World of Warcraft: Tides of War

[Deleted]

What I like about this 'leak' (if that's what it is): the systems changes and features, such as the additional specs.

What I don't like about it: the story bits and zones. It seems a bit too fragmented, as if there isn't really a cohesive theme. A little bit of faction war, a little bit of world revamp, a little bit of great seas, a little bit of underground, etc. We'd get too little of everything, I worry. I'd prefer an expansion that focused entirely on the seas and islands, or entirely on warfare, etc.

[Whatever Dude]

It's fake because there's no AV Brawl. An epic old-styled AV has been requested for ages. There's no way it isn't being worked on.

[Renley]

And Demon Hunter was given two specs because they couldn't even come up with good design space for a third. Arguing that Blizzard will add that spec an expansion later, along with 10 others - but leave literally only one class out to dry - is completely stupid. Full stop; stupid is the only word for it. There isn't a rational argument to be made for Blizzard slighting one class like that against 11 others. And there sure as hell isn't any world where it's rational to expect 11 specs - that's 3 more than have been added in 13 years of WoW - to come from an expansion. Especially the expansion after Blizzard released a hero class with only two specs, because they didn't see any design space for a third.

-Or they gave them two knowing full well they were adding another in next expansion, and potentially couldn't think/come up with a 4th for DH(yet). So they could've simply said "we couldn't make a third spec" to delay it for next expansion. Its not like they could say "Yeah, third spec comes with next expansion when everyone else gets one too. They've already alluded to that DH spec anyway. Not a stretch by any means.
-11 specs is easier to balance than 3 classes. Class groundwork is already in place. Throw in spec and class auras they can tweak, and it becomes not as much of an issue. An undertaking, for sure, but not impossible.
-They could easily explain the new specs as hero specs, rather than adding hero classes. Available at 110 after class quest line, continuing on from the class order halls. DKs deal with Bolvar, Hunters with Alleria, Priests with Anduin, etc etc.
-There's also a lot of details with this leak that you don't see with average leaks, things only system designers would link together. If it is fake, it's very well done(despite everyone having a hayday about the specs). Things like profession skill points being redundant, Path of Titans being an organic evolution of artifacts and netherlight crucible, and each titan aspect having a purpose and parallel, plot points with subtle details, and so on.

Do I think it's real? On the fence. I want it to be, but who knows at this point. One of these leaks out there are likely true, so why not consider them all?

[Totemslap]

-Or they gave them two knowing full well they were adding another in next expansion, and potentially couldn't think/come up with a 4th for DH(yet). So they could've simply said "we couldn't make a third spec" to delay it for next expansion. Its not like they could say "Yeah, third spec comes with next expansion when everyone else gets one too. They've already alluded to that DH spec anyway. Not a stretch by any means.
-11 specs is easier to balance than 3 classes. Class groundwork is already in place. Throw in spec and class auras they can tweak, and it becomes not as much of an issue. An undertaking, for sure, but not impossible.
-They could easily explain the new specs as hero specs, rather than adding hero classes. Available at 110 after class quest line, continuing on from the class order halls. DKs deal with Bolvar, Hunters with Alleria, Priests with Anduin, etc etc.
-There's also a lot of details with this leak that you don't see with average leaks, thinks only system designers would link together. If it is fake, it's very well done(despite everyone having a hayday about the specs).

Do I think it's real? Not sure. I want it to be, but who knows at this point. One of these leaks out there are likely true, so why not consider them all?

1.) This is a feasible explanation for Demon Hunter, and Demon Hunter only, and I will concede to you that if they already had the plan to make a new spec for every class post-Legion, then it would have made sense to hold off on a third for Demon Hunter. I can grant you that, but it doesn't address two major issues: Druids getting shafted, and several of the specs being absolute nonsense. Scythe-based ranged DPS Demon Hunters? Melee DPS Priests? A second healing spec for Shaman, when they have ample design space for a tank spec? Necromancer Warlock? Really? I shouldn't even need to explain why that's absurd.

