The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Best Classes

A complete The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary best classes tier list ranking DPS, Tanks, and Healers classes and specs in both PvP and PvE content.

The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary brings players back into one of the most iconic eras in World of Warcraft’s history. This guide breaks down the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary best classes based on real performance from TBC Classic logs, historical meta trends, and scaling behavior across all phases. This tier list also takes into account how classes evolve across content tiers, where certain specs spike in power.

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How Our TBC Classic Anniversary Rankings Work

The rankings in this guide are informed by data and performance trends from Burning Crusade Classic in 2021–2022, including raid logs, class phase progression behavior, and meta compositions across both PvE and Arena. This gives us a reliable preview of what to expect in Anniversary unless Blizzard implements major systemic changes. Several key factors influenced our TBC Classic Anniversary rankings:

  • Late-game performance and efficient phase scaling 

  • Contribution to raid utility and group buffs

  • Single-target and cleave output across encounters

  • Arena strength and Season 1 through Season 4 trends

A spec that starts slow but becomes dominant later still ranks highly, while some early strong picks may fall behind as gear improves. That kind of long-term value is central to TBC, where gear scaling can dramatically reshape class hierarchies. 

The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary PvE Tier List

Every class is playable, every spec has comps and raid groups where it brings value, and your personal enjoyment, skill, and group environment will always matter more than a class's raw power. With that being said, let’s dive into our The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary PvE tier list:

TBC Classic Anniversary DPS Tier List

TBC Classic Anniversary Classes Tier List

DPS specs in this TBC Classic Anniversary DPS tier list are ranked based on overall damage output across phases, higher-tier gear scaling potential, and the raid value they bring through auras, debuffs, and utility. These are the strongest specializations for endgame raids - viable throughout Karazhan, Black Temple, and Sunwell Plateau.

Tier

Specs

S

Beast Mastery Hunter, Destruction Warlock, Demonology Warlock, Arcane Mage

A

Fury Warrior, Combat Rogue, Survival Hunter, Fire Mage

B

Elemental Shaman, Enhancement Shaman, Arms Warrior, Retribution Paladin, Affliction Warlock

C

Balance Druid, Shadow Priest, Feral Druid(DPS), Marksmanship Hunter

D

Subtlety Rogue, Assassination Rogue, Frost Mage

S-tier DPS specs like Beast Mastery Hunter and the top Warlock specs remain highly sought after thanks to their exceptional scaling and group-wide buffs. Arcane Mage joins them for its explosive late-game burst and strong performance across the entirety of TBC. Lower-tier DPS specs can still be played successfully, but they generally fall behind in either scaling, raw output, or raid utility - and some are far more PvP-oriented than PvE-focused.

TBC Classic Anniversary Tank Tier List

TBC Classic Anniversary Tanks Tier List

The Burning Crusade’s tank meta is shaped by threat control consistency, strong damage mitigation, and flexibility in most encounters. Tanks in this TBC Classic Anniversary tank tier list are evaluated here based on their ability to handle boss burst damage, manage trash packs, and maintain stable threat across different raid environments.

Tier

Specs

S

Protection Warrior

A

Protection Paladin, Feral Druid (Tank)

Protection Warrior sits at the top due to its reliable mitigation tools, strong and consistent threat profile, and great all-around performance from early progression all the way through Sunwell. Protection Paladin and Feral Druid remain excellent alternatives - Paladins dominate AoE tanking and add-heavy encounters, while Ferals scale into sturdy late-game single-target tanks. They may not replace Warriors in the highest tier of WoW TBC Classic tank rankings, but they may perform just as well in the right hands.

TBC Classic Anniversary Healer Tier List

TBC Classic Anniversary Healer Tier list

Healers in TBC are judged on their healing output, mana efficiency, cooldown strength, and how well their healing style fits the expansion’s encounter design. The right healer choice can make or break the entire raid group. Here’s a complete TBC Classic Anniversary healer tier list:

Tier

Specs

S

Restoration Shaman

A

Holy Paladin, Holy Priest, Restoration Druid

B

Discipline Priest

Restoration Shaman leads the healer rankings thanks to Chain Heal throughput, Bloodlust / Heroism, and powerful totem support that benefits nearly every group in the raid. 

A-tier healers - Holy Paladin, Holy Priest, and Restoration Druid - are also excellent and highly desirable in any raid group, each excelling in different healing niches such as tank sustain, flexible AOE group healing, or mobile HoT coverage.

Discipline Priest lands in B-tier of TBC Anniversary healer rankings largely because its mitigation-focused style is less prioritized in PvE compared to higher-throughput options, though it remains extremely strong in PvP and select raid scenarios.

