People are tossing around different guesses for the next update, but I am mainly wondering about PvE damage in messy groups and solo content, not just perfect dummy setups. Some think necromancer and sorcerer will benefit a lot from their class sets, and there is also the question of whether sticking with one class or mixing in subclass options will be better for damage.
I already have characters for every class, so this is just about which one is likely to hit hardest next patch.
If you are talking about practical PvE damage and not just leaderboard-style parsing, sorcerer still looks like the safest bet to me. It tends to keep damage flowing without needing everything to line up perfectly, and that matters a lot in random groups where enemies die fast or move around constantly.
Necromancer could jump up a lot if the new setup really rewards its class kit, but I would treat that one as more of a question mark. On paper it has strong tools, but in real content it can feel clunkier when the fight is chaotic or short.
I would not sleep on hybrid or subclass-heavy setups for next patch. If the update keeps pushing people toward combining class kits with extra utility, the highest damage class on paper may not be the same thing as the easiest class to make work in a real group.
For solo play especially, self-sustain and burst windows matter almost as much as raw dummy damage. A setup that can keep pressure up while also staying alive is often better than a glass cannon build that only shines when everything is perfect.
NorthRidgeMint:
Yeah, solo content changes the answer a lot. The strongest parse class is not always the one that feels best when you are doing everything yourself.
CinderParcel:
That is the part people forget. If the fight is moving, surviving, and handling mechanics, the gap between top classes shrinks a lot.
My blunt guess is necromancer if the class set ends up being tuned well, sorcerer if you want the more reliable answer, and anything else is probably going to depend on how subclassing gets adjusted. The update could easily shift damage away from pure class identity and toward whatever combinations have the best buffs, sustain, and execute pressure.
If you are choosing a main for next patch, I would watch two things. First, which class gets the best no-fuss cleave and execute damage. Second, which one can keep strong output without demanding perfect uptime or constant setup.
AmberTelescope:
That split makes sense. One pick for raw ceiling, another for fights where the group is a little messy.
I think the safest answer is that the top spot is probably not going to be a huge surprise unless the patch notes hit one class especially hard. In most real PvE situations, the best damage dealer is usually the one that can keep its rotation simple enough to survive bad positioning, adds dying early, and brief downtimes.
So if you want a practical answer, I would look at sorcerer first, necromancer second, and then see which subclass mixes support the cleanest with the class kit. Pure dummy damage is fun to talk about, but it does not always translate.
JuniperFlag:
Pretty much. The class that stays smooth when the group is messy is usually the one people end up liking more anyway.
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VelvetOrchard:
That is basically where I am landing too. The class that loses the least when the fight gets messy usually ends up feeling best in actual runs.