Choose a spec on the chart to see why it sits where it does.
DoTs that need no one to be hit, 
Drain Life and 
Life Tap for sustain, a pet tank and 
Fear make it the most self-contained farmer.
Scores for 
Affliction 
Warlock| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●●● 5 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 4.15, which is A tier.
Affliction's damage ticks whether or not anything is hitting it, and Life Tap turns health back into mana while Drain Life and 
Siphon Life refill the health, so the rest between kills is short.
A Voidwalker holds one mob while DoTs spread across a pull, and Fear removes another, which is the closest any spec comes to farming packs by design.
It stops short of S because none of this has been played past 30 and dungeons in Forever are tuned around crowd control the Warlock has only one of at a time.
Strengths
- Life Tap and Drain Life sustain
- Pet tank plus Fear
- DoTs spread over several targets
- Makes its own healthstones and soulstone
Weaknesses
- Soul Shards to farm and carry
- Cloth armour
- Solo dungeon clears untested
What would move it: A build note that changes Life Tap's or Drain Life's numbers, or shows the pet failing to hold a same-level elite at 60.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Warlock pet abilities are not in the client data; the pet's kit at 60 is taken from Classic Era.
Read the Affliction Warlock guide · Back to the chart
Bear form's armour and health, 
Swipe on several targets and 
Frenzied Regeneration let it take packs and elites, slowly but safely.
Scores for 
Feral Bear 
Druid| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.90, which is A tier.
Bear form is a tank kit used alone: high armour, a large health pool, Swipe for several targets and Frenzied Regeneration for healing that needs no mana.
Out of form it heals itself and can rebuff, so downtime is low, and Forever lists Frenzied Regeneration at the trainer at 36 in build 70450.
Kill speed is the limit, and the rating assumes the tank kit at 60 plays the way the client data reads.
Weaknesses
- Slow kills
- No ranged pull tools in form
- Solo dungeons untested
What would move it: Play reports past 30 showing bear threat or Swipe falling short against three same-level mobs.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Frenzied Regeneration's value at 60 rests on client data; no one has used it in play past 30.
Read the Feral Bear Druid guide · Back to the chart
A pet that inherits the 
Hunter's stats tanks while it shoots, with Bear Swipe, traps and 
Feign Death for packs and bad pulls.
Scores for 
Beast Mastery Hunter| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.80, which is A tier.
Forever's pets inherit the Hunter's stamina, armour and crit, so a Bear or Turtle tanks properly, and 
Bestial Wrath, Frenzy and Ferocity make it hit hard too.
Bear Swipe hits three targets, 
Multi-Shot and 
Volley add ranged AoE, and Freezing and 
Frost Trap work in combat, which is why the vault's pack report puts BM with a Bear pet ahead of the other Hunters.
Ammo, pet food and a mana-hungry rotation hold it back from the top, and it has no interrupt for caster elites.
Strengths
- Pet tank with inherited stats
- Traps work in combat
- Feign Death resets a bad pull
- Ranged AoE
Weaknesses
- No interrupt
- Ammo and pet food
- Mana for shots and
Mend Pet - Carrion Bird Screech is now on a 10 s cooldown
What would move it: Proof at 60 that a tank pet holds an elite, or a change to the pet stat inheritance.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Pet families and tank pet survivability at 41–60 are taken from the Classic Era kit; Forever's pet health formula has no data above 30.
- Bestial Wrath's numbers come from client data only.
Read the Beast Mastery Hunter guide · Back to the chart
Spirit Tap, 
Shadowform, DoTs and its own shields and heals make it a near-restless farmer that rarely dies.
Scores for Shadow 
Priest| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.80, which is A tier.
Shadow Word: Pain and 
Mind Flay kill while 
Power Word: Shield absorbs the hits, and Spirit Tap and 
Vampiric Embrace refill mana and health between kills.
Psychic Scream and Mind Flay's slow take care of a second mob, so two-mob pulls are routine and three are manageable.
Vampiric Embrace's cooldown is listed differently in two vault fact notes (30 s and 1 min); the rating holds either way.
