Class Skins would add many new classes and be a major draw for a new expansion

[username993720]

You really don't want to get it, do you? The whole goal of class skins would be to not have to balance 10+ more classes. On paper they would work exactly the same as their parent classes, but they would have new animations, spell names, spec names aswell as customizations and prolly a mount because it fits the allied races formula. And no way Blizzard will balance niche stuff like Night Warriors or Spellbreakers as their own classes lol - we either will get that stuff as class skins, or we will never get them.

That's why class skins should be a race/class combination thing. Simply because they belong to a "parent class".

Night Warrior is definitely going to be added. If you don't see the signs, then i've got nothing else to say.

It really isn't. All a Tinker is is a series of tech themed abilities and attacks. That's it.

Then by all means, all classes are just different themed Druids. Who needs 12 classes? just make it this one class and paint the other ones.

Why wouldn't they? Technology is fun and can do fun things.

Permanent stealth? Come on... with that attitude they can do whatever comes to your mind.

Why wouldn't they? They can both go 'pew pew pew' and 'smack, cut, buzzsaw'.

In the same spec. No need to separate the two.

Why on earth do I need any of those specific abilities? I have every ability from WC3 covered, and then extrapolate other abilities that are thematically appropriate. Lasers, bombs, saws, guns... All Tinker themed. Is a Tinker a class with a set of super specific abilities and nothing else, or is it a class that is based on using technology to solve problems?

These are abilities taken from Tinkers. If you can't account for them with your Druid idea, then you can't apply it.
Technology is a broad term. What you are describing is the Engineering profession. The Tinker is, actually, very defined - with mostly Goblin and Gnomish based technology.

It really isn't any more complicated than that though. It really isn't. If you don't like the concept, cool, that's fine. If it's 'Tinker class or nothing', again, fine. But that doesn't mean that a class skin doesn't work for Tinkers. It just means it isn't your cup of tea.

It really is.
Your oversimplification of the class would result in us playing a class equivalent to today's Engineering profession instead of an actual fully-fledged Tinker.

He means Mechagnome Class with Druid gameplay. So he's still talking about a Mechagnome Tinker, and not what you're thinking of as an actual 'Mechagnome Druid' that happens to use mechs.

I know what he's talking about. Still a no.

[Teriz]

those are all very nice reasons why to add it to game, however they in no way suggest its front runner...
its an option, a viable and interesting option definitely, however not in any way more likely than lets say a necromancer

The Necromancer has no established lore hero, and it's abilities were given to Death Knights and Warlocks. These factors make a Necromancer class highly unlikely. There being no Necromancer class in Shadowlands should have convinced people of that fact more than anything else. The best way to implement a Necromancer now would be to give Warlocks the option to have their demons appear as undead minions, or give Death Knights a 4th spec.

[Lolites]

The Necromancer has no established lore hero

LOL, WAAAAY more lorewise important necromancers than tinkers... some of them from w3 some from wow itself...

it's abilities were given to Death Knights and Warlocks

and DH abilities were given to warlock, yet we did get DH...

There being no Necromancer class in Shadowlands should have convinced people of that fact more than anything else

perhaps, if you ignore that whole story about shadowlands is the machinery of death was fucked up, getting necromancers when the whole source of their power is not working properly makes less sense than getting it AFTER shadowlands, when its repaired...

The best way to implement a Necromancer now would be to give Warlocks the option to have their demons appear as undead minions, or give Death Knights a 4th spec.

sure, in the same way best way to implement tinker is engineering profesion that is already in game...

sorry, but there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING making tinker more likely than necromancer, only reason why you think so is clearly your bias...

[jellmoo]

Then by all means, all classes are just different themed Druids. Who needs 12 classes? just make it this one class and paint the other ones.

Nah, but we can absolutely reskin existing classes to allow for the fulfillment of other class fantasies. The classes are just the building blocks. At the end of the day, each class is remarkably similar. Reskin them and their abilities and you can change an awful lot with what they do.

Permanent stealth? Come on... with that attitude they can do whatever comes to your mind.

Well... Yes? That's what class design is. Thinking up cool things a character can do. A tech based class using stealth isn't even remotely a stretch.

In the same spec. No need to separate the two.

