Selecting the best classes for solo in Hardcore Classic WoW is a challenging feat. It’s an arduous task to strike the perfect balance between fun and survivability for your character.
In Hardcore Classic World of Warcraft, any class can be played solo successfully if you understand the game mechanics. When you venture into solo play, it becomes vital to recognize your class’s strengths and weaknesses, especially considering the unforgiving nature of Hardcore mode, where you only have one life to live. Early awareness of your class’s limitations can be the deciding factor between keeping your character alive and falling victim to an aggressive Kobold ambush.
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Druid
For WoW series fans, the Druids class needs no introduction as they are some of the most popular — in terms of numbers — that you can find roaming around Azeroth. In Hardcore Classic, however, Druids are one of the few solo-friendly classes with a strong sense of self-healing thanks to the Rejuvenation ability that can go along with a tanky stance via Bear Form. It’s never easy to gauge the potential of an encounter, and sometimes, an error in judgment can cause trouble, especially when getting overwhelmed. Druids have many forms, from cats to unique travel shapeshifts and even bears, that will help mitigate impossible situations.
In my solo adventures through Hardcore Classic WoW, I’ve found that Druids have a valuable Crowd Control ability in the form of Entangling Roots. This ability will be helpful when trying to control the number of enemies that you engage with at one time. From there, I suggest using the Moonfire ability to gradually whittle away at the hitpoints of the enemy before they regain the ability to move. This will allow you to be able to dispatch enemies while taking the least amount of damage quickly.
Paladin
Wielders of the Holy Light are in a good position for a solo run in WoW: Classic Hardcore because of their plate armor and strong healing abilities. It’s hard to stop a paladin in PvE and PvP, but it is possible. If there’s a word I would use to describe the Paladin playstyle, it would be a turtle. A turtle isn’t the fastest or strongest creature in the world, but it’s pretty tough and can ward off much potential damage by retreating in its shell.
During my solo adventures in World of Warcraft Classic’s Hardcore mode, I’ve discovered that Paladins rely heavily on healing prowess, particularly the Holy Light ability. You should use this sparingly, as mana can run out quickly as the fight progresses. Also, Paladins should make sure to have an aura at all times. The first one I got, Devotion Aura, gave me more armor that kept my character from taking additional damage. Another great perk of being a Paladin is the free mount I got early on; that’ll help save some gold for helpful equipment.
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Priest
Priests may forget that there’s even such a thing as a threat in Hardcore Classic WoW. According to the statistics, the priest class has among the lowest deaths in the game, which can be interpreted in many ways. For one, this means that players who choose to follow the Holy Light are being rewarded with strong shields and healing to balance out the low damage that they do. In other words, priests can burn their opponent’s health while hiding behind their most impenetrable powers.
As a priest, you’re going to rely on the Power Word: Fortitude to keep you protected when soloing in Classic’s Hardcore WoW, as it’ll provide more stamina for thirty minutes. Another helpful ability, Smite, is excellent in limited spurts and one I advise keeping an eye out for. Once I get an enemy down to one-third of their health, I usually whack them with the staff until they die, making this my go-to move as a solo player.
Rogue
At first glance, you may notice that the rogues in World of Warcraft are missing one of the most critical factors in staying alive: armor. Well, in this case, rogues aren’t supposed to be noticed at all. If they’re seen more than heard, that’s often a bad thing because the primary method of surviving as a rogue, especially in Hardcore Classic WoW, is based on having the element of surprise. Rogues are great because when you get access to hide, you’ll be picking our fights your our terms.
Speaking of hide, that’s the battery that makes the rogue class work when flying solo in Hardcore Classic WoW. Before approaching enemies, you want to meticulously analyze your surroundings. A trick I recommend to mastering Rogue solo gameplay is isolating your target before engaging, even if it means avoiding more lucrative targets for weaker ones. Once you have your target, take them out with your auto-attack until you level up far enough to gain access to combos, in which you’ll use the corresponding abilities to finish enemies off with a nice eviscerate.
Shaman
The much-appreciated Shaman is an excellent choice for beginners who want to solo zones in WoW Classic Hardcore. Shamans have it easy in general due to the many buffs and movement abilities available. It’s not the most visually stunning class compared to some, but the effective healing, DPS, and dispels can save your life in the long run. The ironic part is that one of Shaman’s signature abilities, Reincarnation, is useless on Classic Hardcore, as once you’re dead, the character cannot be brought back by any means, which is a bummer.
When it comes to soloing as a Shaman, it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of their abilities. The first ability I think you should pursue is the highly underrated Earthbind Totem. The Earthbind Totem is great for kiting your enemy, which means maintaining a safe distance while using the long-range lightning bolt from far away. This will keep you alive long enough throughout the whole soloing experience, even when you get access to more abilities.
