Addons are essential to any World of Warcraft gamer. At their most basic, addons are different ways to present game information. Some of that information is simple, but that is just not well presented by the default Blizzard UI. At this point, though, people have data-mined information so deeply that addons are now available that present super complex strings of information to elevate your gameplay if you know how to use them. On this list, you'll find all kinds of addons, ranging from quality of life to cutting-edge raiding addons. Choose wisely for your adventures in the Dragon Isles!
25. Threat Plates
Customize your target plates for buff, debuffs, threat, and more!
Threat Plates is my personal choice in a general school of addons that are built to modify the character bars that are above both your enemies’ and your allies’ characters. It’s great for customizing and prioritizing which information you want to know, whether that’s DOT timers, or what buffs they have.
- Adjust size, opacity, and even color to prioritize what you want to know most
- Can also track resource generation on enemies, like combo points
- Change the color of the particular mob nameplates so you can keep track of high-priority targets in a dungeon or raid
24. DeModal
Create your own anchor points and windows to compare stats, achievements, or check in-game currency/resources.
A quality-of-life addon that should be used in conjunction with BlizzMove. By default, opening certain types of windows in-game will close other ones. Which can be quite frustrating. This prevents that function from happening, so you can have as many of the in-game window options open as you want.
- Great for comparing, screenshotting
- Updates the game to feel more like an actual computer windows screen
23. BlizzMove
Unanchor yourself from Blizzard!
This is a handy addon that lets you move the Blizzard windows in game. By default, they appear on the left side of the screen.
- Can position in-game windows for easy item comparison, e.g., your character screen next to the Atlas Loot
- Helpful when there might be something in-game on the left side of your screen that you need to actually see!
- Enables window resizing
22. Transmog Roulette
We all want to look cool.
Transmog Roulette is a fun addon that randomizes your character’s appearance from all the loot you’ve acquired.
- Changing up your character’s look can keep things new and fresh feeling
- Lets you enjoy the look of gear that has since become outdated
- Fun to search for missing Transmog appearances in-game
21. Sorted
Keep all your items, gear, and collectables easily accessible and organized.
This is far from the only bag addon available to WoW players, but for my money, it is the best option. It allows you toefficiently and quickly find anything in your inventory, and you can customize what information is presented about these items for easy decision-making.
- Plenty of sort options, such as by rarity, how recently you acquired the item, the item level, and plenty more
- Easy-to-view layout, with a search function
- Many times items will have the same thumbnail art so having this addon lets you actually see the difference between the items at a glance
20. BuyEmAll
Flex your wallet and clean out that vendor's inventory with just a click.
BuyEmAll is another addon that updates the limitations of Blizzard’s UI and can save a lot of time and frustration. It essentially circumvents the imposed limitations on how many items you can buy in a stack. Normally, you are limited to buying 20 in a stack at a time. Anyone who has done really anything involving professions is probably wincing as soon as they read this. This addon helps save time and frustration when buying items in bulk.
- Streamlines professions and other situations where you need to buy a ton of items at a time
- Shows the price below so you don’t overspend
- Has quick-fill options that, with the press of a button, will fill existing stacks in your inventory
19. Bluzz HUD Tweaks
Blizzard has significantly improved their UI design since Vanilla, but let's be honest, we are still better at it.
Dragonflight has introduced a major overhaul to the default UI, easily the largest ever introduced. It's important to have new addons that can make tweaks and customize the look. This addon easily adjusts the main action bars and party/target frames.
- Fading action bars/party frames when out of combat
- Can change minimum action bar padding below Blizzard default
- Can reposition action bars/party frames
18. TipTac
With this addon you'll be able to easily identify that one zug-zug who's hitting the wrong target.
This addon is built to easily customize any aspect of the tooltip. You can change where the frames are anchored, how and where resources such as enery, mana, and rage are shown. You can change nameplates to reflect the spec or class as well as targeting information.
- Keep track of who in your party is targeting what
- Track your debuffs on the target
17. Nameplate Scrolling Combat Text
Of course you want to see your BIG damage!
There are lots of numbers in World of Warcraft, for a lot of us, seeing the numbers is half the fun! We all want to pump with bigger numbers. This addon customizes the text and effects of the numbers as you pump DPS into your target.
- Make crit numbers appear larger and smaller amounts of damage look smaller
- Spell damage icons and abbreviate damage (e.g 200,000 = 200k) for a cleaner look that won't take up too much of your screen
16. Rarescanner
For those that enjoy the hunt.
A simple addon that tracks rare mobs or specialized loot caches in the zone you just enter.
- Great for people tracking achievements
- Combine with other completionist addons
15. Mount Tooltip
Get around in style.
At this point there are almost 1000 mounts in the game right now and for a lot of players, it's a fun thing to try and collect. But how do you know which ones are which? And if you see a cool one riding by, how will you know the name to be able to find out where to get it? This addon attaches an icon and the name so you easily know which mounts are which.
- Barebones but provides great information on a popular part of the game
14. Reputation Watcher
Know where you stand with your allies.
Track your progress with the new reputations in the Dragon Isles with these easy to customize and view bars.
- Keep track of how close you are to the new rewards via the Dragon Isle reputations
13. Minimap Button Bag
Clean up your minimap so you can actually see it again, and find your addons easily!
