Patterns that predict the next class.

[Aquamonkey]

It's clearly going to be a gun/bow/xbow-wielding, int-plate wearer.

[MOEEEE]

Another caster, please..

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

My idea for Tinker.

Steam Warrior: Tank. Use a mecha-suit like how druids use bear form. Would also use steam as a resource.

Saper: Range DPS. They will be like a pet-less hunter. This will make some people happy as the seem to hate pets for some odd reason. Also bombs.

Potion Doc: Healing. Would use medical skills and crazy potions to heal and support. (Might need to rename this)

Honestly, this is pretty much a more fleshed out version of what I suspected a tinkerer would be. So I'll instead post my Demon Hunter spec idea.

Unknown Name: Tank. Uses demon form, casted abilities, and a heavy emphasis on AoE.

Demonic Fury: Melee DPS. Uses dual-weilding and slow/powerful special attacks.

Dark Ranger: Ranged DPS. Allows access to gun/bow/xbow. Plays like a Dark Ranger or the D3 Demon Hunter.

[huth]

Actually, such a scenario can occur if youre a Druid or a shaman and the dagger is higher than your staff or other weapon. And yeah, I'm talking about AGI daggers.

For a druid, the dagger would have to be several hundred iLvls higher. You realize that they normally use 2h weapons and weapon DPS matters for them? It's effectively never going to happen, just as rogues and Warrior will not use ranged weapons, even though they can.
Shamans might be able to use them, though it's very rare, as more apropriate weapons tend to be more readily available.

As for your second point... yes. So what? That doesn't even have anything to do with the quote.

[Deleted]

U know Teriz, I would love to see what other fantastic patterns u have that show you the future. Plz tell me, I'm curious now ^^

[Bullettime]

Just reading through Ghostcrawler's tweets in the past about how problematic single class/spec itemization is and how they want to fix it. The best way to do that is through a new class.

Why I'm holding onto the thought of Dark Ranger next expansion. Melee spec using Agi daggers, ranged DPS spec using guns/bows/crossbows, and a necromancy spec using Int mail. They could knock out a lot of their itemization issues in one go. I highly doubt we'll see anything like Demon Hunter or Bard simply due to itemization concerns and armor bloat on specific types. Another potential one could be a Runecaster using Int plate.

[Effectral]

My idea for the next class seems kind of far fetched, but could be cool. The name would need to be something different because belf pallys already call themselves "Blood Knights". But the idea for a class called a blood knight would be cool. It would be able to be a tank, healer and dps. The classe's resource would be anima or something of that nature (maybe blizz could find some sort of work around for the lore), it would be a int plate wearer and use one handed weapons and shields. The way the class fights would be to build anima or the blood resource they must use melee attacks and then to use up the resource cast ranged attacks that have a minimum range. Its just a rough idea, but it could have a lot of potential or fun and its different and completely new rather than something from the past from the other wc games.

[Deleted]

Just reading through Ghostcrawler's tweets in the past about how problematic single class/spec itemization is and how they want to fix it. The best way to do that is through a new class.

Why I'm holding onto the thought of Dark Ranger next expansion. Melee spec using Agi daggers, ranged DPS spec using guns/bows/crossbows, and a necromancy spec using Int mail. They could knock out a lot of their itemization issues in one go. I highly doubt we'll see anything like Demon Hunter or Bard simply due to itemization concerns and armor bloat on specific types. Another potential one could be a Runecaster using Int plate.

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 =)

[Bullettime]

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 =)

Matter of iconic Demon Hunter abilities being handed out to others like Warlocks. They've stated that when creating a new class, they like to "build it from the ground up" which is why they liked designing the Monk. They had a rough starting point but they had a lot of leeway in the design and could treat it like a baby without limitations aside from broad class balance. Demon Hunter would have restrictions on it from day 1 of the concept phase. Mail on a Demon Hunter also doesn't make sense when Demon Hunters, when the image pops into your head, fight half naked with leather pants.

Dark Ranger and Runecaster are two class concepts that fit directly into WoW's lore, thus could be integrated at a moment's notice without any lore stretching, could fill empty itemization slots, and best of all have next to no limitations in the creative process as they both encompass unique toolkits and skillsets, something the developers have said they look for.

