WoW The War Within Patch 11.1 Best DPS

Jonas Author

Created - 11.02.2025 Updated - 12.02.2025

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You don’t want to find yourself stuck with an underperforming class while others soar in damage rankings. That’s why we’ve put together this WoW The War Within Patch 11.1 Best DPS guide, so you can prepare your builds, optimize gear, and farm WoW gold efficiently.

In this guide, we’ll break down the top DPS specs in Patch 11.1, ensuring you know exactly which ones will dominate. Get ahead of the competition and prepare for the upcoming season with the best choices in WoW The War Within!

Retribution Paladin

When it comes to classes that have undergone significant reworks and redesigns in recent patches, Retribution Paladin stands out as one of the most impressive.

The changes made to the spec have been nothing short of exceptional, taking what was once a bloated, button-heavy rotation and transforming it into something much more streamlined, effective, and enjoyable to play.

Retribution Paladin has become one of the easiest specs to pick up, thanks to its redesigned abilities and passive integrations. The days of spamming Crusader Strike just to generate Holy Power are gone.

Now, your basic attacks occasionally grant Holy Power on their own, making the rotation feel much smoother.

One of the most noticeable improvements is how Blade of Justice functions. It now passively casts Consecrate on enemies around you, adding consistent AoE damage without requiring additional input.

On top of that, Wake of Ashes has been further optimized to activate Avenging Wrath, creating frequent, automatic damage windows roughly every 30 seconds. This synergy makes Retribution Paladin extremely strong in AoE situations, especially in Mythic+ dungeons.

One of the standout abilities in Mythic+ is Divine Hammer, a one-minute cooldown that launches hammers around you, dealing constant AoE damage. This ability adds another layer of passive, high-impact DPS, making Retribution Paladin even more attractive for dungeons.

The recent hero talent meta changes throughout Season 1 have shifted preferences slightly, but Templar remains the superior pick even after minor nerfs. This hero talent tree introduces a new, activatable ability: Hammer of Light.

Hammer of Light is triggered after Wake of Ashes, dealing massive damage—often in the millions—while also shooting out Empyrean Hammers that apply additional consistent AoE DPS. When paired with Avenging Wrath, it creates a devastating burst window that makes Retribution Paladin feel extremely satisfying to play.

This new synergy allows you to chain abilities in a sequence that results in massive burst damage:

1. Cast Wake of Ashes → Triggers Avenging Wrath automatically.
2. Use Hammer of Light → Unleashes AoE destruction.
3. Watch as Empyrean Hammers continuously apply additional DPS.

This one-two punch combo makes Retribution Paladin an absolute powerhouse in both burst windows and sustained AoE fights.

One of the biggest strengths of Retribution Paladin is its insane level of utility. This class is not just about damage—it also provides some of the most valuable support abilities in the game.

Here’s what you bring to your group:

• Blessings and Bubbles – Essential defensive abilities to protect allies.
• Chunky Off-Heals – Word of Glory provides solid self and group healing.
• Lay on Hands – A life-saving, full heal for your tank or any critical teammate.
• Battle Res – A rare and invaluable ability in many encounters.
• Consistent Off-Healing – Passive and active healing makes you a strong hybrid DPS.

The amount of off-healing and utility potential Retribution Paladin brings is simply one of the best in the game. If you’re looking for a DPS class with incredible survivability, strong group support, and game-changing defensive cooldowns, you can’t go wrong with Ret Paladin.

What makes Retribution Paladin stand out is how accessible it is. For new players, it’s one of the easiest specs to learn, with clear synergies, a smooth rotation, and intuitive mechanics.

If you’re looking for a strong, easy-to-learn DPS class that excels in the upcoming patch, Retribution Paladin is one of the best choices available. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, this class has everything you need to dominate in both PvE and Mythic+ content.

Frost Death Knight

If you're looking for a melee DPS class with jaw-dropping burst potential, Frost Death Knight might just be your new favorite. This spec is all about massive numbers, explosive cooldowns, and high-impact abilities that can obliterate enemies in seconds.

With the upcoming Patch 11.1, Frost Death Knight is shaping up to be one of the strongest melee DPS options, especially for those who love the thrill of watching their damage skyrocket during key moments.

One of the most exhilarating playstyles for Frost Death Knight revolves around the Breath of Sindragosa build. This build is all about saving up resources, unleashing massive burst damage, and sustaining it for as long as possible.

