WoW: Why did nobody tell me about this!

[smiling_bandit]

@Jragon

I also think it’s a little weak they’re leaving the classes be this time, while new races are cool and I’m sure it takes a lot of work to make the new leveling content and balance their racials I think I’d prefer some cool class mechanic more.

I’m not sure how closely you’ve read, but sveeral classes are getting huge overhauls. Hunters will now use Energy (similar to Rogue’s Focus) and lose Mana entirely.

Warlocks will have Soul Shards as special resources like Runes, but they act to boost your spells in different ways (like making a spell instant or much mroe effective). Using them properly will be a challenge.

Every class is getting a major overhaul to talents, so that players will no longer be spending points to buy up passive bonuses. Instead, you get those naturally by picking combinations of talents or something. The Dev’s explained that this was because they realized everyone was more or elss forced to buy up lots and lots of passive bonuses.

Many fo the new Race/Class combinations will also affect gameplay a lot for people who choose them.

On top of this, there is of course the attributes shifting. Frankly, with all of these changes, it’s going to play very differently, and probably vastly for the better.

Honestly, that’s a huge cload of stuff which affect classes. Even leaving aside the direct impact stuff, they’re really improving the fundamental game. What more do you really want?

[Tom_Scud]

@Jragon

I’m not sure about getting this. On one hand I’d really like to see these places, a lot of these are a lore nerd’s wet dream and Deathwing and Azshara are pretty cool (and a city under the Maelstrom!). On the other hand I know that, once again, I’m not going to get to experience the actual story because they’ll be locked behind 25 man raids I’ll never be able to get into (or at least get to Tier 2 of), so again I’ll see the mostly mediocre quest content without getting much meat.

I dunno. I’ve been in a grand total of one raid in Northrend, and I feel like I’ve gotten a hell of a lot of story content: Who’s behind the new Scarlet Crusade? The whole Drakuru subplot. The two big long story-heavy Storm Peaks quest chains (though admittedly you have to hit instances to get to the conclusions there, and I guess the Ulduar raid for the proper conclusion of the Loken/Thorim storyline, but still). The whole protecting Sholazar Basin from the Scourge storyline. Et cetera. Whereas in Outland I never really got a hint of where Illidan, Kaelthas, Vashj, et cetera were as I levelled through.

[Broomstick]

Don’t forget Wrathgate chain - requires no instances whatsoever, open to the most casual player, major lore and plot.

[Ferret_Herder]

@Broomstick

Don’t forget Wrathgate chain - requires no instances whatsoever, open to the most casual player, major lore and plot.

And one of the best cinematics I’ve seen in the game.

[aruvqan]

@Bosstone

They’ve said there will be no way to return to pre-Cataclysm Azeroth, you won’t get a choice, which I would imagine would exclude the option of not doing the quests that might phase from pre to post. (ETA: Just realized this sentence sounds weird. I don’t think there will be any quests that phase from pre to post at all, it’ll just happen.) There’ll be an in-game event, presumably the servers will go down, then when they come back up the world will be reformed.

Honestly, I’m not sure the new raids will be the coolest thing about the expansion. They almost seem like an afterthought, tacked onto the world redesign.

Remember the plague? Or when the whole evil stuff was happening with the forsaken things spawning near all the cities…

It would be so way cool if suddenly while people are logged if the cataclysm happened … shaking, sky going dark, thunderstorms … buildings falling, disasters happening left and right … then the servers go down for half an hour or so and when you log back in, the world is changed, and you are on the ground unconscious … and you regain consciousness [use of teh drunk visual and shake effect] and people are staggering around [like htey were drunk, but the NPCs have injuries, maybe some of the nonquest essential or merchant ones are dead…you can have priest npcs run around rezzing them, maybe have quests for the healer types and rezzer types to go around healing and rezzing, and others can bandage] *

oooooOOooooooOOOoo

[aruvqan]

@Tom_Scud

I dunno. I’ve been in a grand total of one raid in Northrend, and I feel like I’ve gotten a hell of a lot of story content: Who’s behind the new Scarlet Crusade? The whole Drakuru subplot. The two big long story-heavy Storm Peaks quest chains (though admittedly you have to hit instances to get to the conclusions there, and I guess the Ulduar raid for the proper conclusion of the Loken/Thorim storyline, but still). The whole protecting Sholazar Basin from the Scourge storyline. Et cetera. Whereas in Outland I never really got a hint of where Illidan, Kaelthas, Vashj, et cetera were as I levelled through.

