If they made a new class in the future, what would it be?

[Unbelievable]

Feel free to explain the differences. Those abilities do exactly what you're requesting.



Except Dark Rangers and PotMs have nothing to do with each other ability wise or lore wise. Also their abilities are housed in multiple classes.



You mean this;

http://classic.battle.net/war3/orc/u...chdoctor.shtml

That concept was completely merged into the Shaman class, just like Shadow Hunters. Witch Doctors are essentially Troll Shaman.



If you blatantly ignore the majority of the Hunter class' history in WoW where Black Arrow was present.....



https://www.wowhead.com/item=49665/pandaren-monk

Life Drain
Heal for 15% of damage dealt by Sylvanas to enemies with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse. Healing is double against Heroes.

Banshee's Curse
Basic Attacks infect enemies with Banshee's Curse for 3 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. Deal 25% more damage to enemies with 3 stacks.

Predator's Thirst Ferocity Passive
Unlimited range
Requires Hunter (Ferocity, Ferocity, Cunning, Tenacity)
You and your pet gain 10% Leech.

Black Arrow
Level 30 Marksmanship hunter talent
40 Focus
15 sec cooldown
Instant cast
Requires Ranged Weapon
Fires a Black Arrow at the target, dealing (640% of Attack power) Shadow damage over 8 sec and summoning a Dark Minion to taunt it for the duration.
When you kill an enemy, the remaining cooldown on Black Arrow will reset.

Call Pet
Hunter ability
Instant cast
Call an active Pet to your side.

Mind Control
Level 36 priest ability
30 yd range
0.5% of base mana
1.8 sec cast
Controls a mind up to 1 level above yours for 30 sec. Does not work versus Demonic, Mechanical, or Undead beings. Shares diminishing returns with other disorienting effects.

Tame Beast
Level 13 hunter ability
30 yd range
Channeled
Tames a beast to be your companion. If you lose the beast's attention for any reason, the taming process will fail.
You must dismiss any active beast companions and have an empty Call Pet slot before you can begin taming a new beast. Only Beast Mastery specialized Hunters can tame Exotic Beasts.

Yes, they do. They are both Rangers. They both use bows, magical arrows and spells.
"Rangers were eventually cancelled as a hero unit. Most of their abilities were given to the Priestess of the Moon instead, and their model was reused for the in-game appearances of Sylvanas Windrunner and Jennalla Deemspring. Shandris Feathermoon uses a night elf version of the Ranger. When the The Frozen Throne expansion was released, Cold Arrows was given to Naga Sea Witches, renamed to Frost Arrows and given a new icon.

Oh, you mean like how the Demon Hunter abilities were housed in multiple classes? yeah... that thing.

Witch Doctors:
"Witch doctors are semi-playable as troll priests (with shadowy magic, ritualistic chants and spiritual guidance), shamans (with wards being replaced by totems), and warlocks (with curses, soul harvesting, haunt)."
When the Shaman can do all that, please let me know.

"If you blatantly ignore the majority of the Warlock class' history in WoW where Metamorphosis was present...."
You forget to mention that Hunters never had Life Drain or Charm.

Not from Vanilla with Chen's Empty Keg?

Especially since the Dark Ranger class is now off the table.

I missed the part where you speak on Blizzard's behalf.

[HateTrain]

Ugh. UGGGGHHHHHHHH. It HURT to catch up on the last 10 pages of this thread. I'ma go lay down.

[jellmoo]

On the subject of mech size:

While this would be a very un-Blizzard like thing to do (and therefor, in my opinion, unlikely), but what if the solution to mech scaling was to have rather different mechs depending in race?

For example, Gnomes and Goblins have more obvious mechs as seen in game. Mechs and Shredders. Draenei (whether regular or Lightforged, as the case may be) would use something more akin to a suit of Iron Man armor than a mech they sit. Functionally and mechanically identical, just the scale would make it closer to what the other races have. Dwarves could have something unique like a mech with the legs replaced with tank treads. And so forth...

