What is the future of Hero Talents?

[Schizoide]

Hopefully not, as that would just reintroduce bloat. But it certainly isn't unlike the WoW dev team to repeat past mistakes.

[prem23]

It's interesting to think about where Hero Talents could be headed. I think balancing and refining them is key, as they add a lot of depth to gameplay but can sometimes feel uneven across different classes or specs. It would be great to see more variety in talent trees or the introduction of new, more dynamic talents that adapt to different playstyles. Hopefully, future updates will focus on making them feel more impactful and accessible for all players.

[jbombard]

Most likely replaced by new hero talents in the next expansion. That or somehow baselined into current trees. The reality is they want and will always want the current expansion to feel new and for new expansion abilities to feel powerfull and meaningfull. You can only have so many powerfull and meaningfull abilities before they stop feeling powerfull and meaningfull. This is why every expansion your shiny new is some new form of borrowed power.

[huth]

Most likely replaced by new hero talents in the next expansion. That or somehow baselined into current trees. The reality is they want and will always want the current expansion to feel new and for new expansion abilities to feel powerfull and meaningfull. You can only have so many powerfull and meaningfull abilities before they stop feeling powerfull and meaningfull. This is why every expansion your shiny new is some new form of borrowed power.

Somebody hasn't been paying attention.

[jbombard]

Somebody hasn't been paying attention.

You could be right, we could get 10 more, then 10 more after that and 10 more after that.
Honestly though it feels a bit too much. You kind of have to one up the previous xpac if those abilities are still around.
Especially because outside of 1 or 2 choices they are just static additions to the class that could just as easily be new passive abilities.
The oooh I clicked a shiny button is a nice feeling I guess, but it isn't like you are making many real choices.
At some point it will become too much and a level squish will come along and we will be on to the next big progression toggle thingy.

[Eurhetemec]

At some point it will become too much and a level squish will come along and we will be on to the next big progression toggle thingy.

Well yes. That'll be after The Last Titan. There'll be a stat squish before that - I think that's been confirmed in fact.

After TLT I think we all fully expect Hero Talents to go away as a separate concept, because there will probably be a massive redesign of the game in general.

[huth]

Well yes. That'll be after The Last Titan. There'll be a stat squish before that - I think that's been confirmed in fact.

After TLT I think we all fully expect Hero Talents to go away as a separate concept, because there will probably be a massive redesign of the game in general.

That'd about fit the average time between talent system reworks in any case.

[Flurryfang]

They have said, that they are dedicating themselves more to evergreen content, specifically when they talked about the class design and the way talents work.

So i would not be surprised if the future of hero talents is, that they stay for next expansion and will proberly be expanded upon, just like the artfiact was expanded upon later in Legion, i could easily see them add new tiers or a new "star" in the corner for more points in the future, just like i can imagine, that they would add more points for the normal class tree aswell.

[Eurhetemec]

That'd about fit the average time between talent system reworks in any case.

Indeed. I think the "trilogy" of expansions is sort of an acknowledgement of certain meta-cycles in WoW's design.

[TheramoreIsTheBomb]

I think going forward into 90 they should make the new talents cosmetic options so balancing no longer becomes an issue.

[HansOlo]

I don't know if any Dev has answered this question yet.
Personally (if Blizzard listens to player feedback) I believe that hero talents can become "huge" like other talent trees. The current problem is the simple lack of talent and creativity for the team responsible. Players really want to dive deep into the Class Fantasy proposed for their spec. However, the development team doesn't seem to understand this and to this day (after tons of complaints) many hero talents are poor in theme, visual effects and this look more like a crappy version of the Shadowlands conduit system.

Recently a "light at the end of the tunnel" came on and after (more or less) 2,000 comments on the official forum... the Dark Ranger was put on the right path. Even the Sylvanas animation in the BFA cinematic was given to the Hunters Dark Rangers.
However, the "Pack Leader" continues to be terrible. The impression that anything has changed or improved when playing this hero talent is still zero.
And this situation is the same in several classes. At the moment (if I'm not mistaken) only Sunfury Mage, Mountain Thane Warrior, Voidweaver Priest, Rider of the Apocalypse DK and (Thanks God) Dark Rangers Hunters... have received significant animations and spells to make them feel like they've been upgraded. The rest are still waiting for a miracle...!

I hope everything gets sorted out in this gigantic BETA called The War Within!... I really intend to see about 10 more talents in "Midnight" and 10 more in "the last titan"...! Does Blizzard agree with me or are we facing the first and also the last hero-talents?

Only for ilustration:

Good question.

It could be very simple and elegant.

One extra tier per expansion. While stuff get reworked occasionally. This will keep it simple and linear.

Hero talents are built with sustainablity, unlike Legion and BFA power systems. Hero talents cant compete with regular talents either. That would defeat the purpose.

To OP: No, I dont see Hero Talents look anything close to the screenshot.

[Eupitor]

Think the execution in itself is faulty as it follows the rigid formula of 2 specs combined having to result in 1 new hero class.
This blind stupor only creates unnecessary new specs nobody asked for and in the other case shoehorns players into unfitting class fantasies because the selection is so limited (e.g. Dwarven Marksmanship hunters having to cosplay as Dark Rangers or Night Elf Sentinels).
IMO they could have just gone the more "evergreen" cosmetic route of class skins and avoid the whole Sisyphean task of Hotfix Balancing but i guess they had to traditionally revolutionize gameplay mechanics like every other new expansion.
At least most Hero Talents seem easily removable/recyclable for the next iteration as they revolve around 1 single new ability

[huth]

Think the execution in itself is faulty as it follows the rigid formula of 2 specs combined having to result in 1 new hero class.
This blind stupor only creates unnecessary new specs nobody asked for and in the other case shoehorns players into unfitting class fantasies because the selection is so limited (e.g. Dwarven Marksmanship hunters having to cosplay as Dark Rangers or Night Elf Sentinels).
IMO they could have just gone the more "evergreen" cosmetic route of class skins and avoid the whole Sisyphean task of Hotfix Balancing but i guess they had to traditionally revolutionize gameplay mechanics like every other new expansion.
At least most Hero Talents seem easily removable/recyclable for the next iteration as they revolve around 1 single new ability

No, you just misunderstood the purpose. Hero talents are not for cosmetics, that's a distant secondary function at best. Providing player power is part of their primary purpose, so your suggestion makes no sense.

[Eupitor]

No, you just misunderstood the purpose. Hero talents are not for cosmetics, that's a distant secondary function at best. Providing player power is part of their primary purpose, so your suggestion makes no sense.

Of course i understand the gameplay is as always the primary reason for anything. What i was trying to say is they could have just left out the cosmetic part entirely atleast they hadn't have to tap into these existing hero class themes and just buff up the existing trees/specs with new abilities and mechanics. 2 specs skilling into 1 new sub-sub class is just a weird mechanic IMO

[Arkthugal]

Better question, what is the future of talent trees?

They've obviously not future-proofed them. They had to make Hero Talents for this expansion to avoid having to add five more points to the class and spec trees. What are they gonna do in Midnight, Superhero talents?