Best Designed Class

[Searsha]

Which class, or more specifically which spec, do you feel is best designed in the game? This is NOT a question as to which is class is the most powerful, represented, or even viable OR a question as to which class you main. From your experience, which class/spec is the most fluid, coherent, and enjoyable to play or otherwise well designed?

[NMX-]

I enjoy the mobility and ease of play of hunters. Elemental shaman would be a tie as well, however they plan on getting rid of lightning bolt's cast-while-moving. These 2 are not really complicated, are fun to level, dont have a lot of button bloat, and just feel right to me.

[Jaojin]

Hunter. It is easy to pick up but has some depth, gearing is (fairly) straightforward. It is forgiving tactically (movement doesn't interrupt rotation, range, no positioning requirements), but also has the potential to capitalize on tactical decisions (proper use of cooldowns and resource management, because it is forgiving you can perform essential duties during an encounter while maximizing uptime.) Pets give a wealth of buff versatility and options (though some/most of these are going away in WoD). Less competition for gear (only hunters use ranged weapons, only enhancement shaman share agility mail.)

[raviadso]

Hunters are awful. I love playing them, but to have only one role (DPS) and have three specs that play almost identically is an abomination.

I know that they are being differentiated more in WoD, but for Cat/MoP, they've been pretty disappointing.

[Jaojin]

Hunters are awful. I love playing them, but to have only one role (DPS) and have three specs that play almost identically is an abomination.

I know that they are being differentiated more in WoD, but for Cat/MoP, they've been pretty disappointing.

BM and Survival don't play the same at all, even if you reduce both specs to three buttons it is still different how/when you use things with those buttons. For instance, BM plays like Fury (in a window of buff time maximize your damage output) where survival plays more with maximizing dot uptime and responding to procs.

[Clrg]

Warlocks in MoP, the whole class feel very polished, all the three spec are different from each other and are viable in pve.

[Deleted]

I voted DKs for the following reasons:
- Specs feel have the most accurate easy to learn/difficult to master definition of all classes imo
- All 3 specs operate completely different from one another, feel fresh and unique from other specs and classes
- Blood DK is a superbly designed tank spec, they have the MoP active mitigation model through and through
- Runic power and runes synergise well and function mutually
- Have plenty of utility and flexibility in raid roles
- Talents feel mostly well designed
- Wealth of defensive and offensive cooldowns

MoP warlocks are up there, mages and monks are a contender.

[Enfilade]

Monks by far. Their current design and fluidity is what Blizzard wants other classes to feel like.

[Blithe]

Druids and Mages are by far top-tier when it comes to class design because their tool-kit feels exactly how you envision the class to be and it matches almost every situation perfectly.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have the classes Blizzard doesn't seem to know how to design properly, or know what to do with, such as: Warriors who are either underpowered or overpowered each patch which go unresolved for the longest of times, Shaman who are quite viable but suffer the most clunky mechanics and the most obvious conflicting design issues in the game and then there are Paladins where Retribution is left in the dark as a melee spec and Holy shares the same fate as Warriors teetering up and down the scale of "balance".

Every other class is somewhat in the middle.

[DeleteThisUser]

Warlocks and mages are neat.

[Haywire5714]

Warlocks are the best designed overall imo.

Other notable mentions:

- Brewmaster monk: Very interesting active mitigation, their only drawback is how vulnerable they are to stuns.
- Shadow Priest: Their dps is too low but the class design is very good; movement should be an issue for the other ranged dps classes as it is for shadow.
- Resto Shaman: Really good all around healer, if Siege of Orgrimmar was tuned with more consistent damage, this class would do much better. Talents are a bit meh however.

Worst Design:
- Hunter: the specs are fairly similar and they have very low dps potential. 100% dps while moving reduces the gap between a good player and a bad one.
- Mistweaver: Uncontrollable healing is just terrible design.
- Holy Paladin: This class does half the healing of a disc priest for twice the mana cost; accompanied with just really dull gameplay imo.
Their mastery is the only reason to bring them to a raid.

[Teriz]

Monks, with Warlocks being a close second.

I give Monks the edge because I didn't think it were possible for Blizzard to make a unique Melee class after DKs, Warriors, and Rogues.

[Deleted]

The warlock revamp does it for me, every spec feels unique while maintaining the " I R WARLOCK " theme, regardless how you deal damage with it.

[FuxieDK]

- DK, Warrior, Hunter, Mage, Warlock, Rogue are all clearly at the bottom: All these classes virtually ignores specs. It's just minor variation..
- Monk, Priest and Paladin are somewhere in the middle: Monk doesn't REALLY feel like a RPG monk, but spec offer big diversity. However, DPS-paladin without a shield is in every way an abomination.. A Paladin's whole being is tied to his shield..Priest loose by having two healing specs, but Holy/Shadow combo weighs heavy in his favor.
- Shaman is superb design: Melee, caster, healer in 3 very distinct specs, all carefully built around Bloodlust. Everyone knows what defines a shaman.
- Druid is creme de la creme of design: Melee, caster, healer and tank capable. Everything carefully wrapped in excellet animal forms that is second to none..

[Raiju]

- DK, Warrior, Hunter, Mage, Warlock, Rogue are all clearly at the bottom: All these classes virtually ignores specs. It's just minor variation..
- Monk, Priest and Paladin are somewhere in the middle: Monk doesn't REALLY feel like a RPG monk, but spec offer big diversity. However, DPS-paladin without a shield is in every way an abomination.. A Paladin's whole being is tied to his shield..Priest loose by having two healing specs, but Holy/Shadow combo weighs heavy in his favor.
- Shaman is superb design: Melee, caster, healer in 3 very distinct specs, all carefully built around Bloodlust. Everyone knows what defines a shaman.
- Druid is creme de la creme of design: Melee, caster, healer and tank capable. Everything carefully wrapped in excellet animal forms that is second to none..

You've almost exactly listed classes by the number of roles they do, rather than how the specs they have vary.

[KCguy]

Before Cata, probably a Druid. After Cata, the redesigned warlock class. Now with Mists winding down, still a lock with a Monk in second. They did a great job with them.

[Mirishka]

Hunters are awful. I love playing them, but to have only one role (DPS) and have three specs that play almost identically is an abomination.

I know that they are being differentiated more in WoD, but for Cat/MoP, they've been pretty disappointing.

Can't say I agree. I think BM spec feels plenty unique. Its Marks and Surv that feel blurred.

[Vintersol]

Oh god... 2 people find paladins best designed? xD

[raviadso]

Monks by far. Their current design and fluidity is what Blizzard wants other classes to feel like.

All the specs feel very different and yet feel like you are a ninja. Love how even healing as a monk feels like you are weaving magic energies.

[Searsha]

I never imagined this poll would have such decisive responses! Warlock is ahead by a mile! Maybe I'll finally have to try playing one!