Raiding Compared to Retail WoW

[Brooxi]

How is raiding and class mechanics compared to retail wow?

[Austrix]

Many of the fights are tank and spank in the core (tanks won't be moving the boss around very much during the encounters) but they have (especially from BWL and afterwards) many mechanics to keep the raiders awake.

Mostly you'll be bringing much more consumables to a raid than in retail WoW like your typical mana potions and flasks, but also magic protection potions and stamina buffs to stay alive in some fights.

Most of the classes have only 1 valid spec for raiding, like how paladins, druids, shamans and priests (1 shadow priest is OK when more debuff slots are added) are mostly healers, mages will be frost before AQ40 when they switch to fire, hunters are mostly there for the Tranquility Shot, rogues are combat specced, warlocks spam Shadow Bolt the entire fight and warriors are the tanks but in some cases fury.
So, if you were dreaming of being the Ultimate Retribution Paladin or Elemental Shaman, you'll be having a hard time joining a raiding guild.