InWorld of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery, every class can play the DPS role in group content, but not all of them are destined to top the damage charts. EverySoDclass got some DPS Runes in Phase One, and just about every spec is more powerful than in Vanilla, but some of the best DPS classes inSoDare just on another level.
While every Healing and Tank spec inWoW Classic: SoDcan be effective at endgame (when played effectively), even the best players will struggle to compete with the damage output of the bestSoDDPS classes. Though this guide to the bestSoDDPS classes does take into account the leveling process, each class' placement is ultimately based on its endgame DPS in BFD and other group content.
Updated July 23, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: Every class can perform the DPS role in WoW Classic, and classic characters are stronger than ever thanks to new Runes in the Season of Discovery. But though Phase Two has leveled the playing field for DPS somewhat, the Phase Two meta has also shaken up the meta as some WoW SoD DPS can’t put out the numbers of the best damage-dealers. This guide covering the best WoW SoD DPS classes tier list has been updated to account for new content in Phase Two, as well as the Gnomeregan Raid and its anti-melee tendencies. This Best DPS for SoD guide will continue to be updated as future Season of Discovery phases release and further shake things up.
Paladin
Unimpressive Runes & A Melee-Averse Raid
Paladins top meters with two of their three possible group specs: Healing and Tanking. Paladin Healers are very good in the support role, while Paladin Tanks are arguably the best choice for Tanking in Phase 2. However, Paladins disappoint a little bit with their primary DPS spec, Retribution, though things have gotten a little better for Paladins in Phase Two.
In Phase One, Retribution Paladins gotlots of new fun tools to play with, like an instant Exorcism and the Seal of Martyrdom, while Phase Two brings The Art Of War and Level 40 abilities. But compared to other melee DPS inSoD, they just aren’t putting out the same numbers. Add onto that the fact that Gnomeregan is not a melee-friendly Raid, and Ret Paladins suddenly find themselves bottom of the pack.
Retribution Paladins are by no means bad in the Season of Discovery, and are perfectly capable of putting out respectable damage in Raids. But their DPS output just doesn’t compare to other melee DPS in Phase Two, and their party utility is often covered by another Paladin in a different role.
Druid
Druids Are Amazing In PvP, But Less Great In PvE – But It Has Wild Strikes
Druids are in a bit of a weird place when it comes to the best DPS in SoD. Feral Druids are very powerful when played well, as are Balance Druids. For a time, both Feral and Balance were kings in PvP and PvE both because of vastly overturned spells and abilities. But thanks to nerfs to the Starsurge ability, and Feral’s lack of power compared to other melee DPS in Phase Two, Druids can have a hard time topping meters in SoD now.
Though they aren’t the best SoD DPS, they are sought-after for the Wild Strikes buff. Wild Strikes isa new Druid Runethat gives the class the Windfury ability, arguably the most powerful group buff for melee DPS inWoW. The Alliance has never been able to use Windfury before, but because Gnomereagan can be difficult for melee classes, and it doesn’t help ranged DPS, it’s not as useful as it was in Phase One.
Shaman
Enhancement & Elemental Shaman Are Doing Great In Phase Two
Shamans are a class that was in a bit of a weird spot in the first phase for Season of Discovery. Its newfound strength in Tanking,thanks to new Runes, starkly contrasted the class' lackluster healing and DPS output. All of that has changed in Phase Two.
New Runes like Maelstrom Weapon and Fire Nova, and the ability to relocate Totems with a new Shaman skill book, have turned the once-middling Shaman DPS specs into better-than-average picks. With the addition of the Two-Handed Mastery Rune, as well as the existing Dual Wield Spec Rune, Shaman DPS have a lot of build variety available in SoD.
Warlock
A Warlock Played Well Will Top Meters – It’s Just A Bit Tough
Warlocks are arguably the best caster DPS inSoD, but like Druids, players are offered no choice if they want to actually provide meaningful damage at endgame. This is because the Affliction tree is one of the worst DPS specs in Phase OneSoD, but the Destruction playstyle is arguably one of its best. The same appears to be true in Phase Two, that Destruction is much more powerful than Affliction in all content except PvP.
Warlocks get some incredibly powerful abilitiesthrough its Phase 1 Runes, like Lake of Fire and Incinerate, then in Phase Two Warlocks got Demonic Knowledge and Shadowflame to push their DPS output even higher. Though their new Runes aren’t the most exciting, with Level 40 abilities, Warlock DPS are doing pretty great in Phase Two.
Their rotations and playstyle can be difficult for new players to learn, but because Gnomeregan is friendly to casters, and Warlocks are able to summon party members, it’s worth trying out the class in Phase Two.
