Content:
Midnight Best DPS
Updated 12 October 2026. Placements are as of early October 2026 (before patch 12.1.5 on 13 to 14 October) and come from sources dated 24 September to 10 October.
There is no single best DPS in Midnight Season 2. For Mythic+ damage, Elemental Shaman, Arcane Mage, Assassination Rogue and Arms Warrior are the S+ specs on Icy Veins, and Elemental and Arms are also the two S tier specs on Method. By raw damage of the top 100 players on wow.gg, Demonology Warlock is first in Mythic+ (393K average DPS) and Marksmanship Hunter is first in Heroic raid logs. The older version of this page, written before launch, listed Frost Mage, Augmentation Evoker and Marksmanship Hunter as S tier. None of the three is there now, so every placement below was rechecked.
This page is organized by role (melee, ranged, solo, group). For the full 27-spec table with raid columns, see our Midnight DPS tier list. For tanks and healers, see Midnight Best Tank and Midnight Best Healers.
Midnight Best DPS: Key Facts (October 2026)
| Question | Answer (early October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Patch and season | 12.1 “Curse of Ula’tek” (11 August), Midnight Season 2. Mythic+ and the Venomous Abyss raid opened on 18 August |
| Top Mythic+ tier, Icy Veins (6 October) | S+: Elemental Shaman, Arcane Mage, Assassination Rogue, Arms Warrior |
| Top Mythic+ tier, Method (5 October) | S: Elemental Shaman, Arms Warrior |
| Highest Mythic+ average DPS, wow.gg (week 8) | Demonology Warlock 393K, then Unholy Death Knight and Assassination Rogue 375K |
| Highest Heroic raid DPS, wow.gg (week 8) | Marksmanship Hunter 295K, Demonology Warlock 292K, Arcane Mage 292K, Arms Warrior 292K |
| Lowest in all sources | Augmentation Evoker (C tier on Icy Veins and Method, 27th of 27 by damage) |
| Hardest to play | Windwalker Monk, according to Icy Veins |
| Easiest to move while casting | Beast Mastery Hunter: the only ranged spec that can run its full rotation while moving (Icy Veins) |
| What changes next | Patch 12.1.5 (13 October US, 14 October EU) changes Devourer, Marksmanship, Outlaw and Subtlety; see the last section |
wow.gg ranks the top 100 players by Mythic+ rating and averages their damage, so it also reflects how many strong players choose a spec. Icy Veins grades damage together with utility, survivability and mobility. Method grades Mythic+ for this season’s dungeon pool. The three lists answer different questions, which is why they disagree.
Midnight DPS Tier List
The top of each list as it stood in the first week of October. The full table is in the tier list guide.
| wow.gg rank | Spec | Avg DPS | Icy Veins | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demonology Warlock | 393K | A+ | B |
| 2 | Unholy Death Knight | 375K | A | A |
| 3 | Assassination Rogue | 375K | S+ | A |
| 4 | Arcane Mage | 373K | S+ | A |
| 5 | Elemental Shaman | 373K | S+ | S |
| 6 | Windwalker Monk | 368K | S | A |
| 7 | Retribution Paladin | 366K | S | A |
| 8 | Beast Mastery Hunter | 362K | A+ | A |
| 9 | Arms Warrior | 359K | S+ | S |
| 10 | Frost Death Knight | 348K | A+ | A |
Sources: Icy Veins Mythic+ DPS (6 October), Method Mythic+ (5 October), wow.gg (week 8, updated 10 October; average damage of the top 100 players across all dungeons and key levels).
Tier lists are not final. Icy Veins states its list changes with every tuning pass, and Blizzard’s 12.1.5 PTR notes already show class changes coming. Treat a one-tier gap as noise and a three-tier gap as a real difference.
Demonology Warlock
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | A+ / S |
| Method Mythic+ | B |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 1st, 393K average DPS |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 2nd, 292K |
Demonology is the highest-damage Mythic+ spec by wow.gg’s top-100 average. Icy Veins credited recent buffs (an estimated 12.5% AoE increase on 1 September) and noted that Blizzard’s stated aim was single-target, so part of the AoE gain may be unintended. Its spec guide describes strong single-target damage and AoE with very little funneling or target swapping and no spread cleave, a noticeable ramp-up, and an Apex talent that adds power and volatility. It is best in encounters with steady, predictable movement. Like all Warlocks it brings Demonic Gateway.
The Season 2 tier set rewards the demon-swarm style: the 2-set strengthens Wild Imps and Implosion, and the 4-set lets expiring Wild Imps hurl themselves at the target and implode (Method and Icy Veins list slightly different numbers for several Season 2 sets, so read the tooltips in game).
