Picking the long term main class

Community General Discussion
1

Hello,

I am planning to change my main character after this season. My main was ele/resto Shaman, played it since I started (9 months ago), but think it’s time to mix up things a bit. Since I spent a lot of time on this character, probably will use it as an alt, for TW, transmogs, etc., but now I am looking for something else, something simple, stress-off and fun to play.

Last few weeks I was experimenting with all classes that I am interested with, and the most enjoyable were Mage and Warlock. Frost and Demo were specs that I was playing mostly while I was leveling. Looking at aesthetic, lore and playstyles, both classes are fun and interesting and that’s the reason why I can’t decide which way to go. Since I am a solo player, things that I care the most and do in the game are: achievements, transmogs and mount farming, questing in old/new zones, casual raiding (normal, less heroic), mythics (up to 15 for mount).

I know neither class will perform the best in everything, but those two look the best for what I am doing most of the time.

Mages: all 3 specs seem fun, but I like frost the most. They have pretty good utility, teleports, shields, instant spells, they are pretty good in the old content with decent AoE and instant spells. Comparing to Warlocks, they are more mobile, but they are lacking on self-healing and survivability in the harder content (soloing) and they are very proc oriented class. Beside Frost, Arcane seems easy spec to learn, Fire a bit harder.

Warlocks: all 3 specs have different playstyles, also have good utility with healthstones, summons, soulstone. They have self-healing and pet which makes them tankier with better survivability, but they are slow with a lot of casting without instant spells. Beside Demo, Destro seems easy to learn, Afflic harder.

With all said, I can confirm that I stuck between these two classes. Currently juggling and doing a bit of everything on both to prepare them, but it’s hard and time consuming. So I have to choose and would really like to hear some thoughts, opinions and advices of other people who are playing or played them more. Would like to hear what keeps you to play them, what do you find fun about them and some suggestions. Just hear something maybe that I missed out or didn’t notice yet which will help me to decide.

Thank you very much.

2

You don’t have to choose. You are not forced to have a main. If you have the time and motivation to maintain two characters, there’s nothing wrong with not picking a main. Or, considering both your mains.

2 Likes
3

Then don’t decide now. Most specs will change a lot when Dragonflight comes, and they can be completely different. Decide on what you want to play then.

4

Frost mage is very stress-free, and simple, if you get used to the mage base kit, but it’s not that strong right now, and the talent tree in DF is awful currently. I’d just say to play, what you think looks thematically the coolest…

5

With borrowed power, arcane is hard to learn, because it’s not “intuitive”. You have to know exactly what you are doing, or you hit like a wet noodle. Frost is really intuitive, because everything you need to know is on the screen. With fire, you only have to learn, how to keep infernal cascade up, and get used mechanically to your combustion ability sequence, because it’s hard to execute mechanically, and of course, you have to learn how to survive as a mage, etc. because we have tons of base kit tools compared to others

6

I strongly disagree. Frost mage can be extremely frustrating as it needs very high uptime to work properly. And if it gets that uptime, it’s far from weak. It could change in DF tho.

Strongly agree, the DF talent tree is absolutely garbage, probably the worst out of all the classes right now.

1 Like
7

It’s very simple. You just have to know the priority system with when to use which procs, and which cooldowns. In aoe, it’s the most fun mage spec by a mile imo to play. I also find it to be most relaxing. Fire mage is exhausting for me in comparison

8

Just gonna say shaman trees look really good for DF. I wouldn’t swap rn :grin:

9

I heard that, I mean I like it, but something just doesn’t keep me with the class.

I would try to focus on more classes, but my time is limited. I love the simplicity of frost mage, especially in the old content but I also like diversity of warlock.

10

That doesn’t really help on things like Halondrus, where you have to run a decent part of the fight, Jailer, where you have to LoS, do bombs etc., or in M+, when you get onetapped by something right after pressing cooldowns, and now you’re without essential IV for 3 minutes. If you want to keep 100% IV uptime, all of these things are terrible and frustrating for frost.

With bad IV uptime, frost is absolute hell on Earth to play.

11

I see. You’ve mentioned you’re a solo player. Warlock is the superior solo class in general. I’d probably pick that.

12

True, thanks for mentioning this!

If he really wants to pick a main regardless, Demo seems more fun to play imo, because of the unique playstyle of summoning your very own army.
Of course, the kiting capability of frost mages is very decent to have as well, but they lack a selfheal.

Also, warlocks are quite strong in keys from what I’ve experienced, so pushing for KSM will be easier with them. Not to mention their mogs are much better than mages’. (A bit biased here, as I love dark mogs, mostly red-black which are fitting for locks.)

All in all, warlocks are probably a bit better pick, but don’t let that discourage you OP.
Play the class and spec you are most comfy with. :slightly_smiling_face:

13

Mages have wider toolkit for surviving (blink, slow fall, ice block, barrier) which warlock replacing with pets. And also less hard-casting spells which makes them more mobile.

I totally agree with you about transmogs, even as someone who’s not big fan of dark magic and dark themes, I love them. Made few while I was leveling, just for fun (sadly don’t have all pieces, yet), and they are outstanding!

To reply on the last part, both classes have pros and cons, overally looking - mages are better for the old content, warlocks for the current content.

1 Like
14

I mean, if you just wanna solo old content, isn’t hunter or any tank the first choice?
If you care about current content more, just play what’s most fun, and not fotm. Frost mage is extremely fun for me, so I play it. People also say it’s weak, but I think it’s sleeper op. Warlock is probably also very fun. You should just either go on a target dummy and try it on a trial char, or look a gameplay youtube video from the perspective of a spec, that interests you

15

Fury Warrior

16

Have you considered evoker??

The dps variant is apprantly very relaxed and stress free, its likely going to be pretty strong aswell given being brand new.

You cant try it right now ofcourse, however if ur looking at a dps main for DF and looking at casters i woildnt write it off.

Also will share transmog with ur shaman which is a added bonus

17

Thus far Monks are probably in the same awkward position. Good AoE as DPS. Awkward Healing spec, and Tank in and awkward spot between no phys damage taken and MAXIMUM magic damage.

18

Dont pick main, you will get bored eventualy.

19

If you refuse to have alts or reroll mid-season, do hybrid classes.

Monk tanks were always fine for example, healers, mediocre, DPS sub-par in Season 3.

Druids had fine tank and ok healer, crap tier DPS.

DH was mediocre DPS and sub-par tank unless you played with premades.

20

Interesting. I find fire the easiest.
I love mages, always wanted to play one and being able to teleport and portal about is great. They are so freaking squishy though.
I would choose warlock merely out of knowing it will survive and I can almost solo rares with Mr. Voidy. For group content stuff though, I would play a mage.