Weaknesses
- Cloth armour
- Mana for long fights
- No pet tank
What would move it: Resolving Vampiric Embrace's cooldown at 1 min with lower healing, or a change to Spirit Tap.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Improved Mind Flay's effect differs between the guide and the client wording.
Read the Shadow Priest guide · Back to the chart
Roots, slows, 
Ice Barrier and 
Ice Block make it the safe solo 
Mage, and it conjures its own food, but it drinks often.
Scores for Frost Mage| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.65, which is B tier.
Frost has the most control of any caster: 
Frost Nova, 
Frostbolt's slow, 
Cone of Cold, 
Cold Snap and Ice Barrier, with 
Ice Lance for shattered targets.
Its own food, water and mana gems make it self-sufficient, but it is the heaviest drinker of the classes that can pull, and Blizzard nerfed Blizzard and Cone of Cold's slows on purpose to stop AoE kiting.
Weaknesses
- Drinks often
- Cloth armour
- AoE kiting deliberately nerfed
What would move it: A change to Blizzard or Cone of Cold's slows, or Ice Lance's bonus against frozen targets.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Winter's Chill (redesigned 15 Oct) and Ice Lance's bonus in long fights are untested past 30.
Read the Frost Mage guide · Back to the chart
Block, absorbs, 
Templar's Bulwark and 
Consecration make it the safest at packs, but its damage is low and Consecration's mana ends a chain.
Scores for Protection 
Paladin| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.65, which is B tier.
Protection is the strongest pack-tanking kit on paper: 
Seal of Fury absorbs, 
Holy Shield damages on every block, Consecration hits four, and Templar's Bulwark absorbs a full health bar.
Shield blocks return mana, and 
Holy Light and 
Lay on Hands heal, so it rarely dies; kills are slow, and Consecration's cost stops a long chain of pulls.
Hammer of the Righteous is in the client at 40 but carries a Season of Discovery spell ID, so the rating does not depend on it.
Weaknesses
- Low damage
- Mana for Consecration
- No interrupt or slow
- Magic bypasses block
What would move it: Confirmation of Hammer of the Righteous as a live ability, or another change to Consecration's coefficient.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Hammer of the Righteous at 40 is client data only, with no Blizzard source.
Iron Creed's damage reduction is listed as both 25% and 15% in different sources.
Read the Protection Paladin guide · Back to the chart
A sturdier pet and 
Soul Link carry the fight, but fewer DoT talents mean slower kills and smaller pulls than Affliction.
Scores for 
Demonology Warlock| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.50, which is B tier.
Demonology leans on the demon: a buffed Voidwalker or Felhunter takes the damage, Soul Link moves part of the Warlock's damage onto the pet, and Life Tap still refills mana.
It keeps Fear, Drain Life and healthstones, so it is safe, but without Affliction's DoT talents it kills one mob at a time and pulls of three are slower to clear.
Weaknesses
- Slower kills than Affliction
- Soul Shards
- Pet abilities at 60 unverified
What would move it: Evidence that the Forever Demonology pet holds a pack, or a change to Soul Link.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Warlock pet abilities are not in the client data; the pet's kit at 60 is taken from Classic Era.
Read the Demonology Warlock guide · Back to the chart
Stealth chooses every fight and 
Preparation doubles its escapes, so it rarely dies, but it fights one mob at a time.
Scores for Subtlety 
Rogue| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.35, which is B tier.
Subtlety has the most ways out in the game: 
Vanish, 
Evasion, 
Sprint, 
Blind and Preparation to reset them all, plus 
Ghostly Strike's dodge.
Stealth skips trash, 
Sap removes a Humanoid, and Premeditation opens anywhere, so it handles elites carefully; with no AoE it is slow on packs and has to rest on food.
Its capstone, 
Thousand Cuts, will be replaced by Death Mark, so the build is likely to change.
Weaknesses
- No AoE
- No self-heal
- Capstone about to change
What would move it: Death Mark's numbers, or a change to Preparation's cooldown.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Death Mark's effect is from a Blizzard podcast with no numbers.
- Subtlety's solo pack rating at 41–60 rests on the Forever tree and the class guide.
