The Next Expansion: New Playable Classes?
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iTZKooPA on Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 52 Comments Tags: alchemist, cataclysm, dark ranger, demon hunter, dread lord, goblins, mountain king, new classes, new wow classes, speculation, the next expansion, tinker, warden, wow classes, wow: cataclysm
iTZKooPA on Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 52 Comments Tags: alchemist, cataclysm, dark ranger, demon hunter, dread lord, goblins, mountain king, new classes, new wow classes, speculation, the next expansion, tinker, warden, wow classes, wow: cataclysm 
That's A Lot Of Classes!To date, our series of speculative creativity has relied upon some inkling of a rumor as the basis of most of the pieces. I am going to pull a hard 180 and go completely off the cuff with this one. No backroom discussion, drunken rant or friend of a friend who knows a guy that dated some girl who roomed with Chris Metzen sparked my neurons. As such, the class details below are entirely fake!
Currently we only know one thing about World of Warcraft's third expansion, that it exists. Beyond that it's all been conjecture, speculation and well wishes, and yet none of these have touched upon any major gameplay feature. Masks aside (and I consider that rumor a huge leap of faith) we lack the faintest idea of what could be announced as part of the official declaration of expansion the third.
What you thought Sams would walk to the podium, whisper "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm" and walk away? Fólkvangr no. There will be a ridiculous amount of information given that faithful day, whenever it may be. What I am trying to figure out is what the big gun is going to be? Another new class? A pair of new races? An incredible amount of dungeons and raids spread across all levels? A working Wintergrasp?
I found the idea of new classes to be the most interesting despite the fact that Wrath just brought us one. That and guessing classes is a shot in the dark.
Alliance:
- Mountain King (Dwarf only) - The mighty Mountain King will be a tank of a different nature. These steadfast warriors will be capable of absorbing obtuse amounts of damage no matter their specialty. Their stocky stature enables them to create earth shattering Thunder Claps to frighten, disorient and slow foes in the immediate vicinity, and a well-timed Storm Bolt stops almost anything in its tracks. Unfortunately the bulk is a defensive mechanism, causing overall DPS to be lower than other melee classes.
- Warden - Popularized by Maiev Shadowsong, the Warden makes a return to reclaim Fan of Knives from rogues hunt those who have done injustices to Night Elves, and the rest of the Alliance. The nimble class' focus will be close-ranged AoE combat. Single target DPS suffers when compared to the class' ability to handle two or more mobs via close range AoE attacks and spells. Shadowstrike, a non-channeled, multi target Mind Flay can be used to lay waste to fugitives.
Horde:
- Dark Ranger (Undead only) - At the basic level Dark Rangers are to be compared to their bow-loving buddies, the Hunters, but DRs have a completely new set of spells and abilities. The most notable difference would be the lack of a pet. Instead of fuzzy companions these former Scourge officers have the ability to resurrect fallen corpses to fight for them. However, these beings act more as fodder than DPS. The devastation instead comes from the DR's Silencing abilities, Life Drain and an overall more powerful, yet slower, standard shot that is charged with dark energy.
- Dread Lord - The Nathrezim have played a large role in the Warcraft universe, but haven't received much press in WoW (at least as far as the Alliance can tell). It's unlikely that they could be added as a class without the addition of the race itself, but the Dread Lord makes for an interesting class. These dastardly beings are quick attacking, weaponless fighters that use a mix of instant or fast spells (one second or less) and strong claw-based attacks to drop foes. A revamp of the Sleep spell that allows units to be damaged would be their stun and the Vampiric Aura adds fantastic group appeal.
Neutral (more on this tomorrow):
- Goblin Tinker - Another class that can only be applicable as part of a new race, the Goblin Tinker specializes in machine-based battle. The short race makes up for its strength inadequacies by placing themselves in crazy battle mechs. The new class will feature mindless, summonable minions which detonate on aggressive mobs if they are not killed quickly. Attacks include a targetable rocket AoE stun, a slow swinging wrecking ball for white damage (also another weaponless class) and a personal buff along the lines of Inner Fire, but with damage attributes too, call Mechanical Mayhem.
