The difference between classic and retail

A lot of you seem confused about how classic can have a boost without simultaneously becoming retail. I think you all forgot the REAL reasons that retail isn’t fun to play. So I’ll go ahead and list them for you. Enjoy, and never forget.

#1
Unique tier sets for each class.
Classic has amazing sets that identify the classes and fit their lore. It’s a fun goal to work towards and you look cool for your efforts. In retail, all armor types share the same raid set look. And the only ones that even look good come from mythic difficulty. It’s a loss of class identity and it effectively locks non-hardcore players out of getting their awesome looking gear. There are also no set bonuses any more which is a huge disappointment.

#2
The talent tree.
In classic we have so many different options in the talent tree and when you make a build it has MEANING. You design your play style and gear around it and perform niche roles often. In retail, you have like 6 talents to pick from and you can change them whenever you want. Yet another loss of class/character identity.

#3
Raid tiers.
In classic, you’ll find people running phase 1 content all the way through phase 6. There are unique and powerful items in every tier that keep people coming back. In retail every new raid completely nullifies the previous one because often the only thing people care about is their ilvl. And the raid finder tool allows you to basically afk your way to raid loot instead of having to actually be part of a real group. And there are no consequences for poor performance or behavior. You can’t stop leeches from getting into your group.

#4
Sharing/phasing
There is no sense of server community in retail. Everyone you see is phasing in/out from other servers and wpvp is impossible when people know how to exploit the phasing system as soon as they are attacked. I don’t need to explain why classic is better on this one.

#5
Systems
Retail is packed with a billion different systems that were often ripped off from other MMOs that are less successful than wow. This is an attempt to lure those other players over by doing the current players a disservice. Not to mention it just clutters what was once a relatively simple and easy to understand combination of lvling, PvP, PvE, farming, and professions. And don’t even get me started on professions.

#6
Millions of buttons
Every class now is loaded with more abilities than a player can even reasonably bind especially if you can macros for certain targets you like to use. I don’t need tons of buttons to press when EVERY THING is tied to the GCD anyway. Trying to give every ability to every class was a huge mistake and also takes away class identity. I’m surprised there isn’t a warrior healing tree yet tbh. In classic your role is clearly defined, and your tool kit isn’t excessive. And there is a hybrid tax (although too steep in some cases) that keeps your pretty much in your lane.

I could easily keep going but these are the main things that bother me about retail. The boost doesn’t do any of these things. Of all the things that made retail a. Steaming heap of garbage, boosting really isn’t even on the list. It changed virtually nothing about the game. If you aread about the boost either quit the game or quit complaining.

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Agree with this, it’s something that retail is sorely missing.

At the beginning of Classic, I agreed with this, but as Classic drew on, I turned away from this logic. Most people don’t switch talents on a whim because it’s too expensive. I’d reckon 90% of players are cookie cutter specs. Every hunter in Naxx is 20/31/0. Every hpal is 35/11/5. There are very, very few instances of players ‘exploring’ talent builds and coming up with wonky comps. The vast majority of the time, players read about their cookie cutter talent build and stick with it.

Every talent on retail has meaning, but not every talent in Classic has meaning.

Totally agree with this point. It’s one of the things I love about Classic. MC is still relevant 18 months after Classic dropped.

Agree to an extent. Some servers are absolutely dead in Classic/retail. The Classic ones are painful to look at. Have you seen the AH on those dead servers?

Not sure you make an argument with this point. Why is having more systems a bad thing? Some work and some don’t.

You’re dead wrong here. Are you talking about Classic or retail? Classic classes have way more buttons to press than retail. Not to mention, Classic downranks spells, meaning you might have to bind an ability twice or more.

Example: If I play a Spriest in retail, I have one healing ability at my disposal. If I play a Spriest in Classic, I have 7 or so unique healing abilities.

What about if the boost bothers me?

2 and 4 are the main reasons I prefer Classic.

You aren’t necessarily wrong about the talent tree, but the respec cost does make your spec much more meaningful as opposed to being able to change it at any time.

And yes preists do have the option of getting more buttons by down ranking, but I see that as kind of a benefit since you still have complete access to your holy kit when specd shadow. I didn’t want to make the post too lengthy by going into great detail on some of this stuff.

So which is it then? You were complaining how retail classes have way more buttons and keybinds to press than Classic classes (which they don’t), but now it’s a benefit?

Contradicting yourself:

Retail has too many. That’s my answer without any extra fluff. But obviously there are some situations in classic where you can use a lot of binds if you choose to, but those are outside of your mainspec kit.

You have options but 50% of the talents in classeics are useless garbage you should never pick if you care about playing well and not being a hindrance to your group. Want an example? Warlocks improved succubus, improved esnlave demon. If you ever pick those youre just trolling.

Classic talents offer the illusion of choice. Sure you get to click something every level but the vast majority of those are just throw talents that are passive boosts or meh talent that you have to take to get to the handful of meaningful talents at the 21/31 break points.

And yes the obvious end result is almost everyone ends up in one of the handful of good specs anyways.

This was actually the justification Blizzard gave to us when Cataclysm launched. It’s probably true. I’m in the other 10%, however. I’ll take talents if they prove useful to how I want to play. Sometimes they’re not part of what a guide says I should do.

I’m pleased to have the trees back.

Read my post vs OPs, that’s what I’m arguing. I don’t think Classic talents are that meaningful, but retail talents are.

The other primary difference between retail and classic is the story line. The story past Wrath kinda just goes off the rails and seems forced. Many of the main lore characters start acting in ways that really don’t fit with their general nature. It’s one of the reasons I left wow halfway through Cata.

I still enjoy the illusion. There’s also specs w/ some flex and a little room for individuality.

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It’s not an illusion of choice if you ask me. For example paladin has a variety of ways to spec for PvP/pve depending on what you want to do or the passive bonuses you want and it’s meaningful because you are essentially locked into that play style unless you pay to respect.

We’re moving the goalposts now, got it

I only read that line and didn’t read the rest of your misinformed text. That sentence tells me that you are confused.

Except in a game where there are objectively better specs even if you want to do a pve/pvp mix there’s a lot less choice then you think. Most people are not coming up with their specs on their own because of that.

no…

Play a shaman, warlock or hunter and youll see loads of buttons

You forgot #6: No convenience features

You see convenience features kill progression, rewards, and community aspects of the game. These type of features include some ah things lika boosts, ah lfg, ah lfr, ah la tha wow tokan, and the unforgettable heirlooms. The more you add of these the more you hinder an MMORPG, and that is what WoW is btw guys. It’s an mmorpg. Oh and instead of me quitting, someone who has a level 60, nearly 20 characters, and plays regularly, why don’t you quit? Someone whose made their entire topic on a level 18 dark iron dwarf shaman retail toon. Gtfo maaaaaaaa forumzzzzzzz

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Yeah, the key talents are offered at the 21/31 (even 11) levels. However, I wouldn’t dismiss the “passive boosts.” I for one don’t really care much a bunch of extra buttons to push… I’m all for passive!

Moving the goal posts? I’m just clarifying.