WoW Classes
Which One is Right for You?

Which WoW classes you should play is one of the first and most important decisions you'll make when you start playing World of Warcraft.  There are 10 classes, each with their own unique abilities and roles.

So how do you make a decision about which class to play?  Some of you may already have an idea which WoW classes you might like to play from your experiences playing other MMORPG's.  For those of you who have never played another MMORPG or have limited experience with them, making a choice is somewhat harder.

Making a choice is all about play style.  Do you enjoy being in the thick of the action, taking all the damage, and keeping a mobs attention while other players burn him down?  Do you like to heal other players?  Do you enjoy having a pet to keep you company on your adventures?  These questions and many more help determine which WoW classes you might enjoy playing.

Here is an overview of each class that might help you decide which one(s) you'd like to play.

Death Knight

In order to create a Death Knight, you must already have a level 55 or higher character. You also must have one or more open character creation slots, on the server where you wish to create the Death Knight.  You may have one death Knight per account, per server.  Also, you must install and upgrade your account to the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.

Introduced in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, The Death Knight is the first of the hero WoW classes.  Death Knights start at level 55, receive a free mount, through a quest, and can enchant their own weapons through a skill called runeforging.  They wear plate armor and use melee attacks along with ranged frost and shadow spells.  Death Knights can be played as DPS or tank, but unlike other tanks in World of Warcraft, cannot use a shield.

Death Knights use runes and runic power instead of rage or mana.  All their ablilities require the use of runes.  Runes come in three varities: blood, frost and unholy and the Death Knight has 2 of each.  Abilites can use one type of rune or a combination of runes. Once a rune is used it has a 10 second cooldown before it can be used again. When runes are used, runic power is also generated and can be used for special attacks.

Death Knights can also summon ghouls to fight with them for a period of time.  With a talent in the Unholy tree, the ghoul can become a persistent pet, much like a Warlock pet.

Death Knights are an excellent solo class.

Druids

Druids are one of the hybrid WoW classes.  They specialize in nature damage and can shape shift into a bear or cat for damage dealing, a sea lion for faster water travel, and another cat form for faster land travel.  Druids are excellent healers and, with the right talent build, can play a primary healer in a group.

As a druid you'll probably be called upon to be primary healer in a group, as there is always a shortage of healers in game.  If you want to play in groups, but don't like healing in groups, you might want to avoid this class.

Druids are only available to Night Elves and Tauren, so if you have an objection to playing one of those races, you'll have to skip the Druid.

Druids wear leather armor, so they're one of the WoW classes that don't stand up well to direct damage, while in caster form.  Bear form, cat form and the ability to heal, increase survivability.  Druids are a good solo class if you use your forms wisely, but can be very frustrating if you don't.

Hunters

Hunters are one of the DPS WoW classes.  They specialize in ranged damage using bows and guns. They can track enemies and also use a variety of traps against them.  Hunters are the only class that can tame wild beasts to use as pets.  Pets can be used to deal damage, act as a tank, or a little of both.  Hunters also have movement increasing abilities that can effect them and their party members.

Hunters have the ability to dual wield, but melee is not one of their strengths.  So if you like to melee a lot, skip the hunter or be prepared to die a lot.  Hunters can wear cloth, leather and mail (level 40) armor so they can take some damage, but survivability is best when staying at range.

Hunters are one of the very best solo WoW classes.  So if you like to solo a lot, this is a good choice for you.  Hunters are great dps in groups, but expect to multi-task in groups, as you have to control yourself, your pet, and you'll most likely be asked to trap too.  If you're not good at multi-tasking, stay away from the Hunter if you plan to group a lot.

Mages

Mages are one of the DPS WoW classes.  They specialize in ranged magical attacks using fire, ice and arcane damage.  They also have crowd control (CC) abilities.  Mages can do massive damage in a short period of time, so if you like to "nuke" mobs from afar, this is the class for you.  Mages can also use area of effect (AOE) attacks to damage multiple enemies at once.

Mages can conjure food and water for themselves and their allies and give intellect buffs to mana users.  Mages can also travel, using portals, to capital cities and can port allies there also.  Mages are highly sought after for groups due to their massive dps, crowd control, AOE and support abilities.  When grouping, you will most certainly be asked to use your crowd control abilities, so be prepared to keep track of a CC'd mob while also fighting.

Mages can only wear cloth armor and can't heal, so they die quickly when taking direct damage.  Mages are able to solo effectively by using their nuking, AOE and crowd control abilities, but usually have a lot of down time to restore their mana.

