Thought Exercise: Potential new WoW Specs!

[Sencha]

I like how some people are just throwing some ideas and think devs "just" need to implement it like if 99% of the design has been done.

[Segus1992]

I like the ideas. I remember telling a friend years ago that every class should have an extra spec, and a healing or tank role if they don't already have one. The tank/healer niche causes so many problems.

You were probably the first to think of that.

Remember guys, we all owe @keskmaz our worship if we get another spec for each class.

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I like how some people are just throwing some ideas and think devs "just" need to implement it like if 99% of the design has been done.

Isn't that how this is done?

[Ynna]

Ignore the haters in this thread. Threads like this also aggregate a bunch of people saying how this is impossible (and who feel the need to continue to say this even after 30 people did before them) or a bad idea. Maybe that's true, but this sort of thing is a fun thought exercise first and foremost. So I'd also like to ask people who think this is a bad idea to just, you know, not post that.

I don't agree with all of your suggestions. I don't think ranged plate classes are a cool idea, for example and would deviate too much from the core class experience. Your Twilight Priest spec is cool, but leans too closely too what Discipline is supposed to be about. Gladiator for Warriors is an absolute must. I crave a DPS spec that runs with a shield. A Rogue Tank would also be very enjoyable.

I recently came up with these ideas for a similar thread:

• Death Knights: Either some sort of Dark Paladin using Shadow Magic, or a Frost-based tank spec called Lich.
• Druids already have four specs.
• Hunter: Dark Ranger, mixing poisons, diseases and magical damage to weaken and damage their foes.
• Mage: Battlemage. Getting up-close hitting people in the face while using spells and channeling magical energy through your weapons.+
• Monks: Some form of ranged damage, which I believe was intended for them in the first place.
• Paladins: No idea. The current specs already hit on all the "knight" tropes.
• Priests: Some form of Holy DPS. Priests have been wanting this for a long time. It would be fun if they didn't do as much damage themselves but buffed the damage of those around them, but in a community as focused on topping the meters this is probably a bad idea.
• Rogues: Early Rogues could use bucklers in their off-hand and I think it would be cool to expand this into a tank spec focused on evasion.
• Shaman tanks are an obvious idea.
• Warlocks: No idea.
• Warriors: Give them a damn Gladiator spec already.

[Netherspark]

+points for not suggesting warlock tank. These are way more inventive than the usual "4th spec" ideas.

But I'd much rather have Blood as a warlock spec.

[Korhali]

Thank you for the kind responses! I am very passionate about the game, and I want to see it grow A few people raised some concerns, so I'll address them now!
@Seranthor - Balancing is an issue. You'll notice that I mention that in the first section of my post, and even the title (Thought Experiment) suggests that the implementation of this is beyond the scope of what is feasible. That being said, it was tons of fun making this post, and I just wanted to share some ideas with you guys.

The second is homogenization. I agree, this is an issue. If every class can perform the holy trinity, it can become a bore; there's only so many times you can reiterate something until it becomes increasingly similar. I admittedly struggled with that while drafting the Bulwark and the Nightward specs; I feel as if those are the weakest, mechanically, but are thematically strong.
@Pandragon - I actually like the Thunder King idea a lot! And it fits with the theme of Forbidden Art, because it would make sense that monks would lock that away. Nice!

Comments regarding Twilight Priest and similarities to Discipline, I want to lay out my thought process. Discipline Priests use a combination of Shadow and Holy magic, whereas Twilight Priests adhere to a cycle of Shadow THEN Light, then back to Shadow and repeat. The idea is that the Light shines brighter in the Darkness, so you create the Darkness to amplify your Light magic. They are VERY similar, for sure, but I tried my best to differentiate between them!

Some really cool ideas I see, though. Keep up the discussion! Even if none of this happens, its fun to theorycraft and stuff

[Theoris]

I like it. Twilight Priest sounds a little too much like Discipline, though.

Also, could you Bold each class so it becomes a little easier to read?

[Korhali]

I like it. Twilight Priest sounds a little too much like Discipline, though.

Also, could you Bold each class so it becomes a little easier to read?

Done! Should have thought of that myself :P

[A dot Ham]

Salutations! This will be a long one, so get ready for a read!
-SNIP-
Tell me what you think! Are each of them distinct enough to be considered their own specialization? Do you have any ideas for abilities you would add? Let me know! I really enjoy these conceptual exercises, and judging by the amount of god damn Tinker threads, clearly other people like them too :P

First off... don't bash the Tinker threads. I haven't seen this week's version but come on man... don't go crushin' dreams.

