Welcome to our WoW Classis Season of Discovery Tier List, where we rank all tank specializations ranked from strongest to weakest based on their potential performance (survivability, damage output, and utility) in SoD Phase 1!

WoW Classic SoD Tank Tier List - Best Tank Spcs for Season of Discovery Phase 1

World of Warcraft Season of Discovery is going to be introducing to us three new tanks and it's also buffing some of the tanks we already have in World of Warcraft Classic, specifically that's talking about Paladin tanks finally having a taunt and a ton more AOE threat.  So today we are going to break down the changes to the tanks and what will most likely be the meta of how you're going to use the tanks in their different respective roles because some of them are better for single Target fights, some of them are better as AOE tanks, some of them are better for melee bosses, or some of them might be even better for the Caster bosses. This is going to make a huge change in how we go in and tackle the raids and the new tanks are actually just incredibly fun, it still feels like that old Classic feeling when you're going through the raids but it also feels like something totally new. So with that being said let's dive right into everything we need to know about tanking in WoW Classic Season of Discovery at least for Phase 1.

1 - Feral Druid (S Tier)

Already competing closely with Warriors as top tanks, Druids gain substantial upgrades cementing them at the pinnacle. New runes allow Bears to emulate the coveted Windfury buff, maximize damage dealt to gripped targets. Coupled with base critical immunity and Ferocity's 20% damage reduction, Druids mitigate and maximize damage like no other. Lacerate furthers their powerful AoE threat. While passive mitigation may fall behind Warriors and Paladins, Druids compensate with enormous health pools sustained by armor buffs. These occupancies, combined with strong burst damage of their own from Mangle criticals, allow Bears to outperform other tank classes in Season of Discovery through holistic survival and performance. No other tanking spec comes as naturally equipped as Feral Druids for main tank responsibilities in the current landscape. Their versatility and durability pushes them into a class of their own as the new standard bearers.

2 - Warrior Tank (A Tier)

Though Prot Warriors gain added utility from runes, they may lag slightly behind Feral Druids in damage output. However, the Sword and Board style remains excellent for generating strong mitigation through block, parry, and shield blocks. Vigilance runes will further increase crit avoidance and vengeance uptime, solidifying Warriors as durable survival tanks. But Paladins edge them out somewhat with greater damage reduction potential from Aegis runes and Blessing of Kings scaling. Regardless, Warriors uphold formidable tanking through reliable threat generation from Sunder Armor and the high availability of passive mitigation. While surpassed in damage absorption, Warriors compensate through versatile toolkits and damage-dealing prowess when not actively tanking. Both Warriors and Paladins fulfill the critical main tank role effectively.

3 - Paladin Tank (A Tier)

With the new addition of Taunt, Paladins become undisputed kings of AoE tanking situations. Weaving Holy Wrath and other AoE abilities, Paladins effortlessly hold aggro on large packs. The Aegis runes also grant Paladins immense mitigation potential - at high defense ratings approaching 470 along with some avoidance, Paladins under Aegis buffing could achieve effectively 100% uptime on passive mitigation through block alone. This makes Paladins incredible survivability tanks. However, their single target threat may fall behind Feral Druids and Warriors due to generating less automatic damage over time. Paladins also lack optimal burst options like Mangle or Shield Slam. But for durability and crowd control, Paladins have few rivals thanks to powerful rune synergies and the utility of Taunt.

4 - Shaman Tank (B Tier)

While the block-focused runes could synergize effectively, Shaman tanks are hampered by unclear direction. Since Shamans gain immunity to critical strikes, boosting defense and block chances provides minimal benefit now for mitigation purposes. It remains unclear how robust Shaman threat generation will prove for main tanking duties. Their capabilities will likely fall short of top tanks like Feral Druids and Warriors for optimized raiding. However, Shaman Utility makes them decent alternatives in Five-Man dungeons where Windfury Totem amplifies group damage. But limited mitigation and uncertain damage holding potential relegate Shamans best to off-tank scenarios or emergencies rather than core raiding positions. The rune selections do not capitalize fully on Shaman strengths or cover weaknesses as tightly as other tank classes. Overall, Shamans fulfill a supportive niche rather than the optimal main tanking role.

5. Rogue Tank  (C Tier)

While Rogue tanks may have been an unintended consequence, they have huge potential given ideal gear and support. Starting out, Rogue tanks are quite underwhelming due to low armor and health, meaning they risk being one-shot by heavy boss hits if avoidance fails to activate. However, Vanilla Rogues approached 70-80% avoidance in Naxxramas through consumables and grouping buffs. With additional avoidance scaling from runes, it's conceivable Rogues could reach exactly 100% avoidance by the end of the Season of Discovery. This theoretical unhittable tank meta would break encounter design, fully trivializing all physical threats. Although unviable initially, Rogue tank's Merita watchful eye as gear progresses. With enough items and buffs synergizing, their potential as the single most overpowered tank spec could emerge. But until sufficient avoidance gears up, Roguetanksremain too paper-thin for true main tanking.

6. Warlock Tank (C Tier)

While the concept of a Warlock tank introduces an intriguing twist, in practical terms they prove among the weakest tanking specs. Despite 500% armor augmentation from runes, Warlocks naturally lack the robust health pools and damage reduction mechanics needed to reliably withstand heavy boss strikes. A single unmitigated hit could crush them instantly. Though threat generation may prove workable through spells, raw survivability fails to compete with even Rogue tanks and pales in comparison to dedicated tanks like Feral Druids and Warriors. Warlocks bring little beyond modest armor values to the role. While creatively envisioned, they ultimately lack the proper tools to excel as a true main tank where survival serves as the foremost priority. Better served to fulfill established Warlock roles through DPS and utility, marginal self-preservation dooms Warlock tanks to a supporting capacity at best.