DPS Raid RankingsHealer Raid RankingsTank Raid Rankings
DPS M+ RankingsHealer M+ RankingsTank M+ Rankings
Separated by role in raid and Mythic+, each list ranks specializations based on their survivability, utility, and performance. There are also content-specific factors to consider; most raid groups will have all raid buffs accounted for, but the same cannot be said of Mythic+ where group spots are much more limited. The existence of these buffs also means that specs’ relative values varies with the strength of associated healer and tank specs: if Holy and Discipline Priests aren't thought to be very good, then having a Shadow Priest in the group might become a lot more important. Our list also includes a short description of why each spec has landed in its particular spot.
Using our Mythic+ DPS rankings as an example, we’re defining each tier as follows:
S: These are specs that we expect to dominate the metagame, with groups using these specs massively outnumbering those that don’t.
A: These are great specs that bring fantastic damage profiles for Mythic+ while also providing a healthy combination of utility and survivability. The specs in A tier will be quite popular as second and third DPS options for the entire season.
B: These are good specs that have a minor downside in either the damage, survivability, or utility department. They are typically going to be the second or third best option for the final slot in a DPS composition.
C: These are specs it would be surprising to see in broader dungeon compositions. These specs normally have multiple shortcomings of either survivability, utility, or damage, which keep them from excelling at a higher level.
D: These specs are the toughest to play effectively in dungeons, as even when played very well, they’ll struggle to compete in damage with the top specs. They either have fundamental mechanical problems that make their damage not work well in dungeons, or they suffer from low tuning on the abilities they use in Mythic+.
F: A spec with horrifying weaknesses, which is in immediate need of developer attention and which we’d be surprised to see played in many compositions at all.
Arcane Mage sits right alongside Arms Warrior at the top of the list, and it gets there from a pretty similar direction. Resonance gives the spec terrific funnel. Arcane Barrage scaling with every additional target it hits means your priority damage increases as pull size goes up, which is exactly the profile you want when there's one mob in a pack that has to die on a timer. Layer Touch of the Magi and Arcane Surge together, and Arcane does insane priority damage.
The most common criticism you'll hear is that Arcane is too squishy to compete at the highest key levels. I'm not sure that that is true right now. I suspect healers will have enough tools to be able to keep mage alive given how strong mage is.
The utility case makes itself. Bloodlust is the most contested piece of utility in Mythic+, full stop, and Arcane Intellect is the second of the two raid buffs that look likely to shape composition this season. There's real potential for multiple meta comps to form around who is bringing which raid buff, and Temple of Sethraliss is also an insanely well designed dungeon for Arcane, so expect to shine there.
So please, take a look at our projections and join the discussion! Which specs do you think will be the most valuable in Midnight Season 2?