- Goblin Alchemist - In an effort to once keep a solid number of healers being played at all times comes the Goblin Alchemist. Instead of mechanical ingenuity, this diminutive class relies on its ability to create chemical and biological agents for offense and defense. Alchemists specialize in short to mid-range AoE combat, with nearly all of their spells, healing or damaging, being targetable AoE abilities (think bombs). Instead of mana, the class is reliant upon how fast the brews can be concocted, causing the cooldowns to be the only limiting factor.
- Demon Hunter - The DH would have made a more logical addition in The Burning Crusade, but one could argue that the amount of demons in the world then caused an vast increase in these heroes, on both sides of the fence. With the threat largely neutralized the dedicated hunters have begun looking for other work. Following the outcast class' lore, the melee (fist, swords and dagger) machines would subsidize their strikes with powers from the dark taint they hunger to banish from Azeroth, such as Immolation. Spectral Sight allows Scourge and Demon tracking. A fantastic chance for Blizzard to show our characters changing over the course of time (leveling) thanks to the demonic energies corrupting one's body.
Any Warcraft III fan can see that I picked the most applicable and unique heroes from the past lore and spiced them up with some World of Warcraft twists and mechanics. What are the odds that one of these bad girls gets selected, assuming a new class is announced? Who's the most likely candidate?
Which toon would you want to play? Personally I think the Goblin Alchemist sounds pretty freaking cool, but Storm Bolting never gets old.
Reader Comments (52)
ok how about blizz make a new faction for the bad guys like illadin lady vash and kael then every could play a mini illadin or lady vash that might be next :D
New races, would be awesome, and so would new races. But how about a new tree for each class. Dark Ranger, could actually be a new tree for hunters, Warden for rogues, demon hunter for locks, alchemist for mages, monk for priests, witch doctor for dks, dragoon (mid range spear wielding) for warriors, holy wrath channeler (for lack of a better name, a holy dot aoe, meaning a zero range spell dps tree) for palies, earthmaster? (a defensive tree) for shammies, and something like and for druids, tbh is hard to come up with anything of the top of my head, they pretty much do it all already.
Or if anything else, i would like a way to modyfy my spells furtherly.
Just a thought
THE new class have to feel different then the other classes and have to be on both sides (for balance and to keep them, if there is two, different from each others) and there might be new races that make it possible (gnome/goblin tinker anyone?) so maybe one (or more) race hero classes to keep the lore intact (i hope for no night elf/tauren tinkers). Still it is blizzard so who knows?
dr awsoeme it wouldent make any sence if bizz did that they are all dead and the idea of having another tree isnt bad except it should more like extra so you your main spec tank healer dps what evr and then you have that sub spec active as sert of a boost to your main
I think some kind of healing- or ranged-centric class will be the next implemented.
The idea of a dark ranger gives me chills, but I feel that it would be too close to a death knight in some respects, not to mention I don't see them making an undead only class. Unless they make an alliance-only class as well. But as seen with the shaman I think they don't want a class to be exclusive to one side any more.
I foresee a healing-capable class that has a wide scope so that it may be accessible to both alliance and horde characters. Some kind of mechanical or tech-based character so that it would hail the introduction of a gnomish healer and then goblins would go to the horde?
Then that would introduce the speculation of what the new alliance race would be. And since those masks were revealed... Some humanoid wolf race would make sense.
It makes sense to me. Last x-pack was a melee based dps/tank so the next new class should be some type of ranged healer/dps.
Not to sound rude, but a lot of these classes sound pretty bogus... for example, how is a life drain ability for the DR creative at all? It seems like most of these classes are just describing WC3 hero abilities, which have already been taken by other classes (drain life, immolation (ok it is a little different), thunderclap, etc. The only one that seems interesting to me is dreadlord, but the nathrezim aren't likely to ally with ANY faction, seeing they are high ranked agents in the Burning Legion, whose sole purpose is to destroy life (all life)
@Austin:
Hell Yeah! Runemasters FTW!
@Euphony - So far many classes have been based around known hero classes from WC3. Thrall was a shaman, Jaina a mage, Arthas a paladin then a death knight...
Yeah, maybe the abilities aren't quite creative, but death knights and warlocks share an ability that has a different mechanic.
ITZKoopa is just looking at possible races and classes from WC3 to base speculation around. And that's all this is: speculation. I do agree that Blizz will make the next class another one that everyone loves. Which makes me think something along the lines of demon hunter or warden.
