World of Warships Best Destroyer Lines, Ranked Weakest to Strongest

Updated:

29 Jan 2019

What Are The Best Destroyer Lines in World of Warships?

Destroyers in World of Warships are meant to support their teams with reconnaissance, smoke screens, and a little extra fire power. In reality, they play their own game and try killing everything by themselves. They are fun, fast paced, and easy to kill. With small guns, destroyers can deal consistent damage. With torpedoes, they can potentially kill a battleship in less than a second.

6. U.K.

U.K. destroyers are set up mainly to fight other destroyers, with fast turning guns and single-firing torpedoes. The problem with these destroyers is, although they have a somewhat well rounded kit, the U.S. line is better in just about every way. The only real advantage the U.K. seems to have is the single-firing torpedoes which gives you more control over where they go.

Why this line is in this position: Other lines have more utility, and the U.S.A. line is specifically better than the U.K. at achieving the same goals.

Pros:

Single-firing torpedoes can more easily get more hits
Good against other destroyers

Cons:

Pretty bad smoke generator
Not so good AA

See the U.K. destroyer line here: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Ships_of_U.K.

Power Rating: 75/100

5. Pan-Asia

The Pan-Asia destroyer line is mainly defined by their deep water torpedoes. Deep water torpedoes, unsurprisingly, are deeper in the water than normal torpedoes. This makes them harder to detect and unable to hit smaller ships like destroyers. They also do more damage than normal torpedoes. Everything else about Pan-Asia destroyers is difficult to measure because each one until high tiers originated in a different country meaning they have different play-styles.

Why this line is in this position: Although high tiers are strong, the rest are all different from each other making it very difficult to measure strength of the whole line. On top of that, although deep water torpedos are great against battleships, not being able to hit destroyers puts you at a big disadvantage when fighting them.

Pros:

Deep water torpedoes do more damage and are harder to detect
High tier ships originated in America, so they’re quite strong
Very strong Smoke Generator

Cons:

Most ships are different making them hard to get used to
Deep water torpedoes can’t hit destroyers

See the Pan-Asia destroyer line here: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Ships_of_Pan-Asia

Power Rating: 80/100

4. U.S.S.R.

The U.S.S.R. destroyers are best kept at range. They have more range on their guns than other destroyers as well as better shell ballistics such as high speed and flat shell arcs making them the best long range destroyers. They also have high speeds and can move around the map pretty fast. On the other hand though, they have short torpedo range and the ships, as well as their guns, turn slow. Much like the Russian cruisers, your best bet is to stay away from people and use your guns until the enemy tries to invade during winter to pull out your torpedoes.

Why this line is in this position: They are great for dealing consistent damage but struggle against some other lines when they get up close, making them usually have to stay too far away to spot destroyers, contest caps, or use their torpedoes.

Pros:

Long range guns
Easy to aim
Very fast
Consistent damage
High tiers have access to the Repair Party

Cons:

Short range torpedoes
Poor close range capabilities

See the U.S.S.R. destroyer line here: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Ships_of_U.S.S.R.

Power Rating: 85/100

3. Germany

German destroyers are destroyer hunters. Early tiers have forward facing torpedoes, and some tiers have the option to equip high caliber guns. Generally, they have high health, decent guns, decent torpedoes, and they have access to the hydroacoustic search consumable. Together, this means you can find destroyers, and live long enough to kill them. Similar to the German army, the plan is usually to go straight in, take the caps, and overwhelm the enemy.

Why this tier is in this position: Arguably, Russian destroyers are better. But I put Germany above them because they have more potential for team play, and have more utility. Hydroacoustic search means the enemy destroyers either have to give up the cap, or die.

Pros:

Big health pool
Short reload torpedoes
Access to Hydroacoustic Search from tier VI
Some can equip bigger guns

Cons:

Big (easier to hit, and can take high damage from AP shells)
Not so great Smoke Generator

See the German destroyer line here: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Ships_of_Germany

Power Rating: 85/100

2. Japan

My personal favorite, and the main thing I play. Japanese destroyers are usually sneaky torpedo boats, but the line splits at tier VI giving you the option to be more gun oriented. The main Japanese destroyer line has very good concealment and high damage, long range torpedoes with the drawback of slow-turning, long-reload guns. The second line has higher health and fast firing guns that will pump out some very consistent damage(mainly from tier VIII.)

Why this line is in this position: The only reason I wouldn’t put them on top is because the high tier torpedo boats are quite useless in most battles. While they are still useful in some cases, American destroyers are safer in most situations.

Pros:

Line splits at tier VI (more options means less weaknesses as a whole)
Long range torpedoes
High damage torpedoes
Great concealment
Some have access to Torpedo Reload Booster

Cons:

Torpedoes have a long cooldown
Main line can’t handle gun fights

See the Japanese destroyer line here: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Ships_of_Japan

Power Rating: 95/100

1. U.S.A.

At number one, we have America. American destroyers do well getting up close and personal with the enemy. Their guns out perform pretty much everything else at close range, and they have plenty of utility on top of that. Long lasting smoke screens, great AA, good speed, maneuverability, and solid torpedoes. Once you cast freedom onto your enemies, you’ll shove your glorious flag into their cap, and support your team to victory in basically whatever way they need it because you don’t have a weakness.

Why this line is in this position: Best all around destroyers that can do great by themselves while also helping their team. In most cases they can make the biggest impact on a game out of any destroyer line and won’t have any situation where they’re completely useless.

Pros: