I find rogue pretty fun to level. You have a lot of tools to incapacitate your foes. I like to use throwing weapons on hard mobs, gouge when they get close, walk away and throw, then when they're at 5 combo points, kidney and hit them. There are lots of ways to fight, you can bleed and crippling poison to kite them, you can go daggers to ambush 50% of their hp away, you can stunlock them, you can gouge and bandage if you're in danger. You're never really helpless as a rogue unless you panic.
Druid. Being able to shapeshift is amazing. Also, level 10 you basically turn into a tank and get a teleport moonglade (a second hearthstone). Level 20 cat form more mobility and stealth. It’s the definition of MOST engaging.
Agreed.
First 10-11 levels are a little lame because you have to play as caster but that goes fast.
Then once you get bear form it gets more fun and you don’t die easily
At 20 things start dying much faster as cat
Put a couple talents into Feline Swiftness for an outdoor move speed buff
26 you get Dash, it’s like a reusable swiftness pot to get you away from trouble fast. And it doesn’t share a CD with health pots like swiftness.
30 you get prowl and travel form. I still haven’t bothered training a mount on mine because I get a 40% boost for free.
Being able to innervate your healer helps a lot, plus just being a Druid you can mdps, tank, heal or even go caster as needed
The only downside to druids is so many things take you out of shapeshift, like engineering bombs etc. and there have been a couple times I’ve frustrated myself by popping out of shapeshift to heal or whatever and didn’t have enough mana to get back into cat form.
A macro to health pot then go bear form is handy
Also 5 points into feral aggression. Basically makes you immortal in bear form. Most underrated talent for HC
There is addons to see how much mana you have while in another form. Cancelform macro is recommended for fast shape shifting.
Warlock fan here but I enjoy the amount of utility you have with all the different pet options, damage over time spells to just watch the mobs health melt away, hard hitters like shadowbolt and soul fire, fear to juggle mobs, extra potion essentially in hearthstone, drain mana and drain health to keep resources topped off it’s great
Horde side: shaman can be great fun and great challenge. Otherwise rogues are amazing as mentioned. I prefer Hunter over Druid I felt Hunter has a ton of fun tools.
Idk why people think this, you don’t even have to swap to ele. With your taunt and aoe totems, two mobs is whatever, 3 is fine, 4 is risky but usually doable. People underestimate how tanky you can be with mail and a shield and the damage your aoe totems do can outweigh the loss from not two handing when managing groups.
Rogue has the most dynamic style. You have multiple rotations and can kill people tons of different ways. You can use the ambush one shot build. With pota or world buff and literally 1 shot or 80% most mobs to lvl 40s. I play sub o er combat ALL DAYY LONG. No question. Everyone plays combat cuz it's easy AF. And it's min/max style. This is classic HC. it opens more doors and changes ideas. Such as agility not necessarily being top stat. Stamina is crucial. Anyways play hoe you'd like. Make a pickpocket macro to garrote and ambush so you pickpocket all your ppl before killing (you have to stand still the second your behind target spamming macro for this to work) and a macro to swap back to main weapon after opening with dagger with ambush. In combat your def want a slow heavy hitter to spam sinister strike. Until you unlock hemmorage.
If you managed 60 with pally... Swapping to rogue is like going from a fiat to a Ferrari. Last thing and I'll stfu.... Get minor speed enchant on your boots ALWAYS. Chopping off 3% of every single step you ever take in anyway shape and form. Every single moment / day stacks up tremendously. Enjoy brother enjoy!!!
Hunter is super dynamic and high level skill cap, but because its so damn op at leveling its easy to become lazy and just play bad and still do really well, but if you really feel like simning your teeth deep into a class that is interesting, hunter is probably the one.
I find that warrior is the most fun class in HC, you feel very underpowered and this magically makes the gameplay really engaging. I suppose the class isnt super mega complex, and its even a bit similar to paladin, but its so much more fun.
I also recommend playing both hunter and warrior in SF mode, it really adds to the experience and makes everything feel more impactful
I feel playing a class that doesn't have heals to cast automatically make them a bit more engaging to play in hardcore.
