Is Blizzard using a "list" for future classes?

[Teriz]

What does that have to do with anything I said? The Jailor did not come to Azeroth, neither did Sylvanas go to the Shadowlands (that we know of) before she shattered the Helm of Domination.

It means that someone on Azeroth made contact with someone in Shadowlands, and was able to draw information and power from that contact in Shadowlands.

[Triceron]

Well the thing is, while the pattern was broken, you'd still be looking at 6 years since the release of the last class when the next expansion rolls around. I really don't think Blizzard would do itself many favors if it brought out a third expansion with no new class. They got hammered for it pretty hard this time around by fans and the media.

They get hammered for doing or not doing anything. You could say they got hammered hard for adding Demon Hunters too considering the 2 spec thing, the gutting of Warlocks and the simplified gameplay. Covenants are just as bittersweet, with the anti-class crowd liking more focus on existing classes and the pro-class crowd wanting new classes in any expansion regardless of Blizzard's plans

[Teriz]

They get hammered for doing or not doing anything. You could say they got hammered hard for adding Demon Hunters too considering the 2 spec thing, the gutting of Warlocks and the simplified gameplay. Covenants are just as bittersweet, with the anti-class crowd liking more focus on existing classes and the pro-class crowd wanting new classes in any expansion regardless of Blizzard's plans

Eh, the anti-class crowd is still complaining about balance, so there's no pleasing them.

Anyway like I said, I don't see a scenario where we go 8 years without a new hero class in WoW. Six is going to be bad enough.

[Selah]

_I_ didn't say it wasn't thematic enough, I explained what the devs _told_ us in terms of them not thinking a class popped out to them that fit the theme of the expansion, and then further elaborating that they instead focused on a system that offered more customization options to all classes.

I think Shadowlands would have been fine for Necromancers but the devs disagree. Seeing what we do now of Shadowlands, we can see what they were talking about. Its all revealed in the Polygon interview.

I don't understand what you're trying to say here. Are you just trying to reiterate what the devs said? Because I've already read that and know it. It's one I disagree with and I'm arguing against. Do you disagree with me or is there something else you're trying to do with this conversation?

[Cyanu]

Just FYI;
Those three classes you mentioned:

Appearance in WC3:


Expansion released:


Remaining WC3 heroes:



Likely Class:
Tinker
Lore Hero: Gazlowe
Hero Unit based on:Tinker
WC3 hero abilities translated to WoW: Pocket Factory, Cluster Rockets, Engineering Upgrade, Robo-Goblin
Other abilities: Healing Spray (Alchemist), Acid Bomb (Alchemist), Chemical Rage (Alchemist)
Other: Claw Pack, HotS Abilities

Just saying...

how many wow palyers can you find that can't name Chen Stormsnout? or even a tinker/alchemist in that case? i didn't even remember they existed in WC3, i do recall those models from DOTA though... how many people do you think are in a similar position?

and now how many wow players can you find that can't name either Illidan or Arthas?

if you asked people back on vanila/tbc what classes are more likely to be introduced how many would say monk/tinker/alchemist?

you know there's that thing in this world that when you belong on tiny majorities it's very likely that your wished will never happen, why? because not enough people care

[oplawlz]

the B team takes over an expansion after it releases so the A team can work on the next expansion behind the scenes.

Nah, it's an alternating team of designers - you can see the pattern clearly since wotlk - cata,wod,bfa - B team.

[Teriz]

how many wow palyers can you find that can't name Chen Stormsnout? or even a tinker/alchemist in that case? i didn't even remember they existed in WC3, i do recall those models from DOTA though... how many people do you think are in a similar position?

and now how many wow players can you find that can't name either Illidan or Arthas?

if you asked people back on vanila/tbc what classes are more likely to be introduced how many would say monk/tinker/alchemist?

you know there's that thing in this world that when you belong on tiny majorities it's very likely that your wished will never happen, why? because not enough people care

And yet and still, Blizzard brought out the Monk headed by a character you say no one has cared about since 2004. To this day many players say that MoP is their favorite WoW expansion, so there's that. In addition, they made Gazlowe a prominent member of the Horde, and showcased an entire area dedicated to technology that people seemingly enjoyed. Heck, even here on MMOC you put up a poll of which future class you want and the Tinker wins hands down every time.

But yeah I know, votes from WoW players on an unofficial forum don't count.

In other words, just because you think not enough people care, Blizzard thinks enough people care to create entire expansions based on those characters. Honestly we need offbeat and fun characters and classes, because dark, edgy and gloomy doesn't appeal to everyone.

[Rusken]

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Tinker_(Warcraft_III)

....

Is this what people are grasping to for a Tinker class? They have one skill fits into WoW (Cluster Rocket, which is literally Engineering bombs), and one need to be changed to be a useable ability in an MMO (Pocket Factory would probably just be a semi-permanent pet). With no other defining skills to speak of (don't say Robo-Form because that's just a copy of any other form-changing skill that buffs you a la Metamorphosis or Ascendance) Blizz would have to completely re-invent the WC3 class to be a thing for WoW.

They also seem to be the opposite of what people put together as these "Class Ideas" who mostly want them to be essentially Hunters with a different theme (Bombs and tech instead of Bows and animals) using Ranged weapons, wearing Mail etc.
Taken straight from the article you linked; "The Tinker is a melee hero, and the only melee one with Intelligence as the primary attribute" so they would be more akin to Enhance Shaman than any sort of Ranged class.

And then there's the gem of;
"On April 1, 2004 Blizzard Entertainment announced the goblin tinker as a new neutral hero, that would be available in the next patch.[5] A day later, Blizzard revealed that the tinker was merely an April Fools’ joke.[5] However, the tinker became subject to many forum posts and petitions that wanted the tinker to be a playable hero.[6] On April 14, Blizzard announced the tinker to be added in patch 1.15.[5]"

Funny, that 15 years after the class was introduced as a joke and people complaining that it wasn't real we're doing it all again except now it's for a game that they really don't fit in to.

[kaminaris]

Funny, that 15 years after the class was introduced as a joke and people complaining that it wasn't real we're doing it all again except now it's for a game that they really don't fit in to.

Oh it definitely fits, pretty much every expansion has some mechanical theme, mobs and mob abilities that could be easily material for 5 specs lol.

[Teriz]

Is this what people are grasping to for a Tinker class? They have one skill fits into WoW (Cluster Rocket, which is literally Engineering bombs), and one need to be changed to be a useable ability in an MMO (Pocket Factory would probably just be a semi-permanent pet). With no other defining skills to speak of (don't say Robo-Form because that's just a copy of any other form-changing skill that buffs you a la Metamorphosis or Ascendance) Blizz would have to completely re-invent the WC3 class to be a thing for WoW.

This has to be a joke post.

Pocket Factory would work just fine in the context of WoW. You would place the factory like a totem or any ability using a reticle, drop it. Every few seconds, a clockwork robot would be produced that charges the target and attacks it. When it's done attacking it will either collapse or explode, dealing AoE damage. The factory would expire over time, and if you want to use it again, you would drop it again.

Possible talents for this ability would be shorter cool down for dropping the factory, faster producing robots, robots leave scrap when they're destroyed which can be used as a Tinker resource, upgrade the robots into more advanced clockworks, etc.

Engineering upgrade would be a passive no different than other passives that buff multiple abilities.

Robo-Goblin allows you to pilot a mech. Considering that in WC3 it operated under a similar mechanic as the Druid units, there's no reason to believe it wouldn't also be a permanent form you could enter and exit out of. I don't know why you believe this would require a complete overhaul of WoW class design. All you have to do is use Druid mechanics and apply theme-centric abilities like self-destruct, eject, park, combine, Skyfall, upgrade, etc.