Arcane Mage
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S+ / A+ |
| Method Mythic+ | A |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 4th, 373K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 3rd, 292K |
Icy Veins calls Arcane “very strong”: high burst on both single target and AoE, single-target damage that grows when extra targets are nearby, and partly “free” AoE during the single-target rotation. The costs are a mana pool you have to manage with Evocation and Arcane Surge, no AoE on targets that are far apart, and AoE that depends on procs, which hurts on packs that die very quickly.
The Season 2 set adds an extra Arcane Missiles missile (2-set) and makes each Missiles wave strengthen your next Arcane Blast, Arcane Pulse or Prismatic Bolt (4-set). Icy Veins and Method list the percentages slightly differently (they were still changing), so check the tooltips in game.
Frost Mage
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | B / A |
| Method Mythic+ | B |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 26th, 282K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 18th, 259K |
In October Frost is B on both grading lists and near the bottom by damage. Icy Veins’ spec guide (15 August) describes it as solid everywhere with no niche: consistent pull-to-pull damage that does not depend on cooldowns, little single-target loss when you take the AoE talents, and a fragile Ray of Frost build. Frost remains a good spec to take into a fight blind, and its snares and roots make it comfortable for leveling and world content. If your goal is the highest keys, you give up damage for that comfort.
Augmentation Evoker
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | C / B |
| Method Mythic+ | C |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 27th, 257K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 16th, 262K |
Augmentation was listed as one of the best specs before launch because of its group buffs. In Season 2 the lists disagree with that: Icy Veins puts it in C tier even though its list weighs group utility, and on 1 September it described Augmentation as having the lowest damage in the game. A buffer’s own meter number understates what it adds, but both grading lists have already priced that in. Play it if you like the support role; do not expect it to be the group’s first pick this season.
The Season 2 set shortens Upheaval’s cooldown (2-set) and makes Upheaval strengthen the damage echoed by Fate Mirror (4-set).
Marksmanship Hunter
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | A / A+ |
| Method Mythic+ | B |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 22nd, 298K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 1st, 295K |
Marksmanship is the clearest example of a spec that depends on content: first in Heroic raid logs, 22nd in Mythic+. The pattern fits a single-target spec rather than a pack-clearing one. Patch 12.1.5 changes it: Unload is removed and a new talent, Blood Fletching, is added (Blizzard’s 12.1.5 class notes). The Season 2 set shifts the spec toward Explosive Shot, whose bursts now shorten the cooldowns of Aimed Shot and Rapid Fire. Recheck its placement after 13 October.
Devastation Evoker
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | B / A+ |
| Method Mythic+ | C |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 21st, 313K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 12th, 273K |
Devastation is better in raid than in Mythic+ on Icy Veins (A+ against B) and low in Mythic+ on Method (C). It still brings Evoker utility such as party-wide buffs and the ability to remove bleeds and poisons. Its Season 2 set raises Shattering Star’s damage and makes it cast at full empower level (2-set), and speeds up empower cooldowns (4-set). Choose it for raid or for groups that need the utility, not for the top of the key ladder.
Outlaw Rogue
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S / B |
| Method Mythic+ | A |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 17th, 322K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 23rd, 248K |
Outlaw is a Mythic+ spec first: S on Icy Veins, mid-table by raw damage, and weak in raid logs. Icy Veins counts it in its “physical comp” with Resto Shaman, Arms, Windwalker, Retribution and Feral, a group where each member’s buffs help the others. Patch 12.1.5 reworks how Blade Flurry costs Energy: the cost now rises by 5 for each extra target hit, up to 30, instead of a flat +30 (Blizzard 12.1.5 notes). That is a buff for small cleave. The Season 2 set boosts Dispatch (2-set) and gives Sinister Strike and Ambush a chance to make a free, full-combo-point Dispatch (4-set).
Elemental Shaman
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S+ / A |
| Method Mythic+ | S |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 5th, 373K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 14th, 270K |
Elemental is the one spec that is S or S+ on both grading lists. Icy Veins’ spec guide (2 October) calls its rotation very simple, its mobility mediocre, and its damage profile uneven: it struggles with two- and three-target cleave, and the burst nerfs in patch 12.1 hit it harder than most, leaving a fairly flat profile. The 12.1 changes moved damage from overloads to direct spells (Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning and Flame Shock all received large increases). The Season 2 set adds damage to the Maelstrom spenders (2-set) and, after Stormkeeper or Ascendance fade, to your next Lightning Bolts, Chain Lightnings or Lava Bursts, with a free spender (4-set).
