Mythic+ DPS Rankings: A Tier List for Shadowlands (Patch 9.1.5 / Season 2)

This tier list is NOT FINAL; it will change and will be updated as often as necessary prior and during Season 2 (Patch 9.1.5) 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 and a team captain of "The Boys", most recently an MDI summer finalist. I am more 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 2 of Shadowlands, spending tons of 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 second 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.
• 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 second 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 Tormented, which prioritizes single-target damage and classes with a few defensive options to help overcoming it. Finally, having high mobility is a massive bonus, as refusing to defeat Oros Coldheart will empower the final boss of a dungeon with the Chilling Presence aura. If you choose to fight the last boss like this, not having mobility will significantly increase the difficulty of the boss encounter.

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.

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.

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

October 28 update: Currently, Windwalker Monks are the kings of Mythic+, as one of the highest damage profile specs in the current meta. They will go from being strongest to being even stronger in Patch 9.1.5, as their major damage dealing ability of Spinning Crane Kick is going to deal uncapped damage (previously being capped to 6 targets). However, its damage will be reduced beyond 5 targets hit. Moreover, Fists of Fury is also getting its damage uncapped, from previously being capped to 5 targets. Nonetheless, these changes are massive as it will make their overwhelming AoE damage even stronger. If these changes remain the same, we are likely going to experience a continuation of the Windwalker meta in Mythic+.

Windwalker monks have one of the highest damage profiles, from high AoE damage to decent single-target and Execute damage in the form of Touch of Death which is be quite useful in Patch 9.1's seasonal affix of Tormented. 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+.

October 28 update: Frost Mages received several buffs going into Patch 9.1.5 of Season 2 in Mythic+. First, Frozen Orb's damage has been uncapped (previously being capped to 8 targets) but it will do reduced damage beyond 5 targets. Second, their iconic spells of Flurry and Frost Bolt received slight raw damage increases, giving them better single-target, an area where Frost Mages really benefit from getting the buff. Overall, Frost Mage is shaping up to be the best ranged choice leading toward the second half of Season 2 in Patch 9.1.5.

Mage is among the three classes in the game that provide a "lust-effect" through Time Warp, making them desirable in Mythic+. 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 such as the Tormented lieutenants and boss encounters. 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.

October 28 update: Currently one of the best melee choices in the current meta of Shadowlands Mythic+ Season 2, Subtlety Rogues will receive a major buff to their AoE damage profile, an area where they could benefit from. Both Black Powder and Shuriken Storm are going to deal uncapped damage (previously capped at 8 targets), with reduced damage dealt beyond 8 targets in Patch 9.1.5. With the current changes, we expect the spec to continue its domination in the Mythic+ scene.

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 current Seasonal affix of Tormented. 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.

November 04 update: Fury Warriors received massive buffs, going forward into Patch 9.1.5, with one of their main DPS abilities, Whirlwind, going from being capped at 5 targets to being uncapped, further increasing their AoE potential. Just like Arms, Bladestorm is also getting uncapped (previously being capped at 8 targets), but it will instead deal reduced damage beyond 5 targets. In addition, their auto-attack damage was buffed resulting in around a 3-4% increase on their single-target, an area where they could benefit a lot from. These changes will definitely push the spec from B-tier to the top specs of the S-tier list.

Fury Warriors provide great overall raw output, with decent 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. 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.

The biggest disadvantage of Fury Warrior comes from having no immunity and poor group utility, which plays a major part in every group composition. However, their current damage profile is one of the best in the meta and is the only reason the spec is listed in the S-tier.

October 28 update: There have been no changes for Fire Mages in Patch 9.1.5 of Season 2 in Mythic+. Fire Mages will continue to perform great in Mythic+ as they are one of the highest damage profile classes in the current meta. They have great single-target and AoE damage, an immunity, and good survivability, with their only downside being low priority-target damage.

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.

November 04 update: Arms Warriors received a massive buff going forward into Patch 9.1.5, having their main DPS ability Bladestorm uncapped (previously capped to 8 targets). Furthermore, their essential talent Dreadnaught is also getting uncapped (previously 5 targets) which will further increase their AoE capabilities, an area where they struggled previously against large quantities of mobs. These changes will definitely push the spec to the S-tier list and make it one of the better melee choices in the current Mythic+ meta. Playing in a full Physical damage composition can also increase the viability of the spec and will become even better; they should always look to get paired with a Monk for Mystic Touch, which will increase their already-great damage profile.