Actually I agree. Outland was always just a real grind of quests - though individually there was a bit of lorishness, like the Nesingwary continuing from azeroth, and as a horde the one where you interact with the Thralls history. But generally they are all just grinding the zone and finishing off all the quests to get the gold and xp.

I have really enjoyed Northrend, even though I havent done instances or the dailies other than cooking and fishing. Once I decide which server I want to stay on permanently I can start finishing off the achievements. [I do have an alliance 80 DK on Medivh, but the person I was playing with there quit playing she just had a kid and the sprout is currently taking up all their time and spare money]

[Tom_Scud]

@aruvqan

Actually I agree. Outland was always just a real grind of quests - though individually there was a bit of lorishness, like the Nesingwary continuing from azeroth, and as a horde the one where you interact with the Thralls history. But generally they are all just grinding the zone and finishing off all the quests to get the gold and xp.

I never did that quest line in Nagrand. But I realize I’d forgotten the quest series where you’re hanging with Rexxar - that one’s pretty fun. But still, not much in the way of lore.

[ArrMatey]

@Mister_Rik

Too late to edit …

Looking more closely at a zoomed-in version of the map, I’m also going to speculate that the theoretical lake is also the source of the water in the SW canals, and I’m willing to bet that, if Stormwind Keep had North-looking windows you could see out of, you’d see that the Keep is built right out into the water.

What intrigues me (and I comment on it whenever I’m in the tram and there are others around) is that the path is obviously north-south (with slight deviation), and yet the minimap and directionals show you going in a straight east-west direction. Confusing, really, but I tend to chalk it up to goblin tech (At first I thought it was gnomish, but after reading how the goblin cities supposedly link, I suspect the whole thing may be green-skin manufacture.)

[smiling_bandit]

here’s an interesting question: how good do you think the Worgen racials are? Goblin racials are fantastic, period. Even if the rocket belt attack never increases in damage, it will remain a handy free ability until after level 20. In fact, the Goblins are so incredibly good they might even stack up to becoming the most popular Horde race!

I’m a bit mixed on the Worgen, though.

■Two Forms (Racial) Instant. Turn into your currently inactive form. 1.5 sec cooldown.

This one is absolutely cosmetic. It does nothing but let people play around.

■Viciousness (Racial passive) Increases all damage done by 1%.

This is the one I’m wondering about. On the surface, it’s a good ability, but it’s also a little dangerous. 1% is just not very much in the grand scheme of things. Even in endgame raids, the extra damage will add a trivial amount overall. I suppose it’s in line with other racials, but this may only hold if it applies to some “damage” like healing.

■Aberration (Racial passive) Reduces the duration of all Curses and Diseases used against you by 15%.

Very awesome for PvP play. Not as good for instances.

■Flayer (Racial passive) Skinning skill increased by 15 and allows you to skin faster.

Handy for levelling because skins sell reliably, if not as much as metals.

■Darkfight (racial) instant. 3 min cooldown. Activates your true form, increasing movement speed by 70% for 10 sec.

Always good to have a movement ability; a Worgen soloing should rarely die with this enabled. A lot fo classes offer similr, however.

Compared to goblins, Worgen have few advantages. Everything they do, they do either equal or less than Goblins. For practicality, Goblins get the super-bank and cheaper goods (and Rocketjump is better than fleeing, IMHO), Humans get superior rep, Night Elves get Shadowmeld. Really, the only great thing Worgen get is Curse/Disease reduction.
Finally, Goblins are awesome. Gob gob gob!

[Little_Bird]

Well eff. I haven’t played since January, what with WOTLK being so totally dissappointing. I try to get out and they keep pulling me back!

[ArrMatey]

So what -are- the goblin racials? (Sorry, too lazy to slog through the billion-and-six posts on various blizz forums to see 'em).

