World of Warcraft has been famous for years for being the best MMORPG game on the market thanks to its intricate storylines, carefully developed PvE and PvP environment pushing the limits of the MMORPG genre, and its captivating gameplay that can leave you glued to your screen for hours. While all these factors contribute to the almost flawless success WoW formula, the exquisite gameplay has, and always will be, the most influential element of games that typically draws the audiences and keeps them coming back for more.
Gameplay, at its core, involves the interaction between the game’s rules and laws, and the players. On top of that, the refined gameplay rewards the game understanding leaving room for the player’s creativity and improvisation. Gameplay in WoW generally entails questing, dungeon and raid runs, achievement completion, profession upskilling, and PvP. Although each mentioned aspect of the gameplay is universally unique, they are all heavily tied to the character player, their class, and class fantasy. With all this in mind, it’s safe to say that classes in WoW heavily dictate your gameplay, and therefore, fun.
Since Wrath of the Lich King Classic has 10 incredibly-designed classes, more unique than the other, selecting the class that has the right feel, aesthetics, and lore for you can be a mission impossible. To rid you of the class-picking troubles and save you the time you could rather invest in playing WoW, we’ve prepared an in-depth guide that will surely reveal your spirit class by the end.
Warrior
The archetype of a warrior who, with brute force and strength, dominates the open-field battles, has existed since the dawn of literature and gaming culture. In WoW, the Warrior class adheres to the same previously established principles that revolve around the sheer strength and durability of a class that takes delight in being in the heart of a battle.
Warriors will always be a strong choice in PvE environments, although they’ll never top the DPS charts or gather as much threat as one Paladin can. Nonetheless, the Warriors can, if understand the class in great depth and are well-geared can always stay competitive with top dogs such as Mage and Warlock.
On the flip side, Warriors, if paired with a strong healer like Restoration Shaman, can easily run the show in Arena and sweep the recklessly positioned squishies that don’t respect the power of the Warrior-Shaman combo.
So, choose Warrior in WOTLK Classic if you:
- Love playing melee class
- Enjoy being in the heart of a battle
- Prefer the difficult-to-kill playstyle
- Looking to PvP with a premade
Paladin
Paladins, the devout followers of the Light, are easily the flavor of WOTLK Classic expansion with three viable specializations that can effortlessly outshine their teammates. On top of that, Paladins have great utility tools such as Aura Mastery, Divine Sacrifice, and Greater Blessing of Kings that simply make the irreplaceable.
When it comes to the PvE in WOTLK Classic, Paladins, whether they be Retribution, Holy, or Protection, will heavily outperform every other class in the game since they have strong heals, incredible threat generation, and steady DPS output.
Since paladins are extremely easy to pick up, they can help you climb the Arena ladder in no time. Although they are always a strong pick, Paladins fall off in a slightly more competitive environment that knows how to exactly counter the Paladins.
So, pick a Paladin if you:
- Want to play a versatile class
- Love the melee playstyle
- Enjoy having a lot of utility at hand
- Want to find raids and dungeon groups easily
Shaman
Shamans are the only class in WoW’s history that has always had and always will have no trouble in finding either a raid or a dungeon group due to the large utility pool it has. Although highly valuable and difficult to pick up, Shamans in WOTLK Classic will be a dime a dozen thanks to the high demand for totem utility. Since Blizzard Entertainment has made totems to be raid-wide, and not group-wide like they used to be, there won’t be a need to bring more than three Shamans to a raid.
As we already mentioned, Shamans are always a great asset in dungeons and raids since they can easily overtake the role of a healer if anything goes down wrong, reincarnate and save the group from graveyard runs, and output a strong DPS.
When it comes to PvP, Shamans are highly dependent on a team comp to succeed since they lack mobility and CC. If paired with melee classes such as Warriors and Rogues, Shamans can easily see success in Arenas.
Shaman is the best choice for you if you:
- Don’t struggle with a lot of key binds
- Enjoy versatile classes
- Love bringing utility to the table
- Love challenging classes that take time to master
Hunter
Similar to Shamans, Hunters will have no problems in finding a raiding spot or a dungeon group largely due to solid DPS, large utility pool, and above all, kiting potential. Since no other class in WoW can kite like Hunters, they have proved to be of the essence in Icecrown Citadel. On top of that, Misdirection allows the Hunter to safely output the maximum damage while not taking the boss’s aggro.
In PvE encounters, Hunters can, while significantly contributing to DPS, help kite the adds or accidentally overpulled packs of mobs that would guarantee a wipe. If a Hunter, in any case, finds itself in danger, Feign Death is a great tool to avoid imminent death.
In Arenas and battlegrounds, Hunters, if used to their fullest potential with kiting and positioning, can leave the opposing team scratching their heads. On top of all of this, Hunters can CC high-priority targets and quickly nuke them with little to no counterplay.
Hunters are the ideal class for you if you:
- Love the kiting mechanic and know how to utilize it
- Don’t mind micromanaging your pet
- Enjoy having a lot of utility that will help your team to excel
- Want an easygoing leveling experience
Druid
For years now, Druids have been synonymous with the proverb: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Although Druids have four specializations in total, the only competitive one in WOTLK Classic is Restoration, with strong healing numbers and raid-wide heals that can even match Shaman’s raid healing. Since Guardian Druid struggles with keeping the aggro, Feral Druid with matching the Rogue’s DPS, and Balance Druid with keeping up with Warlocks and Mages, Restoration Druid will be the best Druid option in WOTLK Classic.
