Will the next class be the last class in WoW?

[Talen]

This question requires speculation to answer, but I do believe the two can coexist. A new expansion is a big story, and it needs a lot of things going on to fill it. Building on the differences between the two classes via in game could easily serve to enhance the warlock class as well, in the eyes of all players, even those who haven't tried either one.

The diference of note is that one fights as melee, the other ranged.


That's it. Any story or theme that the DH can explore, any issue that can be addressed...can be done just as well with Warlocks.

Everything Blizzard does annoys some group of players. Every expansion, every class development, every spell tweak upsets someone.

And between a class which doesn't exist and has zero players and a class which exists and is actively played...which do you think Blizzard will support.

Blizzards made this one VERY clear. In any contest between an existing class and a proposed class...the existing class wins. No ifs, ands, buts or debates.

Fortunately, Blizzard doesn't run the game based solely on forum complaints. They do what they believe is good for the game. If a point comes where adding a DH class will be good for the story, for balance or functionality, or just for sales, it'll happen.

Yes...and it'll be done in such a way that existing players won't be compromised.


Blizzard will NOT annoy Warlocks or any other class simply to bring in Demon Hunters.
That's a given.

Blizzard has already stated some of the issues and reasons affecting Demon Hunters as a standalone class.
Blizzard has already broken the class up and given out its looks and abilities to other existing classes. Something it would NEVER do if there was even a small chance DHs were planned.
Blizzard isn't going to spend a class slot on a class whose theme, concept and design space is already in game.
Blizzard isn't going to add a class which adds nothing of value to the game and, by virtue of its overlap with other classes, would actively hurt it.
Blizzard isn't going to annoy existing Warlock players simply to appease proponents of a non existing class. Blizzard therefore is not going to undo seven years of class design which has torn the DH apart.


What you have after you get rid of the Demon theme is a Dual wielding AGI based class which uses Shadow and Fire magic to augment its attacks and whose class name of Demon Hunter is, at best, antiquated.


And we already have the Monk and Rogue for that. If you add the Demon theme back in...you have a melee focussed Warlock. Which we already have as well.


There is no way to add in a DH class as it stands. And no way to redesign it to get around these constraints - constraints Blizzard themselves have noted and mentioned. Sure...Blizzard can always choose to ignore those constraints should it feel the need to do so - be it for balancing or gameplay or design or dollars reasons. But, in that situation, it doesn't need to. It already has the option available to it to implement a DH and still work within the constraints it has set, a way to do so without upsetting existing players.

Develop the DH as a Warlocks 4th spec. Develop their lore to state that DHs are simply how Warlockism developed amongst the Night Elfs, with its own set of rituals and customs. Allow NElfs to be Warlocks and bring in NElf Demon Hunters as trainers.

That path is technically feasible, doesn't break any lore and improves the Warlock class without upsetting players


EJL

[Teriz]

The only thing I AM 100% sure of is that the next class added to wow WILL be a MAIL CLASS!!!!! It really is the only thing that makes sense and I'm sure no one would disagree with that....oh wait I forgot where I was......I'm on the forums.........SOMEONE WILL disagree with me even if it's just for the sake of disagree'ing with me.

I don't disagree with you.

Mail armor is more than likely the armor of the next (and probably final) WoW class.

[Deleted]

I don't disagree with you.

Mail armor is more than likely the armor of the next (and probably final) WoW class.

Mail armor, and possibly ranged weapons as well, since only one class uses them now.

[Deleted]

I hope there will be a new class that I am interested in for a change. I just don't like DK and Monk. But I think it would be the last class being added.

[Teriz]

Mail armor, and possibly ranged weapons as well, since only one class uses them now.

Mechanical/Technology class fits that criteria. I could see a class similar to the Engineering class in TL2 or GW2 that can fight in Melee with 2h weapons, or ranged with guns. That would cover physical ranged without trampling over hunters.

[ttak82]

I'd rather just seem them implement a 4th spec or completely overhaul current classes now. I.e. Mage > Archmage, Druid > Archdruid, Shaman > Farseer, Warrior > Gladiator, Warlock > Necromancer, Priest > High Priest....yeah you get my point.

Well I suspect that in WOD, the proposed talents (while still wip and certainly subject to change) are a possible hint that in expansion 6 (7.0) we might have fourth specs. It would require a severe reduction in button bloat for all classes plus an overhaul of current talent system.

Reason for my assumption is that the dev team have already hinted at some radical departures from current class playstyles - (some already implemented with warlocks) such as petless hunters, shield wielding dps warriors dotless dps priests and so on. And just as mop was a sort of test for some things such as flex/scalable raid model, scaling dungeons (CMs), pet battles, player housing etc, i feel that in WoD the devs might experiment with player reaction to alternative playstyles for each class. They have already solved some gear problems with the homogenization of primary stats on gear - so you could have strength cloth or str mail items. That makes room for more specs / classes and the itemization that comes with these additions.