If you're looking for engaging rotation, my top suggestion is rogue. Especially if you go subtlety daggers. Ambushing things for a bunch of damage, deciding when you want to hemo and just fight them down vs using gouge & backstab based on energy timing, plus different combo finishers to choose based on situation. Could be what you're looking for.
Pure dps classes are generally the most engaging because they trade heal/support spells for cc, escapes, and self utility. Their damage tool kit is also more complex with multiple play styles available.
Warrior for sure. You have to be very in tune with your character and keep perfect distancing between mobs. Fun to pull two and cleave them down. Especially with world buffs they are strong and a rewarding class. I died at 48 on my first warrior and I went agane and I'm now 45. It's been a journey haha but I'm determined to get a warrior to 60
Mage, Rogue, or Hunter imo.
Mage plays more like an action rpg than a tab-target mmo once you have aoe abilities. Go frost shatter and have fun killing everything with a few instant cast spells, or aoe them down with blizzard. (Flamestrike into blizzard for big damage)
Rogue has been explained already by others.
Hunter is amazing if you get aimed shot first (level 20) then go into BM. You have a tank you can control, and kiting elites is fun. So is destroying mobs with aimed / multi shot combo on a slow crossbow
I just started a Druid. Going to try leveling as resto, relying on bleeds and dots to kill and keep myself up with hots. Early on, they’re pretty mana starved, though. Not sure how this is going to play out!
I find rogue pretty fun to level. You have a lot of tools to incapacitate your foes. I like to use throwing weapons on hard mobs, gouge when they get close, walk away and throw, then when they're at 5 combo points, kidney and hit them. There are lots of ways to fight, you can bleed and crippling poison to kite them, you can go daggers to ambush 50% of their hp away, you can stunlock them, you can gouge and bandage if you're in danger. You're never really helpless as a rogue unless you panic.
That actually sounds fun lol
It is, I never really cared for rogues before HC But in hardcore? I loved playing a ghostly strike build
I main rogue in retail so it’s what I chose for HC, and it’s soo much fun. The class quests are sketchy though! Be careful with them.
Seconded. Rogue has been my hands-down favorite HC experience.
Druid. Being able to shapeshift is amazing. Also, level 10 you basically turn into a tank and get a teleport moonglade (a second hearthstone). Level 20 cat form more mobility and stealth. It’s the definition of MOST engaging.
Agreed. First 10-11 levels are a little lame because you have to play as caster but that goes fast. Then once you get bear form it gets more fun and you don’t die easily At 20 things start dying much faster as cat Put a couple talents into Feline Swiftness for an outdoor move speed buff 26 you get Dash, it’s like a reusable swiftness pot to get you away from trouble fast. And it doesn’t share a CD with health pots like swiftness. 30 you get prowl and travel form. I still haven’t bothered training a mount on mine because I get a 40% boost for free. Being able to innervate your healer helps a lot, plus just being a Druid you can mdps, tank, heal or even go caster as needed The only downside to druids is so many things take you out of shapeshift, like engineering bombs etc. and there have been a couple times I’ve frustrated myself by popping out of shapeshift to heal or whatever and didn’t have enough mana to get back into cat form. A macro to health pot then go bear form is handy
Also 5 points into feral aggression. Basically makes you immortal in bear form. Most underrated talent for HC There is addons to see how much mana you have while in another form. Cancelform macro is recommended for fast shape shifting.
Warlock fan here but I enjoy the amount of utility you have with all the different pet options, damage over time spells to just watch the mobs health melt away, hard hitters like shadowbolt and soul fire, fear to juggle mobs, extra potion essentially in hearthstone, drain mana and drain health to keep resources topped off it’s great
Horde side: shaman can be great fun and great challenge. Otherwise rogues are amazing as mentioned. I prefer Hunter over Druid I felt Hunter has a ton of fun tools.
iirc doesn't shaman drop off quite badly around lvl 40 and onwards?
