Season of Discovery Phase 2 Updated Tier List

Phase 2 Season Discovery has now been out for a couple of weeks. We’ve had a decent amount of resets, and I’ve been putting in significant effort. I dedicated about 20 to 30 hours to reach level 40. We were, I believe, 46th on our server to complete Norgannon.

Season Discovery Overview

We managed to do it on the second day, technically, but it felt like the first day, and I’ve acquired my epic helm. I’ve also obtained some gear from the raid, including my remarkable Gizmo blade.

Challenges and Strategies

But it’s time to update our tier list. I believe that’s where we left off. With the new data we have from Warcraft logs, which includes my personal data, I’ve been performing well. However, I am frustrated with our group’s performance because we keep making mistakes. These setbacks are really holding me back, despite my efforts to excel in both effort and execution.

We have comprehensive data in terms of healers, damage output, and updates to classes in terms of balance changes. The information on these changes is crucial for our analysis. Therefore, it’s time to start reviewing our tier list and reworking it based on the current state of the game, moving away from its previous iteration.

Healer Tier List Update

First up, we’re going to review our healer tier list. This isn’t a brand-new list; it’s an update. We’ll be making some adjustments to our healer rankings. Specifically, Arcane will be dropping down, and Restoration Druid will also see a decrease in their standing. On the other hand, Restoration Shaman and Holy Paladin are moving up in the tier list.

The reason for these changes, and why Discipline Priest is in its own tier, is because of their performance in healing. Priests are excelling, with Restoration Druids also performing well, but their damage output is among the lowest. However, their primary role isn’t to deal damage; they’re there to provide healing, and in that aspect, they’re not performing poorly.

Priest Class Insights

It’s in the middle of the pack because, obviously, you have Restoration Druids and Arcane Mages delivering significant damage, and then there are the others focused on healing. A priest brings substantial utility with Power Infusion. You can use Power Infuse and Shield to protect people. Renewal is optional; Prayer of Mending is exceptionally effective; Penance is incredibly powerful. Thus, it stands in a tier of its own as S tier.

Restoration Druid has been adjusted down to A tier, primarily due to Mana issues. They often find themselves Mana-starved during the final two bosses, requiring frequent ability usage, which leads to taking more damage and diverts their focus from other tasks. Despite these challenges, it remains the second-best healer, both in terms of damage output and actual healing performance. Being second-best in actual healing is commendably effective, nearly matching the Disc Priest. However, due to Mana constraints, it slightly lags behind.

Healer Tier Adjustments

Holy Paladin is moving up because it is performing exceptionally well in healing, despite its damage output being notably low. This adjustment in the tier list is largely due to the demands of the last two or three bosses of the raid. The earlier bosses are considerably less challenging, which means our strategy does not need to focus on them. Instead, our attention is on the latter bosses, which present the greatest difficulty for most players.

One of the main challenges with these bosses is the significant amount of healing required. Holy Paladin excels in this area, providing the necessary healing and utility. Additionally, Holy Paladins offer blessings that are unique and cannot be replaced on the spot by other classes or specs. This combination of healing prowess and utility is why Holy Paladin is being elevated to the A tier. While it may not outperform the top two classes in healing, it stands out as a highly viable option for these critical encounters.

Restoration Shaman and Arcane Mage Analysis

Restoration Shaman is moving up from the B tier to the A tier. While it may not lead in terms of damage, trailing behind the Priest, especially after the Priest received buffs with the Void Plague buff, its position adjustment is primarily due to its superior single-target healing capabilities. Additionally, the Chain Healing it offers, along with the utility of Mana regeneration, plays a significant role in its elevation. This utility is particularly valued in many Horde raids, making it a noteworthy choice. Despite my personal preference for a Discipline Priest and a Restoration Druid, the Shaman has become a viable option.

Arcane Mage, on the other hand, has been moved down to the B tier. The reason for this adjustment is its performance in damage output among healers, where it stands out for doing the most damage. This shift reflects the ongoing evaluations and balance changes in the game, emphasizing the dynamic nature of tier rankings based on utility and performance in specific roles.

Healer Performance Analysis

The healing provided is somewhat dispersed, which is partially due to its broad range of effectiveness. It can reach very high peaks, but on average, it does not deliver as much healing as one might prefer. Furthermore, the healing tends to be very focused on single targets since most choose Living Flame over Mass Regeneration, limiting the number of individuals who can be healed simultaneously. This specialization doesn’t contribute significantly to utility either.

As the gameplay shifts towards more consistent farming phases, there’s potential for Arcane to climb higher in the tier list. However, at this moment, when the demand is for more healing output rather than damage from healers, it doesn’t quite meet the needs.

On another note, Holy Priest does offer substantial healing, but Discipline Priest matches this while also providing Power Infusion, Divine Spirit, superior Power Word: Fortitude, and more effective shields. This array of benefits simply makes Discipline Priest a more appealing choice over Holy Priest in most scenarios.

