With Season 3 of World of Warcraft: The War Within on the horizon, it's time to take a look at where each DPS spec stands. This tier list (ranking from S, A+, A, B, C, D), shared by Vesp on his YouTube channel, evaluates each spec based on current tuning, performance in AoE and single-target situations, and overall utility. Let's dive in. If you're looking for a reliable place to stock up on gold for TWW Season 3, MmoGah is a trusted choice with years of experience in in-game gold delivery.
Death Knight
Frost DK – S Tier
Frost Death Knights are currently one of the strongest DPS specs on the PTR. With powerful cooldowns like Pillar of Frost paired with Breath of Sindragosa, they deliver incredible AoE and priority damage. A recent 10% flat damage buff and strong single-target performance push this spec into the S tier. Defensively, Frost DKs are nearly unkillable with tools like AMS, Lichborne, and Icebound Fortitude, and they offer utility with Death Grip and AMZ.
Unholy DK – B Tier
Unholy DKs still shine in AoE scenarios thanks to Epidemic and their tier set. However, a cap on Bursting Sores and weaker single-target performance hold them back. The loss of Abomination Limb also hurts their toolkit. Like Frost, they're tanky and self-sustaining, but overall damage output, particularly in single-target, keeps them at B tier.
Demon Hunter
Havoc DH – A+ Tier
Havoc is thriving with powerful AoE and top-tier priority damage, thanks to Wounded Quarry and their new tier set. They bring strong utility with AoE and single-target stuns, Imprison for skips, and Chaos Brand if VDH isn't present. Their passive leech and short defensive cooldowns make them durable.
Druid
Balance Druid – S Tier
Balance is currently dominating with its broken (possibly bugged) tier set. Keeper of the Grove allows for huge priority damage through empowered Starsurges. They maintain strong sustained AoE and now boast some of the best burst and priority damage in the game. Utility includes Mark of the Wild, multiple AoE stops, and off-healing. Slightly squishy, but manageable with bear form and defensive cooldowns.
Feral Druid – B Tier
Feral's tier set greatly enhances priority damage through Ravage uptime, offering a bursty, funnel-oriented profile. AoE is mostly passive, and utility mirrors Balance with Mark of the Wild and multiple stops. Feral is slightly tankier than Balance due to form swaps and access to Survival Instincts, but still lags behind in total output compared to top-tier specs.
Evoker
Augmentation Evoker – B Tier
Augmentation is performing better than previous seasons, thanks to a solid tier set and strong burst in AoE. The spec boosts party damage and brings excellent utility—AOE stops, Versatility buffs, Hardened Scales, Renewing Blaze, and even a cheat death. Damage is improved, but not exceptional; placement remains in B tier.
Devastation Evoker – B Tier
Devastation brings strong burst and AoE damage, but much of it is considered padding rather than focused priority damage. Utility is solid with Zephyr, Rescue, AoE stops, and Bloodlust. Semi-tanky, but lacking a cheat death. Slightly ahead of Augmentation in raw damage, but both are similarly viable.
Hunter
Beast Mastery Hunter – S Tier
Beast Mastery (BM) Hunter is currently pumping damage in both single-target and AoE scenarios, thanks to its Stampede-based tier set. While its AoE may lean more toward splash damage than priority, the consistency is undeniable. BM now has no real cooldown dependence, and Dire Beast is now a passive proc, making its rotation more forgiving and always ready to deal damage.
Defensively, BM Hunter is surprisingly tanky, boasting:
- Two charges of Survival of the Fittest
- A strong self-healing via Exhilaration
- Fortitude of the Bear for max HP
- The ever-reliable Turtle
The only notable weakness is utility, which remains limited despite tools like Binding Shot and Implosive Trap. Nonetheless, BM Hunter is undeniably S-tier, thanks to strong uptime, ease of use, and survivability.
Marksmanship Hunter – A Tier
After recent nerfs, Marksmanship (MM) is the weakest of the three Hunter specs, though it remains solid overall. Dark Ranger significantly boosts both AoE and single-target, thanks to changes in Black Arrow and Phantom Pain, offering more consistent and independent damage without reliance on cooldowns.
MM has slightly less tankiness than BM due to the lack of a pet, but still boasts:
- Two charges of Survival of the Fittest
- 30% healing from Exhilaration (also procs a 40% DR)
- Turtle and Feign Death
Utility remains modest, but it now has better solo tools without requiring a pet for Intimidation or Bloodlust. Overall, A tier is fitting for MM in its current state.
Survival Hunter – A+ Tier
Survival Hunter is a surprising standout this season. Its performance on the PTR shows strong and consistent damage across all scenarios, especially in AoE and priority damage, due to its Sentinel-enhanced bombs and short-cooldown Coordinated Assault.
Its single-target is decent, and the recent mastery rework has made the spec more tanky. However, like other Hunter specs, its utility is limited to traps and binding shot setups, which are not always reliable. Despite this, Survival has earned a spot in the A+ tier.
