How many more classes can the game sustain?

[Snow White]

The current classes are already copy/ pastes of each other.

If the only fear is homogenization blizzard is way past that point and there's no reason to stop now.

[Jtree]

NONE!!!

Just look at DKs.. Blizzard isn't finished balancing it, and it was added 4,5 years ago.. Then they added Monk which, mist likely, also will take 5+ years to balance..

Stop adding new classes and spend the resources better..

For that matter, they're still working to balance druids, hunters, mages, paladins, priests, rogues, shaman, warlocks, and warriors. And they've had 8+ years for that.

Maybe if they stopped adding anything new at all and focused strictly on balancing specs they could finally achieve some sort of harmony. Of course, it could get old pretty quick for most players, as those unbalancing additions of new content are what keep people playing.

[K i s u]

As it stands probably could stand 1-2 more, if only barely.

[Vintersol]

NONE!!!

Just look at DKs.. Blizzard isn't finished balancing it, and it was added 4,5 years ago.. Then they added Monk which, mist likely, also will take 5+ years to balance..

Stop adding new classes and spend the resources better..

Blizzard is not interested in finishing balance, because they are screwing the whole system with every expansion.

[Pony Soldier]

I say, and im not even 100% on it, maybe 1 more. There are so many classes and races to choose from anymore it almost seems like an endless variety to choose from. I think instead of adding classes they should instead update the models for each old race (Humans, Gnomes, Night Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Undead, Taurens, and Trolls) and maybe just add more customizable options for each race like more unique hairstyles, more facial hair options, different voice options, and battle stance. I think that would be a better idea at this point regarding races and classes.

Also regarding classes I always thought it would be cool to see how your character became a Paladin or Mage or whatever. Like for example when you pick a Paladin you actually start out as some normal person that goes into training to become a Paladin. So you would do a series of quests and then eventually becoming a full fledged Paladin. It might just be a waste of time but I always thought that would be cool, like an actual introduction for your characters instead of like "ok here you are, go do some quests and stuff".

[Alvito]

Should be 12 so that all the loot tokens have the same number of classes on them.

They may not have the same amount of classes but they are close on specs. How many specs roll on a trinket is far more important then classes.

[mistahwilshire]

There is no theoretical maximum number of classes the game can sustain. There can be as many as Blizzard desires. If they feel they can balance 28 classes or 12 they can do so.

[Deleted]

The last thing this game needs is new classes, already too many classes and races, let's focus on the playable content and adventuring not this.

[Viradiance]

Well based on the possibilities I see we could have:
-demon hunters
-rangers
-tinkers
-dragonsworn
-invokers
-battlemages
-necromancers
-bards
-witch doctors
-spellbreakers
-wardens
-sea witches
-keepers of the grove/druids of the nightmare
-wizards(D3 style)
-runemasters

that makes 15 classes that come from WC3 alone.
But no one said they can't add completely new to the game classes ^^

Demon Hunters have aspects of the Rogue and Warlock.
Rangers have aspects of the Hunter and Rogue
Tinkers have aspects of the Engineering profession (most likely pick among all of these, methinks)
Dragonsworn, no.
Inbokers are mages.
Battlemages are Mages and Warriors.
Necromancers have aspects of Warlocks and Death Knights.
Bards have little lore basis, but also likely and a popular archetype.
Witch Doctors have aspects of Shaman and Shadow Priest (formerly)
Spellbreakers: See Battlemage
Wardens are Rogues.
Sea Witch is a caste of Naga. Naga are not playable, nor will there be a one-race only class.
Keepers of the Grove are a race. Also, druids.
Wizards are Mages.
Runemasters have little to no basis as a playable class, and Death Knights already wield Runes.

[Reyzzz]

They can't balance the classes and specs they already have in the game there is no good reason to add more classes. I'd rather see them spend some time on 5 mans then develop another class.

Balance is bad for the game.

[Thulvaso]

With the current complaints of balance, they can't do it. Adding more classes to the already large amount isn't a good way currently. Fix current classes, give them graphical overhauls with spells please.

