This Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Rankings article helps you choose a class for current raids and dungeons in MoP Classic. It compares damage profiles, utility, and how hard each class is to play at a high level. The goal is clear, simple guidance for both new and returning players.
Rankings reflect current tuning and the common demands of MoP Classic encounters. Performance varies by fight design, raid size, gear level, and player execution. Expect shifts with future balance updates.
How We Rank DPS In MoP Classic
We weigh several factors that matter in real fights, not just patchwerk simulations.
- Single target damage on bosses
- Cleave and sustained AoE for add waves and split targets
- Burst windows for priority kills and shields
- Target swapping and ramp time
- Movement tolerance and uptime
- Personal survivability and self-healing
- Raid utility such as buffs, debuffs, externals, and control
No ranking is absolute. Some specs jump a tier on the right boss or with the right comp. What you enjoy and can execute cleanly often outperforms a theoretical best pick.
Overall Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Rankings Table
Below is a single consolidated table. Each class appears once with the strongest or most common DPS spec under current content. Many classes have multiple DPS specs that may rank differently on specific encounters.
Rank Tier Class Representative Spec Strengths Summary Weaknesses Summary Ease To Peak DPS
- S Death Knight Unholy High ST and cleave, strong burst CDs, good grips Movement sensitive, setup for bursts, pet management Moderate
- S Rogue Subtlety Top sustained ST, strong priority damage, great defense Weak sustained AoE, positional needs, tight upkeep Hard
- A Hunter Beast Mastery Mobile damage, on demand burst, simple rotation Weaker 2 target cleave, pet pathing issues Easy
- A Warrior Arms Excellent 2 target cleave, strong execute, raid CD value Movement downtime hurts, less ranged options Moderate
- A Warlock Demonology Burst AoE, durable, flexible toolkit Ramp and resource timing, movement clipping Hard
- B Shaman Enhancement Good hybrid burst, solid AoE tools, utility totems Complex priority system, target swaps costly Hard
- B Monk Windwalker High mobility, strong burst AoE windows, defenses Cooldown alignment picky, SEF management Hard
- B Mage Arcane Strong priority burn, good emergency tools, simple core Movement punishing, AoE setup limited Moderate
- C Druid Feral High ST ceiling, solid burst AoE, off-healing Very complex upkeep, slow target swaps Hard
- C Paladin Retribution Consistent ST, useful blessings, off-heals Cleave/AoE less explosive, movement can desync Moderate
- C Priest Shadow Multi DoT utility, healing off-spec value, externals Single target behind, ramp time, movement losses Hard
Tier Explanations
S Tier
S Tier picks align best with common MoP Classic mechanics. They deliver top single target and competitive cleave while bringing strong survivability or unique utility. Their damage profiles fit priority bursts, add control, and multi-phase movement without losing too much output.
A Tier
A Tier classes perform very well across most encounters. They may be a step behind S Tier on pure boss damage or have a narrower niche, but they still offer dependable output and useful tools. With fight selection and execution, they can match or surpass S Tier on the right night.
B Tier
B Tier specs are solid and often shine on specific mechanics or comps. They have clearer drawbacks like tougher rotations, weaker single target, or sensitivity to movement. Good players can still post top logs, but the path is less forgiving.
C Tier
C Tier lags under current tuning or encounter needs. Weaknesses like slow ramp, strict uptimes, or lower burst can hold them back. They remain fully viable and bring value, but require more work or careful fight selection to compete at the top.
Class By Class Breakdown In Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Rankings Tier List
Death Knight
Unholy delivers top tier boss damage with strong cleave and powerful cooldowns. Death Grip and Gorefiend-style control are uniquely helpful for add handling. The kit is sturdy, and utility remains relevant on many fights. Movement can interrupt build phases, but careful planning keeps uptime high.