Read the Subtlety Rogue guide · Back to the chart
Burst casts with the Warlock's sustain kit, but long casts and shard-hungry nukes make it rest more and pull smaller than the others.
Scores for 
Destruction Warlock| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.25, which is B tier.
Destruction keeps everything that makes the Warlock safe alone — pet, Fear, Life Tap, Drain Life — and adds burst through 
Shadow Bolt and 
Conflagrate.
The burst costs mana and Soul Shards faster than DoTs do, and long casts with a pet that has fewer talents behind it mean fewer mobs at once.
Strengths
- Burst damage
- Pet, Fear and Life Tap
- Makes its own healthstones
Weaknesses
- Mana and shard cost per kill
- Long casts are interrupted by hits
- Smaller pulls
What would move it: A change to Shadow Bolt or Conflagrate costs, or to how Life Tap scales at 60.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Warlock pet abilities are not in the client data; the pet's kit at 60 is taken from Classic Era.
Read the Destruction Warlock guide · Back to the chart
Plate, self-heals and strong single-target damage made it the beta's favourite leveller, but Consecration is its only AoE.
Scores for 
Retribution Paladin| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.15, which is C tier.
Retribution kills one mob well with 
Seal of Command, Holy Strike and 
Judgement, heals itself between fights and wears plate, so downtime is low.
Consecration is the only AoE, and the 15 Oct coefficient cut leaves it borderline at three mobs; with no slow or interrupt, casters and runners are a problem.
Weaknesses
- Weak AoE
- No interrupt or slow
- Mana for heals
- Three nerfs since 24 Sep
What would move it: Another Consecration change, or play past 30 showing how Seal of Command scales.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- The Holy Strike coefficient is listed as 42.9%, 35% and 18% in different sources.
Read the Retribution Paladin guide · Back to the chart
Blade Flurry and 
Adrenaline Rush give the Rogue its best sustained damage, but one extra target and no self-heal keep pulls small.
Scores for Combat Rogue| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.15, which is C tier.
Combat is the Rogue's dungeon default, with the steadiest damage: 
Slice and Dice, Adrenaline Rush and Blade Flurry.
Blade Flurry hits only one extra target, so three mobs still need 
Gouge, Blind or a Vanish, and it rests on food after hard fights.
What would move it: Blade Flurry hitting more targets, or a self-heal for the Rogue.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Adrenaline Rush is listed at 40 in one place and at 31 points (60) in another.
- Blade Flurry's pack value at 41–60 rests on the pack report and the Classic Era kit.
Read the Combat Rogue guide · Back to the chart
Plate, 
Shield Wall, 
Last Stand and 
Shield Slam keep it alive in a pull, but 
Victory Rush is its only heal and kills are slow.
Scores for Protection 
Warrior| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.15, which is C tier.
Protection has the Warrior's best defences — two short defensive cooldowns, block, Defense, 
Thunder Clap on four — and plenty of rage from being hit.
Its only heal is Victory Rush, and damage is low, so it survives a pull but rests after it; the vault's pack report says two mobs with preparation.
What would move it: A self-heal for the Warrior, or a change to how rage is earned from damage taken.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Read the Protection Warrior guide · Back to the chart
A melee Hunter with traps, 
Deterrence and an optional pet: safe on one mob, but its damage against packs is the weakest of the three.
Scores for Survival Hunter| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.05, which is C tier.
Forever made Survival a melee spec with 
Raptor Strike, 
Mongoose Bite, Lacerate and 
Strider Kick, and kept the traps and Feign Death.
Deterrence and the trap opener give it good survival, but a forum test saw about a quarter of BM's damage per pack, and Lacerate shows a client oddity at 30–60.
Weaknesses
- Low pack damage
- Mana for shots and traps
- No interrupt
Disengage stops auto-attack
What would move it: Play reports past 30 showing melee Survival's damage, or a fix to Lacerate.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Melee pack soloing at 41–60 is reasoned from the Forever tree and one forum test.
- The Expose Prey proc rate comes from the class guide's text only.
