If you could remove specs from the game

[Triceron]

Realistically, we've pruned and squished enough... but if you insist I'd purge the 4 favorite specs of the individual that came up with this idea.

I don't think I have favourite specs since I no longer play and haven't played since Cataclysm. But if it were favourite specs back then, it'd probably be Demonology Lock, Frost DK, Combat Rogue and Survival Hunter.

[Tekktra]

Enhancement shaman. You have never been awesome. You've had your few moments when, in a random launch of an ex-pac or one single content patch, you've been up top with the other classes. Good or even really good! Every shaman main and alt jumped on to finally play enhancement and feel powerful at the same time. Only to get nerfed in the next content patch (while mages, somehow, got buffed). Back to your main spec or class. Enhancement shaman is like a sickly dog that lived for to long. Should've been put down long ago.. It's time to go now.

[Garymorilix]

I don't think I have favourite specs since I no longer play and haven't played since Cataclysm. But if it were favourite specs back then, it'd probably be Demonology Lock, Frost DK, Combat Rogue and Survival Hunter.

"I havent played for the last 8-9 years, lets remove some specs people actually play."

Can we stop feeding it?

[Triceron]

"I havent played for the last 8-9 years, lets remove some specs people actually play."

Can we stop feeding it?

Don't like the topic? I'm not forcing you to read it.

[Niroshi]

It'd be at least interesting to see what happened if they removed all specs, and just made base classes with massive talent trees to fill in the role gaps. There isn't any one particular spec I'd remove though if not going the "all" route.

[Twistnectar]

Enhancement shaman. You have never been awesome. You've had your few moments when, in a random launch of an ex-pac or one single content patch, you've been up top with the other classes. Good or even really good! Every shaman main and alt jumped on to finally play enhancement and feel powerful at the same time. Only to get nerfed in the next content patch (while mages, somehow, got buffed). Back to your main spec or class. Enhancement shaman is like a sickly dog that lived for to long. Should've been put down long ago.. It's time to go now.

This makes me so very sad because it's accurate..I've always loved the shaman class. The fantasy of it all, nature, fire, frost, air (kinda like the Avatar). But it's always been lackluster. Usually (I mainly pvp here) Resto is good, USUALLY. But when it's bad, it's terrible. The same goes with Ele and Enhance, they are either good, or bad. It's like Blizzard can't decide how to make them good in pvp, which I never understood. Give me class design for shamans for a month, and I will make shamans great again!

[zlygork]

I agree that none should be removed, but for this conversation, I'll remove all tank specs and see how the game evolves for the lols.

[voxnor]

Disc.

It changed healing forever. I want to go back to healer damage being so pitiful, it's not worth doing. Disc ruined that, and then all specs had to be equaled out as best they could.

I will never understand how in a world of rapid multispec, they allow and require healers to do damage. *shrug*

[Triceron]

It'd be at least interesting to see what happened if they removed all specs, and just made base classes with massive talent trees to fill in the role gaps. There isn't any one particular spec I'd remove though if not going the "all" route.

This is an interesting concept, but I think the whole point of specs is balance.

This idea is more akin to how I feel Vanilla talent system should have supported. There's no one particular way to play anything, you just pick what works for you or what you deem effective and run with it. But the whole game would have to be changed to promote teamwork and co-op and prize utility over DPS. This includes removing Berserk timers from the game.

There's plenty of games that work off this kind of system, like Monster Hunter, where you literally don't have to do any damage at all and still be very integral to the fight by providing key buffs or necessary healing or simply distracting certain monsters.

But unfortunately that's not how WoW is designed right now, and we won't see any dedicated Support or 'Distraction' roles that would vary up the gameplay.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree that none should be removed, but for this conversation, I'll remove all tank specs and see how the game evolves for the lols.

I think it'd play like Guild Wars 2, for the most part.

[cocomen2]

No one class in game isnt supposed to have 2+ dps specs, waste of time to balance them all, waste of work - while 90% players play a DPS spec which deals 5-10% more than other 2, dead specs that underperform - specs with broken mechanic or 30-40% behind from top dps class.


Example: Shaman, its always Elemental or Enhancement , one of them alive other is dead.( they must merge them in one spec and make it GOOD,and bring Earthbinder or whenever shaman tank concept sounds).
OFC if they cant balance them to be equal.

[DeltrusDisc]

Wouldn't

Necromancer --- Affliction / Reanimation

Warlock --- Demonology / Destruction

Make more sense?

Destruction as part of a necromancer seems odd, they don't really have that kind of magic, whereas "affliction", focusing on necrotic decay of their target's body through damage over time effects, would fit better.

Yes.

Also, he's terrible for thinking shadow priests wouldn't stay. I think priests are a perfect one for straddling the balance between shadow and holy. Give disc to something like a vicar.

[Dakara]

Specs I'd remove or combine (not based on gameplay nor balancing spec numbers):

Death Knight - Unholy. It's more suited to a Necro Class. Frost/Blood seem more "Death Knight" to me
Demon Hunter - None. They only have 2
Druid - Either Balance or *gasp* resto. Druids are Shapeshifter, so Feral and Guardian are Solid. Changing into a moon-chicken feels like a stretch. Resto also doesn't have a "form"
Hunter - Survival
Mage - Combine Fire an Frost into "Elemental" (Sorry Shamans)
Monk - Brewmaster... then allow WW to decide between using Staves or Dual Wielding.
Paladin - Holy. Paladins can still heal through the light, but they're "Warrior Priests" so I think the ability to heal themselves as Prot is great, but not healing whole Raids.
Priest - Combine Disc & Holy. Utilize Talents to allow a player to chose which spec strengths to focus.
Rogue - Assassination and Subtlety could probably be merged into the daggers spec. Two specs would be a choice between a stealthy Assassin or a Pirate.
Shaman - Flip a Coin... Elemental (since mages are getting it) or Enhance (reduce the amount of Melee). Possibly merge them into a Hybrid Melee/Ranged spec. i.e. 15-20 yard range?
Warrior - Similar to Shaman, remove Fury or Arms/Merge to two. Add talents that play to the good aspects of both e.g. Titans Grip
Warlock - Probably Destro.