A useful “umbrella” addon that condenses all your minimap buttons into one area. This significantly cleans up your UI, especially if you’ve been taking my advice and started to download multiple addons. It presents your minimap buttons in an easy-to-use menu that just simply looks better.
- Helps you find your addon minimap buttons quickly
- You can redock this menu anywhere on your screen, to match with your UI or for easier access
12. Talent Loadout Reminder
Tweak your character so you're always performing at your best!
With the new changes to the talent trees, it's essential for any serious Mythic+ dungeon runner or raider to have. The more aspects of the game you enjoy, or the more specs you enjoy playing, the more essential this addon is.
- Set reminders for talent swaps when changing instances or raids
- Can also remind you to change specs in different parts of the dungeon, especially now that you can change specs to optimize damage for certain trash packs, etc.
11. Details
Pore over every detail of your gameplay.
This addon is built to keep track of information in each PvE or PvP encounter. It can be used to see a breakdown of your damage or healing done or received, or it can be used to understand how to improve your rotation to maximize DPS. It is basically an in-game simpler version of Warcraft Logs.
- Concise breakdown of encounter information
- Can see the parameters for what constitutes an “encounter”
- If you know how to interpret the data, it helps you improve in real-time
10. Angry Keystones
Feel like a tournament level Mythic dungeo player with this guiding addon!
This is great for the Mythic Dungeon aficionado. It helps keep track of the dungeon progress, how many deaths your group has, remaining mobs, and more. Those running high-key mythic dungeons must shave those crucial few seconds that mean the difference between success and failure.
- Keeps track of both your progress through the dungeon and what’s remaining
- Concise information on the Keystones active in the dungeon and in the upcoming weeks as well as previous week’s data on your Mythic dungeon runs
- Helps you run Mythic dungeons as quickly and efficiently as possible
9. All the Things
Where are all my completionists at?
With the nostalgia of Wrath relaunching (the first expansion to introduce achievements), we have to mention All the Things. This is the addon for the completionist. It tracks every possible achievement and how far along you are.
- Tracking achievements becomes much easier
- Makes it easy for you to set goals and see tangible results which in turn makes the grind easier
8. MouseoverActionBars
For those that could play with their eyes closed!
This is a great addon for keeping a clean UI and for those players who know their keybinds by heart. You can change the visibility and the triggers for that visibility with this simple addon.
- Set action bar opacity
- Set triggers/effects for when your mouse hovers over action bars
7. SexyMap
The Dragon Isles are a big place, always know exactly where you are and where you're going.
This is a great addon for customizing your mini-map. The default UI is a standard circular map that, after hours of play can get stale. With dozens of customization options, this addon keeps your map looking fresh and clean, as well as allowing you to prioritize the information you want to receive.
- Can set pings and sync quest objectives
- Customizable borders
- Set overlay for resource gathering
6. Simuationcraft
For the parse!
Anyone who has been with WoW for multiple expansions knows the term, “Sim it”. As the general player base's game knowledge has grown, so have the tools for measuring the improvements of upgrades to your gear in the game.
- Real-time tracking of whether a piece of gear is an upgrade
- Fluidly adapts to changing stat weights as your gear changes
- Takes the guesswork out of trying to decide on pieces of gear, especially if you have to decide quickly
5. Atlas Loot
Find out where to get every item from dungeons, raids, factions, and PvP. Build your favorite set!
This is another option that is surely on the Mt. Rushmore of addons. It is the complete list of all items that are obtainable in the game.
- Access loot tables
- Shows drop chance percentage
- Lets you link items in chat
4. WeakAuras
Struggling with game mechanics coming at you too fast? Follow one of my guild officer's motto, "There's a weakaura for it"
If Addons are all about finding new ways to present game information, then this addon is king. The amount of customization you can do is seemingly endless. At its very core though, it allows you to portray existing game information in far more efficient ways than the game does itself.
- Can track enemy cooldown and spells
- Can track your own reactive abilities, spells, cooldowns, buffs, etc.
- You can customize the type of alerts, the colors, when they appear on your screen and where they appear on your screen
3. DBM
MINUS 50 DKP!
This quintessential raiding tool has been around almost as long as raiding has. It keeps track of boss effects and mechanics with moveable timers and sound warnings, so you can prepare your rotation in advance. It is critical in transitioning your gameplay from reactive to planned out, which is absolutely necessary as you begin to increase the raid difficulty.
- Able to plan ahead during boss fights
- Stay on the same page as the rest of your raid
- You know to move out of a boss mechanic without having to track exactly where your character is
2. TradeSkillMaster
Master the Auction House and grow your fortune.
TSM is an addon that allows for custom scripting while using the Auction House for those gamers who want to earn more gold faster.
- Set up posting, buying, and selling sequences
- Allows for “smart” scans to look for items at reduced prices
- Can set posting parameters to stay competitive in the Azeroth+ world economy
1. Leatrix Plus
All of the quality of life aspects that Blizzard keeps forgetting to add.
Leatrix+ is another addon that can do a huge range of things, in its most basic role, it houses a ton of quality-of-life options that make your World of Warcraft experience simply better.
- Automate quest turn-ins
- Auto-release on death
- Sell junk/repair automatically at vendors
- Tons of social options to streamline chat features in-game
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