The War Within DPS Rankings: Nerub-ar Palace Raiding Tier List (Patch 11.0.5 / Season 1)

This tier list is entirely based on DPS viability for Season 1 of The War Within. The primary traits we are looking for have not changed and are what you would expect for raiding content. Mainly, we care about single-target damage; some burst cleave or AoE, and then defensive capabilities on a raid-wide or individual scale. Unique class utility buffs are also worth noticing and can be worth bringing a specific class for, but very few buffs are spec-specific.

While the traits that make a character valuable in a raid have not changed much, there are two incredibly important new factors to consider.

• Because of the new talent/hero talent trees, classes now have the freedom of choice to decide how to build in various situations. However, this also means that certain classes are forced into specializing in either AoE or single target for different bosses. While some classes have excellent pure single-target damage, they can lose a significant portion of that damage when forced to take even a few points of AoE talents.

It is incredibly important to emphasize that just because a DPS specialization is low in the tier list, it does not mean that you should ignore it completely. For the vast majority of cases, you should choose to bring the better player, not the better specialization. That does not mean you never need to think about your raid composition; it is just that most of the time, player skill will be more important than the difference between classes, assuming you already have the required raid buffs. All being lower tier means is that all else being equal, those specs will be less desirable for the raid based on current tuning.

Below is a quick summary of the full rankings that we have detailed on this page. While this gives a good outline of the standings of specializations in comparison to one another, we recommend reading the full rankings to understand why certain specializations are ranked as they are.

1. Enhancement Shaman (S-Tier)
2. Frost Death Knight (S-Tier)
3. Assassination Rogue (S-Tier)
4. Beast Mastery Hunter (S-Tier)
5. Arcane Mage (A-Tier)
6. Arms Warrior (A-Tier)
7. Survival Hunter (A-Tier)
8. Marksmanship Hunter (A-Tier)
9. Retribution Paladin (A-Tier)
10. Devastation Evoker (A-Tier)
11. Frost Mage (A-Tier)
12. Havoc Demon Hunter (A-Tier)
13. Elemental Shaman (A-Tier)
14. Outlaw Rogue (A-Tier)
15. Subtlety Rogue (A-Tier)
16. Shadow Priest (B-Tier)
17. Balance Druid (B-Tier)
18. Affliction Warlock (B-Tier)
19. Unholy Death Knight (B-Tier)
20. Augmentation Evoker (B-Tier)
21. Demonology Warlock (B-Tier)
22. Destruction Warlock (B-Tier)
23. Feral Druid (B-Tier)
24. Fury Warrior (B-Tier)
25. Fire Mage (B-Tier)
26. Windwalker Monk (B-Tier)

If you are interested in our other rankings for the Season 1 Raid in The War Within, please click the links below.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Enhancement Shaman's performance will continue to be amazing in the second half of the Nerub-ar Palace. From a competitive single-target (one of the best) to good cleave options when factors extra mobs surround the main target, you really can't go wrong with this spec. On top of this, their durability has improved, introducing several new ways to mitigate damage Seasoned Winds and Stone Bulwark Totem. To conclude, we believe Enhancement Shaman will continue to be one of the best melee candidates this tier.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Skyfury	-
Core	Bloodlust	-
Optional	Wind Rush Totem	-
Optional	Ancestral Guidance	-

Patch 11.0.5 update: Frost Death Knight's biggest strength comes from their ability to deal insane single target damage while simultaneously cleaving multiple targets at once, thus excelling best in situations where more targets are present. There are a few specific fights where the Frost Death Knight shines, especially the ones where Death Grip ability can be utilized (not many of them). Overall, with great defensive capabilities, a Raid "utility" ( Anti-Magic Zone) and a great damage profile, Frost Death Knight is a great choice for any raid looking to add more melee specializations.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Anti-Magic Zone	Provides extra durability against heavy magical damage.
Core	Death Grip	Repositions an enemy of your choice.
Core	Raise Ally	Combat-resurrection.
Optional	Abomination Limb	Every 1 sec an enemy is pulled close to you.
Optional	Insidious Chill	Reduces auto-attack speed of your target by 5% stacking up 4 times.

Patch 11.0.5: Assassination Rogue will remain a great choice for the second half of Season 1. Their single-target will be excellent, retaining its signature priority-target damage while also cleaving. On top of this, Rogue is known to be durable, have high mobility and at last, having a raid buff (thanks to Atrophic Poison). We believe Assassination Rogue will continue to be one of the best melee choices.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Atrophic Poison	-

Patch 11.0.5 update: Beast Mastery Hunter stands out as it is one of the few Ranged DPS options capable of performing their entire rotation while moving and not losing DPS. This makes them invaluable for any mechanics or tasks required during a fight. In addition, their single target, especially sustained, is one of the best, which is the driving factor for choosing its rankings. They also have gotten better survivability compared to the previous expansion, with 2x charges of Survival of the Fittest. However, one of the main disadvantages of having Beast Mastery Hunter is that they suffer from a lack of spread cleaving (when mobs are far away from each other).