Each race having a solution that lets them pilot something cool and unique, but keeping them in a very similar size frame. If we look at a Highmoutain Tauren as our goalpost of about as big as we want to go, I think that there is still a lot of room to do something pretty cool.

[Triceron]

On the subject of mech size:

While this would be a very un-Blizzard like thing to do (and therefor, in my opinion, unlikely), but what if the solution to mech scaling was to have rather different mechs depending in race?

For example, Gnomes and Goblins have more obvious mechs as seen in game. Mechs and Shredders. Draenei (whether regular or Lightforged, as the case may be) would use something more akin to a suit of Iron Man armor than a mech they sit. Functionally and mechanically identical, just the scale would make it closer to what the other races have. Dwarves could have something unique like a mech with the legs replaced with tank treads. And so forth...

Each race having a solution that lets them pilot something cool and unique, but keeping them in a very similar size frame. If we look at a Highmoutain Tauren as our goalpost of about as big as we want to go, I think that there is still a lot of room to do something pretty cool.

It would be closer to the idea of Druids having unique forms for each race, which is completely possible with a modular system applied to the mechs for customization. Just treat it similar to how player classes already have barbershop options for hair, horns, ears etc. You want rockets on the top, sure. Another race gets hammer arms instead of shredder claws, sure.

I would avoid the change from legs to tank treads though; changes of that degree require completely new animation sets and that's a big red flag when it comes to making things compatible. That's also why I would suggest the Mechs to be the same proportion, and relatively the same size. Walking animations get really messy when sped up or down to keep foot-planting matched up, like if you scaled up a gnome to giant size they walk soooo slloowwwlly because their actual walk speed is the same.

- - - Updated - - -

Exactly.
Why add one as an allied race (Dark Iron) and the other as a customization option (Wildhammer). I'll tell you why. I did a "Races and their real-life equivalents thread" in the lore forum. The Wildhammer are scottish, just like the Bronzebeard. However, the Dark Iron are another ethnicity (first, i thought them to be Celtic, based on their black facial tattoos but, now i'm leaning towards Germanic tribes - watch History Channel's Barbarians rising and Netflix's Barbarians).

Orcs are, most likely, based on Mongolian/Turkic tribes (the unification of different tribes, and the invasion into europe, under Ghengis Khan, is like the Orcs tribes uniting and invading human lands; or the battle of Shattrath City mirroring the Battle of Constantinopole, as the Draenei are based on the Byzantine), Barbarian depictions (Conan the Barbarian) and Prehistoric living conditions (huts made of animal bones).

Meanwhile, the Mag'har Orcs are based on the Huns, and Grommash is, most likely, based on Atilla the Hun, as you can see the parallels between the Warsong invasions into Ogre lands (Ogres are based on ancient rome) and the Huns invasions into Roman Empire. Why this clan and not the others, you might ask? look at the racials, mount and heritage armor - all are pointing to Warsong. That's why they weren't a customization option.

Interesting assessment, I never really looked at races that way. Good research and analysis.


I will say one thing though; I don't think Blizzard is making such close parallels when considering what can be added as Allied Race and what wouldn't be. Real life cultures are only used to harmonize a fictional race into WoW; give it flavour. There's really no statute of limitation on what they can deviate from, what they can invent, and what they can just consider absolutely agnostic to human culture.

Whatever you consider the Night Elf culture to derive from, they can make an infinite spinoff races from. Even if we consider them 'British' and every other Elf race as a 'Colony', we wouldn't be able to make cultural considerations for every Elf variation that exists; it'd be a stretch to apply them in that way when they're so attuned to magic and keen on changing their names as soon as they're faced with a new type of magic.

I'd say the choice for Allied Race consideration is more aligned to what they can get away with using the same skeletal systems they have right now. I always thought it was completely ridiculous that they had to write in the Mag'har from an alternate universe back into the story in such a convenient manner when we already have plenty of Mag'har within the current timeline; like anyone who came with Garrosh over from Outland. But I guess this is the 'Rule of Cool' design that Blizzard is known for, however ridiculous it may be.

