Tank tier list for WoW Forever beta ranks all 4 tank specs by raid + dungeon + PvP performance.
For broader content, see our Class Tier Lists, Best Race-Class, and Talent Builds articles.
Quick summary: S tier: Prot Warrior + Blood DK + Guardian Druid. A tier: Prot Paladin. All 4 tanks viable in beta.
Tank tier list
S tier (must-pick)
| Spec |
Strength |
| Protection Warrior |
Shield Block + threat |
| Blood DK |
Self-heal + anti-magic |
| Guardian Druid |
High HP + armor |
A tier (strong)
| Spec |
Strength |
| Protection Paladin |
Blessing + threat |
Best tank for raid
| Rank |
Spec |
Why |
| 1 |
Prot Warrior |
Threat gen + Shield Block |
| 2 |
Blood DK |
Self-heal + sustain |
| 3 |
Guardian Druid |
High HP + armor |
| 4 |
Prot Paladin |
Plate + Blessing |
Best tank for dungeon
| Rank |
Spec |
Why |
| 1 |
Prot Paladin |
Blessing + AOE threat |
| 2 |
Blood DK |
Sustain |
| 3 |
Prot Warrior |
Classic |
| 4 |
Guardian Druid |
Mobility |
Best tank for PvP
| Rank |
Spec |
Why |
| 1 |
Blood DK |
Anti-magic zone |
| 2 |
Prot Warrior |
Charge + stun |
| 3 |
Guardian Druid |
High HP |
| 4 |
Prot Paladin |
Bubble + plate |
Stat priority (Prot Warrior)
| Stat |
Priority |
| Strength |
1 (threat + damage) |
| Hit |
2 (cap 9% melee) |
| Crit |
3 |
| Stamina |
4 (HP pool) |
| Defense |
5 (cap 540) |
Stat priority (Blood DK)
| Stat |
Priority |
| Strength |
1 |
| Stamina |
2 (HP pool) |
| Hit |
3 (cap 9%) |
| Expertise |
4 (cap 26) |
Stat priority (Guardian Druid)
| Stat |
Priority |
| Agility |
1 (armor + dodge) |
| Stamina |
2 (HP pool) |
| Hit |
3 (cap 9%) |
| Mastery |
4 |
Stat priority (Prot Paladin)
| Stat |
Priority |
| Strength |
1 |
| Hit |
2 (cap 9%) |
| Expertise |
3 (cap 26) |
| Stamina |
4 |
Tank gear (level 20-30)
Pre-bis gear
| Slot |
Item |
Source |
| Head |
Excavator’s Hard Hat |
Brogdul |
| Shoulders |
Earthen Mantle |
Excavation Site |
| Chest |
Cenarion Breastplate |
Quest |
| Legs |
Cenarion Pants |
Quest |
| Shield |
Earthen Bulwark |
Quest |
Tank rotations
Prot Warrior rotation
- Shield Slam (main threat)
- Revenge (off GCD)
- Devastate (filler)
- Demoralizing Shout (AoE threat)
- Shield Block (active mitigation)
Blood DK rotation
- Death Strike (main + heal)
- Heart Strike (threat + runic)
- Icy Touch (runic)
- Plague Strike (runic)
- Rune Tap (active mitigation)
Guardian Druid rotation
- Mangle (main threat)
- Thrash (DoT + AoE)
- Swipe (AoE threat)
- Ironfur (active mitigation)
- Savage Defense (active mitigation)
Prot Paladin rotation
- Avenger’s Shield (ranged threat)
- Consecration (AoE)
- Judgment (runic)
- Hammer of the Righteous (AoE)
- Shield of the Righteous (active mitigation)
Common tank mistakes
| Mistake |
Cost |
| Low threat |
DPS pulls aggro |
| No active mitigation |
High damage taken |
| Wrong race |
Lost utility |
| No consumables |
Slow recovery |
Tank addons
| Addon |
Purpose |
| TidyPlates |
Threat indicator |
| Omen |
Threat meter |
| WeakAuras |
Active mitigation |
| Details! |
Damage taken |
FAQ
What’s the best tank?
Prot Warrior (raid + dungeon).
Best tank for PvP?
Blood DK (anti-magic).
Best tank for 5-man?
Prot Paladin (Blessing + AoE).
Final verdict
S tier: Prot Warrior + Blood DK + Guardian Druid. A tier: Prot Paladin.
Whatever you choose, Prot Warrior is most reliable.
For more content, see our Class Tier Lists, Best Race-Class, Talent Builds, and Best Addons articles.