WoW TWW 11.2 Tier List - Best DPS, Healer, Tank Ranking (Season 3)

As The War Within Season 3 approaches, early impressions from class changes and tier sets are giving us a first look at how the DPS, healer, and tank meta may shape up in the 11.2 patch. While tuning is still ongoing and Mythic+ testing isn't live yet, we can already see which specs are off to a strong start and which ones are struggling. So here we are going to sort out the early WoW TWW 11.2 Season 3 Tier List for DPS, Healer, and Tank specs!

WoW TWW Season 3 Tier List for M+, Raids, PvP

Season 3 in The War Within is shaping up to be a dynamic and evolving meta, with massive changes and tuning still ongoing as the PTR progresses. Specs ranked in the S+ tier are currently performing the best, but it's important to remember that nothing is final; future updates and compositions could shift the rankings significantly before the season officially begins. Regardless of a spec's current standing, there is still plenty of time for things to change, and every player should be prepared for adjustments as the season progresses. With that in mind, here is the tier list as it stands for Season 3.

WoW TWW 11.2 Season 3 DPS Tier List

Here’s our early Season 3 DPS ranking for M+, raids, and PvP, based on recent 11.2 PTR testing (as of late June 2025). Each spec is briefly evaluated based on AoE performance, single-target (ST) strength, utility, and tier set impact, tested on dummies and dungeon previews.

Melee DPS Ranking

1. Enhancement Shaman (S Tier)

Enhancement Shaman has risen from last season, with a tier set considered one of the best in the game. AoE output is phenomenal, sustained damage is insane, and funnel damage is present. The spec features some of the best Mythic+ utility, including Bloodlust. Durability can be an issue, but with a Discipline Priest, survivability concerns are minimized.

2. Havoc Demon Hunter (S Tier)

Despite receiving no changes on PTR, Havoc's tier set amplifies everything it already excels at: more funnel, better priority damage, and improved AoE. Utility and self-sustain are solid, and the spec fits into physical, hybrid, or melee comps. There are virtually no downsides to Havoc, making it a top choice.

3. Survival Hunter (S Tier)

Survival is surprisingly competitive, offering strong single-target damage and reasonable AoE. It outperforms Beast Mastery in most scenarios but suffers from identity issues and low representation. Still, it's a solid underdog pick for players who enjoy the playstyle.

4. Feral Druid (S Tier)

Feral Druid is a standout performer this season, with incredible single-target performance and improved AoE due to its tier set. It has historically struggled with cleave, but the current PTR numbers suggest it's finally catching up. Easily a top-tier melee pick if tuning holds.

5. Outlaw Rogue (A Tier)

Outlaw Rogue is at the top of A tier. Its AoE sustain is amazing, and while it lacks the burst of other specs, it dominates sustained damage. Mob control and defenses are solid, but the output isn't quite S-tier. In a physical comp, Outlaw could be even better.

6. Frost Death Knight (A Tier)

Frost DK, after recent changes, delivers very strong single-target, good priority damage, short cooldowns, and good mass AoE. The spec is tanky, can fit both physical and magical comps, and is among the best candidates for S+ in this bracket.

7. Retribution Paladin (A Tier)

Retribution has solid AoE and decent utility via blessings. Its tier set adjustments make Divine Hammer less essential, but some loss in burst is felt. It remains a viable melee DPS with good versatility, though not quite top-tier unless further tuned.

8. Unholy Death Knight (A Tier)

Unholy DK continues to shine in AoE burst scenarios, especially with proper setup and cooldown windows. However, its single-target performance feels weak on PTR, and the loss of mass grip utility ("slappy hands") hurts its dungeon viability. Still decent, but no longer oppressive.

9. Windwalker Monk (A Tier)

Windwalker offers high burst AoE and decent sustain, but it still suffers from energy starvation and scaling issues on longer fights. The spec has good mobility and utility, but its inconsistency across pulls and lack of buffs may keep it out of the meta spotlight.

10. Assassination Rogue (B Tier)

Assassination Rogue is praised for its strong single-target potential, especially with sustained encounters. However, its AoE is limited, and its ramp-up time makes it less ideal for Mythic+ dungeons. Without major changes in Season 3. Assassination remains niche, strong in raids, but underwhelming in dungeons.

11. Fury Warrior (B Tier)

Fury Warrior provides solid damage in small-target cleave situations, and its single-target output is respectable. However, it suffers from a hard AoE cap and lacks standout burst potential or utility. It feels overshadowed by better-scaling melee specs and may struggle to find a meta spot unless tuning improves.

