4th spec and New models instead of new class and new race?

[ComputerNerd]

Regurgitating tired and flawed ideas from other class forums.
Adding more choices for under-represented roles does nothing when the quantity of those choices had already increased, yet did nothing to increase their participation.
That was a community problem pure and simple, when arrogant players ignorant of the intended role of another would consistently make their job more difficult.
Is it any wonder people flock to dps roles which have way less responsibility.

The constant lack of balance is proof that they cant balance the number of specs we have already.
Druids were split up for one reason only, because they had a unique and messy problem of a dual purpose specialisation.

[huth]

The constant lack of balance is proof that they cant balance the number of specs we have already.

It's only a proof that we have multiple specs with non-trivial differences. You'd need more data to make statements beyond that.

[Cernunnos]

Split similar specs maybe.

-As a fury warrior who will only ever use two handers, I hate getting one handed weapons dropping (esp. when they drop from the same boss, looking at you Sha of Fear!) that I will never use use outside of maybe the occasion funzies tank run late in the expansion for transmog gear/achievements/mounts with friends. Getting weapons I will never use is not fun, I would rather not be eligable for them, since they vendor for less than the gold I would get had I not won loot at all, even on a bonus coin/rune roll.

-Likewise for Dual Wield Frost/Two Handed Frost.

-Wouldn't mind a return of the old 2 hand weapon enhance shaman. Might need a reworking of Lava Lash or an ability to replace it, since it only works with an offhand. Oh and maybe shamans to use polearms, otherwise you would be stuck only using staves. Since no other agility user can viably use a 2 handed axe. Hunters can't DPS with them.

-An actual viable "shockadin" spec might be nice. If only to put a halt to the monopoly Holy Paladins have on Int Plate.

-Maybe a more spell oriented Death Knight spec that also uses Int Plate. Unholy really only has Death Coil but otherwise is still pretty melee heavy.


Not really sure about any other classes, battle cleric for priests maybe, bard for rogue.

[Teriz]

Like I said in another thread; You should consider the general direction that Blizzard has been moving since MoP;

1. They split the Druid class into 4 specs, and that split has worked very well within the current class design.
2. Warlocks essentially have 4 specs. Their fourth spec is tied to a glyph currently, and its one of the most popular aspects of the class right now.
3. Blizzard is toying with the idea of allowing people to use 3 specs without having to switch specialization.
4. We got a race and a class in MoP. Many people are assuming that Blizzard doesn't want to introduce a new class or race so soon. This thread is one such example.
5. 4th specs aren't dependent on expansion theme.
6. 4th specs reinvigorate the older classes in the game just like model upgrades reinvigorate older races.
7. GC has stated that doing 4th specs for all the classes is the same amount of work as creating one new class.

I'm not saying that 4th spec is a sure thing. However, I'd be lying if I said that it didn't make sense for Blizzard to go that route for the next expansion.

[Slybak]

I would agree that adding 4th specs complicates things, but much less so now than it would have been in WotLK and prior. The changes to specializations in Cata and especially MoP that made them self-contained "classes within a class" makes doing this, and other class balancing issues, a lot easier to approach because there's a now a built-in buffer that prevents changes in one spec from spilling over into others. The devs don't have to worry about making changes to Holy Paladins, for example, because doing so will effect Prot and Ret. It's hard to inadvertently buff the healing of Ret Paladins when the vast majority of healing abilities are directly tied to the choice of being Holy.

And it allows for a lot more freedom in what they can change and add; not just ability sets, but core class mechanics like armor and weapon proficiencies, and resource mechanics. Imagine a Mage spec that allowed for the use of Mail or Plate, or a Warlock spec that relied on Spirit Cloth, a Rogue spec that used two-handed weapons, or a Shaman that had some kind of rage or combo point type of resource system. Such changes allow them to plug current itemization holes and make currently under-utilized item types more valuable, and add a lot more diversity to the play experience without forcing people who want to try something new to reroll. All that needs doing is to tie that core change to the specialization; you gain it when you change to the spec, and lose it when you change from it.

Doing this back in WotLK, when spec was informally defined by talent point choices, would have been a balancing nightmare. But now WoW is an MMO elder, which presents a paradoxical challenge; how do they add to the game and attract new/returning customers without radically changing things to the extent that current players feel alienated? Adding things like 4th specs does this, so it makes more sense now than it did in the past.

[Melorandor]

They can't add nothing to the next expansion. WoW players expect atleast something next Expansion. Either it be New Races, Neutral Race, Class, Models or 4th spec.

[Anjerith]

It is fairly likely we will see the new models at Blizzcon this year, thus probably in the expansion. It is pretty much not worth considering we will see a 4th spec, when we see daily player complaints that some classes only really have one or two viable specs - that is sort of indicative of an issue that wouldn't be solved by tacking on another spec.