wow Class Changes in WoW Shadowlands

[Stan 5,240]

In WoW Shadowlands Deep Dive, Senior Game Designer Brian Holinka detailed some interesting class changes coming in WoW Shadowlands, which include the return of Paladin auras, Shaman totems, Rogue poisons, Warlock curses, and more.

Check out our BlizzCon 2019 Content Hub for more details!

WoW Shadowlands marks the return of:

1. Class-Defining Abilities

Auras, Totems, Poisons, and Curses are all returning to the game.

2. Class Range

The devs are focusing on class range. Mages, as masters of elements, have Frostbolt, Fire Blast, and Arcane Explosion. Shamans will start off with a Mace, Shield, and Primal Strike. Shadow Priests will still be able to use Flash Heal to heal themselves and Holy Priest will be able to deal damage with Shadow Word: Pain.

3. Iconic Class Abilities

This section includes abilities that have been removed as a result of pruning, but have a "special place in our hearts". Blizzard teased the return of:

• Death Knight's Raise Dead/Death Coil
• Shaman's Frost Shock
• Paladin's Consecration
• Ursol's Vortex for Druids
• Rogue's Shiv

4. Talents and Honor Talents

While there were no new talents in the demo, we learned from Towelliee's stream that talent rows are now incrementing in fives, meaning you'll receive a talent at levels 15/25/30/35/40/45/50.

Among the returning talents are:

• Demonic Circle
• Summon Gargoyle
• Hunter's Mark
• Hammer of Wrath
• Cyclone
• Anti-Magic Zone

5. Log-Lost Friends

The final category is tied to class fantasy. Hunters will see the return of Eyes of the Beast, which allowed them to scout terrain through the eyes of their pets and Kill Shot to finish off their enemies. Other returning abilities are Shattering Throw, Ritual of Doom, and Challenging Shout.

A preliminary look at Class changes coming in Patch 9.0.

[Misuteri 26]

Ritual of Doom was bad then and worse now.  Definitely a QOL that should stay gone.

[Bobbis 208]

I feel I should reserve judgement for further information, because so far what I'm reading, and then seeing, is building me up to let me down.

I read that each level will be meaningful again, with talents, spells etc, then saw the same talent tree we've had for 2 expansions with different numbers on them. (sure this'll have new/old/tweeked talents on them, but it's still the same system)

Seeing we're getting old spells that were pruned, and then it's ritual of doom, yay... or eyes of the beast, that amazing spell I used back in never. Hell I had to log my hunter to check it was even missing. Though challenging shout would be useful in some M+, like skittish weeks.

The different schools thing is kind of the opposite I've read, or understood at least. We're meant to be going towards a class identity again, not spec identity, why on earth is that being removed? 

[Brutalis 165]

Killshot, hnnnng.

[Illy 1]

"The philosophy in WoW Shadowlands is to better align different spell schools with specializations. As a Holy Priest, you won't have access to Shadow Word: Pain, because the spell will be locked to Shadow Priests. If you're playing a Frost Mage, you won't have access to Fire spells as part of your rotation, and so on. The type of weapons you'll be using will also depend on your class"

I dont think he said that....

All Priests can tap into the light to heal their friends and harness the Shadow to destroy their enemies. Holy Priest can cast Shadow Word: Death. Shadow Priest can use Flash Heal.
This is what he said..

[Stan 5,240]

Thanks for your reports. Fixed the article and the Deep Dive post.

[Koxsos 38]

1 hour ago, Bobbis said:

I read that each level will be meaningful again, with talents, spells etc, then saw the same talent tree we've had for 2 expansions with different numbers on them. (sure this'll have new/old/tweeked talents on them, but it's still the same system)

Yeah, it's exactly the same as in bfa, just shrinked to different numbers.
I would have hoped there was a level 60 talent this time, and that there was really zero character progression between 110 - 120. There was nothing. Just stats and gear. Yey,
Looks the same at the moment.
But then I am just reading the post, did not listen to the panel.

[dartbodman 64]

3 hours ago, Bobbis said:

I read that each level will be meaningful again, with talents, spells etc, then saw the same talent tree we've had for 2 expansions with different numbers on them. (sure this'll have new/old/tweeked talents on them, but it's still the same system)

With the return to level 60 cap, and the focus on class over spec, I was hoping we'd get the old talent tree system back with massive updates to make everything relevant.

[Reno2171 24]

Nothing new, just giving back what they took away.

[VictorVakaras 83]

2 hours ago, Reno2171 said:

Nothing new, just giving back what they took away.

lol yep. Such a Blizzard move. Trying to get people excited about returning stuff they took away themselves. 

[TheCatWithAhat 3]

I was expecting something new and fresh,but i ended up with seeing the old things brought back to life.Which is not always a bad thing but yea, does not look like anything grand this time. This was the perfect time for a talent overhaul or even a new talent tree system or anything, since we are getting a level squish back to 60.

 

[RagingWolf13 5]

I hope there will be 4th specs for the classes coming, granite it would be another dps,tank, healing etc, but it would be nice to learn something new and refreshing.

[Amateurpeeweeeeh 37]

I would like to be hyped. But tbh there is no reason so far. 

Legion imo was good. Then BFA came and they took nice stuff from us (again). Then (with the additions of lesser azerite restrictions and essences) BFA became less horrible.

Now they take back azerite traits and essences and sell us the new *filtered* as something new, while is is literally another essence and some passive traits most likely. Granted they sold us that stuff as "class-ability" and an annoying mechanic again that makes it annoying to switch (same with azerite gear) literally no point of doing so other then annoying us and making using other speccs more difficult then necessary.

Give us back artifact abilities, give us legion,bfa,shadowland new talent trees and new talent rows. Give us new abilities not the old *filtered* you took away from us and try to tell us as new now.

I still don't see features of this addon? Someone enlighten me pls. They say no grind. Good. But they say targeted legendaries good. So we grind them (good). But what I don't want to grind is *filtered* reputation of covenants on several characters (or many covenants on few if change is needed).

They are not even able to tease new class or new class speccs or anything completely new. For the sake of balance? Oh come on, the game will never be balanced or you have to prune next addon again...

Because after all, no one should forget: Pretty much everyone that wants to min-max reads a guide and picks the covenant that is best for m+,pvp,raiding or whatever he is doing.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Amateurpeeweeeeh

[Chadlol 0]

So happy to see Demonic portal there!

Disappointed to not see Fel Flame though! Every other class has mobility why be so stubborn with warlocks being the 'turret' class, makes us the retard slow kid who's always last to move in group everyone else already moved on and common hurry up you fkn warlock gezz catch up why you so slow. Fel Flame please!!! it made warlock so much more fun!

[Zahli 6]

I just hope it won't be the same as BFA and the horrible mass buff proc'ing over and over. I'm so tired of seeing the first hit on a random mob proc ever single piece of gear able to do it, and be infested with buffs enough to almost overshadow a classic raid with tons of flasks and buffs in terms of amount. Just from my basic gear and essences.

[Nimiar 0]

On 11/3/2019 at 8:32 AM, RagingWolf13 said:

I hope there will be 4th specs for the classes coming, granite it would be another dps,tank, healing etc, but it would be nice to learn something new and refreshing.

If they finally make my Shaman Earth Tank spec, I will never play another class again xD