Hero Talents are a significant addition in World of Warcraft: The War Within, giving players the opportunity to explore different builds and fully embrace their class’s fantasy. With a wide range of options available, we have organized each talent’s strengths in preparation for the expansion’s launch.
Hero Talents are distinct trees linked to various specializations, each accessible to two specs within every class. It is evident that certain specs have varying priorities, resulting in significant differences in the effectiveness of Hero Talents across different specs.
Our ranking system evaluates the overall performance of each Hero Talent tree. This means that if a Hero Talent set is considered S-Tier for one spec but B-Tier for another, it will be classified as A-Tier in our rankings.
WoW: The War Within Hero Talent Tier List
| Tier | Class/Spec |
| S | Diabolist, Sunfury, Frostfire, Chronowarden, Elune’s Chosen |
| A | Herald of the Sun, Templar, Stormbringer, Hellcaller, Colossus, Conduit of the Celestials, Flameshaper, Scalecommander, Druid of the Claw, San’layn, Archon, Fel-Scarred |
| B | Farseer, Soul Harvester, Slayer, Voidweaver, Master of Harmony, Keeper of the Grove, Aldrachi Reaver, Deathbringer, Oracle |
| C | Fatebound, Mountain Thane,, Spellslinger, Shado-Pan, Dark Ranger, Wildstalker, Rider of the Apocalypse, Pack Leader, Totemic |
| D | Deathstalker, Lightsmith, Trickster, Sentinel |
Our Tiers explained
The tiers listed should serve as a reference when determining the appropriate Hero Talent tree to select, taking into consideration the specific context. These levels can be defined as follows:
- S-Tier: The best of the best and very strong for either specialization
- A-Tier: Extremely effective at adding to their specs and a cohesive structure
- B-Tier: Good choices that may have some weaknesses
- C-Tier: Underperforming relative to other Hero Talent trees, though they do have redeeming qualities
- D-Tier: Unfinished, broken, or lacking direction, these trees should almost always be avoided entirely
S-Tier
Diabolist
Diabolist stands out among all the Hero Talent trees in the world as one of the best. Representing the essence of being a Warlock in WoW, it boasts well-crafted nodes that greatly enhance the class’s abilities.
The elements involved in demon summoning may be more beneficial for Demonology warlocks, but it remains the top choice for Destruction players as well. It is one of the rare talent trees that successfully captures the desired class fantasy and greatly enhances a player’s performance in PvE content.
Sunfury
One of the top picks in the S-Tier for Mage Hero Talents is Sunfury, making it a highly anticipated choice for The War Within. Thematically, Blizzard has gone above and beyond by incorporating elements from The Burning Crusade and the emergence of Kael’thas Sunstrider.
In terms of mechanics, Sunfury surpasses its predecessors by significantly amplifying the presence of Clearcasting for Arcane Mages. This enhancement greatly benefits the spec and solidifies Sunfury as a top choice. Despite a few minor concerns regarding its ranking among other talent trees, Sunfury will undoubtedly remain one of the most dominant options for any class at the beginning of this expansion.
Frostfire
Upon its initial announcement by Blizzard earlier this year, Frostfire was met with great enthusiasm from Mage players. While Frost Mages may encounter a few rotational challenges, these can easily be overcome by the powerful fusion of Fire and Frost Mastery.
The performance of Fire Mage has significantly declined during The War Within’s beta testing and there are concerns for its success in the full expansion. However, there is a potential upside in the Frostfire tree, as the Empowerment and Infusion procs have the ability to improve an otherwise lackluster specialization.
Chronowarden
Initially, the Evoker Hero Talent tree known as Chronowarden may have seemed the most unconvincing. However, players who specialize in augmentation will discover that it enables the game’s sole truly supportive specialization to fulfill its role with greater efficiency.
The combination of the Threads of Fate and Master of Destiny nodes is incredibly potent, providing buffs that greatly enhance the spec’s performance. Although it may sometimes clash with the ideal rotation, Preservation also receives a significant boost in both damage output and healing ability. This allows the spec to bring a well-rounded set of skills to dungeons and effectively compete with powerful healers such as the Holy Paladin.
Elune’s Chosen
Despite the significant disparities among the specifications, the Elune’s Chosen tree has effectively delivered tangible advantages to both Guardian and Balance Druids. For Balance Druids, the primary allure lies in its ability to generate a substantial amount of Astral Power, seamlessly integrate with the existing toolkit, and prioritize core aspects of the rotation.
