WoW SoD Phase 2 Tank Tier List (PvE)

Arguably the best tank that will not only provide amazing threat control but also great utility and damage paired with superb capabilities at handling large groups of enemies.

However, most Warriors will opt for a glass cannon build as the Protection Talent Tree does not offer as much threat generation as the pure damage from the Arms Tree.

 

Rallying Cry

• Rallying Cry will provide a very beneficial health increase thus making difficult AoE encounters much easier to handle. 

 

Sunder Armor

• Sunder Armor is great for lowering the defense of enemies whilst also maintaining your threat. 

 

Challenging Shout

• This will be your go-to spell when you are facing a large group of enemies. Challenging Shout although having a long cooldown can save any instance run when timed correctly.

 

Devastate

• Devastate  will be your primary source of damage, and unless Blizzard has a new rune to make tanks even stronger, you will need to run it due to its great synergy with Sunder Armor.

 

Cleave

• Cleave will be the main AoE threat generator for Warriors as the weapon damage will allow you to more easily manage several mobs at once.

Another top contendor for the best tank class. Shamans have received a lot of love in terms of their tanking capabilities so should Blizzard decide to add even more power to the tank spec, then we can expect both Warriors and Shamans being preferred over the other classes.

We might see players opting for investing all of the Talent Points into Enhancement as your weapon damage will be greatly increased. Despite having weaker AoE damage, Shamans will be amazing at tackling single targets.

 

Way of Earth

• Way of Earth is very overtuned not only offering even more threat generation but making the Shaman survive even more damage on top of that.

 

Lava Burst

• Lava Burst can be quite limiting due to it being able to target up to 4 enemies, however you can still manage due to the other utilities Shamans will have.

 

Rockbiter Weapon

• Rockbiter Weapon will be your bread and butter at generating substantial amounts of threat whilst also increasing your damage output. 

 

Shield Mastery

• Shield Mastery might see some usage if Blizzard does not offer a better tanking rune, however Shamans have some mana problems so this should come in handy.

It is still early to decide whether Paladins will be a viable tanking spec. You will have to make some sacrifices either in forms of damage or threat generation. Blizzard will need to provide some assistance in terms of a new rune to enable Paladins as a go-to tank in Phase 2.

Players will possibly heavily invest in the Protection Talent Tree or go for a mixed build that also makes use of Consecration in the Holy Talent Tree. 

 

Consecration

• Consecration will be your bread and butter AoE spell as Paladins should you invest some points in Holy.

 

Divine Storm

• Divine Storm will be your alternative to Consecration as you might wish to go use up your points in Protection.

Druids will finally have access to AoE spells to allow them to handle multiple enemies. Although the talent trees do not offer a lot of help for Bear Form, you can still manage to get some utility and damage amplification to allow you to maintain threat more easily.

Blizzard will have to provide a lot of help to Druids to make them more viable as tanks. Investing into the Feral Combat Talent Tree will possibly be the main build so you can deal more damage and generate more rage while in Bear Form.

 

Swipe

• Swipe will be the main AoE damage spell to help you generate enough threat to keep your party safe. 

 

Lacerate

• Lacerate will allow you to generate a lot of threat onto single targets, and with the added damage amplification from your Feral Combat.

Warlocks will be struggling during Phase 2 as they currently do not have any form of AoE damage that can reliably generate sufficient threat so you can fulfill your duties as a tank.

Hopefully, Blizzard will add a new rune to help out Warlocks as they might even end up going down a tier should there be no additional help added to their tanking capabilities.

 

Metamorphosis 

• Metamorphosis will need some tuning to make it easier for Warlock to generate threat. Given the fact that the Gnomeregan raid will have a lot of mobs that have resistance to most of the damage sources Warlocks have, it might be a lot tougher to successfully hold threat.

 

Shadow Bolt Volley

• Shadow Bolt Volley will probably be the main way of Warlocks to handle multiple enemies, however it may become irrelevant as the enemies start scaling up in terms of health and resistances.

Unfortunately, Rogues did not have a lot of agency in terms of tanking. The current way Rogues can be classified as tanks is simply too weak to make them viable with the current runes and gear.

However, this might change in Phase 2 as it seems that Blizzard will be investing a lot more into the tank spec, so hopefully Rogues can become a bit stronger in terms of executing a tank role.

 

Shuriken Toss

• Shuriken Toss will be the main AoE spell for Rogues to hold threat. 

 

Just a Flesh Wound

• Just a Flesh Wound enables Rogues to survive most of the damage as well gives you the Tease spell as your main taunt source.