WoW The War Within DPS tier list: Best classes and specs in Patch 11.0.2

We've ranked all of WoW's DPS classes in preparation for The War Within's Mythic+ and raid content.

A Nerubian insect monster invading Dalaran through a purple portal in WoW The War Within
Screenshot by Dot Esports

WoW’s latest expansion, The War Within, is finally here—and with it comes a ton of class changes alongside new Hero Talents sure to shake up the meta.

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To help you decide which DPS class to main in The War Within, we’ve compiled a tier list of WoW’s DPS classes in descending order of their power and performance. Refer to this tier list in the run-up to season one to give yourself a solid start to WoW’s new PvE content.

S-tier DPS in WoW The War Within Patch 11.0.2

A Frost Death Knight in bone armor standing in a field in WoW The War Within
Frost Death Knight. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The S-tier DPS classes in WoW The War Within are the cream of the crop. They typically vastly outperform other DPS classes because their talent rework or Hero Talents add substantial power to the class. If you’re dead set on playing a meta-dominant class, one of these selections will serve you well.

  • Augmentation Evoker
  • Elemental Shaman
  • Frost Death Knight

A-tier DPS in WoW The War Within Patch 11.0.2

An Enhancement Shaman wielding two fiery maces standing in a field in WoW The War Within
Enhancement Shaman. Screenshot by Dot Esports

A-tier DPS are solid performers and excellent picks all around. For an average player, you’re unlikely to feel the difference between these classes and those in S-tier. The War Within’s A-tier DPS units all have strong hero talents and excel in Mythic+ and raid content, so you can’t go wrong with your choice.

  • Assassination Rogue
  • Arcane Mage
  • Frost Mage
  • Enhancement Shaman
  • Affliction Warlock
  • Havoc Demon Hunter

B-tier DPS in WoW The War Within Patch 11.0.2

A Feral Druid in cat form, with sabertooth tiger teeth, standing in a field in WoW The War Within
Feral Druid. Screenshot by Dot Esports

WoW’s B-tier DPS classes are the middle of the pack. You can expect good performance from any of the classes in this list, and if you play well enough, you’ll still be able to outshine A-tier DPS classes, especially in the right group composition.

While their Hero Talents may be a bit weaker than those in the above tiers, these classes are far from underpowered, and being in the B tier shouldn’t put you off playing them unless you consider yourself in the top one percent of players.

  • Shadow Priest
  • Demonology Warlock
  • Fury Warrior
  • Unholy Death Knight
  • Feral Druid
  • Marksmanship Hunter
  • Windwalker Monk
  • Subtlety Rogue
  • Arms Warrior
  • Survival Hunter
  • Retribution Paladin
  • Outlaw Rogue
  • Marksmanship Hunter

C-tier DPS in WoW The War Within Patch 11.0.2

A Devastation Evoker standing on a mountain in WoW Dragonflight
Devastation Evoker. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The C-tier DPS totally miss the mark in The War Within. They typically underperform in PvE content compared to their better peers, and you should avoid picking them as your main for the expansion unless you love the flavor.

  • Balance Druid
  • Devastation Evoker
  • Destruction Warlock
  • Fire Mage
  • Beast Mastery Hunter
Author
Image of Tom Foley
Tom Foley
Tom is the UK Associate Editor for Dot Esports. He's the former TCG Editor for CBR and holds a Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh. Tom spent six years as a Science Editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, and AstraZeneca before leaving science to pursue his dream career in games journalism at the start of 2023. He loves MMOs, RPGs, TCGs, and pretty much every game by FromSoftware—especially Dark Souls.