Personally I’m praying for a Necromancer type class based on Necrolords/Maldraxxus, unique visuals and aesthetics, soul based spells and magic with a touch of shadow, frost and Shadowfrost spell schools.
But in no way I’m against other classes, Dark Rangers I’m excited for, while Tinkers and Bards I’d personally not play but I’m sure others would love so I’m happy for that aswell.
In a perfect world we could even get a release of multiple classes next expansion, would definitely keep people entertained, with a few new classes to play with.
Theirs so much Blizzard can do in terms of classes, it’s only limited to imagination really.
Another great idea which has been mentioned before is a more Holy/Light based caster dps class, could also wear Mail armour, while Paladins are melee focused, Priests healer focused, this new class we can name “Inquisitor” could be a Ranged Caster Mail wearer class Holy and Fire Damage focused.
Arc could be since the scourge has been running rampant since the destruction of the Helm of Domination, Priests then decided to equip up and be more offensive to help push them back, could be similar to DHs in terms of two specs, one dps and one healing.
They already do that. Goblin and Gnome hunters get mechanical pets, Goblin shaman have robotic totems, but that’s just cosmetic, and every race can get mechanical Hunter pets, so it isn’t unique either.
Blizzard has established that Goblins and Gnomes fight inside robots. The Goblin Tinker hero from WC3 could do it as well. This is an aspect of Goblin and Gnome culture that players can’t participate in, and it causes a lack of immersion with those races that other races simply don’t experience.
On a more macro level, an engineer-style class is pretty much standard in MMOs, and WoW lacks one. That’s potential players not playing WoW because their favorite class isn’t available.
While I think it’s a popular concept for a new class I just don’t think it will be that popular. Engineering, Outlaw Rogue, Mechagnomes just aren’t that popular. So I don’t think a Thinker class will be all that attractive of a class with players.
Also I don’t see Tinkers being a Hero class like Deathknights and Demon Hunters. Monks worked because of their mythic abilities and they had a whole expansion created around them. I just don’t see creating a whole expansion around Tinkers that are technology based and don’t have any cosmic connection to the world.
Shadowlands broke the “trend” of getting a class every other expansion. IMHO Shadowlands while rather , not having a class left a sort of hole. It felt it would’ve been damn near perfect for a new class.
My bet is still on Tinker, largely. But also entirely depends what the Expansion is centered around as well.
Legion with the return of Illidan, we got Demon Hunters
WotLK, gave us Death Knights
And Pandaria, gave us Monks.
Theme is pretty on point with Blizzard and introducing new classes. Shadowlands theme, could’ve easily introduced a necromancer of sorts. But it didn’t.
There was that april fools joke for an Undermine Expansion.
I get it was a joke, but damn if that didn’t genuinely look more interesting to me than Shadowlands.
I also think an expansion that’s theme is “Going Underground” could be pretty good. But that’s subjective.
Engineering is a mostly useless profession. Outlaw Rogue’s theme is Pirates and swashbuckling, not really “Guns and Technology”
And I’m not going to justify mechagnomes. They are literally blizzard’s dumpster scraps given to the Alliance as a race.
But a Tinker Class that can do Ranged DPS, Tank, and Heal would have much more wide spread appeal.
It would be finally be a new Ranged DPS, That alone has appeal.
I don’t want to be directly dismissive of your point, I get that these things have been unpopular. But the examples you gave are a functionally useless profession and one of the most hated races on Azeroth. I don’t really think it’s the “Technology” theme that makes them unpopular.
If not a soft reboot and cata like redo of Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms… what left is there for Azeroth? She’s feeling very dry in terms of potential IMHO.
Deepholm is about your only possible point in terms of “underground”. But even then that’s inside the Maelstrom, so… does that even count?
While this directly, conflicts with what I just said above…
Tinker might be the exception, tbh.
Mechagon is already used, and unless there’s an entire different side of the planet. Which I want to say that was debunked at some point. I’m not seeing much else to open the door for a Tinker Class.
They don’t need much building, they’ve been around since the game started. They just need a form of introduction. Honestly, I’d say the same way they introduced Allied Races would do just fine.
“We need more help to defeat or fight against XYZ. So we’ve recruited some Tinkers from Gnomeregan / Steamwheedle Cartel to help us.”
The Undermine is a massive swirling nexus of underground tunnels and chasms that all connect to one of the biggest cites on Azeroth.
We were originally supposed to go their in Vanilla, but it was cut. Then again in BFA, but it was cut again.
Gazlowe could give us incentive to go there. He’s an old goblin. He’s from there after all.
Alternitivaley it could be Gallywix, Going after the very last scraps of Azerite in the planet.
I agree with some of your points. But in a fantasy game, I would rather have a new class that doesn’t feels like I’m playing some technically based character that wields gizmos like James Bond or Robo Cop.
Our real lives are now filled with technology. So it might just be me. I just don’t see Tinkers having a mass player appeal like other classes that wield the powers of the cosmos to defeat their foes.
Every fantasy universe has Casters. Demons, Dragons, and Knights
Only WoW can get Tinkers and Casters and Knights working together.
Tinkers are something that Would make wow seem unique. There are hundreds of RPGS, and so few of them really have a fantasy that comes close to Tinkers. And Damn near none of them have Mech Suits.
I would agree with you. My point is that I just don’t see Tinkers having the mass player appeal that Deathknights, Monks, and Demon Hunters have had. I’m sure that are players that would enjoy Tinkers. To me a new class should have mass player appeal and feel like a hero class. I just don’t see Tinkers as being that. I’m not sure I see Necromancer or Dark Rangers being that either. But if I had to choose I would pick having one of them over Tinker. But hey you might be right and Blizzard could pull off a Tinkers Hero.
It is highly doubtful that a new physical ranged class that also allows you to pilot a mech, and offers a new healing spec would be unpopular. Quite the opposite in fact if Blizzard decides to go all in on the mech side of the concept, which is a strong possibility.
Seriously.
We’ve not gotten a new ranged class. In the History of WoW we’ve lost 1 ranged spec (Survival).
I don’t really want a new class.
Not only would it further complicate balance and take away from existing classes, I don’t think there’s really a good fit.
Necromancers (we have these people, please stop asking)
Tinkers (The most fitting but how would Tinker tie into the new expansion in any meaningful way? a huge technology jump back on Azeroth?)
Dark Ra- yawn.
, not having a class left a sort of hole. It felt it would’ve been damn near perfect for a new class.