2.) This just sounds silly to me. It's the same amount of design work, unless you're literally using the fact that you're operating on existing classes to justify them taking a lazy route, and not putting the appropriate development time into the specs at hand. Again, consider this: there have been eight specs added in nearly 13 years since the release of World of Warcraft. I reiterate that their is no rational basis on which to argue that they would now make 11 for one expansion - again, leaving Druid out to dry. An undertaking for sure; practically an impossibility as well. This is the company that allowed a 14-month content drought before perhaps their least complete expansion ever released. I am beyond skeptical that they're willing to shoulder the undertaking of balancing 11 new specs, and again, I don't consider "they already have four" to be a valid reason - in my eyes nor Blizzard's - that Druid alone would be slighted in this endeavor. It doesn't add up.

3.) This just seems like reaching to me, it really does. It is nowhere near in line with anything Blizzard has done in the past, and literally only serves as an extremely contrived explanation to why Blizzard would do something as outlandish as add a new spec to every class. Again, except Druid, because like I said: fuck those guys.

4.) This honestly made me laugh. Nothing about this leak strikes me as unique or creative, or things that would only make sense coming from the mind of a systems designer. Anyone could come up with those Paths of the Titans, for instance, if they had a notion of how Paths worked in the Cataclysm Alpha. Indeed, some of these things are so outlandishly dumb, I can't fathom how people think Blizzard would come up with them. Fire Death Knight? Another melee DPS Monk? You'd be more likely to sell me my own shit as a condiment than convince me anything in this leak constitutes something that "only systems designers would link together". After a decade of leaks on this site since the Cata leak in 2009, this shit looks straight-up grade school by comparison to leaks that actually appear well thought-out.

Of course, you stating you want this leak to be real, is exactly why you and others are coming up with such outlandish notions to defend it as potentially being valid. It's fine to consider all the leaks, but to blindly believe things are possible that are wholly out of line with how Blizzard has developed the game for the past decade and a half? That's just willful ignorance.

[Coffeh]

This got 11 pages? Saps.

[huth]

Why in the hell would they do that instead of just making 3 new hero classes? That is far beyond just reaching for an explanation. It honestly befuddles me that anyone can take the idea of Blizzard adding 11 specs simultaneously even remotely seriously. It illustrates a massive lack of understanding with regards to the development process at Blizzard. They didn't want to deal with the hassle of making a 3rd spec for Demon Hunter, and people legitimately believe they'll add a new spec for every class?

Oh, except Druids, because fuck those guys.

I can see them adding new specs for some classes, and they've shown with DHs that they're comfortable with classes having unequal numbers of specs, but i can't see them adding new specs for everybody either. About 1 class worth of new specs seems reasonable(so 2-4).

[Totemslap]

This got 11 pages? Saps.

Fucking tell me about it.

ITT: "Druid already has four specs, why would they get another? Ignore that OP is suggesting a 2nd melee DPS Monk, 3rd melee DPS Warrior and DK, 2nd Shaman healer, and literally 4th ranged DPS Warlock spec. Those make plenty of sense!!!"

I can see them adding new specs for some classes, and they've shown with DHs that they're comfortable with classes having unequal numbers of specs, but i can't see them adding new specs for everybody either. About 1 class worth of new specs seems reasonable(so 2-4).

Something like this I could accept, though I would be surprised if Blizzard only gave a few new specs to a select number of classes. I wouldn't have a big problem with it, and I could believe this as an expansion feature - but only coming from Blizzard. I sure as shit can't accept 11 new specs.

[Daevied]

what if in next expa theyll do the "all classes can dps, heal and tank", that would be amazing

[ComputerNerd]

Guys, this is clearly fake but you're out of your minds if you think there's going to be any class ever added to this game again that's not a tinker, that's about all they could do that's not already in the game in some form and could really be it's own thing, I am sure that blizzard realizes that at some very point their only option will be to give us some new specializations. Also any new class, no matter what that is, is not a good selling point in and of itself.

And such statements have been said before other new classes came out, that there was "no reason" for it to be anything else.
And you then say in your statement that no new class will ever be a selling point for the expansion, so that in your own words IS a reason why it could be something other than tinkerer, since not being that isn't going to make or break the sales.

