Season of Mastery Design Intentions, Part 2 of 2

[Quirrel-wyrmrest-accord]

@Kaivax

No Major Class Changes

Classes are the lens through which we view World of Warcraft, and for many players, the way our favorite class plays forms a large part of the memories we have of a particular era in World of Warcraft history. A big part of what makes WoW Classic special is being able to relive and re-master the gameplay that bygone versions of WoW provided, and a large part of the WoW Classic project is bringing that back for players to enjoy. We want players to recognize their classes, both their strengths and their limitations, and we don’t want to create a situation where frequent balance changes are necessitated and leave players wondering what’s happening with their class from week to week.

Bugfixes are always possible, of course, but broadly speaking, the classes you know from Classic will be the classes you experience again this season. So, while we know some players are interested in seeing a version of Classic that has adjustments to core class toolkits, that’s not in our plan for this season.

We’ve also heard the concerns that having increased health for raid bosses might further reduce class diversity. This has especially focused on warriors and rogues being better on long fights, because they don’t run out of mana. We’re not insensitive to this concern, but our intention behind increasing the health of raid bosses is to make up for the better itemization on gear and improved talents provided by the 1.12 version of items and classes. We want to make sure players actually stay in combat long enough to engage with the boss mechanics, and we believe that the changes made to encounters might inspire new strategies for raids.

Based on what we saw in Molten Core and Onyxia beta testing last week, groups that stacked warriors and rogues seemed to struggle more than groups that had a greater diversity of classes. There are a lot of variables there, especially given their gear and the fact that they were experiencing the fights for the first time, but it gave us hope that we’re on the right track here. We’ll keep an eye on things though; we’re open to further adjustments if needed if it turns out we’re mistaken.

Ultimately, it’s not a goal for Season of Mastery to specifically exclude any class or playstyle from any piece of raid content, and we expect that the Season of Mastery raid content can and will be cleared with a very wide variety of raid compositions. This doesn’t mean that we expect every single spec to be fully represented at all levels of play, but we do hope it all feels familiar while moving at a different pace, with new problems to solve in order to overcome the challenges of the game.

This is an incredibly poor decision, because while the development team may not intend to exclude classes, specs, or playstyles from raid content, they certainly don’t appear to be taking into consideration that the community consistently excludes specializations like Balance, Enhancement, and Retribution due to them being subpar compared to other specializations.

Without balance changes to subpar specializations, those specializations will not only be excluded from raid content by most groups and guilds, it will make harassment of people playing those specializations to change specializations a regular occurrence, and will likely push people dedicated to playing those specializations into purchasing gold to be able to play what they want via GDKP runs.

This season would be an ideal time to make balance changes for a peak gameplay experience. Refusing to do so is a missed opportunity.

[Lindir-sargeras]

So at the end of the season you can transfer your character to a Classic era realm. So people just lose their characters’ names?

Also, I notice the wording is ‘character’, not ‘characters’. Makes me think you get one free transfer and have to pay for any more.

[Volfur-bloodsail-buccaneers]

@Kaivax

Based on what we saw in Molten Core and Onyxia beta testing last week, groups that stacked warriors and rogues seemed to struggle more than groups that had a greater diversity of classes.

Yeah because mana classes could chug unlimited Distilled Wisdoms with no CD to have unlimited mana. Shocker when mana users dont have to worry about any mana issues they perform really well.

[Hardrake-the-scryers]

As a Warrior, I’m wondering about how much the drop chances has improved for a Hand of Justice in BRD.? In Classic before, I ran my Warrior over 100 times without getting a HOJ. Kaivax didn’t precisely clarify to what extent there will be increased drop rates for essential items. I wonder what those percentages will be?

[Cðdy-area-52]

Thanks for letting us know there won’t be class balancing. I understand why you wouldn’t. But that doesn’t make me interested. I played vanilla and classic and one of the bigger pain points was the class balancing. Thanks but no thanks

[anon78845968]

I actually think Blizz has the right idea with classes. Leave them alone (for now). Warts and all.

