The War Within DPS Rankings: Nerub-ar Palace Raiding Tier List (Patch 11.0.7 / Season 1)

Enhancement Shaman's performance will continue to be amazing in the second half of the Nerub-ar Palace tier. From a competitive single-target (one of the best) to good cleave options when factors extra mobs surround the main target, you really can't go wrong with this spec. To conclude, we believe Enhancement Shaman will continue to be one of the best DPS candidates this tier.

Elemental Shaman single-target, it will continue to be their strongest asset as it currently is one of the highest among all DPS specs. In addition to that, they possess the much needed raid utility thanks to Skyfury, which is an additional motivation to have at least one Shaman present in your raid. Overall, we believe you are going to be one of the best Ranged option for the remaining of the raiding tier.

Assassination Rogue will remain a great choice for the second half of Season 1. Their single-target will be excellent, retaining its signature priority-target damage while also cleaving. On top of this, Rogue is known to be durable, have high mobility and at last, having a raid buff (thanks to Atrophic Poison). We believe Assassination Rogue will continue to be one of the best melee choices.

Arms Warrior received healthy buffs leading to the second part of Season 1. Their damage profile is their strongest asset as they currently have great single-target, 2-target, and on-demand burst damage if an opportunity arrives. They also have one of the best Execute damage in the game, making them an amazing candidate to progress dangerous bosses that require more output in later phases.

Beast Mastery Hunter stands out as it is one of the few Ranged DPS options capable of performing their entire rotation while moving and not losing DPS. This makes them invaluable for any mechanics or tasks required during a fight. In addition, their single target, especially sustained, is one of the best, which is the driving factor for choosing its rankings. They also have gotten better survivability compared to the previous expansion, with 2x charges of Survival of the Fittest. However, one of the main disadvantages of having Beast Mastery Hunter is that they suffer from a lack of spread cleaving (when mobs are far away from each other).

Subtlety Rogue received decent changes leading to the second half of the raiding tier. Their single target is going to remain great, which makes them an attractive melee option for any guild looking to add some. Their durability has never been an issue, as well as their utility (just like every Rogue spec so far).

Arcane Mage received buffs that will increase their already competitive single-target, but more importantly, has some of the best single target burst damage in the game for a small burst windows. Arcane is a top-heavy spec in terms of the skill required to truly make use of its phenomenal toolkit; in the hands of the right player, it is incredibly powerful in terms of the raw damage and burst potential. Mages are also still quite strong defensively, and immunities like Ice Block / Ice Cold will always have value in a raid. Anytime there is a damage increase phase or a requirement for a burst-damage orientated scenario, Arcane Mage will be great.

Frost Death Knight's biggest strength comes from their ability to deal insane single target damage while simultaneously cleaving multiple targets at once, thus excelling best in situations where more targets are present. There are a few specific fights where the Frost Death Knight shines, especially the ones where Death Grip ability can be utilized (not many of them). Overall, with great defensive capabilities, a Raid "utility" ( Anti-Magic Zone) and a great damage profile, Frost Death Knight is a great choice for any raid looking to add more melee specializations.

Outlaw Rogue are capable of dealing great cleave and AoE damage, while doing amazing single-target, thanks to Blade Flurry. Don't forget that Rogue has a solid set of defensive abilities, as well as the ability to apply Atrophic Poison debuff, which is a great raid utility for any purpose of the raid (reclear or progress).

Destruction Warlock will not only retain their great single target damage, but will also get better due to the most recent buffs leading to the patch. Their ability to deal an incredible two-target cleave damage thanks to Havoc will also remain valid. Additionally, their bursts are strengthened by the use of Summon Infernal, have a good defensive profile, and as every Warlock spec, provide valuable raid utility.

Survival Hunter received a notable amount of changes leading to the second half of the raiding tier, which will improve their damage performance. The spec will now do better to sustain single-target damage, but due to its lack of meaningful raid-wide buffs, will likely be pushed off the "optimal" melee setup for raids. Still, they are versatile enough to be capable of doing well in any encounter, regardless of the target count.

Frost Mage enjoyed several rounds of changes, which will perhaps change the direction of how the spec is played. Their single-target will remain great, although not competitive enough to enter the higher rankings. Mage durability is one of their strongest assets, which adds value to any raid looking to bolster their rankings with an extra Ranged option.

Unholy Death Knight didn't receive any impactful changes leading to the second half of the raiding tier. Their sustained single target is mediocre, but their true strength lies withintheir burst capabilities (AoE and ST). In addition, they are durable melee DPS option and have useful raid-wide utility tools ( Anti-Magic Zone / Death Grip). Overall we are happy with the performance of this spec, although for the majority of the time its sibling spec (Frost) will likely outshine them.

