Which class to play in WoW Forever depends on what you want to do, and Forever’s class changes moved several answers away from Classic’s. Our WoW Forever tier list, a launch prediction built on the beta, puts it like this: Hunter and Warlock level fastest, because their pets now scale with the player’s gear; Protection Paladin is the strongest dungeon tank; Priest is the safest healer; Mage leads dungeon damage; and Rogue is the best bet for raid damage at 60. Specs that Classic raids rarely took, such as Retribution, Enhancement and Shadow, got real tools in Forever.

The questions below still decide most of the choice in both games. The PvP and raid lists further down are the WoW Classic picks from 2019; the WoW Forever section at the end has what changed and where to read more.

Updated November 5, 2026: now covers WoW Forever, with its tier list picks, the new race and class combinations and the class changes that matter for your choice.

What you need to know about classes in Classic and WoW Forever

Classes in Classic WoW work a little bit different from how they are in retail WoW. Most hybrid classes were only really good at one thing, if that. So for example, Paladins were typically healers in raids. It is very rare for a retribution paladin to actively raid. In this class guide, I will go over the different roles and tiers of classes, to give you a better overview.
To be able to choose the best class for you, you need to know some things about what you want to do in the game.

  • Do you play mostly PvE, PvP, or both?
  • What role do you like the most? Healing, Tanking or dealing Damage?
  • Do you like to play ranged or melee classes?
  • Do you like playing as a caster?

The best classes for pure PvP in WoW Classic

At the top of the PvP class guide list for classic are Warriors, Warlocks and Rogues, with Priests following very close behind. Warlocks are great for their CC potential. They have many ways to keep the enemy away and keep dealing damage from a distance. Many classes struggle with Warlock opponents. When it comes to the Warriors and Rogues, they are a bit harder to master, but when played well, they can take apart multiple enemies. Especially the rogue is great for this, because of the high CC capability, such as Sap and Blind, to keep multiple enemies at bay. Here is the full list:

  • S-Tier: Warrior, Priest
  • A-Tier: Warlock, Mage, Rogue
  • B-Tier: Shaman, Paladin
  • C-Tier: Hunter, Druid

Best class choices for raids & dungeons in WoW Classic

When it comes to PvE, it really depends on your preferences. If you want a secure spot in your guild raids, Mage or Warrior is a good choice, since these two classes are by far the most present in raids. This means, though, that you will have higher competition for gear. The most used healer in raids is the Priest, but other healers have very good chances, too, since healers are always needed.

Not everyone likes healing in raids, just like tanking, so if you want to fill an important role in the raids, these are your choice. If you still want to be more useful than a simple Damage Dealer, but don’t like tanking or healing, you might want to consider a Warlock. Warlocks are very useful in raids, since they can summon other players and provide health stones, for an additional heal in combat. They do have to farm soul shards, though.


After all, you should play what you have the most fun with!

Which Class to Play in WoW Forever

WoW Forever keeps all nine Classic classes, but the reasons to pick one changed. What to weigh, as of November 5, 2026:

  • New race and class combinations. Forever has the eight original races plus the Skyborne and six new combinations, such as Undead Paladin and Dwarf Shaman. Skyborne can be Druids, Hunters, Rogues and Warriors on both sides, Mages for the Alliance and Shamans for the Horde, and need a Skyborne pack.
  • Every class changed. On the final beta data, Shaman (especially Enhancement), Paladin and Warlock gained the most against their Classic standing. Warrior rage is now normalized to weapon speed, and our tier list still ranks Warrior last for leveling.
  • Talents and dual spec. Talents start at level 10, you change them at a class trainer in a major city, and Dual Specialization opens at level 40 (Blizzard’s class articles). A hybrid can level as damage and keep a healing or tanking spec for dungeons.
  • Smaller raids. The first raids open on December 9: Barrow Deeps for 10 players, Hyjal Summit for 20 and Onyxia’s Lair for 40, so most raid groups have fewer spots per class than Classic’s 40-player raids.
  • Blizzard’s own limits. Hunters can’t stun or interrupt, Druids can’t snare or interrupt, Shamans lack strong crowd control, and Paladins still have no interrupt or slow (Blizzard’s class articles).

For the full picture, our WoW Forever tier list grades every class for leveling, dungeons, raids, PvP and new players, our WoW Forever class changes guide names the biggest change per class, and our WoW Forever best race guide picks a race for each class on both factions. Once you’ve chosen, our WoW Forever leveling talents have a build for every class.