Nothing says "domination" in Blizzard's World of Warcraft more than annihilating bosses and their minions. Players prove their character's potential by pummeling other players to the ground in PVP. Interestingly, regardless of approach, players often end up choosing the same Classes when it comes to reliable DPS builds. It seems certain Classes sit on their respective thrones as the best DPS Classes in World of Warcraft meta.
While Warcraft tries to ensure a balance between Class builds, certain Classes work best in other roles except the DPS. Certain Classes just fail to dominate PVP circles, just as others work so well with their damage output. Just which Classes work best as DPS?
Updated on 16 November 2022 by Rhenn Taguiam: With the Dragonflight expansion of World of Warcraft finally bringing back the fabled Dragon Aspects back into the world of Azeroth after their isolation, fans of the hit MMO would probably want to maximize the content available in Shadowlands while it remains the prevalent expansion of the time.
Prior to the Dragonflight release date on November 28, 2022, players of World of Warcraft may want to explore prevalent builds for their characters to take - especially with regards to meta-dominating DPS Classes. Among these include specializations to Classes such as the Warlock, Paladin, and Monk that focus less on utilities and instead of dealing damage. There are also staple Warrior and Rogue specs that focus less on dealing massive base damage, and instead focuses on damage over time.
15 Destruction Warlock
Of all Specializations belonging to the World of Warcraft Class, the Destruction Warlock is easily the one that can rake in the right damage numbers, and lives up to their association with the Warcraft Burning Legion faction. When customized properly, the Destruction Warlock is capable of dishing out damage to single-targets while transitioning to devastating AOE builds at the same time. This is due to the fact that the Destruction Warlock has the least escalation time to achieve its highest DPS, making it one of the most viable Specializations in deadly boss fights.
When developed properly, the Destruction Warlock has great cooldowns that pave the way for creative plays against any kind of target. However, as a spellcaster, the Warlock immediately suffers from low mobility and burst capabilities, as well as middling damage numbers unless players follow its cooldowns precisely.
14 Assassination Rogue
When players hear about the Rogue Class in any RPG, they would probably imagine assassins relying on stealth to dish out extra damage numbers against opponents. This is exactly the case of the Assassin Rogue as a World of Warcraft Class Specialization, where they rely precisely on bleed and poison to deal debilitating damage to foes. They fit well as high-DPS fighters in both AOE and single-target setups.
For instance, the Rogue boasts excellent executes with Blindside and Zoldyck Recipe, boost the group’s performance with Blind, Garrote, Gouge, Sap, and Shroud of Concealment, and even has nifty survivability options with Cloak of Shadows, Crimson Vial, Evasion, and Feint. Players need to be wary of this specialization’s slow-burn nature, meaning they do lack target-swapping and burst damage opportunities.
13 Arms Warrior
Compared to its counterparts among the World of Warcraft Classes, the Arms Warrior is a powerful DPS build that compensates for its rather slow build-up with devastating damage numbers. If its Colossus Smash is used correctly by new Warcraft players, the Arms Warrior can consistently build towards powerful burst damage finishers. In that regard, players can customize the Arms Warrior to fit a variety of DPS roles - from single-target to AOE specs.
In terms of specifics, the Arms Warrior enjoys a lot of mobility with Heroic Leap, Intervene, and Charge. Not only that, the Arms Warrior enjoys a high level of durability with skills such as Die by the Sword, Defensive Stance, Spell Reflection, and Rallying Cry. However, players do need to take note of damage reduction when its downtimes aren’t used properly.
12 Retribution Paladin
Contrary to what people observe about Paladins in RPGs, the Retribution Paladin as a World of Warcraft specialization is the offensive-reliant counterpart of the otherwise-tanky Class, and an iconic subclass associated with the Warcraft Alliance faction. This spec boasts high flexibility and impressive burst damage, as well as various cooldown options that give them various ways of dealing damage to foes. Their biggest drawbacks are their rather limited mobility options and their cooldown-reliant nature.
However, these setbacks are well-compensated with their various defensive and utility capabilities. Their Divine Shield, Divine Protection, Eye for an Eye, and Shield of Vengeance can help them withstand the toughest of blows while they recharge their rotations. Meanwhile, their Blessing of Protection, Blessing of Freedom, and Blessing of Sacrifice can further augment their damage capabilities.
