World of Warcraft continues to prove that Blizzard's acclaimed fantasy RTS lives on in the hearts of fans. After the fall of Arthas into becoming the Lich King in Warcraft 3, Blizzard continued the story of Azeroth in the Warcraft MMO in 2004. Now, 16 years and eight expansions later, Warcraft fans can become Warriors, Mages, and even Death Knights in stories that reveal the fate of Arthas and other Warcraft characters.
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However, with 12 playable classes in the game, each with their Specializations, it can be overwhelming choosing the right one for any playstyle. And with the Shadowlands expansion coming within 2020, World of Warcraft fans may want to look back at some of the must-tries and the must-skip classes of the acclaimed MMORPG.
Updated on 14 April 2021 by Rhenn Taguiam: Fans of Blizzard’s hit MMO have more content to enjoy, thanks to the ongoing story and added endgame in the Shadowlands expansion. The expansion’s renewed take on a lower level cap and more flexible Classes meant shaking the meta for both newcomers and veterans of World of Warcraft. This time around, Classes can tap into all its Specializations, allowing players to take on new roles and abilities whenever the situation calls for it. However, some newcomers might feel overwhelmed with all these options on their fingertips. For new players interested to try the critically-acclaimed Warcraft MMO, just which of the twelve current Classes should they try? And more importantly, which Classes should they probably skip?
12 Must-Try: Death Knight
Despite the popularity of the Lich King Arthas as a Death Knight, these guardians of dread have existed long before the corrupted prince. Fans who want to partake in the game’s first Hero Class will appreciate the darker themes and rich lore associated with this class. Moreover, its reliance on Runes open interesting combo possibilities that enable players to revel in its versatility.
In terms of specs, all Death Knight Specializations boast decent performance across the board. Despite the versatility of the Rune system, none of the Specializations so complicated as to overwhelm newcomers. The Unholy Death Knight has massive DPS potential with easy-access CD management. Despite its seemingly repetitive nature, Frost Death Knight gives players access to a decent kit. Likewise, the Blood Death Knight gets high praise as one of the most efficient Tank Specs to ever hit the current meta.
11 Must-Skip: Monk
Introduced in Mists of Pandaria, Monks rely on their hands and feet to perform martial arts, be it for healing allies, protecting the vanguard, or damaging their foes. They rely on Energy and Chi, the body’s life force, to empower their attacks. Monks want to stay up close and personal, making them quite the melee Class. Players looking for a Class that relies heavily on a combo-based kit might enjoy Monks.
Despite the fast-paced nature of Monks, its Specializations demand more in terms of concentration and strategy. Brewmaster (Tank) remains a fan-favorite for a leveling spec for its great healing, decent area damage, and sustainability. Meanwhile, the Windwalker (DPS) offers decent self-healing and a high-damage but challenging kit. The Mistweaver (Healing) boasts powerful healing, but again, demands a lot of concentration and planning.
10 Must-Try: Warrior
Many players avoid the Warrior class as they give the impression of being "too straightforward." After all, it's not "fun" using a heavy-plated fighter that does a lot of bashing for hours' worth of gameplay. However, players who can endure the grueling (dare we say, annoying) grind to max level can enjoy a lot of benefits in the endgame. Players have to be patient, though, as Warriors tend to also be gear-dependent.
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Depending on the spec, Warriors can be the best Tank or DPS Class in both PvP and PvE. For instance, Mortal Strike ruins any healing of opponents by half, making it a deadly companion for PvP. Meanwhile, with the right equipment, Warriors can easily decimate raid bosses.
9 Must-Skip: Druid
What, Druids aren't great? But turning into an animal is fantastic! That's true, though - turning into various animals to perform multiple class roles makes the Druid one of the most versatile classes in the MMO. The Restoration spec lets Druids be great healers and buffers in raids, while Feral Combat evens the odds against other damage dealers. With the right player, a Druid can be one of the deadliest classes in World of Warcraft.
However, it's perhaps their ability to dip into multiple roles that make them a not-so-recommend class for players. Folks interested in going back to WoW or trying out a new class should probably explore other options. However, players looking for a challenge can spice things up with a Druid.
8 Must-Try: Mage
Players don't like Mages in the endgame because of their tendency to simply just spam Frostbolt in raids. However, one can't deny Mages easily become one of the best utility classes in the game. Aside from their endgame perks, Mages are great to level up with thanks to their vast selection of spells. They also save players money, since they make their water and food, open their own portals, and even teleport without the need for fast travel.
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Others might choose other DPS classes such as Rogues, Warlocks, and Hunters to handle mobs in raids. However, this choice means raid parties easily lose the flavor and color that Mages bring with their unique selection of spells.