[Bosstone]

@ArrMatey

So what -are- the goblin racials? (Sorry, too lazy to slog through the billion-and-six posts on various blizz forums to see 'em).

I’m having some trouble finding the exact list too. I know there’s a couple of rocket-related actions, +15 to Alchemy (name: Better Living Through Chemistry), and the ability to buy 1% haste (Time Is Money).

[Mogle]

@ArrMatey

So what -are- the goblin racials? (Sorry, too lazy to slog through the billion-and-six posts on various blizz forums to see 'em).

I’m being lazy and just copy-pasting from mmo-champion

Rocket Jump - Activate your rocket belt to jump up to 20 yards, every 2 min
Rocket Barrage - Fire your belt rockets at an enemy within 30 yards, every 2 min. (Shared cooldown with Rocket Jump)
Time is money - Cash in on a 1% increase to attack and casting speed.
Best Deals Anywhere - Best possible gold discount, regardless of reputation.
Pack Hobgoblin - Calls in your personal servent, allowing you bank access every 30 min.
Better Living Through Chemistry - Alchemy skill +15, Your potions give more health / mana
Goblins can be all classes except Paladin or Druids

[Bosstone]

Can we say bank alt? Yes we can.

[ArrMatey]

The idea of a gobbie priest confuses me, unless we’re scrapping the idea that the Light is a philosophy based on self-discipline. I’m kinda warry about the ‘every race should have a new class’ thing due to the same feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I’m gonna make a gnome priest, but that’s mainly because I always threaten my guild with one. Some of it just seems weird, lore-wise. Tauren pallies? Goblin priests? And I think Nelfs are getting magi, even though their whole racial philosophy was ‘arcane magic baaaad’. It doesn’t sit well with me, lore-wise.

[Bosstone]

I’m unsure about Goblin Priests, unless we’re talking real Ferengi ripoffness and they have a money-based religion (although I believe lore does take them more seriously than that).

Tauren Paladins and Priests are happening not because of old established lore, but because there’s a new Druid sect forming that worships the Sun and thus the Light, rather than the Moon (Elune).

Night Elf Magi = Highbourne Elves returning to the fold.

[Mogle]

@Bosstone

Tauren Paladins and Priests are happening not because of old established lore, but because there’s a new Druid sect forming that worships the Sun and thus the Light, rather than the Moon (Elune).

I get the impression that is the route Blizzard is taking, though I think having taurens that served the Argent Crusade return home with ideas could work too.

Night Elf Magi = Highbourne Elves returning to the fold.

Yep, still, I wonder how they managed to convince the other Night Elves to accept them, especially since Malfurion Stormrage will be back as well.

[ArrMatey]

The Sun = The Light makes me twitch, as The Light is really a philosophy, not a religion. It doesn’t have a deity. I guess I’ll have to live with it.
If the magi are high-elves, I actually kinda like that. I’m not sure at all how that fits into the lore, especially with… Ah, Mogle beat me to it.

[Garula]

You know, I’ve been clean from WoW for years now, but reading some of the stuff they have planned is making me cautiously optimistic about giving it another go when the expansion hits. I like the elimination of buying skill ranks (something newer MMOs have sensibly started doing). I like the idea of cutting out the passive talent bonuses (maybe there won’t even be a best spec). I like the simplification of the gear stats (there’s a best gear progression already anyways, this way would just eliminate the need for a spreadsheet). I like the changes to hunter and warlock they’re talking about. I like the goblins, though I wish they were somehow made faction neutral. I like the idea of flying mounts in the old world. I like the new race-class combinations (I never cared about the lore anyways, so that’s no concern for me).

Yeah, I may give it another go if these changes pan out well. I just wish they would return trinkets back to “cool, quirky, random effects” like they used to be rather than just another two gear slots like they are now.

[smiling_bandit]

@ArrMatey

The Sun = The Light makes me twitch, as The Light is really a philosophy, not a religion. It doesn’t have a deity. I guess I’ll have to live with it.
If the magi are high-elves, I actually kinda like that. I’m not sure at all how that fits into the lore, especially with… Ah, Mogle beat me to it.

Actually, it might. Thus far, they haven’t introduced said being/deity, but apparently a source for the Holy Light does exist and it seems ot be at the least semi-sentient.