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Some players might ask, why make a DPS tier list before we're deep into the phase and before we have Cho’gall on the farm? The thing is the systems in Cataclysm right now punish rerolling. If you pick the wrong class, for example, your Therazane shoulder enchant isn’t account-bound. It took me over a dozen hours to do on just one character. I really wouldn’t want to do it on a bunch of alts either. So, if there is a single time to reroll in Cataclysm, it would be now. It’s during the most hype time when players are actually excited to run Blackrock Caverns, and the thought of running Tol’vir doesn’t just make people extremely angry.

This time around, for the first DPS tier list in Cataclysm, your boy came prepared. Not only did I go on the PTR around the clock, raiding on classes like Fire Mages and Boomkins, but I also made careful notes of which classes were blasting and which classes were kind of falling behind. As a final piece of evidence verification, I compared PTR logs from all the top guilds and factored those in as well. I also factored in AOE damage and wanted to give credit to classes that bring high utility as well.

Let's get started with the B tier.

B Tier

Druids

Starting off in the B tier, we have Druids. To be sure, Boomkins with their new works are very fun to play, and that was my go-to spec for leveling and for dungeons too. Gone are the RNG days of Wrath, replaced with a nice reliable meter where every single cast works you closer to a Sun or Moon phase. But that stability comes at a cost because your single target damage is unfortunately sort of middle of the pack. Meanwhile, Feral Druids are doomed to obscurity as well. They are forever brought to raids for their off-tanking and their utility, but also forever invisible on the meters too.

Talking AOE, things should look up for Druids, but not for Ferals unless you like pressing Swipe. Boomkins do have their Starfall blasting, their new Wild Mushrooms to detonate, and even Hurricane to pump out damage, but unfortunately, even machine-gunning out light beams, it’s just not enough to compete with the kings of AOE like Elemental Shamans and Fire Mages.

As for Druid utility, bad news on that front. Battle res is now brought by Death Knights, and Innervate has been nerfed into the ground. Still, Thorns does provide a relevant threat generation tool for tanks, and Stampeding Roar is very strong for Ferals. Before you mention Tranquility, personally, in Cataclysm, I found that Tranquility rarely saves a group. If they’re destined to die, they just die. It’s like Final Destination.

The verdict: Boomkins aren’t going to impress anybody, but they are a reliable source of damage and utility. Ferals have some of the highest utility in the game, especially with their ability to off-tank when needed. In the end, Druids are a middle-of-the-pack class and fit pretty nicely into the B tier.

Retribution Paladins

Next, let’s talk about Retribution Paladins. They have a much more active new rotation and should provide high damage output without having to beg your guild for a Shadow Priest. In my personal experience, I never really saw a Retribution Paladin very high on the meters in my PTR testing. It could have been that I was playing with undergeared Paladins, but in an unlucky twist of fate, the Retribution Paladin DPS simulation is the only one not working right now. So for launch, I’m going with my own personal experience, which is to say that Retribution Paladins are going to be between the low to middle of the pack in terms of DPS.

For AOE, Retribution Paladins still bring very good AOE to the table, particularly with Divine Storm, Consecration, and their Seals of Command talent. But on multi-target fights, they’re going to be much worse than a Shadow Priest, for example.

The verdict: Retribution Paladins have a spot in any 25-man raid and most 10-mans as well. Retribution Paladins go in the upper B tier.

A Tier

Shadow Priests

Starting off the A tier, we have Priests. I know you want me to tell you that Shadow Priests are going to be topping the meters in Blackwing Descent. After all, they’ve got new abilities like Archangel and Shadow Orbs, a new RNG mechanic to amp up your DPS. But in the end, Shadow Priests usually hover around the 6th to 8th range in terms of DPS, with a chance to move up whenever multi-dotting comes into play.

For AOE, Shadow Priests are still one of the kings of multi-dotting. With two or three targets, Shadow Priests really start to shine, but when you get into those really big pulls, Mind Sear just can’t keep pace with classes like Fire Mages.