I’m in favor of changes if they fix glaring issues while keeping the overall feel of the game the same. But I don’t want those changes to evolve into a game I no longer recognize. Classic is about nostalgia… Change it too much and you’ll lose that appeal.

I think Blizzard has the right balance currently with SoM, but any more changes and we’re really starting to walk the line…

My 2 cents of course. Everyone’s got an opinion, blah blah blah.

[Megarune-frostwolf]

@Kaivax

No Major Class Changes

Classes are the lens through which we view World of Warcraft, and for many players, the way our favorite class plays forms a large part of the memories we have of a particular era in World of Warcraft history. A big part of what makes WoW Classic special is being able to relive and re-master the gameplay that bygone versions of WoW provided, and a large part of the WoW Classic project is bringing that back for players to enjoy. We want players to recognize their classes, both their strengths and their limitations, and we don’t want to create a situation where frequent balance changes are necessitated and leave players wondering what’s happening with their class from week to week.

Bugfixes are always possible, of course, but broadly speaking, the classes you know from Classic will be the classes you experience again this season. So, while we know some players are interested in seeing a version of Classic that has adjustments to core class toolkits, that’s not in our plan for this season.

We’ve also heard the concerns that having increased health for raid bosses might further reduce class diversity. This has especially focused on warriors and rogues being better on long fights, because they don’t run out of mana. We’re not insensitive to this concern, but our intention behind increasing the health of raid bosses is to make up for the better itemization on gear and improved talents provided by the 1.12 version of items and classes. We want to make sure players actually stay in combat long enough to engage with the boss mechanics, and we believe that the changes made to encounters might inspire new strategies for raids.

Based on what we saw in Molten Core and Onyxia beta testing last week, groups that stacked warriors and rogues seemed to struggle more than groups that had a greater diversity of classes. There are a lot of variables there, especially given their gear and the fact that they were experiencing the fights for the first time, but it gave us hope that we’re on the right track here. We’ll keep an eye on things though; we’re open to further adjustments if needed if it turns out we’re mistaken.

Ultimately, it’s not a goal for Season of Mastery to specifically exclude any class or playstyle from any piece of raid content, and we expect that the Season of Mastery raid content can and will be cleared with a very wide variety of raid compositions. This doesn’t mean that we expect every single spec to be fully represented at all levels of play, but we do hope it all feels familiar while moving at a different pace, with new problems to solve in order to overcome the challenges of the game.

So what you’re saying is You’re completely fine with 11 Specs being playable out of 27? Ok I hope you all have fun with this and I hope you all have fun with this until it dies at aq40.

I’m done som It could have been something amazing instead they did the bear minimum of changes.

I will see you all in wrath and tbc Is where all the specs at the very least are at least playable If not viable and balanced.

[Snuggers-whitemane]

Can Era get some news on how this transfer might affect them? Will these SoM servers be a unique cluster that continue to exist along side era, or is the jank going to continue?

[Daxjin-kromcrush]

OMG truly? You’re gonna leave us alone with your incoherent, poorly spelled, rambling posts that you keep spamming on this and the beta forum on a daily basis? This is so great. Thank you again Kaivax

[Megarune-frostwolf]

If that’s the case then stop responding to my comments Yeah I hope you enjoy your boring Little change classic instead of hoping it be something amazing and I’m gonna watch it and I’m going to laugh as it dies.

Because it’ll be a high train become really popular at 1st And then people are gonna lose interest.

Is after the hype trades gone And it’s gonna be dead by aq And I’m going to smile and say I told you so.

[Daxjin-kromcrush]

Ooof someone is bitter . It’s all good bud . It’s gonna be ok. You can go play something else . We don’t need your predictions. I love people announcing their playing intentions or predictions lol. As if we care .

[Sneakysloth-mankrik]

@Kaivax

Bugfixes are always possible, of course, but broadly speaking, the classes you know from Classic will be the classes you experience again this season

Blockquote
Thank you for answers my question about class balances. That was very disappointing but maybe it will be different at least. I just hope all the bugs wont be the same as it was in classic wow.

