Blizzard announces WOW faction-class crossovers

[Legedi]

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.a...&tmp=1#blizzard

I don't know what to think about that. If it's true... Wow... just wow.

edit: link got changed, should work now.

[Legedi]

And confirmation here by blue : http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.a...l&T=9154678&P=5

[Mirajj]

Wow, that'll be insane...I wonder what Horde are going to qq about now? ;P

[teske]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154421.html

I don't know what to think about that. If it's true... Wow... just wow.

Sounds pretty stupid, anyway another confirmation:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.a...p=1#post9155108

[Skandranon]

It is:

a) True.
b) A cop-out to finding a real solution to faction imbalance.
c) Probably prompted by the recent discussion surrounding the windfury change.
d) Thematically inconsistent.
e) A headache for every raiding guild out there (wtrecruit 4x new class at level 60 the moment the expansion comes out)
f) Overpowered for all pre-expansion content.

All of the above.

[vor_lord]

Wow, that'll be insane...I wonder what Horde are going to qq about now? ;P

Hehe now we will complain that most raiding shamans will be pressured to roll paladins :P

[Brista]

As we draw closer to the release of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, more of the secrets shrouding the draenei and blood elves are being revealed. In the upcoming expansion, players will finally be able to play classes that were previously unavailable to their faction: the blood elves have harnessed the power of the Light for their own needs, supporting the Horde with renegade blood elf paladins. Meanwhile, the draenei have been granted the wisdom and strength of the elements, and some among the newest members of the Alliance now follow the path of the shaman.

http://www.wow-europe.com/en/burningcrusad...classcombo.html

Probably the most effective fix to the issue of raiding imbalance, also the least work required to make it happen. Pretty elegant, Blizzard

[Kevin]

Hehe now we will complain that most raiding shamans will be pressured to roll paladins :P

Nope you'll see raids with only 2 or 3 priests now unless they really buff the healing of priests.

Shaman have flash heal covered and purges on the mobs.

Paladins can cast heals forever and dispell magic.

Druids can whip out the big power heals.

Why give up the insane amount of buffing that 3 paladins and 3 shaman can bring for 2 extra priests?

Windfury + SoE + Kings + Might + Salvation = Rogue drowning in drool.

[Treesh]

It is:

a) True.
B)A cop-out to finding a real solution to faction imbalance.
c) Probably prompted by the recent discussion surrounding the windfury change.
d) Thematically inconsistent.
e) A headache for every raiding guild out there (wtrecruit 4x new class at level 60 the moment the expansion comes out)
f) Overpowered for all pre-expansion content.

All of the above.

Quoted for truth.

But holy crap! I'll be able to play a shaman with the SR folks! :wub:shaman. Of course, the new gal wouldn't be Mogo, wouldn't compare to Mogo, but I can play a shaman for them!

[teske]

http://www.wow-europe.com/en/burningcrusad...classcombo.html

Well reading the back story, it just reenforced my belief that they don't care about the story anymore.
The back story just feels stupid.

[Bun-Bun]

Quoted for truth.

But holy crap! I'll be able to play a shaman with the SR folks! :wub:shaman. Of course, the new gal wouldn't be Mogo, wouldn't compare to Mogo, but I can play a shaman for them!

I imagine there will be quite a, um, horde of Dranei shamans. I know I'm saving a slot on SR for that now.

All that "shaman junk" loot that was DE fodder may actually have some use now.:)

[Kevin]

Oh one final complaint.


Where are my gnomish healers!!

The damn gnomes have been in IF forever. You would think one of them would have started an order for paladins or priests by now!!!

GIB GNOME HEALER I'm tired of that race being the only race in the game without healers!


Hell with how weak the backstory is Blizzard could add Gnome Shaman at this stage. Ghost Wolf puppies! :)

[Tal]

I imagine there will be quite a, um, horde of Dranei shamans. I know I'm saving a slot on SR for that now.

All that "shaman junk" loot that was DE fodder may actually have some use now.:)

QFT

[Concillian]

So much for the new races being a tool to help balance factions, eh?