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. 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 one of the best among all melee specializations, but they lack immunity and have low self-sustain, which is highly desirable in the current Season 2 affix of Tormented.

October 28 update: Marksmanship Hunters received major changes to their core damaging ability Multi-Shot going forward into Patch 9.1.5, going from being capped to 5 targets to doing uncapped damage (with reduced damage dealt past 5 targets). If that was not good news already, Blizzard is also adding Explosive Shot to their uncapped damaging abilities going from having a 6-target cap to being uncapped (with reduced damage dealt beyond 5 targets). This will further bolster their already-strong AoE damage profile and will further justify their position in the S-tier rankings.

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 unparalleled 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 "lust-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.

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.

October 28 update: Elemental Shamans received a minor change in their overall damage toolkit. Their Storm Elemental's special ability Eye of the Storm is getting uncapped damage potential (previously capped to 6 targets), which will not severely change their damage profile and result in a slight AoE damage buff at most. They remain one of the best ranged choices in the current season of Mythic+. Paired with amazing utility, Elemental Shaman is a great choice for any group composition!

Elemental Shaman's biggest strength comes from the spiky AoE burst made possible by the soft-capped (20 target) main damaging ability: Earthquake. Its single-target DPS and very high off-heal utility from Ancestral Guidance make Elemental a great choice for a Ranged representative in the group. 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.

October 28 update: Outlaw Rogues received no changes going forward into Patch 9.1.5. With all the changes targeted toward removing target caps for the majority of specializations, this will result in Outlaw Rogue falling behind especially in the AoE department, hence why we have ranked them as A-tier as of now.

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.

November 04 update: There have been no balance changes regarding Affliction Warlock as of now. If this spec remains unchanged, it is likely to continue be one of the go-to ranged choices for the current 9.1.5 Mythic+ meta.

Affliction Warlock is currently considered one of the DPS classes with the highest overall damage. Their AoE on-demand damage is great, but single-target and priority-target damage suffered a great loss. The newly-introduced "seed" build is performing great due to the uncapped AoE, therefore it becomes one of the best builds for Mythic+. Affliction's core problems come from being unable to excel on low-healthpool non-boss-enemies, having low mobility, and no immunity. Affliction Warlock's single-target DPS, once their core strength, is now just decent at best.

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.

As predicted, Affliction Warlock is one of the best ranged DPS specializations currently because of their raw damage output. Although their utility is at most mediocre, the massive overall damage contribution definitely puts them on the top of the A-tier list.

October 28 update: Balance Druid received no changes going forward to Patch 9.1.5. If they remain in their current state, we are likely to see them remain one of the better ranged options in Season 2 of Mythic+.

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 AoE damage profile, 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 managing cooldowns.

October 28 update: The only change that Arcane Mages received going into Patch 9.1.5 is a change to their core talent Arcane Echo, now dealing reduced damage done beyond 8 targets hit (previously 5). This change will mostly impact their AoE damage profile, an aspect where Arcane could greatly benefit from. Their single-target burst damage is among the best in the game, which makes both Tyrannical and Tormented quite easy to deal with. They also have great front-loaded burst AoE damage which is competitive enough to be among the best specs on A-tier.

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. Most of Arcane's abilities are desynced, however, making it harder to time cooldowns without "holding" them for a long time. 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 one of the highest single-target DPS or 3-target burst.

That said, the combined raw output of the spec is definitely its core strength. Outside of that, the spec does not have great utility outside of the mage-specific tools to help the party.

October 20 update: Assassination Rogues received a massive buff to their AoE damage profile going forward into Patch 9.1.5. Fan of Knives and Crimson Tempest will go from an 8-target cap to uncapped damage done, spiking their AoE damage by a lot. This change, however, will not be enough to place the spec anywhere higher on the tier list, but it will definitely straighten out its current position.

Assassination Rogues are known to have amazing single-target and priority-target-damage burst with Vendetta, which will have higher value leading into Season 2 due to Tormented being present. They also have amazing mob control using 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 overall DPS to compete with the other specs put under S-tier rankings. Overall DPS has a huge impact on general group composition. For solely that reason, Assassination Rogues are awarded A-tier.