They also seem to be the opposite of what people put together as these "Class Ideas" who mostly want them to be essentially Hunters with a different theme (Bombs and tech instead of Bows and animals) using Ranged weapons, wearing Mail etc.
Taken straight from the article you linked; "The Tinker is a melee hero, and the only melee one with Intelligence as the primary attribute" so they would be more akin to Enhance Shaman than any sort of Ranged class.

Ironically, Shaman were all ranged in WC3, so nothing stops the Tinker from being physical ranged. Especially when all of its WC3 (and HotS abilities) are ranged.

Funny, that 15 years after the class was introduced as a joke and people complaining that it wasn't real we're doing it all again except now it's for a game that they really don't fit in to.

Yep, totally don't fit.

[SirBeef]

No, but the DH class is using more HotS style than WC3 style. Also HotS abilities have popped up in the class lineup and in a few WoW NPCs, so it’s being utilized by the team.

That said, if they’re not pulling new hero concepts from HotS, then the list narrows conidserably.

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Ranged. The hero is ranged. Be kind of interesting if they had them riding Ogres and/or Hobgoblins.

Also Deckard’s concepts from HotS could be used for both Bards and Alchemists.

Right. My point is they aren't making a class from HotS for WoW. Ideas like that and skill/item names are shared across all Blizzard games. If a class is to be introduced it would have been a unit in one if the RTS games, or in the tabletop game and incorporated into WoW. Not the other way around.

[username993720]

There's also Wrathion at the end of BFA and Ysera popping up in the recent Ardenweald cinematic. So yeah, Dragon Isles next expansion is a very real possibility.

And while there's no Dragon hero in WC3, Blizzard has done a considerable job building them up via Wrathion and the heroes in HotS.

They could mislead us, like they did with the Light & Void theme of Battle for Azeroth. I wouldn't say it won't appear in a future expansion, but it wasn't the consecutive one. They could, pretty much, take us to a Titan Planet, as they have hinted at before.

Far too narrow in concept/abilities to be a full class, not to mention it would simply be an arms warrior with mirror images and stealth. as a spec? maybe but changing Windwalker a fist/kicking based martial artist archetype into more of a weapon master/sword saint archetype wouldn't be a good choice since it would be erasing one archetype for another.



Attaching 3 unrelated concepts (a Lunar priestess, a Fallen Ranger and a Elemetal Witch) because a loose connection (bows + magic) would not work as a class concept, to put this in perspective imagine if instead of Paladin and Death Knight we instead had a "Knight" Class that had 3 specs, Holy, Unholy and Arcane conceptionally it would absurd because the class would represent 3 loosely related and contradictory archetypes (a paladin, antipaladin and a mage-knight/spellsword) who only have loose connections (melee + magic) thats what this "Ranger" class would be a conceptional mess of contradictory concepts .



Has potential since theres potential gameplay derived from a such an Archetype such turrets, drones, mechs, ect and they're a large basis for them in lore but things like the Engineering profession would have to be looked at to make room for it.



Wards and Totems are basically the same thing in design and gameplay role (stationary AOE object that causes an effect) and an AOE invulnerabilty would be absurdly broken (you can't translate RTS and MOBA abilities into an MMO on a 1:1 basis) a Shadow Hunter is just a specialized Voodoo/Loa Shaman which is already covered by just playing a Troll Shaman (yes you can't use glaives or use shadow powers but you can't replicate any NPC class 100% same with priestess of the moon, dark rangers or tidesages)



Umbra Cresents are not unique enough to be a weapon class by themselves, Demon Hunters got moonglaives as a warglaive in Darkshore, Umbra Cresents are just another design of Moonglaives, Wardens are depicted in game as using Rogue-like or outright rogue abilities (including shadowstep) and Maiev is depicted as a Rogue hero in Hearthstone, Rogues aren't inherently criminals they are a broad archetype that can encompass anything from theives, assassins, outlaws, pirates, agents or spys (including agents of legal organizations like SI:7 and the Shattered Hard).



