The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary is coming, so the last months of WoW Classic are the best time to pick a class you want to play in TBC and level up your characters. To help you along, we’ve broken down every class in WoW Classic TBC Anniversary, what they offer for PVE and PVP, and why they should be your next main.
TBC Anniversary Best Classes Key Takeaways:
- Best classes for leveling in TBC Anniversary are Hunter (Beast Mastery), Warlock (Affliction), Mage (Frost), Druid (Feral), and Paladin (Retribution).
- Hunter and Warlock are the strongest all-around classes in TBC Anniversary, offering fast leveling, top-tier DPS, and low downtime.
- Paladin is the best beginner class in The Burning Crusade Anniversary, with easy rotations, strong self-healing, and viable specs for every role.
- All classes are viable in TBC Anniversary, but S-tier specs (Beast Mastery Hunter, Destruction Warlock, Frost, Arcane, Fire Mage, Protection, Holy, Retribution Paladin, Arms, Fury, Protection Warrior, Restoration Shaman) are preferred due to raid demand and group efficiency.
4.9Class Choosing Guide in The Burning Crusade Anniversary
Which class should you play in The Burning Crusade Anniversary? The answer mostly depends on your preferences and needs: some classes and specs show the best results in PvE and leveling, while others shine in PvP. Below you can find a table explaining which class in TBC Anniversary is best for each particular type of content:
| Best For | Classes / Specs |
|---|---|
| Best Classes for Leveling | Hunter (Beast Mastery), Warlock (Affliction, Destruction), Mage (Frost), Druid (Feral DPS), Paladin (Retribution) |
| Best Classes for Solo Leveling | Hunter (Beast Mastery), Warlock (Affliction), Mage (Frost), Druid (Feral DPS) |
| Best Classes for Dungeons | Paladin (Protection), Mage (Frost), Warlock (Destruction), Druid (Feral DPS) |
| Best Classes for Heroic Dungeons | Paladin (Protection), Shaman (Restoration), Druid (Feral DPS), Priest (Holy, Discipline) |
| Best Classes for Raids | Warlock (Destruction), Hunter (Beast Mastery), Mage (Arcane, Fire), Shaman (Restoration, Enhancement), Paladin (Holy, Protection), Priest (Shadow) |
| Best Classes for Beginners | Hunter (Beast Mastery), Paladin (Retribution, Holy), Warlock (Affliction) |
If you already know the spec you want to play, we recommend reading our TBC Anniversary Leveling Guide.
The best classes in TBC can participate in any type of activity, whether solo or group quests, dungeons, or raids. The TBC Starter Pack will help you prepare to start this add-on with the strongest character.
TBC Anniversary Class Tier List
Our overall TBC best classes tier list for WoW Classic Anniversary features all classes and specs based on their average performance in all types of content:
| Tier | Classes / Specs |
|---|---|
| S | Hunter (Beast Mastery), Warlock (Destruction), Mage (Frost, Arcane, Fire), Paladin (Protection, Holy, Retribution), Warrior (Arms, Fury, Protection), Shaman (Restoration) |
| A | Druid (Feral Tank, Restoration), Rogue (Subtlety, Combat, Assassination), Shaman (Enhancement) |
| B | Priest (Discipline, Holy, Shadow), Shaman (Elemental), Druid (Feral DPS) |
| C | Druid (Balance) |
In TBC Anniversary, you can play any class you like, and you will most likely not encounter any problems, even on Tier B classes or lower. However, class choice does play a role in group content — some classes are more popular than others for raids and dungeon groups. Further, we explain the strengths and weaknesses of each class to make it easier for you to pick the best classes in TBC Anniversary.
If you are looking for the best class TBC Anniversary by role, or aim at conquering PvP, check our comprehensive Burning Crusade Anniversary tier lists:
Druid
Feral Tank Druids fall in the A-tier due to their incredibly strong threat generation and the benefit of shifting into Feral form for additional DPS. Feral DPS Druids take their place in the B-tier due to Leader of the Pack and offline healing, though they fall behind other melee spec DPS.
Balance (Moonkin) Druids occupy a unique spot in the utility category, providing Improved Faerie Fire and Moonkin Aura to raids and dungeons, but with reduced damage output. Then there is the addition of rolling HoTs, resurrection, and raid utility in the form of druid restoration. It’s totally worth getting Dungeons Attunements to start the group content right away.
