I think it would be more successful to add 4th specs to classes instead of trying to add new ones.
There are a lot of ideas from players who are passionate about their class. Stuff that’s been suggested or thought about for a long time.
As an old player I don’t say, “oh what new class can I play?”
Instead I say, “how’s rogue? What’s different?! Ooooh this is neat!” Because this is my character. This is the person I dumped days of my life into.
Having a new 4th spec I think would bring a lot of passion and attention back to our own characters that we’ve had for a long time.
I don’t think there’s a lot of potential in newer classes anymore. I mean, Demon Hunter had to borrow a few tricks from different classes, and it only had 2 spec options. It just felt like it wasn’t a natural addition, but sort of forced.
Keep in mind that in the only case where a 4th spec was added so far (Druids), no new abilities were added to the class. Instead, existing abilities were just spread between 2 specs.
It was the single biggest nerf to any class in the history of the game. Druids at the time were pretty upset, and were told, “Oh, well, now that Cat and Bear are 2 different specs, Blizzard will flesh them out like the other specs. So Cats will soon have just as many abilities and options as Rogues do!”
How about instead they spend an expansion making all the talents good? Instead of half (or more) being worthless garbage nobody ever, ever takes, like it is now?
Because there’s only so much game design space in the game, and you’re already robbing peter to pay paul. Demon Hunters stole from Warlocks, Monks stole from Druids, etc.
Not really looking to change your mind, but if Blizzard wants to avoid either then they should go back to the talent system as a way to offer major rotation changes. Like Gladiator Stance because I do not want to see another Feral nerf occur.
Current Survival Hunter should have either been a talent option to go melee for BM. No you can’t change my mind.
I think it’d be hard to do that for some classes. Like warrior, rogue, druid, hunter, warlocks, etc pretty much already have every aspect of their class fantasy covered. What kind of 4th fighting style could they believably get that isn’t already redundant from the other specs?
But if Blizz only gives half the classes a fourth spec now there’s an issue of unfairness that the other half get nothing out of the deal. It’s just a lot easier to do a new class instead.
And easier on time and resources too. Since 2-3 specs is less of a hassle than half a dozen or more. A class also brings something truly creatively brand new to the table. Fourth specs are just an iffy thing I think.
It would be neat if the fourth mage spec leaned into conjuring and illusions. Are those 5 elementals I just sent at you real or are they just mirror images? Gonna have to fight them to figure that out!
I think we need the ability to create hybrids between multiple specs again. I mean, it would be a balance mess beyond repair…but that is the 1 thing missing from every class now, for the most part.
Well said, and fair. I personally wouldn’t let the fear of others being upset or jealous stop them from committing to it. Like shaman tank has been a “thing” since classic when it got canned ultimately. There are definitely some easy ones they could go for, like they did with druids and Guardian.
So if I was Blizzard I’d do the ones that were the easiest and made the most sense. Whether that’s for 1 other class or 4 other ones.
But I respect and see where you’re coming from.