Read the Survival Hunter guide · Back to the chart
Ranged spells, roots and heals keep it safe on one mob, but it drinks often and has no answer to a pack.
Scores for Balance Druid| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 3.00, which is C tier.
Balance kills from range with 
Wrath, 
Starfire and 
Moonfire, roots a melee mob with 
Entangling Roots and heals itself when it goes wrong.
Mana runs out quickly against several mobs, and the AoE it has (
Hurricane) is expensive, so it drinks after most fights and avoids packs.
Weaknesses
- Mana-hungry
- Weak against packs
- Cloth-like in caster form
What would move it: A Forever change to Balance mana costs, or a cheaper AoE.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Read the Balance Druid guide · Back to the chart
Mutilate and poisons burst one target down from stealth, but there is no cleave at all and poison scaling is unresolved.
Scores for 
Assassination Rogue| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.95, which is C tier.
Assassination opens from stealth with 
Garrote or 
Ambush and finishes with Mutilate and 
Venom, so single mobs die quickly.
It has no cleave or AoE, and a beta test showed poison damage barely rising with attack power, so its sustained damage at 60 is the least certain of the Rogues.
Weaknesses
- No AoE
- Poison scaling unresolved
- No self-heal
What would move it: Blizzard settling how poisons scale with attack power.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Poison scaling at 41–60 rests on one 24 Sep beta test and a 7 Oct statement of intent.
Read the Assassination Rogue guide · Back to the chart
It can heal through almost anything and needs nothing from anyone, but its damage is so low that every kill is slow.
Scores for Restoration Druid| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.90, which is C tier.
Restoration rated as itself is a healer with Moonfire, Wrath and roots: it rarely dies, and its own heals and buffs mean it needs no one.
The cost is time. Healing gear adds little damage, so farming and instances are slow, and it is mana-bound on longer fights.
Strengths
- Strong self-healing
- Roots and shapeshift escapes
- Self-sufficient
Weaknesses
- Very slow kills
- Mana-bound
- No pet or pack tool
What would move it: A Forever change that gives healing power more spell damage, or a damage talent in the Restoration tree.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Restoration's solo damage at 60 is reasoned from client spell numbers, not from play.
Read the Restoration Druid guide · Back to the chart
Lone Wolf's 20% damage plays petless, which removes the tank: kiting with traps works on one mob, but a pack is dangerous.
Scores for Marksmanship Hunter| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.90, which is C tier.
Marksmanship is built around Lone Wolf, so it shoots harder than BM with no pet to hold anything; 
Aimed Shot, 
Sniper Shot and 
Rapid Fire make single kills quick.
Without a pet, elites and pulls have to be kited, and the 8-yd dead zone plus Auto Shot needing half a second standing still make kiting less forgiving than in Classic.
Weaknesses
- No tank
- Dead zone and standing Auto Shot
- No interrupt
- Ammo
What would move it: A change to Lone Wolf or to the dead zone, or a build that keeps a pet.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Petless pack soloing at 41–60 is reasoned from Lone Wolf's text and the Classic Era kit.
Read the Marksmanship Hunter guide · Back to the chart
Lava Burst and 
Chain Lightning hit hard, and 
Frost Shock and Earthbind kite elites, but it has no crowd control and drinks often.
Scores for 
Elemental 
Shaman| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.90, which is C tier.
Elemental's 15 Oct rework added Lava Burst and made 
Flame Shock and 
Call of Flame worth taking; Chain Lightning and 
Fire Nova handle small pulls.
Shaman has no hard crowd control at all, and casting uses the whole mana bar, so it kites with Frost Shock and Earthbind and rests often.
Weaknesses
- No crowd control
- Mana-hungry
- Lowest health of the Shaman specs
What would move it: Play past 30 showing the 15 Oct rework's mana use, or a crowd-control spell for the Shaman.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Lava Burst,
Elemental Mastery and the 15 Oct rework at 41–60 rest on client data and Blizzard's notes. - Practical pack clearing with Chain Lightning at 60 is theory.
Read the Elemental Shaman guide · Back to the chart
Windfury, 
Stormstrike and Maelstrom bolts hit hard in mail, but there is no crowd control, no dual wield and little AoE.