Or in different specs. Just like in existing classes. Why is allowing for more character concepts to be playable a bad thing?

These are abilities taken from Tinkers. If you can't account for them with your Druid idea, then you can't apply it.
Technology is a broad term. What you are describing is the Engineering profession. The Tinker is, actually, very defined - with mostly Goblin and Gnomish based technology.

The Tinker class doesn't currently exist. It isn't anything. It is whatever it is made to be. You're just making up rules in your head that have to be followed for the class to be viable. That's cool for your own personal concept, but it's no set of rules that everyone else needs to live by. A Tinker is whatever it is made to be. Until then, it no more needs any specific abilities than it needs to be a unique class. A Tinker need to be no more specific than a Mage or a Priest.

It really is.
Your oversimplification of the class would result in us playing a class equivalent to today's Engineering profession instead of an actual fully-fledged Tinker.

Nah. You just have a weirdly specific idea of what a Tinker needs to be. No other class in the game has ever been created in such a specific way. Classes are created to fill an archetype. To allow for character concepts to be filled. They aren't 'it needs to have this set of 20+ specific abilities'. The Tinker is a dude that uses tech to solve problems, the same way that a Mage is a dude that uses arcane magic to solve problems. It's an archetype that has abilities that reflect said archetype.

[Ielenia]

The Tnker doesn’t work as a Druid class skin. The Tinker has unique abilities that simply can’t be replicated within the Druid class.

Except that claim has been debunked several times as it's just a case of replacing the skins: druid forms become the mechas, their treants become robots, moonfire/sunfire become orbital strikes, etc, etc.

[Prozach]

What exactly would a "Tinker" do? Make toys? That's all I can think of when I see this class suggestion. The only thing worse is "Bard" because prancing around playing a flute sounds like a fun class to play...

[Deferionus]

You already have the Death Knight. Warlocks would be prefect for a necromancer class skin.



Barbarian is already the fury Warrior.
Ninja is already the Subtelty Rogue.
Bards have nothing to do with Hunters.
Retribution Paladins are already Crusaders.
Druids and Wardens are two different things.
Bishop is a Human Priest title.
Dreadlord is a demonic race, not a Demon Hunter.
The other ones are just titles you came up with.



Preach.
These guys just want laziness written all over their game.



How about no Mechagnome Druids?



The problem is the management asking for more mount colors rather than actual new content.



It is much more than just that.

Death knights are melee. Necromancers are ranged casters. There is obviously a huge difference in play style. Because it does not appeal to you does not mean there are not tons of other people who would love to play a traditional necromancer class from the Warcraft universe. It is one of the most established classes in the lore and clear characters to model after such as Kel'thuzard and Araj.

Once again, using Necromancer as a "class skin" wastes the concept of a necromancer on something cheap. We want necromancers, not a reskin of warlock spells and pets.

[Polybius]

LOL, WAAAAY more lorewise important necromancers than tinkers... some of them from w3 some from wow itself...



and DH abilities were given to warlock, yet we did get DH...



perhaps, if you ignore that whole story about shadowlands is the machinery of death was fucked up, getting necromancers when the whole source of their power is not working properly makes less sense than getting it AFTER shadowlands, when its repaired...



sure, in the same way best way to implement tinker is engineering profesion that is already in game...

sorry, but there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING making tinker more likely than necromancer, only reason why you think so is clearly your bias...

Oh the irony.

Wtf even is this thread.

[jellmoo]

What exactly would a "Tinker" do? Make toys? That's all I can think of when I see this class suggestion. The only thing worse is "Bard" because prancing around playing a flute sounds like a fun class to play...

I agree that the term 'Tinker' is a terrible one, but the core concept of a technology based class isn't. Getting hung up on the name does it a disservice as it could easily be named a ton of different things.

And it may surprise you, but there are people that would find your description of a Bard as something fun to play. It's a very well played class in FF14, and the Minstrel is surprisingly fun in LotRO. Not everyone enjoys the same things.

[Triceron]

What exactly would a "Tinker" do? Make toys? That's all I can think of when I see this class suggestion. The only thing worse is "Bard" because prancing around playing a flute sounds like a fun class to play...

