At 735, base stats are high, so percentage gains matter more.
Before diving into rankings, it’s crucial to understand why Patch 7.3.5 is the reference point. This patch introduced:
At 735 iLvl (Mythic Antorus gear + fully unlocked Crucible + two optimal legendaries), the DPS hierarchy becomes razor-sharp. Some specs scale incredibly well with secondary stats; others fall off.
At 735, your weapon’s relic traits matter as much as your iLvl. Prioritize Tier 3 traits that boost your top damaging ability. For example:
After analyzing logs from Nighthold Mythic speed kills and M+ leaderboards (patch 7.2), here are the standout performers at 735 equipped.
Summary
Methodology (assumptions)
Top DPS specs and strengths
Situational specialists
Gear, stats, and tips for ilvl ~735
Practical recommendations
Short checklist to maximize DPS at 735
If you want, I can:
(Invoking related search terms for further refinement.)
In patch 7.3.5 of World of Warcraft: Legion , the DPS meta was defined by the final raid tier, Antorus, the Burning Throne, and the power spikes provided by Tier 21 set bonuses and legendary items. The clear frontrunners were Affliction Warlocks for ranged and Windwalker Monks for melee, both excelling due to their unique damage profiles and high utility. Top-Tier DPS Specializations
Affliction Warlock (Ranged): Dominant in almost all raid scenarios, especially multi-target and AoE fights like the Coven of Shivarra. Their massive self-sustain also made them a top choice for high Mythic+ keys, often allowing groups to run with minimal healer intervention.
Windwalker Monk (Melee): One of the strongest melee specs, benefiting heavily from the Tier 21 set bonus and the legendary helm. They consistently topped logs on high-movement fights like Kin'garoth due to their mobility and massive burst potential. wow legion best dps 735 better
Assassination Rogue (Melee): Remained a premier choice for single-target damage, often leading the charts on bosses like Garothi Worldbreaker.
Balance Druid (Ranged): Particularly strong in heavy AoE encounters (e.g., Eonar). Their utility, including Innervate and Solar Beam, made them highly desirable for Mythic+ and raid progression.
Shadow Priest (Ranged): Excelled in "council" style fights with multiple targets, often overtaking Rogues in those specific scenarios. Antorus Raid DPS Rankings
Rankings shifted significantly based on the specific encounter mechanics:
Single-Target: Assassination Rogue, Enhancement Shaman, and Windwalker Monk led for pure boss damage.
Multi-Target/Cleave: Affliction Warlock and Shadow Priest were the undisputed kings.
Heavy AoE: Elemental Shaman, Balance Druid, and Marksmanship Hunter performed exceptionally well on "add" heavy fights like Eonar. Factors Influencing Performance
Tier 21 Sets: These bonuses provided massive throughput increases for certain specs like Windwalker Monks and Elemental Shamans, pushing them into the top tiers. At 735, base stats are high, so percentage gains matter more
Legendary Items: Performance was often highly dependent on having specific "BiS" (Best-in-Slot) legendaries, which could make or break a spec's viability for high-end play.
Mobility: Classes with high mobility (Monks, Demon Hunters) were favored in Antorus due to the high volume of movement-based mechanics in the final bosses.
For further performance tracking, players typically referred to Warcraft Logs to see live data from high-level Mythic and Heroic clears.
Stock UI fails at 735. You need to track:
Must-have WeakAuras at 735:
Why they are better at 735: While Arcane Mages dominated later in the expansion, Fire Mages were the kings of early Legion.
These specs, when played optimally at 735+, will top meters on almost every fight.
1. Affliction Warlock
2. Subtlety Rogue
3. Feral Druid (Yes, really)