Scores for Enhancement Shaman| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.90, which is C tier.
Enhancement turns Intellect into attack power, procs Windfury and fires instant Lightning Bolts from 
Maelstrom Weapon, so single mobs die quickly.
Shaman cannot dual wield in the beta and has no hard crowd control, and its AoE (Fire Nova, 
Magma Totem, Chain Lightning) is small and costs mana, so two mobs is comfortable and three is the limit.
Weaknesses
- No crowd control
- No dual wield
- Small, mana-limited AoE
What would move it: Dual wield arriving for Shaman, or a crowd-control spell.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Improved Stormstrike's reset and 
Rage of the Farseer's uptime rest on tooltips only.
Read the Enhancement Shaman guide · Back to the chart
Water Shield, Mana Tide and 
Riptide let it heal through almost anything, but its damage is the lowest of the Shamans.
Scores for Restoration Shaman| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.90, which is C tier.
Restoration restores its own mana with Water Shield and Mana Tide and heals with Riptide, 
Healing Wave and Nature's Swiftness, so it rarely dies.
It kills with Lightning Bolt and shocks without any damage talents, so the class guide's "Resto can quest slowly" is the best it does.
Weaknesses
- Very slow kills
- No crowd control
- No pack tool
What would move it: More spell damage from healing gear, or a damage talent in the Restoration tree.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Riptide and
Chain Heal at 50–60 are client data, not play-tested. - Restoration's solo kill speed at 60 is reasoned from the guide's level-30 view.
Read the Restoration Shaman guide · Back to the chart
Big crits and 
Pyroblast burst one target, but it has no Ice Barrier, few defences and only Flamestrike for packs.
Scores for Fire Mage| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.80, which is C tier.
Fire hits hardest of the Mages, with 
Fireball, Pyroblast, 
Heating Up and Combustion, and conjures its own supplies.
Without Ice Block or Ice Barrier in the build and with 
Blast Wave left out, it is fragile, and the vault's pack report says No at three mobs.
Weaknesses
- Few defences
- Weak against packs
- Crit-dependent mana
What would move it: Blast Wave or Dragon's Breath becoming part of the build.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Ignite, Heating Up and Combustion uptime come from tooltip values; the 15 Oct Heating Up rework is untested past 30.- The Frostfire variant is the most speculative build in the guide.
Read the Fire Mage guide · Back to the chart
Excellent self-heals and bubbles keep it alive, but healer damage makes every kill slow and its mana runs out fast.
Scores for Holy Paladin| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.80, which is C tier.
Holy has the best Paladin heals plus 
Holy Shock, Exorcism and Consecration for damage; healing gear adds a third as spell damage, which is not much.
It survives almost anything, but no source tests Holy as a solo killer and the guide treats it purely as a healer.
Weaknesses
- Low damage
- Mana
- No interrupt or slow
What would move it: A Forever change that gives Holy more damage from healing power.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Holy's solo damage role is reasoned from client spell numbers plus the guide's healer framing; no source plays it solo.
Read the Holy Paladin guide · Back to the chart
Shields and heals keep it alive, but without Shadow's talents its damage is low and it rests after most kills.
Scores for Discipline Priest| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.80, which is C tier.
Discipline has the Priest's full defensive kit — Power Word: Shield, Psychic Scream, heals, 
Fade — and very little damage beyond 
Smite and Shadow Word: Pain.
It survives almost anything and needs no one, but farming and pulls are slow and mana goes quickly.
Weaknesses
- Low damage
- Mana per kill
- Cloth armour
What would move it: A damage talent in the Discipline tree or more spell damage from healing power.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Discipline's solo damage at 60 is reasoned from client spell numbers, not from play.
Read the Discipline Priest guide · Back to the chart
Fast single-target damage, stealth and shapeshifting out to heal, but leather and energy leave packs and elites a risk.
Scores for 
Feral Cat Druid| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.60, which is D tier.
Cat form kills one mob quickly and 
Prowl chooses the fights, and shifting out to heal between kills keeps it going without a healer.
