Which class plays the best DPS role?

[jawnjawn]

I've tried to figure out which class plays the best DPS role, but after much studying on seperate class forums, each community thinks they are not that great of damage dealers and that the other dps-based classes exceed them. Most of the time they say they are less DPS and more CC/Utility. So now I wonder, what class do most people seek out the most when looking for a DPS role to fill?

[Spennce]

I dont think there is a clear "best", but IMO if everyone was geared equally a fire mage is hard to beat. But then again everyone isnt geared equal, so it can go any way.

[kodeeak]

rogue/mage/lock.. on any given day, one of those 3 top our raid dps charts...

on sustained boss fights, the lock seems to have the edge.

on fights with many large pulls, the aoe of the mage seems to give the boost

on straight forward, tank'n'spank fights, the rogues do very well.

all of the above is imo of course.

[moopy]

Paladins!!!!one

[PTiger]

There is no best anything in this game. There isn't even a best healing class in this game, although people would argue that a priest should be so. I think that priests are the most versatile healers in the game, with more healing spells than any other class, but that doesn't make them the best healers.

In any case, there is definitely no best DPS class for certain. Mages, Warlocks, Hunters, Rogues, Warriors, Shaman, even ShadowPriests can all top the damage meters. Plus it depends on what you are fighting against, some mobs are resistant to whatever it is you do, just as are players in PvP.

[erlaurt]

Fury warrior =P

[shifttusk]

Fury warrior =P

Agree, if the BC end game is like pre BC end game a fury warrior in AQ40 level BC gear will start passing, expecialy on extended fights (read rage is generated mana gets depleted by dpsing). Once these guys get some sick wepons they will be back up there again.

[stoutewolf]

Druid in cat form can deal a sick amount of damage if geared properly.

[-wicked~night-]

Mages. I'd say Shadow Priests but then they'd force you to heal.

[Kitano]

rogue/mage/lock.. on any given day, one of those 3 top our raid dps charts

Gotta disagree. Rogues are excellent DPS but I generally top all rogues in a group. Hunters are definitely among the highest DPS. But yes, mages and locks are at the top as well.

[moopy]

<class> is best!

/sigh. Witless question begets witless answers, plus ca change :)

[xxlebox]

Warrior.

**** my message is too short.

[Cerberus]

If you get really picky and do a lot of math you'll probably find locks to best for sustained dps atm. Both skill and gear will usually matter a lot more than what class you pick however and what class has the edge will vary from patch to patch (No, I'm not buying that all classes are perfectly balanced, nothing suggests that they are). Also keep in mind that how classes perform can vary greatly depending on what you are doing (soloing, raids, 5-mans and what type of encounter).

I'd say your safe going with hunter, rogue, mage or lock. Shadowpriests, shamans druids are also capable of filling a dps-slot in a raid, but I get the feeling they get their talents changed by the day. I'd feel "safer" going for one of the others. Some guilds might also try to force you into a healing, so just make sure you can't heal and you're safe ;)

[Kitano]

<class> is best!

/sigh. Witless question begets witless answers, plus ca change :)

Yep, normally I wouldn't reply to these posts but I'm having a really f'ed up morning at work and I feel like being confrontational. :evil:

[LunarSolaris]

Let the eternal debate rage on eh?

Insert <my class> is the BESTEST class for DPS. Honest! It is!!!!

[Toolio]

I consistently fall 2nd in DPS to mages.

[Richakin]

my shadowpriest kept up with a mage in a slave pens run...im only at +320 spell dmg though at lvl 65...well i was. also in a UBRS run pre-bc when i was at +150ish spell dmg...i topped 2 rogues, mage, warlock and hunter in the gruop for DPS..teh healing druid was amazed and was the one running the damage meter along with a warrior.

havent played my hunter in any 5mans in forever because no one likes hunters when 50% of the server is hunters...lol

my warlock since Stockades has always been on top of the damage meters and ive ran all the way through ZF with him.

[xDarkDrifterx]

I generally top the charts in bg's and am often highest overall dps in equal groups via damagemeter (also depends if pet is added to overall dps).

67 hunter :smiley:

[kcma]

the best dps class is the dps class played by the least crappy player.

i top the chart every single time i try regardless of the class i'm playing.

[rgirty]

11/47/3 Fire mage. I have never seen my wife's firemage not top the damage meter in a raid. Or in a 5 man.

I've only seen her lose a few pvp bg's on the boards.. and that was because another firemage out dps'd her.

Learn to manage your aggro, get some threat reduction enchants and trinkets..

PvE isn't about the most damage only. It is basically bringing yourself to the very edge of aggro and maintaining that balance without getting killed.

The first time we ran kara, we downed the first two bosses and someone threw up a meter. She was #1 on damage and at the very bottom of damage taken. She had taken exactly 0 damage. There was only one other person who had taken 0 damage and that was me.

[kcma]

and u 2 will play hunter/rogue/priest/warrior/shaman/druid/warlock/pally and do the same. it's not the fire mage it's u guys.