[LordOmedon]

As promising as this is (my guildmistress would lose her mind for that blademaster spec), I'm afraid it is indeed the extra specs that kills this one, as I doubt we will ever see another "start at level 1" class or spec just because Legion leans so heavily into the snapshot of "these are the classes/specs" as part of its overall theme. Anyone "passing through" legion would have to fall into the classes and specs as we know them now. If we get any more classes, expect them to be hero classes that start at 110 or later.

It does meet my one wish, however, that being an "alliance elf paladin" option.

[Deleted]

I have to say I LOVE this "leak". Really doubt it's true because I love it too much and real leaks always make me kind of mad on some level, but good work!

how is it good work when half of it makes absolutely NO sense?

[Eurhetemec]

what if in next expa theyll do the "all classes can dps, heal and tank", that would be amazing

Well, I suspect if they modified each class so that it could do that, especially if they picked two already-existing specs for DPS classes to make into tank and healer, that would not be very well-received.

If they merely moved towards it, with each class getting a 4th spec that added one of whatever that class was lacking, that might be possible. Wouldn't solve anything except boredom but still.

how is it good work when half of it makes absolutely NO sense?

It makes as much sense as several ACTUAL leaks did, when we didn't have the context or information to make sense of them. That's part of what makes a good "leak" I think - you have to have those odd gaps and "Man what?!" bits. Too neat is NEVER real. And I don't think this is real but it has the vibe down.

[Renley]

1.) This is a feasible explanation for Demon Hunter, and Demon Hunter only, and I will concede to you that if they already had the plan to make a new spec for every class post-Legion, then it would have made sense to hold off on a third for Demon Hunter. I can grant you that, but it doesn't address two major issues: Druids getting shafted, and several of the specs being absolute nonsense. Scythe-based ranged DPS Demon Hunters? Melee DPS Priests? A second healing spec for Shaman, when they have ample design space for a tank spec? Necromancer Warlock? Really? I shouldn't even need to explain why that's absurd.

2.) This just sounds silly to me. It's the same amount of design work, unless you're literally using the fact that you're operating on existing classes to justify them taking a lazy route, and not putting the appropriate development time into the specs at hand. Again, consider this: there have been eight specs added in nearly 13 years since the release of World of Warcraft. I reiterate that their is no rational basis on which to argue that they would now make 11 for one expansion - again, leaving Druid out to dry. An undertaking for sure; practically an impossibility as well. This is the company that allowed a 14-month content drought before perhaps their least complete expansion ever released. I am beyond skeptical that they're willing to shoulder the undertaking of balancing 11 new specs, and again, I don't consider "they already have four" to be a valid reason - in my eyes nor Blizzard's - that Druid alone would be slighted in this endeavor. It doesn't add up.

3.) This just seems like reaching to me, it really does. It is nowhere near in line with anything Blizzard has done in the past, and literally only serves as an extremely contrived explanation to why Blizzard would do something as outlandish as add a new spec to every class. Again, except Druid, because like I said: fuck those guys.

4.) This honestly made me laugh. Nothing about this leak strikes me as unique or creative, or things that would only make sense coming from the mind of a systems designer. Anyone could come up with those Paths of the Titans, for instance, if they had a notion of how Paths worked in the Cataclysm Alpha. Indeed, some of these things are so outlandishly dumb, I can't fathom how people think Blizzard would come up with them. Fire Death Knight? Another melee DPS Monk? You'd be more likely to sell me my own shit as a condiment than convince me anything in this leak constitutes something that "only systems designers would link together". After a decade of leaks on this site since the Cata leak in 2009, this shit looks straight-up grade school by comparison to leaks that actually appear well thought-out.

Of course, you stating you want this leak to be real, is exactly why you and others are coming up with such outlandish notions to defend it as potentially being valid. It's fine to consider all the leaks, but to blindly believe things are possible that are wholly out of line with how Blizzard has developed the game for the past decade and a half? That's just willful ignorance.

