mechanics may not be as challenging as in Shadowlands, the competition is tougher than ever. Here is a tier list of the best classes for PvE raiding in WoW Classic.

S Tier: The Best of the Best

Protection Warriors, Holy Priests, Fury Warriors, and Combat Rogues are considered the top tier classes for raiding in WoW Classic. Protection Warriors excel as tanks with their large health pool, threat generation, and sustainability. Holy Priests are unmatched healers, providing essential raid buffs and versatile healing options. Fury Warriors, while weak in earlier raids, become incredibly powerful in later stages, dealing the highest damage per second. Similarly, Combat Rogues shine with their unmatched damage and utility.

A Tier: Strong Choices

Fire Mages, Affliction Warlocks, and Holy Paladins fall into the A tier for raiding in WoW Classic. Fire Mages are the top ranged DPS class, surpassing Warlocks in terms of damage output. Warlocks, on the other hand, offer debuffs and raid-wide utility that boost the group’s overall DPS. Holy Paladins are a major advantage for the Alliance faction, providing powerful raid buffs and strong single-target healing.

B Tier: Solid Performers

Restoration Shamans, Restoration Druids, and Hunters are considered solid choices for raiding in WoW Classic. Restoration Shamans complement Paladins as Horde’s counterparts, offering raid-wide healing through Chain Heal and versatile Totems. Restoration Druids bring valuable raid utility with abilities like combat resurrection and damage-buffering spells. Hunters may not deal the highest damage, but their Tranquilizing Shot ability is crucial for bosses with enrage mechanics.

C Tier: Middle of the Pack

Feral Druids, Elemental Shamans, Enhancement Shamans, and Shadow Priests fall into the C tier for raiding in WoW Classic. Feral Druids can be viable in both DPS and tanking roles but are not highly regarded in raiding. Elemental and Enhancement Shamans offer similar utility to their Restoration counterparts but struggled with mana management in the early stages of the game. Shadow Priests may not deal significant damage but provide important shadow damage buffering abilities for high-end raiding.

D Tier: Less Desirable

Protection Paladins, Retribution Paladins, and Balance Druids are considered less desirable choices for raiding in WoW Classic. Protection Paladins lack defensive capabilities, making them unfit for high-end raiding. Retribution Paladins, while offering raid buffs, have weak damage output. Balance Druids, nicknamed “Oomkins,” are known for mana issues and struggle to maintain enough mana for long fights, resulting in lower damage output.

Ultimately, the choice of class for raiding in WoW Classic depends on individual playstyle and preferences. However, these tier rankings provide a useful guideline for players looking to optimize their raiding experience.

Image via Warcraft Logs