So Shadowlands is essentially a reset. We’re going back to 60, getting some old spells back, going back to a better gearing system, etc. So why not revamp classes and specs that need large overhauls? If they are focusing on classes, there are certainly classes that need to be revamped, as well as spec’s. Some feel extremely dull, some sluggish, some too simple. We’re in 2019, going in 2020, surely they have the resources and means to give classes more depth and complexity. I mean some classes are literally pushing the same 2 or 3 buttons over and over. It’s boring. So if Blizzard did go and reset classes, would you be glad or would you be angry? Personally, if they updated classes and made them more in depth and complex I’d be happy.
I would be happy if specs were gone entirely. I want to play a class and have a choice in which spells I want to play with, not some predetermined list of spells. If I wanna cast Immolate and roll with a Felguard I should be able to.
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It takes a lot, lot, lot of time. More than you know. And they have put a lot on their plate for this upcoming expansion that they are using it just like you said, a reset… but more so even as a foundation moving forward.
It doesn’t matter if it’s 2019, or 2029.
The game balances old and new, is restricted by a lot of things, and takes a lot of time to create class revamps.
So I don’t care how many buttons I’m pressing, I care how the class plays, and flows, which I don’t like… do I agree with their reasoning. Probably not but they are burned bad by past mistakes and are treading carefully.
This isn’t a reinvention expansion, just something that builds as a foundation which doesn’t appeal to me but I get it.
Well said. But im welcoming it. A new era of WoW and it begins here. I think that they’re going to begin adding more customization and neat appearances raf backpack style as potential micros which I’m not opposed to either IF you have an in game method to obtain them. Be it Tokens or otherwise. I look at other mmos and WoW just is lacking in a lot of departments but i think this change will get them back on par with other titles.
You do understand this is more a meme than reality right?
As to your suggestion they probably are balancing classes as they do all the time. Arcane is still kinda meh at 120 but the recent buffs to it make levelling using it quite fun right now.
I just hope they do something for Rogues, their current design is horrible
I believe this is a tinfoil hat theory to get the Classic playerbase to switch over to retail. There’s much more $$ to be had in retail if a player makes the switch.
It’s not. Fire mage rotation? Fireball forever, fire blast if one crits, pyroblast when procced. Boom. Done. That’s it. If you have more than that it’s from optional talents.
Frost mage? Frostbolt forever, flurry when its procced, ice lance when its procced, glacial spike at some point, but glacial spike is a talent so you can ignore that if you want.
Enh shaman? Stormstrike, Lava Lash, Rockbiter.
Ele shaman? Flame Shock, lightning bolt, lava burst, earth shock to dump resource.
BM hunter? Barbed shot, Kill Command, Cobra Shot.
And on and on the list goes.
Yes, everyone has cooldowns and utility that may add to their button count. Yes, some specs are most optimal when choosing certain active talents (certainly not all), but in general, the stuff you’re hitting constantly for a single target rotation is 3, maybe 4 buttons. That’s almost universal. Obviously AoE uses some different buttons, but then you’re forgoing many of the single target buttons, so it’s not like that makes it better.
It’s not 2-3, but it’s literally 1 off.
I’m hitting literally 3x the buttons to DPS on my Paladin in FFXIV, not counting utility, cooldowns and so on (so, the same treatment I’m giving my WoW examples). That’s not a universal thing. Dancers are pretty braindead, for example, but just pointing out that I wish we had actual options for specs that weren’t 3-4 buttons.
For one thing, I’d like to see mana mean something again. Back in the day at the end of a fight, if you still had full mana, you were playing your class wrong. With mana as a limited resource, you think about your decisions and they have more of a impact. Builders and spenders also kind of feel boring atm. I know this has been a thing since vanilla, but every spell and ability should mean something, not just something that you spam repeatedly. Some classes need more depth. For example monk. Monks could be so much more than they are now. Monks use weapons too. They’re not just unarmed fighters. Give them something that they can weave in. Same with things like jade lightning. It feels like some spells are there just to be there. Give them meaning. Give them a reason to be weaves in. Crackling jade lightning can be a powerful instant cast with a small cooldown. Things like that. I play all classes and enjoy each in their own way, but a lot of them also feel very dull.
Most likely it is a matter of scope for Shadowlands. While they just did some massive changes with Legion, they realized they went to far. By slowly reverting some of these changes, it will be less drastic as the previous revamps. On top of that they are adding in another talent type system with the Covenants, balancing and thr Alpha / Beta time frames become tight.
However I do agree that changes need to be made. While some classes may need more than a light touch, it is something they can do with the Covenants, I just don’t know how far they can go with it till testing happens.
As a reminder through, Shadowlands is still in Pre-Alpha. Things will change.