Of course that will go against my previous post where I predict a healing class. Is there an extremely popular and unique healing class in WC3 that doesn't already have an implementation in-game? (ie. Archdruid isn't unique since it's just an old, powerful druid.)
Is there any place for some Class or other that
can 'graduate' form Cloth to Leather... or a Mail-only Class? We have Leather-to-Mail & Mail-to-Plate; we already have Cloth-only & Leather-only (incl. Death Knight as Plate only, if you want), so I don't see why not...?
Maybe one of the existing Cloth Classes could see the introduction of a L40 Leather-equipping upgrade (a la Hunter/Shaman & Warrior/Paladin setups), but which Class would realistically gain the most FROM such a 'tweak'...?
Could the above also be a chance to restructure (good or bad; you decide...) the workings of Tailoring...? Leatherworkers currently 'top out' their skills by making Mail Armour (as do Blacksmiths, with Plate) -- so that could be used to ease such a transition for such a Class upgrade...? Maybe have top-end skinning linked into Tailoring, as Tailoring currently has no feeder/gatherer profession to speak of; feel free to correct me...
Further the Trade expansion theme to include woodworking/carpentry, somewhere (Herbalism... trees, maybe...) to get Staves & Bows onto the crafting map...? We saw the addition of Inscription, for Herbalists to expand their horizons, and Mining found a further outlet in Jewelcrafting; see the thought process...
As others have ended, so shall I -- "just my 2c"...
"By Francis on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Witch Doctor… (maybe to support the release of D3).
Kind of a combination of the ‘alchemist’ idea and ‘dark ranger’ in terms of pet fodder. it can also apply aoe diseases… since it the new patch might get rid of some for death knights.
almost more like a more sinister druid minus the shape-shifting."
Reading "Witch Doctor" automatically reminded me of the Troll race, and that reminded me of the Zandalar Tribe, which reminded me of Zandalar island, the one closest to the Maelstrom if I'm not mistaken.
Sooo... Probably, if there's really an expansion in the making, and if that expansion has any relation to the Maelstrom, it will most definnitely have Zandalar island and the trolls at the dead center of the new lore.
If the pseudo-expansion relates to the Emerald Dream... Then I'm at a loss >_>
(Zandalar island being the new Zone available)
(Curse the lack of an edit button!! >_<)
..."Just my 2 cents." =P
I like the idea of some of these classes but im a hunter and im still waiting for my idea of the fact that hunters should be able to train their pets to become mounts. i mean that would be awsome! i could be riding almost any beast in any color i want! it would have to be somewhat expensive to learn however
@Mmrdkm
Witch Doctor for DK's doesn't really make much sense. I mean, DK's are basically undead warriors brought back to server the lich king (originally). They do Diseases and use plate and all that stuff. If you've seen witch doctors in game, (like troll witch doctors, some forsaken witch doctors, and then some human ones in STV). They all have the ability to heal and use nature spells, which wouldn't make much sense if it was a talent for a Death Knight.
Same with Demon Hunter as a talent for Warlocks. Why would warlocks hunt and kill the very thing they want to control for power?
When are they gonna introduce Jedis? :)
I would like:
Battle-mage class, high spell damage with survivabilty.
Dark-Paladin, like a pally with demonology
Rogue-spy, rogue with disguises and trickery
Berserker, high dps with low armor, but can't be interupted
None of these have any chance of appearing in wow ever, as there abilities have been used for other classes and many of them don't add anything new to the game. the only one that is even remotely imaginable is the demon hunter and that's only by a great stretch of the imagination.
They should make the Demon Hunter. Look, the pally has been in the game forever and then Blizz came out with the DK which is the rival of a pally. A Demon Hunter could be the rival of a class we have had for ever, the Warlock. Make the Demon Hunter wear leather, it'd be quick dps sorta like a rogue, but not burst damage. It would be another high end dps. With tech trees like, Demon Slaying. It's just a thought, Blizz came out with the pally's rival why not come out with a lock's rival too?
Blizzard as well also stated that the reason they gave the alliance shamans and the horde the paladins was to balance out the raiding on both sides. So I think when they add a new class it will be one available to both factions.