Mage
Arcane Mage – S Tier
Arcane Mage boasts the best priority damage in the game and has only improved since Season 2. With the new tier set enabling frequent Barrage casts, Arcane also delivers strong cleave damage.
While it lacks massive AoE potential, its cleave and single-target power compensate. The spec is also incredibly survivable, and now provides:
- +9% Intellect to self
- +3% Intellect party-wide
- AoE stops via Supernova, Dragon's Breath, and Blast Wave
Arcane Mage is a top-tier meta pick, currently sitting just behind Frost DK in S Tier.
Fire Mage – A+ Tier
Fire Mage has made a big comeback with the Frostfire build. Thanks to a 30% buff to Comet Storm, Fire is dealing massive priority damage, with passive cleave through Ignite.
Its defensive toolkit is top-notch:
- Cauterize as a cheat death
- AoE stops with Dragon's Breath and Blast Wave
- Solid sustain with Shifting Power
Fire is now unkillable and incredibly potent in Mythic+ and raid scenarios. It lands in the A+ Tier, just below Havoc DH and above Survival Hunter.
Frost Mage – B Tier
Frost Mage performs well across all damage types—AoE, cleave, single target, and priority—but doesn't truly excel in any one area. Its toolkit includes frequent Glacial Spikes, decent Frozen Orb cleave, and Icy Veins uptime.
Defensively, it's arguably the tankiest mage spec:
- Double Ice Block
- Cold Snap
- Excellent slows and crowd control
However, Arcane and Fire currently outperform Frost in most content. Frost sits at the top of B Tier, consistent but outshone.
Monk
Windwalker Monk – Bottom of B Tier
Windwalker Monk brings strong single-target and cleave damage, but unfortunately, much of its AoE is still target-capped, limiting its impact in the large pulls that are common in Season 3. While the spec can keep up during cooldown windows, its consistency suffers outside of them.
On the bright side, Windwalker is exceptionally tanky:
- Touch of Karma, Fortifying Brew, Diffuse Magic, and solid self-healing
- Mystic Touch now buffs physical damage taken by enemies by 8%, making them a valuable pick in physical-heavy comps
Utility is also solid:
- Leg Sweep and Ring of Peace for AoE control
- Paralysis for single-target CC
- Short interrupt, niche mob skips, and group value from Mystic Touch
Despite these positives, the AoE limitations and lack of raw output compared to other specs land Windwalker Monk at the bottom of B Tier.
Paladin
Retribution Paladin – A Tier
Retribution Paladin continues to shine in AoE with massive pad damage and short cooldowns that allow frequent burst. Their new tier set buffs Hammer of Light, helping priority and single-target, but it's still not quite enough to fix those weaknesses.
Where Ret shines:
- One of the tankiest DPS specs in the game
- Divine Protection, Shield of Vengeance, strong off-healing, and Blessings for utility
Ret Paladins also bring:
- Blinding Light for AoE stop
- Hammer of Justice for ST stun
- Multiple party-support tools
Although priority and ST damage remain underwhelming, their AoE dominance and tankiness place them in A Tier, just below Marksmanship Hunter.
Priest
Shadow Priest – S Tier
Shadow Priest might have the most well-rounded damage profile in the game right now:
- Strong priority damage through its 30s–1min cooldown loop
- Insane single-target damage
- Massive cleave via Psychic Link
With two charges of Shadow Crash, uptime is easier to maintain, and the spec melts scary mobs. While Arcane Mage may edge it out in priority, Shadow more than makes up for it with superior AoE.
Defensively, it's very solid:
- Dispersion, Desperate Prayer, Fade, and Power Word: Shield
- Passive group healing through Vampiric Embrace, making it one of the last meaningful hybrid healers
Utility is excellent: Power Infusion, Mass Dispel, Power Word: Fortitude
With all this, Shadow Priest is firmly in the S Tier, slightly behind BM Hunter and Arcane Mage, but absolutely meta-relevant for Season 3.
Rogue
Assassination Rogue – A Tier
Assassination Rogue is the strongest of the three Rogue specs right now. Its Deathstalker tier set boosts Shiv and amplifies priority damage through Caustic Spatter. AoE is funneled into the main target with passive cleave on the side.
Recent buffs:
- +8% flat damage increase
- More consistent Shiv uptime
Utility and defensiveness:
- Iron Wire silence, AoE Blind, ST stuns
- Evasion, Feint, Cloak of Shadows, and optional Cheat Death
Assa Rogue's damage profile and survivability are very solid right now, so we are placing it in the A Tier.
Outlaw Rogue – B Tier
Outlaw Rogue is currently the most controversial Rogue spec. While it has strong uptime and flexible AoE with an 8-target cap, it feels inconsistent and underwhelming for many players, even experienced ones.
Weaknesses:
- Killing Spree feels weak despite a minor buff
- Overall damage output is unreliable, especially compared to peers
That said, good players can still make it work, and its utility remains top-notch - Sap and Shroud. Outlaw earns a mid B Tier placement—it's playable but unreliable for most.
