Patterns that predict the next class.

[Daswolfen]

While yes, those numbers make a mail wearing bow/gun user logical for the next class, can you really think of a class that would be different enough from hunters while still using mail armour and a bow/gun? Don't say demon hunter, demon hunters use melee weapons, not to mention demon hunters would likely use armour that's lighter than mail. Leather or maybe even cloth.

edit: Seen the mention of Tinkers, that'd come close in that it'd likely be a mail class, but I still don't see a tinker using bows.

Not bows, but guns and crossbows and allow the introduction of one handed guns/crossbows as well.

[Polarthief]

Patterns 1 and 2 are smart, but because of Pattern 2, that also means a Plate Int user could come along.

Also, is Shaman considered a semi or true hybrid? Personally, I'd consider them true because Ele and Enh is so radically different.

Caster could be another choice simply because we've had TWO melee/tank classes join in, and one of those two being able to heal. No caster yet. (Or ranged, but well, how DO you fit another bow/crossbow/gun user in?)

[Daswolfen]

I do not disagree with u in any way specially about creating a new class being easier to itemize than a new spec.
But if I was in charge, I would add first a demon hunter with mail. Then I would add a battlemage to use int plate. Then a ranger with leather to use bows and crossbows, no guns becasue I don't think they fit in with a ranger but that's just me.
After all these classes were added and all problems fixed, the sky would be the limit =)

Demonhunters would use leather, not mail (just because it has 'hunter' in the name doesn't mean it dresses like one) and would basically be a warlock in leather. A 'dark ranger' is just a hunter without a pet. so that would be a no on that one. Necromancer is just a cloth wearing Death Knight so nothing new there, so the only real new idea is the Tinker/Artificer type class with a mecha suit tanking spec (Jox), a turret/bomb/rocket ranged DPS spec (Gizmo) and a healing grenade/dart/patches spec (a Dok).

[ShadowJester]

I want demon hunters so bad and i think they will be the 13th class. But with the 3 options of patterns, tinkers cover all three. They could without a doubt use mail armor, use bows and guns, and cover all three roles, tank, physical ranged dps, and heals. They would be the perfect class for the next expansion. Also I feel that with adding tinkers, another way to get more bow/gun use is to redo rogues, since assassin and subtlety are so similar in concept combine them into one poision sneaky ninja spec and add a ranged sniper spec.

[Teriz]

Patterns 1 and 2 are smart, but because of Pattern 2, that also means a Plate Int user could come along.

I don't think it's INT plate for a variety of reasons.

Reason #1: there are no intellect or strength based ranged weapons, so the ranged gap is still present.
Reason #2: blizzard had the opportunity to introduce additional INT plate with the DK class. They didn't do it then, so I doubt they'd do it now.
Reason #3: unless you're creating a pure spell caster, some of that plate will need to be STR. This will cause DKs, warriors, and Paladins to complain about the additional competition for gear. You'd probably get complaints anyway because DKs and Warriors will have to deal with even more INT plate on the loot tables.
Reason #4: I honestly can't think of any solid WoW class concept that could be made up of mostly INT plate gear.

Also, is Shaman considered a semi or true hybrid? Personally, I'd consider them true because Ele and Enh is so radically different.

Semi. True hybrids can perform all three roles.

Caster could be another choice simply because we've had TWO melee/tank classes join in, and one of those two being able to heal. No caster yet. (Or ranged, but well, how DO you fit another bow/crossbow/gun user in?)

There's a lot of casters in the game already. So much so, that I don't see what type of caster they could logically be. We have nearly everything caster-wise.

As for ranged, the only one that makes sense to me is the Tinker having an AGI mail spec that uses guns and xbows.

[Mormolyce]

Demonhunters would use leather, not mail (just because it has 'hunter' in the name doesn't mean it dresses like one) and would basically be a warlock in leather.

Well, they can wear whatever Blizzard wants them to wear really.

But yes there is a problem with them basically being a type of Night Elf Warlock in the WoW class scheme.

[Solzan Nemesis]

I think so too. 12 classes would give us three classes per armor, 4 classes per class type, and the ranged weapon gap could be filled. After that, we should be in a good place class-wise.

I am starting to wonder if maybe they should just remove mail armor. Lat plate come at level 1, and make Hunters and Shamans where leather.

[ati87]

We need a mail agil user and not more casters.

The majority of the players in a raid are casters, sure they don't share all the gear but they do share half the loot table since anything that doesn't have spirit or hit is usable by both classes

[crawdaddy029]

With numerous theories floating around about what the 12th class will be, I decided to show you guys some of the patterns I've noticed that has convinced me what type of class we're getting either this expansion or the one afterwards.

Pattern One: Mail Armor

The game lacks a third mail armor wearer. Since every other armor is used by 3 classes.

Pattern Two: Bows, Xbows, Guns

Only one class can use three types of weapons exclusively. That is highly irregular.