Arms Warrior
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S+ / A+ |
| Method Mythic+ | S |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 9th, 359K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 4th, 292K |
Arms is the most consistent pick across sources: S tier on both grading lists and fourth in Heroic raid. Icy Veins described it as the best melee spec by damage on 1 September, and its spec guide calls it very straightforward, built around short Colossus Smash windows, with single-target, two-target and heavy AoE options and a limited physical-damage immunity. The limits are low burst on many targets, mediocre self-healing and the usual melee downtime.
Assassination Rogue
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S+ / A+ |
| Method Mythic+ | A |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 3rd, 375K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 11th, 274K |
Assassination is third by Mythic+ damage on wow.gg and S+ on Icy Veins. Its spec guide (25 August) describes a limited damage toolkit built on single-target damage and spreading damage over time, a very strong 2-minute cooldown, execute damage from Zoldyck Recipe, and the Rogue defensive and crowd-control package that lets it survive mechanics most classes cannot.
Unholy Death Knight
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | A / S |
| Method Mythic+ | A |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 2nd, 375K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 5th, 290K |
Unholy is one of the best-performing specs by raw numbers (second in Mythic+ on wow.gg, S in the Icy Veins raid list) but A tier on both Mythic+ grading lists. Icy Veins describes big burst windows every 1.5 minutes with smaller ones every 45 seconds, good damage from range, weaker target swapping because pets must move and plagues must be reapplied, and a strong execute when Bloodlust lines up with a boss below 35% health. It also calls Unholy one of the tankiest classes in the game. The Season 2 set makes the Magus and Lord of the Dead cast stronger spells (Necrotic Bolt and Withering Grasp).
Windwalker Monk
| Source | Placement |
|---|---|
| Icy Veins Mythic+ / raid | S / A |
| Method Mythic+ | A |
| wow.gg Mythic+ | 6th, 368K |
| wow.gg Heroic raid | 9th, 279K |
Windwalker was weak at the start of Season 2 and recovered: Icy Veins held it at “TBD” in August and now lists it S tier, linking the rebound to the 4-piece set bonus. The same source calls it likely the hardest DPS spec in the game to play well, especially the Conduit of the Celestials build, and one of the squishiest in Mythic+. If you are a newer player, a weak Windwalker in a pug often reflects execution rather than the spec.
Midnight Melee DPS Tier List
All 13 melee specs, sorted by wow.gg Mythic+ average damage. Icy Veins’ physical comp (Arms, Windwalker, Outlaw, Retribution and Feral, together with a Restoration Shaman) is the reason Feral, Retribution and Outlaw look better on that list than their raw damage suggests.
| Spec | Icy Veins M+ (6 Oct) | Method M+ (5 Oct) | wow.gg M+ rank (avg DPS) | Icy Veins raid (24 Sep) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unholy Death Knight | A | A | 2 (375K) | S |
| Assassination Rogue | S+ | A | 3 (375K) | A+ |
| Windwalker Monk | S | A | 6 (368K) | A |
| Retribution Paladin | S | A | 7 (366K) | A+ |
| Arms Warrior | S+ | S | 9 (359K) | A+ |
| Frost Death Knight | A+ | A | 10 (348K) | A |
| Feral Druid | S | B | 12 (338K) | B |
| Subtlety Rogue | A+ | A | 13 (336K) | A |
| Enhancement Shaman | A | B | 15 (331K) | B |
| Havoc Demon Hunter | A | B | 16 (330K) | B |
| Outlaw Rogue | S | A | 17 (322K) | B |
| Fury Warrior | A | B | 18 (318K) | C |
| Survival Hunter | A | B | 23 (297K) | B |
Same sources and dates as above. Raid column: Icy Veins raid list, 24 September, before the 3 October class changes.
Midnight Ranged DPS Tier List
All 14 ranged specs, sorted the same way. Devourer Demon Hunter is listed here: Icy Veins, Wowhead and Method all describe it as a mid-range Intellect caster whose main abilities reach 25 yards, even though it carries warglaives. Beast Mastery Hunter is the only ranged spec that can run its full rotation while moving (Icy Veins), which is why it is the easiest to play through movement-heavy fights even though it is C tier in the Icy Veins raid list.