Here’s how it works:

1. Prepare for Your Burst Window – Before activating Breath of Sindragosa, stockpile as much Runic Power as possible.
2. Pop Your Cooldowns Together – Combine Breath of Sindragosa with every major cooldown, including Horn of Winter and Empowered Rune Weapon.
3. Sustain the Damage – Use Horn of Winter and Empowered Rune Weapon to continuously generate Runic Power, keeping Breath of Sindragosa active for as long as possible.
4. Melt Everything in Sight – When executed properly, this combo results in millions upon millions of damage, turning Frost Death Knight into an unstoppable force.

This setup allows you to maintain an absurd amount of sustained DPS during your two-minute cooldown windows, making it one of the most satisfying builds in the game.

While Frost Death Knight is known for its explosive bursts, it still has solid gameplay outside of major cooldowns. You’ll rely on:

• Killing Machine Procs – These empower your Frost Strikes, dealing devastating crits.
• Obliterate and Frost Strike AoE Synergy – The Razorice build enhances your AoE damage, making your Frost Strikes explode in a chain reaction.
• Reaper’s Mark & Pillar of Frost – These abilities work together to provide consistent smaller bursts in between your Breath of Sindragosa windows.

Even though Frost Death Knight may not have the highest damage consistency outside of cooldowns, it remains a powerful and effective melee spec that rewards proper resource management and cooldown timing.

One of the most exciting additions to Frost Death Knight in Patch 11.1 is its Hero Talent tree: Deathbringer. This tree leans into the cold and relentless reaper theme, making the spec feel even more satisfying to play.

Key features of Deathbringer include:

• Reaper’s Mark – Applies to low-health enemies, exploding on impact for massive AoE damage.
• Exterminate Ability – Unleashes a gigantic scythe attack, slashing through enemies in front of you. This ability not only looks amazing but also feels incredibly rewarding in AoE-heavy fights.

With these new additions, Frost Death Knight embodies everything players love about the class—brutal execution, high-impact abilities, and an amazing class fantasy that makes you feel like an unstoppable force.

Frost Death Knight checks all the boxes for players looking for:

• Incredible burst potential with Breath of Sindragosa.
• A simple, yet highly rewarding playstyle that allows for insane damage windows.
• An immersive class fantasy that makes you feel like a true frost reaper.
• Strong AoE damage and cooldown synergy, making it great for Mythic+.

While it may lack some consistency outside of cooldowns, Frost Death Knight more than makes up for it with its insane burst and high-impact abilities.

If you’re looking for one of the best melee DPS specs in the upcoming patch, Frost Death Knight should absolutely be on your radar.

Arms Warrior

Leveling up can be tough, but the Warrior class makes it easier thanks to pure power. Still, if you don’t have the time to grind, you should try WoW leveling services for a change too.

When it comes to straightforward, raw damage, there’s no way to ignore the two-handed Arms Warrior. This spec is a staple in any fantasy RPG—you grab a massive weapon, swing it with all your might, and watch your enemies crumble.

In Season 1, Arms Warrior started off strong, but as the patch progressed, it slowly fell behind. The spec desperately needed buffs, and for a while, it felt like Blizzard had forgotten about it.

But finally, after weeks of waiting, buffs have arrived, and Arms Warrior is back in the spotlight, delivering exactly what it was designed for—pure destruction.

One of the best things about Arms Warrior is its simplicity. The spec has a clear and effective rotation, making it easy to learn while still being incredibly rewarding.

Here’s what makes Arms Warrior’s playstyle so effective:

• Keep Rend Up – This is your primary bleed, ensuring steady passive damage.
• Spam Overpower – Overpower increases the damage of your next Cleave or Mortal Strike, making it essential in both single-target and AoE fights.
• Sweeping Strikes + Warbreaker – When dealing with multiple enemies, pairing these abilities maximizes your AoE burst potential, leading to insane numbers.
• Massive Cooldowns for Devastating Bursts – Arms Warriors have a ridiculous amount of offensive cooldowns, and you can macro them all into one button to amplify your damage output by nearly 100%.

One of the most satisfying aspects of playing Arms Warrior is unleashing all of your cooldowns at once and watching enemies disintegrate.

There have been moments where Cleaves hit for 3 to 4 million damage, obliterating everything in sight. The raw impact of stacking all cooldowns and seeing enemies melt away is one of the most enjoyable experiences in The War Within so far.

Another major strength of Arms Warrior is how simple and effective its talent tree is. Unlike some specs that require complicated interactions or niche mechanics, Arms Warrior is built purely for damage, and the talents reflect that.

Every choice you make is designed to boost your overall damage, meaning there’s no unnecessary complexity—just power.

Among the Hero Talent trees, Colossus stands out as the best option. This talent path enhances your core rotation by introducing Colossal Might, a stacking buff that increases the damage of your Demolish ability.

Demolish is the new Hero Talent activatable ability, and it’s an absolute powerhouse. It can hit for over a million damage on its own, making it one of the hardest-hitting abilities in the Arms Warrior arsenal.

In a way, it feels similar to Retribution Paladin’s Hammer of Light, delivering a huge, satisfying burst of damage in your rotation.

For those who have played Warrior in past expansions, Patch 11.1 feels like a return to form. Arms Warrior is finally back to its roots, reminiscent of how it played in Classic, The Burning Crusade, and Wrath of the Lich King—simple, brutal, and devastating.

This spec is designed to:

• Deal ridiculous amounts of damage with a few key abilities.
• Have an easy-to-learn rotation that doesn’t feel overwhelming.
• Explode with insane burst potential when cooldowns are up.
• Finally deliver the consistent damage Warrior players have been waiting for.

With the recent buffs, Arms Warrior has become far more consistent, addressing its previous lack of sustained damage. Now, it’s one of the most powerful melee DPS specs heading into Patch 11.1.

If you’re looking for a straightforward but incredibly rewarding melee spec that brings raw power, massive crits, and the ability to demolish anything in its path, Arms Warrior is the way to go.

Destruction Warlock

For those looking for a ranged DPS spec that is both powerful and easy to pick up, Destruction Warlock is a standout choice.

This spec delivers massive crits, high consistent DPS, and explosive animations, all while maintaining a straightforward builder-spender playstyle that makes it one of the easiest ranged specs to learn.

What sets Destruction Warlock apart is its ability to excel in both single-target and AoE scenarios without being forced into extreme build swaps. Whether you’re focusing on raiding or Mythic+, the core mechanics remain satisfying and effective, making it one of the most well-rounded ranged specs heading into Patch 11.1.

Destruction Warlock follows a classic builder-spender formula:

• Cast spells to generate Soul Shards.
• Spend Soul Shards on devastating abilities like Chaos Bolt for single-target and Rain of Fire for AoE.

This makes the gameplay easy to understand while still offering depth for those who want to optimize their rotations.

When dealing with multiple targets, Destruction Warlock thrives in AoE-heavy encounters, especially when specced into the Hellcaller Hero Talent tree. This setup revolves around high-impact, explosive AoE damage with abilities like:

• Cataclysm – Instantly afflicts all enemies with Wither, ensuring they take increased damage over time.
• Channel Demonfire & Malevolent Inferno – Unleash waves of fiery destruction while continuing to build Soul Shards.
• Rain of Fire Spam – With enough Soul Shards banked, you’ll chain-cast Rain of Fire, dealing millions of damage in massive bursts.

The simplicity and effectiveness of this build make Destruction Warlock an absolute powerhouse in Mythic+ and large-scale fights.

In single-target encounters, Destruction Warlock shifts gears by speccing into the Diabolist Hero Talent tree, enhancing its already lethal burst potential. This build centers around:

• Soul Fire – A hard-hitting, high-damage spell that melts enemies in single-target fights.
• Chaos Bolt Spam – With proper Soul Shard management, you can unleash a constant barrage of Chaos Bolts, each capable of dealing massive crits.
• Burning Legion Reinforcements – This build taps into summoning additional demonic allies, amplifying both burst and sustained DPS.

With these talents, Destruction Warlock delivers some of the highest crit numbers in the entire game, making every cast feel incredibly rewarding.

One of the most exciting aspects of Destruction Warlock in Patch 11.1 is how it feels reminiscent of its classic iterations. Players who loved Warlock in Wrath of the Lich King will feel right at home as they:

• Toss out Chaos Bolts and Soul Fires capable of one-shotting mobs.
• Summon Burning Legion demons to assist in battle.
• Enjoy a spec that is just as deadly in PvP as it is in PvE.

With Season 2’s tier set boosting Warlock’s output even further, Destruction Warlock’s damage is only going to scale higher as The War Within unfolds.

If you’re looking for a ranged DPS spec that is powerful, visually impressive, and easy to learn, Destruction Warlock is an incredible choice.

• Straightforward builder-spender mechanics make it accessible for all players.
• Extremely high burst damage in both single-target and AoE fights.
• Hero Talent trees provide distinct and satisfying playstyles.
• Incredible class fantasy and spell animations make every cast feel impactful.

With its safe playstyle, massive crits, and simple but effective design, Destruction Warlock stands out as one of the best and easiest ranged DPS specs in Patch 11.1.

Windwalker Monk

If you're looking for one of the most fluid, fast-paced, and visually satisfying melee DPS specs, look no further than Windwalker Monk.

This spec blends smooth gameplay, explosive animations, and relentless burst potential into a deadly and highly rewarding playstyle.

With Patch 11.1, Windwalker Monk is thriving, thanks to Blizzard’s continued adjustments to its stat scaling and core mechanics. As a result, the spec feels more fluid than ever, making it one of the most fun and effective melee DPS options in the game.

One of the biggest strengths of Windwalker Monk is its engaging and well-paced rotation. Unlike some classes that can feel clunky or overly complex, Windwalker flows effortlessly from one ability to the next.

It’s fun to play in any situation—whether it’s raiding, Mythic+, or even just practicing on a target dummy. Here’s what makes Windwalker’s rotation so satisfying:

• Builder-Spender Mechanics – Windwalker follows a simple yet effective system where you build up Chi and spend it on hard-hitting abilities.
• Chunky AoE Damage – Fists of Fury and Spinning Crane Kick deal massive AoE damage, making Windwalker a top-tier pick for Mythic+ dungeons.
• Blackout Kick Procs – These enhance your damage, ensuring that your single-target and AoE output both feel powerful.
• New Ability: Slicing Winds – Initially underwhelming on the PTR, this ability has proven to be a serious powerhouse. After recent testing, Slicing Winds has been hitting for 5-6 million damage per cast, adding another high-impact tool to Windwalker’s arsenal.

One of the more interesting builds being tested right now is based on the Last Emperor’s Capacitor, which supercharges Crackling Jade Lightning, allowing it to deal an 8,000% damage-increased AoE hit.

This results in massive bursts of damage, turning Windwalker into a lightning-infused wrecking machine.

With proper cooldown management, Windwalker Monk can chain massive bursts of AoE and single-target damage, making it one of the most explosive melee specs in the game.

If you love cool animations, dynamic combat, and martial arts-inspired gameplay, Windwalker Monk is one of the most visually satisfying specs in all of World of Warcraft.

• Flying Kicks, Spinning Strikes, and Lightning-Infused Attacks – The animations are incredibly fluid, making every hit feel powerful and satisfying.
• A Classic Martial Arts Hero – Whether you’re playing as a Pandaren, Orc, or Human, Windwalker makes you feel like a true martial arts master, channeling spiritual energy into devastating attacks.

Both Windwalker Hero Talent Trees offer strong and exciting playstyles, but for many players, Conduit of the Celestials stands out.

• Celestial Conduit Ability – This ability unleashes Pandaria’s Celestial spirits, dealing AoE damage while also resetting your core abilities faster, speeding up your rotation significantly.
• Improved Cooldown Reduction – With your main abilities coming off cooldown faster, your damage windows are more frequent and explosive.
• A Faster, Smoother Playstyle – Windwalker is already one of the most fluid melee specs, but this talent tree makes it feel even better, adding extra speed, synergy, and impact to every attack.

There’s no doubt that Windwalker Monk is one of the most enjoyable and effective melee DPS specs going into Patch 11.1.

• Fast, fluid, and engaging gameplay.
• Huge AoE burst potential with Fists of Fury & Spinning Crane Kick.
• High single-target damage with Blackout Kick procs & Slicing Winds.
• Fantastic Hero Talent options, with Conduit of the Celestials speeding up gameplay.
• A visually stunning and highly rewarding class fantasy.

With Windwalker’s exceptional design, top-tier damage potential, and one of the smoothest melee rotations in the game, this spec is in a fantastic place heading into the new season.

If you love fast-paced combat and martial arts-inspired gameplay, Windwalker Monk is a must-play in Patch 11.1.

Balance Druid

For those who enjoy ranged casters with a simple yet explosive playstyle, Balance Druid is one of the most effective and easy-to-learn specs in Patch 11.1. It’s the complete opposite of the healer Restoration Druid class.

The giant Moonkin is back and looking stronger than ever, bringing exceptional AoE damage, a straightforward rotation, and some of the most visually satisfying abilities in the game.

One of the best things about Balance Druid is how simple and intuitive the spec is. The core gameplay revolves around managing DoTs, cycling through Eclipses, and unleashing powerful AoE spells.

