Tanks play a crucial role in World of Warcraft by absorbing damage and protecting allies during encounters. With the upcoming release of The War Within, we’ve assessed the performance of each Tank specialization to determine which stands out.
The beta for The War Within introduced numerous changes across all specs in WoW. Players experienced during Dragonflight may notice significant alterations to their main characters, particularly with the introduction of new Hero Talents.
The rankings for Tanks generally mirror those from the previous expansion, albeit with various specs adapting to new playstyles. Here is our comprehensive evaluation of each Tank specialization in anticipation of The War Within’s release.
WoW: The War Within Tank Spec Tier List
| Tier | Class/Spec |
| S | Vengeance Demon Hunter, Blood Death Knight |
| A | Guardian Druid |
| B | Protection Paladin, Protection Warrior, Brewmaster Monk |
Our Tiers Explained
This tier list categorizes Tank specs based on performance and utility: S for the top-tier options, A for excellent choices with some weaknesses, and B for solid Tanks that may have some limitations.
- S-Tier: The premier choices for tanking
- A-Tier: Strong Tanks with a diverse toolkit, though not without flaws
- B-Tier: Competent Tanks that might struggle with threat generation, self-sustain, or damage output.
S-Tier
Vengeance Demon Hunter
The Vengeance Demon Hunter remains a robust Tank choice despite previous nerfs that had temporarily affected its viability. The changes accompanying The War Within are predominantly favorable, although some tweaks to talents like Illuminated Sigils may deter a few players.
Nonetheless, the spec justifies its high ranking due to the demand for Chaos Brand in both Mythic+ and raid settings. The new tier set offers a stable damage increase, while the familiar advantages of the Demon Hunter—such as outstanding mobility and crowd control—persist.
Aldrachi Reaver has sparked some debate as a Hero Talent tree, with opinions divided on its cohesion within the class. Conversely, Fel-Scarred has emerged as a preferred choice, providing better thematic alignment and enhancing the spec’s effectiveness while allowing for more customization.
Blood Death Knight
Alongside the Demon Hunter at the pinnacle of tanking is the versatile Blood Death Knight. Though this spec has undergone numerous changes, most have contributed positively by enhancing previously underutilized abilities.
Vestigial Shell is a beneficial addition in the talent tree, providing substantial magical damage resistances and extending Anti-Magic Shell to allies. Coupled with its comprehensive toolkit, Blood DKs excel in diverse dungeons with various challenges.
Most players are expected to opt for the San’layn Hero Talent tree for the extensive utility it provides. However, Deathbringer remains a competitive option, as Reaper’s Mark is currently very effective and passively activates more frequently, minimizing the need for complex rotations.
A-Tier
Guardian Druid
The Guardian Druid kicks off our A-Tier ranking. While the spec hasn’t been completely overhauled, there are modifications that may surprise current players. For instance, Astral Influence now exclusively benefits spells, affecting the spec’s damage and threat maintenance.
Nonetheless, the Guardian Druid remains reliable, with its damage mitigation capabilities intact, allowing it to hold its own as a Tank in early expansion scenarios. The spec retains powerful damage options as well.
Guardian Druids have access to the Druid of the Claw and Elune’s Chosen Hero Talent trees, with the latter currently offering advantageous enhancements that subtly improve the spec without drastically altering its rotation.
Protection Paladin
Protection Paladins bring a diverse toolkit to the battlefield, excelling in dealing with magical damage. Their crowd control and cleansing abilities, such as Hammer of Justice and Repentance, are particularly effective.
However, they do have limitations that prevent them from ranking higher. A relatively low health pool is a notable issue, alongside restricted movement capabilities that can be challenging during Mythic+ runs.
The Hero Talent Lightsmith struggles to establish a clear identity, leaving Templar as the primary option for Protection Paladins, enhancing the spec’s damage output and buffing abilities like Eye of Tyr.
B-Tier
Protection Warrior
Protection Warrior, while listed in the B-Tier, possesses attributes worthy of commendation as we approach The War Within. One notable strength lies in Spell Reflection, crucial against magic damage threats. Although the spec hasn’t drastically transformed, rearrangements in the talent tree have yielded positive results.
Despite this, the spec’s reliance on defensive cooldown management can be tricky, often challenging players who face unblockable attacks while lacking self-healing options. Consequently, while still a capable Tank, it may be less prominent in high-end competitive play.
Protection Warriors boast excellent Hero Talent choices in Colossus and Mountain Thane. While Colossus enhances burst damage, Mountain Thane is the preferred selection due to its utility, offering substantial damage absorption.
Brewmaster Monk
While the Monk tree has undergone significant changes, Brewmaster benefits from these synergies, showcasing a compelling specialization. Recent buffs to various talents offer additional utility, enhancing damage while maintaining synergy within the spec.
Stagger remains a vital component, making healers’ roles easier, along with enhancements from Shuffle and Celestial Fortune. Brewmaster also has excellent mobility among Tanks, but faces drawbacks that can hinder effectiveness without adequate healing support, compounded by a low health pool and a challenging learning curve.
The Master of Harmony Hero Talent currently appears as the more cohesive option compared to Shado-Pan, although Shado-Pan has intriguing elements, it lacks clarity in its execution.
This concludes our tier list. If you’re uncertain about pursuing Tank specialization, we’ve also outlined options for Healers and DPS builds.
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