Tier list Leveling - WoW Classic Hardcore

S Tier: These classes excel in survivability, possess a versatile toolkit, and lack common pitfalls for beginners. They can easily solo challenging quests.

A Tier: Nearly as safe and efficient as S tier, but with slightly smaller or less globally effective toolkits. Some weaknesses may catch inexperienced players off guard, but they can handle most difficult quests.

B Tier: Viable and strong while leveling, but may require more knowledge or gear to level safely compared to higher tier classes. They might lack escape tools and need a good understanding of the game for difficult quests.

C Tier: No classes are placed in this tier, as all classes have some level of viability, and none are considered to have minimal escape tools, heavy gear reliance, or consistent underperformance throughout the leveling experience.

Keep in mind that individual playstyles and preferences can also impact the effectiveness of each class. This tier list is a general guideline and may not apply to every player's experience.

S Tier:

1.  Mage: Mages have the largest toolkit in the game, with an answer for any problem. Polymorph, Counterspell, Blink, and Frost Nova provide control over any engagement. Mana Shield and Ice Barrier make them tanky for a cloth-wearing class. Frost Mages, in particular, are indisputably the safest class to level in Hardcore.

2.  Paladin: Very tanky, wearing Mail and eventually Plate Armor at level 40. Combined with self-healing abilities, they can stand toe-to-toe with almost any enemy. Divine Shield offers invulnerability for 10+ seconds, Lay on Hands provides a full heal every hour. While not high damage dealers, Paladins can outlast anything, making them a very safe choice to level in Hardcore.

3.  Rogue: Masters of controlling an encounter, second only to Mages. Rogues with cooldowns up are effectively unkillable. Evasion, Vanish, Sprint, Gouge, and Blind are powerful abilities to escape fights. Vanish, if timed correctly, provides a reliable escape mechanism. Unlocking Vanish on a Rogue allows for a relatively smooth journey to level 60, provided players have the patience and willpower to log off whenever Vanish is on cooldown.

A Tier:

1.  Hunter: Universally considered one of the best leveling classes in normal versions of the game, but has some pitfalls in Hardcore. Lower weapon and defense skill due to reliance on the pet in melee fighting. Defense skill issue can lead to high spike damage, catching players off guard. However, Hunters have a large toolkit to escape fights, making them overall safer than most classes.

2.  Warlock: Similar to the Hunter, Warlocks have pets and suffer from a low defense skill. Expansive toolkit with Fear not having diminishing returns. Can tank damage with Drain Life and pseudo-bubble hearth with Sacrifice from the Voidwalker. The drawback is that Fear can accidentally pull additional enemies if not used safely.

3.  Druid: Immensely versatile with decent damage output in Cat Form, tankiness in Dire Bear Form, self-healing, and the ability to enter Travel Form in combat. Control spells like Hibernate and Entangling Roots provide room to breathe. Not in S tier due to some spells requiring outdoor use, limiting effectiveness in enclosed spaces like caves or buildings.

B Tier:

1.  Priest: Efficient levelers with self-healing and Spirit Tap, but lack the survivability tools of S tier classes. Essentially Paladins without Divine Shield or Plate Armor in the context of Hardcore leveling. DPS rotation involves Shoot Wand and self-healing. Psychic Scream can be a bit luck-dependent in determining if feared enemies pull more enemies. While not bad levelers and sought after in group content, they are not as safe as other options.

2.  Shaman: Similar to Druids in their ability to do respectable damage, self-heal, equip a shield for added tankiness, and shapeshift into Ghost Wolf for escapes. Lacks control options, making them less safe than higher tier classes. Earthbind Totem can help in escaping fights, but doesn't remove enemies from the fight entirely like the control options of higher tiers.

C Tier:

1.  Warrior: Considered significantly worse than other options, heavily gear-dependent with no self-healing. Limited ways to disengage from a fight, and most methods reset leash timers, prolonging inevitable death. High downtime, and unlucky respawns can lead to doom. Warriors may struggle even against green level mobs if undergeared. However, beyond level 40, Warriors become formidable powerhouses and can be one of the most enjoyable classes to play despite their early drawbacks.

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