[jellmoo]

It would be closer to the idea of Druids having unique forms for each race, which is completely possible with a modular system applied to the mechs for customization. Just treat it similar to how player classes already have barbershop options for hair, horns, ears etc. You want rockets on the top, sure. Another race gets hammer arms instead of shredder claws, sure.

Good point. To whatever degree, having a measure of customization would be important. Cosmetic options could feature some uniform choices (like say colour) as well as individualized racial choices. What would work on a Shredder might not look good on a Draenei suit, for example. Ultimately, I think the idea of having a different solution per race kind of piggybacks on the idea of Zandalari Druids having very unique models for their various forms. Only taking it a steo further.

I would avoid the change from legs to tank treads though; changes of that degree require completely new animation sets and that's a big red flag when it comes to making things compatible. That's also why I would suggest the Mechs to be the same proportion, and relatively the same size. Walking animations get really messy when sped up or down to keep foot-planting matched up, like if you scaled up a gnome to giant size they walk soooo slloowwwlly because their actual walk speed is the same.

I'm not so sure. Functionally it's identical. Normalized move speed and keeping the hit box the same means that the option is purely cosmetic. The only difference is the appearance, and actually tank treads are even easier to do since you aren't matching foot speed at all. And really, odds are for the legs we're just piggybacking existing animation rigs anyway, so it shouldn't be all that huge of an issue.

But yeah, they are going to have a slower walk, for sure. If we have everything at roughly Tauren size, then everything should be walking at roughly Tauren speed. Of course, this can be mitigated outside of combat by having some sort of travel form option.

[Triceron]

I'm not so sure. Functionally it's identical. Normalized move speed and keeping the hit box the same means that the option is purely cosmetic. The only difference is the appearance, and actually tank treads are even easier to do since you aren't matching foot speed at all. And really, odds are for the legs we're just piggybacking existing animation rigs anyway, so it shouldn't be all that huge of an issue.

Well, there is more nuance to tank treads than one might think.

I mean are we talking about Tank Treads and Leg animations being 1:1 in turn speeds, in jumping animations, in crouch, swim, Walk up stairs, Walk down stairs, etc etc? Bipedal walks can be left fairly generic and would work for most of this stuff. You don't need to pitch the character on an angle when moving up a ramp for example, the animations can be left 'floaty' but it's a degree that will never be noticeable. If you have tank treads on a 'Bipedal' Mech going up ramps, then either the treads have to be shortened or have to be rotated slightly to avoid any major crashing into stairs or ramps. And then you'd need a system that complies with animation blending for different states while standing on a ramp, like if you wanted to jump and land in that rotated/shortened tread position. Or they could not care at all and let things crash, but that would just make the mech look incomplete and half-assed; not ideal for getting people to take up that customization option if it isn't very functional.

It's a lot of technical stuff we don't really think about but I do since I deal with this kinda stuff all the time in modding and at work. Sometimes an idea is much better on paper than it seems until you try it out and you realize there's like a dozen different little things like a Dance animation or a Death animation that completely throws a wrench in the works.

[jellmoo]

Well, there is more nuance to tank treads than one might think.

I mean are we talking about Tank Treads and Leg animations being 1:1 in turn speeds, in jumping animations, in crouch, swim, Walk up stairs, Walk down stairs, etc etc? Bipedal walks can be left fairly generic and would work for most of this stuff. You don't need to pitch the character on an angle when moving up a ramp for example, the animations can be left 'floaty' but it's a degree that will never be noticeable. If you have tank treads on a 'Bipedal' Mech going up ramps, then either the treads have to be shortened or have to be rotated slightly to avoid any major crashing into stairs or ramps. And then you'd need a system that complies with animation blending for different states while standing on a ramp, like if you wanted to jump and land in that rotated/shortened tread position. Or they could not care at all and let things crash, but that would just make the mech look incomplete and half-assed; not ideal for getting people to take up that customization option if it isn't very functional.

