With World of Warcraft Forever bringing new zones, dungeons, talent trees, and major class changes, players have plenty of options when choosing a class. During the convention, many players and streamers spent time testing the new talent trees to see which classes and specs could perform particularly well.
Based on the available beta, PTR footage, gameplay videos, and talent changes, it is already possible to get a general idea of how different classes are shaping up. However, this early WoW Forever class tier list is subject to change as the beta progresses and Blizzard makes further adjustments.
Whether you plan to play during the September 17 beta or wait for the November 4 launch, here is an overview of the classes and specs currently attracting the most attention. The content is from NOHITJEROME’s YouTube video.
B-Tier Classes and Specs
Balance Druid
Balance Druid looks much closer to its Wrath-era version than many other Classic variants. One of the major changes is Eclipse, which encourages the use of Wrath and then reduces the cast time of Starfire. Balance Druids also receive several talents that increase damage and critical strike potential.
The downside is that some of the more gimmicky abilities from later versions are missing. There is no Starfall or Starsurge, for example. Even so, this version of Balance Druid appears to be one of the strongest versions of Boomkin seen in Classic so far.
Shadow Priest
Shadow Priest has received significant improvements, leading some players to view the spec as potentially very powerful. Shadow Priest benefits from:
- DoTs that can benefit from critical strike
- Fear Ward for all Priests
- Devouring Plague becoming a built-in ability
- Shadowform reducing mana costs by 50%
These changes address some of the major mana problems Priests traditionally faced at level 60. However, the question is not simply whether Shadow Priest is stronger. Since many other classes are also receiving major improvements, its position relative to the rest of the game remains uncertain.
Retribution Paladin
Retribution Paladin has several interesting additions, with Twist of Light being one of the most notable. The ability essentially provides a free melee attack while two seals are active, creating a form of automated seal twisting without requiring the same amount of manual effort. Retribution also receives 99% spell-damage scaling from Intellect, while Holy Strike can provide additional 10% damage and automatically refresh Judgement.
Despite these improvements, Retribution does not appear to be receiving as dramatic a damage increase as some other specs. Compared with Season of Discovery, the changes currently look considerably less explosive.
Holy Paladin
Blizzard is also making an effort to improve traditionally off-meta builds, including Holy Shockadin. The spec receives 18% Hit Rating, along with Light's Vigil. This combination allows players to potentially use Holy Shock twice in succession without a cooldown.
There was limited gameplay footage available for this build, so its actual performance still needs to be tested more extensively. Nevertheless, Holy Shockadin is a spec worth watching as the beta develops.
Smite Priest
Smite Priest is another unusual build that Blizzard appears to be actively supporting. The addition of Penance gives the spec significantly more offensive potential. The build also benefits from Power and Light, which increases the damage of Smite and Penance against targets affected by Holy Fire. This creates a clear synergy between the abilities and suggests that Blizzard wants Smite Priest to become a more viable damage-focused option.
A- Tier Classes and Specs
Warrior
Both Arms and Fury Warrior are currently placed in the A-Tier range, although their new talents do not appear as dramatic as some of the other classes. For Arms, notable additions include:
- Bloodthrill that can activate Overpower from Rend targets
- Weaponmaster, which provides bonuses based on the equipped weapon
- Maces gaining the ability to ignore 3% of the target's armor
Fury receives Hit Rating and changes to Whirlwind that allow it to strike with the off-hand weapon. Cleave also receives cost-related improvements.
At first glance, Warriors may not appear to be gaining as much as other classes. However, one major unknown remains: whether World Buffs will be available. Warriors have historically scaled extremely well with powerful buffs, so their final position could look very different once the complete environment is known.
Feral Druid
Feral Druid is one of the more heavily debated specs at this stage. The spec receives an actual resurrection ability and Berserk, which allows Mangle to strike additional targets. King of the Jungle also provides an instant 60 Energy, which can be valuable for the rotation. One of the biggest points of discussion is Mangle and how it will function across forms. There are also indications that traditional powershifting may no longer be part of the rotation. This could make Feral significantly easier to play, although players who enjoyed the more complicated powershifting gameplay may not appreciate the change.
Feral also does not receive Wild Strikes, meaning it may lose some of the automatic group demand it enjoyed in Season of Discovery. Nevertheless, PTR gameplay has shown strong damage potential, so Feral remains a competitive option.
Mage
Mage has also generated considerable discussion. Gameplay from the main stage demonstrated strong DPS potential, although mana management remained an issue in some situations.
Several builds currently look promising. Arcane Power builds can gain access to Hot Streak, although Hot Streak now reduces cast time by 75% rather than creating the same type of instant Pyroblast gameplay seen in other versions. Mage also gains tools such as Arcane Blast and Missile Barrage, increasing the frequency of Arcane Missile casts.