1) Scythe based DH is already in game, can't remember the NPCs name. Druids, meh. They've had an additional spec for expansions now. I'm sure they'll get other changes and additions to ease them in. New forms for boomkins, etc. Melee DPS priests, Anduin is the precedent, being a priest and wielding his fathers sword. Shamans, Resto has lost their "Spirit" in all casting animations, and become just water. Earth, fire, and lightning heavily represented in Ele/Enh, with Spirit kinda left out. Also could bring back totem play. And two healing specs isn't unheard of. Necromancer locks exist in game(See Scholo/Naxx/etc)

2) You have to remember, their team has tripled since WoD. That allows for a lot, as we've seen with Legions content pacing.

The rest, *shrug*. To each his/her own. Last year, we never would have expected the constant content that Blizzard has done with Legion. Yet here we are. Just because they haven't done it in the past, does not mean it's not possible. And to be fair, I want most leaks to be true. :P I like new and shiny things(who doesn't), and most leaks encompass things I've been waiting for(Infinite, Azshara, old gods, etc).

- - - Updated - - -

Fucking tell me about it.

ITT: "Druid already has four specs, why would they get another? Ignore that OP is suggesting a 2nd melee DPS Monk, 3rd melee DPS Warrior and DK, 2nd Shaman healer, and literally 4th ranged DPS Warlock spec. Those make plenty of sense!!!"



Something like this I could accept, though I would be surprised if Blizzard only gave a few new specs to a select number of classes. I wouldn't have a big problem with it, and I could believe this as an expansion feature - but only coming from Blizzard. I sure as shit can't accept 11 new specs.

To add to the bottom part, it's possible only some of these are coming, and not all.


Edit: In Legion, they created 33 or whatever number, of artifacts with unique abilities, traits/passives, and interactions, with quest lines and such. Which is also a core part of making new specs. In a sense, they already have precedence for putting in a crap ton of work for numerous specs. Lets not forget the huge revamps to classes and specs. It's not impossible to add 11 new specs.

[Eurhetemec]

1) Scythe based DH is already in game, can't remember the NPCs name. Druids, meh. They've had an additional spec for expansions now. I'm sure they'll get other changes and additions to ease them in. New forms for boomkins, etc. Melee DPS priests, Anduin is the precedent, being a priest and wielding his fathers sword. Shamans, Resto has lost their "Spirit" in all casting animations, and become just water. Earth, fire, and lightning heavily represented in Ele/Enh, with Spirit kinda left out. Also could bring back totem play. And two healing specs isn't unheard of. Necromancer locks exist in game(See Scholo/Naxx/etc)

Allari is Scythe DH and seems to be ranged.

Melee Priests have been seen before in various forms, yep. Same for Necro as Warlock.

Certainly there a fairly clear fourth-spec possibilities for most classes.

[Totemslap]

Allari is Scythe DH and seems to be ranged.

Melee Priests have been seen before in various forms, yep. Same for Necro as Warlock.

Certainly there a fairly clear fourth-spec possibilities for most classes.

You're right, she is an in-game NPC. And that's exactly who this lazy OP is basing the spec idea off of, and why it's ludicrous. Blizzard would have simply added a ranged DPS DH if they truly saw it as workable design space. Going from "three specs for this one class is just too much work" directly to "we're going to simultaneously release more new specs than we've introduced since the release of the game" is way too fucking much of a leap in logic.

Yes, there are fourth spec possibilities for classes. And I will say, with 100% certainty, that those fourth specs will not include a 3rd melee DPS for DK and Warrior, and a FOURTH ranged DPS for Warlock. It is beyond outlandish to operate on that being a reasonable suggestion.

- - - Updated - - -

1) Scythe based DH is already in game, can't remember the NPCs name. Druids, meh. They've had an additional spec for expansions now. I'm sure they'll get other changes and additions to ease them in. New forms for boomkins, etc. Melee DPS priests, Anduin is the precedent, being a priest and wielding his fathers sword. Shamans, Resto has lost their "Spirit" in all casting animations, and become just water. Earth, fire, and lightning heavily represented in Ele/Enh, with Spirit kinda left out. Also could bring back totem play. And two healing specs isn't unheard of. Necromancer locks exist in game(See Scholo/Naxx/etc)

2) You have to remember, their team has tripled since WoD. That allows for a lot, as we've seen with Legions content pacing.