Not a bad option things like Scourge Alchemists and Forsaken Apothecaries show potential design/ability avenues

I refered to the Windwalker spec because of the Windwalk ability of Blademasters. saying they are too narrow in concept and abilities is like saying the Demon Hunter was "just a rogue with Illidan's Glaives" or "just a Warlock with a Metamorphosis". and yet, they came up with new abilities and made it unique enough. No reason they wouldn't do it with a Blademaster. There is no Samurai theme in the existing classes. saying a Warrior with Bladestorm covers it completely is ridiculous. Wind Walk is not an ability in game (and no, it's not the Mage's invisibility or the Rogue's stealth and the mechanic wasn't just given to Samuro). Mirror Image is a Mage's spell, not a Warrior one. Remember how all of the Demon Hunter abilities existed in game, through other classes (Mana Burn given to Priests, Immolation given to Warlocks, Evasion given to Rogues and Metamorphosis given to Warlocks)? did it stop the Demon Hunter from being added as a new class? no, it didn't. existing spells never prevent a class from being added.

The reason i put together the Dark Ranger, Priestess of the Moon and Naga Sea Witch is because i don't see a point adding them separately. The Ranger theme does connect all 3, just like you didn't object to the idea of an Alchemist being 3 different types that didn't, necessarily, have anything in common (the Goblin Alchemist, the Witch Doctor and the Apothecary). and like you didn't object the concept of a Tinker having 3 distinct archetypes (Gnome, Goblin and Dwarf). Also, the "Ranger" concept draws its common ground from elven ancestry. While one is a Night elf, the other is an undead High elf and the third is a former Night elf. Much like the Sentinels, Farstriders, Silver Covenant, Dark Rangers and Umbral Rangers have all in common their Elven physique and tactics. There's nothing contradictory about Lunar, Death and Sea. While Paladins have been fighting against Death Knights and have made that their life's goal, none of these 3 classes have anything against each other (Tyrande hunting Sylvanas isn't an example, as the role of a Priestess of the Moon is not to rid the world of evil, like a Paladin's is. and us fighting Naga is not an indicator of a hatred between the 3).

The Shadow Hunter is not, merely, a Troll Shaman. They have nothing to do with the elements (a big part of the Shaman's theme). they are masters of Voodoo and Shadow magic. I never said i expected a 1:1 carbon copy. Weapon proficiency: Glaives, Bows, Daggers, Scythes, Staves. Their spirit powers both heal and curse. They walk the line between Darkness and Light. It's like saying the Diablo 3 Witch Doctor is the equivalent of a World of Warcraft Shaman.

And yet, Rogues cannot wear Warglaives. i wonder why...
Maiev is not listed as a Rogue in Wowpedia, but as a Warden and Priestess (former). In Hearthstone, Kel'thuzad is listed as an alternate hero to the Mage class, even though he uses his Lich appearance and not his human appearance. Vashj is an alternate Shaman hero, even though she is a Sea Witch. N'zoth is an alternate Warlock hero, even though he is an Old God. Deathwing is an alternate Warrior hero, even though he is a dragon aspect. Hearthstone is, barely, canon. You wanna know why they do it? because there are no other classes available to put those heroes in. so, they go to the closest thing possible. Warden NPCs also use:
Knockdown Kick — Delivers a roundhouse kick, knocking the victim down.
Turn Kick — Delivers a turn kick, knocking the victim backwards.
Would you say they are Monks?
Aimed Shot — Shalis takes careful aim and fires an arrow at the target, inflicting a significant amount of Physical damage to all enemies in a line to the target.
Arrow Pierce — Shalis pierces her target with an arrow and then withdraws it. The arrow's removal causes the victim to bleed over the next 24 sec.
Bow Thrust — Shalis thrusts the end of her bow at the target's vital spot, stunning them for 3 sec.
Swing — Shalis swings her bow, knocking all enemies in front of her away.
Volley — Fires a volley of arrows into the air that will inflict significant Physical damage to enemies within 60 yards of their impact.
Would you say they are Hunters?
Mortal Strike — Inflicts 150% weapon damage to an enemy and leaves it wounded, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 5 sec.
Would you say they are Warriors?

