TBC Anniversary Tank Tier List for Phase 4 (Zul’Aman)
Zul’Aman has been live on the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary realms since , which was midnight going into October 23 in Central Europe, while Black Temple, the Battle for Mount Hyjal and the older T4 and T5 raids are still run. In the current community rankings Protection Paladin is the best tank in S tier, Feral Druid in Bear Form follows in A, and Protection Warrior is in B.
TBC has three tank classes: Paladin, Druid and Warrior. Death Knights do not exist in TBC, and Shamans heal or deal damage. These ranks are for PvE raiding and come from community rankings and raid logs, not from Blizzard, which publishes no tier list.
TBC Anniversary tank tier list for Phase 4
| Tier | Tank | Main strength |
|---|---|---|
| S | Protection Paladin | AoE threat, scaling with T6 gear |
| A | Feral Druid (Bear) | Armor, health, single-target threat |
| B | Protection Warrior | Defensive cooldowns |
Some rankings put Warrior a tier lower this phase. Tank damage in logs says little about how safe a tank is or how easy it is to heal, so tank rankings lean more on opinion than on measured numbers.
What each tank brings to the raid
Protection Paladin
A Protection Paladin holds threat on many enemies at once with Consecration and Holy Shield, which is what the waves in the Battle for Mount Hyjal ask for. The spec keeps getting stronger with T6 gear from Black Temple and Hyjal, and the Paladin brings Blessings for the raid on top of that.
Feral Druid (Bear)
A bear has a lot of armor and a big health pool, so it takes large hits well, and its threat on a single target is strong. When a fight needs one tank less, the same Druid switches to Cat Form and deals damage, and Leader of the Pack helps its party either way. The weak spot is Illidan in Black Temple, because his Shear is a known problem for bears, so plan that fight with your Paladin or Warrior in mind.
Protection Warrior
Protection Warrior has strong defensive cooldowns, which helps when a boss hits hard. Its threat and its scaling with gear fall behind the Paladin and the Druid this late in the expansion, and that is the reason it ranks last of the three. A Warrior who knows the fights is still a solid main tank.
Talent builds for each tank
These are current community raid builds. When a fight needs more threat or more survival, moving a few points is normal.
| Tank | Points | Trees |
|---|---|---|
| Protection Paladin | 0/49/12 | Holy, Protection, Retribution |
| Feral Druid (Bear) | 0/44/17 | Balance, Feral Combat, Restoration |
| Protection Warrior | 8/5/48 | Arms, Fury, Protection |
Which tank fits which raid in this phase
| Raid | What the tank job needs | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| Battle for Mount Hyjal | AoE threat on waves of enemies | Protection Paladin |
| Black Temple | A tank for Illidan who copes with Shear | Paladin or Warrior on Illidan |
| Zul’Aman | Only 10 players, so every spot counts | A Druid who can also deal damage |
Since Zul’Aman came out, Black Temple and Hyjal no longer need an attunement, and Zul’Aman itself has none, so a new tank can join any of the three right away. In the older T4 and T5 raids the tier letter matters least, and the tank your group is missing is the right pick there.
The best tank is the one your raid needs
A group that already has a Paladin for Hyjal gets more out of a Druid or Warrior than out of a second Paladin, and a raid with two bears needs a different tank for Illidan. If you are choosing a class from scratch, pick the tank you enjoy, because you will play it for many lockouts. If your raid already has enough tanks, our TBC Anniversary DPS tier list covers the damage specs. What else Zul’Aman changed is in our TBC Anniversary phase overview.
If you want T6 gear or a Zul’Aman clear without weeks of progression, a TBC Anniversary raid boost is an option.
Frequently asked questions
Protection Paladin, in S tier of the current community rankings. It holds threat on many enemies at once, which suits the waves in Hyjal, and it scales well with T6 gear.
Yes. It is in B tier because its threat and gear scaling fall behind Paladin and Druid, and some rankings put it one tier lower. Its strong defensive cooldowns still make it a solid main tank for players who know the fights.
Illidan’s Shear in Black Temple is a known problem for bears, so plan that fight around your Paladin or Warrior. On most other jobs the bear’s armor, health and single-target threat are a strong fit.
No. Death Knights do not exist in TBC, and Shamans are healers or damage dealers. The three tank classes are Paladin, Druid and Warrior.
A common raid build in current community guides is 0/49/12 in Holy, Protection and Retribution. Moving a few points for more threat or more survival is normal.
Change Log
- October 23, 2026: TBC Anniversary Tank Tier List for Phase 4 published.