The verdict: Shadow Priests provide so much utility that they practically force themselves into a raid spot in 25-mans and even most 10-mans. Their utility is so strong that their middle-of-the-pack DPS simply doesn’t matter. Shadow Priests fit nicely into the A tier.

Rogues

Talking Rogues, Rogues in Cataclysm get a real treat: PVE viability with all three specs. That being said, I mostly saw Assassination in my PTR sessions. Sims might put all three specs near the top in terms of DPS, but I don’t expect to see a Subtlety Rogue anytime soon, at least for a few phases. In my own experience, Rogues were closer to 6th to 10th in most fights.

For AOE, we all love Fan of Knives, but Combat Rogues are really insane with their Blade Flurry cleave.

The verdict: Rogues get a nice spot in the A tier.

Warriors

The new arm rotation is quite different, with abilities like Colossus Smash and buffs like Inner Rage. Arms does so much damage that it pushes Fury to the side, becoming the dominant Warrior spec of Cataclysm.

For AOE, the Warriors have always been strong, and it's no different here. Sweeping Strikes, Whirlwind, and Cleave ensure they top the AOE damage meters.

The verdict: Arms Warriors rip through the damage meters for both single target and AOE damage. Their low utility doesn’t matter in an expansion focused on maximizing damage. Warriors go in the A tier.

Warlocks

Some of the highest damage dealers on the PTR were Warlocks, particularly Demonology. The Demon Soul buff introduces pet twisting to maximize damage. Affliction, meanwhile, gets Soul Swap, making them very good on two-target fights.

For AOE, Demonology Warlocks have huge AOE with their Felguard's Felstorm, Shadowflame, and Hellfire. Affliction Warlocks can spam Seed of Corruption.

The verdict: Top-tier damage and rare buffs make Warlocks essential for both 10 and 25-man raids. Warlocks go in the A tier.

S Tier

Death Knights

Starting off the S tier, we have Death Knights, particularly Unholy. They are the kings of Death Knight DPS, pushing Frost to the side. In my PTR testing, Unholy Death Knights were always near the top of the meters, even on single target.

For AOE, spreading diseases, Death and Decay, and Blood Boil keep them at the top of the meters.

The verdict: Death Knights are a must-have for 10-mans and one of the most stackable classes for 25-mans. Death Knights go in the S tier.

Shamans

If there’s one class that consistently out-DPSed me in Cataclysm raids, it was definitely the Shaman. Elemental Shaman, in particular, has the easiest rotation in the game. Totems, buffs like Lightning Shield, and strong cooldowns like Fire Elemental Totem ensure they sneak up on you in the burn phase.

For AOE, Elemental Shaman has an awesome toolkit. Chain Lightning hits hard, making them jump up in the meters.

The verdict: Shamans are easy to play, their damage is good, and they are highly stackable. Shamans go firmly into the S tier.

Hunters

There is only one hunter spec I saw in all my hours of slaying Cho’gall and Onyxia: Survival. The only downside to Survival Hunter is that Sniper Training rewards are stationary, which may hinder you from reaching the highs the simulators predict.

For AOE, it's deja vu from Season of Discovery. Explosive Shot, Multi-Shot, Explosive Trap—it's so similar. BM Hunters can bring pretty much any raid buff in the game, though they do a lot less damage than Survival.

The verdict: Hunters are the foundation of any serious heroic raid. They go directly into the S tier.

Mages

Finally, let’s talk Mages. Cataclysm Mages are all about the Fire spec. Combustion is a top cooldown ability, and the rest of their toolkit has been optimized for all phases of the game. Arcane comes up a lot in dungeon spams but just can’t keep pace in the long fights of raids.

For AOE, Mages are a special breed of Cataclysm player. Fire Mages can consistently top the damage meters.

The verdict: Fire Mages are arguably the best DPS class for Cataclysm Phase One. They go at the top of the S tier.

Alright, that does it for the list. Remember, these rankings are based on the PTR, but you can bet your gold they’ll be accurate for the first couple months of the game. If you enjoyed this, be sure to subscribe for more Cataclysm content. Peace.