Hunter
Beast Mastery Hunters start in S-tier for raids and leveling, with very strong raid and leveling performance even from tier one. They have a very straightforward rotation, and this build has been called one of the most powerful DPS options with easy rotation.
Survival Hunters will be brought one per raid for their Expose Weakness, but Beast Mastery remains by far and away the top DPS class to this point. The only Marksmanship Hunter build being brought is niche and is rarely seen outside of this continuity series book.
All in all, Hunters with their pet and straightforward gameplay mechanics are one of a kind for solo grinding and resource farming, but their performance in PvP action is average and not exceptional in any aspect, which affects their tier positioning.
Mage
Mages are still well-rounded casters with S-tier play. Arcane Mage is the raid spec of choice because of how much damage they output in a short amount of time. However, it is incredibly mana-hungry and needs the help of Shadow Priests and Druids.
Fire Mage becomes viable later on in the expansion, while Frost Mage is strictly a PvP/Control spec with little use in raiding. Mages level up extremely fast with AoE farming and have the useful spells Polymorphing and portals. They are A- to S-tier raiding casters depending on the spec.
Paladin
In the Burning Crusade Anniversary, Paladins are considered S-tier in every role:
- The Protection Paladin is considered the best at AoE, offering great threat and sustain, and thus finds usage in heroics and raids for these reasons alone.
- Holy Paladin is the best tank healer, offering excellent solo and group utility.
- Retribution improves its consistency by twisting seals and using Crusader Strike; despite lacking the highest DPS, the refresh of its Judgement and party buffs of damage and crit rates warrant raid locking.
Paladins are the best class for beginners in the Burning Crusade Anniversary to pick up due to easy-to-handle rotations and the availability of self-healing. Also, they have a unique Paladin Epic Mount to add to your collection.
Priest
Priest ranks in the B-tier in TBC Anniversary due to their performance, but it is a necessary class. Shadow Priest is a must-have spec in a raid, not for its AoE, but for the Vampiric Touch and Misery debuffs. Those provide the return of mana and a positive impact on spell hit chance — their primary function is to recharge mana.
Holy and Discipline Priest healing kits vary. Holy Priest focuses on healing a raid with Circle of Healing, while Discipline Priest mitigates damage and is more desirable in PvP combat.
Rogue
Rogues are A-tier in the game, but A-tier when it comes to PvP. Raid specs include only Combat, and they perform adequately at single-target damage, with Improved Expose Armor, but lack in raid competition.
Although they manage poorly in the raid competition, they do quite well in the arenas. Rogues excel in controlled and burst damage applications. Combat Rogues can be played quite easily but require good gear for effective gameplay. Subtlety Rogues, in their turn, are wonderful damage dealers and are welcome in any content, be it dungeons or Karazhan raid.
Shaman
Shamans are invaluable PvE hybrids. Restoration Shamans are the backbone of most raids, providing Chain Heal, Mana Tide, and the necessary totems; most raids will run multiple shamans to handle all groups.
Enhancement Shaman is the best melee support spec; Windfury Totem and Unleashed Rage will increase physical DPS by as much as 30%. Elemental Shaman has Totem of Wrath and Bloodlust, but is inferior to all other DPS classes and is therefore B-tier. Although Bloodlust is raid-wide, this has done little to reduce the high demand for Shamans in PvE and PvP.
Warlock
Destruction Warlocks are at the top of the DPS lists. They scale very well, have strong self-sustain with Life Tap, and have strong AoE with Seed of Corruption. Because of this, there are usually several warlocks in raids.
Affliction Warlocks have good debuffs, although they are not as common, and Demonology is the least represented specialization. Warlocks are good at leveling and have strong PvP. Their gameplay is also very simple, and the outstanding Warlock Epic Mount is a cherry on top of all their benefits.
Warrior
Warriors transition from the dominant role that Classic provided to the A-tier rank with TBC Anniversary.
- Fury Warriors are extremely gear-dependent and poor early on, with good later scaling.
- Arms Warriors have a great bleed debuff, albeit with low damage compared to the rest of the DPS classes.
- Protection Warrior is still a good tank, though it faces competition from Paladins and Druids, and its AoE threat is lacking, as it is also incredibly gear-dependent.
Warriors remain good for PvP with great burst and control, though they are no longer the most dominant for raid and DPS roles.
