We all know that MMOs ultimately come down to cooperation and teamwork to clear endgame challenges such as raids and high-end PvP. However, some days, we just want to go at it alone and see what challenges we can take on ourselves.
Today, we’re going to take a look at which classes and specializations have the easiest time going solo in World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, Shadowlands.
Ready to check out the WoW best solo classes? Let’s get started!
The Best Solo Classes for WoW: Shadowlands
As a disclaimer, this list is just our take on the WoW best class for solo play — you might find yourself preferring another specialization for solo play. If you’re unsure where to begin, WoW‘s trial character feature is a great way to test out some of the specs before committing to a character. Above all else, don’t forget that the most important part is having fun with the character you play!
You’ll notice that most of the tank specializations are on the list, as they’re a very safe pick due to their survivability. You might not be killing everything as quickly, but you’re certainly going to come out alive. Since healer specializations tend to be reliant on other players, we didn’t include many of them on the list. For DPS, we focused on the specializations with either a follower to hold aggro or high-burst play to end the fight quickly and maximize your survival.
10. Guardian Druid (Tank)
Everyone has a plan until they fight a bear.
You’re a goddamn bear — what else is there to say? With powerful damage mitigation and plenty of passive regeneration, Guardian Druids can easily tackle most challenges solo while bleeding out their enemies with a steady series of DoTs. As you mangle your enemies and get mauled in return, you’ll generate rage, allowing you to keep up your defensives and outlast any threat with self-heals. All that fur, fat, and muscle isn’t just for show — it makes the Guardian Druid one of the WoW best solo classes around!
- Strengths
- Near 100% uptime on your main damage mitigator Ironfur
- Other defensive abilities can neutralize enemy burst damage into manageable amounts
- High amounts of self-regeneration from passives with even more emergency heals
- Utility from other animal forms, such as stealth and instant mount speed.
9. Blood Death Knight (Tank)
Give your blood in service, for I can not.
As the undead juggernauts of Azeroth, Blood Death Knights have a different answer to each situation, all while striking back to restore the damage they’ve sustained. Blood Death Knights must manage their vast arsenal of defensives, drastically increase their parry, duplicate ability effects, and handle magical immunities to actively mitigate damage instead of relying on passive bonuses.
Tanking as a Blood Death Knight is a precarious juggling act, but the amount of enemy blood they spill will ensure they do not fall to death once more.
- Strengths
- Powerful self-sustain and damage rolled into one class
- A defensive answer for any situation such as Anti-Magic Shell, Vampiric Blood, or Icebound Fortitude
- One of the few specializations with any form of immunity (and they have three!)
- Incredibly useful repositioning of enemies with Gorefiend’s Grasp
8. Discipline Priest (Healer)
Atonement is a… painful process for some.
Discipline Priests are the odd one out as the only healer spec on this list of WoW best solo classes. However, as their healing is directly tied to the amount of damage they put out, Discipline Priests are surprisingly effective killers while remaining topped off on HP.
Their playstyle revolves around shielding themselves with Power Word: Shield while chipping away their enemies with a steady stream of spells or popping cooldowns such as Schism and Mind Blasting away the target’s health bar. It’s a simple but effective strategy, as most enemies won’t be able to break through the shield before dying. That or the damage they manage to deal will be negated by the healing you receive from fighting. In this case, the best medicine is pain.
- Strengths
- Strong single target and solid AoE damage all heal you
- Simple and effective rotation
- Constant shields and self-sustain
- Focused on negating damage before it can even happen
7. Windwalker Monk (DPS)
Strike once but a hundred times.
Let’s be frank, there’s a LOT of butt to kick in WoW, and few classes can do it as quickly and efficiently as Windwalker Monks. With a strong focus on AoE and rapid attacks, Windwalker Monks find themselves moving from one ability to the next as they manage their energy bar to generate chi for devastating blows. Using your strong mobility and counterattacks, you will constantly find yourself pummeling your enemies with a relentless slew of abilities.
- Strengths
- Strong abilities for both single-target and AoE situations
- High burst combinations and counters to punish hard-hitting enemies
- Multiple movement abilities such as Roll, Flying Serpent Kick, and Tiger’s Lust to keep up or away
- Access to opportunities to heal up and get back in the fight
6. Frost Mage (DPS)
I put a rock in that snowball.
The masters of controlling the battlefield, Frost Mages find themselves with a tool for every situation. With the bulk of their spells slowing their foes’ movements, it becomes simple for frost mages to maintain a constant distance between themselves and the enemy.
Whenever you proc your passives Brain Freeze or Fingers of Frost, you’ll find yourself with a window to burst down your enemies with a flurry of instant-cast spells. Should an enemy actually reach you, you can easily snare them in place and distance yourself to begin the cycle of pain anew. Your enemies’ blood will turn cold in more ways than one when they see you.