As a Guardian Druid, the tree may appear less flashy compared to other choices, but its overall enhancements become highly noticeable once you reach the maximum level. The addition of the Mastery buff is also beneficial, and gameplay remains largely unchanged, so you will not need to make significant adjustments to your playstyle.
A-Tier
Herald of the Sun
Herald of the Sun is the first Paladin tree listed, which proves to be an excellent asset for Retribution Paladins. It effectively boosts AoE output and enhances abilities such as Wake of Ashes and Divine Storm.
Despite the logistical challenge of optimizing damage, Sun’s Avatar is an incredibly enjoyable and powerful ability. In the Holy spec, it brings a new level of versatility through its intuitive buffs and surpasses Lightsmith in terms of direct healing. While the randomness of Sunspot may be slightly unpredictable, it does not significantly impact the effectiveness of either spec.
Knights Templar
The Templar is another Paladin tree that has earned its spot in the A-Tier, making it a great choice for any player intending to participate in The War Within. With its ability to summon hammers of light, this tree deals massive amounts of Holy and Physical damage.
For Protection Paladins, the focus is on utilizing Eye of Tyr, which grants the ability to cast Hammer of Light for a duration of 12 seconds and triggers Empyrean Hammers on three additional targets. As for Retribution Paladins, the tree centers on quickly increasing procs, resulting in a deluge of hammer-inflicted damage.
Stormbringer
The Elemental Shaman spec has held a prominent position in WoW since its inception, and Stormbringer is set to take it to the next level. This talent focuses on generating a high amount of Maelstrom in order to transform your following Lightning Bolt into Tempest.
While the rest of the talent tree is very cohesive and features intelligent consolidation of abilities, the latter excels at dealing highly impressive single-target and AoE damage. Despite Enhancement not being the intended audience for Stormbringer, the same positives apply. Additionally, Awakening Storms offers another significant damage proc for players to watch out for.
Hellcaller
Despite facing some notable bugs in the beta, it remains challenging to accurately assess the performance of Warlock. However, the Hellcaller tree is proving to be a formidable force. Those specializing in Affliction Warlocks will likely be pleased, as the Malevolence cooldown and Aura of Enfeeblement greatly improve rotation management and overall quality of life.
It is highly probable that the majority of Destruction players will choose Diabolist due to Hellcaller’s focus on DoT (and the incredible strength of Diabolist). Nevertheless, the mechanics of Wither stacks offer many appealing aspects to this choice.
Colossus
Colossus may be a challenging Hero Talent set to include on this list due to its seemingly unremarkable nature. However, upon closer examination, it offers significant enhancements and tangible benefits to the abilities of both Protection and Arms Warriors.
The increase to Shockwave has a major impact, and the player power bonuses, although less defined, are still apparent. Demolish is a welcome addition for both specializations, with Arms benefiting the most from its offensive abilities.
Conduit of the Celestials
Despite the chaotic Windwalker talent tree, Conduit of the Celestials is a tree that is often underestimated. This is due to its unconventional focus on certain abilities that may seem strange to some.
There are certain directions that the tree is pushing Mistweavers towards, but following them can actually enhance the gameplay experience. The same can be said for Windwalker, although the spec is facing larger issues that cannot be solved by Conduit alone.
Flameshaper
First and foremost, Flameshaper provides immense enjoyment during gameplay. Focusing primarily on delivering quick and powerful attacks, it offers a unique experience compared to both Chronowarden and Scalecommander. As for Preservation Evokers, the main focus remains on enhancing quality of life and overall effectiveness of healing.
The spec will discover that Devastation swiftly transforms into an explosive powerhouse, utilizing Engulf as the means for, pardon the wordplay, causing devastating damage.
Scale Commander
Out of all the trees in the pantheon, Scalecommander stands out as one of the most well-constructed and cohesive. Although Augmentation is already highly effective, Scalecommander enhances it even further to better suit a diverse range of environments.
The Maneuverability talent for the capstone provides the ability to control the direction of Deep Breath and Breath of Eons, enhancing the enjoyable gameplay of this spec. Additionally, Scalecommander proves to be a great asset for Devastation, boosting the spec’s DPS ranking and further improving its effectiveness.
