A look at every DPS class in WoW Cataclysm
With the surprise promulgation ofWoW Cataclysm Classicat Blizzcon 2023 , now is a neat time to babble out aboutDPS classes . Many consider Cataclysm to be the first ' current - historic period ' sidesplitter expansion , and with that mark came a different philosophy on displaced person course intention .
Here ’s a fat tier lean of every DPS socio-economic class in Cataclysm so you may be ready for when the definitive version launch .
WoW Cataclysm DPS Tier List - Best Classes
Best DPS Classes in WoW Cataclysm
Generally , the good displaced person classes during WoW Cataclysm have memory access to every type of prick necessary for solid PvE performance . Cataclysm foray content was made substantially more difficult compared to Wrath of the Lich King . This is why the upright classes have unassailable AOE , consistent price up - time , and significant survivability .
Best S-Tier classes in WoW Cataclysm
riot Cataclysm Classic will commence life on Patch 4.3.4 , a prison term when the Fire Mage was deliberate the strong displaced person class and spec of the entire expansion . With dead devastating unmarried - butt and AOE damage , coupled with its utility , the Fire Mage reigns supreme over all others .
If Fire Mages did n’t exist , the Survival Hunter would easy be the inviolable class in Cataclysm . All Hunters received a resource overhaul , with Mana being removed in favor of the novel Focus organisation , efficaciously transfer their resource limitations as a swan course . Survival Hunters , in special , get so many upgrades to their core gameplay that they were largely considered to be overwhelm for most of the elaboration . If you ’re looking to be at the top of the DPS meter , pick this class spec to play .
It was in WoW Cataclysm where the Hunter class had Mana , as a imagination , take away in position of Focus . This was a massive win for all Hunters , and it was especially so for the Marksmen Hunter due to how much of a Mana gulper it was . Without the limitation of a limited imagination , the exceptionally high - damage Marksmen Hunter has no trouble dish out pain in the neck at the safety of long - mountain chain .
Throughout WoW ’s account , Shadow Priests have always been an extremely strong family spec , and that is no unlike in Cataclysm . Shadow Priests during Cata have a tool for every problem , and it is this insane versatility , coupled with their eminent damage in every scenario , that puts the class on the top of the food concatenation for DPS .
Coming from Wrath of the Lich King , Affliction Warlocks maintained their prodigious combo of having high undivided - target damage along with relief of terms up clock time due to a focus on DoT ( scathe over Time ) spells . While the grade does n’t have the strongest AOE , it is still able to contribute a solid amount through manual Lucy in the sky with diamonds spread . Affliction is , however , difficult to play at a high-pitched level due to the complexness of DoT management and cooldowns .
bring in as basically gods in terms of gameplay remainder in Wrath of the Lich King , Unholy Death Knights observe their enchanted condition as a meaning DPS with the advantage of ease of play , plateful armor , strong sustainability , and utility through the manipulation of Deathgrip . Additionally , the Unholy Death Knight is one of the best scale DPS classes when it derive to cogwheel upgrade , 2d only to Fire Mages .
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Best A-Tier classes in WoW Cataclysm
In WoW Cataclysm , Retribution Paladins received a imagination service that is still controversial to this day . The addition of Holy Power change how the class spec functioned despite it retaining its fireball status ( like Death Knights ) spawned from Wrath of the Lich King . Even so , the Ret Pally has top - tier survivalability , utility , and burst DPS where it counts . Being a cooldown - focused class , the Ret Pally can suffer a bit in the sustain DPS department if fight last too long or are too curt . Funny that this broker remains lawful even to this day .
Warlocks received a massive class inspection and repair in Cataclysm , with Demonology receiving the most important change of all , for the better . With the rework , Demonology Warlocks shoot to the top of the listing for top - grade DPS due to how much easier it became to dally . With top - tier DPS and standard warlock sustainability , the Demo Warlock is a solid pick . see at it in hindsight , it was this rework that set the microscope stage for the current iteration of the specification in current Retail WoW.
The core of the Frost Death Knight does not shift much at all depart into Cataclysm from Wrath of the Lich King . Instead , the course spec receive some well - pick up lineament - of - lifetime improvements to its flow , with tour like Howling Blast drop off its cooldown . However , some of these quality - of - life improvements became determents in the hired hand of an amateurish player . It was not always idealistic to spam Howling Blast in AOE post , for lesson . So while the specification is still passing inviolable , it is hard to trifle than its Wrath of the Lich King counterpart .
Elemental Shamans were a strong class in Wrath of the Lich King , but their power get along in the form of buffs for the raid rather than direct metier themselves . While they were no slouch in the DPS department , seldom could they compete against the heavy hitters . That changes in Cataclysm , where the class spec received monumental buffs to just about their integral kit . Their great detriment is the addition of Time Warp for Mages , which acts like a Bloodlust for the raid . This addition reduced the need to have a Shaman in the foray beyond just sustain another displaced person class .
Assassination Rogues have always been known as the go - to undivided - quarry DPS spec for the class , which stay true in Cataclysm . The class spec received a significant boost to damage with the rework of several of its key harm talents , further boosting its already stellar execution . The same ca n’t exactly be said about its AOE or Cleave , but that is n’t to say it is weak in those department . There are just many better selection for it .
