Potential new specializations

[username993720]

In this thread i'm going to suggest a new specialization, for each of the playable classes (excluding the Druid), based on personal research into themes, fantasy, lore and gameplay:

Death Knight

Shadow

I know what most of you are expecting - a Necromancer or a Blood healing specialization. But, we already have the Blood and Unholy specializations, and i don't want to tread on them to create a new specialization.
If you, guys, remember, back in the day we had different Runes to represent the different specializations: Blood Runes, Frost Runes and Unholy Runes. And, then, we had Death Runes, which counted as all three but weren't, really, represented by a certain specialization:


Their purple coloration lines-up with abilities like:

Death Grip
Harnesses the energy that surrounds and binds all matter, drawing the target toward you.

Asphyxiate
Lifts the enemy target off the ground, crushing their throat with dark energy and stunning them for 5 sec.

Gorefiend's Grasp
Shadowy tendrils coil around all enemies within 15 yards of a hostile or friendly target, pulling them to the target's location.

Dark Simulacrum
Places a dark ward on an enemy player that persists for 12 sec, triggering when the enemy next spends mana on a spell, and allowing the Death Knight to unleash an exact duplicate of that spell.

Strangulate
Shadowy tendrils constrict an enemy's throat, silencing them for 5 sec.

Clawing Shadows
Deals (46% of Attack power) Shadow damage and causes 1 Festering Wound to burst.

Which, don't really match any of the specializations.
So, based on these, i had the idea of creating a specialization that is dedicated to the first generation of Death Knights, which is not really represented in the Death Knight class (as it is mostly based around the second generation of Death Knights, i.e - Arthas). These malicious spellcasters would wield cloth and staves (alongside plate and other weapons), will cast shadowy spells and, hopefully, would somewhat appease the Necromancer advocates community:


Demon Hunter

Spellcaster

If anyone is thinking of the Diablo 3 Demon Hunter, then no. They're not the same thing. Unlike the World of Warcraft Demon Hunter, the Diablo 3 Demon Hunter does not utilize demonic magics or transforms into one. It is more of a Hunter/Rogue hybrid.
We, already, have the agile, fast-paced demon form:

And the massive and robust one:

What we are missing is a slender, intelligent and cunning demon form.
It would play very much like the long-gone Warlock's Metamorphosis (and Warcraft 3 Demon Hunter to an extent), where you would be casting spells in demon form:

Such spells, for example, would be:

Chaos Wave
Hurls a wave of chaos to strike the target and all enemies within 6 yards, dealing Chaos damage and reducing movement speed by 50% for 6 sec.

Touch of Chaos
Unleashes energy at the enemy, causing X Chaos damage.

I know there would be an overlap with the Warlock class, but i hope Blizzard would be able to differentiate between the two.

Hunter

Demolitionist\Ranger

The Marskmanship Hunter has always felt like it housed 2 archetypes: the Sharpshooter and the Archer. I suggest to separate them into different specs, adding a 4th one to the Hunter, much like Feral and Guardian Druid. The Marksmanship Hunter should be redesigned as a Demolitionist, focusing on guns and explosives, while the new spec, the Ranger, will focus on archery and nature. Survival will cease to have aspects of a Ranger, explosives and beasts (the domain of the beastmaster). It will instead focus on headhunting, using thrown weaponry and bringing down large prey.



Mage

Lightning



I know what you're thinking, a time-based mage, preferably a Healer. But, this aspect, alongside illusion, already belongs to the Arcane Mage. I know it is rather lackluster right now and i wish it would get more representation in the Arcane specialization. But, I do not wish to rip off of that specialization to make a new one.
When researching into the mage fantasy in other RPGs, like Diablo's Wizard or Sorceress, i found out that the Arcane, Fire and Frost aspects are very much prevalent, yet one aspect is missing from the World of Warcraft Mage - and that is lighting spells:

Shock Pulse
Release a medium range pulse of 3 unpredictable charges of electricity that deal weapon damage as Lightning.

Electrocute/Lightning
Lightning arcs from your fingertips, dealing weapon damage as Lightning. The lightning can jump, hitting up to 2 additional enemies.

Storm Armor/Crackling Aura
Bathe yourself in electrical energy, shocking ranged and melee attackers for weapon damage as Lightning.

Paralysis/Convulsions
Lightning damage dealt to enemies has a chance to Stun the target for 2 seconds.

Arc Lash
Unleash arcing lightning that shocks enemies in front of the Sorceress for Lightning damage and then returns to them.

Charged Bolts
Release 6 bolts of lightning that course along the ground in an erratic pattern, dealing Lightning damage each.

Lightning Spear
Conjure a crackling spear of lightning that seeks out enemies for 6 seconds, dealing Lightning damage per hit.

Ball Lightning
Conjure a ball of lightning that slowly moves forward, zapping enemies for Lightning damage.

Conduit
Become a lightning incarnate. While in this form, the Sorceress is Immune, nearby enemies are continually shocked for Lightning damage and can surge quickly between locations.
While Immune, cannot be damaged and all negative effects are removed and prevented.

Now, i know this would, heavily, overlap with the Shaman, and spells like Electrocute and Storm Armor, already, resemble Chain Lightning and Lightning Shield. What i would suggest is that instead of using natural, elemental lightning, the Mage would use science/"magic" lightning:



Monk

Red Crane

This is of no surprise to anyone.
We, already, have the Brewmaster specialization that is based on the Black Ox, the Misweaver specialization that is based on the Jade Serpent, and the Windwalker specialization that is based on the White Tiger. The only celestial missing is the Red Crane. Although, some abilities were given to the Mistweaver, it should be taken out and be given to a Red Crane specialization. This specialization would focus on healing by melee dpsing, much like a Discipline Priest using Atonement, in contrast with the Mistweaver, which would be a ranged healer:

Stance of the Spirited Crane
While in this stance, you will gain Eminence.

