With the launch of World of Warcraft Dragonflight, all classes have undergone a significant amount change due to the re-introduction of the Talent Tree system. Classes that came out after Talent Trees had been removed, like Demon Hunter, were especially changed due to the need to fill out two whole trees. Even so, with all the reworks and changes done, there are some class and specs that simply do not make the meta cut for many different reasons. Here are our seven worst classes in WoW Dragonflight.
The Worst Classes in World of Warcraft Dragonflight
As quick disclaimer, the classes on this list are not necessarily terrible or even weak. They just have major flaws that keep them out of the meta. The listed classes are not in any particular order.
1. Fire Mage
As fun as it is to play as a Fire Mage, the damage output leaves a lot to be desired for the effort put in. The spec relies heavily upon cooldowns to deal significant damage and RNG (random number generation) to proc said damage. It is a stat-hungry spec that requires amazing gear to do average-level damage. In almost every patch since the release of Dragonflight, Fire Mage has gotten small buffs for good reason, but they have not changed the spec's trajectory just yet.
2. Discipline Priest
In general, Priests are not all that amazing in WoW Dragonflight, and even after receiving quite a few buffs, Discipline still falls short of the viable line clearly drawn in the sand. On top of the fact that some Mythic+ mechanics completely destroy the viability of shielding as a means of mitigation, Discipline also suffers from having to deal damage to properly heal in high-mobility encounters. Unfortunately for the class spec combo, these are common in Dragonflight. Due to these restraints, the spec just doesn't hold a candle to most of the WoW healing cast.
3. Resto Shaman
As just mentioned, Dragonflight encounters tend to favor high mobility over stopping to cast, and unfortunately, Resto Shaman suffers as a result. Without Spirtwalker's Grace, Resto almost always has to hunker down to heal. On top of this, Chain Heal, one of Resto Shaman's most unique healing abilities, feels oddly weak to cast. It is rarely worth the time to do so due to the high amounts of damage going out in Dragonflight's endgame content.
4. Survival Hunter
We have a Survival Hunter in our raid group that deals a large amount of damage, and even he agrees that his class suffers from major issues that make it one of the weakest. Survivability is, ironically, one of Survival Hunter's greatest faults. It lacks in survival cooldowns, as other DPS classes tend to have much more than they do. On top of that, Survival has a very strange playstyle that involves weaving in and out of melee range. This can get the class into trouble real quick if the player doesn't know what they're doing. Finally, like Fire Mage, it can deal decent damage, but the effort-to-reward ratio is very much off.
Related: How to get the Elemental Lariat in WoW Dragonflight
5. Retribution Paladin
Retribution Paladins actually deal pretty solid DPS, but that's not why they're on this list. The reality is that playing a Ret Pally is a massive chore due to their obnoxious button bloat, poorly organized talent tree, and over-reliance on burst damage. Ret Pallies often have to pick between talents that either aid themselves or support their team. This is not something you see in practically any other class in Dragonflight, and is why Activision Blizzard has recently announced a total rework of the spec.
6. Brewmaster Monk
Brewmaster Monks are unique to play in that their Stagger mechanic is not found on any other tank in WoW. Mechanically, Stagger is an interesting concept, but because it exists, Brewmasters tend to have much worse mitigation overall. This makes the spec one of the worst tanks you can take into any high-level endgame content in Dragonflight. Practically every other tank is better than a Brewmaster, which is a real shame. A tank should not have survivability and self-restoration issues to the degree that Brewmaster does.
7. Frost Death Knight
As a DPS, Frost Death Knights suffer from many different issues. The class actually deals solid damage, but it relies so heavily upon cooldowns that it is often suffering to play it. Obliteration, for example, ties almost all of your big meaty two-handed blows to a brief window buff that has a one-minute cooldown. Outside of this window, the spec's damage is pathetic, which really shouldn't be the case. It feels arbitrary just to be arbitrary, which perfectly describes the state of the Frost DK. The spec also suffers from a lack of AoE (Area of Effect) effectiveness that even its sister spec, the Unholy DK, has no problem with.
For more quality guide and information relating to WoW Dragonflight, check out our guides on Where to find the Mage Tower in WoW Dragonflight and All Mage Tower Challenges in WoW Dragonflight right here on Pro Game Guides.
Darrus is a creative-minded individual with a passion for all things gaming. As a seasoned Game Guide writer that has been writing for the past 10+ years, and an active Narrative Designer for 5, he charges headfirst into the line of fire, taking on anything the industry has to offer him. The RPG genre is his home base.