The Dark Ranger: Does it have enough material to become a class?

[pacotaco]

WoW doesn't need more classes - it needs its already existing classes to be varied, and fun to play as. I want to play my class, not my "specc".

Man, I'm started to get tired of repeating this: They already said that they're dialing back to "spec being flavor" intead of being "pseudo-classes"

[Kyphael]

it's a banshee inhabiting an elven corpse.

it's not a spec, it's a form of undeath, just like death knights are a form of undeath. you hunter can't just be a dark ranger, they have to be a banshee.

Oh there we go then. No Dark Rangers.

[LuminaL]

Imho, the Dark Ranger would be a good idea for the concept of "Mirror Hero Classes"

With the Dark Ranger being the Horde version while the Alliance gets the Warden.

Both get similar themes around using a ranged weapon and the same abilities with different asthetics and designs, a unique class armor set at the end level for completing their journey.

They get 2 specs, one tailored to melee and one to range, this way, Wardens can start using bows (We see a couple in bfa doing this) and dark rangers can use melee weapons (we see a few in cata and other expansions doing this).

With the idea that their melee spec could be themed around heal-dps while their ranged spec is their dps spec for both classes.

Heal DPS could be a support DPS spec that focuses on giving vampiric healing for damage done, examples:

"Blood Kiss/Lunar Mark" Mark the prey with a Blood Kiss/Lunar Mark 5% of all damage done to the target is returned as healing (buffs to the class allow this to be buffed from 5% to say, 50% for 10 seconds.

Etc etc.

Im screaming this for atleast 2 years ( 5 if you count me asking for wardens! )

but nah people will disagree just to disagree.

[Fetus Rex]

More than enough in my opinion. One spec can be made after Alleria, the other one after Sylvanas and the third spec using glaives after Maiev.

[Lord Pebbleton]

Why not make it a visual upgrade for hunters like the green fire from MoP for warlocks?

[Piamonte]

Well Hunters did have Black Arrow, and in Legion beta they had a talent called Dark Ranger.

And the dark Ranger warcraft 3 unit had that ability, the dark rangers npcs added in Wotlk also had that ability and the silvanas boss fight in Endtime also has it. Is a dark Ranger skill, it was given to the hunter class the same way metanorphosis was given to warlock in the past.

[gd8]

you can be a dark ranger right now with the right transmog set + pet choice it is not necessary whatsoever

[Maljinwo]

and paladins aren't just warriors with holy themed abilities?

Depends on who you ask. They also have way more iconic abilities

[Triceron]

Depends on who you ask. They also have way more iconic abilities

Aren't most of those iconic abilities tailored to them after they were already chosen as a class though? I mean the most notable abilities I can think of are stuff like Avengers Shield or Avenging Wrath and Divine Storm, stuff that didn't really exist outside of WoW. And then you have stuff from War3 like Holy Light which could have been a Priest spell, and Ressurection which is a Priest spell.

[Lolites]

they spread single warcraft3 hero with 4 abilities into an expansion, i dont think any class would be a problem if they want to add it...

[Teriz]

Aren't most of those iconic abilities tailored to them after they were already chosen as a class though? I mean the most notable abilities I can think of are stuff like Avengers Shield or Avenging Wrath and Divine Storm, stuff that didn't really exist outside of WoW. And then you have stuff from War3 like Holy Light which could have been a Priest spell, and Ressurection which is a Priest spell.

I think the big question for Dark Rangers is "what makes them unique?" It seems like their entire concept revolves around Black Arrow, and that's not a good thing.

[Triceron]

I think the big question for Dark Rangers is "what makes them unique?" It seems like their entire concept revolves around Black Arrow, and that's not a good thing.

That's true. What could there be unique about an undead Ranger who taps into supernatural powers that aren't directly linked to the Scourge. Hmmmm......

[Teriz]

That's true. What could there be unique about an undead Ranger who taps into supernatural powers that aren't directly linked to the Scourge. Hmmmm......

The problem is that you have to place that theme into a bow and arrow class. So while it sounds good on paper, what is it that this class actually does that is fundamentally different than the Hunter class? Remember, Hunters had Black Arrow for years, and it never radically changed their play style.

[Maljinwo]

Aren't most of those iconic abilities tailored to them after they were already chosen as a class though? I mean the most notable abilities I can think of are stuff like Avengers Shield or Avenging Wrath and Divine Storm, stuff that didn't really exist outside of WoW. And then you have stuff from War3 like Holy Light which could have been a Priest spell, and Ressurection which is a Priest spell.

I was mostly thinking on Auras and Divine Shield and Judgement.
While Dark Rangers so far have only featured Black Arrow as their only signature skill. At least that I can think of.

Sure, in Warcraft 3 they also had Life Drain and Mind Control I guess, but, in my opinion, that was mostly a Sylvanas thing, not the class itself since I don't remember Velonara, Nathanos or any other Dark ranger doing that. All their abilities revolve around shooting arrows. Either Black Arrow or in Nathanos case, Plague arrows, which is basically Poison.