The rest, *shrug*. To each his/her own. Last year, we never would have expected the constant content that Blizzard has done with Legion. Yet here we are. Just because they haven't done it in the past, does not mean it's not possible. And to be fair, I want most leaks to be true. :P I like new and shiny things(who doesn't), and most leaks encompass things I've been waiting for(Infinite, Azshara, old gods, etc).

- - - Updated - - -



To add to the bottom part, it's possible only some of these are coming, and not all.


Edit: In Legion, they created 33 or whatever number, of artifacts with unique abilities, traits/passives, and interactions, with quest lines and such. Which is also a core part of making new specs. In a sense, they already have precedence for putting in a crap ton of work for numerous specs. Lets not forget the huge revamps to classes and specs. It's not impossible to add 11 new specs.

1.) I'm aware she was in the game. I was mocking his obvious choice of a half-meaningful NPC to represent an entire new spec, which he pulled entirely out of his ass based on that NPC. It couldn't be more painfully obvious: he thought of specific characters that fit within the vaguest archetype of a class, and used them as the basis for "new" specs. Again, you have to be willfully ignorant to not see this. Also, I love the way you type as though this is actually a certainty. "I'm sure they'll get other changes and additions to ease them in". You aren't certain of anything, and still haven't offered me a good reason why you could add a fourth DPS spec to Warlock, but not come up with a new spec of some sort for Druid.

2.) Gotta love moving the goalposts. Your original assertion is "11 specs are less work than 3 classes". Now it's "the team is big enough, they'll be fine!" You really do want this leak to be real, and everything that you're saying is just weak rationalizing to justify why it could be.

Naturally, though, you can't explain how anything about this leak strikes you as something that could come from a system developer. You just want new specs, and will argue on the premise that this leak is correct because of that.

But hey, way to change the goalpost yet again! "It doesn't have to be ALL the new specs, j-just some of them!!!"

And the notion of comparing artifacts to full specs, with a suite of 17-24 abilities and full talent trees - 11 fucking times over - is nowhere even in the same realm of reality. Plain and simple. The fact that you compare those two things just illustrates ignorance to the gravity of just how much work goes into developing a spec or class in this game. It's jaw-dropping that you could even equate the two.

It isn't impossible to do, it is impossible to occur in one expansion.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

How is an obvious fake still getting replies...?

[Enrif]

actually Blizzard introduced new specs recently but took old ones away.

Survival, Demonology, Outlaw

And revamped others to be quite different to what they used to be.
And added extensive Class Specific and Spec specific content in form of Order Hall Campaign and Artifact Traits.

All this could equal to around 11 specs of works.

and by this "leak" we only get 9 Artifacts instead of 36. So less work there.

And then, what else could warriors get for a 4 spec that would still fit a warrior? a healing spec? how? Another Tank Spec? Or perhaps the offensive weapon and shield style people liked when it was possible?

[anon5123]

Fake obliviously - Blizzard will never allow 1v1 arena.

"Blizzard will never allow faction transfer"
"Blizzard will never allow paladin/shaman for both factions"
"Blizzard will never allow raid epics from 5man badges"
"Blizzard will never have random drop legendaries"
"Blizzard will never allow real money transactions"
"Blizzard will never sell gold"
"Blizzard will never sell level boosts"
"Blizzard will never allow us to pay ingame sub with gold"

etc.

[Wyrmbane]

"Blizzard will never allow faction transfer"
"Blizzard will never allow raid epics from 5man badges"
"Blizzard will never allow real money transactions"
"Blizzard will never sell gold"

etc.

Its different. 1v1 arena will bring them only headache - they struggle to balance team PvP what you think they do with one spec vs another?

[Enrif]

Its different. 1v1 arena will bring them only headache - they struggle to balance team PvP what you think they do with one spec vs another?

Brawlers Guild Style 1v1 Arena

I never played the Brawlers Guild. But could that be a hint that its more of a feature of the brawlers guild instead of ranked PvP?