10.0 Paragon Spec

[Varx]

If SL has confirmed anything is that achieving class and spec balance is like chasing a carrot on a stick. Blizz can polish them to the point that it's acceptable but it's never truly going to be a reality.

There will ALWAYS be a meta and there will ALWAYS be top specs and under performing specs for elitist min maxing players.

That is not a reason to avoid introducing new classes and specs, other wise it will eventually get stale without such new content. Personally I'm on the Tinker or Dragonsworn for 10.0 bandwagon. But I've also been a huge 4th spec fan since druids got the feral tree split.

So my take on 4th specs are "Paragon specs". Essentially they are like Hero Specs that your character must unlock after reaching max level via a small quest-chain to explain why you're class is learning a new combat style.

Some of these might seem a tad outlandish for their class, but that is the point. Classes are evolving and learning new ways to fight baddies and your toon is the pioneer in these new methods.

So here they are...



I do not own any of the following art and all credit goes towards their respected artists.

Priest: Inquisitor (DPS)


Uses the light to purge evil rather than healing allies. The Inquisitor priest focuses their faith to sear their foes and ignite them in righteous flames.

Mage: Chronomancy (Healing)


Utilizes various time charms and spells to reverse the wounds of their allies and prevent incoming damage.

Warlock: Blood (Healing)


Similar to Discipline Priests, Blood Warlocks are offensive healers. They siphon the blood of their enemies to rejuvenate the flesh of their comrades.

Monk: Flamedancer (Range DPS)


As taught by Chi-ji, the flamedancer monk uses the flames of hope to singe their foes.

Rogue: Dead Eye (Ranged DPS)

Dead Eye rogues use deadly accuracy to dispatch their unfortunate targets from a distance with swift and deadly shots. In addition, combat rogues are now Tanks, focusing on parrying/dodging melee attacks.

Demon Hunter: Light sworn (DPS)
]
Uses the ultimate speed of raw primal light to decimate their foes in quick and blinding attacks.

Demon Hunter: Void Bound (tank)


With 2-handed weapons, Void Bound Demon Hunters protect themselves and their allies using the void’s overwhelming and consuming nature.

Hunter: Dark Ranger (DPS)


After the defeat of Sylvanas, those abandoned by her and those risen against their will in Darkshore have taken upon themselves to find a new purpose on Azeroth. They have decided to instruct hunters in their dark arts as dark guardians of the wilderness.

In addition, survival hunters are now tanks.

Shaman: Earth Warder (Tank)


Earth Warders utilize shields and earth magic to cover themselves in earthen plates. Continuously reinforcing the plates cause the shaman to temporarily turn into an earth giant.

Warrior: Gladiator (DPS)


Uses 2-Handed Weapons in conjunction with a shield. These Warriors relinquish their tanking capabilities and unleash deadly weapon attacks that can only be done when combining large weapons and unyielding shields.

Death Knight: Fleshcrafter (Healer)


These death knights utilize the necromatic powers learned from Maldraxxus itself to fortify and mend the flesh of their allies. Like Paladins and Monks, Fleshcrafter DK’s are healers that can fully utilize their ability arsenal in melee combat.

Paladin: Conviction (Range DPS)


These paladins use the light to augment ranged weapons. Using Holy ammunition, these crusaders relentlessly hunt evil monstrosities that would cause harm to innocents.

[Nyel]

I love all of this. It would spice up classes that have become stale and would really add a lot to the game, but developing a dozen completely new specs, several new healer roles and DPS, seems very, very difficult to achieve and far more work than just to give us another (2 spec) class.

[Varx]

I love all of this. It would spice up classes that have become stale and would really add a lot to the game, but developing a dozen completely new specs, several new healer roles and DPS, seems very, very difficult to achieve and far more work than just to give us another (2 spec) class.

Yup, I expect nothing less from a power house gaming company to achieve. If they can introduce covenant abilities, soul binds, conduits, legendaries and try to balance them all for 36 spec then they could give a crack at this.

Even if they were released in a staggered manner.

[ZazuuPriest]

blood healing in no way fits with warlocks. warlocks have nothing to do with blood other than health funnel has the icon of dripping blood.

[Varx]

blood healing in no way fits with warlocks. warlocks have nothing to do with blood other than health funnel has the icon of dripping blood.

You dont think making BLOOD PACTS with demons count as blood magic? I mean you literally listed one of the most obvious blood spells that are for locks.

Again the point of this concept is to learn new combat methods that might feel completely new for certain classes. There'd be a questchain and everything.

[Rendark]

getting another spec for each class would be cool but i don't see it happening.

[ashblond]

The real question is: Do we need it? What can paragon spec achieve for gameplay?

This possibility is close to 0

[melzas]

4th spec has been discussed hundreds of time already and your take on it is absolutely nothing new...

Well actually I've seen better threads on matter where op at least tried to give some mechanical ideas and not only "paladin DPS but ranged"...