Balance Druids were the ultimate AOE class in Cataclysm , well able to contend with or transcend the Unholy Death Knight and Fire Mage . Their single target was also rather on the strong side of the spectrum , and Moonkin being a semi - tanky conformation made it easy to survive with as well . Where they lacked a bit is in their scaling and dependance on gear upgrades to exceed . An undergeared Moonkin feel awful to play just as it did in The Burning cause and Wrath of the Lich King .
Arcane Mages in Cataclysm were get laid for their exceedingly high single aim DPS through spamming Arcane Blast ; a literal single - button rotation . However , the year was also notoriously unmanageable to roleplay because that DPS hail at the monetary value of needing to manage Mana so that you did n’t run out within 30 second of a raid engagement . Arcane Mages are also hilariously regretful at dealing with AOE damage as an additional barter - off . Still , when played at a high spirit level , it was n’t rare to see Arcane Mages topping the damage time over all other classes on this list , let in Fire Mages .
Best B-Tier classes in WoW Cataclysm
Combat Rogues were stiff in Cataclysm in terms of overall DPS(Single , Cleave ) . However , they were made much harder to diddle compared to its Wrath of the Lich King loop , and they generally perform better during Cleave competitiveness rather than single targets . Still , a skilled Combat Rogue pose at the top of the DP metre while also bringing huge worldwide PvE utility ( Sap , Stuns , Blinds , Disarms , etc … ) . Thus , the class spec sits at the top of the B - tier list .
Arms Warriors spend an full elaboration ( Wrath of the Lich King ) as a jocularity course of instruction spec , overshadow by the likes of the Retribution Paladin and Death Knight . In Cataclysm , they made a monolithic return to form with a Brobdingnagian buff to their overall outfit and price . However , Arms Warriors were still very gear - dependent , specially for weapons , meaning this class may not be the better division spec to begin Cataclysm Classic with .
Since the beginning of WoW ’s life story , I ’ve always considered Enhancement Shamans to be the dark horse of DPS specification . An odd family to be certain , Enhancement Shamans visualize some strong succeeder during their rework in Wrath of the Lich King . However , their stateless person was lusterless and they were loosely being brought to raids for Windfury and a powerful innate hurriedness buff . In Cataclysm , honestly , not much changes for the spec . It did get changes to its gyration with extra while to use during it . However , the class was average by most metrics , even play at a high floor , and is exceedingly gear - subject like Arms warrior .
When Feral Druids were rework in Wrath of the Lich King , they were an absurdly overpowered DPS course with very eminent nurture damage and uttermost burst harm . It was a very easy class to play and contend a pile of damage with . Unfortunately for the specification , Cataclysm enter a number of mechanics that made the overclass much harder to play . The specification ’s biggest issues are its gamy skill cap and high dependance on gear for only a square performance . Oh , and it also lacks great on AOE , which is not a great thing during a raid . Personally , I do n’t advocate this course for Cataclysm Classic at all .
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Best C-Tier classes in WoW Cataclysm
Destruction Warlocks come off a monolithic high from Wrath of the Lich King when Cataclysm found . In Cataclysm , Destruction Warlock were widely regard to be painfully average when it comes to all forms of content . They exceeded nowhere and did nothing exceptionally better than any other category . This is part because every other class basically receive major buffs or overhauls for the better . While all Warlocks get a resource overhaul , the Destruction Warlock issue forth out of it distressingly average . It is this stature that lands the class specification so far down this tier inclination .
violence warrior put up many of the same problems that Arms Warriors had in Cataclysm , except worse . There are two meat issues I ’d wish to focalise on for the spec . The first one was its heavy trust on proc - based gameplay . reckon on your chance , you could completely smash in your opposition , or thrill them for several proceeding second . This fluctuation of gameplay showed overtly on wrong measure , leading to the misconception that Fury Warriors could not deal legal injury . This was thwarting to a lot of Warrior players , with most constitute the startle to Arms or another class entirely .
The second job is that Fury Warriorswere the most gear - strung-out form in the expansion . Titan Grip required Fury Warriors to havetwohigh - end two - hand artillery to go at a nitty-gritty level . Couple this with all the other gear requirement issues warrior in general had , and you get a formula for disaster .
Best D-Tier classes in WoW Cataclysm
Beast Mastery Hunters went through quite a hertz in the expansions leading up to Cataclysm . In The Burning Crusade , it was an AFK stateless person course of study that sat at the top of the meters . In Wrath of the Lich King it became a bit more Byzantine but took a hit to its DPS to bring it in line with all the other class and specs . In Cataclysm , Blizzard turned it into a point specification that was almost useless in high-pitched - level PvE content . The damage of the course was poor , and it did n’t offer anything beyond standard Hunter utility ( Traps , for example ) .
In Cataclysm , the Subtlety Rogue was chiefly a PvP class specification due to the other two Rogue eyeglasses overshadowing it entirely . It suffers from legion proceeds ( spec identity compared to Assassination , Energy problems , etc … ) , and it had very few redeeming qualities that would be considered useful in a raid if you did n’t have a Feral Druid or Arms Warrior present .
Considered the absolute weak class in Cataclysm , the core problem is that the spec focus hard on slows and freezes against enemies that were resistant to both . Frost Mages relied on these position effects to deal any meaningful damage , so it was extremely poor in PvE for the entire expansion .
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