Pattern Three: Class balance

The game is divided between pure, semi-hybrid, and hybrid. Pures are entirely DPS.
Semi-hybrids have 2 similar specs, and one different spec. True hybrids can do all roles.

We have 4 pure classes, 4 semi-hybrids, and 3 true hybrids.

There's more patterns beyond the ones showcased here. These are the three big ones. From them my guess would be that the next class is a mail wearer that also uses ranged weapons. Also the class is more likely to be a tri-spec hybrid (tank/dps/heals) like Paladins and Monks.

More to come.

You pick your own different weekly numbers for the lottery don't you?

[Barky]

Please give tinkerers or mechanists or whatever they will be called. I will roll one, make it main, engineer and be glorious tanking in my Mecha suit.

[Magpai]

Quite a flaw you're making by assuming Blizzard is going to compensate for the least populated in these three arbitrary categories you're choosing to look at.

[Motocarota]

I would add my 2cents here:

We have this pattern to consider, too:

Cloth
Good guy: Priest
Neutral guy: Mage
Bad guy: Warlock

Leather
Good guy: Druid
Neutral guy: Monk
Bad guy: Rogue

Mail
Good guy: Shaman
Neutral guy: Hunter
Bad guy: ....

Plate
Good guy: Paladin
Neutral guy: Warrior
Bad guy: Death Knight

[Prokne]

We need a mail agil user and not more casters.

The majority of the players in a raid are casters, sure they don't share all the gear but they do share half the loot table since anything that doesn't have spirit or hit is usable by both classes

Theres twice as many mail agi specs than int mail specs. If they do make another mail class at least 2 of its specs should use int to even it out a little. You should also realize that there are a lot of people rolling on agi rings/necks/trinkets also.

11 agi using specs
9 int/hit using specs
6 healers.

If there is a problem with overlap due to healers using int pieces that dont have hit then Blizzard should itemize more rings/necks with hit. It probably wouldnt hurt to have more spirit either since even some nonhealers can use it. Solution: rings/necks without spirit have hit.

[Nightfall]

I think Int plate is a more glaring issue that 3rd mail.

One more pattern to look into:
1) Death Knight - tank/melee, tank/melee, tank/melee -> tank, melee, 2/3 melee
2) Monk - tank, melee, semi-melee heal
3) ??? - caster, archer, ranged-melee hybrid/heal

Stop with the melee already!

[Koreche]

I disagree that there's a pattern three here. I think we can divide classes into 3 categories.

1. Vanilla. They're based on WC3 units/heroes, and were there from the start.

2. Stage-one Classes. Also based on WC3 units/heroes (DK = DK, Monk = Brewmaster). Added later and will bring every gear type to 3 users.

3. Stage-two Classes. These are classes mostly added on cool factor or because players want them. This is where we'd see stuff like Tinkerer and Bard.


The next new class will be a mail user, I'm certain. I also agree it'll likely have access to ranged weapons. My guess is Demon Hunter. It'll have a melee DPS spec, tanking spec, and ranged DPS spec. Guess which one will grant access to ranged weapons.

tinkers were in wc3, Bards are not cool at all.

[Nightfall]

tinkers were in wc3, Bards are not cool at all.

Nightfall's Mosh Pit deals 150k rock damage to Koreche, critical strike!

[ati87]

Theres twice as many mail agi specs than int mail specs. If they do make another mail class at least 2 of its specs should use int to even it out a little. You should also realize that there are a lot of people rolling on agi rings/necks/trinkets also.

11 agi using specs
9 int/hit using specs
6 healers.

If there is a problem with overlap due to healers using int pieces that dont have hit then Blizzard should itemize more rings/necks with hit. It probably wouldnt hurt to have more spirit either since even some nonhealers can use it. Solution: rings/necks without spirit have hit.

And their is more competition for clocks, weapons, trinkets, offhands and rings for caster then for any melee spec out their.

Thank god Blizzard changed the way trinket works compared to WOTLK where dps trinkets would work on every spellcast but still their are way more casters ingame then agil/strenght combined.

[Teriz]

Quite a flaw you're making by assuming Blizzard is going to compensate for the least populated in these three arbitrary categories you're choosing to look at.

Blizzards previous expansion classes have done exactly that when they've been introduced.

It also helps that the two last remaining WC3 heroes whose abilities doesn't exist in WoW are the Goblin Tinker and the Goblin Alchemist. Two hero units that are thematically similar, and could easily be woven into a new class that could wear mail, use ranged weaponry, be applied to numerous races, could be morphed into a hybrid class, and be thematically different than the other 11 classes.

[Solzan Nemesis]

-snip-

I been thinking the same thing about Tinkers for the last 3 years.

[anaxie]

We NEED another mail dps spec. Not that many enhance shamans and Hunters dont need an entire armor spec and weapon to themselves. Just like the issue with caster plate and mail. That shit needs delt with.

I LOVE this Tinkerer and alchemist specs would use up 2 highly decaying armor drops Mail caster, and Agi mail.