I can only imagine how many dranei shammies / blood elf pallies will be in the respective noobtowns on expansion launch day.

[Treesh]

So much for the new races being a tool to help balance factions, eh?

I can only imagine how many dranei shammies / blood elf pallies will be in the respective noobtowns on expansion launch day.

It's going to be goddawful. And if the alliance totem quests are similar to horde totem quests, it's going to be damned hard to get the item drops because the mobs will be far too overcamped.

Oh, hell. I'll have to find the new "this specific mob (not type of mob, but specific girl standing here) always drops the pouch I need".

[lemekim]

I would like to point out in self-serving manner that we have seen this coming for a long time now. Mind you, this was said BEFORE Blizzard announced Draenei as the new Alliance race.

That older thread discusses various aspects of the impact of this change and why it will not matter in relation to current content (level 70 cap alone will trivialize any and all existing content).

Personally, I would like to call this change "Blizzard giving up on trying to balance totems and blessings in raid setting and taking the easy way out". Expect complaints about Horde Racials and Alliance Fear Ward soon!

[vor_lord]

Nope you'll see raids with only 2 or 3 priests now unless they really buff the healing of priests.
<snip>
Why give up the insane amount of buffing that 3 paladins and 3 shaman can bring for 2 extra priests?

Windfury + SoE + Kings + Might + Salvation = Rogue drowning in drool.

Eep you're right. So now we'll complain that some Horde priests will be pressured to reroll paladins, and some Alliance priests pressured to reroll shamans.

It'll be interesting though!

[oldmandennis]

Cop Out.

For a while now bliz has been saying "just wait for the expansion". They could have thrown bloodlust in, thrown a magic damage enhancing fire totem, and jiggled the numbers until there were equal numbers and equally significant encounters where alliance and horde had an advantage. But that would take time, and it seems Vivandi is putting the thumbscrews to them to get this out for the holidays.

I'm very worried. Too bad other MMO's suck in the beginning too much to play.

It's going to be goddawful. And if the alliance totem quests are similar to horde totem quests, it's going to be damned hard to get the item drops because the mobs will be far too overcamped.

Oh, hell. I'll have to find the new "this specific mob (not type of mob, but specific girl standing here) always drops the pouch I need".

And be ready for level 60 mages from power guilds AOEing the whole field down to bring their new shammy up to speed.

[Monkey]

:huh:

Gub wub gah jubbububub....

:blink:

Edit:

Just for kicks, let's look at the numbers to see what differences remain:

Alliance Healers: 9
Horde Healers = 8

Overall--
Class: Alliance / Horde
Druid: 1/1
Hunters: 3/3
Paladin: 3/1
Priests: 4/3
Mages: 2/3
Rogues: 4/4
Shaman: 1/3
Warlocks: 2/3
Warriors: 5/5

Alliance get one more healer option and Horde get two more caster options. GG, the outlook for a gnome healer seems grim, although I agree. You'd think they'd have figured out the science of healing or something by now. Maybe one of those gnomes in ratchet could come back with some shamanistic teachings.

This contributes to my evolving theory that World of Warcraft lore has jumped the shark. The evidence thus far:
1. Eredar were actually beings of pure light, not pure darkness!
2. Layzer Beam Dimensional Ship Crash PEWPEWPEW
3. Thanks for collecting these touching letters from the front. We've identified their still-living recipients and if you go tell them of the dire, torturous fate of their missing relative, they'll sell you lemonade!
4. The Draenei, a race of The Light™, cracked the shaman code where the Night Elves (a naturalistic race that hung out with the Tauren long enough to teach them druidism) couldn't.
5. We didn't realize it before, but apparently you can learn about The Light ™ through the enslavement and torture of a being of Pure Light!

Sure, the lore page threatens "consequences" for the Blood Elves, but there are also supposed to be consequences to the Night Elves growing Teldrassil. I'm guessing the consequences will amount to some paladin trainers in the BE starting area saying that there will be consequences.

[Treesh]

And be ready for level 60 mages from power guilds AOEing the whole field down to bring their new shammy up to speed.

Yep.