Hunter and Warlock top our World of Warcraft: Forever class tier list, with Priest, Mage, Paladin, Warrior, and Druid in A, and Rogue and Shaman in B. No class sits below B overall, because Blizzard’s stated aim is for “every class to feel valuable to the groups they join,” and each one has a job it does well.
This is our own reading of Blizzard’s class deep dives and development notes, not a Blizzard list and not raid data. Nobody has raided yet, since raids open December 9, so we weight the list toward what you are doing now: leveling and dungeons. It reflects the classes as of launch and Blizzard’s November 6 hotfixes. Blizzard’s class tuning hotfixes were planned for November 10, so that round is not included, and we explain below what it could move.
The Overall Tier List
| Tier | Classes | In one line |
|---|---|---|
| S | Hunter, Warlock | A pet takes the hits, so they lose the least time while leveling |
| A | Priest, Mage, Paladin, Warrior, Druid | Each is a top pick for a role a group always needs |
| B | Rogue, Shaman | Strong in one area, with a narrower case right now |
Tier List by Role
Your role changes the answer a lot, so this table is the one to use if you already know what you want to do.
| Role | S | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo and leveling | Hunter, Warlock | Druid, Paladin | Shaman, Mage | Rogue, Priest, Warrior |
| Tank | Warrior (raids) | Paladin (dungeons) | Druid | None |
| Healer | Priest | Shaman, Druid | Paladin | None |
| Damage | Mage, Rogue | Warlock, Warrior, Hunter | Shaman, Druid, Paladin, Priest | None |
| PvP | Warlock | Rogue, Mage, Priest, Warrior | Paladin, Shaman, Druid, Hunter | None |
Each of these rows matches a full guide with the reasoning: best solo class, best tank, best healer, and best PvP class. The damage row is new here, and it rests on Blizzard’s own descriptions of each class.
S Tier: Hunter and Warlock
Hunter. Blizzard’s Hunter and Druid deep dive says Hunters have “the longest range of any class” and can use a pet “as a tank in solo and small group play.” Blizzard’s November 2 notes also raised Aimed Shot’s bonus damage by about 110% and Arcane Shot’s base damage by about 30%. It is our top pick for new players too, and our guides to the best Hunter pets and taming one pick up from there.
Warlock. A demon tank, drains that heal you, and pets that scale with your stats make this the other easy leveler, and it also tops our PvP list. Blizzard’s Rogue and Warlock deep dive says Warlocks “now do damage to compete with any other spellcaster,” and that Affliction can sustain its own health through drains. The weak spot is the pet: the November 2 notes cut demons to 2 Health per point of the Warlock’s Stamina (was 7.5), and the November 6 hotfixes added about 40 base health to the Voidwalker.
A Tier: Priest, Mage, Paladin, Warrior, and Druid
Priest. Blizzard calls it “the most versatile healer,” and it is the only one built on absorb shields. A dungeon group always wants a healer. It slips out of S only because it levels slowly alone.
Mage. Blizzard calls Mages “masters of ranged area damage which is stronger and more varied than any other class,” and they make their own food and water. They are also “extremely fragile,” which is why they rank mid-table for solo play.
Paladin. The all-rounder: a strong solo class, our easiest dungeon tank thanks to baseline Consecration at level 20, and a capable healer. Only Humans, Dwarves, and Undead can play one.
Warrior. Our top raid tank, and “any party or raid is happy to add a Warrior as either a tank or damage dealer,” in Blizzard’s words. It is also last for solo play, which is the one thing holding it back during the climb to level 60.
Druid. It can tank, heal, or deal damage, and it heals itself between pulls. It has no snare, silence, or interrupt, and it is rarely the very best at any one job.
B Tier: Rogue and Shaman
Rogue. Blizzard credits it with “the highest potential single-target melee damage in the game,” and it is a world PvP predator. But damage is its only group role, and it spends a lot of time eating while leveling. This is the class most likely to climb once raid bosses arrive, because that is where its single-target damage counts.
Shaman. Blizzard calls it “among the sturdiest of classes,” and Restoration is a fine healer. But Blizzard also says Shaman “lack an effective crowd control,” and Enhancement’s stat priorities are the subject of the November 10 tuning, so its melee path is unsettled. Only Dwarves can play one on the Alliance.
Why a Class Can Be High Here and Low There
- Warrior is first for raid tanking and last for solo play. Both are true: it relies on a healer, and Blizzard says it lacks “the tools to easily recover from taking too much damage.”
- Hunter is first for solo play and in the bottom group for PvP. Its attacks stop inside the 8-yard dead zone, and it has no stun or interrupt, which hurts more against a person than a monster.
- Priest is our top healer, yet our new player guide steers a first healer to Shaman or Paladin. That guide is about surviving your first character, while this list is about what the class can do.
- Skyborne. Our best class for Skyborne guide picks Druid, because it answers a different question: which class gets the most from that race.
Race moves things far less than class. Our does race matter guide and best race and class combos guide cover it.
What the November 10 Tuning Could Change
Blizzard’s November 6 post said it planned hotfixes for Tuesday, November 10, “and then on future Tuesdays if necessary.” It named three targets:
- Hunter pets and Warlock Voidwalkers. They are “not as durable as tanks as we would like them to be,” and Blizzard wants them “relatively the same as in Classic Era.” This should help both of our S-tier classes.
- Affliction Warlocks. Always channeling Wrack currently beats also casting Siphon Life, Corruption, and Bane of Agony. Blizzard plans to fix that “without affecting Affliction Warlocks’ total damage output,” so we would not expect a tier change.
- Enhancement Shaman. Blizzard wants Strength to be the strongest stat, and it advises leveling Enhancement Shaman to collect Strength and Attack Power gear now. Our Shaman leveling guide and Warlock leveling guide cover the classes affected.
Beyond that, the November 2 notes say “we don’t plan on making big tuning changes between now and the opening of the raids,” apart from bugs and serious outliers, and that a large tuning pass follows once Blizzard has data from players past level 30. Expect this list to change when it does. Every other guide is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best class in WoW Forever? Hunter and Warlock, on our overall list, because a pet tank makes leveling smoother. Your role can change the answer.
Is there a bad class in WoW Forever? No. Every class is a good pick for at least one role, and our lowest overall tier is B.
What is the best class for raids? Nobody has raided yet. Based on Blizzard’s kits, we expect Warrior tanks, Priest healers, and Mage and Rogue damage to do well.
Did Blizzard publish a tier list? No. Blizzard says it wants every class to feel valuable, not perfectly equal. This list is our own reading.
Will the November 10 tuning change this list? It could. Blizzard named Hunter pets, Voidwalkers, Affliction, and Enhancement, and a larger pass comes later.
What is the best class for new players? Hunter. Our new player guide explains why, and which classes suit a first tank or healer.