Tank Class Forecast

So, let’s move on to tanks. Our predictions for tanks were a mix of accurate and off the mark. Demonology Warlock is currently outperforming all expectations, dominating across the board. Consequently, many previously top-tier choices are being reconsidered.

Protection Paladin is also performing exceptionally well, making a significant impact in the current phase. On the other hand, Protection Warrior is encountering substantial threat management issues, coupled with lower damage output. This combination is causing Protection Warriors to struggle significantly in the current game environment.

Enhancement Shamans and Feral Druids: A Comparative Analysis in Tanking Dynamics

As an alliance player, I don’t have extensive experience with Enhancement Shaman, but from what I’ve gathered, they are outperforming Protection Warriors. Feral Druids, on the other hand, were part of our testing in the most recent raid. They no longer have issues with threat generation and are dealing respectable damage. However, their survival is a concern due to the necessity to run Wild Strikes, which compromises their ability to use runes for survival. This limitation prevents them from reaching S tier, despite performing well in other aspects.

I anticipate improvements for Feral Druids as they acquire better gear and adapt to their roles more effectively. Our Feral Tank, typically in a DPS role, faced additional challenges, possibly due to suboptimal gearing for tanking.

Feral Druid Performance Update

It was working pretty well, actually. The Feral Druid is going to be moving up, which is really nice because what brought them up was the recent buff. The buff has significantly helped.

Now, you might be wondering why Subtlety Rogue is ranked highly. Subtlety Rogue is not a main tank but has moved up a tier because it serves as a pretty good off-tank. Despite taking a lot of damage when hit, it compensates with its high dodge rate. Depending on the encounter, such as tanking the dragon in a menagerie or perhaps Chopper for specific strategies, a Subtlety Rogue can be very effective. Typically, your main tank should handle Chopper and the primary boss, ensuring stability. However, for situations requiring an off-tank, Subtlety Rogue offers a viable option.

Protection Paladin and Demonology Warlock Insights

Oh no, Protection Paladin is performing exceptionally well. It has the capability to absorb a significant amount of damage and brings valuable blessings to the team. The only issue at the moment is its somewhat slow threat generation. Aside from this minor setback, Protection Paladin is outstanding. Giving your Protection Paladin a brief period, about two to three seconds, at the start of a boss fight allows for adequate threat build-up. They just require a bit of ramp-up time to effectively establish control.

Demonology Warlock, on the other hand, is proving to be incredibly effective in the current meta. Their ability to kite enemies, thanks to being ranged, means they aren’t bound to melee range to maintain threat. This is particularly useful in situations where mobility and distance are crucial, such as when facing the last boss and his flamethrower attack. The tank needs to maintain distance while ensuring they keep the boss’s attention. Warlock tanks excel here, as they can continuously cast Searing Pain while maneuvering, making them a highly recommended choice for those struggling with such encounters. The Demonology Warlock’s performance is currently unparalleled, and it’s definitely worth considering if you haven’t already.

DPS Section Preview

So, that is really it for tanks. Now we’re going to move on to our last section, which is going to be the DPS section. Let me find out where we ended, going into the patch, which uh, some things we got quite wrong, and some things we got quite right. For one, well actually, let me get it up on the screen. Let’s see where we were at the end, going into the patch before we knew anything. This was our predictions. Okay, let me get all of this up real quick. I have it on my other monitor. Sorry, once it’s up, we should be good. This, by the way, this doesn’t, I’m not so, I’m just whichever the build is currently for Rogue, that’ll be the one up here.

Rogue Spec Variability

They keep swapping between Combat and Assassination, and currently, I’m not sure which spec they’re favoring. There are a few adjustments and considerations to make based on our last analysis and the current state of gameplay.

Firstly, upon reflection, it’s clear we were mistaken about the Hunter class, specifically the Marksmanship spec. It has been moved down in the tier list, as the Survival Hunter spec has shown superior performance and is therefore moving up. Survival Hunter excels, especially at the highest end of damage output, even though it faces stiff competition from Fire Mage and Destruction Warlock. On average, Survival Hunter manages to slightly outperform these classes.

Survival Hunter: A High-Risk, High-Reward Spec with Essential Team Utility

The main issue with Melee Hunter, or Survival Hunter, lies in its RNG-dependency. Success with this spec heavily relies on procuring critical hits with abilities like Raptor Strike and Flanking Strike, making its DPS highly variable. Despite this randomness, Survival Hunter consistently delivers high DPS across the board, making it a valuable addition to any composition. Its utility, particularly with abilities like Aspect of the Wild, further cements its position as an S-tier choice, underscoring the importance of having at least one Hunter in every team composition for their versatile damage output and utility.

Fury Warrior Adjustment

Fury Warrior is being adjusted down to A tier. This decision might surprise some, considering the current dominance of spell cleave compositions in the meta. However, Fury Warrior plays a crucial role in melee comps, providing significant support and damage that shouldn’t be underestimated.

