Mythic+ DPS Rankings: A Tier List for Shadowlands (Patch 9.2.5. / Season 3)

This tier list is NOT FINAL; it will change and will be updated as often as necessary prior and during Season 3 (Patch 9.2.5.) of Mythic+ in Shadowlands. There are often moments of Covenant, class tuning, and secondary stat scaling that will impact the placing of the specs.

I am Petko, a competitive Mythic+ player, known to be pushing the boundaries of High Mythic+ with several World first and Europe rankings among the seasons on multiple classes. I have worked hard on preparing for Season 3 of Shadowlands, spending numerous hours per day examining each and every class and spec in a dungeon environment. This Tier list will continue to be updated as much as it requires over the course of Shadowlands and it will also focus on what the "meta" will look like as it stabilizes. Along the way, this Tier list will also be supported by various professional Mythic+ players with high credibility in the community.

To begin with, this Tier list will primarily focus on the third Season of Mythic+ in Shadowlands. At the beginning, there will be also no Warcraft Logs rankings added nor simulation data for the majority of the classes and specs. As a result, this Tier list will be solely based on empirical evidence of the current state of the classes' performance in Mythic+ from my own point of view and the point of view of the group of players testing those classes who are among the best representative of the class in the community. Moreover, this Tier list will take into consideration every impactful class change and Covenant tuning.

This tier list is entirely based on DPS viability examined in each dungeon of Shadowlands. To understand why exactly some rankings are the way they are, you need to understand the importance of the toolkit that some classes provide to Mythic+ groups.

• With the removal of War-Scrolls (the old BfA ones are still in the game, but cannot be used at Level 60 and there are no Shadowlands ones), classes like Priest, Warrior, and Mage bring additional value to the party thanks to the similar buffs they provide.
• Classes with very high survivability, self sustain, or immunities have always been valued higher, since you can completely "skip" some mechanics or make the life of the healer easier.
• Another feature worth mentioning is the importance of priority-target damage and funnel-damage, which is often undervalued in Mythic+ and in my opinion speeds up the whole dungeon if done correctly. Specs can earn extra "points" by having such a damage profile.
• Finally, only two classes can provide unique Magical and Physical damage increases to the whole party: Monk with Mystic Touch and Demon Hunter with Chaos Brand. This gives these classes priority, depending on group composition.

When deciding what class you want to play for the third Season of Shadowlands, it is important to understand how and why some classes are valued more than the others and what is important in the current dungeons. Dungeons like The Necrotic Wake and Sanguine Depths favor classes with immunities and classes with shorter interrupt cooldowns. Another important thing to keep in mind is the Seasonal affix, called Encrypted, which prioritizes both cleave damage and single-target damage. In addition, classes that benefit the most from Haste from Wo Relic and its Decrypted Wo Cypher buff or cooldown reduction from Vy Relic and its Decrypted Vy Cypher buff will be the ones that will come on top. Having Decrypted Urh Cypher will also add for more versatile group compositions that does not include having a Rogue for Shroud of Concealment or holding a Potion of the Hidden Spirit to skip certain packs. This is a right step into class diversification in Mythic+ and I am looking forward to further diving into the last Season of Shadowlands.

It is important to understand that this Tier list is NOT permanent and it will be due to change with upcoming changes and tunings over the course of the expansion. I have always advocated to the "bring the player, not the class" motto, meaning: value the player skill more than the class itself. This Tier list should NOT discourage you to play whatever you enjoy the most, as I have always been playing "off-meta" classes and happened to have really good results in an actual Mythic+ environment. The list will be updated as much as it requires and if something is under-performing now, it could become meta due to a hotfix as well as the opposite.

This tier-list is assuming you have two Legendaries equipped and both 2-piece and 4-piece tier set bonuses active. This means at the very beginning of the season we are likely to see similar classes or specs being popular from Season 2, but quickly after obtaining your second legendary, this is what the tier-list should look like. Finally, always check the tier list after every major update; there are always changes toward the tier-list, which I will account for as fast as possible.

Below you can find the full rankings for DPS slots in Shadowlands Mythic+. We encourage you to further read and understand why some classes are placed lower or higher than expected, with several factors taken into consideration.

I have also created a video to complement the rankings presented here, which you can watch below if you would rather not read instead.

If you are interested in our other rankings for Mythic+ in Shadowlands, please click the links below.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Destruction Warlock received small changes to their Destruction Warlock 2-Piece bonus, now lasting only 30 seconds (previously having no duration), which does not really change anything for Destruction Warlock, along with making it unable to stack to 9 stacks prior to starting a dungeon or carry stacks from pack to pack if the packs are far away. It still remains the strongest DPS spec this season.

Destruction Warlock is currently one of the highest AoE damage profile specs in the game, which makes it a great ranged pick for any group composition. The spec has limited mobility outside of Burning Rush, which is often not a priority talent for them, at least in Mythic+. Furthermore, the spec's party utilities — Mortal Coil, Create Healthstone, Banish, Shadowfury, and Demonic Gateway — are not particularly amazing, making it not as attractive as other choices among Ranged DPS.

With that said, the Warlock class is one of two Ranged classes in the game with a combat resurrection through Soulstone. In addition, their 2-target cleave due to Havoc is currently among the strongest in the game. Warlock is also the only class in the game that has Curses available in their toolkit such as Curse of Exhaustion, Curse of Tongues, and Curse of Weakness However, these often have little impact in a Mythic+ environment. Finally, Warlocks are the only source of Healthstones.

Despite their lack of high mobility (which is solved if you do play Night Fae) and mediocre utility, we cannot ignore the fact that Destruction Warlock's current raw damage profile is among the best, hence why it is promoted from B-tier to S-tier and likely to remain as one of the "meta" specs unless it is nerfed.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Survival Hunter received no changes in the current patch, and honestly none were really needed. The spec is currently performing better than ever and is one of the strongest among all DPS specializations. With great AoE, great single-target, high mobility, utility, an immunity, great self-sustain due to the high leech, and also non-cd reliant gameplay, what else could you ask from a spec?.

Survival Hunter's AoE damage is the best that it has ever been throughout Shadowlands. The spec also has great party utilities, with the most notable spells being Binding Shot, Tar Trap, and Intimidation, along with great self-sustain from Exhilaration and strong mobility from Disengage and Aspect of the Cheetah. Finally, the spec has an immunity, Aspect of the Turtle, and is one of three classes in the game with a Bloodlust effect through Primal Rage.

Hunter is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Misdirection, which works similarly to a Rogue's Tricks of the Trade. Another strength is the ability to dispel Enrage effects with Tranquilizing Shot.

Currently Survival Hunters have great overall damage, with one of the best AoE damage profiles, good single-target, and great party utilities. Survivability has been a major issue for all Hunters specialization since the release of the expansion, which is the only drawback if a dangerous situation occurs, but outside that, Survival is definitely one of the most dominant DPS specializations in the current rankings.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Windwalker Monk, has likely made the biggest comeback from below-average DPS to one of the highest out there. Once again, history repeat itself just like in Season 2 and now they are considered in the "hyper-carry" category along with Survival Hunter and Destruction Warlock. Their recent buffs are a perfect "filler' for what they lacked — single-target. Rising Sun Kick, Fists of Fury, Blackout Kick, Tiger Palm, and Fist of the White Tiger received 20% buffs. This will ultimately move the spec back to S-tier among the most valuable DPS specializations of the season.

The main feature of Windwalker monks has always been an exceptional AoE damage profile, which will remain the case entering Season 3 of Mythic+. Windwalker Monks also have strong group utility with Tiger's Lust and Leg Sweep. Their overall raw damage output is great, compared to the rest of the DPS specializations. They also have several defensive cooldowns, depending on talent choice. Monk is the only class that can provide a 5% Physical damage increase, thanks to Mystic Touch. Finally, Monks also do have great mobility, which is an important feature to have in Mythic+.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: One of the most dominant specializations throughout Season 2 of Mythic+, Subtlety Rogue is still a great choice in this season, even though they received no further changes this patch. Their overall value is much higher than just the numerical part of Mythic+ (not being the highest DPS but still providing great value to the whole team), being one of the few classes that is all around balanced, being great in all the areas, from damage, to utility, survivability and a few immunities. I no longer see them as being a "must-have" part of the meta. However, it is a highly valued specializations to have in the group, leaving it as one of the best melee options out there.

Rogue has been dominating Mythic+ for quite some time now. In Battle for Azeroth, a Rogue was always required in a group and things are no different now. Subtlety Rogue is a great pickup if your group lacks single-target and priority-damage output, but with the cost of much lower AoE output. Their strength comes from the insanely high single-target burst and priority-damage, which is extremely useful against the high health non-boss enemies and boss encounters. This makes Subtlety Rogues the perfect pick for dealing with important mobs and bosses.

Contributing to Subtlety Rogue's strength is the Rogue's toolkit, with high survivability ( Feint and Evasion), immunity against magic damage ( Cloak of Shadows), self-sustain ( Crimson Vial), and high mobility. On top of that, Rogues are the kings of mob control in dungeons paired together with unique Vanish skips and out-of-combat CC such as Sap and Shroud of Concealment.

If that was not enough Rogue is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Tricks of the Trade, making it easier for the tanks to hold threat. In addition, they are one of three classes that can dispel Enrage effects with Shiv when combined with Numbing Poison.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update:. Demonology Warlock received no further changes as of now, as they remain one of the best DPS specialization in the current meta. From high single-target DPS to great AoE/cleave damage and being one of the most durable DPS specs, you cannot really say anything bad about the spec, outside of mediocre utility. Even their lack of mobility, which was always been a criticism in the past, is fixed due the borrowed power of Soulshape (assuming you are Night Fae as you should be). To conclude, Demonology Warlock is currently one of the best DPS specs in Season 3 and will remain on the S-tier list.