It's a lot of technical stuff we don't really think about but I do since I deal with this kinda stuff all the time in modding and at work. Sometimes an idea is much better on paper than it seems until you try it out and you realize there's like a dozen different little things like a Dance animation or a Death animation that completely throws a wrench in the works.

Well, just a side note to say that I'm absolutely not married to the idea. It just popped into my head and I thought it would be cool as a fan of Dwarves and their siege tanks.

I would think that they would have to be 1:1 just for the sake of balance. Ideally, the only real difference is the visual. You move at the same ratem turn at the same rate, jump, crouch, etc... Now, off hand I can't think of an elegant way to handle stairs other than to just let the treads roll over them uninterupted, which isn't amazing, but is probably niche enough not to be immersion breaking. Though, to be fair, this is how Wow currently handles Druid forms, as it doesn't go up or down stairs any different than a bipedal character model.

The simplest solution might be to simply piggyback on existing vehicles/mounts that us treads and use them as the basis.

[Unbelievable]

Interesting assessment, I never really looked at races that way. Good research and analysis.


I will say one thing though; I don't think Blizzard is making such close parallels when considering what can be added as Allied Race and what wouldn't be. Real life cultures are only used to harmonize a fictional race into WoW; give it flavour. There's really no statute of limitation on what they can deviate from, what they can invent, and what they can just consider absolutely agnostic to human culture.

Whatever you consider the Night Elf culture to derive from, they can make an infinite spinoff races from. Even if we consider them 'British' and every other Elf race as a 'Colony', we wouldn't be able to make cultural considerations for every Elf variation that exists; it'd be a stretch to apply them in that way when they're so attuned to magic and keen on changing their names as soon as they're faced with a new type of magic.

I'd say the choice for Allied Race consideration is more aligned to what they can get away with using the same skeletal systems they have right now. I always thought it was completely ridiculous that they had to write in the Mag'har from an alternate universe back into the story in such a convenient manner when we already have plenty of Mag'har within the current timeline; like anyone who came with Garrosh over from Outland. But I guess this is the 'Rule of Cool' design that Blizzard is known for, however ridiculous it may be.

Night Elves are predominantly Japanese, based on their Pagoda buildings and Torii structures. Moreover, Illidan has a japanese look to him, and Malfurion has a japanese-styled kilt.
Blood elves, from what i could gather, are based around Koreans and their Phoenix king title (see: Avatar's fire nation).
Nightborne have french sounding names, so their rebellion, upper-lower class rivalry, love for wine and masquerade parties could be a reference to french revolution era.
Void elves have Magister Umbric (Which, is latin for Shadow - Umbra). So, my best guess was Italic latin.

You can see this even being applied to the Shadowlands races:
Kyrian - heavily greek.
Necrolords - Margrave and Baron were european titles. Not quite sure which country, though.
Sylvar - possibly Irish, based on the mythology being used.
Venthyr - Vampires are, most likely, Romanian and their names may imply on that.

I don't care that the Mag'har Orcs from alternate Draenor were introduced. They gave them a twist, and are much cooler and badass than their Outland counterparts.

[Triceron]

Night Elves are predominantly Japanese, based on their Pagoda buildings and Torii structures. Moreover, Illidan has a japanese look to him, and Malfurion has a japanese-styled kilt.

But that's what I sort of mean.

This is confirmation bias. The reality is Night Elves aren't predominantly Japanese, based on their buildings and clothing. There is nothing similar at all to the culture, the language, the food, the fighting styles, anything else other than a loose architectural influence to make them look vastly different from the classic 'Western' look of Human structures back in Warcraft 3. That was the root of the influence in Warcraft 3; to make Night Elf buildings look exotic and foreign when lined up against the other factions. The Artists then looked at what they consider exotic, and they inserted some Eastern influences into their architecture. Everything else that's been designed around Night Elf history like the city of Suramar or the Temples of Elune that came after WC3 were completely different, and much more ancient Roman influenced design.