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Hunter's Mark	Increases all damage dealt to targets above 80% health by 5%.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Arcane Mage received buffs that will increase their already competitive single-target, but more importantly, has some of the best single target burst damage in the game for a small burst windows. Arcane is a top-heavy spec in terms of the skill required to truly make use of its phenomenal toolkit; in the hands of the right player, it is incredibly powerful in terms of the raw damage and burst potential. Mages are also still quite strong defensively, and immunities like Ice Block / Ice Cold will always have value in a raid. Anytime there is a damage increase phase or a requirement for a burst-damage orientated scenario, Arcane Mage will be great.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Arcane Intellect	5% extra Intellect to the whole raid/party.
Core	Time Warp	Alternative of Bloodlust.
Optional	Mass Barrier / Mass Invisibility	Gives a shield that absorbs damage or mass invisibility to the entire party.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Arms Warrior received healthy buffs leading to the second part of Season 1. Their damage profile is their strongest asset as they currently have great single-target, 2-target, and on-demand burst damage if an opportunity arrives. They also have one of the best Execute damage in the game, making them an amazing candidate to progress dangerous bosses that require more output in later phases.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Rallying Cry	Temporary increasing the health of your raid/party.
Core	Battle Shout	Extra 5% attack power.
Optional	Spell Reflection	Usable in a niche situations.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Survival Hunter received a notable amount of changes leading to the second half of the raiding tier, which will improve their damage performance. The spec will now do better to sustain single-target damage, but due to its lack of meaningful raid-wide buffs, will likely be pushed off the "optimal" melee setup for raids. Still, they are versatile enough to be capable of doing well in any encounter, regardless of the target count.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Hunter's Mark	Increases all damage dealt to targets above 80% health by 5%.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Marksmanship Hunter has gotten its fair share of changes leading up to the second half of the Nerub-ar Palace. Their single target will remain their strongest asset, all together with their high mobility gameplay. In addition, you have an option to deliver AoE damage while maintaining your priority-target damage, which is an advantage depending on the boss fights. At last, your 2-target cleave is among the weakest so anytime there is such a fight you will end up being punished.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Hunter's Mark	Increases all damage dealt to targets above 80% health by 5%.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Retribution Paladin received a minor nerf leading to the second half of the season. This will put them more in line with the rest of the melee specs, while still allowing them to keep their incredible tankiness. Make no mistake, they will still retain their great single-target damage. At last, you have a great utility suitable for raiding, which can be of help for any raiding team.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Devotion Aura	-
Core	Lay on Hands	-
Optional	Blessing of Sacrifice	Helps a single member of your raid in a critical situation. Can be further improved by talenting Sacrifice of the Just.
Optional	Blessing of Protection	Physical immunity, which can help you with some boss encounters.
Optional	Blessing of Freedom	Immunity to movement impairing effects.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Devastation Evokers are going to continue to have powerful single-target damage, both burst-orientated and sustained throughout the second part of Season 1. They excel in handling movement effortlessly, which enables them to execute their rotation without any issues while on the move. However, it's important to keep in mind that they have a limited range of 25 yards, which could be a disadvantage in certain situations depending on your group's positioning. We believe they will be an excellent ranged DPS option in the second half of the Nerub-ar Palace tier due to their damage output and impressive burst potential.

Raid utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Blessing of the Bronze	-
Optional	Source of Magic	Can be further bolstered by Potent Mana
Optional	Zephyr	-
Optional	Cauterizing Flame	Bleed removal
Optional	Rescue	You can further bolster it with Twin Guardian talent for extra durability.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Frost Mage enjoyed several rounds of changes, which will perhaps change the direction of how the spec is played. Their single-target will remain great, although not competitive enough to enter the higher rankings. Mage durability is one of their strongest assets, which adds value to any raid looking to bolster their rankings with an extra Ranged option.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Arcane Intellect	5% extra Intellect to the whole raid/party.
Core	Time Warp	Alternative of Bloodlust.
Optional	Mass Barrier	Gives a shield that absorbs damage to the entire party.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Havoc Demon Hunter possess a versatile and effective range of damage abilities that make them a valuable asset in any situation. With a single talent build, they are able to compete effectively in fights that require a mixture of combat styles. One of their greatest strengths lies in their ability to deal strong cleave damage to 2-5 targets, as well as burst area-of-effect damage. Nevertheless, Demon Hunters still have access to the powerful Darkness ability, which can serve as a valuable raid cooldown.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Chaos Brand	5% extra Magical damage
Core	Darkness	% chance to avoid all damage from an attack.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Elemental Shaman received a lot of attention, which will unfortunately be a negative, with some nerfs coming in for their single target. Speaking about single-target, it will continue to be good, but sadly, nowhere near the best as it was before. In addition, your best-performing builds are not going to enable you to have the god-like spread cleave damage as you used to. Overall, we believe you are going to be a great Ranged option for the remaining of the season.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Skyfury	-
Optional	Wind Rush Totem	-
Optional	Ancestral Guidance	-

Patch 11.0.5: Outlaw Rogue are capable of dealing great cleave and AoE damage, while doing amazing single-target, thanks to Blade Flurry. Don't forget that Rogue has a solid set of defensive abilities, as well as the ability to apply Atrophic Poison debuff, which is a great raid utility for any purpose of the raid (reclear or progress).