11 Windwalker Monk
Mobility is the key when using this World of Warcraft Specialization, making it a perfect DPS subclass to select for those who pursue the Monk Class. Compared to its other counterparts, the Windwalker Monk focuses on providing players with as much versatility as possible. Once the Windwalker gains momentum by converting Energy into Chi, they can dish out mean damage numbers while being able to dodge enemy blows fast enough.
At its core, the Windwalker Monk boasts impressive burst and stacked DPS through Cleave and AOE, as well as incredible mobility that allows it to jump around the battlefield. However, their flexible nature does mean they lack utilities, and their damage numbers aren’t enough for focused combat against single targets, unlike Shamans like Warcraft character Thrall.
10 Havoc Demon Hunter
The Havoc Demon Hunter specializes in strong melee cleave and AOE damage, courtesy from Sinful Brand and Unbound Chaos. Their straightforward nature makes them much easier to use in Shadowlands, with multiple AOE options that dish out major damage across various targets. Thanks to the Demon Hunter’s innate mobility, this Class can switch targets easily and reposition when necessary.
However, the Havoc Demon Hunter does have some setbacks. Players who want a solid single-target fighter might not see benefits with the Havoc Demon Hunter. Despite its strong AOE potential, its CD-heavy rotations can impact damage sustains. Due to this, the base damage of non-CD attacks might be weaker than other DPS classes.
9 Outlaw Rogue
While the Outlaw Rogue doesn’t have the single-target power of its Subtlety counterpart, Outlaw Rogue does shine when it comes to utility and survivability. At its core, the Outlaw Rogue tops the defense game with Feint and Evasion, anti-debuff through Cloak of Shadows, and emergency healing via Crimson Vial. Additionally, cloaking Shroud of Concealment and debuffs via Blind, Sap, and Gouge give the Outlaw Rogue a ton of useful group utility.
However, just because it’s not the best in single-target damage doesn’t mean the Outlaw Rogue is a pushover. Its Blade Flurry is a great asset for melee cleave and burst, making it a great option for devastating AOE chains. Sadly, Blade Flurry does become Outlaw Rogue’s primary damage dealer, and overall DPS depends heavily on the combo chains of Sinister Strike and Roll the Bones.
8 Elemental Shaman
There’s nothing worse than a Shaman using the full brunt of the elements against an opponent – and that’s exactly the specialization of the Elemental Shaman. Despite their lack of survivability options, they make up for it by being the best when it comes to single-target builds. They have great potential for both AOE and single-target fights, thanks to their devastating burst damage options. Perhaps most importantly, Elemental Shaman builds are extremely straightforward.
The Elemental Shaman has a host of practical abilities to use in various situations. Chain Lightning and Lava Beam jump to multiple targets, perfect for chaining attacks. Meanwhile, Lava Burst and Earth Shock work extremely well for single targets.
7 Fury Warrior
Players who want a fast-paced but straightforward toolkit will appreciate the Fury Warrior's flexibility. They’re known to be just as brave in the lore. They boast one of the strongest melee options in the DPS field, with stacked multi-target cleave and execution options. Its engaging, accessible playstyle makes the Fury Warrior easy to learn, and its skills open opportunities for both single-target and AOE combat.
Multi-target Whirlwind can easily open combat across an entire group. Should the need arise, Heroic Leap, Intervene, and Charge serve as handy repositioning options. Likewise, Rallying Cry, Spell Reflection, Ignore Pain, and Enraged Regeneration serve as handy defensive abilities. Sadly, the fast-paced playstyle of the Fury Warrior can become overwhelming at first. Additionally, the wrong rotation can result in a long downtime that can radically decrease DPS.
6 Fire Mage
“Burn it with fire!” Becomes the Fire Mage's default response to anything, and this works surprisingly well for a DPS build. The Fire Mage boasts its burst damage potential, with the capability of just outright nuking groups of enemies. Its movement options allow the Fire Mage to reposition attacks when necessary with little penalties to DPS. In turn, the Fire Mage excels in both AOE and single-target combat.
Sadly, Fire Mages don’t have a lot of damage-over-time spells, and barely have the means to consistently cleave damage groups of enemies. However, they do compensate with a host of efficient defensive capabilities such as damage-reversing Alter Time, damage-cancelling Ice Block, and damage-returning Blazing Barrier.