Warlock tanks in the future?

[Xeranath]

This isn’t Rift. It’s not going to happen.

[Deleted]

There are plenty of tank specs in game, go pick 1, or if you want a tank option level an alt

[Rhaxus]

There are plenty of tank specs in game, go pick 1, or if you want a tank option level an alt

where are those plenty tank specs with a ranged option? druids, sure and....? i am really sick of being pushed towards druids all the time, just because blizzard doesn't feel like putting anything other than melee + tank + x into the game, where x is NEVER ranged.
they even flat out refused to make a third demon hunter spec, because they couldn't think about something interesting, while everyone in their right mind would go: hey how about a ranged spec?

[Gaidax]

where are those plenty tank specs with a ranged option? druids, sure and....? i am really sick of being pushed towards druids all the time, just because blizzard doesn't feel like putting anything other than melee + tank + x into the game, where x is NEVER ranged.
they even flat out refused to make a third demon hunter spec, because they couldn't think about something interesting, while everyone in their right mind would go: hey how about a ranged spec?

Ranged spec for Demon Hunter? Insert please tell me more meme here...

It's not Diablo and ranged spec for DH makes 0 sense based on lore.

Trying to aimlessly throw shit at the wall and see what sticks is not a good way to design things.

[Deleted]

What about all the people who want to play demo as a ranged dps? It's ok for those to be brushed aside? What about all those who picked warlock because they want to be a pure?

If they want to implement a range who can tank it shoukd be through a new class not ramming it down people's throat who probably made their choice years ago.

Druids are unique and are obviously going to stay that way. If they wanted loads of classes to be able to do everything they would implement it.

Let a frost mage be a tank. Encase themselves in ice

[Rhaxus]

@Gaidax by that logic there shouldn't be Vengeance demon hunters either, they built the lore after deciding that Dh needs a tank spec, who says they couldn't have done the same for a ranged dh version?

[Crudence]

They could push for tank/healing specs on the classes that are pure dps, the problem is, do they remove one of the existing specs/rework them into heal/tank? Or do they make a forth spec like they have for druid? Survival hunter may have been rather unpopular, but will the hunters be happy if that was reworked to a tank spec? Same with demonology. Or perhaps make arcane into a heal spec? I think they would have to make a forth spec and I doubt they want to do that.

[pseudodraco]

With the shift in philosophy regarding, bring the class, not necessarily the player, and the addition of more class uniqueness that entails; would this not be an opportune time to perhaps make a serious push for adding warlock to the classes with an tanking option?

Think about it. We are still four pure-classes in the game; two of which are pet classes, three if you count mages with their water elementals. Blizzard just tried it's hand at making both demonology, and survival feel all new-, and fresh, in legion; but what if changing up the damage dealing style isn't the way to go. What if you instead started the hybridization of the pure-classes? According to the data available on worldofwarcraftgraphs, as per Feb 05th 2018, 34,5% (global), and 31,8% (at max level) of the characters played are pure-classes.

Hunters (9,8%/10,7%)
Mages (8.5%/8,7%)
Warlocks (7.1%/7.6%)
Rogues (6.4%/7.5%)

This is about a third of the playerbase, tied to a character who can neither tank-, nor heal. Obviously this is selling point for some players, either because they enjoy the specs currently available, that they might not be asked to take personal responsibility, or any number of other reasons. But now as we are also making the move towards smaller group sizes in organised content with M+, with Island Exploration, and as Ion recently talked about, 6 man rated battlegrounds. Would it not be better to allow these classes to atleast have the option to contribute in other ways then as one of three DD/DPS specs? This would mean that people are less likely to be-, or atleast feel like they are being forced away from their main toons if they and their group of friends needs the occational tank-, or healer.

As for Warlock, we are already known to be the meatier of the casters, and we have an history of filling this particular role already (although in unorthodox mannes); and despite blizzard having already dismissed this idea before, they keep adding in fights that do require caster tanks. Most recently in mythic nighthold. It doesn't even have to be an outright caster tank either, you could have the warlock use fel magics to enhance their physical prowess, again, look to the Gul'dan fight. There should, in my opinion, be enough to go on, to make a lore-friendly, perfectly viable, and not to mention interesting tanking specialization. As for which spec should be up on the chopping block, that's not for me to decide.

Well there is my five cents. Any thoughts?

I would love this. One idea I've had while thinking about what direction they could take demo is turn it into a tank that has functions similar to the defiler in RIFT. your demons that you summon a) help generate threat and b) act as a damage satellites, % of your damage being redirected towards them

[ttylol]

Since BFA alpha seems to be sticking to their new philosophy of "we don't want to make overwhelming changes for most specs", I suspect Blizz will have to re-think their expansion-appealing features (like allied races were). And new 4th specs would be less work than a new class, but still revitalize some interest (even if just a few per expac).

So, yeah, Warlock tank would be a good candidate for that (could even re-skin MoP glyph around Voidwalking). Survival turned into a tank, with former-DPS-Survival being renamed (like Combat was). And Chronomancer, like someone else said. Tank Shaman, ranged Paladin, and ranged Monk are the other reasonable ones. That'd give them 2-3 expansions to figure out what to do with DK/DH/Priest/Rogue/Warrior.

[ydraw]

No thank you, last time they tried to do something a class was not supposed to do we got Surv Hunters. I'd rather have 3 damage dealing specs than 2 damage dealing and one shit spec.