Druid of the Claw
While it may not quite reach the impressive level of Elune’s Chosen, Druid of the Claw is still an exceptional tree that excels in both Guardian and Feral roles. For the latter, it remains the top choice, even though it may place too much emphasis on Ferocious Bite.
The recently renamed Ravage talent serves as the centerpiece of the talent tree and becomes a formidable force once the tree is fully developed. While it relies on procs to activate, they occur frequently and are strong enough to justify investing points into this talent.
San’layn
The central focus of the San’layn tree is the recently introduced Essence of the Blood Queen, a buff that increases Haste and can reach up to 7.5% in a short amount of time. The modifications made to the tree during the beta phase have addressed many of its previous concerns, making it a more effective solution for Blood Death Knights compared to its initial announcement.
The San’layn’s Gift also enhances the potency of the Essence of the Blood Queen, providing a powerful advantage without requiring any changes to the player’s rotation.
Archon
The Archon Hero Talent tree is a formidable choice for both Shadow and Holy Priests. It enhances burst damage for the former, seamlessly integrating the reemphasized Mind Spike into the rotation. This addition only adds to the already strong capabilities of this spec.
The Holy Paladin’s abilities have a subtle impact, relying mainly on passive buffs like Resonant Energy and Empowered Surges. Additionally, Energy Cycle provides a beneficial reduction in cooldowns, while Word of Supremacy offers overall buffs for the class.
Fel-Scarred
Fel-Scarred is one of the two Demon Hunter specializations, and it excels thematically. Mechanically, it is very straightforward, with passive bonuses that allow for a wide range of customization. This flexibility allows both Vengeance and Havoc players to fully explore their talent options.
The standout feature of Metamorphosis is its impact, especially for Havoc, as it becomes a more effective AoE ability with the help of the Dreamsurge talent node. It seamlessly complements the class as a whole, without favoring one specialization over the other.
B-Tier
Farseer
Despite not wanting to sound overly negative, it must be said that Farseer’s Hero Talent tree may be considered unexciting. However, it still serves its purpose well by providing a subtle increase in power and useful buffs. As for Elemental players, the added element of randomness may deter some, but the Ancestor summon following Primordial Wave is a valuable Keystone and the Ancestral Swiftness Capstone buff is highly beneficial.
Resto Shamans may feel a bit uneasy about transitioning to a support toolkit, but it could ultimately benefit their ability to adapt in various PvE scenarios.
Soul Harvester
Although Diabolist may be tempting for many Demonology Warlocks, there are several reasons to choose Soul Harvester instead. One of its advantages is the extra AoE damage it provides through Shared Fate, which is enhanced by Quietus and can activate without needing to make a kill.
Just like with the changes made to the spec during The War Within beta, Affliction’s talent nodes also align perfectly with the significant overhaul it has undergone.
Slayer
The Hero Talent tree for Slayer is proving to be highly effective for both Arms and Fury. While Colossus provides significant damage boosts for certain abilities, such as Shockwave, Slayer enhances both specializations overall. This means that the specific abilities you use are not as crucial, as long as you choose a suitable rotation.
The frequency of Execute and Bladestorm procs is consistent enough to avoid feeling too dependent on luck. With some adjustments, it has the potential to move up a tier.
Voidweaver
One remarkable aspect of Voidweaver is its thematic coherence, making it one of the most intriguing trees available and wonderfully embodying the Shadow Priest’s class fantasy. The Keystone ability introduces the Entropic Rift, a Shadow damage zone summoned by Void Torrent (or Mind Blast for Discipline Priest).
The effectiveness of this is impressively maintained without significantly altering the current rotation. Additionally, the Capstone talent Collapsing Void further enhances it by increasing both its size and overall damage.
Master of Harmony
One of the standout qualities of Master of Harmony is its consistent thematic flow, making it a great fit for both Brewmaster and Mistweaver. For the latter, the talent tree offers numerous healing boosts, particularly through Aspect of Harmony and Coalescence, which require minimal effort from the player.
The situation has the potential to escalate greatly, as any outgoing healing is intensified when the target is already receiving HoT. This also applies to Brewmaster, but with a focus on increasing damage instead. As of now, both methods have been proving to be effective.
Keeper of the Grove
The significant improvements made to Keeper of the Grove in July greatly contributed to its rise from a potentially low-tier tree. While it currently holds a spot in the B-Tier, this is mostly due to concerns from Balance players regarding embracing a Treant playstyle.