- Strengths:
- High single target and cleave
- Powerful burst windows
- Unique control for adds
- Weaknesses:
- Movement can clip procs and runes
- Burst setup timing matters
- Pet interactions add complexity
- Ease to peak: Moderate. Windows and resource flow are manageable with practice, but movement discipline is key.
Druid
Feral has a high ceiling in single target and can deliver strong burst AoE with cooldowns. It brings off-heals, Stampeding Roar, and raid utility. The rotation has many moving parts and loses more damage than most on swaps. Balance is a viable alternative for spread cleave, but current tuning favors Feral for single target.
- Strengths:
- High ST potential
- Burst AoE tools
- Useful utility and mobility
- Weaknesses:
- Very complex rotation
- Weak on frequent target swaps
- Movement can break dot and buff flow
- Ease to peak: Hard. Tight bleed timers and buff upkeep demand focus.
Hunter
Beast Mastery leads for raids due to mobility, simple execution, and reliable burst on call. Hunters offer misdirection-style tools and steady damage while moving. Pet behavior and pathing can be a nuisance, and 2 target cleave is less explosive than some rivals.
- Strengths:
- Continuous damage while moving
- On demand burst
- Group utility and control
- Weaknesses:
- Pet pathing and target swaps
- Less 2 target cleave pop
- AoE requires setup to shine
- Ease to peak: Easy. Clear priority system and forgiving movement profile.
Mage
Arcane is the safest all-around representative for current raids. It brings strong priority burns, defensive options, and clear cooldown cycles. Movement is its main pain point, and AoE depth is thinner than some specs. Fire and Frost can be swapped in by fight, but Arcane is the more consistent pick now.
- Strengths:
- Strong priority damage
- Great personal defensives
- Predictable cooldown cadence
- Weaknesses:
- Movement punishes outputs
- AoE kit is more limited
- Mana and positioning discipline needed
- Ease to peak: Moderate. Build and burn cycles are straightforward, movement is the test.
Monk
Windwalker has excellent mobility and burst AoE with Storm, Earth, and Fire. Its defensives are strong, and it contributes consistent damage in hands that can align cooldowns. The rotation punishes drift, and SEF management adds complexity. When executed well, it competes with upper tiers.
- Strengths:
- High mobility and survivability
- Big burst AoE windows
- Good sustained output with clean play
- Weaknesses:
- Cooldown alignment sensitive
- SEF and target uptime management
- Can feel feast or famine
- Ease to peak: Hard. Many plates to spin without desyncing windows.
Paladin
Retribution brings steady single target damage, useful auras and blessings, and raid-friendly off-healing. Cleave and AoE are serviceable but lack the pop of top melee. Movement or forced downtime can desync finishers and cooldowns.
- Strengths:
- Consistent ST profile
- Off-healing and externals
- Flexible utility
- Weaknesses:
- Less explosive cleave
- Movement can desync rotation
- Burst windows smaller than top specs
- Ease to peak: Moderate. Clear priorities but careful timing needed to avoid drift.
Priest
Shadow offers multi DoT pressure and useful externals. It can handle spread targets and contribute meaningful off-healing in a pinch. Single target lags behind current leaders, and ramp time is more fragile on high movement fights.
- Strengths:
- Multi DoT on spread targets
- Utility and externals
- Off-healing value
- Weaknesses:
- Weaker pure single target
- Ramp sensitive to movement
- Target swaps can drain throughput
- Ease to peak: Hard. Juggling dots, procs, and uptime is demanding.
Rogue
Subtlety leads with elite single target and priority damage. Rogues are durable and bring encounter-saving control. Sustained AoE and cleave are weaker, and positional needs matter. Strong players post top logs on boss-focused fights.
- Strengths:
- Best-in-class single target
- Boss and priority burn tools
- High survivability and control
- Weaknesses:
- Weak sustained AoE
- Positional requirements
- Tight buff and finisher upkeep
- Ease to peak: Hard. Precision and planning define high performance.