October 28 update: Havoc Demon Hunters received a major rework to one of their iconic abilities going into Patch 9.1.5, with Blade Dance going from having its damage capped to 5 targets to now having uncapped damage potential with reduced damage dealt beyond 5 targets. However, in the most recent patch notes, their major Potency Conduit that supports the Blade Dance build, Dancing with Fate, was severely nerfed going from a 75% damage increase to a 40% damage increase across all ranks. It is yet unsure if the Blade Dance build will be the go-to for Mythic+, but we are happy to see some changes for the Demon Hunters. They are a strong melee choice if you are running a caster-heavy composition that can benefit the most from Chaos Brand, along with the amazing utility the spec can provide.

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. 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+.

October 28 update: There have been no direct changes done to Shadow Priests going forward into Patch 9.1.5 of Season 2. Shadow Priest remains a good caster choice if you are looking to bolster the overall damage of your group. From amazing single-target to great AoE damage, Shadow Priest can excel in any group composition. The biggest disadvantage of having this spec in your group is coming from the limited utility they can provide. Unless their damage gets buffed, we will not see them placing anywhere higher than A-tier as of now.

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 is among the top Ranged contender for a spot in the group. 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 excellent 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.

October 28 update: Survival Hunter received a minor change to Carve going forward into Patch 9.1.5, being changed from 5-target capped damage to having an uncapped value. This will further bolster their already-great AoE damage profile, which is always a bonus! Currently the spec performs great and is placed under the A-tier rankings, with a possibility to climb higher if their raw damage output is further tuned up. We will have to wait until further class balancing to make that decision, however.

Survival Hunter's AoE damage is in good shape, but its single-target and priority-target DPS is not in the best shape. The recent Patch 9.1 buffs to the spec definitely closed the gap and touched on its single-target flaws. Survival hunter also has great party utilities with Binding Shot and Tar Trap, 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 "lust-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 a solid AoE profile and average single-target. Their priority-target damage is rather low, but they make up for that with their great utility; for this reason we are placing Survival Hunters back to A-tier rankings!

October 28 update: One of the most adjusted specializations going forward into Patch 9.1.5, Beast Mastery Hunters received major changes to their overall damage profile. Both Beast Cleave and Multi-Shot have been changed from having a 5-target cap to uncapped damage done (with reduced damage done beyond 5 targets). This change will address an area BM Hunters were previously struggling to fill: their AoE damage profile. As for single-target, they are doing fantastic for both static fights and heavy-movement fights. We predict this specialization will rise from the bottom of B-tier to the A-tier list!

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 helpful going into Season 2 of Shadowlands. 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.

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, but rather to group composition and utility; in other words, "what do you bring to the group to help complete the dungeon".

October 28 update: Unholy Death Knights received a major buff to one of their alternative talents, Bursting Sores, which might open a potential new build for Mythic+ that will focus on that talent. In Patch 9.1.5 its damage is going from being 8-target capped to uncapped but dealing reduced damage beyond 5 targets, which will benefit the most from massive AoE pulls. However, this change alone will not be enough to place the spec anywhere higher in the current meta.

Unholy Death Knight's biggest strength comes from very high single-target DPS and AoE burst windows. 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.

October 20 update: Frost Death Knights will remain the same going forward into Patch 9.1.5. There have not been any notable changes toward the spec to really increase their viability in the current meta. With some slight damage tuning, this spec can really shine, but as of now it will remain on the B-tier list.

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 burst can be spiky, and their sustained single-target damage is mediocre at best.

The biggest drawback of the spec, just like Unholy Death Knight, comes from low mobility and cooldown-dependency resulting in low DPS outside of their cooldowns. That said, the overall damage output is not comparable enough to the specs listed in A-Tier, and they further lack in group utilities. With just Anti-Magic Zone and Death Grip, Frost Death Knights are one step short in reaching higher rankings.

October 28 update: Retribution Paladins also received their fair share of uncapped damage changes in Patch 9.1.5, with their iconic Divine Storm going from having a 5-target cap to uncapped potential (while doing reduced damage beyond 5 targets hit). This change alone will, however, not be enough to place the spec anywhere higher. The spec still has great utility, but mediocre damage contribution. We believe with some slight damage tuning, this spec can really shine, but for now, it will remain under the B-Tier rankings.