TBC Classic Anniversary PvP Tier List

TBC Classic Anniversary Classes Tier List

TBC’s meta has been meticulously studied and figured out a long time ago - everything is tested and logged in detail, allowing us to prepare the most accurate WoW TBC Classic Anniversary PvP tier list possible.

Tier

Classes / Specs

S

Subtlety Rogue, Discipline Priest

A

Frost Mage, Restoration Druid

B

Feral Druid, Retribution Paladin, Beast Mastery Hunter, Marksmanship Hunter, Survival Hunter

C

Affliction Warlock, Destruction Warlock, Elemental Shaman, Enhancement Shaman, Holy Paladin, Shadow Priest

OFF-Meta

Demonology Warlock, Arcane Mage, Fire Mage, Combat Rogue, Mutilate Rogue, Protection Warrior, Protection Paladin

PvP dominance in TBC Anniversary is defined by control, resilience scaling, and class synergy. Season 1 especially favors specs that perform well using low gear, have strong base kits, and utilize reliable defensive tools. This section summarizes performance expectations based on the PvP transcript insights provided, focusing on pressure profiles, matchup strengths, and spec-specific playstyles.

S-Tier PvP Classes

Sub Rogues are topping off PvP TBC Classic DPS rankings. Their control toolkit is unmatched: stuns, blinds, Shadowstep mobility, Cloak of Shadows, Evasion, and high-damaging opener pressure. Unlike many classes, they don’t rely heavily on resilience stats or large health pools, since their survivability comes from control and evasion mechanics rather than raw stats. This makes Season 1 and even forward incredibly favorable for them. Their comps - especially Rogue Mage and Rogue Feral - dominate the ladder and define much of the meta.

Disc Priests excel in Phase 1 thanks to high base damage, extremely strong Power Word: Shield values, and incredible offensive pressure. Fear, Mind Control, instant casts, dispels, and strong defensive cooldowns make them both disruptive and hard to shut down. This is one of the rare seasons where Discipline ranks above Resto Druid in overall strength.

A-Tier PvP Classes

Frost Mages are still considered the top dps in TBC Classic PvP - bringing crowd control depth, pressuring burst windows, and respectable survivability with double Ice Block. While Season 1 isn’t their strongest phase, especially when compared to Sunwell, they are still very powerful.

Resto Druids are excellent healers long-term, but Season 1 exposes their lower health pools and weaker Lifebloom scaling. They remain very strong and mobile, but are more vulnerable in early gear environments.

B-Tier PvP Classes and Below

These specs are strong in right hands but highly comp-dependent. They rely on coordinated setups or uninterrupted long burst windows to perform at a level enough to contend with the higher-tier alternatives. In the right hands and environments, they are absolutely rank-one capable. Some of these can win games situationally, but they struggle heavily at high ratings.

Best Classes for Beginners in TBC Classic Anniversary

Some classes aren’t just strong damage dealers or healers — they are highly sought after because of the unique raid buffs, utility tools, and role coverage they provide. In The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary, guilds prioritize classes that boost group performance, improve raid throughput, and enable faster, safer boss kills. You won’t regret choosing any of these best classes for beginners in TBC Classic Anniversary:

  1. Shaman

  2. Paladin

  3. Priest

  4. Druid

  5. Warlock

Every class in this list is in high demand, possesses irreplaceable utility, and most of them can fulfill several roles, allowing you to change the role without leveling a new character. These classes perform well and elevate entire raid groups through their unique buffs.

Best Classes for Gold Farming in TBC Classic Anniversary

Efficient Gold Farming classes in TBC need to possess sustainability, AoE efficiency, and the ability to handle contested farming spots. While several classes can make solid gold with the right setup, some stand out thanks to their strong self-sustain, good enough tankiness, and reliable pull potential. Across both open-world farming and old dungeon farming strategies, these are the best classes for gold farming in TBC Classic Anniversary:

  1. Protection Paladin

  2. SL/SL Warlock

  3. Feral Druid

  4. Rogue

  5. Beast Mastery Hunter 

Gold farming in Anniversary is less about raw AOE damage since the maximum number of enemies hit got nerfed, so you’ll need to take a more creative approach. Protection Paladins lead overall, rogues are great for lockpicking and pickpocket playstyle, and Druids have access to a flying form - you can make a fortune playing any of these.

Conclusion

The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary brings back one of the most uniquely diverse class ecosystems in history, and it’s reflected in full in our WoW TBC best classes tier list. TBC is not a one-size-fits-all expansion - some classes are invited to the groups for raw damage, others for key debuffs or group buffs - every spec has its own place in the game’s meta. 

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