12. Subtlety Rogue (B Tier)

Subtlety remains a strong spec in high-skill hands, offering strong priority-target damage and burst. However, it hasn't received significant changes this season, and its AoE still feels clunky compared to other specs. Sub will likely remain a niche pick unless tuning favors it.

13. Arms Warrior (B Tier)

Arms brings strong cleave and solid priority-target damage with the right build. However, it lacks the explosive burst of other melee specs and can feel slow without proper procs. Still, it's more viable than Fury in AoE due to collateral damage mechanics.

Ranged DPS Ranking

1. Balance Druid (S Tier)

Currently, Balance Druid is S+ due to the Keeper of the Grove tier set, which makes it the best funnel DPS in the game. The opener can hit for insane amounts in 15-20 seconds, and the spec boasts some of the best AoE and utility in the game, along with competitive single-target damage. Its only real weakness is consistent defensive capability outside of Barkskin and Bear Form, but even that is manageable. The current tier set is likely to be nerfed, but for now, Balance Druid stands unrivaled in S+.

2. Arcane Mage (S Tier)

Arcane Mage remains S+ as it has since last season. AoE and single-target are both extremely strong, utility is top-tier, and survivability is excellent. Arcane brings Bloodlust, curses, and group shields, making it an all-around powerhouse.

3. Elemental Shaman (S Tier)

Elemental Shaman is extremely strong in AoE, with a great tier set and utility. The only issue is single-target damage, but likely raid buffs in the future will raise its performance even further.

4. Marksmanship Hunter (S Tier)

MM Hunter is a top-tier ranged DPS this season, with massive AoE from Trick Shots and strong priority burst. It outpaces BM and Survival across most scenarios and is shaping up to be a powerhouse in both raids and Mythic+.

5. Shadow Priest (S Tier)

Shadow Priest has undergone a rework and is looking very strong. The Voidweaver build offers massive AoE and strong ST via Mind Blast and Void Rift interactions. It's visually satisfying, mechanically engaging, and competitively tuned, likely an A or S-tier spec.

6. Beast Mastery Hunter (A Tier)

Currently, BM Hunter is one of the strongest overall damage dealers, especially in AoE, thanks to its extremely powerful tier set. Damage is always available due to short cooldowns, making it an exceptional and consistently strong pick. In a physical comp, BM Hunter becomes even stronger.

7. Demonology Warlock (A Tier)

Demonology is in a good place, with strong AoE and solid priority-target damage. It’s complex but rewarding, and the current tier set supports its strengths well. It’s not the absolute best, but it’s a competitive ranged pick for all content. It's currently the best-performing Warlock spec.

8. Destruction Warlock (A Tier)

Destruction Warlock is nearly at the top of A tier due to impressive AoE in high keys, where mobs live longer and ramp-up matters. Single-target is somewhat underwhelming, but durability and utility remain strong. In high keys, Destro can be A or even best candidate; in lower keys, performance drops.

9. Affliction Warlock (S Tier)

Affliction is a sleeper hit this season, with powerful AoE and surprisingly strong single-target. Its new tier set buffs Wither and damage-over-time effects, making it a strong choice in dungeons and raids. Still suffers from ramp-up, but much improved overall.

10. Fire Mage (A Tier)

Fire Mage has a new Frostfire build that synergizes with Glacial Spike and Ignite. While still in tuning stages, it has strong potential for burst and cleave. If numbers are adjusted correctly, it could surpass Arcane and reclaim a top DPS role.

11. Devastation Evoker (A Tier)

Devastation remains flashy and mobile with decent burst, but it hasn’t seen significant changes to push it into a meta-defining role. Its lack of group utility compared to Augmentation or other classes keeps it as a decent but non-essential pick.

12. Augmentation Evoker (B Tier)

Augmentation hasn't seen new changes, but if it remains untouched, it could still be meta-defining. Its group buffs and passive contribution are too strong to ignore. Whether that’s healthy for the game is another matter, but it will likely remain a top pick.

13. Frost Mage (C Tier)

Frost Mage underwhelms in both single-target and AoE on current tuning. While its tier set introduces Glacial Spike synergy, it lacks the burst and sustained output of other Mage specs. Frostfire Mage variants may offer hope, but traditional Frost remains mid-to-low tier.