Retribution Paladin is one of the strongest performing melee to be placed under B-Tier. Through great utility abilities such as Blessing of Freedom, Blessing of Sacrifice, Lay on Hands, and Devotion Aura, Retribution Paladins are certainly a decent pick in the current state of Shadowlands. 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 low self-sustain, making the spec less-desirable in a standard group composition.

October 28 update: There have been no major changes done toward Demonology Warlocks going forward into Patch 9.1.5, except the change to their Felguard's major ability of Felstorm. If there are no further changes, Demonology Warlock will remain the single-target powerhouse with an at most mediocre AoE damage profile — still a great pick for Tyrannical weeks!

While the spec does not rely on a long cooldown for damage — a good thing — its DPS numbers are significantly lower compared to the majority of the DPS specializations, and that alone is a massive factor in Mythic+. In addition, its base single-target damage outside of Summon Demonic Tyrant is rather low, compared to the rest of the specializations listed above them. They have great single-target and priority-target damage, which will ultimately help dealing with the new Seasonal Tormented Affix. Furthermore, 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, especially in the current Season 2 of Mythic+.

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.

Just like in Battle for Azeroth, Demonology Warlock will continue to scale well with secondary and primary stats as item levels continue to increase, and we believe that with slight damage adjustments the spec has the potential to shine and climb the rankings. However, its overall utility, damage output, low mobility, and lack of an immunity bring the spec into the B-Tier.

October 28 update: There have been no particular changes to Destruction Warlocks going forward into Patch 9.1.5. Their AoE potential during cooldowns is amazing, but the problem comes from much lower single-target potential. Their damage outside of cooldowns is also poor, further harming the spec. We believe that a slight change to their damage profile will put the spec much higher than its current position, but until them, it will remain in the B-tier rankings.

The current state of the Destruction spec feels weak outside of their major cooldown: Summon Infernal. They also lack mobility outside of Burning Rush. 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, although the ability to acquire them prior to entering the dungeon — without having to have an actual Warlock in the run — makes it less valuable.

All in all, Destruction Warlock lacks mobility outside of Burning Rush, has low self-sustain, and no immunity, while also not providing enough raw damage output or utility to be placed anywhere higher than B-tier in its current state.

October 28 update: Sadly, Enhancement Shamans received no changes going forward into Patch 9.1.5, which is what they really need to improve in the rankings. Their single-target is great, but their AoE damage profile is a field the specialization struggles the most with. However, if you are paired with a full melee composition, this spec goes from B-tier to A-tier since the Windfury Totem effect can really enhance your group and elevate your damage further. To conclude, Enhancement Shaman has great utility and good single-target damage, and with a slight AoE damage buff this spec can really shine!

The Enhancement specialization is very rewarding and fun to play, and feels like one of the most complete specializations in Shadowlands. However, there are several factors that determine its low placement such as mediocre damage output, low self-sustain, no immunity, and low mobility. 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.

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.

Sadly, the great utility and mediocre output is not enough to warrant a placement higher than B-Tier. This spec could really shine if its damage values were to get even a small buff.

Specializations listed under this tier lack several things to be placed higher. Specs under this tier need either raw damage tuning or Covenant-ability interactions to be able to be competitive.

October 28 update: Feral Druids received a target-cap change to their Brutal Slash talent, going from a 5-target cap to uncapped damage (with damage reduced beyond 5 targets). Furthermore, the Druid class as a whole received an uncapped target change to their core ability of Swipe which will directly positively impact Feral's AoE damage profile, an area where they are currently struggling. They have great single-target, but their AoE is an area where they could use a buff to be able to move spots in the current Mythic+ tierlist.

Feral Druid's current state is relatively weak compared to the rest of the DPS specializations. The lack of raw damage output puts the spec behind. Its single-target is great, but its cleave and AoE capabilities are among the top of the C-Tier group. Primal Wrath is a rare uncapped-target cleave ability, especially among Melee, making the spec a potentially viable option if its ability damage is ever increased. 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.

Feral Druid's damage is known to scale well with secondary stats and we do believe that the spec will move up in tier as players get more gear, but for now it lacks enough in its complete package to be unable to get out of C-Tier.

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.