[xDarkDrifterx]

I aggree with KCMA - the player is 60-80% of the char. - the rest is gear. Because a char with better gear and a crappy player behind it will get pwned (usually) by a good player with crappy gear.

[shifttusk]

Gotta disagree. Rogues are excellent DPS but I generally top all rogues in a group. Hunters are definitely among the highest DPS. But yes, mages and locks are at the top as well.

You and several other hunters in this thread are missing a big point. Hunters do a ton of dammage however we cant do it as quickly as mages rogues or locks. You will never sustain more dps in say a 1 minute time period than a mage with equal gear and a pve spec, its just not going to happen. You will be able to do more dmg than him in a longer fight.

[Richakin]

agreed.

my 60 shadowpriest in blues from scholo/strat demolisehd my friends tier 2 fire mage...poor guy was so mad...he continually blamed it on lag..i got a 4 second lag.

i think it was just because he is a hardcore raiding guy...all he does is stand in spot spamming fireball...funny to see him trying to cast a 3s fireball when hes getting pummeled by a player in a duel..poor guy

[Oatmealsmurf]

I'm pretty sure that's not the secret to topping dmg meters as a fire mage. LOL... I'm still trying to figure out how to manage my spells with my mage that I recently specced to fire. I know I'm not making the best use of scorch.

By that token I don't think it's the player... it's the player combined with the class and how well they synergize. I'm a dps machine on my affliction lock... I'm good but not great with my hunter and probably merely average with my mage. I just work better with the lock.

[construct]

This is a valid question, guys. Don't bring up moot defeatist points like "well, if the person doesn't know how to play....." or "whatever you suck at the least..." Yeah no ****, sherlock. Attempt to create a controlled environment, and stop throwing in pointless variables such as if the person isn't equally geared, or has no skill. That's not what the OP is asking.

I'm going to have to pretty much agree with kodeeak. Depends on the fight, but if you're looking to generally be in the top 5 consistently, roll either a mage, warlock or rogue.

[Shellar]

At the moment, I'd say Warlocks. Given the current state of itemization, they have the easiest time bringing their characters to top-notch levels. This may change with 2.1.0.

[Pwnzaurs]

from a mid level perspective:
1. locks/hunts(tied)
2. rogues
3. mages
4. fury warrs/retadins(aka dpsadins)
imo, ofcourse

[det]

I consistently fall 2nd in DPS to mages.

Have topped damage meters ahead of mages, rogues, warriors and other warlocks. (and as many times I have been behind them ^^). In short fights, 5 against singled out elites, I can get 4 DoTs ticking and insta nuke with shadowburn. Lots of damage.

But really it depends on the situations...boss with spontaneous adds (3rd boss in shadowlab, riftlord adds in BM, little mechano helpers on 2nd boss SV) a rogue, hunter..all kind of classes with fast (instant) cast times or multi shots are better while I love longer fights (like agains Murmur) where I can keep up loads of DoTs (that even heal me) and almost endlessly keep myself "healed" and full with mana.

And as said...specc and items make a difference..4 warlocks in the last Gruul raid..2 Affl. 2 demo. Ranging from 11 000 - 8000 HP buffed and +1000 to +700 damage. And I really didn't envy the poor 'lock who specced demo with imp enslave to just be on Warlock tank duty on King Maulgar. Or the mage tanking the mage.

Both with much more important and challanging jobs than just worry about "best" dps. And when healers weren't on top of the game they died. And we wiped....

[Tanitha]

My initial though was for mages. But then I remember the time that a rogue unleashed his full fury on me. Or that time a hunter started seeing how quickly he could turn my little Warlock into a sieve. And so on.

So it seems to me that there are essentially four classes focussed to a certain degree on dealing damage - mages, rogues, Warlocks and hunters. Others can do it as well, but only by escaping their pigeon hole. (A good thing!)

Who's the best? I don't know. If I had to pick a DPS class to complement my Warlock it would be a Shadowpriest or a Druid.

[kcma]

Have topped damage meters ahead of mages, rogues, warriors and other warlocks. (and as many times I have been behind them ^^). In short fights, 5 against singled out elites, I can get 4 DoTs ticking and insta nuke with shadowburn. Lots of damage.


what det said, in a different way. i've topped the meter consistantly with whatever class i've played. twink or not. knowing how much aggro your tank can hold and how far you can push that will get you to the top of the meter.

and i'm always so far up on the meter it's very obvious that the other dps are just not good at their role.

[LucidSpirit]

<class> is best!

/sigh. Witless question begets witless answers, plus ca change :)

Best answer by far....:)

[EdvinMedvind]

Bah. Have to agree with kcma. At least in the kind of guilds most of us are in.

It comes down to knowing the class and being able to keep focus. The last part is often the most important.

[LucidSpirit]

Yep, normally I wouldn't reply to these posts but I'm having a really f'ed up morning at work and I feel like being confrontational. :evil:

Get some therapy. Don't take it out on the forum :)

[kcma]

i know just the right kindda therapy for such situations... but whether it happens or not depends entirely on Kitano's gender... well, maybe if it's Kitana :p