[Deleted]

Matter of iconic Demon Hunter abilities being handed out to others like Warlocks. They've stated that when creating a new class, they like to "build it from the ground up" which is why they liked designing the Monk. They had a rough starting point but they had a lot of leeway in the design and could treat it like a baby without limitations aside from broad class balance. Demon Hunter would have restrictions on it from day 1 of the concept phase. Mail on a Demon Hunter also doesn't make sense when Demon Hunters, when the image pops into your head, fight half naked with leather pants.

Dark Ranger and Runecaster are two class concepts that fit directly into WoW's lore, thus could be integrated at a moment's notice without any lore stretching, could fill empty itemization slots, and best of all have next to no limitations in the creative process as they both encompass unique toolkits and skillsets, something the developers have said they look for.

I don't see how DHs would have any restrictions. You lost me here srry.
But yh they could also DH in leather and add dragonsworns

[Bullettime]

Restrictions since everything iconic about Demon Hunters (Metamorphosis, Immolation, Mana Burn, Evasion) belongs to Warlocks and Rogues with the Mana Burn mechanic eliminated from the game entirely.

Agi Leather is already bloated with the inclusion of Rogues, Monks, Feral, and Guardian. That's two entire classes plus half of another class on the same type. Loot competition for those classes is already worse than even Strength Plate that gets complained about a lot. Adding another Agi Leather wearer to it will just exacerbate the issue and discourage guilds from even using those classes/specs as to have a better spread of loot. It's something that has to get taken into consideration when designing a class. You don't want to oversaturate a particular item type.

Agi Mail still has room to expand, as does Intellect Mail and Intellect Plate. So does ranged weaponry. So do Agility Daggers. All of those have little or zero competition and largely exist for a single spec or class. Ghostcrawler has openly admitted many times via his twitter feed that he highly dislikes that and wants to address it in the future.

Insert Dark Ranger or Runecaster.

[Deleted]

Restrictions since everything iconic about Demon Hunters (Metamorphosis, Immolation, Mana Burn, Evasion) belongs to Warlocks and Rogues with the Mana Burn mechanic eliminated from the game entirely.

Agi Leather is already bloated with the inclusion of Rogues, Monks, Feral, and Guardian. That's two entire classes plus half of another class on the same type. Loot competition for those classes is already worse than even Strength Plate that gets complained about a lot. Adding another Agi Leather wearer to it will just exacerbate the issue and discourage guilds from even using those classes/specs as to have a better spread of loot. It's something that has to get taken into consideration when designing a class. You don't want to oversaturate a particular item type.

Agi Mail still has room to expand, as does Intellect Mail and Intellect Plate. So does ranged weaponry. So do Agility Daggers. All of those have little or zero competition and largely exist for a single spec or class. Ghostcrawler has openly admitted many times via his twitter feed that he highly dislikes that and wants to address it in the future.

Insert Dark Ranger or Runecaster.

I think u are naive to think Blizz could not develop the DH class around the warlock class.
plus demon hunters could use mail as there is nothing stoping them. they would only trade a little less of speed for protection. And the illidan-look alikes would not be a problem as I present it in my concept. So DHs would use mail agility and have a ranged spec, which is even better. Dragonsworns would use mail int.

[Bullettime]

They can. But it takes a lot of the "oooo shiny" feel away when your class's iconic and core skill has been used by Demonology Warlocks since patch 3.0.

Monks had a lot of the shiny factor. Everything in their kit was unique as martial arts hadn't been used in WoW before.

Death Knights also had plenty of shiny factor themselves with ghouls, icy winds, gargoyles, vampirism, etc. Their entire kit was unique and hasn't been seen before in WoW.

Demon Hunter would have a few fun things but everything iconic about the class would feel recycled and thus not have that unique feel. It would feel like "oh a Rogue who got given Demo's Meta."

No offense man, I like your concepts but....I'm looking at it from a "this is more likely to happen given Ghostcrawler's tweets and analyzing it from a more design view," the point of the thread, while you're more plugging your signature links. I would like Demon Hunters to be in the game. I just don't see how or why they would feasibly do it when they have other concepts that would work just as well, fix a lot of their gripes in loot itemization balance, and allow the designers the freedom to start with a clean slate and no creative limits which would yield a better product overall.

[Teriz]

For a druid, the dagger would have to be several hundred iLvls higher. You realize that they normally use 2h weapons and weapon DPS matters for them? It's effectively never going to happen, just as rogues and Warrior will not use ranged weapons, even though they can.
Shamans might be able to use them, though it's very rare, as more apropriate weapons tend to be more readily available.