Paladins

Paladins are another of the hybrid WoW classes.  They specialize in melee, defense and healing.
Thanks to their ability to wear plate armor, (level 40) to use shields, and their healing ability, Pallys have very high survivability.

Paladins are pretty good at melee, although damage output is rather low compared to other melee classes.  If you play a Pally don't expect to take out mobs quickly.  They solo well, but patience is a virtue when killing mobs with a Pally.

Paladins make excellent back up healers, with the proper talent build, and are sought after by groups for their healing, buffs, in the form of blessings, auras, and ability to resurrect other players.  In groups and end game raids, Pally's are most often called upon to heal and/or off tank, and seldom to be main tank. A protection specced Pally can be a very effective tank if played correctly.

If you're a Horde player, Pallys are only available to Blood Elves, so if you have an objection to playing a Blood Elf, you'll have to skip the Pally.

Paladins are one of the classes that can get a class mount.

Priests

Priests are the primary healers out of all the WoW classes.  They specialize in healing, buffing and resurrecting other players.

Priests can also cast some offensive spells that deal shadow and holy damage.  Priests are the most sought after class in the game.  In groups you will most likely be called on to be the primary healer, so if you don't like to heal in groups, you should consider another class.

In raids, Priests can play a healing or damage dealing role, depending on their talent build, but in most cases, will probably be expected to heal due to the ever present shortage of primary healers in game.

Priests can only wear cloth armor, therefore, they can die quickly when taking direct damage.  In my experience, this is the hardest class to level solo, but finding groups isn't usually a problem if you're wiling to heal.

Rogues

Rogues are another of the DPS WoW classes.  They specialize in melee damage and stealth.  They also have some limited crowd control abilities.

Rogues can deal out massive damage in a short amount of time.  They also have the ability to open locked chests and doors and detect traps.

Rogues wear leather armor, so they can't take a lot of damage, but they can stun an enemy and kill them so quickly that they usually don't take a lot of damage.  Even so, survivability is low if you're on the receiving end of the damage for long.  They have sprint and vanish abilities to help them escape bad situations.

Rogues can solo pretty easily if they learn how best to use their abilities.

Shaman

Shaman are the primary hybrid WoW class.  They specialize in buffs, healing, melee damage and spell damage.

Shaman buffs come in the way of totems they put out.  They can also buff their own weapons.  They can deal direct spell damage to enemies and also use totems to deal out damage.

They make great back up healers with the proper talent build.  They can self resurrect once every 40 minutes, with talents, and can resurrect other players.  Shaman also get a travel form (level 20) that increases their travel speed.

Shaman are also one of the WoW classes good at dealing melee damage and can serve as an off tank or damage dealer in a group.

A Shaman can solo quite easily if they learn how to use their totems, healing and melee abilities effectively.  Shaman can wear mail armor (level 40) and can use shields.

If you're an Alliance player, Shaman are only available to Draenei, so if you have an objection to playing a Draenei, you'll have to skip the Shaman.

For more details on the Shaman Class, see our WoW Shaman Class Guide

Warlocks

Warlocks are the primary damage over time (DOT), and debuffing WoW class.  They also have crowd control abilities and an area of effect (AOE) spell.

Warlocks can summon demons to fight at their side.  They can summon other party members and provide a soulstone to a party member which allows them to resurrect.  They can also provide a healthstone to each party member, which they can use to self heal while in combat.  Warlocks can also soulstone themselves, allowing them to self resurrect once every 30 minutes.

Warlocks can only wear cloth armor, and they can't self heal effectively without certain talents, so it's possible for them to die quickly when taking direct damage.  Even so, Warlocks are an excellent solo class when minions, abilities and talents are used wisely.

Warlocks must also be able to multi-task when playing in groups, laying on DOT's and direct spell damage while managing their minion and possibly a crowd controlled mob.  If you're not good at multi-tasking, you may find the Warlock difficult to play in groups.

Warlocks are one of the WoW classes that can get a class mount.

Warriors

Warriors are the primary tanking WoW class.  Warriors can be played as a DPS class, but tanks are more in demand and Warriors excel at tanking.  Due to their ability to wear plate armor at level 40 and the ability to use shields, Warriors can take lots of damage.

Warriors have skills that draw a mobs attention to them.  They also have battle shouts that act as buffs for them and their allies, and debuffs to enemies.  Warriors also have many melee skills, since close combat is what they specialize in.

If you like being in the thick of the battle, taking damage, as your allies burn the mobs down, then this is the class for you.  In groups you'll most likely be called on to tank. If you plan on grouping a lot and don't like tanking, but like to deal melee damage, you might want to consider a rogue instead.