If they do add a new class, what will Blizzard do about Legion content?

[DotEleven]

So, I know there's a lot of discussion about people who do and don't want new classes, what potential class it could be and everything, but it does beg the question, what happens when that class gets to Legion. I mean, the first and obvious issue is the fact that all other classes had Artifact Weapons at this time so there's really no weapons to get while leveling during Legion. For those with Heirloom gear that's fine, but what about those without. They just have to go 10 levels without a weapon upgrade? Next is well, obviously Legion was very class story heavy. Each class had their own class hall. I highly doubt Blizzard would want to create an entire storyline/class hall/artifact weapon just to add a new class, but then how do they fit in there?

Now, obviously all of this they could kinda just glaze over by making any new classes higher level than Legion (meaning they'd have to start/leave their hero starting zone at least level 110) but I always kinda preferred classes starting at 1 and leveling all the way up instead of starting 90% of the way to max. Also being able to actually have the class instead of like with DK and DH where you could only make one after hitting a certain level (which I understand why since they started at a higher level)

[Triceron]

So, I know there's a lot of discussion about people who do and don't want new classes, what potential class it could be and everything, but it does beg the question, what happens when that class gets to Legion. I mean, the first and obvious issue is the fact that all other classes had Artifact Weapons at this time so there's really no weapons to get while leveling during Legion. For those with Heirloom gear that's fine, but what about those without. They just have to go 10 levels without a weapon upgrade? Next is well, obviously Legion was very class story heavy. Each class had their own class hall. I highly doubt Blizzard would want to create an entire storyline/class hall/artifact weapon just to add a new class, but then how do they fit in there?

Now, obviously all of this they could kinda just glaze over by making any new classes higher level than Legion (meaning they'd have to start/leave their hero starting zone at least level 110) but I always kinda preferred classes starting at 1 and leveling all the way up instead of starting 90% of the way to max. Also being able to actually have the class instead of like with DK and DH where you could only make one after hitting a certain level (which I understand why since they started at a higher level)

You can level a new character right now and go through Legion.

I can tell you from experience, it sucks. But leveling happens so fast in WoW that it doesn't even matter. I maxed out Legion leveling in only a few days of play and honestly I only had to quest in a couple zones while the brunt of my EXP came from dungeons.

Even without heirlooms it just makes for a dumb experience because you get your artifact but none of the upgrades. They aren't gonna replace it with anything since they've always been fine with letting content become irrelevant.

At times I wish they could make all content parallel and meaningful. Like give reasons to go back into zones and do stuff that has meaningful progression that isn't just 'collect Azerite' or 'collect Artifact power'.

[Nathasil]

Tinkers will start in Mechagon at lvl1xx in their own little scenario, leaving to access the world with lvl118. Just like DHs, which was a decent solution.

Plus, there was heavy talk about some form of "level squish" to be expected in the future anyway.

If i were Blizzard, i would simply allow Tinkers to use the Hunter Order Hall and limit them to the Beast Mastery questchain. Problem solved!

[DotEleven]

You can level a new character right now and go through Legion.

I can tell you from experience, it sucks. But leveling happens so fast in WoW that it doesn't even matter. I maxed out Legion leveling in only a few days of play and honestly I only had to quest in a couple zones while the brunt of my EXP came from dungeons.

Even without heirlooms it just makes for a dumb experience because you get your artifact but none of the upgrades. They aren't gonna replace it with anything since they've always been fine with letting content become irrelevant.

At times I wish they could make all content parallel and meaningful. Like give reasons to go back into zones and do stuff that has meaningful progression that isn't just 'collect Azerite' or 'collect Artifact power'.

I know you can level a new character right now, but every class right now has a story to go through, that opens up their class hall and gets them their weapon. No new class will have this unless Blizz goes back and adds one.

[Unholyground]

Tinkers will start in Mechagon at lvl1xx in their own little scenario, leaving to access the world with lvl118. Just like DHs, which was a decent solution.

Plus, there was heavy talk about some form of "level squish" to be expected in the future anyway.

If i were Blizzard, i would simply allow Tinkers to use the Hunter Order Hall and limit them to the Beast Mastery questchain. Problem solved!

Mechagon will be used for the Mechagnomes when they are introduced as playable for the Alliance just like Suramar is used for the Nightborne, only a tiny portion of it will ever be used outside of the dungeon experience and you will never go back often.

[Azerate]

Interesting question, but I believe the incoming level squish / world remake is the answer to it.

Level squish is basically confirmed at this point, as for the remake of the whole world it's only speculatory, but it's likely there will at least be some more options for leveling, so Legion might just become optional, just like TBC/Wrath are options at the moment. It's possible they will just allow you to level anywhere you wish to 120, and then 120-new cap in the new content.