Moreover, the enhancements bestowed by Cenarius’ Might and other related abilities force players to follow a rotation that was previously not recommended. However, when utilized correctly, it is highly effective and can inflict considerable damage (or healing for Restoration Druids).
Aldrachi Reaver
During The War Within beta, the first Demon Hunter Hero Talent tree has caused division among players, similar to the Keeper of the Grove. This tree heavily relies on glaives, which may not be the desired playstyle for some Demon Hunter players.
Despite some drawbacks, there is still positive news about its effectiveness in consuming Soul Fragments to cast Reaver’s Glaive, which is a significantly stronger version of the Throw Glaive. While it may not be as suitable for use in Vengeance, its abilities remain unchanged and it simply requires more effort to integrate it into overall gameplay.
Deathbringer
The construction of Deathbringer makes it a valuable addition to the existing Death Knight abilities. The main purpose is to accumulate Reaper’s Mark, which, despite being categorized as an active-use ability, will primarily function as a passive element in the regular rotation for Blood and Frost DKs.
The game also offers rewards to players who excel in their chosen spec and play with skill and efficiency, without drastically changing the playstyle. While it may need some improvements, this is why it has earned a spot in this tier. Its clever design suggests that it will likely rise to the A or even S-Tier in the near future.
Software Company
Throughout the alpha and beta phases of The War Within, Oracle has undergone multiple redesigns. After much effort, it has finally found its rightful place. The buffs it offers are now significantly powerful, making it a worthwhile choice. With some further adjustments, it has the potential to be even more impactful.
Despite efforts to keep buffs active, maintaining them can still feel overly complicated. As a result, both the Discipline and Holy specializations can seem unnecessarily complex without a significant enough benefit to justify the time and effort required to master them. However, in their current state, there are still viable alternatives for both specs within the current meta.
Sentinel
Sentinel is a reliable option for Hunters that can greatly enhance the effectiveness of Marksmanship. While it may not introduce any groundbreaking features for this specialization, it does provide a consistent damage boost that rarely decreases during regular gameplay.
During The War Within beta, Survival has emerged as the most successful Hunter spec. Its HT options have helped it gain even more momentum, and the Sentinel node’s lunar damage is a powerful addition to the standard rotation that is simple to integrate.
C-Tier
Fatebound
Despite the interesting overall theme and direction of the tree, the Fatebound Hero Talent tree will not be enough to alleviate the difficulties faced by Rogues in The War Within. While the tree may offer some benefits, it does not provide enough output to justify being ranked higher on the list.
The main concern with the tree is its heavy dependence on RNG and its insufficient damage output. While Outlaw may see a potential increase in its effectiveness, Assassination is falling behind due to the design of certain nodes such as Inevitability.
Explore Mountain Thane
Despite initially generating excitement for its unique design, the Mountain Thane Hero Talent tree has fallen short in its execution. While it successfully captures the essence of both Protection and Fury playstyles, the reliance on random number generation has caused some players to lose interest.
Furthermore, the limited usage of Thunder Clap by Fury Warriors means that certain nodes become less valuable. While Prot is slightly improved, the lack of focus on defensive enhancements for Tanking is evident in this updated environment.
Spellslinger
Despite being the weakest Hero Talent tree for Mages, Spellslinger still offers a decent option for players. However, it falls short in comparison to the dynamic and impactful Sunfury and Frostfire trees. It is better suited for Frost Mages, providing a purely elemental alternative to the hybrid Frostfire approach.
Despite the availability of numerous low-maintenance passives that are user-friendly for an Arcane Mage, the AoE can be unpredictable and, most notably, it can feel monotonous compared to its counterparts.
Shadow Pan
Revisiting Windwalker’s cluttered toolkit, we come to Shado-Pan, a Hero Talent tree that had the potential to be much more impactful. While beta adjustments have improved the spec’s most glaring problems, Shado-Pan still falls short in providing significant benefits for both the DPS specialization and its tanking counterpart, Brewmaster.
Once more, the playstyle is highly passive, making it ideal for players who are already overwhelmed by the complex rotations, especially for those who play as Monks. However, it may not fully satisfy and requires significant adjustments to reach its potential.
