Welcome, raiders and theorycrafters! LFCarry is here to break down the latest DPS performance data from The War Within beta testing. Following significant balance changes, we’ve seen a major shift in the DPS landscape. Let’s dive deep into the numbers and analyze which specs are dominating the charts and which ones need more attention from the developers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key Changes and Overall Results
Before the Balance Patch:
- Fire Mage was the undisputed champion across all encounter types
- Fire Mage’s dominance led to multiple nerfs targeting their Hero Talent (Sun Fury) and core abilities
After the Balance Patch:
- Arcane Mage emerges as the new frontrunner in DPS rankings
- Unholy Death Knight maintains its top-tier status despite some nerfs
- Elemental Shaman sees a massive performance boost, climbing the ranks significantly
Top Performers Breakdown
1. Arcane Mage: The New King of DPS
Arcane Mage has benefited significantly from recent changes, rising to the top of DPS charts across various encounter types:
- Single-target performance: Excels in fights like Sikron
- Cleave scenarios: Dominates in encounters like Silen Court
- AoE-centric battles: Shines in fights such as Alra
Key factors in Arcane Mage success:
- Talent build focuses on maximizing Arcane Blast and Arcane Missiles damage
- Hero Talent “Spell Linger” contributes over 25% of single-target damage
- Arcane Barrage plays a less significant role in single-target scenarios
- AoE fights further amplify Arcane Blast’s value
2. Unholy Death Knight: Consistent Powerhouse
Unholy Death Knight continues to be a top performer, even after recent tuning:
- Maintains its position in the top five DPS specs
- Excels particularly in multi-target scenarios
- Performs exceptionally well in both single-target and multi-target fights
Unholy DK’s strength factors:
- Cyclical damage profile centered around Death Coil and Vampiric Strike
- Effective use of Sun Lane buffs, despite recent nerfs
- Versatility across different encounter types
3. Elemental Shaman: Rising from the Ashes
Elemental Shaman received a substantial 30% damage buff, dramatically improving its performance:
- Now ranks in the top five for single-target fights like Sikron
- Maintains strong performance in multi-target scenarios (Silen Court, Mythic Alra)
Elemental Shaman playstyle and improvements:
- Core rotation still revolves around Lava Burst spam and Maelstrom dumping with Elemental Blast
- Flat damage buff significantly boosted overall performance
- Some core issues with the spec remain, despite the improvements
4. Affliction Warlock: Emerging Victor
Affliction Warlock has become the standout performer among Warlock specs:
- Outperforms Demonology and Destruction after recent nerfs to those specs
- Remained untouched in the latest tuning, allowing it to shine
Affliction Warlock’s success factors:
- Straightforward playstyle focused on one-minute cooldown bursts
- Utilizes Solar Rot and Malevolence effectively
- Every other minute, adds Dark L to the rotation
- Damage profile centers on spamming Malefic Rapture during cooldown windows
Other Notable Performers
Several other specs have shown strong performance across various raid encounters:
- Fury Warrior: Benefited from a 30% damage buff, now performing well in different fight types
- Beast Mastery Hunter: Consistent damage output in both single-target and AoE scenarios
- Havoc Demon Hunter: Competitive in various encounter types
- Enhancement Shaman: Solid all-around performance
- Windwalker Monk: Holding its own in the current meta
- Retribution Paladin: Improved standing after recent buffs
Underperforming Specs
Despite recent buffs, some classes are still struggling to keep up with the top performers:
Rogues
- Received a 15-20% damage buff
- Performance remains lackluster
- Hero Talents like Stalker and Fate Bound continue to be problematic
Frost Death Knight and Balance Druid
- Both received significant buffs
- Continue to underperform, especially in single-target scenarios
- May require further tuning to become competitive
Fire Mage
- Once the top performer, now struggling after multiple nerfs
- Significant drop in overall performance across all encounter types
Shadow Priest
- Not performing well despite recent changes
- May need a more comprehensive rework to compete with top specs
The War Within Beta: DPS Tier List Shake-up and Meta Predictions
War Within beta testing has revealed significant changes in DPS class balance:
- Top Tier: Arcane Mage, Unholy Death Knight, Elemental Shaman, Affliction Warlock
- Improved: Fury Warrior, Beast Mastery Hunter, Havoc Demon Hunter
- Need Work: Rogues, Frost Death Knight, Balance Druid, Fire Mage, Shadow Priest
These changes will substantially impact raid and Mythic+ meta. Are you ready for the new challenges?
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For a deeper dive into the top specs, check out the video below. It offers an in-depth breakdown of rotations and tactics for Arcane Mage, Unholy Death Knight, and Elemental Shaman in the latest beta build.
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Lana Shakh is a dedicated gaming expert specializing in Destiny 2 and other popular online titles, creating in-depth guides that break down complex mechanics, optimize gameplay strategies, and help players of all skill levels achieve their in-game goals.