The problem is that a melee DPS spec is not actually useful. has there ever been a time in WoW history where a group had too many ranged DPS and not enough melee? That's why Survival is a failure.

OTOH a tank spec is actually useful because it means you can get fast queues/bonus loot bags and actually fill a needed role if required.

I main a hunter and would have much rather they made survival a tank spec rather than melee DPS.

[Seezer]

Plus more than ever it's obvious old Demo isn't coming back as Destruction is getting Soul Fire and Hellfire

Demo is getting soul fire as well

[thrill]

where are those plenty tank specs with a ranged option? druids, sure and....? i am really sick of being pushed towards druids all the time, just because blizzard doesn't feel like putting anything other than melee + tank + x into the game, where x is NEVER ranged.

This is how I've felt since wotlk and dual spec. I like to do two things in pve: tank and ranged dps, and druid has always been the only real option for this, which is also my least favorite class in the game in terms of playstyle. Warlock tanking has been hinted at by blizzard from vanilla all the way to MoP, we had a searing pain as a threat generating spell, tons of survivability (especially in the demo talents, which was basically a prot tree in vanilla/tbc), taunts on metamorphosis in wotlk, not to mention dark apotheosis in MoP, but it all got removed in warlords/legion pruning.

Being able to ranged dps + tank on warlock would be perfect for me, but I don't think the current wow devs would ever allow it. Maybe if we still had that warlock dev from MoP, but alas.

[Gaidax]

The problem is that a melee DPS spec is not actually useful. has there ever been a time in WoW history where a group had too many ranged DPS and not enough melee? That's why Survival is a failure.

OTOH a tank spec is actually useful because it means you can get fast queues/bonus loot bags and actually fill a needed role if required.

I main a hunter and would have much rather they made survival a tank spec rather than melee DPS.

And I main a warlock and would much rather Blizzard not do any sort of bullshit nonsense like suddenly turning us into tanks. Honestly it just shows how terrible of idea was sticking Meta to warlocks of all things, aftershocks of this shit decision back in Wrath will rock us for a long time it seems.

One of the main reasons I rolled Warlock back in Vanilla is to not deal with all kinds of shit jobs like tanking or healing and I hope this will continue for good.

[thrill]

One of the main reasons I rolled Warlock back in Vanilla is to not deal with all kinds of shit jobs like tanking or healing and I hope this will continue for good.

And in vanilla demonology was mostly just a survivability tree, in fact it was better than prot paladin or feral druid lol.

[MrFiddleswitch]

They tried it - it was fun, but DH really fills that roll entirely now.

If they were to look into adding 4th specs now, I think I would rather see Warlock pick up a healing spec where you use your health, soul shards, and the health of your demons to heal others, then do damage/drain to heal yourself.

So use Soul Siphon, Drain Life (maybe even give them the aoe drain life that we had for a bit a few expansions ago), and maybe another unique dps spell, a unique demon (maybe the observer?), and a group of heals. Maybe use "blood" type abilities that are used by the Mogu for the healing animations since you are using your own health to heal others.

[Sett]

After seeing the mess they did for hunters by overhauling a spec... I'd only want the tanking spec be added if it was a 4th tree. I would be bummed to wake up and find destro being a tanking spec.

[Zerel]

I for one would be welcoming said change, either by turning Demo into tank spec or by adding 4th one. But if I'm in minority I won't cry about not getting it.
I don't play alts, and if i don't feel like playing my Warlock I don't play WoW at all. I just can't start new one without feeling like I'm wasting all time spend on my lock. So getting tanking spec would give me more play options. But that with that level of attachment to one character I guess I'm in minority.

[Psykho]

I once thought, hey, maybe have the Warlock have a permanent Demon Form, that unlike the DH, is caused by absorbing just enough Fel, and then give that Warlock melee abilities similar to a mini dungeon boss, heavy AoE damage abilities with plenty of time to get out of the way, and channeled abilities with interesting effects, then give the demon form different looks for each race with racial armor, I'd imagine a Warlock using Demon Form would look less like a demonic echo of themselves and more like an actual demon, with a tail and a mount full of fangs, possibly reminiscent Diablo from HoTS, a good justification for this could be the corruption seeping from Sargeras' sword, maybe the Warlock sneakily stole some while Magni and Khadgar weren't looking

Alternatively, just have the warlock summon a big demon like an infernal or Fel Lord, and have them ride it around and use it's abilities to tank, could have the same basic set up as my above idea, being sort of like a dungeon boss with AoE potential

- - - Updated - - -

After seeing the mess they did for hunters by overhauling a spec... I'd only want the tanking spec be added if it was a 4th tree. I would be bummed to wake up and find destro being a tanking spec.

As you can see above, I would very much prefer a new spec as well

[slickwilly]

And I main a warlock and would much rather Blizzard not do any sort of bullshit nonsense like suddenly turning us into tanks. Honestly it just shows how terrible of idea was sticking Meta to warlocks of all things, aftershocks of this shit decision back in Wrath will rock us for a long time it seems.

One of the main reasons I rolled Warlock back in Vanilla is to not deal with all kinds of shit jobs like tanking or healing and I hope this will continue for good.

I'm sure your dps is shit to go along with your shit healing and tanking specs.

[Bruscha]

I enjoyed the Dark Apothesis glyph when we had it (gold proving ground tank!). I enjoyed the ranged searing pain tanking more. (Twin emperors, Leo, Illidan, and especially the twins in sunwell.) A ranged tank that tanks ranged bosses is how I have envisioned a lock tank working.