[brirrspliff]

Demon Hunters ...
Can't wait for them. I'm 75% sure they will be the last class that Blizzard will add.

i'm 90% sure that they won't be making demon hunters, and that the next class will not be the last.

[Deleted]

Demon Hunters ...
Can't wait for them. I'm 75% sure they will be the last class that Blizzard will add. For all players who disagree by writing that Demon Hunters' spells are used by warlocks and they are similar to rogues i would say they are not 100% similar. Its like Priests and Paladins. Priests use Flash Heal and Paladins use Flash of Light. Demon Hunters may use Immolating Shield and Warlocks use Immolate . Demon Hunters may use Dark Defence and rogues use Evasion. We know BLizzard has the creativity to make Demon Hunters work like they did with priests and paladins.

I think it will be DHs too. There is no other logical reason why there are no glaives in game yet (appart from the legendaries ofc) and so little night elf lore (with Malfurion). Also I think they are saving them to be released for when subs are dropping and we need a legion expansion.

Demon Hunters + Legion expansion = Get out of jail free card/ gold mine for Blizzard. Financially they would be fools not to go for this.

[Deleted]

Mechanical/Technology class fits that criteria. I could see a class similar to the Engineering class in TL2 or GW2 that can fight in Melee with 2h weapons, or ranged with guns. That would cover physical ranged without trampling over hunters.

but i'm not sure if Blizzard wants to add class that will be so exclusive for 4-5 races. Monk and DK was almost all races and class like tinker would be for hmmm... goblin, gnome, dwarf, human, blood elf, forsaken?(it probably will be possible to have worgen or draenei but it wouldnt make much sense).


well tinker is cool idea but technology in WoW have to be more important imho. thats why my vote goes to some kind for ranger

[Teriz]

I think it will be DHs too. There is no other logical reason why there are no glaives in game yet (appart from the legendaries ofc) and so little night elf lore (with Malfurion). Also I think they are saving them to be released for when subs are dropping and we need a legion expansion.

Demon Hunters + Legion expansion = Get out of jail free card/ gold mine for Blizzard. Financially they would be fools not to go for this.

People often make this argument in support of a DH class implementation, but I simply don't believe that such an implementation would have such a positive impact on the game. In fact, I believe that such an implementation would have a negative impact on the game.

One only needs to look towards the DK implementation back in WotLK for evidence. DKs, while eventually a solid addition to the class lineup, also spurred a lot of negative feelings among the established community. Many people viewed them with disdain due to their free level up to 55, their ridiculous power levels, and the type of crowd they attracted. I couldn't have been the only person who saw many guilds refusing to allow DKs into raids and dungeon runs.

As DKs balanced out, their popularity waned. They went from being the most popular class in WoW, to being about mid-tier. To this day, many people STILL have issues with DKs being in the game. Despite the Monk class not setting the world on fire in terms of adoption, many people still said that Monks were better implemented than DKs, and Monk players in general get more respect than DK players do.

A DH addition would be even worse than the DK addition. Why? Because a Demon Hunter class implementation immediately damages three existing classes; Rogues, Hunters, and especially Warlocks. At least DKs were unique, and didn't really step on the toes of existing classes. The very name Demon Hunter overlaps with the vanilla Hunter class. The DH playstyle would immediately eclipse Rogues and Warlocks because DHs would almost assuredly enter the game as a hero class.

DH fans, please tell me why anyone would roll a Rogue or a Warlock when a DH has been shown to be able to stealth, dual-wield, teleport through shadows, use demonic magic, use demonic minions, use ranged magic, transform into a demon, tank, AND start at level 55-75? I know I wouldn't play as a Warlock or a Rogue if a Demon Hunter was in the game. Why bother? The DH does everything both of those classes do, only better and with a lot more style.

If I had leveled my Rogue or Warlock to 100, and Blizzard brought a class into the game that pretty much renders my main class obsolete, I wouldn't be happy about it. If I had Rogue and Warlock friends who quit WoW because their class got hijacked by this new OP class, I wouldn't be happy about it. If I were a raid leader who had to deal with a sudden influx of melee DHs trying to get raid spots, I wouldn't be happy about it. If I were a PvPer that had to deal with yet another OP hero class that every FotMer was rolling, I wouldn't be happy about it. If I was relaxing outside of Goldshire and suddenly see hundreds of Night Elves running around with names like XxIllidanXxX I wouldn't be happy about it.

And on and on and on.

In short, there's very little positive that this class would bring into the game. A mechanical/technology class on the other hand would be extremely positive for the game because it doesn't trample on any existing class themes, probably wouldn't be a hero class, gives Gnomes and Goblins a class that reflects their engineering culture, and represents a part of WoW that is underrepresented in the classes. Would there be ton of players for this tech class? Probably not as many as a DH class, but the tech class wouldn't negatively impact the game as much as a DH class would.