[Deleted]

Demon Hunters have aspects of the Rogue and Warlock.

see my sig

Rangers have aspects of the Hunter and Rogue

see my sig

Tinkers have aspects of the Engineering profession (most likely pick among all of these, methinks)

see my sig

Dragonsworn, no.

dragonsworn yes. They are very requested and could bring a mail class. also see my sig

Invokers are mages.

again see my sig and it wouldn't hurt if you saw Invoker in Dota

Battlemages are Mages and Warriors.

see my sig

Necromancers have aspects of Warlocks and Death Knights.

see my sig

Bards have little lore basis, but also likely and a popular archetype.

yep I think it would please a lot of peeps

Witch Doctors have aspects of Shaman and Shadow Priest (formerly)

see my sig

Spellbreakers: See Battlemage

well not exactly. see wowiki info on both

Wardens are Rogues.

not at all. Rogues are thieves, wardens are like inquisitors with a sense of fashion and a knack for shadow powers

Sea Witch is a caste of Naga. Naga are not playable, nor will there be a one-race only class.

that's the hardest one to refute. It would need to come with retcon but Blizz can do what it likes

Keepers of the Grove are a race. Also, druids.

yh but, na evil version of druids ^^

Wizards are Mages.

see D3 wizards

Runemasters have little to no basis as a playable class, and Death Knights already wield Runes.

DKs use necrotic runes not the same used by runemasters plus the base of the class has a lot of ground to build from

[Olianda]

I would say maybe 1 or 2. Right now I think what's lacking is another ranged class that uses Bow/Crossbow/Gun. People can say whatever they want about Dark Ranger, but the fact is that most classes competes with other classes about gear, and Hunter is the only one that has any use for ranged weapons.

Same goes for rogues and daggers. If there WAS a ranger it should incorporate both.

[Treesus]

Mail class, heal/dps hybrid. To even out the armor tokens. Would probably focus on "Runic" Magic since its titan oriented / uncorrupted (Theory) and that seems to be the general direction we're going. Main issues would be hurting shaman/hunter niche. I'd like to see a ranged/melee hybrid dps class based on 1h weapons (caster) that uses rune magic to augment abilities. Heals would be pretty straight forward with the homogenization already out there.

[Deleted]

Same goes for rogues and daggers. If there WAS a ranger it should incorporate both.

I think exactly the same way ^^. Maybe we can find some common ideas in the thread I made for Rangers in uy sig!

[kaikoraimi]

I'm in the 0 to maybe 1 range. I have not seen any new class ideas since monks were announced that aren't substantially covered by existing specs and are unique enough to merit inclusion as a whole new class. I have seen a few ideas that could reasonably be 4th specs for a handful of classes, but that's it.

[Teriz]

I'm in the 0 to maybe 1 range. I have not seen any new class ideas since monks were announced that aren't substantially covered by existing specs and are unique enough to merit inclusion as a whole new class. I have seen a few ideas that could reasonably be 4th specs for a handful of classes, but that's it.

Tinkers/Gyromancers

[Not Helping]

I want at least 20 classes by the end of wow.

[kaikoraimi]

Tinkers/Gyromancers

Mechanical-oriented hunters (and/or shaman) with slightly upgraded Engineering and/or Alchemy (sometimes in vehicles).
It would be hard to justify taking away much of engineering to give tinkers the design space they would need.

[Teriz]

Mechanical-oriented hunters (and/or shaman) with slightly upgraded Engineering and/or Alchemy (sometimes in vehicles).

Shaman are elemental spell casters. They have nothing in common with Tinkers. Hunters are a nature-based DPS pet class, Tinkers are a mechanical based hybrid class. Again, not the same thing.

It would be hard to justify taking away much of engineering to give tinkers the design space they would need.

None of the Tinkers abilities would overlap with Engineering.

Examples of Tinker abilities: Pocket Factory, Cluster Rockets, Healing Spray

Examples of Engineering crafts: Foremans Reiforced Helmet, X-Ray glasses, invulnerability belt