Druids are generally known as the kings of the open-world content with having more than enough tools to gather herbs and mining nodes, the ability to escape a life-threatening encounter and re-engage once ready again, and the ability to withstand any bigger pulls that would surely wipe other classes. Although Druids are a strong choice for open-world content, they fall behind in every other PvE aspect since they lack damage output.
When it comes to PvP, Druids, which have a lot of survival tools, will always be a strong choice. Since Druids lack in the damage department, they will usually serve as bait for high-DPS classes like Warlock to nuke the priority targets.
So, Druid is a great choice if you:
- Enjoy the shapeshifting mechanic and wide variety of utility tools
- Want to focus on open-world content
- Enjoy versatile gameplay
- Love the Druid class fantasy
Mage
Mage is, without a doubt, the most well-rounded class in WOTLK Classic with tools such as portals, conjured food and water, and AOE-farming abilities. On top of that, mages normally enjoy the charms of being the top DPS in both PvE and PvP environments. With all this in mind, Mages generally have had the best quality of life throughout the expansions.
Leveling, effortless spell cleaves, challenging dungeon and raid runs, you name it, and Mage can do it all while still topping the DPS charts and laughing at Feral Druid. Since there’s no other class that can bring so much utility and DPS to the table, Mages will always be welcome in any group.
Extremely flexible and easy-going when it comes to PvP, Mages are a great fit for both Arenas and battlegrounds since a Mage can easily survive any perilous situation with Blinks, Frost Nova, and Cone of Cold.
Mages are great if you:
- Love a self-reliant class
- Want to top the DPS charts
- Want to earn gold by farming and selling portals
- Enjoy power-leveling
Rogue
Rogue have had the reputation of the menace in world PvP since the very beginnings of WoW thanks to their potent ganks and ability to avoid any difficult encounter. In WOTLK Classic, Rogues stay on top of the DPS charts while still having the same PvP power. On top of that, what they lack in utility, they make up in heavy DPS output since they nuke the bosses like Mages.
Rogues are always great to have in dungeon and raid runs thanks to their high damage that does not fall off over the course of expansion. In addition to that, Rogues can always Vanish if an encounter goes south or even help to finish the boss off.
Since Rogues are the kings of PvP, they absolutely excel in any given PvP situation, whether that be battlegrounds, Arenas, or even world PvP. Rogue’s kit handsomely rewards elusiveness and smart kit use, so it’s safe to say that learning Rogue is absolutely worth the time.
Roll a Rogue if you:
- Want a self-reliant class
- Love outplaying your enemies
- Want to stay on top of DPS charts
- Plan PvPing
Warlock
Drawing their magic from the Twisting Nether, Warlocks primarily use Fel magic to eradicate and sow corruption among the enemy lines. With three viable specializations, Warlocks always bring a handful of utility to a raid or dungeon group that can’t be ignored, such as Soultstones and Healthstones. Besides, Warlocks are always strong DPSers, always competing with Mages for the first spot.
As we already mentioned, Warlocks will be a high priority in raids and dungeon runs with their incredible DPS output and the wide variety of utility tools they bring to the table. Unlike Shamans and Hunters, you can never have too many Warlocks in your group.
In PvP environments, Warlocks are absolute monsters that can nuke the healers and melt your front line if using cooldowns cleverly. Although Warlocks struggle in World PvP at earlier levels, they become an unkillable DOT machine once they unlock Death Coil at level 42.
Choose a Warlock if you:
- Enjoy the theme of Demons and Twisting Nether
- Enjoy both PvP and PvE content
- Don’t mind juggling between pets
- Want to have a guaranteed spot in raids
Priest
Priests, the embodiments of Light, have always been the definition of a good healer in WoW with two healing specializations. Although Priests shine the brightest at max level, their struggles lie in an arduous leveling process with only one DPS specialization. Nonetheless, Priests in WOTLK Classic are very much in demand since they are strong tank healers, have raid-wide cooldowns that return mana, and can survive testing situations.
Priests normally shine the best in PvE scenarios where they can top the tanks off, and then focus on healing the rest of the raid. Besides, Power Word: Shield has stayed a strong spell since WoW Classic that can help you buy time before you either get more mana or can focus your heals on a person in danger. Other than that, Discipline Priest can help DPSing the boss while still healing the group.
The Priest is at its strongest in Arenas and battlegrounds once paired with strong melee classes that will help to peel persistent enemies. If in any case, a Priest finds themselves surrounded by enemies with no escape, Psychic Scream can always buy time.
Priest is the best option for you if you:
- Love healing
- Love having raid-wide cooldowns that might save the day
- Prefer topping the tank off and keeping him topped off
- Love playing with your group
Death Knight
Death Knights are the latest addition to WoW Classic universe released together with WOTLK Classic pre-patch on Aug. 30. Although they are the latest addition to WoW Classic, they don’t fall behind in either DPS or tanking thanks to their durability, sustained damage, and utility. They are, on the one hand, DPS machines in PvE encounters, and on the other, almost impossible to kill raid bosses in any given PvP situation.
Highly durable and having a lot of tools to survive boss bursts, Death Knights are excellent tanks that can have utility spells such as Raise Ally and Anti-Magic Zone. Besides, Frost and Unholy Death Knights don’t struggle at all to keep up with Mages and Warlocks when it comes to DPS.
Related: Best Death Knight builds in WoW Wrath of the Lich King Classic
In PvP, Death Knights have proved to be almost unkillable machines that can easily get their hands on the most fragile targets. On top of that, with Icebound Fortitude, Death Knights can effortlessly withstand any nuke coming their way.
Death Knights are the best option for you if you:
- Love the Lich King’s lore
- Prefer high DPS and survivability playstyle
- Want to avoid the lengthy and arduous leveling process
- Want to play PvP competitively