Second, I like the new abilities idea more than I like new specs that utilize them (as in they could/should/would easily fit with existing specs).

Third, class design/spec design isn't just about whether or not it fits thematically, some of your ideas share some existing playstyles/similar abilities from other classes/specs but with a new twist. Usually a new spec/class fits not only thematically... but it also presents a unique playstyle that isn't already available through another class/spec. For example DKs are not just unholy paladins... nor are they just melee warlocks.

I know that's pretty vague... just my 2 cents... err 3 cents?

[Yelmurc]

Gladiator should probably have two-handed weapon in addition to shield to further emphasize its damage role + have something visually distinct from Prot Warrior. I would play that, i always liked the idea of using a shield for DPS

Shield + Polearm

[Nyel]

I love it, great suggestions.

[Theoris]

Done! Should have thought of that myself :P

Cheers, mate.

[Korhali]

First off... don't bash the Tinker threads. I haven't seen this week's version but come on man... don't go crushin' dreams.

I was just making a joke, truthfully :P I think that people don't give the Tinker idea enough credit. They just tend to say, "Hey, we've already got an engineering profession, so we can't do that."

More frustratingly, however, are the people who make the Tinker threads (as opposed to the idea of a Tinker). As you can see, I put a lot of thought into these spec ideas. All of them have at least one passive and two active abilities, as a way of saying, "See, this might work!" Instead of doing that, they just say, "Tinker! Discuss." And so it devolves into an argument of Tinker vs Engineering, and that's not helpful. My comment was more of a light hearted jab at that as opposed to the actual idea of a Tinker.

[A dot Ham]

I was just making a joke, truthfully :P I think that people don't give the Tinker idea enough credit. They just tend to say, "Hey, we've already got an engineering profession, so we can't do that."

More frustratingly, however, are the people who make the Tinker threads (as opposed to the idea of a Tinker). As you can see, I put a lot of thought into these spec ideas. All of them have at least one passive and two active abilities, as a way of saying, "See, this might work!" Instead of doing that, they just say, "Tinker! Discuss." And so it devolves into an argument of Tinker vs Engineering, and that's not helpful. My comment was more of a light hearted jab at that as opposed to the actual idea of a Tinker.

So was mine... lost in text/the internet.

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Fun fan ideas but bad ideas for the game. Would be a nightmare to balance new specs. No one should want then to add new specs for that reason alone.

[Hyrja]

Damn sounds awesome man!

[Kyux]

I love these.

I think the warlock tanking spec is the coolest.

The priest one seems like it's stepping on the toes of Discipline. Isn't Disc already meant to be straddling the Light/Void divide?

As for druids, I would like to see more than just a rework. Maybe a hybrid spec? I don't know though I think they've done everything there sadly.

For warriors, what about them being able to wield 3 weapons at once, as in a shield, 1h and 2h, switching between them quickly. Kind of like changing stances on a CD. So you go to shield and 1h for 30, then 2h, maybe using 2h for a CD?

[Ynna]

Given it some more thought, I think it might be interesting if most (but not all) of the fourth specs reflect, like, the futuristic aspect of Azeroth, to show the (scientific or magi-technical) progress the world and its inhabitants have gone through. I don't have very specific ideas for this, but it might sate the demand for fourth specs and Tinkers in one go.

[Not A Cat]

Don't mind me, just another warrior wanting their glad spec back.

I love the idea of a 2h+shield, or at least a polearm, totally fits the gladiator fantasy!

I don't care either way, JUST GIVE ME GLAD BACK

[Ehuehuecopter]

Nice thread but worst idea to implement NOW

[Diggster]

To be honest, I didn't read all of them, as I only play mage currently, but I do like that idea for a blood mage healer.
My ideas around that spec would be:
Have it almost work like balance druid where by you have 2 forms, one which does mediocre heals which consume a small amount of both health and mana, and one which converts all current mana into health, and has you heals now consume only health but do considerably more healing. Consideration would need to be given as to how to balance mana and health regen, as you could easily find yourself in a situation where you very quickly run out of both, but also you wouldn't want to be brokenly OP for the whole fight.