Other than that...obviously making a new class hall with questlines for old expac is out of the question. They could either just "Add" that new class to another class hall, or just give them some generic weapon in place of other classes' artifacts.

Or they might simply not add a new class ever again, which is not that unlikely.

[shade3891]

Hero class start at 110 in BFA

[Triceron]

I know you can level a new character right now, but every class right now has a story to go through, that opens up their class hall and gets them their weapon. No new class will have this unless Blizz goes back and adds one.

They could skip that entirely and just give you the weapon straight up with no story.

I mean despite having a story to unlock that gives me my weapon, it could have all been 'talk to this NPC'.

They could also implement it in the class' starting area via special quest. Like how Monks have their temple they can always travel back to or Death Knights going back to Acherus. The new class just zones back, does some special quest there and gets their version of an Artifact weapon out of one simple quest. I mean they literally do this for the Death Knight and Demon Hunter starting zones where they give you everything you need out of the first 10 levels of gameplay; then anything later like Runeforging they ease it back to you through making you go back to the zone.

Since all Artifacts are depowered in Legion, they're nothing but special-looking weapon transmogs that you keep for the duration of 10 levels.

I honestly don't remember how much the artifacts were used in the leveling up story. I don't think they were tied to getting any of the major artifacts like the Tidestone or Hammer of Khaz etc. And since there's no artifact power to use at all, the artifact itself is fairly pointless.

[thilicen]

You've already seen the solution to this "problem" twice with the DKs and the DHs..

[Wyrt]

This isn't a problem at all. You can level through Legion content without ever touching your artifact weapon.

[unbound]

You've already seen the solution to this "problem" twice with the DKs and the DHs..

Pretty much this.

Any new class will almost certainly start at level 108 and be 110 when they enter the world with the current expansion (or whatever the start of the level range is for the next expansion).

[Neverafter]

Just make the "Order Hall" Krasus's Landing in Dalaran.

Give each spec of the class a weapon that can absorb the depowered Legion relics (all they do is increase ilvl now anyways)

Have the quest table/area of questing there in Krasus's Landing. Choose where you want to level, talk to Khadgar and go like any other class.

It really shouldn't be complicated to implement at all.

[MrKnubbles]

I guess they'd have to start at a higher level.

[LorDC]

I think the only reasonable solution would be to make some generic placeholder quests given to you by Khadgar instead of order halls and class campaign and add a bunch of generic weapons to quests that normally award relics.
Making them start at level beyond Legion or level-squishing Legion and BfA/Draenor into same level range is not an answer because there is always possible for high level character to go back to old content and there should be at least something for them to do.

[crakerjack]

You do timewalking.

[Gaidax]

I know you can level a new character right now, but every class right now has a story to go through, that opens up their class hall and gets them their weapon. No new class will have this unless Blizz goes back and adds one.

So no new class will have it. Pretty much.

They will either make all new classes start at level higher than Legion content anyway.

-OR-

Make some super generic quest in Legion content shared among all potential new classes in future where you will just get some plain weapon masked as artifact which is OPAF for that content anyway even without traits (like good 100 ilvls more than Artifact weapon would be or some such). Like here is your is your... erm... Sword of Ultimate Doom - destroy your enemies and buff its ilvl from this super insane and generic questline.


IMO, first option will be preferred for them simply because it makes things easy.

[Etoo]

Most likely they would start the new characters at level 110 so that they can just skip Legion content altogether.

[Gaidax]

Heck they could make option 3 akin to Death Knights/DH hybrid - where new class starts at low level, has its zone and eventually does some scenario that sort of does time leap (like in case of DH being caught by Wardens), but in case of this time leap it also results in higher ilvl that Legion.

Sucked from thumb plot: you are seeking to train under guidance of some famous class representative X - you spend 10-15 levels getting there and then whoosh 10 years later you are all buffed up and ready to go to the big world as ilvl 120 big boi.

[Khaza-R]

Probably just add a few NPCs to Dalaran to hand out the essential quests but completely skip the Order Hall and artifact weapons.

[rhorle]

It really is easy. Just have a generic artifact for any new class. If they are creating a new class they can give them their own "hub". They did it for the allied races and Death Knights. Even Demon Hunters got their own starter zone. Creating a new artifact to fit the class is small work compared to creating the new class to begin with.

Remember artifacts are just stat sticks now. The Order hall is only necessary because it was as part of legion. It isn't required to get a stat stick with or without a lore attached to it. Look at how garrisons are barely required to level in Draenor. You just fly around doing bonus quests and treasures once unlocking the intro.