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Hunter: Night elf woman with long blue hair and face markings in green armorPriest: Priestess with braided hair in white and gold armor

Hunter vs. Priest

First class

Hunter

Second class

Priest

Key differences

  • Only the Priest can heal.
  • The Hunter fights in melee or at range, depending on the specialization.
  • The Priest fights at range.
  • The Hunter wears mail, the Priest cloth.
  • The Hunter is more beginner friendly.
  • The Hunter does better solo.
  • Both are open to the same number of races (26).

At a glance

At a glanceHunterPriest
RolesDPSHealer, DPS
ArmorMailCloth
Combat styleMelee and rangedRanged
Playable races2626
SpecializationsBeast Mastery (DPS), Marksmanship (DPS), Survival (DPS)Discipline (Healer), Holy (Healer), Shadow (DPS)
Beginner friendly5/53/5
Solo play5/52/5

These ratings help you pick a class. They are not a DPS ranking, and balance shifts with every patch. How we rate ›

The classes in short

Hunter

The Hunter is a ranged fighter with an animal companion and is widely seen as the easiest class in WoW, especially as Beast Mastery. It can only deal damage but is extremely strong solo.

Learn more about the Hunter ›

Priest

The Priest is the classic healing class with two healing specs (Discipline, Holy) and Shadow as a ranged damage spec. In cloth it is strong in groups but vulnerable solo.

Learn more about the Priest ›
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Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Hunter or Priest?

Neither class is better in general. The Hunter is more beginner friendly. The Hunter does better solo. In the end, what matters is which playstyle you enjoy more.

What is the difference between Hunter and Priest?

Only the Priest can heal. The Hunter fights in melee or at range, depending on the specialization. The Priest fights at range. The Hunter wears mail, the Priest cloth.

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