Frost does not currently look particularly impressive, but it could become extremely valuable in specific situations such as Hardcore dungeon content.
Another interesting option is a Combustion build, which combines critical strike, Fire damage, and Hot Streak procs for potentially strong dungeon damage.
Rogue
Rogue remained one of the most uncertain classes in the testing environment. There are several important quality-of-life improvements. Combo Points remain on the target when switching targets, while the energy system appears closer to a more modern design.
However, the individual specs are more difficult to evaluate. Subtlety Rogue appears to have a large number of talents that are not particularly useful, forcing players to invest heavily in the tree before reaching its more attractive abilities. Combat Rogue has several appealing options, including Restless Blades. At the same time, Mutilate Rogue remains a strong possibility because of Mutilate itself and abilities such as Envenom. The lack of a dedicated Rogue tank specialization is another major point of discussion, although it remains outside the current confirmed changes.
Elemental Shaman
Elemental Shaman's talent tree immediately stands out because of the number of powerful tools available to the spec. Some of the major additions include:
- Lava Burst
- Lightning Overload
- Instant Fire Nova
- Earthbind improvements
- Totem quality-of-life improvements
- Totemic Recall
Lightning Overload provides opportunities to cast additional copies of spells, while Fire Nova becomes much less cumbersome to use because it can be activated directly rather than requiring the traditional totem placement process. Overall, Elemental Shaman appears to have received a substantial collection of offensive and utility improvements.
S-Tier Classes and Specs
Survival Hunter
The Survival melee Hunter was one of the most talked-about builds in the testing environment. Its new ability, Lacerating Strikes, causes the target to bleed for 40% of the damage dealt by Mongoose Bite. The ability requires the capstone talent, meaning it is not available at lower beta levels. Survival Hunter can also activate Mongoose through attacks and has a built-in interrupt. With strong scaling potential and a combination of melee damage, utility, and additional effects, Survival Hunter currently looks like one of the most promising Hunter builds.
Marksmanship Hunter
Marksmanship receives less attention than Survival, but it still has some interesting options. Its capstone talent provides a powerful ranged attack that can potentially deliver huge burst damage. Players can also choose a more traditional build centered around Lone Wolf and Aimed Shot. The exact value of the spec will likely depend heavily on how the final talent interactions and encounters work.
Beast Mastery Hunter
Beast Mastery appears to receive fewer major changes than the other Hunter specs. One notable addition allows the Hunter to throw a hawk at a target, dealing damage over 18 seconds. Despite the relatively limited number of highlighted changes, Beast Mastery should not necessarily be dismissed.
Warlock
Warlock is another class receiving considerable attention, with all three specs offering interesting possibilities.
Affliction Warlock
Affliction has a build that resembles some elements of Wrath-era Warlock gameplay. Drain Hope drains the target while increasing other Shadow damage. The Pandemic talent also increases the critical strike damage of the Warlock's DoTs by 100%. These changes could create strong sustained damage potential for Affliction.
Demonology Warlock
Demonology has perhaps one of the most unusual mechanics among the Warlock changes. The spec allows players to sacrifice a demon, summon it again, and then use another pet during combat. This opens up combinations involving different demons and additional Fire or Shadow damage. The overall concept resembles some of the pet and sacrifice mechanics associated with TBC Warlock gameplay, but with additional options.
Destruction Warlock
Destruction also has several strong-looking talents. Shadow and Flame increases damage after hitting a target with Conflagrate, while Havoc provides powerful multi-target potential. For example, when fighting a boss alongside an additional enemy, a Warlock can attack the secondary target while the boss continues taking damage through the relevant effects.
With strong tools across Affliction, Demonology, and Destruction, Warlock currently looks like one of the most promising classes in WoW Forever.
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Enhancement Shaman
Among the classes discussed, Enhancement Shaman currently receives some of the most attention. The spec has access to a personal Bloodlust-style ability called Rage of the Farseer. It also receives built-in two-handed weapon specialization and Maelstrom Weapon. Maelstrom Weapon provides opportunities to cast Lightning Bolt more freely, adding another layer of instant or on-demand spell damage to the melee-focused spec. Combined with its utility and offensive toolkit, Enhancement Shaman currently looks particularly strong in early gameplay.
WoW Forever Class Tier List: What to Expect
The current WoW Forever class landscape is still based on early beta and testing information, so the exact balance can change before launch. Several classes stand out because of their new talent interactions and abilities, while others may require specific builds, encounters, or gear to reach their full potential. Warriors, for example, could look considerably different depending on the availability of World Buffs. The most important takeaway is that WoW Forever introduces major changes across almost every class, making the talent trees an important part of choosing a character for the new game. As more players gain access to the beta and Blizzard continues balancing the game, the relative strength of these classes and specs should become clearer.
