Hey everyone! It’s Librarian Husky here. Today, I’ll be breaking down each Melee DPS Specialization and ranking them based on how challenging they will be to play in the upcoming expansion, The War Within.

Feral Druid

First on the list is Feral Druid. This spec revolves around managing two resources: energy and combo points, using a build-and-spend system to apply powerful damage-over-time (DoT) effects. Mismanaging these resources can be very punishing. Feral boasts strong single-target damage with solid sustained AoE but lacks significant Burst.

Feral Druid requires you to consistently manage a decent number of abilities. While the builds and Rotations are relatively straightforward, there’s still a lot to keep track of, making tools like WeakAuras or timers essential for maximizing your damage. This isn’t a spec where you can just button-mash and expect success. It’s neither the hardest nor the easiest spec, and I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners. I’m placing Feral Druid in the middle of the pack at the B tier.

Arms Warrior

Next up, let’s dive into Arms Warrior, a straightforward damage dealer. The Rotations primarily involve using frequent, short Burst windows with Colossus Smash. Arms Warriors have excellent mobility, thanks to abilities like Charge, Intervene, and Heroic Leap. They also bring the coveted attack power buff, Battle Shout. In both single-target and AoE situations, there’s a manageable number of abilities to handle.

Arms Warrior

You’ll need to use a variety of abilities, but the Rotations are quite intuitive. This isn’t a particularly challenging Specialization to master, and I believe even brand-new players could pick it up without much trouble. While it’s not the absolute easiest Melee DPS spec, it comes very close. I’m comfortable placing Arms in the A tier.

Fury Warrior

While we’re on the topic of Warriors, let’s delve into Fury, which is arguably the simpler of the Warrior DPS specs. Fury revolves around a fast-paced and straightforward playstyle, where the focus is on generating Rage and spending it on Rampage to maintain Enrage. Once again, excellent mobility comes from Charge, Intervene, and Heroic Leap, coupled with a solid array of defensive abilities.

Similar to Arms, Fury Warriors also provide the Battle Shout buff. Fury features an extremely easy yet rapid Rotation, with only a few abilities to concentrate on for both single-target and AoE situations. This is easily one of the most beginner-friendly Melee DPS specs in the game. If you enjoy pressing buttons without overthinking your actions, Fury Warrior is an excellent choice, especially for those new to the game. I’m placing Fury firmly in the S tier—remarkably easy to play.

Subtlety Rogue

You never know when your tank might decide to make a big pull, making this one of the least forgiving Rogue Specializations. It suffers from very weak low-target cleave but offers excellent defensive and utility abilities. However, the offensive Rotations can be tricky due to the various abilities and the precise order in which they need to be executed. This is not a Specialization I would recommend to beginners. I’m placing Subtlety Rogue in the D tier, categorizing it as extremely difficult.

Outlaw Rogue

Continuing with Rogue Specializations, let’s dive into Outlaw. Outlaw Rogue is a versatile jack-of-all-trades, equipped to handle almost any situation with its toolkit. Its highly reactive gameplay demands that you stay vigilant and react to what’s happening in real-time rather than following a straightforward Rotation. This spec offers exceptional survivability, thanks to a robust range of defensive abilities, along with excellent group utility for Mythic Plus.

Outlaw Rogue comes with a multitude of abilities that must be used at precisely the right moment and with the correct amount of combo points to maximize damage output. It can be overwhelming to manage, and if you’re not already well-versed with Rogue, this Specialization may present a steep learning curve. For these reasons, I wouldn’t suggest Outlaw to beginners.

Assassination Rogue

This one is joining Subtlety in the D tier—it’s a particularly tough spec to master in its current state. To wrap up the Rogue Specializations, let’s dive into Assassination. Much like Feral Druid, Assassination revolves around a DoT-focused playstyle. It boasts a powerful 2-minute Burst window, coupled with excellent survivability and utility. However, its single-target opening sequence is notably lengthy, taking around 15 seconds to fully set up.

As with the other Rogue Specializations, there’s a plethora of abilities to manage, which can be overwhelming for newer players. However, Assassination does feel slightly more forgiving compared to Subtlety and Outlaw, though it remains complex to master. It’s not the most difficult spec in the game, but I feel comfortable placing Assassination in the C tier—challenging, but currently the easiest Rogue spec to play in The War Within.

