What if expansions just offered more content and no class and ability overhauls?

[MoanaLisa]

Some change is fine but I sort of agree that what they do every expansion is over the top and does more harm than good. I don't know if an expansion with no class changes would work. There's this too: Content as most people understand it involves entirely different groups than the people that work on classes. I don't believe that reducing class change would necessarily lead to more content which requires art, encounter scripting, etc.

[RedGamer030]

You mean patches that cost real money, more than the subscription cost??? THAT SOUNDS GREAT! /s

[Eon Drache]

Well, it would still hold new continents with new lore and all that.
All the resources that they save on the ability overhauls can be spend on additional content.

That's not how that works. The same people working on the classes aren't the same ones working on the new maps or quests.

[Keristrasza]

That's one thing I've always wished for.

I mean, I'm all for bugfixes and quiality of life improvements to the classes, but I've always hated the complete overhauls that come with every expansion.

I'd much rather they invested that time in creating more content.

I feel the same way on this one. I felt if they spent less on redesigning their idea of how a class should handle, and more on the world around them. They could do so much more. :x

[clevin]

I mostly agree. I think gradual change is a good thing so that your class now may well feel very different from your class in Wrath. The big overhauls should be few and far between.

For the "but I need change or I get bored" folks, 2 thoughts. One is that you chose to play a given class, why should it change a ton every couple of years? Two, if you want variety, there are 11 classes. Roll an alt.

[Relapses]

I mostly agree. I think gradual change is a good thing so that your class now may well feel very different from your class in Wrath. The big overhauls should be few and far between.

For the "but I need change or I get bored" folks, 2 thoughts. One is that you chose to play a given class, why should it change a ton every couple of years? Two, if you want variety, there are 11 classes. Roll an alt.

So your solution to fix broken classes is for players to reroll. Yeah. Okay. Great plan. Lemme know how your raids feel with 2 Holy Paladins, 2 DK tanks and 16 Arcane Mages. #diversity

[Deleted]

Game over. Not even raids are durable without class changes.

[Deleted]

It would be nice if we got more content. As for class changes... having a rogue main and getting like mostly fixes each expansion (notable change only now with Legion for Combat), it would be no difference for me.

Sounds like every expansion for a rogue /s

Except we don't even get the extra content. It's like a cake, a lie.

- - - Updated - - -

So your solution to fix broken classes is for players to reroll. Yeah. Okay. Great plan. Lemme know how your raids feel with 2 Holy Paladins, 2 DK tanks and 16 Arcane Mages. #diversity

This was not about broken classes, it's about overhaul that specs get when they're not broken. Fixing broken classes is balancing and number tweaking, you don't really need overhauls for that. The rogue class proved it. It's the most bland and uninteresting class left yet people keep playing it. Because even if it's become boring, it's churning out good damage numbers.

[Ealyssa]

One thing I find myself tired of after 11+ years of WoW is the constant overhaul of talents and abilities at the start of every expansion.

I'm on the exact opposite of your position. After 11 years, I find that these overhaul are an absolute necessity to the game. It keeps things fresh. It's basically a "new" wow every single expansion.

That's why their is no need for a "wow 2". Because wow evolve and that's (again IMO) is a nice thing.

[Bosen]

I'd be fine with that for an expansion.

[Arganis]

Not sure but I think they've strayed very far from what used to be considered 'class and ability overhaul'. It used to be that they would add some things and remove others but overall you usually ended up with more than before. I used to get excited at trying the new stuff and seeing the new animation for old spells I loved. These days I dread reading the list of things they're gutting with nothing in return, especially true for certain classes. Nothing worse than multiple spells you've had for years all vanishing into thin air just cause it doesn't fit in the current 'design philosophy'.

[Relapses]

It would be nice if we got more content. As for class changes... having a rogue main and getting like mostly fixes each expansion (notable change only now with Legion for Combat), it would be no difference for me.



Except we don't even get the extra content. It's like a cake, a lie.

- - - Updated - - -


This was not about broken classes, it's about overhaul that specs get when they're not broken. Fixing broken classes is balancing and number tweaking, you don't really need overhauls for that. The rogue class proved it. It's the most bland and uninteresting class left yet people keep playing it. Because even if it's become boring, it's churning out good damage numbers.

There is absolutely no universe which exists where it's okay to just leave classes in garbage states so a few people can have the satisfaction of not feeling like they dislike their class after an overhaul.

[Sam the Wiser]

The constant overhaul is one of the main reason I gave up on WoW. The character I started as wasn't even close to what it was years later.

[MoanaLisa]

The constant overhaul is one of the main reason I gave up on WoW. The character I started as wasn't even close to what it was years later.

In a lot of ways I have to agree with this. The shadow priest I created in BC is unrecognizable in Legion. It's why I'm looking for a new class. It's more than process and mechanics change as well. All of this business characterizing the class as next to Insane is personally off-putting. We'll see. I understand the importance of providing a class back story. In my case I more or less loathe the one they picked. C'est la vie.

Still though, the every-expansion-relearn-your-class business is really old and if you wish to try to play at the highest levels, starting over every couple of years is very tiresome.

[Deleted]

I like class overhauls/updates. This way the mobs mechanics can change and evolve, and so can players. And I like it fresh.

[Relapses]

I like class overhauls/updates. This way the mobs mechanics can change and evolve, and so can players. And I like it fresh.

Often times overhauls occur out of necessity more than player desire. Shadow's previous model was untenable going into Legion so they revamped it. Balance failed to hit the designers goals so they revamped it as well. I enjoy adapting to new play styles even if it means losing one to which I was accustomed. Yeah it sucks to lose the niche you had but often times it's for the betterment of the game as a whole.

This honestly just seems like a "DAE Vanilla best time ever" thread by another name. =/

[Howard Moon]

I'd rather just learn a new class than having to re-learn my main every time, tbh. :/

[Daffan]

people would call them content patches and rage that they had a price tag

Probably. lol

[Kraenen]

I think a lot of people would get bored of doing the same rotation for months and years on end

[Jessicka]

Agree with you OP. It was fine when it was just a time to address gameplay issues and improve balance but as much as I loved the Warlock overhaul for MoP, it was in retrospect too much and it set a bad precedent for making it 'okay' to make such big changes in general.

It was a big deal for anyone who hadn't followed all the changes, for one character. For me, as I have multiple, Legion looks pretty daunting to relearn and rebother to work out all over again which work for me. It's just not something I'm excited for.