Warrior
Better At Tanking Than DPS, But By No Means Bad
Warriors, like Rogues, can be very difficult to level because their abilities tend to be tied to the strength of equipped weapons. As a Warrior’s gear gets better (andas they acquire more Runes) so too does their DPS output. Stick with this class through to 40, upgrade your gear, and suddenly you’ll be a regular at the top of the DPS charts, as long as you can stick by bosses.
One of the problems in Gnomeregan for melee characters is just how mobile the whole Raid requires one to be at melee range. In BFD, you didn’t have to move much, but be prepared to lose out on DPS uptime in Gnomeregan as any melee class.
It’s a close choice between the Fury and Arms specs for DPS Warriors inSoD, and it mostly comes down to personal preference. As it stands, Fury and Arms are both above average melee DPS in Phase Two. Warriors' downsides come from their relatively unexciting Rune options in Phase Two, and as in Phase One, they are generally better at Tanking than DPS.
Rogue
Though Most Melee Suffer In Gnomeregean, Rogues Can Thrive
Warriors and Rogues are just about tied for the best melee DPS inSoDPhase Two, but Warriors fall behind Rogues for one important reason: Rogues have many ways to interrupt enemies, while Warriors have one. Warriors get Pummel in Phase 2 by Level 40, but otherwise they are without a way to stun or interrupt opponents. Rogues have Kick, Between the Eyes, Gouge, and now Kidney Shot and Cheap Shot (from Stealth), making them incredibly useful for certain Gnomeregan fights, like the Mechanical Menagerie’s Squirrel.
Rogues are also gear-dependent, but not quite as much as Warriors are. Their ability to interrupt and CC enemies is useful for group content, andits unique new ability to Tankis something every player should try before the Season comes to an end. Just like other melee DPS, Rogues can have issues maintaining DPS in Gnomeregan because of all the movement that’s needed. But with Runes available in Phase Two, you’ll keep dealing damage with accumulated Poison stacks and easily catch up with the Shadowstep Rune (or good old Sprint).
Priest
Shadow Priests, With Shadowform, Are Looking Great In Phase Two
Shadow Priests suffered in Phase One and just could not put out nearly the damage needed to be effective in BFD. In Phase Two, with level 40 Talents and abilities unlocked (plus a bunch of new Runesand hotfixes), Shadow Priests are in a very, very good spot. In fact, the strengths of Shadow Priests are theorized by some to be the reason there’s a healer shortage in SoD Phase Two.
Shadowform is an immense jump in power for Shadow Priests, and is the final Talent in the Shadow Tree itself. With new Runes like Mind Spike and Dispersion, maintaining Threat and weaving spells while regenerating mana has never felt quite so fluid for the spec. Where it falls behind compared to other caster DPS is in its AoE potential. On bosses, Shadow Priests are extremely good, but on packs and group Bosses (like the Menagerie), they don’t do quite as well as Mages.
Mage
Good Boss Performance & Essential To Clear Trash Quickly
Mages are amazing at a few things, and not so amazing at others. The class offers arguably the best utility for groups with its ability to create Portals and summon food and water for free. It’s also great at soloing and AoE farming thanks to its powerful AoE spells, the slow/freeze effects of the Frost tree, and ahost of new powerful Runes– plus they can heal now, too.
Where Mages fall behind a little bit is in single-target damage. Played well, Mages can top the DPS meters, especially if Tanks pull lots of trash mobs at once. But on single-target boss fights, Mages can easily run out of mana as they blast through a resource-intensive rotation over more than a minute or two. Arcane Mages aren’t in the place they need to be to perform well, and Frost Mages do best in PvP. But Fire Mages are looking fantastic in WoW SoD Phase Two, and are able to consistently top DPS charts despite their shortcomings in non-group fights.
Hunter
Specifically, & Perhaps Surprisingly, Melee Hunters
Hunters were doing just fine in Phase One as a ranged DPS class, firing off arrows (or bullets) alongside a trusty, and once extremely powerful, pet. They topped meters in BFD, were nigh-unbeatable in PvP, and in all facets of the game performed better than others. In Phase Two, not much about that has changed – except that Hunters are now the bestmeleeDPS.
Phase Two brought with it some phenomenally powerful Runes for melee Hunters. The Dual Wield Specialization Rune upgrades Raptor Strike’s damage by using both equipped weapons, and increases offhand damage outright, while the Melee Specialist Rune turns Raptor Strike into an Instant-Strike on a three-second cooldown.
Paired with Level 40 Talents and abilities, and Phase One Runes like Lone Wolf and Carve, melee Hunters are in a place never before seen inWorld of Warcraft: top of the DPS charts. They excel at single-target damage, are the best melee cleave class in SoD, and come with a lot of utility through the Heart of the Lion Rune (which imitates Blessing of Kings for all Party members).
Though their reign isn’t likely to last forever, and though Gnomeregan can be brutal for melee classes, melee Hunters are enjoying their place as not only the bestmeleeSoD DPS, but the best DPS class and spec in the Season of Discovery as a whole.
