Easiest class to DPS with?

[Frioz]

I've found range dps classes are the easiest to dps with.

[Kurzior]

Depends what's most difficult for the player. Dps comes down to 5 big things. Cast/Attack priority, resource management, debuff/dot management, positioning, CD usage.

Arcane mages have no debuffs or dots to worry about, but they depend heavily on positioning (minimizing how often you have to move) and managing resources and CD's.
An enhance shaman, as a counterexample, has little to no concern for resources, but must manage a small number of dots/debuffs (totems, FS, SS), and has a complex priority system.
A fire mage has a less complex priority system than the shaman, doesn't worry much about resource management, but depends heavily on debuff/dot management and CD usage.

Add to that, every class has some built-in RNG factor, and the more RNG events (usually ability procs) influence your priorities, the harder it is to play that class optimally. Perfect examples of this come from Ret paladins (especially pre-4.3) and frost DK's.

An easy to play class to me is one that can be played with similar success by 2 players, one with years of experience with the class, and one who knows nothing about it. That's just not the case. To be played well, any class requires some practice. Depending on the strengths of the player, some may be easier TO LEARN than others.

[Deleted]

maybe arcane mage.

[sornok]

Ok first of all I CANT say which one is the easiest spec because I haven't played them all, obviously. Although, I have been raid leader and guild master in a 25man raiding guild for 4 1/2 years, and taking this knowledge into account I can say that all specs are easy when you actually compare them to a really hard game (like quake that I played in the past). WoW is an easy game, that gives the illusion to most players that they actually do something and they can brag about it. I 'd say that things like activity, loyalty, game-knowledge, tactics etc are equally important toskill.

Having said all the above, I want to go to the "arcane mage" matter, I 've played mage since wow beta, I 've played every spec possible. Right now I am playing fire-spec cause its better and thats all about it. Since I have played mage for so long I think my opinion matters a lot more than someone who is posting here and has tested arcane mage ona dummy or on a 5man.

In my opinion, the amount of BUTTONS that you press doesn't reflect the difficulty of the spec, an arcane mage has MANA MANAGEMENT which in a 7-8 min fight gives him a rotation which actually matters, it also makes him flexible to help the raid by using his CDS PROPERLY, for example when you know there is a burn phase, you will keep your cds for that. Arcane Power, Mana Gem, Mirrors, Presence of Mind, Flame Orb, Evocation, are all very important and if not used, can destroy an arcane mage's dps. Other than that, an arcane mage has a disadvantage on movements fights, in a fight with heavy movement an arcane mage has to try a lot more than other classes/specs because he doesnt have ANY dots ticking, he needs to POSITION himself very well and use blink properly. Lastly, an arcane mage has to watch, a STACK (ab stack) and a proc (missiles), add those 2 to the 4-5 cds + mana management and the spec becomes complicated enough.

In order to explain the difficulty of arcane in comparison to fire for example, I find fire-spec quite boring and rng for my taste. On single target its much easier than arcane, you have one dot and one proc, you do not look at mana, and you have to align the planets every 2 mins. Not really nuclear science. The only other dps spec I 've played, isfrost dk on my alt, and tbh, whenever I play it I feel it is a lot more relaxing comparing to arcane.

Oh and for those who are going to say "I saw X mage spamming arcane blast the whole 8min fight", well most of them have Sinestra's trinket, which is the worst thing that could have happened to the spec, it defeats the purpose of thespec and also gives a disadvantage to those who dont have it cause bliz balances the spec according to it.

Thats all, I hope I helped, especially those that have judged arcane spec to what they ve seen on a dummy or a 5man that a fight takes 30secs. Peace.

[Deleted]

Arcane Mage and Frost DK

Why? Because it requires very few buttons, compared to everyone else

[MangoSpirit]

That and combat rogue. And well ele shaman.

i disagree with the combat rogue bit. on spine of DW. its hard to get good dps when you have to switch targets alot and bandits guile keeps resetting.

redirect is a 1 min cd. sux.

[lotj]

I find all easy to play. None of them is hard. I love how people said feral druids have a complex rotation. Its so easy its stupid. So are the others.

Difficulty is relative. None of the rotations in the game are particularly challenging, but some are more involved than others. It's just a matter of familiarity.

That said, feral cat is the only one I've tried that doesn't bore me to tears. At least that one has you monitoring a handful of different things and making some basic decision on what to do next, instead of just mindlessly reacting to procs or mashing buttons in a sequence.

[kushlol]

I can only play my mage when I have the kind of hardware that supports the massive amount of keybindings I require for arcane to top the meters.

I'm kidding........but in all seriousness the easiest class to dps with will always be the class the individual is most comfortable with

[Tosu]

Arcane mage is pretty easy, but I bet you that a bunch of people here would still fail at it...

Haha, I will openly say i fail at it. But i do well with any of my melee classes (Feral druid, ret pally or dk) Ret dps is friggin easy, its like a cheap ass rogue, without the Combo point management because the HP stacks on yourself and not your enemy. Simple as that.

[Deleted]

I have read through the rotations for every class in SimCraft, and for single target, Fire Mage is by far the simplest rotation to DPS with. Arcane Mage is the most complicated mage spec to play.

edit: my main is a feral

[Munki]

Combat Rogue (without rupture)
Enhance Shaman - really all it is is hit what is not on CD
Survival Hunter
Frost DK

Would add a mage spec but that is the only toon that is not 85 so i dont know end game rotations for it

[Rainec]

elem shaman imo

both dk specs are simple (I mained both for quite a time) but theres still so many baddies, despite this, because most dont have the priority system down.

arcane mage may be simple but for some reason i still see a majority failing to pull 15k, even in the best possible settings.

[Taiknee]

I would say combat rogue.

[Avatar Killer]

Arcane mage.

No more needs to be said about this comment. It was correct from the get go.

---------- Post added 2011-12-19 at 12:44 PM ----------

elem shaman imo

No the topic was easiest not the most complicated possible. Ele shaman has to be one of the top 3 hardest most complicated specs to DPS with.

[Gandrake]

I can only play my mage when I have the kind of hardware that supports the massive amount of keybindings I require for arcane to top the meters.

I was mad about something until I read this post.

But really, no class is "difficult" per se, to DPS with. It's just a matter of understanding how your class/spec works. Some specs are not as simple as Frost DKs or Arcane Mages, but they aren't really too far off. If you have the effort required to achieve a practical damage output, it shouldn't be hard.

[Deleted]

Most of the specs are fairly straight forward to play decently, but all of them are hard to play perfectly.

Arcane mages and combat rogues, two specs mentioned frequently in this thread, both require an intricate understanding of timings to play well. As always, choose the class and spec that appeals most to you as you are more likely to understand and appreciate the mechanics that way. And that, more than anything, will decide the outcome.

[Deleted]

i would say arcane mage, few buttons miracle.
or DK, just bang your head to your keyboard

[mutality1]

i feel that arcane mages are most likely easiest to dps with

[Kiskiaa]

I would have to agree arcane mage

[Phrox]

Arcane mage requires a lot of mana management actually.
I would say that hunter is the most easy.
Hardest? Shadow priest or warlock.