Shaman
Enhancement is the better raid representative right now, bringing hybrid burst, Fire Nova style AoE, and strong utility. The priority system is intricate, and shifting between cleave and single target on the fly is costly when mismanaged. Elemental remains valuable where ranged AoE and utility coverage are needed.
- Strengths:
- Hybrid burst and cleave
- Useful raid totems
- Flexible toolkit
- Weaknesses:
- Complex priority system
- Target swap losses
- Cooldown overlap traps
- Ease to peak: Hard. Precision on priorities and windows is essential.
Warlock
Demonology stands out for burst AoE and sturdy, consistent damage. Warlocks thrive in movement-light windows and add control phases. Resource flow and Metamorphosis timing matter, and movement can clip builders. Affliction and Destruction remain strong swaps depending on fight style.
- Strengths:
- Burst AoE and cleave
- High durability
- Flexible control tools
- Weaknesses:
- Timing-sensitive resource play
- Movement can clip throughput
- Ramp cost on quick swaps
- Ease to peak: Hard. Cooldown, resource, and movement planning are required.
Warrior
Arms brings excellent two target cleave and strong execute pressure. Group value from banners and raid tools is meaningful. Movement hurts more than ranged specs and downtime desyncs windows. On most current fights, Arms is a reliable melee anchor.
- Strengths:
- Powerful cleave and execute
- Group value from raid cooldowns
- Predictable rotation
- Weaknesses:
- Movement downtime hurts
- Limited ranged reach
- Competes for uptime on add-heavy fights
- Ease to peak: Moderate. Clear pacing with attention to uptime and windows.
Easiest Paths To Top DPS
- Beast Mastery Hunter: Mobile damage and a forgiving priority system keep output high while moving.
- Arms Warrior: Predictable cleave and execute windows make optimization straightforward.
- Arcane Mage: Simple build and burn cycles reward clean positioning and cooldown timing.
Most Demanding Classes To Master
- Subtlety Rogue: Tight positional rules and strict buff and finisher cycles punish mistakes.
- Feral Druid: Complex, timer-heavy maintenance with high swap penalties.
- Enhancement Shaman: Dense priority and overlapping cooldowns require perfect sequencing.
- Windwalker Monk: SEF and cooldown alignment demand careful planning across movement.
Encounter Context In MoP Classic
MoP Classic raids mix sustained cleave, add waves, priority targets with short shields, and frequent movement. Many bosses reward two target pressure, multi DoT on spread enemies, and controlled burst during add phases. Specs with reliable cleave, strong execute or priority tools, and stable movement uptime gain an edge. That context favors the current S and A tiers.
Utility And Group Value
Utility helps convert damage into kills. Raid cooldowns, external defensives, healing off-specs, and control tools reduce wipes and ease check points. Unique tools like grips, misdirection-style threat control, banners, and mass stuns matter on add management and burn timings. We account for this impact without letting it overshadow core damage performance.
Gear Scaling And Progression
Some specs scale fast with early secondary stats and perform well immediately. Others need higher haste, crit, or mastery to smooth rotations and extend burst windows. Expect specs with clean, front-loaded kits to start strong, while ramp-heavy or breakpoint-driven specs improve as tiers advance. Revisit the Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Tier List as gear rises.
Notes About Spec Variance Within A Class
Several classes can switch specs by boss to gain an edge. Hunters can change between AoE-heavy and single target focused builds. Warlocks flex between Demonology, Affliction, and Destruction by fight style. Rogues can adjust spec for adds or boss burn. The table uses the strongest or most common raid spec now, but the alternate may win on a cleave or multi DoT encounter.
Final Thoughts On Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Rankings
These Mists of Pandaria Classic DPS Rankings reflect current tuning and typical encounter demands. Balance and logs evolve, so treat tiers as a guide rather than a rule. Pick a class you enjoy, understand its strengths and weaknesses, and aim for clean mechanics and uptime. That will carry you further than chasing small tier gaps.