[Varx]

4th spec has been discussed hundreds of time already and your take on it is absolutely nothing new...

Well actually I've seen better threads on matter where op at least tried to give some mechanical ideas and not only "paladin DPS but ranged"...

Ain't nobody got time for that. I'm just giving my take on the fantasy aspect of them, I'm not a game dev. The RP aspect is just as important.

The real question is: Do we need it? What can paragon spec achieve for gameplay?

This possibility is close to 0

The game needs it. Each expansion needs new systems to breath life into a game that is more than a decade old. The problem with BFA and SL is that their systems aren't permanent. This obviously would be.

[Big Mama]

4th spec has been discussed hundreds of time already and your take on it is absolutely nothing new...

Well actually I've seen better threads on matter where op at least tried to give some mechanical ideas and not only "paladin DPS but ranged"...

The lack of numbers and details doesn’t necessarily mean the ideas are bad. I really like the idea of most of these specs and would try (and probably enjoy) most of them. They sound like nice additions to the current classes.

[Cosmic Janitor]

The 4th spec idea is nice, but expecting one for every class is just overkill. The best approach would be to keep it to expansion relevant additions that would fit with existing classes. Like if we had a dragon aspect themed expansion it would make sense to add 5 specs at most and in reality only 2 since only temporal magic and earth magic are heavily underrepresented ingame. Otherwise the complexity and resulting design effort would skyrocket way too fast within one game version, which is partly why we never got more than 1 class with an expansion, even if multiple could have made sense.

Personally I'm also against watering down pure dps classes with healing specs, such a waste when there are so many ways left to explore on how to kill shit

The biggest issue is obviously that Blizzard has long lost grasp on the complexity of the interactions between classes and adding more specs would just make it way, way worse. So it's sadly highly unlikely that we could see something like that.

[FarmerEd]

Adding a spec for each class would be the equivalent work to adding 3 classes at once, so of course I don't see it ever happening.
That said, I like most of these ideas, and would likely switch to maining DK if they got a healing spec. Not sure why hunter would get yet another ranged dps spec, though I do not deny that it fits.

[Varx]

Adding a spec for each class would be the equivalent work to adding 3 classes at once, so of course I don't see it ever happening.
That said, I like most of these ideas, and would likely switch to maining DK if they got a healing spec. Not sure why hunter would get yet another ranged dps spec, though I do not deny that it fits.

That's why Surv can go tank .

[username993720]

I had a similar idea.
Go have a look:
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...pecializations

Funny how you are on the Tinker and Dragonsworn bandwagon and that you create new, original specializations for everyone, but not for the Hunter.
I, really, wonder why....

[Geckoo]

I really enjoy thinking about new specs and innovative ways to expand the existing classes. it's a fun thing to imagine... but i do not believe that it would be a good thing for the game, at least this far in the game's life and certainly not with the current team.

Sometimes those concepts would work just fine as a 'skin' that changes a few animations and names for an already existing spec.
Sometimes those concepts would simply be a 'gladiator stance' style talent that makes a few tweaks to an already existing spec.
Sometimes those concepts could simply replace and already existing spec.
And sometimes the general idea or theme overlaps too much with somethins that already exists.

And i do not mean to say that i don't like the concepts, but that i would rather have an honest and radical approach to class design in terms of utility and how class customization works before adding more specs to an already bloated system. Not something that i expect to happen anyway.

[Bumkin]

no ty, retail is a clown show already as it is

[genegerbread]

Chronomancer would be awesome. I've always wanted Blizzard to incorporate time magic into gameplay a bit more.

[Tsarez]

Old games like Ragnarok Online have advanced about 3 or 4 times with their max levels and specialization paths and continue to do so until this day.

18+ classes, with rewoke states and whatever else. If you think WoW is old, there are still games out there with very active communities and development studios that would count as being ancient, yet there is still new stuff coming out.

Blizzard is simply said uninspired.

[Varx]

Made a slight change to DH’s. Figured 2 extra melee DPS’s might be too redundant so instead I made the void bound spec to be a second tank spec.

If priests can have 2 healing specs then I don’t see why there can’t be one class with 2 tank specs.

Also, if you’re curious why I chose these two specs for the DH, Fel is the result of the volatile effect of light and void crashing into each other. During their paragon quest line, the Illidary figure out how reverse the process and as a result create two new methods of combat.

[BrintoSFJ]

I would suggest that they remove shadow priest as a spec from the priest, rename it as Void Priest and make it a whole class. Priest class can have that inquisitor spec as 3rd. Let's face it, blizzard never managed to make shadow priest the actual shadow priest from warcarft rpg books.

And if they do want to add real shadow priest later, it should be a special spec for the Priest or Void Priest class if a troll chooses either of those classes.

Similarly, if Orcs choose warrior class, they should have a special Blademaster spec. If Blood Elves choose mage class, they should have a special Blood Mage spec. You get the gist I hope.