In the current state, Demonology Warlock feels great, from high single-target to great burst AoE damage. The short cooldown on Summon Demonic Tyrant allows you to nuke down high-priority enemies quite fast. The spec also interacts well with Haste, provided by the newly-introduced Seasonal Affix of Encrypted once you defeat the Wo Relic. However, the Warlock class provides mediocre party utilities in Mortal Coil, Create Healthstone, Banish, Shadowfury, and Demonic Gateway, making it not as attractive as other Ranged DPS options. Moreover, the class has low mobility outside of Burning Rush, a talent rarely picked up due to the high value of Dark Pact as an extra defensive.

That being said, Warlock does have a combat resurrection with Soulstone — one of the two Ranged classes in the game to have such a spell. Demonology Warlocks also have great passive mitigation coming from Soul Link.

As predicted earlier in the release of the Shadowlands expansion, Demonology needed some time to scale with secondary stats to hit its potential, and with the recently added tier sets, Demonology is looking really strong in Season 3 of Mythic+.

Below are displayed the DPS specs are considered strong, but not "meta" unlike S-tier specs. In other words, you are perfectly fine bringing any of those specs and all of them will perform almost equally well; each of them bring unique tools to cope with the dungeon timers, and some specs fit better than others depending on your group-setup.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Frost Mage received no further changes in this patch, and quite frankly they did not need to. Their damage profile is already competitive enough to be among the top contenders this season, with great single-target, funnel-damage, priority-damage, and AoE. If that was not enough, you can add one of the highest mobility specs in the game, all together with double immunity coming from Ice Block ( Cold Snap for the second block). Honestly, it cannot get much better for this spec; if only their AoE damage was better, they could have been once again the kings of Mythic+.

Frost Mages are one of the few specs in the game that can provide "funnel" damage while doing AoE or single-target, a feature that speeds up the whole key if done correctly. Outside of that, they have one of the strongest AoE damage profiles, combined with the highest consistent damage profile in the game. Their toolkit also offers a permanent slow on enemies to make it easier for tanks to kite, crowd-control with Polymorph, and high self-sustain due to Ice Barrier. In addition, Frost Mage also holds an immunity, a vital option against life-threatening situations, in the form of Ice Block. The high mobility of Mages also adds value, further compounded by the ability to provide Arcane Intellect to the whole party and benefit other casters within a group. Frost Mages even provide decent damage output, which is essential to determining which tier a specialization belongs in.

Frost Mages also have great 2-target cleave DPS and decent single-target DPS, making their priority-target damage great against important mobs. Moreover, being able to enter stealth with Invisibility provides Frost Mages with the unique ability to skip certain packs, mobs or bosses. To top it off, they also have Spellsteal which can create an opportunity for them to benefit from an enemy magical buff for up to 2 minutes within a dungeon.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Fire Mage received no new changes in this patch. However, their current damage profile definitely puts them as one of the best DPS specializations, especially on the lower-mid level keys due to their amazing burst. Their recent single-target buffs fills an area where they have previously struggled to compete. Overall, it is one of the most solid picks as a DPS in this season!

Fire Mage suffered a great loss when they lost the ability to passively spread Mastery: Ignite. To compensate for that, Fire Mage is one of the specs with uncapped AoE abilities such as Flamestrike and Flame Patch, which is where their core strength comes from. The Fire specialization still provides the same utility to the party as the other Mage specs, with the additional benefits of Dragon's Breath and the cheat death effect from Cauterize. The main power of Fire Mages comes from their incredible burst due to Combustion, which provides great single-target, priority-target and AoE damage at the same time. This can neutralize any "dangerous" mobs and can make a pull easier for the whole party.

However, there are few flaws in this spec, as with any other spec, and that is low damage outside of major cooldowns; which is the only thing Fire needs to enter the S-tier rankings!

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Marksmanship Hunter received no changes going forward to mid-Season 3 of Shadowlands. My opinion has not changed at all, and I firmly believe that this spec is among the best for low-mid level keys or likely the best, with its value significantly decreasing on the higher end keys due to its survivability issues (Versatility is the weakest stat along with the fact that you have the weakest defensive cooldowns in the game are not appealing either).

Marksmanship Hunter currently has one the highest amounts of AoE-burst and overall DPS in the game. The combination of their Trueshot cooldown and Trick Shots passive makes their burst reach amazing numbers. On top of this, the ability to freely move while casting makes it easier to dodge avoidable damage which is crucial to ensure higher group DPS. Hunter is also among the three classes in the game that can provide a Bloodlust effect in the form of Primal Rage. In addition to the amazing toolkit, Marksmanship Hunter also has a knockback spell in the form of Bursting Shot which can be utilized on several occasions in Mythic+. Hunter also has great mobility, thanks to Disengage and Aspect of the Cheetah.