Going further on that, the chances of Goblins introduced as a playable race is most likely out of the question, because Blizzard doesn't want any race to be available that can "communicate" with both factions. (You could go for a "choose your faction" with neutral races but that would be harder to make de difference between a Horde Goblin or an Allience Goblin).
So that leaves also out the speculation of a third Faction, unless that factions would be against both horde and alliance: So what about murlocks, (renegade) naga and worgen forming an alliance? It could be considered, but I wouldn't give it much hope.
Brings us to the topic of a new playable class... I think Blizzard will again (as with the Death Knight) look for a class that is kind of unique in playing style.
I was thinking lately what the game missed considering other type of RPGs:
- heavy utility, damage negating type of fighter/caster.
Basicly a Messmerizer. Somebody who can stand besides the tank and instead of Healing him directly making sure he doesn't get hit as hard or completely makes the tank immune for some type of effects or some short duration.
PVP this would also work with the class having a multiple types of fears, able to disguise him,... Basicly making the opponents doing damage to themselves,...
A nice class if you think about it, but hard to implement in WoW lore I guess... Than again with the emerald dream maybe coming available...
With blizard also stating that they want to work on the way healing is happening in WoW, I put my money on a healer type of class
I do like the idea of a melee hunter with 2 pets as well, but that could maybe be an idea for a revamp of the Hunter talent tree...
When DKs were released it was because they had a very strong tie to the lore of that expansion. My guess that if there is a new class it would also tie in closely with the lore of the next expansion. For example If it is going to be an emerald dream expansion something that has to do with the emerald dream (Dreamweaver anybody???) However it is my honest opinion that there should be no new classes and that DK's have nearly ruined WoW, i mean i dont even really percieve DK's as an actual class and i have no respect for u if your only high lvl is a DK. Any and all class ideas that have been thrown around are either a senseless combination of two other classes or basically the exact same as an existing class just repackaged with a kool new name and fun abilities even my own idea of dreamweaver is really just a repackaged druid. Well there is my rant now take your best shots at it.
i still say blizz should ding in to WC classes and bring am in to wow
With the exception of the DR, I think everything is unique in terms of WoW (it is mentioned that everything is based on WC3). As described the DR wouldn't just be a clone of a Hunter, sounds far less like someone in tune with nature, and closer to the dark arts of a Warlock. Which would be way different, mechanically, than anything else.
As would the Alchemist, Dread Lord and Tinker.
I know this sounds a little odd but i think it would be really cool if there was a Bard class. Because WoW is basically D&D on the computer i think that Blizzard could make this class work well.
they could use shout, prayers, and other such things (instruments as weapons or held in off hand).
to make the class better they could make it an Illusionist- Bard so they could use their spells to summon illusions to help them.
just some weird ideas...
If they start going with D&D they should go for some of the odder prestige classes like a drunken master or that thief class that can use the spells of a magician it backstabs (I've forgotten the class name)
Ive also recently heard that there may be a Necromancer class coming that is a hero class. Where i am from alot of people who play WoW are speculating that this will be in the next patch and as it is a hero class will require alot of things but the reward will be great. supposed to have casting power of a mage but also be like a warlock in ways. this is also very popular in many websites i have visited and seems a very good idea because it is mixing the current classes in game so may not need as many tweeks as people think.
Well if they did make a Goblin Alchemist then they would probably not want to make the CDs the limit of class. They would probably make it something like the DK's runic power (elixir resin), even though many people say that the runic power is to much like rage. The idea of a rage using casting dps/healing class seems like a inturresting idea.
On that it also might be nice to change how you gain or use your runic power on a DK. Maby making runic power do something such as a damage amplifier that decreases with attacks or has a set ammount of deterioration over time and maby change the runes to how they had proposed it at one point where you can change around the 6 runes that you can use. While that is probably not going to happen it would be nice to see a change of the Death Knight class.
On the topic a new race or races such as the tuskar or the oracles playable races. Something else that would be posable is a neutral race that allows you to pick your side in the battle of the horde vs alliance after a starting quest chain.
(do not think that this is a leak or something that will be in the 3rd expantion just some ideas of mine)
I Hope if they do a new class it is a healer and there dps specs are so lame that noobs wont play them + they start of atlv 1 that would be sooo sweat