Night Elves aren't predominantly Japanese at all. They are heavily associated with fauna from the Forests, and Japan isn't known for their crows, grizzly bears and panthers; those are more known in the Pacific Northwest. Their culture is derived heavily from Druidism, and their language loosely based on the Tolkien elven languages. Their runes and tattooes are also more typical of western cultures than Japanese culture.

We're talking about an absolute mixed bag here with no real cultural dominance from any one source. And that sort of applies to most races in WoW. Of course there will be obvious ones like Pandaren, Dwarves and Trolls owing a direct homage to real life culture, but for the most part these cultures are fairly ambiguous and more rooted in the realm of fantasy rather than any real life parallel. What we consider an influence is little more than association with the roots of the mythologies they're based on; yet even then the creators themselves may not intend a direct cultural influence beyond some artist simply liking the look of 'exotic' Japanese architecture.

[TheRevenantHero]

Okay, but in the context of WoW, Dark Ranger Black Arrow isn't stronger than Hunter Black Arrow.




Except the Tinker is a hero concept, not a profession concept. None of what you mentioned is designed to accomplish class roles, and none of the Tinker's abilities exist in the Tinker class. So no, it's not the same thing as what we're saying about with Black Arrow. Black Arrow was a class ability, not an item that required mats to be crafted.



So you're going to be dishonest and pretend that those HotS abilities don't exist because they're not in WoW, despite examples of classes in WoW taking abilities from that source.

Okay.




Vereesa isn't a Hunter? Hunters didn't have Black Arrow in their spell book for almost a decade?

I'll say it again; Black Arrow could return to the Hunter class at any point in the future. Especially since the Dark Ranger class is now off the table.



That's fine. I have no problem with players being able to pilot large mechs into battle.

HotS is a completely separate game. As such, abilities in HotS only exist in that game and should not be used as part of an argument for making a WoW class. Raynor is in HotS so I guess by your logic we should expect him to show up in WoW eventually.

[razorpax]

Like I said, I have no problem with Draenei tinkers if Blizzard decides to make them an option. My issue with it was always size of mech, and the abilities, since characters like https://wow.gamepedia.com/Exarch_Orelis_(alternate_universe)]Exarch Orelis[/url] are using vastly different weaponry than Gazlowe in Island Expeditions.

However, @Triceron made some good points in his post above, so we’ll see what Blizzard does. I’ve always felt that if they were going to use Artificers, it should be LF Draenei and Nightborne as their Horde equivalent.

- - - Updated - - -



Nah, they’re not going to release a class mid expansion. Consider that Death Knights got hinted at heavily in Vanilla and arrived in WotLK, Monks got hinted at in WotLK, and arrived in MoP, Demon Hunters got hinted at in MoP and arrived in Legion, and Tinkers were hinted at in BFA, so if the pattern holds, they’ll be introduced in the next expansion.

We’ll see.

Blizzard can make the abilities fit a theme just like Druid forms
The mech size isn’t even a possible issue because those mounts exist

- - - Updated - - -

HotS is a completely separate game. As such, abilities in HotS only exist in that game and should not be used as part of an argument for making a WoW class. Raynor is in HotS so I guess by your logic we should expect him to show up in WoW eventually.

You are arguing with a brick wall bud
The HotS argument only goes one way for him and it’s a waste of time

[TheRevenantHero]

Blizzard can make the abilities fit a theme just like Druid forms
The mech size isn’t even a possible issue because those mounts exist

- - - Updated - - -



You are arguing with a brick wall bud
The HotS argument only goes one way for him and it’s a waste of time

Oh I know. I was simply pointing out the logical fallacy in basing the decisions the devs make in WoW on decisions made in a completely different game made by a completely different team of devs.

[Unbelievable]

But that's what I sort of mean.

