What if Blizzard implemented TBC style tier tokens for each class spec, and the set bonuses could balance the classes instead? Instead of Molten Core and Blackwing Lair bosses dropping the gear piece itself, they would adopt the later AQ40/Naxx40 model of dropping a token for it instead. And the vendors for this gear could have new items with different bonuses for collecting the entire set.
For example, the 3pc Judgment set could give protection paladins another 40% threat bonus to Righteous Fury while active. They could also get a 5pc bonus that gives them back additional mana for using Judgement on a Seal of Wisdom (perhaps keeping with the set’s theme).
These sets could also be itemized better for the class in question (i.e. druid tier 1 won’t be solely itemized for healing, but could be itemized for feral or balance dps). Blizzard has shown in the boost gear that they have the capacity to create new sets if they desire.
Blizzard would not have to design new spells or talents to make class balance changes. It seems like an easier solution just to redesign tier gear (and one right up Blizz’s current low-budget alley.)
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stopped reading there 
i hate tokens, they make no sense
bosses don’t drop tokens ok. they drop gear
simple as
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ZG, AQ20, AQ40 and Naxx don’t drop tokens?
Huh.
it’s different cuz there the tokens only get you 1 piece of gear
you don’t get to choose 1 of 3 like you’re trying on clothes at the mall
the gear the boss drops is what it is. it can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people
i mean, thats like, your opinion man.
If people want class balance than this is a far better solution and changes Vanilla far less than say, introducing TBC talents or whatever nonsense. It probably won’t eliminate the gap between the bad and good but bring it much closer as SoM had ought to accomplish.
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adding new gear to the game might work but not in the form of TBC tokens
the very idea of adding TBC anything to vanilla is making me 
So what do you think would be better? What if Rag dropped for example, alternative druid tier 1 paints with agility and strength on them and a set bonus that allowed druids 50% melee haste for 30 seconds?
no, no alternative sets. that would destroy what makes the current ones special.
these hypothetical new items can only be standalone epics.
Nobody remembers the Judgment armor by the 10 yard aura radius bonus, most people remember it by the awesome look. I don’t see why this would be a problem, especially if it means more people would be chasing the awesome tier.
listen buddy, you shouldn’t even be adding items at all.
don’t you get it, the game is a masterpiece. we can’t just pick up a paintbrush and try to fix the “problems” we see with the Mona Lisa
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An alternate way of gearing up could include the previous tier sets themselves as base reagents, allowing them to be upgraded by completing specific tasks in a raid’s encounters + whatever materials/tokens/etc. The major benefit to this is that it doesn’t make the old raid drops obsolete, they still are a necessary part of growing your toon’s power.
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Man I love vanilla too and I’d be fine with playing it again as it was released in 2019. But clearly there is not enough people who think the same way we do and want massive changes, pvp changes, balance changes etc. or else they won’t play. I’m just trying to figure out changes that people want without compromising what makes Vanilla special. Wouldn’t you want to see a raid that’s not 15 fury warriors and classes only brought to support those warrior’s damage?
Bro you’re literally crying in the other thread for resilience gear because you want to be able to beat naxx geared players in blues. You are one of those people.
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I don’t mind tier tokens, but the trouble with this approach is that it’s only going to be a potential fix if people are wearing the gear. If there’s a compelling reason to move on from that gear, the fix either gets thrown away with it or has to be moved forward always.
I’m of the strong opinion that we don’t need class balance in Era, but it would be nice to see in an Era Classic+. I don’t really even mind if the overall class balance hierarchy doesn’t change, I’d just like to see the overall gap between the top and bottom diminished.
I looked into this a while back, but the bottom was a ret pally doing 40% of the dps a warrior could do in Naxx, I think? I’d like to see this tightened up to maybe a ret pally doing a minimum of 60% of the dps a warrior can do as a start. This has to be achieved through very tactical tweaks though… the overall playstyle should not change. Add a bit more damage here and there, or add some way for mana to be more efficient and/or restored through play.
I don’t think we need to change mechanics here, just make it more compelling to play these classes. There’s always going to be a best option and that might as well be a warrior, but you shouldn’t be a meme if you don’t wanna play that.
Boy I hope seasonal comes soon for them!
What if we just keep era the way it is with no changes. But, have seasonal servers, like SoM, to where blizz can go wild and crazy with the changes. That way we get to have our Michelangelo’s David of classic and get to play around with the “what if” factor.
The only real issue would be how to preserve the seasonal characters. If its up in the air like SoM1 then I don’t see the seasonal servers being successful.
For the ~20 years that we’ve had WoW, can you point to the patch or patches with the best class balance, in your opinion?
So, Cata Classic will have the best class balance that we’ve ever had in WoW?