| Spec | Icy Veins M+ (6 Oct) | Method M+ (5 Oct) | wow.gg M+ rank (avg DPS) | Icy Veins raid (24 Sep) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demonology Warlock | A+ | B | 1 (393K) | S |
| Arcane Mage | S+ | A | 4 (373K) | A+ |
| Elemental Shaman | S+ | S | 5 (373K) | A |
| Beast Mastery Hunter | A+ | A | 8 (362K) | C |
| Devourer Demon Hunter | A+ | A | 11 (345K) | B |
| Balance Druid | A | B | 14 (331K) | A+ |
| Shadow Priest | B | B | 19 (318K) | A+ |
| Affliction Warlock | B | C | 20 (314K) | A |
| Devastation Evoker | B | C | 21 (313K) | A+ |
| Marksmanship Hunter | A | B | 22 (298K) | A+ |
| Destruction Warlock | B | B | 24 (297K) | A |
| Fire Mage | B | C | 25 (290K) | B |
| Frost Mage | B | B | 26 (282K) | A |
| Augmentation Evoker | C | C | 27 (257K) | B |
Midnight Best Solo DPS
No major source ranks DPS specs for solo play in Midnight Season 2: tier lists measure Mythic+ and raid. These picks come from what the spec guides say about each kit, not from a ranking.
- Frost Mage: Icy Veins notes it has long been a strong leveling and world-content spec because of its snares and roots, which let it kite enemies endlessly.
- Beast Mastery Hunter: full damage while moving, and relatively easy to pick up (Icy Veins).
- Unholy Death Knight: pets add damage and Icy Veins calls it one of the tankiest classes in the game.
- Demonology Warlock: a swarm of summoned minions does a large part of the work, but the spec needs a short ramp-up before damage peaks.
If you need to catch a character up before playing the content above, our WoW leveling service covers the 1 to 90 climb.
Midnight Best Group DPS
Group value in Midnight Season 2 comes from damage plus what the spec brings to the party. Icy Veins’ list builds utility, survivability and mobility into its grades, which is why Elemental, Arcane and Assassination sit above Demonology there.
| What groups look for | Classes that bring it |
|---|---|
| Bloodlust or equivalent | Shaman, Mage, Evoker, Hunter |
| Combat resurrection | Druid, Death Knight, Warlock, Paladin |
| Physical comp synergy (Icy Veins) | Arms, Windwalker, Outlaw, Retribution, Feral with a Restoration Shaman healer |
| Strong execute under 35% | Unholy Death Knight, Assassination Rogue, Arms Warrior |
| Raid-wide buffs | Mage (Arcane Intellect), Druid (Mark of the Wild), Evoker (Blessing of the Bronze), Priest (Power Word: Fortitude), Warrior (Battle Shout), Shaman (Skyfury) |
Augmentation Evoker, the usual pick for a “group DPS” list, is C tier on both grading lists this season.
Patch 12.1.5 DPS Changes
Patch 12.1.5 goes live on 13 October (US) and 14 October (EU). Blizzard’s class tuning notes list these DPS changes (12.1.5 content update notes):
| Spec | Change |
|---|---|
| Devourer Demon Hunter | Soulforged Blades crit bonus for Hungering Slash and Voidblade 15% to 18%; Voidpurge cooldown reduction 2s to 2.5s; Monster Rising Intellect outside demon form 15% to 10%; Collapsing Star damage bonus 15% to 20%; Demonic Intensity makes The Hunt deal +30% damage |
| Marksmanship Hunter | Unload removed; new talent Blood Fletching |
| Outlaw Rogue | Blade Flurry Energy cost rises by 5 per extra target hit, up to 30 (was a flat +30) |
| Subtlety Rogue | Shadow damage modifiers reworked; overall impact still under review |
The Season 2 raid and Mythic+ continue unchanged. Also from 20 October, Ascendant Venomstones let you raise the item level of a fully upgraded Season 2 Hero or Myth item at the Catalyst. We will re-check this page after the patch.
Midnight Best DPS FAQ
What is the best DPS spec in Midnight right now?
For Mythic+, Elemental Shaman and Arms Warrior are the only specs in the top tier of both Icy Veins and Method. Demonology Warlock has the highest raw damage on wow.gg. For Heroic raid, Marksmanship Hunter leads wow.gg’s logs.
Is Augmentation Evoker still good in Midnight?
Not in Season 2 by the current lists: C tier on Icy Veins and Method, and 27th of 27 by damage on wow.gg.
Which DPS is easiest to play?
Beast Mastery Hunter is the easiest to play through movement because it is the only ranged spec that can run its full rotation while moving. Elemental Shaman’s rotation is described by Icy Veins as very simple.
Which DPS is hardest?
Windwalker Monk, according to Icy Veins, especially the Conduit of the Celestials build.
Do tier lists change during the season?
Yes. Icy Veins updated its Mythic+ DPS list on 24 September and again on 6 October, and patch 12.1.5 changes four DPS specs.
Which DPS is best for a first character in Midnight?
Pick the spec you enjoy: the gap between the top of the S+ tier and the A tier is small, and the lists disagree with each other. Check our Midnight Hunter guide or another class guide before you commit.