The Hunter toolkit is among the best for Mythic+. From a slow with Tar Trap to a mass-root with Binding Shot, Hunter provides unique tools to cope and relieve pressure from the tank and the healer. Finally, the great self-sustain from Exhilaration and immunity from Aspect of the Turtle makes Hunters a top contender for the DPS slot in Shadowlands' Mythic+.

Hunter is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Misdirection, which works similarly to a Rogue's Tricks of the Trade. Another strength is the ability to dispel Enrage effects with Tranquilizing Shot.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Outlaw Rogues once again received major buffs on their overall damage profile, with Between the Eyes, Pistol Shot, and Sinister Strike's damage increased by 20%, followed by Blade Flurry's value increased from 50% to 60% (roughly 20% buff). This will not only impact their single-target damage but also their AoE, an area where they have previously struggled. Earlier the season I did mention that the only way for Outlaw the climb rankings is to be either remove the cap on their signature AoE spell — Blade Flurry — or just receive damage buffs that will impact their overall damage contribution. I am glad to see that is addressed and the spec is moving toward A-tier.

Outlaw Rogue is the specialization with the best crowd-control in Mythic+. Gouge is an incredible ability for disrupting enemies' casts and is not subject to diminishing returns, just like Blind. Outlaw rogues are also the Melee specialization with the longest attack range if the Acrobatic Strikes talent is chosen, which makes it easier to maneuver in a Melee situation. Just like the other Rogue specs, Outlaw provides high survivability, self-sustain, and an immunity, making it a great pick for any group.

Contributing to Outlaw Rogue's strength is the Rogue's toolkit, with high survivability ( Feint and Evasion), immunity against magic damage ( Cloak of Shadows), self-sustain ( Crimson Vial), and high mobility. On top of that, Rogues are the kings of mob control in dungeons paired together with unique Vanish skips and out-of-combat CC such as Sap and Shroud of Concealment.

If that was not enough Rogue is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Tricks of the Trade, making it easier for the tanks to hold threat. In addition, they are one of three classes that can dispel Enrage effects with Shiv when combined with Numbing Poison.

Recently the spec received massive buffs, with a much better AoE and single-target damage profile, hence why it is climbing the rankings all the way to the A-tier list.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Elemental Shaman received no changes leading forward in Patch 9.2.5. The spec itself is performing great, but far from being meta since the only department where it lacks is just raw damage. Quite frankly, very few specs can come close to Destruction Warlock, Survival Hunter, or Windwalker Monk's damage. However, Elemental's single-target is one of the best in Mythic+, which is always a plus. That, combined with great AoE damage and amazing utility, will definitely strengthen their A-tier spot.

Elemental Shaman's biggest strength comes from the spiky AoE burst made possible by the soft-capped (20 target) main damaging ability: Earthquake. The great synergy between their two best Mythic+ Legendaries Echoes of the Great Sundering and Seeds of Rampant Growth makes their single-target one of the highest, an area where they have previously struggled to compete. Moreover, the high spectrum of utility tools provided to the party by Shaman makes it a valuable pick. They also possess one of the strongest 1-minute offensive cooldowns in the game in the form of Stormkeeper. Shaman is also one of three classes in the game that provide "lust" in the form of Heroism or Bloodlust.

Tremor Totem, Earth Elemental, Capacitor Totem and Cleanse Spirit are among the most-used utilities of the Shaman. Recently added to the Elemental toolkit, Spiritwalker's Grace has closed a gap in their playstyle with the ability to move while sustaining DPS, thus making Elemental Shaman a valuable pick for any group composition. Elemental Shaman is the caster with the shortest interrupt cooldown in the game with Wind Shear, making it a great combination with any other Ranged in the group.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Fury Warriors received no changes whatsoever leading to the rest of Season 3. Their damage profile is definitely their strongest feature, paired with great party utility. However, their damage is not competitive enough to be put in S-tier, but I do believe that further in the season with endgame gear, Fury will excel further and might climb more ranks.

Fury Warriors provide great sustained damage both during and outside of cooldowns, with great single-target DPS and AoE cleave. They are also a high mobility specialization with good self-sustain. Warrior is the only class in the game that provides Battle Shout, making it incredibly useful for melee-heavy compositions. In addition, they have great passive mitigation coming from Warpaint. To add something to their utility toolkit, they can spec into extremely powerful Finesse Conduit Safeguard, which reduces damage taken on the target they Intervene. The spec can shine if put into a heavy-melee composition where Battle Shout can be a deciding factor, which is quite good a group composition that fits the current meta. Finally, they are one of the few DPS specializations in the game that provide an external defensive ability to the whole party with Rallying Cry.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Unfortunately, there have been no major changes for Frost Death Knight, this patch. The spec is in a great position, and is definitely above the middle of the pack compared to all DPS specs. Their damage is already competitive enough with all the specs placed above them, and the only way for them to enter into the "meta' rankings is by simply doing more damage or have better group-wide utility; for now they remain in the A-tier rankings.