- Strengths
- Amazing single target and AoE crowd control abilities such as Cone of Cold or Frost Nova
- Plenty of opportunities for combos to deal massive burst damage
- Can summon a water elemental to tank for them
- Fantastic movement utility from Slow Fall, Blink, and Teleport spells. Also, infinite mage food!
5. Vengeance Demon Hunter (Tank)
Not even your death will sate my vengeance.
In pursuit of your enemies or strategic retreat, the Vengeance Demon Hunter is the most mobile of all the tanks. As one of the two specializations that heal based on the amount of damage they take, Vengeance Demon Hunters revolve around creating and absorbing Soul Fragments from their enemies to regenerate. No matter how much damage you take, you will not fall until you strike back and show your enemies what true vengeance is.
- Strengths
- Powerful and low cooldown abilities
- Unparalleled mobility and kiting potential
- Consistent healing during combat
- Being on the brink of death is just a minor setback
4. Subtlety Rogue (DPS)
From the shadows we watch, we judge, we execute.
As the very definition of stealth, the Subtlety Rogue excels at isolating a target and bursting it down before other enemies can react. With Subtlety Rogues’ unique ability Shadow Dance, they can access their powerful stealth-based abilities throughout the fight, bypassing armor and eviscerating targets left and right before vanishing from the fight to do it all again.
- Strengths
- Able to choose when to pick a fight with stealth
- Very strong burst damage windows with attacks bypassing a percentage of armor
- Able to set up multiple crowd controls with Sap, Blind, and stuns
- Vanish, Cloak of Shadows, and Sprint allow escape from a majority of encounters
3. Balance Druid (DPS)
Your life balances on a whim.
Unlike a typical eclipse, which is only dangerous if you stare at it, the Balance Druid’s eclipse will melt through your enemies with the might of mother nature. Balance Druids maintain a balance (shocking, I know!) between a solar and lunar state to empower their abilities. During this transition, enemies will find themselves either melting from single-target nukes or being bombarded in a massive area by a rain of stars. As one of the WoW best solo classes, enemies of balance, beware!
- Strengths
- One of the highest single-target burst windows in the game with Celestial Alignment
- Excellent target swapping by pooling Starsurge
- Incredible long-term sustained AoE damage for your farming needs
- Utility from other animal forms, such as stealth and instant mount speed.
2. Beast Mastery Hunter (DPS)
We hunt as one!
As its name suggests, the Beast Mastery Hunter revolves around empowering and utilizing your pets to do the bulk of fighting for you. With the unique ability to have two hunter pets, Beast Mastery Hunters further distinguish themselves as being the only specialization that can do all of its damage while moving. Commanding their pets to maul the enemy while poisoning and bleeding their targets, Beast Mastery Hunters prove that the only thing you need is yourself and your loyal animal companions.
- Strengths
- Safest DPS specialization as pets will tank for you and can be actively healed
- Good single target damage with excellent AoE cleave options
- The ability to constantly move allows dodging while suffering no loss in damage
- Pet utility options and survival abilities like Feign Death or Aspect of the Turtle make surviving easy
1. Protection Paladin (Tank)
The Light guides me onwards; not even death can impede me.
The best soloing class in WoW? It may just be the Protection Paladin.
With the Light at their beck and call, Protection Paladins charge forth into battle with no hesitation, calling upon their faith to guard and sustain them. Striking your foes with your abilities will generate holy power, allowing you to repeatedly empower your defenses with Shield of the Righteous or maintain your health with Word of Glory. Furthermore, your auras provide persistent buffs while Consecration provides a defensive refuge for you.
Additionally, as a Protection Paladin, you are unaffected by the AoE cap, which means you can hit everything within your abilities’ radius, turning you into the deadliest AoE tank in the game. As long as your faith never waivers, all your enemies shall fear the Light’s protection.
- Strengths
- Strongest AoE presence of all the tanks
- Self-healing is insane at higher gear levels
- Powerful auras for defensive and utility purposes
- Immunities and get-out-of-jail abilities are useful no matter what situation
High Ground View
That’s it for our guide on the WoW best solo classes ranked! It’s a dangerous afterlife out there in the Shadowlands, but fortune favors the prepared. Always keep yourself up to date on the latest news here at High Ground Gaming — see you in the next guide, Maw Walkers.
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Very informative article!
Good stuff. The affliction warlock deserves a spot IMO. They require some keyboard magic but not any worse than some others that were listed. Also the voidwalker is just fine for tanking with your health funnel for bad situations
Affliction warlock. Decent DPS with a private tank.
Any warlock spec and Voidwalker. Blueberry for the win.
Fun article. Demonology warlock is my pick after trying many of the classes you suggested.
Great pick! Especially since Demonology warlock is currently considered the strongest range DPS in Dragonflight! We hope you find fun and success with it!