It has no pack answer of its own, and in cat form it takes a hit like a Rogue, so three mobs or a hard elite usually means shifting to bear or leaving.
Strengths
- Quick single kills
- Prowl
Heals itself between fights- Needs nothing from others
Weaknesses
- No AoE in cat form
- Leather armour
- Shapeshifting costs mana in a fight
What would move it: A change to cat-form AoE or to the cost of shifting, or proof at 60 that bear-swapping mid-fight is routine.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Read the Feral Cat Druid guide · Back to the chart
The best heals in the class and untalented damage: it rarely dies, but killing anything alone is a long, mana-heavy grind.
Scores for Holy Priest| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.60, which is D tier.
Holy is a healer played solo: it has the baseline Shadow Word: Pain, 
Mind Blast and Mind Flay every Priest gets, but no damage talents behind them, so it spends its mana slowly killing and rests after most fights.
It has the Priest's shields, Psychic Scream and the strongest heals, so it survives and can grind down a weaker elite, but packs are beyond it.
Weaknesses
- Lowest damage in the class
- Rests after most kills
- No pack answer
What would move it: A Forever change that turns Holy damage into a real solo kit, such as more Smite or Holy Fire damage from healing power.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Holy's solo damage at 60 is reasoned from client spell numbers, not from play.
Read the Holy Priest guide · Back to the chart
Arcane Blast and Arcane Power burst hard, but stacking Blast drains mana quickly and it has the fewest defences of any Mage.
Scores for Arcane Mage| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●●●○ 4 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.55, which is D tier.
Arcane is a burst spec: Arcane Blast stacks spell damage, Arcane Power and 
Presence of Mind front-load a kill, and 
Arcane Explosion handles a small pull.
Each Blast raises the next one's cost, so long kill chains run dry, and nobody has played Arcane Blast at 60.
Weaknesses
- Mana drains quickly
- Cloth and few defences
- Arcane Explosion drains mana in a few casts
What would move it: Play at 60 showing the Arcane Blast mana economy holds over a kill chain.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Arcane at 40–60 is reasoned from client rank values and a theory build.
- Arcane Blast and
Arcane Wrath's mana over a long chain rest on tooltips only.
Read the Arcane Mage guide · Back to the chart
The kings of cleave hit hard on packs, but no heal beyond Victory Rush and damage-taken cooldowns make every pull a gamble.
Scores for Fury Warrior| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.55, which is D tier.
Fury has the strongest cleave in the class, with Whirlwind on four and 
Cleave, and burst from 
Death Wish and 
Recklessness.
Both cooldowns raise the damage it takes, it has no shield, and Victory Rush is its only heal, so it rests after most fights and dies when a pull goes wrong.
Weaknesses
- No self-heal beyond Victory Rush
- Cooldowns raise damage taken
- Repairs
- Dual-wield hit needs gear
What would move it: Bloodthirst healing again, or a self-heal for the Warrior.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Read the Fury Warrior guide · Back to the chart
Mortal Strike and a two-hander hit hard, but no heal, no stun and no AoE worth the name make it the hardest spec to solo with.
Scores for Arms Warrior| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|
| Open-world farming | 25 | ●●●○○ 3 |
|---|
| Multi-mob pulls | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Elites, rares, group quests | 20 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Survival and escape | 15 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Solo instance farming | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
| Self-sufficiency | 10 | ●●○○○ 2 |
|---|
Weighted score 2.25, which is D tier.
Arms has strong single-target swings and Sweeping Strikes, but its defence is Victory Rush, a shield swap for Shield Wall, and 
Intimidating Shout on a three-minute cooldown.
It needs gear more than any other spec and rests after nearly every fight; guides call it the most reliant on gear and healers.
What would move it: A self-heal for the Warrior, or proof that Shield Wall by swap is routine at 60.
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 talent build is a theorycraft projection (marked unconfirmed in the guide data); nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
Read the Arms Warrior guide · Back to the chart
Blink
Repentance
Hammer of Justice
Kick
Scatter Shot
Reincarnation
Polymorph
Piercing Howl
Execute
Hamstring