[Mixologist-mankrik]

They’ve given design intentions previously before anything happened. Now, they’re giving updated design intentions based off the changes they made, explaining it. Based on their responses…it hasn’t been a one way conversation as we in the beta have been voices concerns and asking these questions and they’ve now answered it. It’s one way in the terms of them listening, they responded, and people may not have gotten what they wanted (for this season), but…it wasn’t solely one way. I don’t recall seeing you at all…on the beta forums.

[Skullsmash-emerald-dream]

so you can transfer your SoM character to an era realm but you cant transfer from a pve realm to pvp realm on era becuase that wouldnt be right,but its ok to do it with the 40% increased speed leveling from SoM.Might as Well just level up on SoM then get kicked over to classic at the end of it.

[Niteshade-myzrael]

@Kaivax

No Major Class Changes

Classes are the lens through which we view World of Warcraft, and for many players, the way our favorite class plays forms a large part of the memories we have of a particular era in World of Warcraft history. A big part of what makes WoW Classic special is being able to relive and re-master the gameplay that bygone versions of WoW provided, and a large part of the WoW Classic project is bringing that back for players to enjoy. We want players to recognize their classes, both their strengths and their limitations, and we don’t want to create a situation where frequent balance changes are necessitated and leave players wondering what’s happening with their class from week to week.

Bugfixes are always possible, of course, but broadly speaking, the classes you know from Classic will be the classes you experience again this season. So, while we know some players are interested in seeing a version of Classic that has adjustments to core class toolkits, that’s not in our plan for this season.

There’s always next season I suppose.

The reality is that this game is exactly the same game I played every time I walked into a raid zone and wiped on an early boss. Without anything truly different, I personally don’t see the point.

I hope everyone else has a good time, but I honestly can’t imagine this being super popular.

[Sneakysloth-mankrik]

@Kaivax

Ultimately, it’s not a goal for Season of Mastery to specifically exclude any class or playstyle from any piece of raid content, and we expect that the Season of Mastery raid content can and will be cleared with a very wide variety of raid compositions.

What about DPS checks. To be honest once they find the better raid comp the players will just follow that design. Depending on if it is the same old meta or a new one but its not going to be variety. There will only be Warrior tanks then heavy on rogue/war dps with light mage/locks or again warrior tank heavy on mage/locks with light rogue/war dps and throw in a hunter or 2 just cause of the trank. Now also we may see even more locks/hunters that would be new but locks really struggle with the threat. And Paladins are going to be so stronge in SoM and its only cause of heals with infi mana and there blessing. Might have 1 ret to keep up seal of wisdom.

[Lindir-sargeras]

It says you can transfer to an existing Classic Era server.

But I’m curious what happens to character names. Kind of sucks to lose your character’s name because some character that hadn’t been logged into in years in Classic had that name. In fact, that character might not even exist because the player transferred to TBC, but all the names got preserved on both.

[Oldspice-nagrand]

Oh come on man just give pallies spiritual attunement and a libram that makes judgement taunt.

Other than that, reputation changes are really nice.

[Squeekie-bloodsail-buccaneers]

Thanks for the info!
Now, what I want to know is, what realm types are we getting, how many servers to start please.

[Fenixtx-barthilas]

@Kaivax

In WoW Classic, the #1 ranked player would have an “expected honor” of 65,000 honor, requiring 12 weeks to reach the 60,000 Honor needed to reach Rank 14 (assuming they remained at Rank #1 for all 12 weeks). In Season of Mastery, it’s possible for a player to progress through those ranks in 6 consecutive weeks. As in WoW Classic and original World of Warcraft, reaching Rank 14 will be a very difficult and competitive path to take. It requires overcoming members of your own faction to be the player contributing the most Honor each week. The difficulty of achieving Grand Marshall or High Warlord is highly variable based on the participation of other players, so there’s no guarantee that any given player can achieve any given rank.

We’re just speeding it up to match the rest of the content unlock

You really need to gate rank 12+ gear to AQ40 opening otherwise you may as well just have aq40 gear open on release(or after 6 weeks) for pve players to get equivalent gear.