In Season of Discovery for World of Warcraft Classic, Phase 2 brings a significant increase to the level cap: from 25 to 40. This opens up a whole new realm of content and experiences for players. What are the best SoD level 40 DPS, tanks, and healers? Read our WoW Season of Discovery level 40 DPS, tank, and healer tier list, we’ll rank the best class and specs on phase 2!

Season of Discovery Best Level 40 Class & Spec - WoW SoD Level 40 Ranking & Tier List

As the World of Warcraft community ventures deeper into the Season of Discovery, players at level 40 face the strategic challenge of choosing the most effective class for their desired role. Whether it’s dominating the battlefield with unparalleled DPS, standing unyielding as a tank, or keeping allies alive as a healer, understanding the current meta is crucial for any adventurer. Therefore, you’ll need our early WoW Classic SoD Level 40 DPS, tank, and healer ranking phase 2 more than ever!

SoD Phase 2 Tank Tier List (Level 40)

S Tier

• Protection Warrior

The Protection Warrior is at the top of the WoW Season of Discovery level 40 tank tier list. They have high damage output in the tank role, excellent aggro management, and strong survivability. Their ability to apply Sunder Armor on bosses and effectively use Devastate makes them very useful in raids. Additionally, they benefit from relatively straightforward gearing, as they mainly require mail armor, which is less contested.

A Tier

• Protection Paladin

Protection Paladins offer strong durability and good aggro management. While the original text did not delve deeply into their specific strengths, it's implied they perform reliably in tanking roles. Their effectiveness in both holding aggro and surviving through encounters places them solidly in the A Tier.

• Enhancement Shaman

As a tank, the Enhancement Shaman is noted for its excellent ability to hold aggro, which is crucial in managing multiple enemies or in high-damage situations. While they might be more vulnerable compared to the Protection Paladin, their aggro management capabilities make them a valuable asset in raids.

B Tier

• Warlock Tank

Warlock Tanks are considered decent, landing them in the B Tier. They are seen as viable for tanking but don't perform as strongly as the higher-tier tanks. Their ability to handle encounters is adequate, making them a reasonable choice, though they lack the standout features of the higher tiers.

C Tier

• Feral Druid

The Feral Druid in the tank role (Bear Druid) struggles with aggro management, which is a significant downside for a tank. Their overall performance is seen as mediocre compared to other tanking classes. While they can function as tanks, they are not preferred for high-level play due to these limitations.

Rogue Tank

The Rogue in its tank specialization is also placed in the C Tier. They are noted for their lackluster performance in area control and are not a popular choice in raids. While they may have some effectiveness in one-on-one situations, their overall utility and effectiveness in the tank role are limited, leading to their placement in this lower tier.

SoD Phase 2 Healer Tier List (Level 40)

S Tier

• Priest Healer

Priests are at the top of the healer hierarchy in Phase 1 and will continue to be the best WoW Season of Discovery Phase 2 healers. They are highly valued for their robust and versatile healing abilities, which are effective in both PvE and PvP settings. Their toolkit allows them to handle a wide range of situations efficiently, making them a staple in most raid compositions. Additionally, they offer valuable raid utility that can significantly benefit group performance.

A Tier

• Restoration Druid

Restoration Druids are placed in the A Tier, largely due to their exceptional versatility and strong AoE healing capabilities. Their healing style is proactive, utilizing HoTs (Heal over Time spells) to maintain steady healing on multiple targets. Druids also bring mobility and various utility spells, including crowd control and combat resurrection, making them adaptable to a wide range of encounter requirements.

• Mage Heal

The inclusion of a Mage heal spec is unusual, as traditionally, Mages are known for their DPS roles. If such a spec exists in this context, it's likely valued for its support healing capabilities. This hypothetical healing spec would be appreciated for its simplicity and effectiveness, especially when paired with a Priest, offering a balanced approach to raid healing.

B Tier

• Holy Paladin

Holy Paladins are reliable healers capable of delivering strong single-target and AoE heals. However, they are ranked in the B Tier because they might lack the versatility or the raw healing output of the top-tier healers. Despite this, they are still very capable in their role, offering solid healing and some utility through buffs and auras.

• Restoration Shaman

The Restoration Shaman, positioned in the B Tier, is known for potent group healing abilities and unique utility through their totems. They excel in healing multiple targets with spells like Chain Heal and provide valuable raid buffs and utility, including Heroism/Bloodlust. However, they might rank slightly lower than the A-Tier healers due to certain limitations in healing versatility or raw output in some situations.

SoD Phase 2 DPS Tier List (Level 40)

S Tier

• Fury Warrior

Fury Warriors are at the pinnacle of the WoW Season of Discovery Level 40 DPS tier list, known for their extremely high damage output. Their ability to deal significant damage consistently, coupled with powerful burst capabilities, makes them a top choice for DPS in raids and dungeons.

• Combat Rogue

Similar to Fury Warriors, Combat Rogues excel in delivering high DPS. Their strength lies in their sustained damage and effective use of abilities that capitalize on both single-target and AoE situations, making them versatile and highly effective in various combat scenarios.

A Tier

• Beast Mastery Hunter

Despite facing several nerfs, Beast Mastery Hunters maintain a strong position due to their high damage output and the utility they bring with their pets. They are adaptable to different combat situations and can maintain consistent DPS while being mobile.

• Feral Druid

Feral Druids are noted for their significant damage output and the added utility they provide, such as the Windfury buff. Their ability to deal high damage consistently, along with their versatility in combat, places them firmly in the A Tier of Classic WoW Season 2 DPS Ranking.

• Marksmanship Hunter

Marksmanship Hunters, like their Beast Mastery counterparts, deliver strong DPS. They excel in both single-target and AoE scenarios, making them versatile and valuable in various raid and dungeon encounters.

B Tier

• Retribution Paladin

Retribution Paladins are ranked in the B Tier, showing improved performance from previous phases. They offer a good balance of damage and utility but are somewhat overshadowed by the higher-tier DPS classes in terms of raw damage output.

C Tier

• Arcane Mage

Arcane Mages, while potent in their damage capabilities, find themselves in the C Tier due to their limitations in certain situations and their mana management challenges, which can affect their overall DPS sustainability.

• Balance Druid

Balance Druids have improved but still fall short of the higher tiers. They are capable of dealing decent damage but lack the higher damage output and utility provided by the top-tier DPS specs.

• Enhancement Shaman

Enhancement Shamans are capable of decent damage output but are not as effective as other DPS specs in higher tiers. They may struggle with consistency or face challenges in certain raid or dungeon mechanics.

D Tier

• Fire Mage

Fire Mages are placed in the D Tier, primarily due to their lower damage output compared to other DPS classes. They may face challenges in keeping up with the DPS of higher-tier classes in various combat situations.

• Elemental Shaman

Elemental Shamans also find themselves in the D Tier, suffering from similar issues as Fire Mages, such as lower overall damage output and potentially less utility in a raid or dungeon environment.

F Tier

• Shadow Priest

Shadow Priests are at the bottom of the tier list, largely due to their significantly lower DPS compared to other classes. They face challenges in both PvE and PvP, making them a less desirable choice for DPS roles.

• Affliction Warlock

Similar to Shadow Priests, Affliction Warlocks struggle with low damage output, placing them in the F Tier. Their effectiveness in current end-game content is limited, making them one of the least preferred options for DPS.