The Best DPS To Take Into World of Warcraft: Dragonflight (2023)

The meta has been settling down recently, so we want to update our tier list for the best DPS in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

We’ll be looking over data from Warcraft Logs to analyze which classes and specs are performing in raid and Mythic+ dungeon content. 

This best Dragonflight DPS tier list is up to date as of January 10th, 2023. 

Dragonflight DPS S Tier

Arcane Mage

We should put a disclaimer here, as Arcane Mage isn’t the most accessible spec to play. If you can master its rotation, you’ll unblock the absolute best DPS spec in Dragonflight. 

Outlaw Rogue

It’s a great time to be a rogue. Outlaw continues to be one of the best performing specs in Dragonflight right now.

While Outlaw features a high skill ceiling to maximize its potential, strong players can reap the rewards. As one of the biggest benefactors of the new talent system, Outlaw players can combine their impressive single-target damage output with a remarkable utility toolkit. They excel in either raid or dungeon content. 

Windwalker Monk

The Windwalker Monk spec has been in our top five since pre-patch. It continues to dominate, particularly in a Mythic+ or multi-target environment. It’s starting to slip a bit in single-target scenarios, but we’re comfortable keeping it in the S-Tier for now.  

Dragonflight DPS A Tier

Marksmanship Hunters

Quite possibly the biggest mover up on our DPS tier list for Dragonflight. 

Marksmanship Hunters may lack utility and survivability, but they make up for it by dishing out incredible damage. Their one of the best AOE specs in the game. Additionally, they’re able to hold their own in single-target environments. 

Balance Druid

Oh, how the mighty have…risen back up. 

The “doom and gloom” period for Boomkin is over. Balance Druids are back to the top of the damage meters. While they aren’t at their Shadowlands level of output, they’re still capable of top-tier damage. Their utility is just the icing on the cake.  

Subtlety Rogue

Honestly, I thought long and hard about where to put Sub Rogues on our Dragonflight DPS tier list. Ultimately, they belong in the A-tier. They’re outperformed by other specs but can easily hold their own. 

Havoc Demon Hunter

It’s been an up-and-down expansion so far for Havoc Demon Hunters. They ranked near the bottom of our pre-patch top-ten rankings for best Dragonflight DPS. Once we landed in the Dragon Isles, that all changed; they were early contenders for an “S+ tier.” Things have normalized as we head into the 10.5 balancing update. They’re not entirely busted, but they’re still very good. 

Enhancement Shaman

Enhancement Shamans continue to be on the cusp of being a top-tier Dragonflight DPS. Their damage profile is excellent in both Vault of the Incarnates and Mythic+. Additionally, being able to bring Bloodlust/Heroism, even if other classes can bring it, is always a plus.

Will they top the meters? No, but they’ll come pretty darn close. 

Unholy Death Knight

Classic Wrath of the Lich King isn’t the only place Unholy DKs can shine. Their survivability and utility are impressive. It seems as well that we underestimated their damage. According to Warcraft logs, they’re the second-best-performing DPS spec in Vault of the Incarnates. While they’re closer to the middle of the pack in Mythic+, they’re still doing quite well. 

Dragonflight DPS B Tier 

Demonology Warlock

Sadly for Warlock fans, Demonology has done nothing but slide down our DPS tier list. This is because other classes are scaling at a far superior rate.

Still, their utility outside of pure damage is always welcome in your group composition. Healthstone, Soulstone, Demonic Gateway, and Shadowfury will always be valuable, even if they’re often taken for granted.

Devastation Evoker

The new kids on the block, Devastation Evokers, bring Bloodlust and an impressive damage output. They also offer a surprising amount of utility to the table, making them worthy of any and all spots in raids or Mythic + composition.

So what’s holding them back from being one of the best DPS options for Dragonflight? Their survivability. The key to performing well as an Evoker will be ensuring you stay mobile and agile. 

Beast Mastery Hunter

The only thing that holds back Beast Mastery is their lack of utility. While they bring a Bloodlust to the table, that’s about it in terms of usefulness. 

Mobility outshines survivability in this spec, so make sure you’re smart and on your toes. If you can stay alive, you’ll be rewarded with an impressive amount of sustained DPS. Just don’t expect to top the charts or do insane burst. 

Remember that if you want to unlock this spec’s true potential, you better complete your tier-set bonuses. 

Assassination Rogue

In raid, Assassination Rogue is one of the best DPS specs in Dragonflight. It’s capable of topping the damage meters and packs a serious punch. Outside of raids, however, it’s a much different story.

Assassination will struggle in Mythic + due to the nature of the spec. Outlaw and Subtlety are just better options. The only reason to run Assassination is you really, really enjoy the playstyle. 

Because of this, we place the spec in the B tier. 

Best Dragonflight DPS C Tier

Arms Warrior

Performing well in both single target and AOE scenarios, Arms Warriors have one fatal flaw: they can’t do both simultaneously.

