If you are interested in Season of Discovery Phase 2’s meta, particularly in the context of tanking roles. Read our WOW SoD Phase 2 tank tier list, we’re breaking down the best and most overpowered tank classes at level 40.

Season of Discovery Phase 2 Best Tank - WoW Classic 2 Phase Tank Tier List (Level 40)

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each tank class becomes crucial for both veteran players and newcomers alike Season of Discovery's meta is still evolving, with some classes potentially becoming stronger in future updates of Phase 2. The importance of runes in enhancing the tanking abilities of these classes and the need for some classes, like Rogues, to receive significant improvements to become viable tanks. Without further ado, let's check WoW Classic Season of Discovery best level 40 tanks!

S Tier

Shaman

Best AoE Tank: Shamans are the best SoD Phase 2 tanks because of their outstanding performance in AoE (Area of Effect) situations, mainly due to abilities like Molten Blast, which iflicts significant damage on multiple enemies, and Fire Nova Totem, enhancing their AoE damage capabilities.

• High Threat Generation: The class's threat generation is a major strength,the Rock Biter Rune. This rune significantly boosts the threat generated by the Shaman, making them effective at maintaining enemy attention (aggro).

• Tankiness and Durability: Shamans are fairly tanky, with an increase in hit points (HP) or health, largely attributed to the Rock Biter Rune. This increased tankiness is further supported by their ability to use shields. 

• Utility and Control: The Shaman's utility in combat is enhanced by the Earth Bind Totem, which allows them to slow down and effectively kite mobs, a useful feature in managing AoE combat scenarios. 

• Ease of Play: The Shaman tank is relatively easy to play, with a simple rotation focused around the use of Earth Shock and alternating it with Fire Shock. This simplicity in gameplay makes the Shaman tank accessible to a broader range of players.

• Versatility and Damage Output: Additionally, the Shaman tank is recognized for its solid damage output, contributing to its overall effectiveness in a tanking role.

Warrior

• Devastate - A Key Change: The Warrior has received a significant ability called Devastate, which is a talent from the TBC (The Burning Crusade) era. Devastate enhances the Warrior's Sunder Armor ability, allowing it to inflict damage. This change is noted to substantially increase the Warrior's threat generation, a crucial aspect of tanking.

• Blood Frenzy Rune: Another important addition to the Warrior's toolkit is the Blood Frenzy rune. This rune enhances rage generation whenever the Warrior inflicts or benefits from a bleed effect. The increased rage generation, coupled with additional damage from bleed effects, significantly boosts the Warrior's threat and damage output.

• Tankiness and Survivability: Warriors are the best Season of Discovery Phase 2 tanks, particularly in the early stages of the game. They have access to Shield Block, a defensive ability that allows them to survive potentially lethal attacks by guaranteeing a block.

• Near Crit Immunity and Defense Benefits: The Warrior benefits from defense stats, contributing to a near critical hit immunity. This aspect enhances their survivability and makes them the best WoW Classic tanks Phase 2 in high-stakes encounters.

• Strong AoE and Snap Threat: Despite having relatively weaker AoE capabilities compared to the Druid, Warriors are acknowledged for their excellent snap threat, meaning they can quickly gain and maintain aggro from the start of combat.

• Reputation as a Strong Tank: The Warrior's legacy as a dominant tank class in earlier versions of the game, particularly in vanilla, is referenced. This historical strength contributes to their continued prominence in the game's meta.

• Preferred Choice in Top Guilds: Top gaming guilds often prefer to have at least one Warrior as a main or off-tank, underlining the class's effectiveness and reliability in both solo and group play.

A Tier

Druid

• High Single-Target Threat: The Bear Druid is noted for its exceptional single-target threat, which is one of the best tanks in the WoW Season of Discovery Phase 2. This is primarily attributed to its ability to stack the Lacerate ability, which does a significant amount of damage and generates considerable threat.

• Fairly Tanky: The Bear Druid is described as fairly tanky, ranking among the top three best SoD tanks currently. This suggests a strong balance between survivability and threat generation.

• Wind Fury with Wild Strikes: This is a new talent that Bear Druids can utilize. It not only provides a beneficial buff (Wind Fury) to the entire raid but also increases threat generation. The ability for Bear Druids to contribute significantly to raid utility while maintaining high threat is a major strength.

• Flexibility in Builds: The Bear Druid is portrayed as an extremely flexible tank, capable of adjusting its build for either maximum tankiness or enhanced threat generation, depending on the needs of the encounter or raid composition.

• Comparable Damage to Mid-Tier DPS: As a Bear Druid, the ability to deal damage comparable to mid-tier DPS (Damage Per Second) classes is emphasized. This adds to the versatility of the class, allowing it to contribute significantly to the raid's overall damage output.