Frost Death Knight's strength comes from the AoE and Cleave damage output the spec provides. Frost Death Knights have the same utility as Unholy Death Knights, with the exception of having a little extra self-sustain if talented into Permafrost. Their single-target and AoE burst is spiky, and if we have to judge a DPS purely based on number metrics, then Frost Death Knight can easily compete with a majority of the classes placed above them. However, not everything is related just to pure damage; mediocre utility and low mobility definitely hurts the specialization.

The biggest drawback of the spec, just like Unholy Death Knight, comes from low mobility and low group-wide utility. That said, the overall damage output can be compared to some of the specs listed above them, but further lack in group utilities is definitely a major issue. With just Anti-Magic Zone and Death Grip, Frost Death Knights are one step short in reaching higher rankings.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Havoc Demon Hunter did not receive any change leading to this patch; most notably, they are currently slightly above the middle of the pack, being the role of the "support" rather than the "hyper-carry". Their flexible damage profile paired with high utility makes them a good fit for a third DPS choice, all together with the high self-sustain, immunity, and mobility, this spec is definitely not to be underestimated. One thing that can push Havoc beyond its A-ranking is higher damage output.

Havoc Demon Hunter is one of the specializations with the highest mobility and survivability in the game, thanks to Fel Rush, Vengeful Retreat, and the leap of Metamorphosis. Its unique ability to provide Chaos Brand in the group makes it a favorable pick in combination with several casters in the party. Out-of-combat crowd control such as Imprison gives you the ability to skip mobs without getting in combat, allowing you to "buy" time in each dungeon. To top that, Havoc Demon Hunter has two immunities, with one being Netherwalk and the other being the 1-second leap when casting Metamorphosis. One of the great features of the spec is its constant damage profile, specifically their single-target damage, with a lot of different builds available to be used; currently both Night Fae and Venthyr are among the best in Mythic+. Finally, high self-sustain and an amazing group toolkit such as Darkness and Chaos Nova makes the spec among the best melee specializations in Shadowlands' Mythic+.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Arcane Mages recently received massive buffs to their core damaging spells, increasing the damage of Arcane Missiles by 8% and Arcane Blast by 10%. While this helps their single-target and priority-target damage the most, it does not solve the core issue of the spec, and on top of this, both Fire Mage and Frost Mage are far ahead of Arcane, making it less desirable. Still, these changes are quite neat and will further solidify their A-tier placing.

Arcane Mage's core strength comes from its uncapped AoE which elevates the specialization as one of the highest damage profiles in the Mythic+ scene. The biggest disadvantage of Arcane Mage is the low damage profile outside of cooldowns. The utilities that Arcane Mage provides are similar to Frost and Fire, except for Cauterize which is only available to Fire Mages and the permanent slow from a Frost Mage's abilities. However, an exclusive ability to Arcane Mage is Greater Invisibility, which instantly makes you invisible and reduces all damage taken by 60% for 3 seconds after you get out of stealth. Arcane's biggest strength comes from having one of the highest on-demand burst windows that often eliminates enemies within seconds.

That said, the combined raw output of the spec is definitely its core strength. Outside of that, the spec's mediocre utility, self-sustain, and high downtime during off-cooldown periods sets them within the A-tier rankings.

Specializations placed under B-Tier are a viable choice for any group looking to excel with any of the specializations here. The main reason why these specializations are placed on B-Tier is not because they are bad, but rather other specs having higher damage profiles or have better utility. In Mythic+, not everything comes down to raw output, survivability, mobility, self-sustain, and utility are also to be considered; in other words, "what do you bring to the group to help complete the dungeon".

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Assassination Rogue received no changes entering this patch. Assassination Rogue is currently in the middle of the pack, with a massive disadvantage in their damage department compared to the specializations placed above them. More specifically, their AoE damage profile could benefit from a buff. Until that happens, the specialization will remain in its current position.

Assassination Rogues are known to have amazing single-target and priority-target-damage burst with Vendetta, which will have higher value mostly on important mobs and bosses. They also have amazing mob control with Garrote, which is incredibly useful against caster mobs. Just like Subtlety and Outlaw, Assassination Rogues have very high survivability, self-sustain, and an immunity, making it a perfect pick for a melee slot.

If that was not enough Rogue is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Tricks of the Trade, making it easier for the tanks to hold threat. In addition, they are one of three classes that can dispel Enrage effects with Shiv when combined with Numbing Poison.

Their main disadvantage comes from the inability to provide enough AoE DPS to compete with the other specs put under S-tier and A-tier rankings. Overall DPS has a huge impact on general group composition. For solely that reason, Assassination Rogues are awarded B-tier.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Enhancement Shaman received no further changes leading to the rest of Shadowlands Mythic+ Season 3. They are currently in a great spot, as can be value both as B-tier or A-tier depending on the group composition (read more below). Overall, Enhancement Shaman will definitely increase its overall value, since the only detail that kept them behind was their damage profile; now that it is buffed, they will be moving toward the B-tier list.

