I’m trying to decide what class to play in TBC. In classic my main was dps warrior which I liked because it was generally fairly easy to get into both raids (as dps) and dungeon groups (as dps spec tank). I disliked that there was so much competition for loot and I found raid leading from the front difficult (I used to raid-lead 20 mans). For TBC I feel like the warrior will do fine getting dungeon groups but will struggle getting into raids. That said, I am kinda wondering if ALL the warriors will respec for the same reasons and maybe warriors will be in demand after all. I do quite enjoy dungeon tanking, and I enjoy raid tanking in retail (monk/DK). I never really got into 40-man raid tanking mainly because there was a lot of competition for raid tanks, but I did tank 20 mans (normally with dps spec).
Alongside warrior I have a warlock and priest at 60, so they would be easy options to pick too. The warlock I feel would be able to get into raids easily enough but I feel like I’ll be spending my life looking for tanks and healers for dungeons. Priest is probably good for dungeons and OK for raids, though there were a LOT of priest healers in classic so I feel like as with warriors there may be a lot of competition, and I may end up still unable to run dungeons due to lack of tanks.
I also have lvl 25 druid and shaman and or course I could buy the lvl 58 boost so really any class is an option.
TL;DR which classes in TBC are going to have the easiest time getting into both raids and dungeons?
Related questions:
To what extent is dungeon tanking in a dps spec likely to be a thing in TBC compared to classic? E.g. tanking as arms warrior or balance druid?
How bad at dungeon tanking are warriors in TBC? Will groups not take warriors, or will they still take any tank they can get?
In your guild what slots on your TBC raid roster have been the hardest to fill?
Tanking as balance druid absolutely no, as a warrior tanking as prot is almost always mandatory, I never seen people tanking not in prot spec, but maybe I never heard all the nuances about warrior tanking in tbc. But feral usually work in raids as a hybrid, they can OT and DPS if the boss don’t require druid as a tank (like Shade of Aran encounter)
Playing any tank will get you to dungeons instantly, as long as you are in a tank spec. It is much more mandatory than in classic, especially for heroics.
Healer generally has little advantage in getting dungeon groups over dps. I have often been in a situation when forming dungeon group in classic where two healers whispered me before I even had 3 dps, much less a tank. I don’t expect that to change in TBC.
In raids, shamen will always be in demand, followed by locks. Others, not so much.
All that being said, just play what you enjoy. Imagine you “maining” each of your options and pick the one that makes you feel the least regrets.
I think in your position I would leave your warrior in Classic and just main your warlock for TBCC
From fotm to fotm, but at least you will never have problems getting raid spots / dungeon spots and you get one of the most solid pvp class as well.
I say that because I started feral druid in Classic and it was a fight from p5 and up to avoid the bench and gain / defend my raid spot against fury warriors. I wish that experience to no one.
For TBCC I am going Boomkin but will ignore pve altogether because I cba to fight for raid spots again. And contrary to Classic I know what to expect from most guilds / meta culture now (only stacking BiS spec /ignore or /bench the rest).
As for tanking in DPS spec, I will try a bit panzerkin for fun but I do not think it will be a thing.
Ps: I know Boomie is awesome in a raid for caster crit / melee hit buff but I fully expect full discrimination again.