The talent setup for Arms means you have to put your eggs all into one basket. As a result, the spec suffers. Its lack of flexibility drops it to the C Tier. 

Fury Warrior

A sleeper pick, Fury Warriors are more than capable DPSers in Dragonflight. The only thing that holds them back is their reliance on cooldowns. Proper management can help them overcome this, though.

Between their AOE damage, self-healing, and burst, you’ll never be upset to see them in a group. Just make sure you don’t make them the top DPS spec. 

Shadow Priest

The definition of “good, not great” Shadow Priest is more than capable of being a viable option on Mythic + and raid teams. 

Priest is a class with an impressive utility toolkit, but the raw damage isn’t there to keep up with better specs. 

Retribution Paladin

The biggest change for Ret Paladins in Dragonflight is the addition of a battle rez for the class. Paladins have always thrived on utility, and this is yet another feather in their cap.

Damage wise, Retribution performs solid enough and will excel in certain circumstances. Their bust and AOE are fantastic, but the single target falls behind. They’re also dependent on whether or not the tank has to kite the group of enemies. 

Affliction Warlock

The cream of the crop during Dragonflight pre-patch, Affliction has fallen back to the middle of the pack. It can’t come close to matching Demonology’s damage, but it’s more than capable of doing well.

Warlocks will always have solid utility, and that good enough damage profile keeps Affliction from falling below the B Tier. 

Frost Death Knight

If there’s one spec just waiting for buffs to become a top Dragonflight DPS option, it’s Frost Death Knight.

DKs already boast an impressive amount of utility and survivability. The only thing that’s lacking with Frost is the damage output. You’ll do more than fine damage as Frost, but there are better options if you’re looking to min-max.  

Fire Mage

While Fire Mage plays similarly to how it did in Shadowlands, the nerf to Ignite is just too much to overcome.

The new Dragonflight talent system is a breath of fresh air for the class, allowing it to access class abilities it couldn’t utilize before. But, sadly, we can’t ignore that Ignite nerf. 

Elemental Shaman

Capable of anything, Elemental Shamans seem like a viable DPS option. They’re not going to excel at anything, however. Enhancement is the preferred DPS spec in the class, other range DPSers with Bloodlust are a better option, and others outmatch their utility.

The spec isn’t the most engaging to play, either. Simply put, there are better options out there. 

Feral Druid

Feral Druids were on the top of the world in the pre-patch. They were one of the best Dragonflight DPS options at level 60. 

It’s a much different story at level 70, however. While they’re solid tanks, they’re not the greatest melee DPS option. They perform well in keys but are bottom-tier in raids. 

Frost Mage

One of the best burst DPS specs in Dragonflight is Frost Mage. Additionally, it’s capable of dishing out solid AOE. Beyond that, however, there’s not much else going on.

Sadly, there are far better options for ranged, casters, and even Mage specs.  

Best Dragonflight DPS D Tier

Survival Hunter

One of the most significant issues with Survival Hunter is the spec feels confused. It’s a melee spec for a class that is otherwise ranged. Furthermore, its play style isn’t fun and, at times, frustrating to experience.

It also suffers from the same Hunter problem of offering little to no utility.

Destruction Warlock

One thing that helps keep other Warlock specs, particularly Demonology, is their ability to put out damage to overcome the class’ shortcomings.

Destruction is incapable of doing that. While it’s comparable, at best, to Demo in single target scenarios, its AOE/cleave is not good. 

Original pre-patch rankings below.

Dragonflight Pre-Patch DPS Rankings

The newest World of Warcraft expansion is here, and people want to know the best DPS for Dragonflight. We’ve analyzed some data and came back with the highest performing classes at the end of the 10.0 pre-patch. 

The Beta and Public Test Realm have allowed many players to see what classes and DPS specifications are the most powerful going into Dragonflight. This lets everyone see whether their current main will be strong going into the new expansion. If not, it allows players to reroll their character and find a new main.

There have been a lot of changes for the upcoming expansion. Talent trees have seen a complete rework, which will certainly affect how classes perform through raids and mythic dungeons. 

Here are the top 10 DPS classes for Dragonflight. In this list, we will be ranking from worst to best DPS. We are using Warcraft Logs to see how the DPS classes perform in the pre-patch rankings. A chart detailing how every DPS class performs is available below. We’ll go into further detail talking about the top 10. 

10 – Retribution Paladin

Retribution Paladin hasn’t changed much from World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. Some old talents are returning, such as Divine Toll and Final Reckoning, which will make many players happy. A chance to experiment with these new talents makes the spec enjoyable.

To succeed in playing Ret Paladin, using Crusade is a must. Looking at the logs, they have dropped ever so slightly but are still a very strong contender for top DPS to take into World of Warcraft: Dragonflight. 

