Players looking to become a Gladiator in the arena should know that it is possible to obtain with any class inWoW Classic. However,just like in PvEthere are some specializations that are much better equipped to handle certain situations in PvP than others.
Knowledge of each specialization is essential to making sure you are prepared for even thetoughest of situations in PvP. Seeing each specialization ranked is helpful for players to know which opponent could potentially be a problem for them. It’s important to note that each specialization within a class has access to a number of the same abilities. We wanted to highlight the main specialization-unique differences that give each of them an advantage or disadvantage over other specializations.
It’s also important to note that certain classes perform better at later stages inWoW Classic: WotLKthan others due to the availability of better stats on gear and how a specialization scales with that gear.
WotLK PvP Tier List Ranking Criteria
This tier list for the Wrath of the Lich King expansion for World of Warcraft ranks all classes and specializations against each other based on their performance in Player versus Player combat. The main metrics that we use to rank each class are based upon 3 factors:
WotLK PvP Specialization Tier List
The table below shows an at-a-glance view of all 30 specializations and where they rank against each other in Wrath Classic. Continue reading for a more in-depth analysis of each specialization that includes other commonly seen group compositions that work well together.
Subtlety Rogue, Holy Paladin, Arms Warrior, Discipline Priest, Frost Mage
A
Marksmanship Hunter, Feral Druid, Affliction Warlock, Elemental Shaman, Restoration Druid, Unholy Death Knight, Shadow Priest, Retribution Paladin, Balance Druid, Destruction Warlock
B
Enhancement Shaman, Restoration Shaman, Fire Mage, Beast Mastery Hunter, Frost Death Knight
Assassination Rogue, Protection Warrior, Fury Warrior, Survival Hunter
D
Arcane Mage, Protection Paladin, Blood Death Knight, Combat Rogue, Demonology Warlock, Holy Priest
Specializations in this tier consistently show up to PvP with a strong toolkit andtake command of the playing field.You will often see these classes in many top arena compositions as they can work well with almost any class.
Subtlety Rogue
Sub. Rogues are the undisputed kings of PvP. The skill level to play them effectively can be fairly difficult but in the right hands they absolutely dominate. While their damage is lower overall they control the battlefield with so many of their abilities. The key ability they have isShadowdance,giving them a remarkable advantage to use their crowd control skills and set up kills. They work so well with many different team compositions.
Holy Paladin
Paladins,in general, have a very great set of defensive cooldowns at their disposal with their Auras and Hands skills. Holy Paladins in particular make great use of these as a phenomenal support class.Sacred Shieldabsorbs damage and improves with spell power which Holy Paladins have a lot of.Beacon of Lighteffectively doubles their healing. They also have high defense and are very good at mana conservation. They pair well with nearly any class but especially so with high burst damage classes.
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Arms Warrior
Arms Warriorsare the best melee burst damage class at PvP, for both single target and cleave. They are very dangerous particularly against healers when combiningMortal StrikewithUnrelenting Asssault. They can also completely destroy multiple targets in AoE withBladestormif they don’t get disarmed. Most teams with Arms Warriors will choose to go full in on the insane burst damage, those can include:
Discipline Priest
Disc. Priestshave a large number of buffs and shields they can give to support their team. They have strong heals and good dispels and can be played defensively or aggressively withPenanceandMana Burn. The only downside is that they don’t have a good way to escape melee or physical slows. They also work well in a large number of different team compositions, such as being paired with:
Frost Mage
Frost Mageshave really great control with their slows, freezes, and stuns. They also have very high burst potential with the infamous shatter combo. They also have good mobility but if they are not aware of their surroundings they have very poor survivability. Team combinations that pair well are:
Specializations in this tier are very strong at PvP and can perform very well with the right team. Not every team with one of these specs in them is going to have every scenario covered. Nonetheless, they can cause a lot of problems for under prepared targets.
Marksmanship Hunter
MM Huntershave incredible opportunities for burst damage, crowd control, and defensive capabilities. This is achieved withReadinessresetting their abilities to open up multiple opportunities. They can also provide disarm withChimera Shotwhich is particularly helpful against Arms Warriors. Many other classes pair well with them including:
Feral Druid
TheFeral Druid’splay style provides a strong crowd control combo with an instant castCyclonefromPredatory Strikes.Being able to control one target while they burst down another while usingBerserkis another reason they are so dangerous. They also have access to good defensive capabilities in Bear Form andSurvival Instincts. They pair well with other classes that also give a lot of crowd control:
