Beast Mastery Hunter is the Best All-Around Class for Dragonflight
If you‘re trying to decide what class to main in Dragonflight, look no further than the stalwart Beast Mastery Hunter. With excellent solo capability through its pet companion and competitive endgame damage, Beast Mastery solidifies itself as the best jack-of-all-trades class going into the new expansion.
What Makes Beast Mastery So Strong?
Beast Mastery hunters excel in solo situations due to the power of their animal companion pet. The pet can serve several roles:
Tank – Pets can hold threat and absorb damage from enemies so the hunter doesn‘t take direct hits. Spirit beasts even provide healing ability.
DPS – Tenacity pets offer decent damage on top of tanking with Growl disabled after the hunter establishes initial threat. Ferocity pets pump out even higher damage.
Simplified Gameplay – With the pet managing threat, Beast Mastery hunters are free to worry mainly about optimizing their rotation and mechanics rather than survival. This allows focusing on dealing maximum damage.
For solo farming, their pet enables Beast Mastery hunters to take out elites and multiple enemies at once that would overwhelm some other classes and specs.
In group content, Beast Mastery still brings solid raid utility:
- Mystic Touch – Physical damage debuff on targets
- Bloodlust/Heroism – Attack speed and haste buff
- Soothing Water – Spirit beast healing
- Offensive Purge – Dispels enemy buffs
- Binding Shot – AOE root on targets
Topping it off, Beast Mastery hunters remain competitive in endgame raid and Mythic+ damage. While not chart topping, they hold their own in late game content.
Competition from Evokers and Demon Hunters
The new Dracthyr Evokers present some competition when it comes to having a powerhouse leveling class for Dragonflight. Their unique hybrid magic/physical ranged style enables them to take down enemies with efficiency. However, Evoker‘s complex rotations make them more difficult to master than the straightforward Beast Mastery priority system.
Havoc Demon Hunters also tout excellent solo power through their supreme mobility. Fel rushing and vengeful retreating across zones enables them to swiftly maneuver to objectives. Their weaker raid performance makes them less viable to main for endgame though.
Solo Power Comparison
| Class | Solo Power | Rotation Complexity | Utility |
| ————- |:———-:|:Classification:|:———-:|
| Beast Mastery Hunter | Excellent | Simple | Good |
| Havoc DH | Great | Moderate | Limited |
| Evoker | Great | Complex | Excellent |
Here we can see Beast Mastery ranks the highest due to its solo power combined with an easy rotation and good utility.
Other Classes Worth Mentioning
Death Knights – Also strong soloers, but less group utility and lackluster mobility. Relies heavily on self-healing rather than a pet companion.
Fire Mages – Currently top-tier raid damage with excellent utility through Spellsteal, Combustion, etc. But weaker solo power with no pet tank relies heavily on kiting instead.
Balance Druids – Eclipse system provides high endgame damage when mastered. Weaker solo compared to pet classes though, despite having a "tank" spec.
Marksmanship Hunters – Lack much of the solo power provided by pets. Overall weaker than Beast Mastery as well in most PVE content.
Each class and spec brings certain advantages. But when considering the full package, Beast Mastery Hunter stands above the competition.
Playstyle and Fantasy Are Most Important
At the end of the day, even if a class tops the damage meters, you won‘t enjoy WoW as much if the fantasy and playstyle don‘t resonate with you personally.
Popular vs Underplayed – Bandwagon rerolls often gravitate toward flavor of the month classes. But queue times and congestion follow. Most classes are viable to play.
Metas Change – With hotfixes and balancing changes, top specs shift from patch to patch. Focus on enjoying your class rather than stressing temporary power.
Evaluate what calling appeals to you at a core level. Whether slaying mythical beasts as the Beast Master himself, wielding dark magic as a roguish Warlock, or embracing the light as a virtuous Paladin.
In the new Dragonflight expansion, Beast Mastery Hunter stands tall as the best well-rounded option, excelling at soloing and remaining competitive through endgame. This jack-of-all-trades class allows focusing on mastering mechanics rather than class complexity. While the allure calls of rolling the new Dracthyr Evoker or flavor of the month spec, remember to focus on what resonates with you at a core level. The classes most engagement and enjoyment comes from the fantasy fulfilled and playstyle you gravitate towards, not temporary numerical advantages. Spec strength fluctuates, but fantasy is forever.
Hope this breakdown helps guide you to picking the perfect class to main as you venture forth on the alluring Dragon Isles! Feel free to reach out with any questions.