And yes, of course they can come up with new abilities and make it playable. But I, personally, don't see anything that would justify adding them as a playable class.
At most I could see a poison or DoT specialization but that's kinda what survival is, sans being melee

[Triceron]

The problem is that you have to place that theme into a bow and arrow class. So while it sounds good on paper, what is it that this class actually does that is fundamentally different than the Hunter class? Remember, Hunters had Black Arrow for years, and it never radically changed their play style.

Everything?

Not exactly sure what you're trying to ask here. Are we assuming a new Bow-using Supernatural/Magic class is automatically gonna be the same as a Hunter who uses pets and doesn't use any magic that happens to have Black Arrow? I mean at that point we cycle back to the Paladin being a Warrior with Holy themes. Seems they carved a pretty good niche, despite there being a Priest that immediately doubles up on Holy abilities.

And yes, of course they can come up with new abilities and make it playable. But I, personally, don't see anything that would justify adding them as a playable class.
At most I could see a poison or DoT specialization but that's kinda what survival is, sans being melee

Heroes of the Storm is probably the best example of what the class could be. Sylvanas uses stuns and mind control, she throws enchanted knives, uses copious amounts of banshee spirit magic, and of course the possession/mind control.

In Warcraft 3, all Dark Rangers had Mind Control and those same named characters appear in WoW. While they might not have that ability directly in WoW, it can all be assumed, just like how we adapt all Paladin abilities to any Paladin character despite whether or not we see them actually use those abilities. We never see Tirion use Avengers Shield, for example, but we can imagine him having full capability of doing it.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

I can think of at least two specs. Ranger and Banshee.

So, its just a Sylvanas class....


If your idea has to rely too heavily on a class that already exists, its a bad idea.

If your idea has to take something from another class, its a bad idea.

If your idea could just be a spec instead of a full class, its a bad idea.


DHs stole an ability from Warlocks, and that is lame. Dark Ranger could just be a spec. Necromancer would lean too heavily on Warlock/Death Knight.

Tinker I don't particularly care about, but could see it as an actual unique addition.

[Piamonte]

I think the big question for Dark Rangers is "what makes them unique?" It seems like their entire concept revolves around Black Arrow, and that's not a good thing.

Silence, lifesteal, raise undead, mind control, banshee abilities, etc they have enough to make it happen and they always can come up with new things, we dont really know how the design of a class works after all or what they can or cant do.

The problem doesnt lie with that, it lies with the problem of what would be the second spec and that is a horde only class.

- - - Updated - - -

The problem is that you have to place that theme into a bow and arrow class. So while it sounds good on paper, what is it that this class actually does that is fundamentally different than the Hunter class? Remember, Hunters had Black Arrow for years, and it never radically changed their play style.

For years?? It was added in legion and from what I understand it was removed.

[Itori]

Dark ranger would be better off being a hunter spec that completely does away with pets and adds shadow damage to your abilities and gives you stealth, could tie in with the void or something.

[Piamonte]

So, its just a Sylvanas class....


If your idea has to rely too heavily on a class that already exists, its a bad idea.

If your idea has to take something from another class, its a bad idea.

If your idea could just be a spec instead of a full class, its a bad idea.


DHs stole an ability from Warlocks, and that is lame. Dark Ranger could just be a spec. Necromancer would lean too heavily on Warlock/Death Knight.

Tinker I don't particularly care about, but could see it as an actual unique addition.

No, dh didnt stole anything, thats a lie, metamorphosis has always been the signature move of demon hunters since warcraft 3,it was only given to warlock because at that point blizzard thought they would never add the demon Hunter class but they did so they had to took the ability away to where it belongs.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

Everything?

Not exactly sure what you're trying to ask here. Are we assuming a new Bow-using Supernatural/Magic class is automatically gonna be the same as a Hunter who uses pets and doesn't use any magic that happens to have Black Arrow? I mean at that point we cycle back to the Paladin being a Warrior with Holy themes. Seems they carved a pretty good niche, despite there being a Priest that immediately doubles up on Holy abilities.

But Hunters use other mage spells as well ...

Paladin/Cleric has a separate class in fantasy all the time, but some of these ideas could easily be baked into a single spec. The whole attitude of Paladin and Warrior are drastically different, as are Paladin and Priest...

Dark Ranger - uses some magic, some ranged, wears mail/leather..

Hunters in their current form aren't all the same anyway. MM don't use pets anymore as far as I know. Survival uses magic and traps etc... Dark Ranger could easily replace one of those specs and not a lot would really change.

I'm not against Dark Rangers, I just don't think a full spec could come out of it without stealing from other classes, or just straight up copying Sylvanas.

- - - Updated - - -

No, dh didnt stole anything, thats a lie, metamorphosis has always been the signature move of demon hunters since warcraft 3,it was only given to warlock because at that point blizzard thought they would never add the demon Hunter class but they did so they had to took the ability away to where it belongs.

Did Meta exists pre-Legion? Yes. Did it get taken from another class so as not to compete with DHs? Okay then.