Here’s how the rotation works:

1. Keep Sunfire & Moonfire Applied – These DoTs provide consistent passive damage and help with Astral Power generation.
2. Enter Eclipse – Use Wrath a few times to enter Lunar Eclipse, enhancing your Starfire damage.
3. Spam Starfire in AoE – Once in Lunar Eclipse, Starfire becomes your main spam ability in multi-target situations.
4. Starfall for Massive AoE – In AoE fights, dump Astral Power into Starfall, ensuring huge damage across all enemies.

This easy-to-learn rotation makes Balance Druid one of the most accessible caster specs, while still delivering massive damage output.

One of the biggest strengths of Balance Druid is Starfall’s uncapped AoE potential. Unlike many other specs that have a target limit on AoE abilities, Starfall can hit as many enemies as you can pull. This means:

• The bigger the pull, the higher your damage potential.
• Perfect synergy for Mythic+ dungeon clears.
• Scaling AoE damage that makes Balance Druid one of the top AoE performers in the game.

With Wild Mushroom procs from the tier set, extra passive damage from talents, and constant Starfall spam, Balance Druid melts enemies with ease in large fights.

While Balance Druid shines in terms of raw damage, it does come with a major drawback—lack of strong defensives.

Compared to Warlocks, Mages, and Elemental Shamans, Balance Druid’s survivability tools are among the weakest in the game. This means staying aware of your surroundings is crucial if you plan to play this spec in high-end content.

To succeed as a Balance Druid in Mythic+ and raids, positioning and awareness are key—avoid unnecessary damage, stay mobile, and rely on self-healing tools like Renewal and Bear Form when needed.

Balance Druid has two solid Hero Talent choices, but one clearly outshines the other so you need to choose wisely.

• Fury of Elune resets more frequently, allowing you to deal massive burst damage more often.
• Stronger Starfire spam, improving AoE and cleave scenarios significantly.
• More consistent DPS output, making it far superior in both single-target and AoE fights.

While Keeper of the Grove is an interesting talent path, its Trent summons lack impact, and the damage boost is simply not competitive compared to Elune’s Chosen.

If you’re looking for a ranged DPS spec that offers straightforward gameplay, massive AoE damage, and satisfying visual effects, Balance Druid is one of the best choices going into Patch 11.1.

• Easy-to-learn rotation with simple DoT management.
• Uncapped AoE damage potential—perfect for Mythic+.
• One of the strongest AoE performers in the game.
• Elune’s Chosen Hero Talent tree makes the spec even stronger.

Although Balance Druid lacks strong defensives, its raw damage output, smooth rotation, and AoE potential make it an absolute powerhouse in the new season.

DPS Tier List

This tier list ranks the six DPS specs based on damage output, consistency, ease of play, and overall effectiveness in Patch 11.1.

S-Tier (Best of the Best)

1. Retribution Paladin

• Simple, high-burst rotation with great synergy.
• Strong in both single-target and AoE scenarios.
• Exceptional utility with off-healing, Battle Res, and defensive cooldowns.

2. Frost Death Knight

• Breath of Sindragosa build offers massive burst damage.
• Deathbringer hero talents enhance both single-target and AoE.
• Easy-to-learn cooldown-based playstyle with devastating spikes.

A-Tier (Strong & Reliable)

3. Arms Warrior

• Extremely high burst potential when cooldowns are active.
• Straightforward, powerful rotation with satisfying big crits.
• Recent buffs have improved damage consistency significantly.

4. Destruction Warlock

• Simple builder-spender mechanics with high damage potential.
• Strong single-target crits and uncapped AoE with Rain of Fire.
• Hero talents (Diabolist & Hellcaller) enhance both burst and sustained DPS.

B-Tier (Strong, But With Weaknesses)

5. Windwalker Monk

• Fast, fluid melee rotation with strong AoE potential.
• Hero talents (Celestial Conduit) speed up cooldown resets.
• Requires solid resource management and cooldown timing.

6. Balance Druid

• Uncapped AoE potential with Starfall, making it a Mythic+ powerhouse.
• Simple DoT-based rotation with strong Astral Power spenders.
• Weak defensives require high awareness and careful positioning.

Pick the Best WoW DPS Specs

It’s not just about having the best gear or gold—your class and spec choice matter just as much. If you want to consistently clear content with high DPS numbers, you’ll need to select a meta-relevant class. Next, you should learn about the tier list for Mythic dungeons next.