Enhancement Shaman experienced massive changes going from Season 2 to Season 3, specifically to their damage profile. One of the main features of the spec is high single-target and priority-target damage, which is often more desirable than just massive AoE damage. However, Enhancement is not the greatest spec when it comes down to uncapped AoE, or in other words, against massive pulls of 10-20 mobs. The spec can really shine if paired with a mostly Melee group or one with heavy Physical damage due to the benefits of Windfury Totem. So yes, if conditions are right, this spec can perform just as good as any of the specs listed on the A-tier list.

On the positive side, Shaman's utility is among the best in the game, thanks to Earth Elemental, Capacitor Totem, Earthbind Totem, and Tremor Totem. Furthermore, the class has the shortest interrupt cooldown in the game with Wind Shear, which makes Shaman very valuable in groups where other players have high-cooldown interrupts. Finally, it brings Hex and Purge.

With the recent changes, Enhancement Shaman will move to the upper rankings of the B-tier list, but still will not be enough to climb all the way to A or S. That will only happen if their AoE damage profile is addressed, or if the meta shifts toward mostly melee compositions (which is unlikely).

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Outlaw Rogues once again received major buffs on their overall damage profile, with Between the Eyes, Pistol Shot, and Sinister Strike's damage increased by 20%, followed by Blade Flurry's value increased from 50% to 60% (roughly 20% buff). This will not only impact their single-target damage but also their AoE, an area where they have previously struggled. Earlier the season I did mention that the only way for Outlaw the climb rankings is to be either remove the cap on their signature AoE spell — Blade Flurry — or just receive damage buffs that will impact their overall damage contribution. I am glad to see that is addressed and the spec is moving toward A-tier.

Outlaw Rogue is the specialization with the best crowd-control in Mythic+. Gouge is an incredible ability for disrupting enemies' casts and is not subject to diminishing returns, just like Blind. Outlaw rogues are also the Melee specialization with the longest attack range if the Acrobatic Strikes talent is chosen, which makes it easier to maneuver in a Melee situation. Just like the other Rogue specs, Outlaw provides high survivability, self-sustain, and an immunity, making it a great pick for any group.

Contributing to Outlaw Rogue's strength is the Rogue's toolkit, with high survivability ( Feint and Evasion), immunity against magic damage ( Cloak of Shadows), self-sustain ( Crimson Vial), and high mobility. On top of that, Rogues are the kings of mob control in dungeons paired together with unique Vanish skips and out-of-combat CC such as Sap and Shroud of Concealment.

If that was not enough Rogue is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Tricks of the Trade, making it easier for the tanks to hold threat. In addition, they are one of three classes that can dispel Enrage effects with Shiv when combined with Numbing Poison.

Recently the spec received massive buffs, with a much better AoE and single-target damage profile, hence why it is climbing the rankings all the way to the A-tier list.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Arms Warriors received massive single-target buffs going into to the rest of the season, with Mortal Strike and Overpower having their damage increased by 10%, as well as Execute's and Condemn's damage being increased by 15%. Will that make Arms Warrior meta? No, definitely not, but it will help them improve in an area where they previously felt behind. These are good overall changes, but not enough for the spec to break into higher-tier rankings.

Arms Warriors have always been known to have amazing burst, but quite low sustained AoE damage. The spec can shine if put into a heavy-melee composition where Battle Shout can be a deciding factor, which seems to be a good group composition in the current meta. Moreover, the spec's biggest strength comes from burst AoE and high on-demand single-target damage in the form of Execute. Arms Warrior is one of the specs with the highest single-target in Mythic+, making it a great pick for Tyrannical weeks. To add something to their utility toolkit, they can spec into the extremely powerful Finesse Conduit Safeguard, which reduces damage taken on the target they Intervene. Finally, they are one of the few DPS specializations in the game that provide an external defensive ability to the whole party with Rallying Cry.

Arms Warrior's overall damage profile is good enough to be placed on the top of the B-tier list, but they lack and immunity and have low sustained DPS, which is highly desirable in the current "meta" for Season 3.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Beast Mastery Hunter received another buff entering the rest of Season 3. This time around, the buff covered exactly what we discussed earlier here on this tier-list: an AoE buff that specifically targets Beast Cleave — their main AoE damage ability coming from their pets. With this buff, Beast Cleave now strikes other targets for 100% (previously 90%) of your pet's damage. In addition, the spec also received flat 4% buff to all of their damaging abilities (including pet damage), which will not only further strengthen their single-target but also their AoE damage too. Unfortunately, both Marksmanship and Survival Hunter are still far ahead of Beast Mastery, and in order for the spec to become closer to them further adjustments must be made. For now the spec will climb to the middle of the pack, unlike the beginning of the season where it started almost at the bottom.

