Potential Level Squish - Good Time to Reintroduce Old Specs?

[Chipnuts]

With news of the surveys floating around that include comments on a level squish, speculation has begun.

Something that crossed my mind was if a level squish meant the pruning, or changing, of abilities and talents (assuming we keep the same talent system). As per usual, most specs are pigeonholed into a cookie cutter build, entirely eliminating available options. Some of those options are complete garbage, and not worth a glance.

A second thought was if they should bring back some of the old specs that were instead replaced with the current versions, such as ranged Survival and old Combat. Ranged survival, based on my experience, was far different from any of the current specs Hunter has. Druid was given a fourth spec for Guardian, so why can't the same be done for Rogue, but especially for Hunter? Much of ranged Survival's toolkit was disbursed to the other specs and have gone unused, such as Explosive Shot and Black Arrow, so there's a lot of potential for recreating a pet-less, dot-based hunter again.

But this extends far beyond just my interest in a single spec. Blizzard has had plenty of time to discuss the direction of WoW now that we're well into the second half of BFA.

TR;DL, how much will Blizzard change, or even prune, current talents and abilities with the advent of a level squish (if it happens)? Is there a chance to bring back old versions of a class as a new spec, such as ranged Survival or old Combat?

Curious to see your opinions!

[glowpipe]

i want the game to move forward. New specs, talents and skills. Everything that has been pruned is old useless abilities. Shit no one used. We need new stuff

[Big Thanks]

I need a deep customization talent system T_T its all i do in MMO's
Its the one thing that gives me strenght to play the game longer than usual.

But i have low expectations at this point

[Throwme]

Everything that has been pruned is old useless abilities. Shit no one used.

I used Devouring Plague A LOT! It was very very handy for keeping myself alive and I was sad to see it go. The orbs, on the other hand, they can rest in pieces for all I care. They were crap.

[Chipnuts]

i want the game to move forward. New specs, talents and skills. Everything that has been pruned is old useless abilities. Shit no one used. We need new stuff

Some of those pruned abilities were actually altered, such as the two abilities I mentioned above. They were core to a rotation, and now they're used for what, thematic purposes in the MM tree?

Moving forward could mean reinvention, versus completely scrapping what we have now.

[vertigo12]

I used Devouring Plague A LOT! It was very very handy for keeping myself alive and I was sad to see it go. The orbs, on the other hand, they can rest in pieces for all I care. They were crap.

Shadow orbs gameplay and playstyle will return and as one of my returning suggestion in my 9.0 Dynamic Talent System suggestion; build and heavily modifies use of insanity.clue-their playstyle is more on clouding the mind of shadow and darkness and have a similar spend build mechanics like rogue.

It modifies Void Eruption and Insanity usage but I haven't posted it yet on the thread I manage.

[Wildberry]

i want the game to move forward. New specs, talents and skills. Everything that has been pruned is old useless abilities. Shit no one used. We need new stuff

Yeah, I don't want "new stuff" I've had "new stuff" for the past three expansions now, it's all been complete and total garbage.

If you weren't using those "old useless abilities" that's a reflection on your lack of skill, not the usefulness of those abilities, which, for the record, were used by most other people.

[korijenkins]

I think, depending on how well-received Classic is, they will consider making changes.

One thing is certain though. The old talent system was VASTLY superior.

[glowpipe]

Yeah, I don't want "new stuff" I've had "new stuff" for the past three expansions now, it's all been complete and total garbage.

If you weren't using those "old useless abilities" that's a reflection on your lack of skill, not the usefulness of those abilities, which, for the record, were used by most other people.

Lack of skill. Really dude. Really. You thinking every skill and ability that was removed had a place in a rotation is a better reflection of your skills, or lack there off. + You just want to complain for the sake of complaining

[Fixxit the Gnome]

I miss the sense of progress you got each level with the old talent system, and the sudden power spikes when you got key abilities. Not necessarily the old specs.

I think the point with the alleged level squish is to give some of that feeling of progress back into the leveling experience.

[Orby]

I am actually fine with the talent rows to be honest, but I just wish there was more of them rather than 1 row per 15 levels.

I wanna see more rewards per level.

[DisposableHero]

I am actually fine with the talent rows to be honest, but I just wish there was more of them rather than 1 row per 15 levels.

I wanna see more rewards per level.

Well technically you'll get that when they cram all the existing abilities back into 60ish levels.

[Orby]

Well technically you'll get that when they cram all the existing abilities back into 60ish levels.

That'll still be 1 row every 8 or 9 levels (currently 7 rows), still not enough in my opinion.

[Restors]

That'll still be 1 row every 8 or 9 levels (currently 7 rows), still not enough in my opinion.

Rethink what he just said... you dont have every ability at level 1. you still have spells in your spellbook aswell as talents and thats what he meant.

[Orby]

Rethink what he just said... you dont have every ability at level 1. you still have spells in your spellbook aswell as talents and thats what he meant.

I know what he said but I am just talking about talents. Not asking for a row every level maybe like every 5 levels, with spells in between.

and maybe have you go back to your trainer to collect those spells again, those poor trainers have been gathering dust since MoP :P

[Chipnuts]

I'd like them to reinvent many of the unused abilities and make them baseline, then use a sort-of talent system to change the way the ability works, similar to Diablo or PoE.

For instance, X ability becomes baseline. Talent 1 causes ability X to apply a DoT, Talent 2 causes ability X to AoE/Cleave, Talent 3 causes the ability X to deal more damage based on XYZ situation.

But I'm just one opinion

[Sanguinerd]

I want one handers for fury BACK

[Penguirrel]

Bring back shockadins.

[KaPe]

One thing is certain though. The old talent system was VASTLY superior.

The only thing certain about talent system is that plenty of people disagree with this opinion.

[kaminaris]

If anything, they should scrap everything and make completely new rotations. But that is not going to happen. Basically any change they make at this point will piss people off.