Tier design concepts

[Sylreick]

I like the ones based on the class itself. I don't mind that they take inspiration from the raid they're found in, but not if it overshadows the class itself. Would also like them to tone down their obsession with spikes = warrior.

[Ornias]

I'd rather look like a Warlock, than whatever I just killed. Unless it was a Warlock. But I already did that with Kanrethad.

[Tenjen]

also there are exceptions to what I said before "class base with raid theme" is thrown out the window if its a particularly important boss heading the raid.

[Mormolyce]

Raids should mostly reflect the raid and bosses they come from. Class themed armour is great but that's more the niche of say, Challenge Mode armour.

Race themed armour would be awesome too.

[Deleted]

They should be a mix of the class theme and the current location/raid. The Druid set for example is likely to be based on Tanaan jungle, which fits both the Druid motif of nature and plant life, and fits in with the theme of Draenor.

[volescue]

They should take something from the location they drop, but really reflect the class that wears them. For instance, having some fire on firelands sets would be great. Making them all red because it is firelands is not ok. Also, stop making purple/pink pally sets. Thanks.

[l33t]

Class themed. There is a reason people totally love t5 and t6, even though they are low-resolution.

Also, I hope a person who forces pope hats for priest tiers burns in hell

[Chickat]

In general, Tier-sets should always be based on the Class itself, not the drop-location. The Classes have such rich history anyways, you're more likely to get more unique results that way, as opposed to everyone sharing a "theme", such as Firelands, where none of the sets have any character to them.

That said, I also like to see them branch out with different "looks", that are still consistent with the Class's theme. Judgement, for example, still fits the Paladin's overall motif, even though there has never truly been an "inquisitor" type of Paladin in the Lore.

The one exception to this I would grant is Warriors. While they're generally seen as the "Barbarian-class", they tend to be a little more free-form adventurer, so it makes sense that they would arm themselves in "whatever fits".

Firelands have some of the best sets though imo. I like alternating design. Some tiers to be class based, while others can be raid based if the raid has an interesting theme like firelands. A high maul tier set for every class would be bland.

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One of, if not the best warrior set imo.

[Claymore]

Class themed. There is a reason people totally love t5 and t6, even though they are low-resolution.

Also, I hope a person who forces pope hats for priest tiers burns in hell

Yeah, I was just gonna point that out. T6 Paladin is, in my opinion, the set that most embodies what a Paladin should look like, yet it had zero relation to anything going on in TBC. It was just a fantastic set that suited the Class, and for that reason, it's held right up there with T2, which was similar in being designed around the Class, not Raid.

Also, to those saying "only Challenge Modes should have Class-based armor"... that seems like a horrible solution. In a two-year span, have them implement a single Class-based set that you *may* be able to earn for yourself, only for it to be ripped from the game later on? I'd rather see consistently awesome Class-based armor-designs, rather than once in a blue-moon. Like I said earlier, I can kind of see Warriors (and I suppose Hunters) being kind of the exception, but as for the rest, I like armor that reflects the Class's history.

[Cwimge]

I agree with the general theme of this thread, sets with strong and clear ties to the class that make them immediately distinct while keeping with the general theme of the raid. This has worked for my warlock so far. Tier 10? (or 11) was pulled from the twilight's cult and the ties it had to BoT and BWD whereas something like Tier 16 makes exactly no sense at all, the colors and theme match nothing else in siege, or pandaland at all. We never see npcs/bosses or anything at all in even remotely similar gear. If anything it seems like it was designed around the caster cape

[qwss111]

Ideally it should be a raid inspired class piece. If the warrior mobs in the raid wear spikes, they should drop spikes.
If you're a tauren warrior that killed Ragnaros, the fire elemental, and he drops a feathered plate water robe, you're like "wtf is this doing here".

Now for tokens, these can be a little more class/race specific. An NPC says, "hey, if you can kill this heroic garrosh, I'll make a custom t16 piece for you".

Raid bosses and mobs should always drop loot that fit the environment though.

[Wyrt]

I would like to see more race/class armor like BC sets and the 2 t17 sets we've seen so far.

They don't need to be based on the raid since tier sets haven't actually dropped in the raid since vanilla.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

They should mix it up once awhile too many class themes and it'll get repetivive. Like SoO Tier. Some classes were "Wat" Others were "Not bad Blizz not bad"