Beast Mastery Hunter is known to scale amazingly well with secondary stats. This means that early on in Shadowlands its performance will be not so great, but it will rapidly increase with better gear. However, the spec's AoE damage profile is among the lowest in Mythic+. Fortunately they have decent single-target and priority-damage, which is a massive time gain, especially for boss encounters. Beast Mastery Hunter provides the same utility as Marksmanship Hunter, except for Bursting Shot, but in return it offers a powerful single-target stun in the form of Intimidation. Beast Mastery Hunter is one of the few specializations in the game with unlimited mobility and a ton of ways to avoid incoming damage or mechanics while not sacrificing its own DPS, which makes it extremely valuable in heavy-movement situations like Mythic+ dungeons.

Hunter is also one of two classes able to transfer its threat to the tank or another target using Misdirection, which works similarly to a Rogue's Tricks of the Trade. Another strength is the ability to dispel Enrage effects with Tranquilizing Shot.

The spec's biggest disadvantage comes from solely relying on its pet to do the majority of the damage. There are multiple abilities from mobs to bosses that can kill your pet and force you to cast Revive Pet, which was changed from a 2-second cast to 4 seconds in Shadowlands. Furthermore, their AoE damage is the primary reason why they are placed under B-tier; we believe that with small changes to their toolkit, we can see this spec climb rankings all the way to the top.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Balance Druid's main issues are still not addressed, going into the next Season of Mythic+. Their biggest problem is Starfall having a cooldown and also not being stackable, therefore not having a strong AoE spender to dump down the excess resources in an AoE scenario outside of Starsurge (which is more single-target oriented). This is the weakest this spec has been since the release of Shadowlands. We were really hoping for some quality changes; unfortunately they did not arrive. That being said, while their major issue persists, Balance Druids will remain in the upper B-tier list with no possibilities to progress further until they are changed.

Balance Druids are among the top contenders for group-wide utility. From Ursol's Vortex and Typhoon to Soothe and Stampeding Roar, Balance Druid's biggest strength comes from providing the tools the party needs to relieve pressure from the tank and the healer. Its Force of Nature ability can ease a lot of hard pulls during dungeon runs. Moreover, the ability to provide Innervate to the healer in HPS-intensive fights can make-or-break some encounters. Its single-target DPS is among the best in the game, making it a great pick against priority-target mobs and bosses. Balance Druids also hold one of the shortest-cooldown defensive abilities in the game with Barkskin, along with great passive mitigation from Bear Form.

To conclude: Balance druids have one of the best party utilities in the game, a great single-target and decent AoE damage, and moreover, are one of the "tankiest" DPS classes to ever step in Mythic+. Their biggest disadvantage is having low damage outside of their major cooldowns, which hinders their performance and can make their overall output significantly lower if the player is bad at micromanaging their resources and cooldowns.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Shadow Priest received no changes going further into Season 3. Yes, this has historically been one of the most decorated specs, and often changed both with nerfs and buffs prior every season which also happened in the current one. The specialization lacks basic fundamentals and the only way to see it improving rankings is if it receives core changes to its talents or playstyle, which in the current state of the game is highly unlikely. The fact that you have to choose between strong AoE or strong single-target provides flexibility to the player depending on the key level or party setup, but still would have been much better to have both. For now they remain as one of the lowest ranked DPS specializations in Mythic+ with hope for positive changes leading toward next season.

Shadow Priest's main strength is multi-dotting, for which it is the best specialization in Mythic+. Shadow Priest also provides very good overall "peel" for the group composition, group-wide off-healing, and high self-sustain. Vampiric Embrace is very useful during HPS-heavy encounters and boss fights. With Purify Disease, Dispel Magic, and Mass Dispel, Shadow Priest remains a good option for those looking to bolster their team with a high single-target spec. Outside of that, Priest is the only class in the game that provides Power Word: Fortitude, increasing the Stamina of all party members by 5%. Finally, Priest is one of two classes that can readily negate the Bursting affix with Mass Dispel which makes them extremely valuable.

Shadow Priest also provides decent crowd-control with abilities such as Mind Control, Psychic Scream, Shackle Undead, Psychic Horror.

The main weakness of the spec comes from Silence's long cooldown, which is among the highest in the game for an interrupt. This is important as disrupting targets in Mythic+ is essential to avoid as much damage as you can in order to increase the group's overall DPS. In addition, while their single-target is great, their overall AoE output is not comparable with the specs placed above them.

Specializations listed under this tier lack several things to be placed higher. Specs under this tier need either raw damage buffs or rework on their tier sets to increase the damage coming from the "borrowed" powers.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Affliction Warlocks received no changes going forward. This has been a quite disappointing patch for the spec as it desperately needed a massive core change, not only to their tier-set but also to their overall damage profile as it is far behind compared to the majority of the DPS specializations. We will closely monitor this spec and get back to it as soon as there are any changes announced.