This is confirmation bias. The reality is Night Elves aren't predominantly Japanese, based on their buildings and clothing. There is nothing similar at all to the culture, the language, the food, the fighting styles, anything else other than a loose architectural influence to make them look vastly different from the classic 'Western' look of Human structures back in Warcraft 3. That was the root of the influence in Warcraft 3; to make Night Elf buildings look exotic and foreign when lined up against the other factions. The Artists then looked at what they consider exotic, and they inserted some Eastern influences into their architecture. Everything else that's been designed around Night Elf history like the city of Suramar or the Temples of Elune that came after WC3 were completely different, and much more ancient Roman influenced design.

Night Elves aren't predominantly Japanese at all. They are heavily associated with fauna from the Forests, and Japan isn't known for their crows, grizzly bears and panthers; those are more known in the Pacific Northwest. Their culture is derived heavily from Druidism, and their language loosely based on the Tolkien elven languages. Their runes and tattooes are also more typical of western cultures than Japanese culture.

We're talking about an absolute mixed bag here with no real cultural dominance from any one source. And that sort of applies to most races in WoW. Of course there will be obvious ones like Pandaren, Dwarves and Trolls owing a direct homage to real life culture, but for the most part these cultures are fairly ambiguous and more rooted in the realm of fantasy rather than any real life parallel. What we consider an influence is little more than association with the roots of the mythologies they're based on; yet even then the creators themselves may not intend a direct cultural influence beyond some artist simply liking the look of 'exotic' Japanese architecture.

The nordic/celtic influence, like world trees, wisps and druidism comes from them being Wood elves. Amazonian-like sentinels and Sumerian moon priestess is to make them look "exotic", as you put it. The Highborne greek architecture is separate from the now druidic Kaldorei.

Though, it is true that WoW races are a mishmash of different cultures. You'd be surprised how many cultures are in the Troll race.

[Triceron]

The Highborne greek architecture is separate from the now druidic Kaldorei.

Not entirely true.

In the aftermath of the Third War, the night elves had to adjust to their mortal existence. - In no time at all, he (Fandral) and his fellow druids had forged ahead and planted the great tree, Teldrassil, off the stormy coasts of northern Kalimdor.

Kaldorei had Highborne style architecture such as the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus. This was is not an ancient city built thousands of years ago; it was a new city that was built on top of Teldrassil; in the years between Warcraft 3 and WoW. This shows that they do indeed retain some of the cultural architecture hooks as their Highborne predecessors. This is also well established in World of Warcraft considering we had never seen this greco-roman architecture tied to Night Elves any time in Warcraft 3.

If the Kaldorei were really separated and the druidic themes were dominant, then I expect the Temple of the Moon on Darnassus to look more like Valsharah or the Park in Classic Stormwind. These places had more nature-centric themes like runic stone monuments and wood carvings rather than marble pillars and domes.

[Teriz]

HotS is a completely separate game. As such, abilities in HotS only exist in that game and should not be used as part of an argument for making a WoW class.

Wailing Arrows, Crash Lightning, Sunder Earth, Rock It Turret, Deth Lazor, Grav-O Bomb, Xplodium Charge, The Hunt, and other abilities originated in HotS but now also exist in WoW, so you’re quite wrong.

Also Raynor isn’t Warcraft, he’s Starcraft, so obviously he wouldn’t appear in WoW, nor would any of his abilities.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh I know. I was simply pointing out the logical fallacy in basing the decisions the devs make in WoW on decisions made in a completely different game made by a completely different team of devs.

Yeah, you simply don’t know what you’re talking about here. The Warcraft characters in HotS are based on Warcraft. So obviously they’re meant to be the same characters who exist in the Warcraft games. Which is why Gazlowe in WC3:R got his claw pack from HotS. It is also why Dark Rangers in WoW started getting abilities from Sylvanas in HotS.

If developers from WoW see an ability they like from HotS and think it would be cool to add to WoW, why wouldn’t they add it? If developers in WoW want to develop a new class and like some of the concepts from the HotS variation of the concept, why wouldn’t they take abilities and concepts from that HotS variation and add it to WoW?

This works the other way as well, which is why Anduin looks the way he does in HotS. So again, you simply don’t know what you’re talking about here.