• Weaknesses - Snap Threat and AoE Threat: The Bear Druid’s weaknesses include a lack of snap threat (immediate threat generation at the start of combat) and weaker AoE (Area of Effect) threat capabilities. This can make it challenging to quickly secure aggro on multiple targets or at the beginning of an encounter.

• Potential for Improvement in Future Tiers: Bear Druids might see improved performance and capabilities in future game updates, indicating potential growth and adaptation in the game's meta.

B Tier

Paladin

Specialization in AoE Threat: The Paladin excels particularly in AoE (Area of Effect) threat generation. This specialization makes them highly effective in scenarios involving multiple enemies.

• Reactive Threat Generation: Another strong aspect of the Paladin tank is its reactive threat - the threat generated when taking hits. This makes them formidable when they are the primary target of enemy attacks.

• Mana Generation as Threat: The Paladin has a unique talent that allows them to generate more mana when they receive healing. In the game's mechanics, this mana generation translates directly into threat generation. This is particularly effective when the Paladin is taking a lot of damage, enhancing their threat output significantly.

• Reliance on Damage for Threat: A key limitation of the Paladin is their dependence on taking damage to generate threat. This characteristic makes them less effective in situations where they are not the primary target being attacked.

• New Taunt Ability: The introduction of a new taunt ability for Paladins offering them more flexibility in regaining enemy attention (aggro).

• Challenges in Tank Swapping: Paladins reportedly face difficulties in tank swapping roles, especially in encounters requiring them to be second on the threat list. This limitation is particularly evident in specific raid mechanics that necessitate multiple tanks.

• Choice Between Chest Runes: The Paladin has to make strategic decisions regarding their chest runes, each providing significant advantages but requiring a choice that affects their overall tanking capabilities.

• Effective in Specific Scenarios: Despite their shortcomings, Paladins are recognized for their effectiveness in AoE situations and handling trash mob.

• Potential for Improvement: At higher levels, such as level 40, Paladins might unlock more talents and therefore improve in terms of performance, indicating a potential for enhanced effectiveness in future updates or progression in the game.

Warlock

Infamous for Difficulty in Obtaining Key Rune: The Warlock class is notorious for the challenge in acquiring the metamorphosis rune necessary for tanking. This difficulty has affected their initial presence and effectiveness in the game.

• Perceived as Underwhelming: Despite not being labeled as outright bad, the Warlock tank is currently seen as underwhelming in terms of performance. While they are functional, they don't excel compared to other tanking classes.

• Middle-of-the-Road Threat Generation: The Warlock's ability to generate threat, both in AoE and single-target scenarios, is mediocre. This middle-of-the-road performance makes them less desirable compared to tanks that excel in these areas.

• Tankiness through Dodge Chance: A notable strength of the Warlock tank is their high dodge chance, particularly when using specific cooldowns. This aspect provides them with a significant survival mechanism.

• Lack of Effective Tanking Build:: Warlock tanks might not be utilizing the most effective builds yet, indicating a possibility that player experimentation and strategy development could lead to improved performance in the future.

• Potential for Improvement with Tuning: The Warlock tank is seen as a class that could significantly benefit from game balancing and tuning. With the right adjustments, they could potentially rise to a higher tier of effectiveness.

• Current Placement in the Tier List: Based on their current abilities and performance, the Warlock tank is placed in the 'B' tier of our WoW Classic SoD Phase 2 Tank tier list, with an openness to re-evaluation. Functional but not outstanding.

Rogue

• Deeply Unpopular for Tanking: The Rogue is an unpopular choice for tanking, mainly due to difficulties in obtaining the necessary tanking runes and their overall effectiveness as a tank.

• Excellent Single-Target Threat: One of the Rogue’s strengths is their ability to generate high single-target threat. This aspect of their performance is considered one of the best, albeit not the absolute top, among tank classes.

• Ineffective in AoE Situations: A significant weakness for the Rogue is their AoE (Area of Effect) threat generation, which is described as non-existent. This limitation severely hampers their effectiveness in scenarios involving multiple enemies.

• Reliance on Avoidance and Lack of Durability: Rogues heavily rely on avoidance (dodging attacks) for their tanking strategy. However, they lack health points (HP), armor, and other damage reduction capabilities, making them extremely vulnerable. Their tankiness is inconsistent – while they can avoid many hits, a few consecutive hits, especially critical ones, can be devastating.

• No Magic Damage Reduction: The Rogue's lack of magic damage reduction or any survivability against magical attacks is emphasized as a major vulnerability.

• Practical Challenges in Raid and Dungeon: Given their weaknesses, Rogues are depicted as impractical for both raid and dungeon contexts. Their deficiencies in AoE capability and survivability make them a less effective choice for these group-based activities.

• Overall Placement in the Tier List: Due to these limitations, the Rogue is placed at the lower end of the WoW Classic Phase 2 tank ranking. Their specific challenges in threat management, avoidance-based tanking, and lack of versatility contribute to this positioning.