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Atrophic Poison	-

Patch 11.0.5: Subtlety Rogue received decent changes leading to the second half of the raiding tier. Their single target is going to remain great, which makes them an attractive melee option for any guild looking to add some. Their durability has never been an issue, as well as their utility (just like every Rogue spec so far). Unfortunately, its siblings' specs are currently stronger and you might not see much playtime because of it. On and all, further raw damage adjustments are needed for this spec to be placed higher.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Atrophic Poison	-

Patch 11.0.5 update: Shadow Priest have one of the strongest external damage cooldown - Power Infusion, which can benefit both them and the chosen target thanks to the Twins of the Sun Priestess talent. By itself, Shadow Priest single-target damage output is decent, but the ability to focus their primary target and effortlessly cleave multiple targets, even if they are not close to each other. Additionally, they can off-heal with Vampiric Embrace, which can be a lifesaver in critical situations during raids. Lastly, the defensive cooldown, Dispersion, can be used instead of an "immunity" soak when necessary.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Power Infusion	You must always have Twins of the Sun Priestess talented.
Core	Power Word: Fortitude	A raid-wide 5% Stamina buff.
Core	Mass Dispel	Incredible useful where Mass Dispelling is needed.
Optional	Vampiric Embrace	Extra off-healing.
Optional	Leap of Faith	Helps with repositioning.

x

Patch 11.0.5 update: Balance Druid received a massive amount of changes leading up to the second half of Season 1. Balance Druid, you may not have the highest single-target output, but your damage toolkit is well-rounded and all-inclusive, making you a valuable asset in the game. Starfall, in particular, is a unique ability that sets you apart from other specs as it allows you to constantly cleave spread groups of enemies. While this may not matter in most fights, Boomkins are amazing choice when facing multi-target fights. Also, don't forget the mandatory Mark of the Wild raid-wide buff is a must in every raid, making it more appealing to pick them up. At last, their single-target has been steadily improving since the start of the tier and is now more on par with majority of the DPS specs.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Mark of the Wild	Increasing the Versatility of your raid/party by 3%.
Optional	Innervate	Allowing 1 friendly healer to cast spells without spending mana for 8 sec.
Optional	Stampeding Roar	Increasing the movement speed to all raid members by 60% for 8 sec.
Optional	Nature's Vigil	Extra off-healing.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Sadly, Affliction Warlock did not receive any relevant changes leading to the second half of Season 1. Although they have great on-demand damage, they currently have mediocre single-target, a major factor for the placement in our tierlist. They have much better flexibility in builds — a strong single-target build, amazing hybrid options, and heavy AoE if needed. They are one of the strongest specs when choosing your composition against council-type of fights, where spread-cleave damage with a stong presence of priorty-target damage is needed.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Create Healthstone
Core	Soulstone
Core	Demonic Gateway
Core	Curse of Tongues	Useful against caster targets. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Core	Curse of Weakness	Useful against physical damage dealers. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Core	Demon Summoning	Summon Imp can help you with Singe Magic dispel while Summon Felhunter can be useful with an extra interrupt - Spell Lock.
Optional	Banish	Useful on some boss encounters for an extra crowd-control effect.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Although Unholy Death Knight didn't receive any impactful changes leading to the second half of the raiding, they will still retain their signature good single-target damage (bursty too!). On top of this, they are quite a durable melee DPS option and have useful raid-wide utility tools ( Anti-Magic Zone / Death Grip) Overall we are happy with the performance of this spec, although for the majority of the time its sibling spec (Frost) will likely outshine them.