They also repair and sell household items. If you need a new pot and your village doesn't have a blacksmith, you can always count on travelling Tinkers.

[Lolites]

Oh the irony.

care to elaborate?

[Prozach]

They also repair and sell household items. If you need a new pot and your village doesn't have a blacksmith, you can always count on travelling Tinkers.

Oh, well then that's way more interesting than I had anticipated. Will they have covered rainbow wagons for mounts?

[Teriz]

LOL, WAAAAY more lorewise important necromancers than tinkers... some of them from w3 some from wow itself...

Yeah, we’re not going to turn this into a Tinker vs Necromancer thread. I’ll just reiterate that the Necromancer at this point is best served as a Warlock class skin or a 4th spec for DKs.

- - - Updated - - -

What exactly would a "Tinker" do? Make toys? That's all I can think of when I see this class suggestion. The only thing worse is "Bard" because prancing around playing a flute sounds like a fun class to play...

Look at the WC3 and the HotS hero. You have Mech piloting, an arsenal of advanced weaponry like missiles, charges, bombs and lasers utilized from a weapons platform (mech and/or claw pack), and summoning of various robotic units.

Pretty much a steampunk version of Ironman.

[Triceron]

Permanent stealth? Come on... with that attitude they can do whatever comes to your mind.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=84424/invisibility-field

Engineering already provides permanent stealth, as long as you're out of combat.

So it's really not a lore or fantasy issue to assume Tinkers improve upon that technology to gain active Stealth for combat.

The Tinker is, actually, very defined - with mostly Goblin and Gnomish based technology.

By all means, if you're going to stick to any definitions, then you're talking about a Goblin or Gnomish (and Dwarven) Engineering Vendor or Trainer. I don't think you want to use that argument to define a Tinker, since nothing in WoW actually refers to Tinkers as a playable class on its own; it doesn't formally exist outside of a title used for NPCs.

Even Gazlowe in the WC3 campaign was literally called out as an Engineer (Engineer Gazlowe) and not a Tinker. And if you were to regard Tinkers as canon, then they're literally just another term for Engineers in WoW, by means of Gazlowe.

[Teriz]

Except that claim has been debunked several times as it's just a case of replacing the skins: druid forms become the mechas, their treants become robots, moonfire/sunfire become orbital strikes, etc, etc.

So only the Balance spec would have these “Tinker” aspects? What about the other three specs?

The very fact that you would have to make Goblins, Gnomes, and Mechagnomes Druids showcases how this doesn’t work.

[LemonDemonGirl]

I want a Bwonsamdi Priest skin for my Zandalari. I'm not sure how a Cultist skin would work for other races

[MrKnubbles]

I came across this concept was a Bellular video quite a while ago, I don't recall if he was the one who came up with it or if he was reacting to something he read.

I first heard it from Taliesin.

[Tiwack]

I thought Legions class halls were a missed opportunity to do this and offer more class diversity within the chosen class specializations. Something like suggested would've fit right in along with the different looking legendary skins back then. It's never too late though, just keep petitioning them and maybe we'll find ourselves back in our class halls again sooner or later. They love reusing content and game assets afterall.

[FossilFree]

The tinker ship sailed when they scrapped vehicle combat in WotLK. Unless they follow through on mounted combat, tinkers as a full-fledged class will never be a thing. Without their mech suit they are just engineers. That being said, mounted combat would be amazing.

Which just leaves a druid>tinker class skin as the only real option, since they would have to "shapeshift" into the mech because mounted combat isn't a thing.

Anyways, class skins would be best if they were complete opposites to what the class is currently. Otherwise, you could just mush it into the existing class design. Like make the Demon Hunter class skin a Warden. They are diametrically opposed but still have that tie to each other from Legion lore.

[AcidicSyn]

I want a Bwonsamdi Priest skin for my Zandalari. I'm not sure how a Cultist skin would work for other races

I think part of the point would be that the Bwomsamdi priest skin would only be available to trolls (I wouldn't limit it to zandalari since Darkspear can be his followers too)

For other races, it would just be flavors for whatever their unique specializations are. IE: Undead and void elf priests not using holy light, Sunwalker themes for Tauren priests (Do their priests get their powers from the sun same as their pallies do? Or do they actually worship the light lorewise?) among others.