[Unbelievable]

Not entirely true.

In the aftermath of the Third War, the night elves had to adjust to their mortal existence. - In no time at all, he (Fandral) and his fellow druids had forged ahead and planted the great tree, Teldrassil, off the stormy coasts of northern Kalimdor.

Kaldorei had Highborne style architecture such as the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus. This was is not an ancient city built thousands of years ago; it was a new city that was built on top of Teldrassil; in the years between Warcraft 3 and WoW. This shows that they do indeed retain some of the cultural architecture hooks as their Highborne predecessors. This is also well established in World of Warcraft considering we had never seen this greco-roman architecture tied to Night Elves any time in Warcraft 3.

If the Kaldorei were really separated and the druidic themes were dominant, then I expect the Temple of the Moon on Darnassus to look more like Valsharah or the Park in Classic Stormwind. These places had more nature-centric themes like runic stone monuments and wood carvings rather than marble pillars and domes.

You can see it more prominently in the Nightborne architecture, which are meant to be sort of playable Highborne.

[Diaphin]

Actually there is a high chance because the steampunk/technology theme has always existed in Warcraft. Simply because you dislike that theme doesn't apply to Blizzard viewing it as viable.

The fact that Blizzard is absolutely sidelining this aspect of the game as well as the races based on them is an argument for Blizzard not viewing it as viable. Learn to read my dude, I already pointed out how Blizzard is deliberately sidelining Gnomes and Goblins. The questline in which the Goblin leader is replaced is literally designed to be played by the smallest number of players possible.

[Teriz]

The fact that Blizzard is absolutely sidelining this aspect of the game as well as the races based on them is an argument for Blizzard not viewing it as viable. Learn to read my dude, I already pointed out how Blizzard is deliberately sidelining Gnomes and Goblins. The questline in which the Goblin leader is replaced is literally designed to be played by the smallest number of players possible.

That aspect of the game wasn’t sidelined in WoD where a major aspect of the theme of that expansion was orcs using goblin tech instead of demonic magic. It wasn’t sidelined at the end of Legion where we were using multiple forms of lightforged tech. It wasn’t sidelined in BFA where we had Mekkatorque as a raid boss and Mechagon as a major part of 8.2.

It’s only sidelined currently because we’re in Shadowlands.

[Ielenia]

Okay, but in the context of WoW, Dark Ranger Black Arrow isn't stronger than Hunter Black Arrow.

I'll repeat:

Have you played with an actual dark ranger class to know how the ability can influence the class' gameplay? Do you have special insight into Blizzard's internal development builds that no one else outside the company has?

No. No, you don't. You're just making an unfounded, baseless assertion.

In other words: if a dark ranger class does not currently exist in playable form, how do you know it would be a "mechanical mirror" of the hunter class? That's like saying the warlock is a "mechanical mirror" of the mage class because both are spellcasters that can deal fire damage before vanilla WoW went live.

In short: how do you know that, considering the dark ranger is not a playable class in WoW for you to compare which one is stronger or if the two have the same power?

Except the Tinker is a hero concept, not a profession concept.

In WC3 it's a hero unit. In WoW, it's arguable that it became the profession, just like the goblin alchemist may have been turned into the alchemy profession.

So you're going to be dishonest and pretend that those HotS abilities don't exist because they're not in WoW, despite examples of classes in WoW taking abilities from that source.

It's not dishonesty because it's a fact they don't exist in WoW. Non-canon sources are, surprisingly enough, not sources of canon information.

Vereesa isn't a Hunter? Hunters didn't have Black Arrow in their spell book for almost a decade?

I'll repeat: it does not fit the class' concept, theme and fantasy.

Especially since the Dark Ranger class is now off the table.

It's not off the table. You are, again, making statements of fact when you have absolutely no conclusive evidence for it.

[LemonDemonGirl]

I think if SL got a new class it would be a nightmare trying to Balance it with the Covenants and such, so they just decided not to do anything