Retribution Paladin

Now, let’s move on to Retribution Paladin. From the outset, Retribution stands out as one of, if not the easiest, Melee DPS specs in the game. It has a relatively low skill ceiling, meaning that efforts to improve beyond the basics don’t yield as much of a reward compared to other specs. Consequently, this makes it one of the top choices for new players across both ranged and Melee DPS roles. Retribution Paladin comes equipped with fantastic defensive cooldowns, AoE, and utility. The Rotations for both single-target and AoE are incredibly straightforward, with only a few abilities to focus on. You can dish out substantial damage with minimal effort.

Enhancement Shaman

Next, let’s dive into Enhancement Shaman. The gameplay revolves around juggling various ability cooldowns, managing your Maelstrom Weapon stacks, and reacting to procs. It follows a priority system and offers a variety of damage profiles with short cooldowns and strong single-target potential. You’ll need to do a lot of tab-targeting and weaving. With strong two-to-six target cleave and AoE, Enhancement also comes with a punishing playstyle, featuring a steep learning curve and requiring a large number of key binds to play effectively.

There’s a lot going on with Enhancement, and you’ll need to stay constantly vigilant to maximize your damage output. This spec is quite challenging to pick up, and new players likely won’t enjoy the learning curve. I’d primarily recommend it for veteran players. Personally, I’m comfortable placing Enhancement in the D tier—definitely a very difficult spec to master.

Frost Death Knight

Moving right along, let’s dive into Frost DK. Frost Death Knight offers strong Burst and cleave potential but is somewhat limited in mobility and utility. It has a relatively small set of abilities for both single-target and AoE, making it particularly beginner-friendly. Frost DK’s Rotations are easy to grasp and intuitive to execute.

Frost Death Knight

Frost Death Knight is a Specialization that I believe even newer players can pick up quickly. It’s notably tanky for a DPS role, which adds a layer of survivability. When it comes to difficulty, there isn’t much more to add—it’s only slightly more complex than Retribution Paladin, but not by a significant margin. I’m confident in placing Frost DK straight into the S tier. Whether you’re a new player or a veteran looking for a relaxed melee class, Frost DK is an excellent choice.

Unholy Death Knight

Let’s also explore Unholy Death Knight while we’re at it. Unholy DK is among the more challenging DPS specs in the game, with excellent single-target and Burst AoE potential. However, like Frost, it suffers from limited mobility and utility. Is it difficult to play effectively? Absolutely. The Rotation is focused on spreading diseases and operates on a priority system, with numerous factors influencing which ability to use at any given moment. Playing Unholy well requires a lot of practice and involves managing a larger-than-average number of abilities that need to be keybound and regularly activated for optimal performance.

Unholy Death Knight

This Specialization isn’t ideal for beginners; it can be incredibly unforgiving. While it’s not the most difficult out there, it certainly poses a significant challenge. I’m placing Unholy DK into the C tier—it’s tough to learn and even harder to master.

Windwalker Monk

Now, let’s turn our attention to Windwalker Monk. This spec offers intuitive gameplay with high mobility, potent Burst damage, sustained AoE, and cleave. However, after The War Within overhaul, Windwalker remains a complex Specialization to truly master. It requires precise execution in its opening for both single-target and AoE Rotations, with a more extensive set of abilities to manage, making it less accessible for beginners. Depending on your chosen build, the Rotations can be quite intricate. It’s not the most difficult Melee DPS spec, but it’s certainly challenging. Therefore, I’ll be placing Windwalker Monk into the C tier—not recommended for those who are completely new to the game.

Havoc Demon Hunter

Alright, we’ve got two more to cover. Let’s move on to Havoc Demon Hunter. This spec operates on a build-and-spend resource management system, delivering strong Burst potential in both single-target and AoE situations. However, since your AoE is tied to cooldowns, it requires careful planning, making Havoc less than ideal for pugging Mythic Plus, where your AoE windows can vary. Havoc’s gameplay is fast-paced, with robust passive and active defensive abilities, high mobility, and solid group utility.

There are multiple talent builds to choose from, each demanding a considerable number of abilities to be keybound and challenging Rotations to master. Once again, this isn’t a spec I’d recommend to newcomers. It’s not the hardest melee spec by any means, but it’s far from the easiest.

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