Without healers in World of Warcraft, where would we be? They are responsible for giving life and removing poison, making them crucial for a successful dungeon run. To aid in your decision, we have created a tier list to help you select the best healer.
The War Within marks the newest expansion in the rich history of WoW, and it introduces numerous changes to class gameplay. With the addition of Hero Talents, players can now further customize their character’s build, adding an extra layer of depth to their chosen specialization.
Furthermore, the meta has been significantly impacted by a multitude of modifications to current talents, abilities, and statistics in preparation for Patch 11.0.
WoW: The War Within Healer Specialization Tier List
Our tier list for classes in our class is categorized into three different tiers, each determined by the effectiveness of the class in Mythic+ and dungeons. While the order may vary in a raid situation, the evaluation remains applicable and should guide your decision making overall.
| Tier | Class/Spec |
| S | Holy Paladin |
| A | Restoration Druid, Restoration Shaman, Preservation Evoker, Discipline Priest |
| B | Mistweaver Monk, Holy Priest |
Our tiers explained
To determine the placement of each spec in a specific tier, we utilized the following system to categorize our tiers.
- S: This individual excels in both single-target and AoE healing, with exceptional HPS and valuable utility beyond direct healing capabilities.
- A: Very good choices that are very at home in a Mythic+ setting, though they may not have a toolkit as varied as the tier above.
- B: Impressive healing in dungeons, though usually either more specialized or less potent overall.
S-Tier
Holy Paladin
The Paladin healing spec underwent a tumultuous journey throughout the expansion of Dragonflight, but ultimately reached its peak in the later stages. The updates to Holy in The War Within have predominantly been beneficial, making it the top selection for group activities due to its diverse range of abilities and valuable utility.
Despite experiencing a decrease in overall HPS (Heals per Second) output due to recent nerfs, the class remains on par with or superior to its closest rival. The focus on Avenging Wrath has greatly improved both healing and damage (exactly 15%) and has made playing and executing an optimal rotation more efficient.
The tier set bonus boosts the healing power of Holy Shock and reduces its cooldown, making it a frequently used tool. Along with other single-target heals such as Flash of Light, Holy Shock has become a reliable mainstay. It is no surprise that Holy Paladins continue to have the strongest damage output among healer specs, making them a valuable choice for encounters with challenging DPS requirements.
The inclusion of abilities such as Divine Shield, Lay on Hands, Blessing of Protection, and other useful utilities have made Paladins stand out among other specs. These skills make them a valuable asset in raids, although classes like Restoration Druid may have similar capabilities.
The most optimal Hero Talent tree for a Holy Paladin is Herald of the Sun, mainly due to the effectiveness of Sun’s Avatar. This enables the Paladin to activate Avenging Wrath and effectively heal party members with Dawnlight applied to them. While Lightsmith may have potential with some adjustments, it is difficult to envision it surpassing the current strength of Herald.
A-Tier
Restoration Druid Guide
When discussing the capabilities of Restoration Druid, it is clear that it is more than capable of holding its own in the A-Tier. Despite being the most challenging specialization to master, with a steep learning curve and intricate build strategies, it possesses the ability to excel as a versatile and powerful healer in any situation.
Currently, the spec’s greatest asset lies in its ability to provide powerful AoE healing and valuable party-wide utility. This is exemplified by the exceptional effectiveness of Wild Growth, which is further enhanced by the bonuses offered by both the 2-piece and 4-piece set. These bonuses also benefit essential single-target heals like Swiftmend and Regrowth, ensuring a versatile selection of options for any situation, as long as the rotation is properly executed.
The class offers a wide range of customization options to suit your specific needs, especially when it comes to utility skills. For example, Mass Entanglement/Ursol’s Vortex can be utilized to either gather multiple enemies or immobilize them, while Incapacitating Roar/Mighty Bash provides the choice between an AoE interrupt and incapacitation or a single-target stun. With a plethora of additional abilities for players to incorporate, it is a well-rounded and versatile choice that excels in all PvE activities.
Resto Druids have a single Hero Talent tree to focus on as the other one is essentially unnecessary in its current state. Wildstalker is ineffective for the spec as it lacks beneficial healing effects and overall strength. However, Keeper of the Grove is a more viable option with numerous healing enhancements, though it may require some defensive adjustments to reach its full potential.
Restoration Shaman
At the time of writing, Shaman players may find a rare positive in Restoration, which appears to be a strong choice for those interested in healing. While its unique method of healing and support may not appeal to everyone, it is a satisfying specialization to master and one that should be suitable for most group compositions in its current state.
Despite facing significant underdevelopment in the lead up to The War Within’s release, the Resto Shaman class experienced a significant improvement once the beta began. This was largely due to the implementation of overhauls, as well as the inclusion of the Farseer and Totemic Hero Talent trees, which both served to enhance the spec in meaningful and coherent ways.
The current build conditions have proven to be highly effective for Healing Wave, Chain Heal, and Healing Surge. The Tidal Wave tier set bonus only further emphasizes their effectiveness. Spirit Link Totem continues to be a reliable option in a pinch, but there is still a noticeable weakness in shorter cooldown damage reduction options.
In most group compositions, the amount of outgoing damage is sufficient. While it may not be the top choice among potential healers, it is encouraging to see that Restoration Shaman can hold its own in a lackluster class setup.