Dark Ranger
Despite ranking lower on the list, Dark Ranger’s overall theme is highly immersive and stands out among other Hero Talent trees. With minor adjustments, its output can be significantly improved. The focus of Marksmanship is on generating extra Aimed Shots, which is adequate, but it lacks proper contingencies for their effective usage.
Despite the reliance on the central Black Arrow Keystone talent, Beast Mastery lacks the necessary push towards the true Dark Ranger fantasy. The chance to refresh Barbed Shot alone is not enough to elevate the tree as a whole.
Wildstalker
Despite being named Wildstalker, this Hero Talent tree is only considered a B-Tier for Resto Druids, but drops to a D-Tier for Feral. The nodes within the tree do not align well with the intended theme, despite the name suggesting otherwise.
Resto Druids will likely find the added HoT to be a beneficial buff during raids and Mythic+ runs, although it may not be particularly exciting. In general, Wildstalker seems to excel in versatility rather than mastery. Feral Druids may appreciate the DoT proc from Rake and Rip, but adjustments are needed to make it more powerful and satisfying to utilize.
Rider of the Apocalypse
The Death Knight tree known as Rider of the Apocalypse received a lot of attention upon its announcement, but its unconventional design requires several changes before The War Within. Right from the start, Rider seems much better suited for Unholy rather than Frost. While the randomness involved is generally acceptable, as it mainly revolves around the key talent, the inability to choose which Horseman appears could result in certain situations being left to chance.
Players who do not follow the traditional playstyle may discover that the tree conflicts with their preferences, especially when it comes to managing Runic Power. However, the majority of the nodes are well-suited for the spec and with minor adjustments and improvements, it has the potential to be placed in the tier above.”
The Role of a Pack Leader
Despite the varying opinions on the Pack Leader tree, it is widely acknowledged that Survival Hunter is currently the superior spec compared to Beast Mastery. This is due to the fact that although Kill Command is not used as frequently, it serves as a valuable resource generator and has a shorter cooldown, allowing Survival to utilize the tree more frequently.
Regrettably, it lacks a significant impact and Beast Mastery players will likely be frustrated by the limited chances to utilize its strengths.
Totemic
Totemic features some interesting individual nodes and its focus on utilizing totems is not necessarily a poor decision. However, the overall execution feels disjointed and lacks the necessary cohesiveness to truly excel as a Hero Talent system. Resto Shaman benefits the most from this, as the totemic playstyle complements their healing abilities effectively.
If its sole purpose was truly the main focus, it would certainly hold a much higher position. However, it seems that Enhancement is merely an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. While Stormbringer is a perfect fit thematically for Enhancement, it currently stands alone in its category.
D-Tier
Lightsmith
Although Lightsmith initially appears to have a strong Hero Talent tree, it ultimately disappoints due to some major flaws. This can be particularly challenging for Holy Paladins as the excessive amount of unnecessary elements can create difficulties, which is not as prevalent in other trees. However, Prot Paladins can still find some advantages in using Holy Armaments, despite initial concerns, but its current complicated functionality could be simplified.
Furthermore, in order to be on par with the other Paladin trees, the entire tree must be improved for effectiveness. One solution would be to fully embrace the fantastic theme, but it is unlikely that any immediate modifications will have a significant enough impact to make it a viable competitor.
Trickster
Adding to the woes of Rogue players, the first Hero Talent tree in the D-Tier is far from impressive. The majority of its offensive advantages revolve around Feint, which may prove to be a frustrating choice for Subtlety Rogues. Furthermore, the inclusion of Fazed does not provide enough aggression in the current structure of the tree.
Despite being associated with two specializations, the lack of benefits from using Stealth remains puzzling. Additionally, the theme of this Hero Talent set needs to be strengthened in order to fulfill the expectations that its title suggests. Overall, there is currently insufficient justification for using it.
Deathstalker
Despite its cool name, Deathstalker can also be quite confusing for Assassination Rogues. It is not easy to understand the exact purpose of this Hero Talent tree. The entire concept is centered around Deathstalker’s Marks, which can only be inflicted by using Shadowstrike and Ambush while in stealth mode.
The most effective way to renew these marks is by going into stealth, requiring them to all be used up, or else Deathstalker loses its purpose. While there is some clarity for Subtlety, it remains challenging to understand how the specialization is intended to fully utilize the tree.
This is the full tier list! Additionally, we offer comprehensive rankings for DPS, Healer, and Tank specializations, along with a detailed breakdown of The War Within’s content.
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