PvP (player-vs-player) is a broad term when it comes to World of Warcraft. Each class and specialization has a different niche. While some thrive in battlegrounds, others excel in World PvP and duels.
Here’s our class tier list for WoW Classic PvP.
S Tier
Arms Warrior, Frost Mage, Assassination, and Subtlety rogue
Warrior, Mage, and Rogue are the premier classes in Classic, especially in the sixth and final phase of the game. They’re powerful in battlegrounds, World PvP, and duels, each with high damage, sustainability, and crowd control.
Warriors left much to be desired in the opening stages of the game. But with Naxxramas unlocked and gear readily available, they’re now a force to be reckoned with. Their damage, mobility, and CC, when combined with a healer, make them one of the strongest classes in Classic.
Mages have some of the best crowd control in Classic, combining snares with fierce burst damage. They can polymorph one target, freeze the other with Frost Nova, and burst them down, all while running around in circles.
Rogues are in a similar situation to Mages. They have some of the best burst damage available in the game, but most importantly, they have an endless supply of stuns. They’re a skill-based class that shines through in PvP.
A Tier
Holy Paladin, Demonology and Destruction Warlock, Shadow Priest
Holy Paladin is the best PvP class when it comes to healing. They have the highest single-target healing, easily beating out Holy and Discipline Priests, Resto Druids, and Resto Shamans.Â
Warlocks have to be one of the most underrated classes in all of Classic. A Demonology or Destruction Lock with decent gear and good pet control can easily outplay their opponents. The class has one of the highest skill caps in the game. Fear, Deathcoil, and Howl of Terror are some of the strongest defensive abilities available.
Priest is another strong and versatile class. Shadow, Holy, and Discipline are all viable in one way or another. But Shadow stands out.
Shadow Priests have one of the highest single-target DPS (damage per second) in the game. They’re fantastic in battlegrounds, World PvP, and duels. They have the ability to dish out damage and crowd control and they’re self-reliant, too.
B Tier
Holy and Discipline Priest, Hunter, Elemental Shaman, Restoration Shaman Restoration Druid
If it wasn’t for Hunter’s Dead Zone, they’d most likely be higher on this list. They’re a strong ranged class with mid-to-high damage, a wide selection of crowd controls, movement increases, a versatile pet, and the longest range in the game. But when an enemy hits the five-yard mark, they tend to be useless. They can’t use their melee or ranged abilities and have to rely solely on their pet.
Elemental Shamans have some of the best burst damage in WoW Classic. The Horde-only class has a good mixture of healing and damage along with a wide selection of totems, shocks, and healing spells. With the right set of gear, an Ele Shaman will have the ability to burst down an enemy with ease
Resto Shamans have similarly strong abilities to Elemental Shaman, but with strong healing output. Their immobility and long cast spells make them vulnerable, though they have a fair amount of sustainability.
C Tier
Restoration Druid, Feral Druid, Retribution Paladin
Druids are unfortunately one of the weakest classes in Classic. A skilled player will be able to power their way through enemies in battlegrounds and do a thing or two in duels. But generally, they’re exposed. Resto Druid is one of the only exceptions. They have some of the best mobility in the game and combined with their instant spells, their HoTs (heal over time), and their CC, they’re slippery targets. The spec isn’t quite as good as what it became in later expansions, but it’s a solid choice in PvP.
Feral Druids are frankly terrible in Classic. They’re a worse version of Rogue without damage or sufficient CC. They do have high mobility and healing, though, giving them a few options. A tanky Feral Druid in bear form is a different story. They’re fantastic for carrying flags in Warsong Gulch, but that’s about it.
Retribution Paladins rely heavily on gear. A decked-out Paladin with full raiding gear will wreak havoc, but anything less leaves much to be desired.
D Tier
Enhancement Shaman, Balance Druid
Enhancement Shamans are similar to Ret Paladins in that they require a gear to excel. Windfury can proc off of itself, adding up for a ton of damage. But without a good weapon or gear, they’re underwhelming. They have decent heals and a great snare, but there’s always going to be better classes.
There’s a good reason Balance Druids are nicknamed Oomkins. They have decent damage, CC, and healing, but their mana is a major concern. Balance was never optimized in Vanilla, and because of this, they’re at the bottom of the list.