Several hundred iLvls? You do understand that there's only 540 iLvls in the game right? 150 levels and your back in Cataclysm territory.

At max level, no, you're probably not going to be using a dagger as a Druid or Shaman. However, throughout the leveling process, you can use AGI daggers for both classes if necessary, and perform good DPS at your level. Again, its not optimal, but it is possible.

There is no scenario where a Warrior or a Rogue would use a bow or gun outside of goofing around.

Not that this matters anyway. Even if you were right (you're not), there's only 308 agi daggers in the entire game.

There are 295 bows, 190 Cross Bows, and 308 guns.

That's 793 weapons that only ONE class can use.

[Vulcanasm]

I suspect that in 5.0, spell plate will go away and they'll give Holy Paladins a talent (or aura) that converts Str to Int.

I don't see Blizzard creating a new "Demon Hunter" class. I think Demon Hunter will be the 4th spec for Warlocks, and a tank at that. They're already halfway there: If you look, you'll find a glyph with that name and functionality -- it gives a completely different, ill-used and poorly-flushed-out play style to Demonology, halfway to a tank but not quite there. It'll take work: a tanking pet class is far too much micromanagement, so it'll have to be built around Grimoire of Sacrifice (which means keeping that permanent, which GC has said he hates). But it's less work than making a new class, and Demon Hunter is so frequently demanded that it's the easiest way.

I'm hoping the "ranged weapon" problem gets solved by changing Rogues. If it were me, I'd nuke Subtlety from orbit, replace with a "Sabotage" tree, and style it after Rift's Saboteur soul -- best class in that entire game. Bows/guns and bombs. Especially bombs. Time bombs, land mines, etc. Rogue would go from rare spawn to popular overnight. (That tree has never had an identity anyway, other than "how to be annoying".)

I'm also guessing it's something with Spellpower/Spirit mail. I don't know exactly what, since I'm also expecting a ground-up Shaman revamp. The optimist in me sees the Dark Animus quest at the end of Isle of Thunder, and hopes for something like Vanguard's Blood Mage -- with some kind of battlemage dps functionality.

[huth]

You mean 6.0, right?

Not that this matters anyway. Even if you were right (you're not), there's only 308 agi daggers in the entire game.

There are 295 bows, 190 Cross Bows, and 308 guns.

That's 793 weapons that only ONE class can use.

Most of which are artifacts from when they were more widespread. Hunters being the only class to use them only happened with 5.0, anything before that can't be counted for a serious comparison.

[Lynneiah]

Warriors and rogues can use bows, guns, and crossbows.

Again, you're picking and choosing. They may not be effective in the least bit when they use them, but they can be. Just like, as you pointed out, feral druids can be with daggers.

You seem to be missing the point spectacularly. Yes, rogues and warriors can equip ranged weapons. They can also equip cloth gear. Shamans can equip two-handed maces or axes.
This isn't about who can equip what. This is about what are viable weapon choices in any kind of environment outside of RP. For rogues and warriors, ranged weapons are not a viable choice. At all.

[Teriz]

Most of which are artifacts from when they were more widespread. Hunters being the only class to use them only happened with 5.0, anything before that can't be counted for a serious comparison.

That's pretty irrelevant, since we're talking about modern WoW, not WoW in the previous expansion. In modern WoW, the only class that can use all those ranged weapons are Hunters.

---------- Post added 2013-05-09 at 12:43 AM ----------

You seem to be missing the point spectacularly. Yes, rogues and warriors can equip ranged weapons. They can also equip cloth gear. Shamans can equip two-handed maces or axes.
This isn't about who can equip what. This is about what are viable weapon choices in any kind of environment outside of RP. For rogues and warriors, ranged weapons are not a viable choice. At all.

Thank you.

[Goremonger]

I do think that there will be one more class but that is all they should ever add to wow. My reasoning is because of the tier tokens. You got enough to fit one more class and really anything after that would be excessive I mean they shouldn't have added any past DK anyways makes pvp harder to balance.

[Teriz]

I do think that there will be one more class but that is all they should ever add to wow. My reasoning is because of the tier tokens. You got enough to fit one more class and really anything after that would be excessive I mean they shouldn't have added any past DK anyways makes pvp harder to balance.

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.