WoW TWW 11.2 Season 3 Tank Tier List

Here's our early prediction for the healer meta situation for Season 3's M+, Raids, and PvP content, informed by current trends, current tier set tuning, performance, and community feedback in the 11.2 PTR.

1. Discipline Priest (S Tier)

Discipline Priest has been a powerhouse for two seasons, with dominance stemming from its hero talents, Voidweaver in Season 1 and Oracle in Season 2. The spec's strength lies in its ability to blend shielding and atonement healing into a potent toolkit that excels in both progression raiding and Mythic+. The synergy between shields and proactive healing makes it stand out, especially with Oracle providing substantial spot healing and damage smoothing. However, some talents in the spec tree feel outdated or underwhelming, such as Xeation and Twilight Equilibrium, which could use a refresh. One point of concern is Lenience, a talent that provides group-wide damage reduction through Atonement. While effective, its passive nature and balance implications have raised questions about its long-term place in the tree. Similarly, Piety is extremely potent due to how it redirects overhealing, making gameplay smoother, but risks being too dominant and may warrant tuning.

2. Holy Priest (A Tier)

Holy Priest has seen improvement, particularly with the Oracle hero talent. Midway through Season 2. Prayer of Healing became a viable choice again, offering strong burst healing when paired with stacking modifiers like Lightweaver and Apotheosis. However, those stacking mechanics are also a pain point. Without the right setup, spells feel ineffective, making gameplay feel inconsistent. The reliance on cooldowns like Apotheosis creates a stark contrast between peak and base performance. The spec tree has some strong options at the bottom, but the middle feels bloated with underperforming talents. Prayer of Mending, for example, underwhelms in most dungeons. Survivability and mobility also lag behind other healers, with weak shields and outdated movement tools like Feather feeling out of step with modern dungeon design.

3. Holy Paladin (A Tier)

Holy Paladin has gone through multiple iterations this expansion. While Lightsmith had a brief moment of relevance, its removal from the meta has pushed gameplay toward Herald of the Sun and Avenging Wrath-based builds. There's a clear overdevelopment issue here. Talents like Power of the Silver Hand and Golden Path offer negligible value, leading to a sense of bloat. Paladins are often overly reliant on Wings-based cooldown windows to output meaningful healing, which makes downtime feel unproductive. The spec still brings strong utility and benefits from solid healing throughput when cooldowns are available. But many players are calling for a simplification of the tree, with cleaner, more impactful choices that don't rely on stacking micro-buffs and conditional 

4. Restoration Shaman (B Tier)

Restoration Shaman presents a split identity. Chain Heal-focused builds offer strong healing, especially when stacked with multiple talents boosting the spell. However, Farseer builds that focus on Riptide and hot-based healing feel underpowered and overly complex. The hero talents, particularly Farseer, require too much maintenance, with elements like Healing Rain needing constant recasting. Ancestor spirits don’t contribute enough unless the player is actively casting, and the spec lacks strong synergy in its hot healing components. The mastery is also problematic. While unique in design, it has little practical value in today’s meta where health bars yo-yo rapidly. Healing happens too quickly for the mastery to shine, reducing overall effectiveness compared to other specs.

5. Restoration Druid (B Tier)

Restoration Druids have seen some changes to mastery that helped low-hot count healing in Mythic+, but the spec still feels like it's drifting toward direct healing over its traditional hot-based identity. A major frustration is the talent choice between Flourish and Photosynthesis, which used to coexist in older trees. Now, dungeon players have to choose between two powerful tools, limiting flexibility. Meanwhile, Wild Growth feels too weak for its mana cost and role. The spec shines in its ability to churn out Regrowths, especially with support from Omen of Clarity, but the gameplay loop feels less about hot management and more about spamming direct heals. There's interest in seeing more impactful hero talents and a return to rich hot-based gameplay that rewards long-term planning.

6. Mistweaver Monk (C Tier)

Mistweaver has benefited from strong quality-of-life changes and a clear separation between fistweaving and caster builds. The gameplay in Mythic+ feels rewarding, with different sources of healing contributing meaningfully. However, mana feels almost infinite, and the spec can feel like it's casting just to avoid waste rather than out of necessity. Amplifiers tied to targeting and spell sequencing can be punishing when executed poorly, creating a high skill floor without a proportional reward ceiling. Despite this, Mistweaver is the highest damage-dealing healer, particularly in progression. Its build diversity contributes to its strength, but some balance adjustments may be needed to bring it in line with others, especially in terms of passive efficiency and overheal management.