When it comes to deciding between Totemic or Farseer Hero Talents, Shaman players are essentially choosing between Mythic dungeons and raids. While Totemic is typically the preferred choice for raids due to its focus on Healing Rain and Chain Heal, Farseer shines in Mythic dungeons by providing flexibility for DPS opportunities and boosting offensive damage.
Mistweaver Monk Guide
The sole healing specialization available for Monk players is both distinctive and highly efficient. During The War Within’s beta, Mistweaver underwent numerous modifications and refinements. While some class specializations have emerged as complicated and confusing, MW has managed to maintain a strong and stable state.
Despite its impressive range of skills, Mistweaver also has some drawbacks, such as the removal of Essence Font which has made it more challenging to efficiently heal the group in a stress-free manner. Additionally, it lacks certain utility options like single-target and AoE damage reduction, although this is a minor issue compared to its overall versatility.
Despite its role as a healer, Mistweaver stands out as an all-around support with the ability to boost group damage by 5% with the Mystic Touch debuff. Additionally, the spec is highly effective at dealing damage on its own. While it may not be the preferred choice for players seeking a traditional WoW healing experience, it offers a unique balance for those who enjoy a versatile playstyle.
In terms of Hero Talents, Conduit of the Celestials remains the top choice despite adding extra cooldowns to an already awkward rotation. Master of Harmony, on the other hand, offers minimal benefit to the talent list, simply boosting self-healing abilities and providing more chances to apply HoT to party members. While the concept is solid, the latter option falls short in justifying its use.
B-Tier
Preservation Evoker
Preservation may not be as flashy as Augmentation Evoker, but it still boasts intuitive features. Despite the limited development time, WoW’s newest class is impressively well-crafted, with its Hero Talents providing a level of complexity that surpasses many other classes.
Despite this, there are certain weaknesses that prevent the spec from ranking higher on this list. The most evident issue is its limited range in terms of healing abilities. This could pose a bigger challenge in Season 1 of The War Within, where the dominant playstyle is expected to be more focused on ranged attacks and magic, resulting in less clustered parties. Furthermore, the spec would benefit from a broader range of utility skills in order to effectively compete with the top healing options currently available in the game.
Despite not utilizing any clever building techniques, the Preservation Evoker still possesses a noteworthy advantage of consistently strong HPS and DPS output. While it may struggle to find a place in the meta for more difficult activities and high level Mythic+ keys, it can still be relied upon as a dependable and effective class.
Fortunately, Preservation boasts access to two exceptional Hero Talent trees that greatly enhance the spec. At present, Chronowarden stands out as the most noteworthy, providing a substantial boost to Living Flame and valuable passives such as Temporal Burst, which enhances Haste and movement speed. While Flameshaper also strives to achieve a similar effect, it does not integrate as seamlessly with the rest of the spec.
Holy Priest
It can be difficult to accurately rank Holy Priest on this list as it excels in certain aspects while lacking in others. On one hand, it boasts some of the most potent and user-friendly single-target healing abilities in the game. However, in certain situations, Holy Priest may be at a disadvantage compared to Holy Paladin or Resto Druid due to its limited range of abilities for smaller group compositions.
Fortunately, both tier set bonuses are designed to significantly improve the spec. The 2-piece bonus increases the effectiveness of the Serendipity talent by 10%, and the 4-piece bonus grants a 35% chance for Flash Heal, Heal and Prayer of Healing to automatically recast at reduced effectiveness.
In situations with high mob-density or complex fights that require a lot of attention from the tank, Holy Priest may face challenges. This spec lacks an interrupt, leaving the group vulnerable as battles continue, and it also lacks effective crowd control. Furthermore, the notoriously low mobility of this spec may make it a less appealing choice compared to the Paladin for players seeking to complete dungeons quickly and easily.
Regrettably for Holy, neither of the Hero Talent trees are particularly exciting. While Archon’s marginal improvement to AoE is not enough to merit consideration, Oracle remains the superior option. Its grants of defensive buffs to talents like Defensive Prayer and Guardian Spirit are highly valuable and make Oracle the clear choice.
About Discipline Priest
Despite facing some challenges during The War Within beta, the Discipline Priest healing specialization has the potential for a higher skill cap than Holy Priest. While it may seem unusual to rank Discipline lower on the list, it is important to note its historically impressive healing per second and damage output for a healing-focused spec.
Despite the lack of clear reasons, the standard staples seem to have decreased in effectiveness and are struggling to keep up with high level content. Raids present a similar challenge, as the class’s hybrid role and current position as a Jack of all trades and master of none comes into play. The lack of durability and mobility continues to be an issue, making Holy a more intuitive choice for those new to the healing role.
While Discipline may offer a dependable range of tools and assistance for the larger team, it falls short of achieving a higher status. The issue of limited mobility and the absence of an interrupt can prove to be challenging in battles with intricate mechanics. However, with some clever adjustments and optimizations, Discipline can be improved, making it a worthwhile endeavor for those dedicated individuals determined to make it succeed.
In addition, discipline has the option to select either the Voidweaver or Oracle Hero Talent trees. Currently, the Voidweaver tree is outperforming the Oracle tree, with a strong focus on Mind Blast and the addition of Void Blast. This greatly enhances HPS, while the Oracle tree is unable to match its performance in its current state.
We have just provided our analysis of the healing specializations in The War Within. For those who prefer DPS, we also have tier lists for every specialization, along with recommended Hero Talents. Furthermore, our overall rankings of each class are unbiased and do not consider roles.
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