Choosing a class What is your fantasy ? Do you want to be the healer , with the power of life and death over your friends ? Or would you prefer to take all the damage yourself as the tough hero of them all , the tank of the group , standing strong and taking hits for those around you who are quicker , but weaker ? Or last of all , would you like to be one of many unique damage class characters , some of which include tanking and healing as well ? Choosing what class you want to be in " World of Warcraft " is arguably the most important choice you will ever make . Unlike races - - which can be changed for a fee - - , classes are permanent . Well , what exactly is a class ? A class is a specific specialization of combat you choose to take on your character . A mage is a class , a warrior is a class , a dwarf is not a class , it ' s a race . For more help on how to choose a race , see the Choosing a race page ! All classes in " World of Warcraft " are versatile , but each one has different roles in which it excels . It helps to choose a class based on the role you think you will enjoy playing . You should try to choose a class that ' s more like you . Ex . If you like helping and don ' t really like to fight then choose a healer . And if you want to be the one putting out the damage then you could be DPS . If protecting people is your thing , then maybe tanking is for you . Within " World of Warcraft " , there are some very defined roles which each class finds itself . On a basic level , there are ( restore health ) , ( absorb damage and taunt ) , and ( DPS ) ; but many classes can fill a multitude of these roles , with varied effectiveness . Tanking or damage classes can be roughly categorized by whether they are front - line or support , whether they are best at melee ( close ) or ranged combat , and how easily they can be played solo ( without needing to be part of a group for enjoyable play ) . The lines are not always clear - cut ; for example , support classes can still be defined as primarily melee or ranged for the damage output they do , even though damage is not necessarily their strong point . Healing classes are divided differently , between group healers and single healers . Both types of healers are capable of all kinds of healing , yet each has a specialty . One healer is even a shape shifter . There is significant overlap in abilities between different classes . Still , each does have its strong points , as outlined below . Although people make alts in other classes , you may find that there is one particular class which you are called to , and that fits more strongly than the others with your particular psychology and playstyle . In this sense , Blizzard ' s advertising slogan for " World of Warcraft " , " What ' s your game ? " is actually extremely appropriate . It may initially be a little difficult to figure out what your particular game is , in terms of class , but when you find it , you ' ll know . New players should also remember that a given class ' s potency may not be obvious until later levels ( particularly 40 + ) . Sometimes all you need is a single spell that changes your gameplay from maddeningly difficult to excessively fun . Playing , for example , a priest or a druid might seem particularly difficult during early levels , but the class will suddenly change after learning a new ability or talent , increasing the fun and excitement of playing it by several notches . Having a source of advice on playing your desired class , from the beginning until the level cap ( several go through various play - style changes , particularly depending on the talent s available ) , can also make a huge difference in the degree of enjoyment you find in playing one class versus another . Finally , players should understand that " World of Warcraft " is a constantly - evolving game . Any given class or talent tree ' s potency relative to any other may vary dramatically from patch to patch . The class descriptions below noticeably omit references to class balance for this very reason . Also see : Can ' t decide which class to choose ? If you are completely unsure about which class to choose , then pick one of the hybrid classes . The hybrid classes are classes which are able to fill different roles in the game . This way you can experiment with different play styles during your evolution and better decide which way you like to play most . The hybrid classes are paladin , druid , monk , and shaman . Paladins , druids , and monks are good in dealing damage , receiving damage and healing , while shamans are good damage dealers and healers , and moderate damage receivers . Class roles . Damage Dealer . After choosing a role , a player must then choose a specialization via Talent Tree s , a combination of their class and their role . Choosing a class specialization . Determining which role you enjoy the most will help a great deal in choosing the best class for yourself . For More Information go to Class role . Brief overview of classes . Each class in " World of Warcraft " is played in a distinct manner in many ways from the other classes available ( and there are often considerable variations even within the same class ) , but certain broad generalizations about play styles can be made . See below for a more complete descriptions of each class . Melee classes . A melee class excels at close - range combat , dealing heavy amounts of damage to the enemy ( and likely taking quite a bit as well ) . Melee fighters don ' t rely on spell s and ranged attacks to the extent that ranged classes do , and therefore must maintain a close proximity to the enemy in order to be effective . A melee class will be most enjoyable if you enjoy in - your - face action and fast tactical thinking . Since these classes tend to take a fair amount of damage from their targets , players often prefer to have a decent supply of food and bandages , and carry potions for quick recovery both inside and outside of combat . Ranged classes . Ranged classes rely on keeping the enemy at a distance . For casters like the mage and warlock , this is because the requisite cloth armor provides almost no protection , and the player is quickly killed if the enemy gets too close ; for the hunter , it is because the player ' s best combat abilities simply will not work inside a minimum range . Like melee classes , ranged classes do not have the ability to heal themselves ( aside from the warlock ' s healthstone and a pair of life - stealing spells ) , and generally train themselves in First Aid . Support / Hybrid classes . The hybrid classes have the ability to fulfill several roles in a group ( melee or ranged damage dealer , tank , or healer ) , some better , some worse . Druids are able to specialize in all four roles , and are even able to cover two of them with one single talent build ( melee DPS and tank ) , though they suffer much more in the un - specialized areas for it . Some players also believe that these classes have the ability to solo much more efficiently than the " pure " classes , but this subject is , like many other things in " World of Warcraft " , a topic of heavy debate .