"Mages are masters of the elements" - Brian Holinka

[Aggrophobic]

There has been absolutely no word or leaks or data mining on what class changes beyond the already-announced de-pruning will be yet. Where are you getting this “everything is completely unchanged” drivel from? That’s literally impossible; we’re getting a level squish!

Yes there have. You have a few interviews from Blizzcon. Look them up, they are right here on MMO-C.
They only actually mentioned sub rogues as a class that they might redesign.

[StyxzTheSage]

do you remember the good ol' days when all rogue specs played 99% the same. Swapping from sin to sub felt more like changing a single talent than a spec. If you really want these days back - wow.

This is my biggest worry with this class v. spec garbage.

It's a false dichotomy in the first place, but having lived through the evolution up to this point, I think the current class design direction is far superior.

Pruning went too far for sure, but the specs being distinct is not an issue. How individual specs play won't suddenly improve because you can cast off spec spells.

[Pheraz]

Yeah but what's the point of having a frostbolt if you never use it because your rotation is all fire? I mean, yay, extra button but what's the point?

Exactly. Completely useless change. No idea what this should change about "fun"

[Beefhammer]

Yeah but what's the point of having a frostbolt if you never use it because your rotation is all fire? I mean, yay, extra button but what's the point?

Too slow down mobs/players at range to deal damage before they get close. That's what I used it for back in the day when leveling a mage.

[Beefhammer]

So you can kill mob with two fire spells but instead you will slow it down and the kill it with two fire spells?

Tells you how long ago I played a mage.

[oldgeezer]

If Blizzard thinks Mages are the masters of elements I can't wait to see their Shaman changes.

Shaman get searing totem back. How exciting/half-assed is that?

[Puri]

Having several spell schools for sure is nice addition to the game. If you get spell locked from quaking or in pvp or whatever you currently just sit there having nothing to press. Playing moonkin shows how great it is to have several spell schools available.
But yes, those class abilities are 99% bloat. This isn't vanilla anymore where you have element immune mobs or the ability to invest in several spec trees (even in classic with rather dubious usefullness). If your encounter strongly prefers one spec over the other (because there have to be some mobs to be kited or need some constant dot on them or whatever) you can switch your spec right there.
So no, I don't really wet my pants over the change.

[Shakana]

That's not how magic works, fire and ice are elements. Shamans are able to channel powers of elemental spirits through their bodies. PC mage are using arcane magic to conjure fire and ice. Mages are not masters of elements, they are masters of arcane magic only, Holinka worded it quite strangely, but blizzard in general don't communicate this part about arcane clearly enough.

Personally i think that "arcane" arcane spec made a lot of confusion and shouldn't be in the game

Exactly what i have said for so long. Arcane shouldn't even exist as a single separated spec. It's source for frost and fire. For a mage on retail with this so specific schools without any other spells or even the source of arcane to exist, it's the worse class representation we have. Warlocks are not that bad, but mages are.

Mages could even be getting something like a ice or fire bar. I think if anything, mages are the ones that are different when we talk about specs. And once i even made a thread about it. Mages are truly the "black sheep" of specializations and suffer a lot on their specs with that.
Fire is nice, frost is nice, but arcane IS their source. Arcane magic is the source - use magic, then you manipulate that magic: You manipulate it with fire: Speed up arcane. Or you manipulate with frost: Slow down arcane.

Arcane itself just arcane is basic when you have those 2.

They also say mages are masters of elements, they should be masters of magic. Not elements. Also they say elements, because mages on the contrary of shamans, they don't need to draw their magic from elementals as shamans do, or totems. They actually manipulate all that with a single source of magic that is arcane.

Arcane is like electricity, electricity can give the heat of a toaster, or the cold of a fridge, or even to give you air from a air conditioner. Without frost and fire, it's like we are using electricity against enemies, pure electricity. Arcane magic itself it's dangerous.

Arcane is extremely volatile and warps time and space.


This is how it goes: Mages channel arcane energies, and manipulates that energy. I mean, it's not hard to understand.

A mage in the game that starts nowadays thinks they are different and frost just comes out of nowhere.

Then the abilities even just appear on their bars out of nowhere too.

Oh look, you leveled up: get a frost spell.

Oh look, you leveled up: gain another frost spell.

And it's like, class fantasy can't really exist like this at all. That has been my opinion for so long. I'm glad they are thinking about it, but i'm afraid they do it in a poor way. But let's see.

[Trumpcat]

a fire spell in frost spec just breaks the immersion and aesthetic of the spec.

I want 36 classes, not 12 classes. Give me diversity and unique spec aesthetics, don't want a boring specless blob that we had in MoP with tons of dead buttons

But, but, Classic and everything old is good! Instead of modernizing and overhauling the dull class design let's go back to 15 years old outdated design principles, after all the community doesn't stop crying about it!

I hope we get a wand talent too.

[Nefarious Tea]

Having several spell schools for sure is nice addition to the game. If you get spell locked from quaking or in pvp or whatever you currently just sit there having nothing to press. Playing moonkin shows how great it is to have several spell schools available.
But yes, those class abilities are 99% bloat. This isn't vanilla anymore where you have element immune mobs or the ability to invest in several spec trees (even in classic with rather dubious usefullness). If your encounter strongly prefers one spec over the other (because there have to be some mobs to be kited or need some constant dot on them or whatever) you can switch your spec right there.
So no, I don't really wet my pants over the change.

If you get interrupted by quaking or in pvp, that’s a you problem and having different spells won’t solve that.

[Puri]

If you get interrupted by quaking or in pvp, that’s a you problem and having different spells won’t solve that.

It doesn't "solve" getting interrupted, it mitigates its consequences.

[Fistfighter]

But, but, Classic and everything old is good! Instead of modernizing and overhauling the dull class design let's go back to 15 years old outdated design principles, after all the community doesn't stop crying about it!

I hope we get a wand talent too.

haha yeah
here's a shit useless spell you had in vanilla, rejoice! nostalgia!!

[dcc626]

haha yeah
here's a shit useless spell you had in vanilla, rejoice! nostalgia!!

i mean, classic being as popular as it is is pretty good proof that people want nostalgia.

[Fistfighter]

i mean, classic being as popular as it is is pretty good proof that people want nostalgia.

they can have their nostalgia in classic, I want a modern game

[Vnni]

The responses in this thread is really narrowminded. Either its 110% useless or they see the point of why people want this. I dont understand why so many of you are negative to this? Personally I am thrilled about this, I hope several abilities comes back sprinkeled between new abilities aswell!

[Specialka]

To me, only a few ability would be useful outside their current spec.

Slow, as it is clearly the best utility you can have.
Maybe frost bolt, but if you have slow, you do not need it.

And that's it, any other?

[Cracka_Bob]

I kinda want Frostfire Bolt back... then I'll be happy

[bloodmoth13]

Shamans are masters of the elements, mages are specialists. Shamans give me the elementalist fantasy, mages offered specialist fantasy.
I dont want this, id rather they doubled down on them being specialists

[shade3891]

Just remove specs, give access to everything.

[bloodmoth13]

haha yeah
here's a shit useless spell you had in vanilla, rejoice! nostalgia!!

I wonder if warriors will get sunder armor too?

- - - Updated - - -

If Blizzard thinks Mages are the masters of elements I can't wait to see their Shaman changes.

'we have decided to align certain shaman specs with specific elements as the ability to access multiple elements at once has always been mage territory, now all storm elemental abilities belong to enhance, fire to elemental and water to resto. Earth themed abilities have been removed. '