[Ashleyxoxo]

Yes, and they’re checking it twice.

[Teriz]

Right. My point is they aren't making a class from HotS for WoW. Ideas like that and skill/item names are shared across all Blizzard games. If a class is to be introduced it would have been a unit in one if the RTS games, or in the tabletop game and incorporated into WoW. Not the other way around.

What about a class introduced in tabletop, showing up in WoW, and concepts of it showing up in HotS?

I'm talking about Dragonsworn btw.

[TheRevenantHero]

No they are not. /thread

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Oh look, another thread hypothesizing a tinker class.

It’s been how many expansions now?

And as always, it's several pages of the same person refusing to listen to any point that doesn't support their argument regardless of whether or not the facts presented prove them wrong.

[Teriz]

They could mislead us, like they did with the Light & Void theme of Battle for Azeroth. I wouldn't say it won't appear in a future expansion, but it wasn't the consecutive one. They could, pretty much, take us to a Titan Planet, as they have hinted at before.

Yeah, I don't see us going to another world. From what I'm seeing, Blizzard tends to have expansions on other worlds, then has a few expansions on Azeroth. There's been some deviation to that, but typically they don't have us off world for two expansions in a row. I think the next expansion is going to be on Azeroth. Whether that's Dragon Isles, Undermine, or something else, is the real question.

[Ielenia]

It means that someone on Azeroth made contact with someone in Shadowlands, and was able to draw information and power from that contact in Shadowlands.

That's irrelevant to my point, because I'm talking about organizations, not any singular character. Again, any new class introduced in Shadowlands would have to start in Azeroth. And there would be no contact with the other Shadowlands' zones considering they have been rendered isolated and suffering an anima drought for quite some time now.

Why would Bastion, Maldraxxus, Revendreth and Ardenweald bother teaching mortals they way... when they didn't have enough anima even for themselves? Hell, spirits of nature in Ardenweald were dying because they weren't being given enough anima to complete their cycle of rebirth. And on top of that, Revendreth was being ruled by someone loyal to the Jailer.

[Teriz]

No they are not. /thread

Then where's the Necromancer class for Shadowlands?

[deenman]

I mean if they were going to put a Tinker class in then BfA would've been the expansion to do it. I can see a Dragonoid type class being added, especially if we do an expansion in the Dragon Isles

i dont understand this dragonoid class idea that has been going around,how is that a class and not a race?

[Teriz]

That's irrelevant to my point, because I'm talking about organizations, not any singular character. Again, any new class introduced in Shadowlands would have to start in Azeroth. And there would be no contact with the other Shadowlands' zones considering they have been rendered isolated and suffering an anima drought for quite some time now.

Why would Bastion, Maldraxxus, Revendreth and Ardenweald bother teaching mortals they way... when they didn't have enough anima even for themselves? Hell, spirits of nature in Ardenweald were dying because they weren't being given enough anima to complete their cycle of rebirth. And on top of that, Revendreth was being ruled by someone loyal to the Jailer.

Actually it isn't irrelevant. Sylvanas was able to contact the Jailer, ally with him and tapped into his power entirely on Azeroth and got more powerful as a result. If Sylvanas could do it, why couldn't a magic user who specializes in death? Why couldn't there be an organization of Necromancers who consistently tap into the Shadowlands to draw power from it, be in contact with the beings in it, and are influenced by it? Thus when the veil between our world and the Shadowlands is breached, they spring into action and offer their assistance because their well being is under threat.

I don't see why that couldn't work.

i dont understand this dragonoid class idea that has been going around,how is that a class and not a race?

You're free to read my concept. In my concept (in my sig) you're a dragon disguised as a humanoid (and the class isn't race restricted). So it's sort of a class and a race.