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Anti-Magic Zone	Provides extra durability against heavy magical damage.
Core	Death Grip	Repositions an enemy of your choice.
Core	Raise Ally	Combat-resurrection.
Optional	Abomination Limb	Every 1 sec an enemy is pulled close to you.
Optional	Insidious Chill	Reduces auto-attack speed of your target by 5% stacking up 4 times.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Augmentation Evoker will continue to be a great choice in the second half of the raid tier in The War Within, thanks to its ability to enhance the damage and defensive capabilities of your raid members. While the players behind the Prescience and Ebon Might buffs are responsible for most of their damage, having at least one Augmentation Evoker in your raid composition can be very advantageous. To conclude, this specialization has a great defensive profile, a "cheat-death", and is one of the most mobile specializations available.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Blessing of the Bronze	-
Core	Ebon Might	-
Core	Chrono Ward	Extra Shielding effect triggered after Breath of Eons cast.
Core	Prescience	Can be further bolstered by the Fate Mirror talent.
Optional	Blistering Scales	-
Optional	Spatial Paradox	-
Optional	Source of Magic	Can be further bolstered by Potent Mana
Optional	Zephyr	-
Optional	Cauterizing Flame	Bleed removal
Optional	Rescue	You can further bolster it with Twin Guardian talent for extra durability.

Patch 11.0.5 update:. Demonology Warlock received some positive damage adjustments that will make them a stronger Ranged option in the second half of the Season. Their single-target damage has been steadily improving, although it still needs more attention to align with the majority of the spec, which is also a major factor for their placement. Although they have all the qualities to climb our tier list (quite tanky and provide the usual Warlock utility), further raw damage buffs must be implemented for us to rank them higher.

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Create Healthstone
Core	Soulstone
Core	Demonic Gateway
Core	Curse of Tongues	Useful against caster targets. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Core	Curse of Weakness	Useful against physical damage dealers. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Optional	Banish	Useful on some boss encounters for an extra crowd-control effect.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Destruction Warlock will not only retain their decent single target damage, but will also get better due to the most recent buffs leading to the patch. Their ability to deal an incredible two-target cleave damage thanks to Havoc will also remain valid. Additionally, their bursts are strengthened by the use of Summon Infernal, have a good defensive profile, and as every Warlock spec, provide valuable raid utility. Overall, we believe Destruction Warlock could still benefit from further single-target adjustments placed anywhere higher on the tier-list.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Create Healthstone
Core	Soulstone
Core	Demonic Gateway
Core	Curse of Tongues	Useful against caster targets. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Core	Curse of Weakness	Useful against physical damage dealers. It can be further bolstered by Amplify Curse talent.
Core	Demon Summoning	Summon Imp can help you with Singe Magic dispel while Summon Felhunter can be useful with an extra interrupt - Spell Lock.
Optional	Banish	Useful on some boss encounters for an extra crowd-control effect.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Feral Druid possesses all the typical utility of a Druid, including the ability to provide Innervate and Mark of the Wild. Their single-target will be unfortunately moderate, making it much harder for them to fight for a spot in the upcoming raiding tier. Keep in mind that due to the limited melee slots in the raid, if you already have Mark of the Wild, your value will drop so be aware.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Mark of the Wild	Increasing the Versatility of your raid/party by 3%.
Optional	Innervate	Allowing 1 friendly healer to cast spells without spending mana for 8 sec.
Optional	Stampeding Roar	Increasing the movement speed to all raid members by 60% for 8 sec.
Optional	Nature's Vigil	Extra off-healing.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Fury Warrior received minor changes leading up to the patch, which will increase their performance. They will retain their burst-orientated gameplay, which holds immense value for any fights looking to add extra cleave on top of the already heavy single-target checks. They are quite durable and a bearer of Battle Shout, which is a valuable raid buff. We believe that further buffs are needed for them to climb higher on our tier list, as the early-season nerfs still affect their present performance.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Rallying Cry	Temporary increasing the health of your raid/party.
Core	Battle Shout	Extra 5% attack power.
Optional	Spell Reflection	Usable in a niche situations.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Fire Mage will continue to be poor in the second half of the tier due to raw damage. Although they have an incredible on-demand burst damage profile, which is great for key DPS checks and being relatively mobile compared to the rest of the Ranged DPS choices out there (this allows you to execute your rotation flawlessly without losing much DPS while moving), it is not enough to be placed higher on the tier-list at this moment. They are one of the most durable raid specializations. At last, Fire Mages are known for their incredible toolkit and are traditionally useful for progression or damage in demand. We believe further buffs are likely to send this specialization straight to the top as they possess every quality of a top raiding specialization, except the damage.

Raid Utility

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Arcane Intellect	5% extra Intellect to the whole raid/party.
Core	Time Warp	Alternative of Bloodlust.
Optional	Mass Barrier / Mass Invisibility	Gives a shield that absorbs damage or mass invisibility to the entire party.

Patch 11.0.5 update: Windwalker Monk received minor buffs in the upcoming minor patch, which will strengthen its damage profile. The main reason for bringing a Windwalker Monk would be for their burst on-demand damage (both ST and AoE) and Mystic Touch. Their sustained damage is average, which can be problematic in some cases. They have multiple defensive options along with their decent damage profile.

Functionality	Spells	Notes
Core	Mystic Touch	5% extra Physical damage for your raid.
Optional	Tiger's Lust	Removes all roots and snares.