7 Must-Skip: Paladin
Paladins take pride in their ability to both tank and provide healing for the party. Unfortunately, Warriors do better in soaking up damage, while Priests arguably have more utility and buffs. Like Shamans and Druids, Paladins suffer from having a lot of skillsets but not having "enough" to hold off on their own. Regardless, this doesn't mean Paladins are useless - they are tricky to master, though.
Protection Paladins work best as tanks, as their buffs provide extra defense. They also have limited healing capabilities (especially for draenei), which can still add much-needed hitpoints to allies. Meanwhile, the Retribution Paladins tank by making sure enemies don't get to reach allies in the first place.
6 Must-Try: Priest
Priests easily become one of the best support classes in the game, after Mages. In World of Warcraft, Priests don't just heal but also pack a lot of useful buffs. Their arsenal of spells means Priests can spam defensive Power Words for buffs, disable debuffs (for allies) and buffs (for enemies) with Dispel Magic, and ruin enemy formations with Psychic Scream. All these benefits make Priests very in-demand, and a challenge for players to learn.
Granted, Priests have a caveat of wearing weaker armor and having access to fewer weapons. They need to train how to handle crowds and mid-level bosses as they level up. However, Priests that get to understand their "groove" and adapt to switching from buffing to healing can be an invaluable asset.
5 Must-Skip: Shaman
Shaman takes the hit for being one of the few "hybrid" classes in World of Warcraft. The Shaman's flexibility can become a bit overwhelming for players who want to focus on particular roles. After all, Shamans have a lot of totems in their arsenal, allowing them to perform damage, buffs, debuffs, and even healing. For instance, the Mana Tide can supply the party with a lot of mana regeneration to help with difficult bosses. Meanwhile, Windfury Totem gives your party an extra auto-attack after melee abilities!
However, while these totems offer a lot of combat flexibility, great Shamans need the practice to put these totems to their maximum potential in the endgame. If a player doesn't have enough patience to find the right Shaman build for specific roles, they should probably try other "straightforward" classes.
4 Must-Try: Demon Hunter
Players of earlier WoW expansions likely dreamt of becoming demon hunters like Illidan Stormrage. In Legion, players will finally have a chance of becoming Illidan's proteges, as Blizzard launched the Demon Hunter class. The Demon Hunter is the second hero class in World of Warcraft after the Death Knight. This "prestige" status makes the Demon Hunter quite popular. In the right hands, it can be one of the strongest damage-dealers in the game.
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Granted, the damage output of Demon Hunters aren't as high as Rogues, and they aren't as great tanks compared to Warriors and Paladins. However, Demon Hunters have a tank spec that can help in most raids. Furthermore, the existence of a single DPS spec makes it easy for players to fine-tune their Demon Hunter for a DPS role.
3 Must-Skip: Hunter
Players consider Hunters as the game's best class for solo leveling. After all, powerful pets combined with Hunter's slate of utility spells make tag-teaming opponents a breeze. Moreover, Feign Death is a great skill that can get Hunters out of most sticky situations. Regardless, Hunters, especially in the Classic World of Warcraft, can deal massive damage early on. With the right gear, they can be DPS powerhouses.
Hunters aren't pushovers, and they can hold out on their own. However, improvements in other classes did leave Hunters a bit behind in both damage and utility. They're still formidable DPS classes, but Warlocks have more utility and Rogues decimate enemies, anyway.
2 Must-Try: Rogue
Rogues easily become one of the best damage-dealers in WoW, thanks to their focus on single-target combat. Moreover, their emphasis on Stealth makes them great ambushers, capable of taking out bosses and other players in PvP. Rogues can best almost anyone in terms of PvP, except Fury Warriors. After all, Rogues have access to a lot of Binding, Sapping, Stunlocking, and Crowd Control abilities.
With these skillsets, Rogues can easily take advantage of tanks getting all the aggro by swooping in for the kill. Their CC makes them a bane against mobs, especially if they're partnered with PvE classes such as Mages.
1 Must-Skip: Warlock
Warlock users take pride in their potential for solo PvP. After all, Warlocks naturally possess spells that take advantage of defensive capabilities (Demonology), direct damage (Destruction), and damage over time (Affliction). Moreover, shielding effects such as Sacrifice and Soul Link can redirect a lot of damage to their summons. Unfortunately, players looking for variety might not find them with Warlocks as they have a rather basic spell rotation.
Warlocks aren't "weak" per se, but players can find it challenging to balance a Warlock's slate of utility spells with their rather weak stature. Regardless, Warlocks with the right build can be a great asset in raids, and may even hold out on their own against other powerful PvP builds.