Affliction Warlock is currently considered mediocre in terms of its raw damage profile. The newly-introduced tier sets are pushing the old Malefic Rapture build as a "core" build compared to what we had last season, more known as the "seed" build. This will definitely make their single-target significantly stronger, a detail they once used to go by. However, Affliction's core problems come from being unable to excel on low-healthpool non-boss-enemies, having low mobility, and no immunity. Although they are quite "tanky" for a DPS spec, they need a lot more qualities than that for the spec to be placed anywhere higher.

This specialization provides mediocre party utilities— Mortal Coil, Create Healthstone, Banish, Shadowfury, and Demonic Gateway—making it not as attractive as other ranged DPS. In addition, while the specialization's self-sustain is great, they completely lack a mobility boost outside of the Burning Rush Talent.

The early prediction is, as of now, that if this spec does not get a raw damage buff or tier-set-specific changes, Affliction is likely to be overshadowed by Destruction Warlock and Demonology Warlock. Still, the spec itself is definitely not bad, and it has, in our opinion, some of the more challenging gameplay across all DPS specs. We have decided to place it under C-tier list for now, with the possibility to climb higher; we will closely monitor it and update if necessarily.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Unholy Death Knight received no changes leading to Patch 9.2.5. Even though the spec was buffed several times, it is still one of the lowest-rated DPS choices in the current meta, mainly because of their damage, once a strong feature. This is one of the few specs that I think core class changes, a Talents revamp, or overhaul, will likely fix the issue. Sadly I do not expect this until the new expansion or at least Season 4. Any positive changes will obviously put the spec higher, but for now they will remain on the C-tier list.

Unholy Death Knight's biggest strength comes from a high single-target DPS and AoE burst windows. They also have great priority-target damage, which is always a plus in Mythic+. Furthermore, Death Grip and a second disruption spell in Gnaw make Unholy Death Knights a great addition to any group composition. They can also bring a single-target stun with Asphyxiate or a massive AoE slow through Grip of the Dead, depending on talent choices. Furthermore, they have a great self-sustain ability in the form of Death Strike, which can save you in critical situations.

Finally, Death Knights can bring Anti-Magic Zone to the party making them very effective against heavy magical damage such as Bursting or boss encounters with heavy magical damage. Finally, Death Knights are one of the few classes in the game with an ability to combat resurrect allies through Raise Ally.

The biggest disadvantage of the Unholy Death Knight is its low mobility and highly-cooldown-reliant gameplay. Having low mobility can really hurt you and in some cases, be lethal when it comes to sidestepping avoidable damage.

June 08, Patch 9.2.5 update: Feral Druids received no changes in this patch, which is really a pity to see. The spec itself has been performing poorly ever since the release of the expansion, with the exception of pre-Season 3 where they received two consecutive nerfs. The only area where Feral can benefit slightly more is in group-wide utility and a lot more AoE damage. Until then, the spec will remain in the C-tier list as one of the lowest ranked damage dealers.

Coming into Season 3, Feral Druids are not to be underestimated, as their overall damage package looks better than ever before. Its single-target is great, as well as its funnel damage. As soon as they obtain their Feral Druid 4-Piece bonus they will see a massive spike in their AoE damage, the best that Feral has even been in this expansion. The specialization has great party utility and the option to maximize its off-healing potential with Heart of the Wild. In addition, they have great survivability with Survival Instincts and Barkskin, and great passive mitigation through Bear Form.

As predicted earlier in the expansion, Feral Druids do tend to take a bit more time to scale up with all of their gear. Although they have received good changes, Feral Druids need a lot more to be considered a "meta" option across all DPS specs.

April 12 update: Retribution Paladin received no changes this patch, which in all honesty was quite unexpected considering their current performance in Mythic+. The class feels great during cooldowns, and it does have both great single-target and AoE, paired with good utility. However, their sustained damage is quite low, which ultimately damages the spec further. The lack of mobility is also an important issue highlighted a while back. I do hope to see changes before Season 4 starts in order to trace this spec further up.

Retribution Paladin is going to start Season 3 as the weakest DPS specialization. The spec has great party utility abilities, with the most notable being Blessing of Freedom, Blessing of Sacrifice, Lay on Hands, Devotion Aura, Blinding Light, and Hammer of Justice. They have some of the strongest AoE and single-target burst in the game, with the combination of Execution Sentence, Avenging Wrath, and Final Reckoning. They are also one of the few classes with an immunity through Divine Shield.

The biggest disadvantages of Retribution Paladins are how dependent they are on their cooldowns for damage, low mobility outside of Divine Steed, and overall low damage contribution, making the spec less-desirable in a standard group composition.

For a full ranking of the relative difficulty of the different Mythic+ dungeons, based on the current week's Mythic+ affixes, please check out our guide below.