Eminence
50% of all damage you deal with your melee attacks and abilities will be converted into healing on an injured ally within 20 yards.

Way of the Crane
Increases your Physical damage by 50%, you remove and become immune to all stun, snare and root effects and you heal up to 3 nearest allies for 175% of all damage done. Lasts 15 sec.

Paladin

Spellcaster

The medieval Knight, Exarch and Crusader are all very well represented in the Paladin class, through armor sets, abilities and spell effects. Yet, the ones who are neglected are the less known and prominent, like Sunwalkers and Prelates. What i would suggest is to add a specialization that highlights these more primitive archetypes that deviate from the typical Paladin:






These Paladins would not be clad in plate armor and would not wield hammers/swords, but rather leather/wood and ceremonial weapons. They would use the power of the sun/loa to smite and judge their opponents.
I'm aware that they might overlap with Druids and Priests, but this aspect of the Paladin is barely accentuated.

Priest

Melee

Before the Discipline Priest really solidified, the specialization was envisioned as a melee, monk-like, specialization. That's why it had abilities like Inner Fire, for example, which used to increase Attack Power and Armor in vanilla. In time, it changed to the more spellcasting Priest specialization we have today. Much like the Mage, when researching into other RPGs, like Diablo's Monk and Overwatch's Zenyatta, there is a clear archetype of a holy/religious monk who uses light that is missing from the World of Warcraft Priest:


Why the Priest and not the Monk, you ask?
Well...first of all, i already suggested the Red Crane specialization to the Monk. Secondly, a Holy specialization would not fit the World of Warcraft Monk.
It would, finally, solve the problem of non-Pandaren races rolling a Monk and using Pandaren-exclusive abilities and skills, which look out of place to be honest.
Wouldn't there be an overlap with the Monk?
In animations, perhaps, but the specialization would, exclusively, use light (and shadow) and might not even inflict physical damage, but rather project light/shadow, in melee range, through its martial arts (like how a firebender, in Avatar, shoots fire through its fists and feet).
Some examples would be:





Rogue

Buckler

Now, i know what you're probably thinking to yourselves - a ranged Rogue specialization, like the Diablo 4 Rogue:

But, that would essentially be an Archer/Ranger, which i feel is not that original.
What i would suggest is a Buckler specialization:
"During the early beta days of World of Warcraft there were two shield types: normal shields and bucklers, which were lighter and could be equipped by shamans, rogues and hunters. Patch 0.8 turned all bucklers into shields and gave shamans the ability to use shields but rogues and hunters could no longer use them."

It would be able to wield a Buckler, a weapon and a Bow.
But, instead of absorbing damage, like other tanks do, it would mainly dodge, parry and block.

Shaman

Earth

We all know what is, primarily, missing from the Shaman - an earth specialization.
Even though Elemental and Enhancement are, basically, melee and spellcaster representations of the Shaman, the Elemental specialization is more Fire-oriented, while the Enhancement specialization is more Wind-oriented. This can be seen by their Ascendance forms:
Elemental

Enhancement

And, of course, the Restoration Shaman is based on the element of Water.
Restoration

So, the only thing really missing is an Earth-dedicated spec:




Warlock

Void

Since the tanky Metamorphosis playstyle, already, belongs to the Demon Hunter, i cannot suggest it for the Warlock.
When examining the class, i've come to notice that Void is an aspect of the Warlock (Voidwalker) that is barely touched upon. Even though the Void is another, rival cosmic force to the Fel, the Burning Legion does employ Void creatures in its army (primarily Voidwalkers and Voidlords). But, isn't Void an aspect of the Priest? well... to avoid treading on the Shadow Priest, i would suggest that unlike it (which, is highly centered around Old Gods), the Void Warlock would center around Void creatures, like Voidwalkers and Voidlords - which, the Priest cannot summon. Drawing from the Voidwalker minion, this specialization could serve as a tank, since many of the minion's abilities are centered around it:

Shadow Bulwark
Temporarily increases current and maximum health by 30% for 20 sec.

Suffering
The Voidwalker taunts the target to attack it for 5 sec, and increases its threat against the target.

Threatening Presence
Intimidates any target the Voidwalker attacks, increasing threat generation.

Warrior

Gladiator

This one is, pretty, self-explanatory.
We, already, have a specialization that is based on two-handed weapons, a specialization that is based on dual-wielding two/one handed weapons, and a specialization that is based on wielding a shield and a one handed weapon. The only thing missing is a specialization that is based on wielding a shield and a two handed weapon (like a spear, for example). The Gladiator specialization will be based on the long gone, and much desired, Gladiator stance, which boosts your damage rather than your defenses:

Gladiator Resolve
Increases the damage reduction provided by Defensive Stance by 5%.

Also allows you to forgo your defensive role, and instead focus only on offensive capabilities, by replacing Battle Stance with Gladiator Stance. [Gladiator Stance]
A dauntless combat stance.

Increases physical damage dealt by 5%, increases Mastery by 50%, and replaces your Shield Block with Shield Charge.
You cannot change into or out of this stance during combat.

[Progenitor Aquarius]

I would love some lighting on my mage. Unlimited powar!

[Mokrath]

I would love some lighting on my mage. Unlimited powar!

Haven't you taken enough from Shamans!
You know mages would get some crazy AoE thundercloud or something that puts Chain Lightning to shame.

[username993720]

I would love some lighting on my mage. Unlimited powar!

Haven't you taken enough from Shamans!
You know mages would get some crazy AoE thundercloud or something that puts Chain Lightning to shame.

This one actually makes a lot of sense since the Diablo 3 Wizard controls 4 elements: Arcane, Fire, Frost and Lightning.