Best Class for Beginners in The Burning Crusade Anniversary
In TBC Anniversary, there are five beginner-friendly classes: Hunter, Warlock, Paladin, Druid, and Mage. These classes, paired with BiS Gear, are the best for players who are new to TBC Anniversary or WoW Classic in general. You won’t even notice how quickly you master rotation and basic skills, and you’ll feel confident playing these classes.
| Class | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Hunter (Beast Mastery) | Hunter is one of the most powerful DPS classes thanks to its simple rotation. The Beast Mastery Hunter’s rotation revolves around using your pets for tanking. The Hunter is also very easy to level with, thanks to the beast tanking for you. |
| Warlock (Destruction/Affliction) | Easiest DPS for novice players due to a very simple gameplay and rotation. Additionally, Warlocks enjoy strong self‑sustain (Life Tap, Drain Life), powerful pets, and top‑tier damage. |
| Paladin (Holy/Protection/Retribution) | Paladin offers very beginner‑friendly leveling & group utility. Also, Paladins are highly desirable in raid groups for their buffs, have mana‑efficient healing, and their leveling playstyle is simple. |
| Druid (Feral/Restoration) | Shape‑shifting allows Druids to tank, DPS, or heal without visiting trainers, and they bring unique tools like combat resurrection. Feral Druids can farm or quest efficiently, while Restoration Druids are highly valued in PvP. |
| Mage (Frost/Arcane/Fire) | Mages can conjure food and water, create portals for travel, and offer crowd control via Polymorph. Additionally, the Frost spec has a straightforward rotation and great control in PvP. |
Best Class for Leveling in The Burning Crusade Anniversary
The best class for leveling in TBS Anniversary should have a good arsenal of skills that allow you to quickly and efficiently gather and kill mobs, or pass dungeons faster than others. Also, specs that are good in TBC Leveling often turn out to be top-tier options in the endgame content.
| Class / Spec | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Warlock (Affliction/Demonology) | Updated talents make Warlock top-tier for levels 1–60. Summoned pets take the aggro, while Drain Life and Healthstones allow you to keep going almost non-stop. In addition, Warlock remains strong in dungeons and AoE fights. |
| Hunter (Beast Mastery) | The pet tanks mobs, and the entire rotation is very simple. In the pre-patch, the BM spec provides fast mob kills with minimal downtime. Traps and Feign Death help control situations and avoid death. |
| Paladin (Retribution/Protection) | Retribution spec gets new abilities and good damage, while Protection Paladin is the best AoE tank for dungeons. Paladin’s leveling is simple and forgiving of mistakes, although it may seem slow. |
| Druid (Feral Combat) | Feral druids deal heavy damage in close combat and survive battles easily. Shapeshifting allows you to change roles without meditating; they also have self-healing (Rejuvenation, Regrowth), the resilience of Bear Form, and the speed of Travel Form. |
| Shaman (Enhancement/Elemental) | New talents give Enhancement and Elemental Shamans powerful damage at early levels, so they are good solo questers. Shamans can heal themselves with Healing Wave, move quickly with Ghost Wolf, and change roles. |
Best Classes and Specs to Play in The Burning Crusade Classic FAQ
Here we have gathered all the most frequent questions related to the Burning Crusade best classes. We have answered them all for your convenience.
What’s the Best Class to Play in TBC Anniversary?
Hunters and Warlocks are WoW Classic TBC best classes due to their unmatched DPS, utility, and overall class performance. Mages, Paladins, and Warlocks are also strong options that are welcome in raids and dungeons.
What’s the Best Class for Beginners in TBC Anniversary?
If you are new to the Burning Crusade Anniversary, Hunter, Warlock, Paladin, Druid, and Mage are the most beginner-friendly classes. Their rotation is relatively easy to master, while their performance remains on top.
What Class to Play in The Burning Crusade Anniversary?
The choice of class in TBK Anniversary depends on your plans for the game and your skill level. Some classes, such as Mages and Warlocks, are very suitable for raids, while Hunters and Paladins are excellent at dungeons. In PvP, the meta changes, and strong PvE options may take a back seat.
4.9Now that you know the best classes and specs to play in The Burning Crusade Classic, you are fully prepared to start the new Anniversary journey. Remember to choose the best TBC class based on your needs and preferences, and the type of content you want to complete. If you are a beginner, look for the most reliable beginner frienldy options from our list.
