In this The War Within Tank Tier List Season 3 covers Manaforge Omega in Patch 11.2. It ranks tanks by survivability, raid utility, and damage output. The goal is to show which specs fit high end raid groups and why.
Disclaimers About This Tier List
The focus is top end Mythic progression. Durability always matters, but some tiers allow every tank to live reliably. When survival is broadly achievable, damage and utility decide most rosters. Early testing suggests all tanks can survive Manaforge Omega, so buffs, damage, and unique tools weigh heavily. Treat this as guidance, not a roster mandate. Balance can shift and early takes can miss details. Updates are expected as tuning and data arrive.
How We Ranked the Specs
- S tier: Exceptional choice that is likely to appear in almost every top group, sometimes as both tanks.
- A tier: Great choice that is common in top compositions.
- B tier: Solid and capable of clearing all content but slightly behind in damage, durability, or utility.
- C tier: Noticeable weaknesses that make the spec harder to use effectively.
- D tier: Serious survivability issues that demand extreme skill or strategy tradeoffs.
- F tier: Severe flaws that would make the spec rare in progression.
- There are no tanks in C, D, or F at this time.
Overall Tier Summary
S Tier
- Protection Warrior
A Tier
- Brewmaster Monk
- Blood Death Knight
B Tier
- Vengeance Demon Hunter
- Protection Paladin
- Guardian Druid
C Tier
- At the moment there is no spec in this tier
D Tier
- At the moment there is no spec in this tier
F Tier
- At the moment there is no spec in this tier
Spec Notes and Reasons in The War Within Tank Tier List Season 3
Protection Warrior — S Tier
- Team value: Brings Battle Shout, which many groups want even if no DPS Warrior is present. Rallying Cry exists as a backup raid cooldown, though it was nerfed in Dragonflight.
- Performance: Took a pre season nerf, yet damage remains strong and the spec is exceptionally sturdy into physical damage. The kit smooths hits with Ignore Pain and reliable mitigation.
- Caveats: Manaforge Omega contains meaningful magic damage patterns that can stress warriors more than some peers, but overall output, sturdiness, and the raid buff keep Prot Warrior at the top. Many groups will prefer to cover Battle Shout through the tank slot and let DPS choices stay flexible.
Brewmaster Monk — A Tier
- Team value: Provides Mystic Touch, a highly desired raid debuff that is often easiest to cover from the tank role if your group is light on Monks.
- Performance: Brewmaster scaling looks healthy on both defense and offense after recent buffs. Even with small late nerfs to Shado pan damage, the spec still feels strong and consistent.
- Caveats: Button bloat can return with current best builds, so expect heavier keybinds. Survivability and damage remain solid enough to justify frequent inclusion.
Blood Death Knight — A Tier
- Team value: Offers top tier control and external help through grips and Anti Magic Zone. AMZ no longer has a cap on total absorb in the best use cases, which raises its value on difficult mechanics. Multiple AMZs can be stacked across a raid.
- Performance: Very durable when played well, with huge self healing and strong tools against magical damage. A change to Death Strike at the expansion start made each incoming hit heal only once, which shifts feel and stat value, but the playstyle is still familiar.
- Caveats: No formal raid buff, which can hurt slotting when groups already have enough grips or AMZ coverage. The utility and magic sturdiness often offset that drawback, and some encounters strongly incentivize bringing a DK somewhere in the roster.
Vengeance Demon Hunter — B Tier
- Team value: Brings Chaos Brand, which is a powerful raid buff. Most groups cover this with Havoc, so Vengeance is less requested for the buff specifically.
- Performance: Capable of good damage and solid toughness. The spec often trades offense for defense through build choices and cooldown usage, so planning is required to avoid falling behind on either front.
- Caveats: When Havoc is locked in for Chaos Brand, other tanks can feel more attractive, which pushes Vengeance to B for many groups even though it is fully viable.
Protection Paladin — B Tier
- Team value: Provides Devotion Aura and powerful Blessing tools. Spellwarding can solve specific problems and is very attractive when relevant. Having these tools on a tank can simplify certain strategies.
- Performance: Current tuning leaves Prot Paladin on the squishier side for tank damage this tier. As gear grows, that concern eases, but early progression can feel punishing.
- Caveats: Whether Prot fits depends on the rest of your composition. If other raid buffs and Death Knight tools are already covered, Paladin utility can be the tie breaker. If not, groups may favor tanks that bring missing effects.
Guardian Druid — B Tier
- Team value: Offers Mark of the Wild. Many raids cover this through Restoration Druid, but Guardian can provide it if healer or DPS choices do not.
- Performance: Choice of hero talents lets you tune comfort and damage. Druid of the Claw rewards catweaving for single target damage, while Elune’s Chosen is a steadier option for multi target or players who want to stay in Bear form.
- Utility: Stampeding Roar and Innervate add real value and should not be overlooked, especially on movement heavy bosses or mana tight progress.
- Caveats: Historically overshadowed when other Druid specs are already present. Still a functional and useful tank with flexible builds.
Conclusion
In this The War Within Tank Tier List Season 3 all tanks can complete Manaforge Omega. Survival looks achievable across the board, which shifts emphasis to raid buffs, damage, and unique tools. Protection Warrior sits at the top due to strong damage, sturdy mitigation, and Battle Shout coverage. Brewmaster Monk and Blood Death Knight are frequent A tier choices thanks to Mystic Touch, AMZ and grips, and reliable defensive profiles. Vengeance Demon Hunter, Protection Paladin, and Guardian Druid remain fully viable and bring valuable utility, with their placement driven mostly by roster needs and encounter plans rather than hard capability limits.