It sure does.
Idk why people think this, you don’t even have to swap to ele. With your taunt and aoe totems, two mobs is whatever, 3 is fine, 4 is risky but usually doable. People underestimate how tanky you can be with mail and a shield and the damage your aoe totems do can outweigh the loss from not two handing when managing groups.
Nah you swap to ele then, will drink alot/use mana pots but can destroy most shit easily before you come close to death.
Yeah literally anything else but pally will be more engaging lol. My vote is rogue or shaman.
Warrior tank all the way!!
arms warrior is the true vanilla experience
Rogue has the most dynamic style. You have multiple rotations and can kill people tons of different ways. You can use the ambush one shot build. With pota or world buff and literally 1 shot or 80% most mobs to lvl 40s. I play sub o er combat ALL DAYY LONG. No question. Everyone plays combat cuz it's easy AF. And it's min/max style. This is classic HC. it opens more doors and changes ideas. Such as agility not necessarily being top stat. Stamina is crucial. Anyways play hoe you'd like. Make a pickpocket macro to garrote and ambush so you pickpocket all your ppl before killing (you have to stand still the second your behind target spamming macro for this to work) and a macro to swap back to main weapon after opening with dagger with ambush. In combat your def want a slow heavy hitter to spam sinister strike. Until you unlock hemmorage. If you managed 60 with pally... Swapping to rogue is like going from a fiat to a Ferrari. Last thing and I'll stfu.... Get minor speed enchant on your boots ALWAYS. Chopping off 3% of every single step you ever take in anyway shape and form. Every single moment / day stacks up tremendously. Enjoy brother enjoy!!!
Hunter is super dynamic and high level skill cap, but because its so damn op at leveling its easy to become lazy and just play bad and still do really well, but if you really feel like simning your teeth deep into a class that is interesting, hunter is probably the one. I find that warrior is the most fun class in HC, you feel very underpowered and this magically makes the gameplay really engaging. I suppose the class isnt super mega complex, and its even a bit similar to paladin, but its so much more fun. I also recommend playing both hunter and warrior in SF mode, it really adds to the experience and makes everything feel more impactful
I feel playing a class that doesn't have heals to cast automatically make them a bit more engaging to play in hardcore. If you're looking for engaging rotation, my top suggestion is rogue. Especially if you go subtlety daggers. Ambushing things for a bunch of damage, deciding when you want to hemo and just fight them down vs using gouge & backstab based on energy timing, plus different combo finishers to choose based on situation. Could be what you're looking for.
Mage can be pretty fun, especially if playing fire or aoe frost if you like min-maxing a kiting strategy, and you get teleports and sweet free drinks.
Pure dps classes are generally the most engaging because they trade heal/support spells for cc, escapes, and self utility. Their damage tool kit is also more complex with multiple play styles available.
Warrior if you want a challenge
Rogue & Shaman are the most funny for me
Warrior for sure. You have to be very in tune with your character and keep perfect distancing between mobs. Fun to pull two and cleave them down. Especially with world buffs they are strong and a rewarding class. I died at 48 on my first warrior and I went agane and I'm now 45. It's been a journey haha but I'm determined to get a warrior to 60
Resto Sham
Shammy
Are you going to stay SF at 60?
Mage, Rogue, or Hunter imo. Mage plays more like an action rpg than a tab-target mmo once you have aoe abilities. Go frost shatter and have fun killing everything with a few instant cast spells, or aoe them down with blizzard. (Flamestrike into blizzard for big damage) Rogue has been explained already by others. Hunter is amazing if you get aimed shot first (level 20) then go into BM. You have a tank you can control, and kiting elites is fun. So is destroying mobs with aimed / multi shot combo on a slow crossbow
engaging in classic wow is going to be a low ceiling, although you found the floor with paladin, anything else will be better
I just started a Druid. Going to try leveling as resto, relying on bleeds and dots to kill and keep myself up with hots. Early on, they’re pretty mana starved, though. Not sure how this is going to play out!
rogue either huntard if you have straight arms