Hunter is the best solo class in World of Warcraft: Forever: its pet tanks for it, it attacks from the longest range of any class, and it rarely has to stop and rest. Warlock is a close second for the same reason (a demon that takes the hits), with Druid and Paladin the best picks if you want a solo class that can also tank or heal for groups.
This is our ranking, built on Blizzard’s class deep dives and its launch notes, not a Blizzard list. Below is how we judged solo play, every class ranked, the classes that make soloing slow, and which race helps. Checked November 7, three days after launch; Blizzard expects a large tuning pass once enough players are past level 30, so we will revisit it then.
What Makes a Class Good Solo in WoW Forever
Solo combat is slow on purpose. Blizzard’s deep dive panel recap says an ordinary creature should take roughly 10 to 15 seconds to defeat solo. At that pace, three things decide how fast you level alone:
- Something else takes the hits. A pet tank means you lose less health per fight.
- Little downtime. Every minute spent eating or drinking between fights is a minute not killing.
- A way out of a bad pull. Fear, a slow, stealth or a self-heal saves a death and the run back.
Every Class Ranked for Solo Play
| Rank | Class | Solo strength | Solo weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunter | Pet tank, longest range, little downtime | Dead zone within 8 yards |
| 2 | Warlock | Demon tank, damage over time, drains | Physically weak without the demon |
| 3 | Druid | Heals itself, changes form for any problem | No snares, silences or interrupts |
| 4 | Paladin | Self-heals, plate armor, early Holy Strike | No interrupt, slower kills |
| 5 | Shaman | Among the sturdiest classes, self-heals | Lacks effective crowd control |
| 6 | Mage | Controls fights, makes its own food and water | Extremely fragile in melee |
| 7 | Rogue | Stealth, picks its fights | Downtime after every pull |
| 8 | Priest | Shields and heals | No pet, cloth armor, few escapes |
| 9 | Warrior | Strong in groups | Few tools to recover from heavy damage |
Strengths and weaknesses are drawn from Blizzard’s class deep dives and its race and class overview.
1. Hunter: The Best Solo Class
Blizzard’s Hunter and Druid deep dive says Hunters “can utilize their pet as a tank in solo and small group play,” and Forever’s pets gain stats from your gear, so upgrades make both of you stronger. Blizzard’s launch notes also raised Aimed Shot and Arcane Shot damage. The pet arrives at level 10; our guide to taming a Hunter pet shows how, and our best Hunter pets guide names the best tanks for leveling.
2. Warlock: The Other Pet Tank
A Voidwalker holds monsters while your damage over time spells do the work, and Warlock demons now scale with the Warlock’s own stats. One launch change softens it: Blizzard’s November 2 notes cut the Health demons gain from each point of the Warlock’s Stamina, so the pet soaks less than it did in testing. Still a superb solo class, and Warlocks can summon a late friend to a dungeon too.
3. Druid: The Flexible Soloist
Druids heal themselves between pulls, and their forms cover every situation: Bear Form to survive, Cat Form to kill, and Travel Form to move. Blizzard’s launch notes raised Starfire, Shred, Claw, Rake and Rip damage. The early levels before Cat Form are the slow part; our guides to Cat Form and Bear Form show when each arrives.
4. Paladin: Hard to Kill
Plate armor and self-heals keep a Paladin alive through pulls that kill other classes. Forever gives Paladins Holy Strike at level 6 and Consecration baseline at 20, so the slow early game Paladins were known for is shorter. Kills take longer than on a Hunter or Warlock, but you almost never die.
5. Shaman: Sturdy and Self-Sufficient
Blizzard calls Shaman among the sturdiest classes, and healing yourself between fights cuts downtime. Shaman lack strong crowd control, so a bad pull is harder to escape than on a Hunter or Warlock.
The Classes That Make Solo Play Slow
- Mage: strong control and its own food and water, but Blizzard calls Mages “extremely fragile” in melee. A careful Frost Mage solos well; a careless one dies often.
- Rogue: stealth lets you choose every fight, but you will eat after most of them.
- Priest: no pet, cloth armor and few escapes make solo leveling slower, even though shields and heals keep you alive.
- Warrior: a great group class, but Blizzard’s deep dive says Warriors have few tools to recover from heavy damage, which is exactly what solo play needs. Victory Rush helps, but expect to rest a lot.
Best Solo Class at Level 60
At 60, soloing means farming materials and gold. Hunters and Warlocks stay the best, since a pet tank makes farming safe, and Druids farm safely because they heal themselves and can shift forms to escape. Mages become strong at 60 for farming groups of monsters at once, which is a skill to learn rather than a starting point. Our guide to how to make gold covers what to farm.
Picking a Race for a Solo Class
Race matters less than class, but it helps. Orcs get Command for more pet damage, which suits a Hunter, and Undead now restore Mana as well as Health with Cannibalize, which cuts a caster’s downtime. Our best race and class combos cover every pairing, and our best class for new players ranks the classes for a first character instead. Every WoW Forever guide we have is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best solo class in WoW Forever? Hunter. Its pet tanks while it attacks from range, and it has little downtime between fights.
Is Warlock good solo in WoW Forever? Yes. Its demons tank for it and scale with its stats, though the launch notes cut how much Health they gain from Stamina.
What is the worst class for solo play? Warrior, by our reading. Blizzard says it has few tools to recover from heavy damage, so it spends a lot of time resting.
Can healers level solo in WoW Forever? Yes. Paladins, Shaman and Druids heal themselves and level solo well. Priests are slower because they have no pet and few escapes.
What is the best solo class at level 60? Hunter or Warlock for safe farming, with Mage strong for players who learn to farm groups of monsters.