Subtlety Rogue – A Tier
Subtlety Rogue has a great funnel damage profile this season, thanks to Trickster and Nimble Flurry. You're basically using your single-target rotation in every scenario, and it translates well into both AoE and ST.
Key strengths:
- Massive burst on priority targets during cooldowns
- Flexible cleave through passive replication
- Strong defensive toolkit: Feint, Cloak, Evasion
Excellent crowd control: Cheap Shot, Kidney Shot, AoE Stopping Blind, Shroud, and Sap
Sub is placed right next to Assassination in A Tier, and either spec could be slightly better depending on your comp and playstyle.
Shaman
Elemental Shaman – A Tier
Elemental Shaman has explosive AoE during cooldowns, often topping meters in large pulls when everything aligns. However, outside of those cooldown windows, the spec drops off heavily and becomes highly proc-reliant.
Weaknesses:
- Single-target damage is still lacking despite buffs
- Target cap on AoE (e.g., Chain Lightning capped at 5)
- Squishy defensively, relying on Astral Shift and Stone Bulwark Totem
Strengths:
- Excellent burst AoE
- Decent priority damage
- Two AoE stops, short interrupt, and group utility (Bloodlust, Skyfury)
Elemental's toolkit and burst potential earn it a spot in the A Tier, but its fragility and reliance on RNG limit its ceiling.
Enhancement Shaman – S Tier
Enhancement Shaman is thriving in Season 3. Already strong in Season 2, the new tier set has elevated it further by supercharging Ascendance and Tempest. The result? It often feels like you're always in Ascendance, dealing massive AoE, solid single-target, and priority damage.
What makes Enhance so strong:
- Best utility kit for pugging:
1. Capacitor Totem, Thunderstorm, Sundering = three AoE stops
2. Ancestral Guidance off-healing, Ankh, Poison Cleansing Totem
3. Skyfury Totem buffs physical comps like Frost DK + Enhance duos
- Shortest kick in the game
- Decent self-sustain through Maelstrom Weapon healing
Weaknesses: Slightly squishy, but can manage with healing and external support
Overall, Enhancement is one of the most well-rounded and explosive specs in Season 3, earning a solid S Tier placement.
Warlock
Affliction Warlock – B Tier
Affliction is strong in mass AoE, thanks to Soul Harvester doing the heavy lifting. However, its single-target performance is still lacking, despite recent buffs. The spec feels one-dimensional and highly dependent on large trash pulls.
Strengths:
- Great AoE cleave
- Passive toughness (large HP, Dark Pact, Unending Resolve)
- Healthstones and party utility
Weaknesses:
- Single-target still underperforms
- Mostly reliant on AoE to contribute
Affliction sits comfortably in the B Tier, solid but overshadowed by other caster options.
Demonology Warlock – A+ Tier
Demo Warlock is a sleeper powerhouse. Despite some nerfs to Soul Harvester, the spec remains incredibly strong, with amazing ST, consistent AoE, and solid burst from short and mid cooldowns.
Key benefits:
- Great single-target and implosion-based AoE
- High cooldown uptime with tier set support
- Healthstones, Shadowfury AoE stop, Combat Res, very tanky
Minor drawback: Can't interrupt ranged mobs, which is tied to a stun instead of a traditional kick
Despite that, Demonology is in a fantastic spot, landing in the A+ Tier, just ahead of Survival Hunter. It's heavily underrated but extremely effective.
Destruction Warlock – A Tier
Destruction Warlock is in a familiar place: powerful in mass AoE during cooldowns (especially in pulls like those in So'leah's Gambit), but only average outside of cooldowns. It received single-target buffs, but nothing that drastically changes its profile.
Pros:
- Great in big pull scenarios
- Tanky and reliable with the Demonic Gateway utility
Cons:
- Feels mediocre when not in its window
- Lacks consistency compared to Demo
Destro earns a mid A Tier spot—decent, but outclassed by Demonology in nearly every aspect.
Warrior
Arms Warrior – B Tier
Arms Warrior sees improved single-target and AoE this season. While numbers are up, its lack of utility means it must heavily outperform others to earn a spot in group content.
Strengths:
- Decent defensives: Die by the Sword, Spell Reflect
- Good AoE burst potential
Weaknesses:
- Brings almost no utility
- Heavily reliant on being in a physical comp
Arms is solid but unspectacular, earning a mid B Tier placement.
Fury Warrior – C Tier (Bottom Tier)
Fury Warrior is suffering in Season 3 due to its 5-target cap, which completely hinders its AoE potential. In a meta dominated by big pulls, this is a death sentence.
Pros:
- Respectable single-target
- Very tanky, with strong passive healing
Cons:
- Awful AoE
- Brings almost zero utility
- Severely outclassed by other melee specs
Fury is currently the worst-performing DPS spec of the season, languishing in the C Tier.
Final Thoughts
That concludes the full DPS Tier List for The War Within Season 3. Whether you're looking to min-max in Mythic+, dominate in raids, or just find a fun meta class, this tier list should give you a solid foundation.