Retribution Paladin received a minor nerf leading to the second half of the season. This will put them more in line with the rest of the melee specs, while still allowing them to keep their incredible tankiness. Make no mistake, they will still retain their great single-target damage. At last, you have a great utility suitable for raiding, which can be of help for any raiding team.

Affliction Warlock did not receive any relevant changes leading to the second half of Season 1. Although they have great on-demand damage, they currently have mediocre single-target, a major factor for the placement in our tierlist. They have much better build flexibility, allowing them on focusing heavily on single-target, good hybrid options, or heavy AoE if needed. They are great against council-type of fights, where spread-cleave damage with a stong presence of priorty-target damage is needed.

Marksmanship Hunter has gotten its fair share of changes leading up to the second half of the Nerub-ar Palace. Their single target will remain their strongest asset, all together with their high mobility gameplay. In addition, you have an option to deliver AoE damage while maintaining your priority-target damage, which is an advantage depending on the boss fights. At last, your 2-target cleave is among the weakest so anytime there is such a fight you will end up being punished.

Fire Mage has received significant buffs to tackle the low single-target they had since the start of the tier. The spec now has an incredible on-demand burst damage profile, which is great for vital DPS checks and being relatively mobile compared to the rest of the Ranged DPS choices out there. They are one of the most durable raid specializations. At last, Fire Mages are known for their incredible toolkit and are traditionally useful for progression or damage in demand.

Devastation Evoker are going to continue to have decent single-target damage, both burst-orientated and sustained throughout the second part of Season 1. They excel in handling movement effortlessly, which enables them to execute their rotation without any issues while on the move. However, it's important to keep in mind that they have a limited range of 25 yards, which could be a disadvantage in certain situations depending on your group's positioning.

Feral Druid possesses all the typical utility of a Druid, including the ability to provide Innervate and Mark of the Wild. Their single-target will be unfortunately moderate, making it much harder for them to fight for a spot in the upcoming raiding tier. Keep in mind that due to the limited melee slots in the raid, if you already have Mark of the Wild, your value will drop so be aware.

Shadow Priest have one of the strongest external damage cooldown - Power Infusion, which can benefit both them and the chosen target thanks to the Twins of the Sun Priestess talent. By itself, Shadow Priest single-target damage output is decent, but the ability to focus their primary target and effortlessly cleave multiple targets, even if they are not close to each other. Additionally, they can off-heal with Vampiric Embrace, which can be a lifesaver in critical situations during raids. Lastly, the defensive cooldown, Dispersion, can be used instead of an "immunity" soak when necessary.

Balance Druid received a massive amount of changes leading up to the second half of Season 1. Balance Druid, you may not have the highest single-target output, but your damage toolkit is well-rounded and all-inclusive, making you a valuable asset in the game. Starfall, in particular, is a unique ability that sets you apart from other specs as it allows you to constantly cleave spread groups of enemies. While this may not matter in most fights, Boomkins are amazing choice when facing multi-target fights. Also, don't forget the mandatory Mark of the Wild raid-wide buff is a must in every raid, making it more appealing to pick them up. At last, their single-target has been steadily improving since the start of the tier and is now more on par with majority of the DPS specs.

Augmentation Evoker will continue to be a great choice in the second half of the raid tier in The War Within, thanks to its ability to enhance the damage and defensive capabilities of your raid members. While the players behind the Prescience and Ebon Might buffs are responsible for most of their damage, having at least one Augmentation Evoker in your raid composition can be very advantageous. To conclude, this specialization has a great defensive profile, a "cheat-death", and is one of the most mobile specializations available.

The main reason for bringing a Windwalker Monk would be for their burst on-demand damage (both ST and AoE) and Mystic Touch. Their sustained damage is average, which can be problematic in some cases. They have multiple defensive options along with their decent damage profile.

Havoc Demon Hunter possess a versatile and effective range of damage abilities that make them a valuable asset in any situation. With a single talent build, they are able to compete effectively in fights that require a mixture of combat styles. One of their greatest strengths lies in their ability to deal strong cleave damage to 2-5 targets, as well as burst area-of-effect damage. Nevertheless, Demon Hunters still have access to the powerful Darkness ability, which can serve as a valuable raid cooldown.

Fury Warrior received minor changes leading up to the patch, which will increase their performance. They will retain their burst-orientated gameplay, which holds immense value for any fights looking to add extra cleave on top of the already heavy single-target checks. They are quite durable and a bearer of Battle Shout, which is a valuable raid buff. We believe that further buffs are needed for them to climb higher on our tier list, as the early-season nerfs still affect their present performance.

Demonology Warlock received some positive damage adjustments that will make them a stronger Ranged option in the second half of the Season. Their single-target damage has been steadily improving, although it still needs more attention to align with the majority of the spec, which is also a major factor for their placement. Although they have all the qualities to climb our tier list (quite tanky and provide the usual Warlock utility), further raw damage buffs must be implemented for us to rank them higher.