7. Preservation Evoker (C Tier)

Preservation Evoker is in a tough spot. Despite a recent 4% healing buff, it remains underrepresented. The gameplay loop works well in raids, where setups can be planned, but in Mythic+, the spec feels too reliant on preparation and positioning. Spells like Spirit Bloom and Echo require multiple layers of amplification to feel effective. Without those, the base output is underwhelming. The spec also suffers from range limitations and punishing positioning requirements, especially in dungeons. Damage output is mediocre, and the hero talents, while thematically distinct, don’t resolve the gameplay issues. There's a need for talent adjustments that reduce the reliance on stacking amplifiers and offer more utility and flexibility in unpredictable group content.

WoW TWW 11.2 Season 3 Tank Tier List

Based on early PTR impressions and current tier set tuning,  here's our early ranking list on how each tank spec is currently performing going into M+, Raids, and PvP in Season 3:

1. Vengeance Demon Hunter (A Tier)

Vengeance Demon Hunter continues to lead the pack and is shaping up to be the strongest tank in Season 3. Its survivability is unmatched, with excellent self-healing and utility that makes it a reliable choice in nearly every dungeon. The Aldrachi tier set is extremely impactful. The 2-piece bonus alone grants a flat 15% damage increase, and the 4-piece bonus further improves AoE and funnel performance. VDH handles tough encounters like the first boss of Priory of the Sacred Flame and the final section of Ara without outside help, thanks to tools like Grasping Slash and AoE silence. Although tuning changes could hit it before launch, there’s currently no reason to doubt its top-tier status.

2. Guardian Druid (A Tier)

Guardian Druid is performing well with a tier set that improves Lunar Beam uptime and damage via Starsurge procs from Thrash. This makes the spec more dynamic and increases its value in both AoE and single-target scenarios. The main concern is overlap with Moonkin Druids. If Boomkin remains popular in high-end groups, Guardian might get edged out of certain setups. Still, Guardian is durable, brings group utility, and has potential to rise further with small adjustments.

3. Protection Warrior (A Tier)

Protection Warrior is bouncing back in Season 3 after regaining strength through recent tuning and talent changes. Most notably, Fueled by Violence, which heals from bleed effects, has been heavily buffed and now contributes significantly to sustain. The tier set boosts bleed damage, creating strong synergy with this healing mechanic. While the removal of Spell Block makes certain caster-heavy encounters more difficult, Warrior’s damage and durability are both solid. It may not have the best utility, but as far as raw tanking goes, it’s in a strong position.

4. Brewmaster Monk (B Tier)

Brewmaster is doing fairly well, with signs of growing popularity in high Mythic+ keys. The tier set provides high uptime on Wisdom of the Wall thanks to frequent Flurry Strike procs, and the spec has received some minor talent reworks. It still has notable limitations, particularly the lack of an AoE interrupt. This can be a problem in caster-heavy dungeons. However, its steady performance and durability keep it very competitive, and it could move up if tuning shifts slightly in its favor.

5. Blood Death Knight (B Tier)

Blood DK is hurting going into Season 3. Despite having a solid tier set that boosts crit and contributes to parry uptime, the spec has taken a number of hits. Removal of Abomination Limb, a nerf to Death and Decay haste bonuses, and an outdated talent tree make it feel clunky and underpowered. Even with good synergy from the tier set, Blood’s baseline weaknesses—especially in self-sustain and utility, are holding it back. Unless it gets a broader overhaul, it may continue to trail behind other tanks in high-end content.

6. Protection Paladin (C Tier)

Protection Paladin is having a tough time heading into Season 3. Its biggest issue is poor self-sustain, which is especially noticeable in dungeons like Priory of the Sacred Flame, where healing checks are constant. The Lightsmith tier set offers huge AoE damage potential, and early PTR testing even showed it outperforming some DPS specs. However, this comes with a tradeoff, survivability. Paladin struggles in caster-heavy packs and lacks reliable AoE crowd control, making it vulnerable in key situations. Templar spec offers slightly better sustain, but not enough to change the spec’s overall position. Until durability improves, it remains one of the more fragile tank options.

This list is based on early PTR impressions and current tier set tuning. Many tier bonuses and talent interactions still have room for adjustment. As PTR evolves and dungeon testing begins, these rankings may shift. For now, this gives a solid picture of where each spec stands as the new season approaches.