When examining the highest parses, which should be taken with a grain of salt, Fury Warrior ranks impressively. Despite a potential drop in performance at lower percentiles, top-tier Fury Warriors demonstrate the spec’s potential, showcasing its strength as gear and familiarity with the new playstyle improve.

The spec’s utility, particularly with Battle Shout and its effective scaling, along with other buffs, solidifies its A-tier position. This advantage, when compared to other specs, highlights Fury Warrior’s valuable contribution to group compositions, especially as players continue to optimize their performance.

Top DPS Spec Analysis

Next, let’s figure out our S tier. Destruction and Fire are definitely S tier, so they’re up here with Melee Hunter. Fire Mage is going to just scale with Ignite. DPS Warlock is going to scale with spell power scaling, which are both cracked. They’re going to do really well, and I think in the future, Melee Hunter is going to fall while they’re going to keep climbing, and they’re going to just be.

Warlock Versus Mage and Hunter DPS

Become better than Melee Hunter, unless they get nerfed, but currently, it is looking like they are better than stacking Hunters, which you are way better off stacking, in my opinion. Actually, a Warlock, even though you might say Fire Mage is doing a little bit better, I would rather stack a Warlock because, just like Melee Hunters kind of fishing for those procs, so is Fire Mage. They’re fishing for the double crits to get the instant Pyroblast, but Warlock really isn’t fishing for that; they’re fishing for just crits still, but they’re not looking for a double. So, because of the more consistency of a Warlock, it’s more so based on skill. I would rather stack a DPS Warlock than a Fire Mage, which is why they’re higher than Fire Mage.

Shadow Priest’s Performance

Next up, let’s conclude our analysis. Interestingly, I was the only one who predicted Shadow Priest would excel in this patch. Initially, I believed it deserved an S-tier ranking, but collaboration on the previous tier list relegated it to A-tier amid some resistance. Critics suggested even lower tiers, despite my highlighting its potential with abilities like Vampiric Embrace.

Everything I forecasted is turning out to be accurate. Despite nerfs, I’d argue Shadow Priest hovers between low S and high A tier. It has experienced a slight DPS reduction, about 20 to 30 DPS depending on the percentile, yet it remains highly effective, currently ranking fourth. Beyond its DPS, the Shadow Priest’s utility is invaluable, enhancing the group’s healing capabilities and allowing for strategic flexibility in both melee and ranged groups.

This versatility makes the Shadow Priest a strong support DPS, ideal for addressing specific group needs, whether aiding in tank healing or bolstering the group’s overall damage mitigation. My current assessment is based on extensive experience and observation, reinforcing my confidence in the Shadow Priest’s current and future standings. However, I anticipate a potential decline in its tier placement over time due to less favorable scaling compared to other classes, with spell scaling significantly lower than that of Warlocks, for instance.

Shadow Priest Utility

It’s almost double, so we’re not going to scale amazingly well, so we’re going to slowly be falling down that DPS list, but our utility is going to pretty much be carrying us. But for now, it’s definitely S tier, especially for those people still trying to complete the raid completely or get it on farm safely. Definitely bring a Shadow Priest.

Reputation of Paladins

Reputation Paladins are going to be going down to the C tier now. Why is this? Unfortunately, your DPS is trash, and your blessings that you bring are kind of being brought by either the Holy Paladin or Protection Paladin. Because of that, there’s not really a reason to bring Retribution, and so you’re just down on the C tier. I’m sorry, but that’s just how it is. Your damage just isn’t good, and all of your utility is being brought by other specs of the same class.

Elemental Shaman’s Position

Elemental Shaman is cranking. It brings a lot of utility in its totems. However, it’s not an S tier because, as I had before, a lot of Restoration Shamans being brought by healing groups, and so they’re kind of bringing the utility already. You can bring it for both groups maybe, but unlikely. So, it’s not quite S tier, but it is definitely up in the A tier, and just for its damage.

Feral DPS and Enhancement Shaman Comparison

Next up, we are adjusting the Feral DPS to align with our Enhancement Shaman. Both specs are performing commendably. The Enhancement Shaman, in particular, shows promise, but when examining performance across all percentiles, it ranks slightly lower than some Arcane Mages and Rogues. Its performance variability places it in close proximity to Feral Druid in terms of average output. In fact, Feral Druids exhibit a slightly higher median performance, prompting their classification in the same tier. The primary reason for their inclusion in most compositions is Windfury, alongside the additional buffs and utility they bring to a group, beyond Windfury.

Consequently, both are positioned in the B tier. They may not be exceptional, but their contribution to melee compositions is undeniable. Having at least one of these in melee-focused groups is highly recommended. Their utility and support capabilities make them valuable assets, especially in scenarios that do not favor pure spell cleave setups.

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