Examining Melee DPS AoE across classes

Classes Warrior
1

Conclusion

Blizzard, your target capping logic is totally arbitrary and all over the place. A Feral Druid can bite an infinite number of targets simultaneously, a Rogue can cleave up to 8 targets with tiny weapons, and an Arms Warrior dedicated to the warfare of wielding a massive 2-handed sword is generally limited to striking no more than… [checks notes]… 2 targets at a time via Sweeping Strikes?

Sweeping Strikes is a remnant from the Vanilla Era. I’m surprised it hasn’t really changed at all after 20 years. The whole class fantasy of the Arms Warrior really needs to be revisited and updated to better align with what it should be—given how other class fantasies feel to play.

Evidence (Melee DPS Classes)

  • Death Knight
    • Frost
      • Howling Blast / Frost Fever: Uncapped + DoT.
      • Frostscythe: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Remorseless Winter: Uncapped.
      • Frostwyrm’s Fury: Uncapped.
    • Unholy
      • Scourge Strike: Up to 8, positional constraints.
      • Death and Decay / Defile: Uncapped, positional constraints.
      • Outbreak + Virulent Plague (+ Frost Fever + Blood Plague): Uncapped, DoT x3.
      • Festering Wound (Burst): Uncapped.
  • Demon Hunter
    • Havoc
      • Eye Beam: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Immolation Aura: Uncapped.
      • Blade Dance: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Sigil of Flame: Uncapped, DoT, positional constraints on trigger.
      • Fel Barrage: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
  • Druid
    • Feral
      • Primal Wrath: Uncapped, DoT.
      • Thrash: Uncapped, DoT.
      • Swipe: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Ferocious Bite + Rampant Ferocity: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
  • Hunter
    • Survival
      • Wildfire Bomb: Uncapped, DoT, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Explosive Shot: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Fury of the Eagle: Uncapped, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Butchery + Merciless Blow: Uncapped, DoT, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Viper’s Venom + Contagious Reagents: Uncapped, DoT
  • Monk
    • Windwalker
      • Fists of Fury: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Spinning Crane Kick: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Chi Burst: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Rushing Jade Wind: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Strike of the Windlord: Uncapped, reduced damage to secondary targets.
      • Crackling Jade Lightning + Power of the Thunder King: Capped at 5.
      • Slicing Winds: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Jadefire Stomp: Uncapped.
      • Blackout Kick + Shadowboxing Treads: Capped at 3.
      • Storm, Earth, and Fire: Capped at 3 (kinda)
      • Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger: Uncapped.
      • Summon White Tiger Statue: Uncapped.
      • Celestial Conduit: Uncapped, divided among targets.
  • Paladin
    • Retribution
      • Divine Storm: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Blade of Justice + Expurgation + Blade of Vengeance: Uncapped, DoT, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Blessed Champion + Crusader Strike OR Judgment: Capped at 5, 25% reduced on secondary targets.
      • Concecration: Uncapped, positional constraints.
      • Wake of Ashes: Uncapped, DoT.
      • Final Reckoning: Uncapped.
      • Searing Light: Uncapped.
      • Divine Arbiter: Uncapped, significantly reduced vs. secondary targets.
      • Divine Hammer: Uncapped.
  • Rogue
    • Assassination
      • Fan of Knives: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Crimson Tempest: Uncapped, DoT, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Caustic Splatter: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Poison Bomb: Uncapped.
      • Indiscriminate Carnage: Capped at 3, requires stealth, short window.
      • Shiv + Arterial Precision: Capped at 8.
    • Outlaw
      • Blade Flurry (Initial Damage): Capped at 5 or 8.
      • Blade Flurry (Buff on Single Target Abilities): Capped at 5 or 8, reduced damage beyond initial target.
      • Blade Rush: Uncapped, reduced on secondary. True uncapped if Blade Flurry is active.
    • Subtlety
      • Shuriken Storm: Uncapped, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Black Powder: Uncapped, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Shuriken Tornado: (Shuriken Storm x 4)
      • Secret Technique: Uncapped, reduced damage to secondary targets.
      • Nimble Flurry: Adds “Capped at 8” AoE to several abilities while active.
  • Shaman
    • Enhancement
      • Chain Lightning: Capped at 3 to 5.
      • Crash Lightning: Uncapped, reduced beyond 6 targets.
      • Sundering: Uncapped.
      • Primordial Wave: Capped at 6 due to Flame Shock target limitations.
      • Hailstorm + Frost Shock: Capped at 6.
      • Voltaic Blaze: Capped at 6. DoT (Flame Shock)
      • Fire Nova: Uncapped, but limited by Flame Shock DoT cap.
      • Alpha Wolf: Uncapped.
      • Primordial Storm: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Tempest: Reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Surging Totem: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
  • Warrior
    • Arms
      • Thunder Clap + Rend: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets. DoT on up to 5 targets per Thunder Clap.
      • Bladestorm OR Ravager: Uncapped, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Cleave: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Sweeping Strikes: Affected single target abilities hit a 2nd target for reduced damage.
      • Dreadnaught: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Warbreaker: Uncapped.
      • Whirlwind: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Thunderous Roar: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Champion’s Spear: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
    • Fury
      • Thunder Clap: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Bladestorm OR Ravager: Uncapped, reduced beyond 8 targets.
      • Whirlwind: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Whirlwind (Buff): Single-target abilities capped at 5 targets, dealing reduced damage to secondary targets.
      • Odyn’s Fury: Uncapped, DoT, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Thunderous Roar: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Champion’s Spear: Uncapped, reduced beyond 5 targets.
7 Likes
2

Thank you for assembling this list, was curious about this exact thing the other day.

Wonder what it looks like with caster classes included as well. Think we’ll start to see why the meta forms the way it does, and why melee comp is rarely competitive (save Blizz’s fascination with propping up DK’s)

3

To add to your class fantasy description, nothing tilts me more than Sap being 10 yard range, with the icon even being a tiny Lucille bat but a massive 2 hand sword(s) is yup, 3-5 yards.

4

I remember when Sap needed to be talented to be 10 yards too…