So we know that Disc going forward will be a damage healer hybrid, filling the role of healer by using dps abilities, thematically i would love to see discipline gain some more shadow moves/influence to distance itself from holy (both priests and paladins).
Thematically, i think it makes sense, as discipline is for the most part a holy priest who has the 'discipline' to harness shadow energy and not fully succumb to its influence. Its the spec who can wield both disciplines, focusing on the duality of light AND the shadow it casts, working on the synergy between light and shadow
Gameplay wise it fits even more now that we know that its also a damage dealer, manifesting the duality into gameplay.
I think that this will do wonders in making shadow really feel like it belongs to priests, rather than feeling like an awkward addition that fits more with warlocks.
As for spec identity currently, discipline shares far too much thematic space with holy priests, and even holy paladins, currently all 3 are strictly holy users, which alienates shadow as it feels like a class within a class, sharing absolutely no thematics or abilities with either of its sibling specs.
Holy > pure light magic, abolishes shadow, pure healer, antithesis of shadow
Discipline > Hybrid Light and its Shadow, embraces both sides, hybrid damage and heals, combination of both holy/shadow
Shadow > Pure shadow magic, forsaken light, pure DPS, antithesis of holy
I think that discipline in this incarnation would thematically fit with many other horde races that never really had a holy focus such as forsaken, who have trouble with holy magic and would feel more comfortable healing this way or trolls, who tend to screw around with weird voodoo shit, being as likely to heal you as curse your enemies.
So what do you think? does this sound appealing?