Obviously the above would be a lot of pruning.

Personally,I'd prefer less specs and more Talent options. Using Druids as an example, remember when they could DPS or Tank as Feral via Talents? Before Guardian become it's own spec? Yea, lets do that IMO.

-edit-

*Copied from the other thread *

2 Spec Concept:

So the patch drops and you attempt to log into your character. You are then given the one time choice between any class that offers a previous held spec. For example, if your character is a Paladin, then you would have the choice between keeping your character a Paladin or changing to Templar. If there is too much complaining, then maybe Blizz throws in a free character boost (per max level character) to appease the crowd.

-snip-

Or this....

[Kyphael]

*Copied from the other thread *

2 Spec Concept:

So the patch drops and you attempt to log into your character. You are then given the one time choice between any class that offers a previous held spec. For example, if your character is a Paladin, then you would have the choice between keeping your character a Paladin or changing to Templar. If there is too much complaining, then maybe Blizz throws in a free character boost (per max level character) to appease the crowd.


Death Knight --- Blood / Unholy

Necromancer --- Destruction / Reanimation

Warlock --- Demonology / Affliction

Warrior --- Protection / Arms

Barbarian --- Fury / Survival

Hunter --- Beast Mastery / Marksmanship

Druid --- Protection / Feral

Moon Priest --- Balance / Restoration

Monk --- Defense / Assault

Bard --- Marksmanship /Restoration

Priest --- Holy / Discipline

Dark Ranger --- Void / Shadow

Mage --- Fire / Frost

Sage --- Arcane / Time

Paladin --- Protection / Retribution

Templar --- Holy / Inquisition

Shaman --- Restoration / Elemental

Witcher --- Enhancement / Spirit

Rogue --- Assassination / Combat

Demon Hunter --- Vengeance / Havoc

Tinker --- Demolition / Repair

Warden --- Protection / Justice

You win the thread.

[sunxsera]

Survival Hunter.

Just because i `m salty that they made my favourite spec into a melee abomination and i didnt really touch it since legion.

[unbound]

Havoc and vengeance.

Childish, arcadey gameplay/fantasy that makes me cringe

That sums it up for me as well.

[Biomega]

In general, I'd personally revamp classes based on roles, and diversify flavor within roles via talent trees if and when it makes sense.

That means that for pure DPS classes, I'd roll most of the DPS flavor into a single spec and simply add talents that can make you go one way or the other as you prefer. I see little reason to have an entire spec designed around mechanics that could be talents instead. For example, rather than having a Fire Mage, a Frost Mage, and an Arcane Mage, you could have a talent for Combustion which would include both the active CD and the passive Hot Streak mechanic; and a talent for, say, Glacial Spike, which would include a big CD (the Spike itself) and a passive (accumulating icicles); and a talent for e.g. Arcane Power with a big CD and a charging mechanic (Arcane Charge-like).

In much the same way, you could leave distinctions like choosing between daggers and "combat" weapons for Rogues, and single or dual 2h for Warriors up to talents, and only have a single spec.

In addition to that, I'd add more Tank and Healing specs across the board. Examples could include pet-based tanking for Hunter and Warlock, buff-based tanking for Mage and Shaman, an "Alchemist"-flavored healing spec for Rogues, and so on.

[trapmaster]

Arcane mage, Survival hunter (melee) TURN IT BACK TO RANGED IT WAS GREAT , Feral druid and, demonology, oh yah Havoc and vengeance should fuck off itself very childish spec

[tmamass]

Answering this question requires having the kind of mentality that is alien to me completely.
I wouldn't remove any specs because their existence does not bother me in any way, and I'm sure every single spec has people who enjoy playing it.

Amen and Thread close. Removing content like Blizzard always does is always just BAD.

[kencloudli]

No one class in game isnt supposed to have 2+ dps specs, waste of time to balance them all, waste of work - while 90% players play a DPS spec which deals 5-10% more than other 2, dead specs that underperform - specs with broken mechanic or 30-40% behind from top dps class.


Example: Shaman, its always Elemental or Enhancement , one of them alive other is dead.( they must merge them in one spec and make it GOOD,and bring Earthbinder or whenever shaman tank concept sounds).
OFC if they cant balance them to be equal.

This. Combine any 2 same roles and keep the rest.
- DK: Blood and Frost/Unholy
- Druid: Balance/Feral, Guardian and Resto
- Hunter: BM/Marksmanship and Survival
- Mage: Arcane/Frost and Fire
- Priest: Discipline/Holy and Shadow
- Rogue: Assassination/Subtlety and Outlaw
- Shaman: Elemental/Enhancement and Resto
- Warlock: Affliction and Demo/Destro
- Warrior: Arms/Fury and Prot

[A Chozo]

Assassination Rogues (every rogue should be a professional assassin by default), Marksmanship Hunters (aiming well is part of the job!), Demonology Warlocks (they all are master summoners!) aaaand Discipline Priests (mixing Holy and Dark? That's heresy!)