9 – Havoc Demon Hunter

Havoc Demon Hunter is powerful at the moment but dropped about five places down the list. They have been a very strong class since World of Warcraft: Legion and have always been a viable pick for DPS. Going into Dragonflight, Havoc DH will be a significantly different spec.

Different build styles for single-target DPS and multiple-target DPS will exist, resulting in your builds and rotation being very dependent on what kind of build you want. Because of this, your damage output will depend on your build and whether it meshes with each encounter. 

8 – Demonology Warlock

Demonology Warlock is a tricky spec to play, but for those that do play it, they’ll be happy to know that the playstyle from Shadowlands to pre-patch hasn’t fundamentally changed. While tier set bonuses aren’t available, they are now available as talents, such as Ripped Through The Portal and Imp Gang Boss.

Luckily, due to the new playstyles available through the talent options, Demonology Warlock has become a more versatile class. They are tankier than ever and can do AoE or single target damage based on what talents they choose, such as Demonic Inspiration, Fel Sunder and Infernal Command.

7 – Arcane Mage

For the first time in a long time, Arcane Mages are one of the top damage dealers to take into World Of Warcraft: Dragonflight. They are scaling the damage charts and are performing very well in Shadowlands raids.

In pre-patch, they are using Kyrian conduits to overpower themselves, and they have the potential to be very successful in Dragonflight with talents such as Enlightened and Reverberate, which will allow abilities such as Arcane Missiles to do way more damage in the long run. 

6 – Windwalker Monk

Windwalker Monk is a very strong contestant in the DPS round-up for the strongest class, as they tend to migrate near the top. Although, they have fluctuated from the top and dropped a couple of places.

Windwalker Monk may be a difficult class to play for some as now every button press matters, and you have to press those buttons faster than before, which may come as a challenge, especially when the main role is to balance the caps of Chi and Energy. 

5 – Unholy Death Knight

Next on our list of top 10 DPS to bring into Dragonflight, we’re double dipping with the Death Knight class. 

Unholy Death Knight has jumped up quite a few places from last week. The core identity of Unholy Death Knight remains the same, which will please many players. Going into pre-patch, it’s about expending runes with Festering Strike and Scourge Strike while also maintaining Festering Wounds.

There are other core abilities to keep on top of, such as Epidemic and Death Coil. Unholy Death Knight works best with single-target enemies and can have a tremendous amount of burst damage.

4 – Frost Death Knight

Frost Death Knight has gone up the charts a bit, so if you play this class, you may be in luck for having high DPS going into the next expansion. If you like doing AoE damage, this will be the expansion for you.

New affixes are going into the expansion, such as Motes Fated Affix, which, combined with abilities such as Breath of Sindragosa, Rime, and Remorseless Winter, give you the perfect opportunity to do immense amounts of cleave damage. 

3 – Beast Mastery Hunter

Beast Mastery Hunter has always been a solid pick, especially for those who don’t know what to play or are new to the game but want to do a lot of damage. It’s one of the easier specs to play, but it can still dish out serious damage. If newer players are looking for a solid option on our list of top 10 DPS for Dragonflight, BM Hunter is a great place to start. 

While the core of BM Hunter hasn’t changed, there are a couple of new abilities you can mix and match within pre-patch to get that extra damage, such as Alpha Predator to combine with War Orders. The pre-patch update offers exciting changes for hunter players, as the new talents help boost any lacking damage.

2 – Balance Druid

At the moment, Balance Druid is one of the top damage dealers to take into Dragonflight because of their buffs and damage-boosting spells like Convoke the Spirits in conjunction with Ravenous Energy.

Logs indicate that a Balance Druid’s damage spikes earliest in a battle. Since the pre-patch fights are relatively short, there’s no window for them to fall off, propelling them to the top of the DPS meters. Since last week, their damage has gone up and up, so be on the lookout for all those potential Moonkin players!

Fights will get longer in Dragonflight, but I still expect Balance Druids to perform quite well. 

1 – Affliction Warlock

Affliction Warlock remains at the top of the DPS to take into World of Warcraft: Dragonflight. They have a wide population pool, but not as big as other DPS classes.

Affliction Warlock is a difficult spec to play, but once mastered, there is a lot of damage to be dealt in single-target and AoE settings with abilities like Agony and Unstable Affliction. With pre-patch conduits being active, Decimating Bolt or Soul Rot are very powerful choices that allow Affliction Warlocks to have a lot of damage.

Going into Dragonflight, they have fun and powerful choices such as Soul Flame and Grim Reach.

Wrapping up Our List of Top 10 DPS To Bring Into Dragonflight by Tier

Overall, there are a lot of powerful classes to take into World of Warcraft: Dragonflight that aren’t even covered on this list. These are some great choices you may already be maining or considering rerolling into.

If you haven’t given them a try, pre-patch is the perfect chance to give them a shot and see if they may be your opportunity to do maximum DPS in Dragonflight.