[Drilnos]

but i'm not sure if Blizzard wants to add class that will be so exclusive for 4-5 races. Monk and DK was almost all races and class like tinker would be for hmmm... goblin, gnome, dwarf, human, blood elf, forsaken?(it probably will be possible to have worgen or draenei but it wouldnt make much sense).


well tinker is cool idea but technology in WoW have to be more important imho. thats why my vote goes to some kind for ranger

Tinkers don't have to be exclusive. Races don't need a reason to use technology, they need a reason not to. There are two races that have a reason not to - night elves and tauren. And for those, there's a relevant RPG class, the Techslayer. Basically the tinker equivalent to a demon hunter, they use technology to fight misused technology. Their expertise allows them to pinpoint weaknesses in enemy constructs and neutralize environmental damage caused by machinery and chemicals. This lore could easily be repurposed to give naturalistic or shamanistic races believable tinker lore.

[Talen]

Tinkers don't have to be exclusive.

No, they don't. But if you were to limit them to classes which were written as tech based -for flavor , that'd be

Alliance: Gnomes (Electrical and Electronic), Dwarves (Steampunk), Worgen (victorian Mechanical), Draenei (Sci Fi space opera)
Horde: Goblins (chemical and Civil)

EJL

[Teriz]

No, they don't. But if you were to limit them to classes which were written as tech based -for flavor , that'd be

Alliance: Gnomes (Electrical and Electronic), Dwarves (Steampunk), Worgen (victorian Mechanical), Draenei (Sci Fi space opera)
Horde: Goblins (chemical and Civil)

EJL

I would add Orcish tech from the Iron Horde, and the Blood Elves with their Magi-tech (arcane golems, the mana bomb).

[Deleted]

Tinkers don't have to be exclusive. Races don't need a reason to use technology, they need a reason not to. There are two races that have a reason not to - night elves and tauren. And for those, there's a relevant RPG class, the Techslayer. Basically the tinker equivalent to a demon hunter, they use technology to fight misused technology. Their expertise allows them to pinpoint weaknesses in enemy constructs and neutralize environmental damage caused by machinery and chemicals. This lore could easily be repurposed to give naturalistic or shamanistic races believable tinker lore.

yep that's what I wanted to say :S technology needs to become more important in lore because in current state of lore tinker/technoslayer class sounds strange for most races. Maybe when Kezan and Gnomeregan will become availible it will be a good time for Tinkers :S. but i'm still much more interested in classical ranger class :P

[Teriz]

yep that's what I wanted to say :S technology needs to become more important in lore because in current state of lore tinker/technoslayer class sounds strange for most races. Maybe when Kezan and Gnomeregan will become availible it will be a good time for Tinkers :S. but i'm still much more interested in classical ranger class :P

At this point technology should be common place. Goblins have transformed the horde tech-wise, building a variety of weapons and technological advancements. However, despite all of that, Orcs are completely capable of repurposing technology as shown by Garrosh taking an advanced engine back with him to Draenor 30 years prior. Based on WoD, the Orcs were able to take that engine and use it to design several highly advanced war machines. Supposedly, they get so technologically advanced that they threaten modern day Azeroth.

Drilnos makes a good point; it's not about who can use tech in the game world, it's about who refuses to use it.

[Talen]

I would add Orcish tech from the Iron Horde, and the Blood Elves with their Magi-tech (arcane golems, the mana bomb).

Orcs aren't a tech race. The Iron Horde got the tech from Garrosh. Nor would Magi tech really fit into a tech based class. That's the entire point - its not magic.

EJL

[Teriz]

Orcs aren't a tech race. The Iron Horde got the tech from Garrosh.

EJL

Garrosh only brings back the Iron Star engine to the Orc clans on Draenor. The Orc clans backwards engineer the engine into a variety of siege instruments and weapons. That showcases a pretty high level of technological know-how.

http://www.wowwiki.com/Iron_Horde

The original Iron Star:



Some examples of the tech the iron horde build from the Iron Star;



Garrosh turns the Orcs into a tech race.

[Thimagryn]

There are two races that have a reason not to - night elves and tauren.

They are both evidenced as using technology. In fact, every race has, simply by taking the Engineering profession. There's no limitations on what race can or can not use tech.

[Teriz]

They are both evidenced as using technology. In fact, every race has, simply by taking the Engineering profession. There's no limitations on what race can or can not use tech.

Professions have little to no effect on lore. Its been well established that Tauren and Night Elves reject technology. Engineering doesn't change that, because professions don't really count like classes do.

[Deleted]

They are both evidenced as using technology. In fact, every race has, simply by taking the Engineering profession. There's no limitations on what race can or can not use tech.

well tinkers needs patterns, workshops, a lot of resources(have you ever seen Night Elven or Tauren refinery :P?). they are able to be engineers because it's easy for adventurers to get few tools and materials and create small devices but Tinkers requires whole industry :P