Class Design
Ongoing coverage on Class Design.
Latest coverage
World of Warcraft: Forever won't destroy what made the old classes so satisfying by modernizing them into oblivion: 'The level of mechanical complexity found in the beta classes is indicative of our intentions'
The article discusses how World of Warcraft: Classic's slower combat and simpler class mechanics offer a more satisfying experience than modern MMOs. Blizzard Entertainment intends to maintain this core design, pacing, and tone in future iterations, focusing on engaging depth rather than overwhelming complexity.
World of Warcraft Forever devs discuss account-wide banks, new races, and tanking Shamans
Developers for World of Warcraft Forever are discussing the implementation of an account-wide bank in the near future and have confirmed that new leveling dungeons and zones will be added to encourage alt character creation. They also addressed the possibility of tanking Shamans and the inclusion of new races, stating that the focus will remain on the original continents for the first few years.
The WoW: Forever team says it learned a lot from Classic: Season of Discovery, including managing the in-game economy and RMT — but Blizzard will be 'more careful and cautious' with class changes as it 'knew we were going too far'
Blizzard Entertainment has learned from World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery, acknowledging they "went too far" with class changes and will be more cautious with World of Warcraft: Forever. The studio also developed systems to better manage the in-game economy and combat real-money trading, implementing penalties for offenders.
WoW: Forever's classes won't be modernized, but Blizzard has added some new mechanics for 'engaging depth' as 'some classes' in World of Warcraft Classic 'were too simple'
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that World of Warcraft: Forever will not modernize its classes to maintain the 'Classic' experience, but will add 'engaging depth' to some that were deemed too simple. The game aims for approachable and familiar mechanics while freshening up the vanilla experience without drastically speeding up gameplay or making it overly complex.
World of Warcraft Forever dives deep into the Rogue, Warlock, Mage, and Shaman
Blizzard Entertainment has released deep dives into the class designs for Rogue, Warlock, Mage, and Shaman in World of Warcraft, detailing changes coming to the beta and launch. Rogues will see improved combat proficiency, Warlocks gain pet scaling and new skills, Mages receive tuning for their magic schools, and Shamans get totem reworks and hour-long weapon imbues.
Tree of Savior releases a smoke-swinging Officiant class and revamps its archaeology gameplay
Tree of Savior has introduced a new AOE caster class called the Officiant, which utilizes an incense burner and smoke to create ritual zones and control enemies. Alongside this new class, the game has received a significant rework of its high-level archaeology system, introducing a new loop called Forgotten Relics.
World of Warcraft Forever delves into class design philosophy, including deep dives on the Priest and Warrior
Blizzard Entertainment is discussing the class design philosophy for World of Warcraft, with a particular focus on the Priest and Warrior classes. The developers aim to broaden useful choices without altering the core identity of these classes, making Rage more reliable for Warriors and providing Priests with new talent options for healing, utility, and damage.
World of Warcraft Forever is highlighting its classes… including classes that don’t currently exist
World of Warcraft Forever is highlighting its existing classes like Druid, Hunter, Warrior, Rogue, and Shaman with deep dives and videos. The game is also surveying players about potential new classes such as Demon Hunters, Tinkers, Bards, Illusionists, Witches, and Necromancers, indicating a divergence from the retail version of World of Warcraft.
Tinker, Bard, Illusionist - Blizzard seemingly surveying World of Warcraft: Forever players about never-before-seen classes to add to the game
Blizzard Entertainment appears to be surveying World of Warcraft: Forever players about potential new classes, including Bard, Tinker, Necromancer, and San'layn. Some surveyed classes are new concepts, while others are reimagined versions of existing classes from modern World of Warcraft, with potential gameplay differences.
Alleged WoW: Forever Survey Teases 11 New Classes, Including Some Deep Cuts
An alleged survey for World of Warcraft: Forever has surfaced, detailing 11 potential new classes for the classic version of the MMORPG. The survey asks players for feedback on classes like Bard, Necromancer, Tinker, and Warden, among others, providing details on lore, abilities, and roles. While some classes are re-imagined versions of existing ones, many are entirely new concepts steeped in World of Warcraft lore.
ArcheAge Chronicles previews the design of the Berserker
ArcheAge Chronicles is offering a preview of its Berserker class, detailing its combat style which features options for axe and shield or a two-handed hammer. The axe and shield focus on defense and bleeding, while the hammer utilizes fire and lightning for heavy damage and crowd control.
WoW: Forever Doesn’t Let Shamans Or Warlocks Tank, But That Could Change
World of Warcraft: Forever will not initially allow Shamans or Warlocks to tank, despite Blizzard experimenting with these roles in WoW: Classic Season of Discovery. Senior game designer Josh Greenfield stated that while lessons were learned, the focus for Forever's launch is on preserving the core class identities of original WoW.
Bad news for shaman tank hopefuls—World of Warcraft: Forever won't have Season of Discovery's zany class design just yet: 'But never say never, y'know'
World of Warcraft: Forever will not include the experimental class designs like healing mages and shaman tanks seen in Season of Discovery. Senior game designer Josh Greenfield stated that while lessons learned from Season of Discovery are carried over, the 'forever' version aims to stay closer to the original WoW class identity, though future experimentation is not ruled out.
WoW Devs Confirm Paladins Are A “Dad Class”
World of Warcraft senior game designer Josh Greenfield confirmed that the Paladin class is officially considered a "dad class." He explained that the class's dependable, supportive, and armored toolkit aligns with common stereotypes associated with fatherhood.
Diablo 5 panel reveals first details: Plague Knight class, revamped loot, and more
Blizzard Entertainment revealed early details for Diablo 5 at BlizzCon 2026, including a new Plague Knight class, a revamped loot system inspired by Diablo 2, and a story where Diablo has conquered Sanctuary. The game is slated for a 2029 release, with regular updates planned starting in 2027. Diablo 4 will also receive updates and a Nintendo Switch version.
ArcheAge Chronicles previews the Ranger, Warrior, and player housing in new dev blogs
XL Games has released new details on ArcheAge Chronicles, focusing on the Warrior and Ranger classes, as well as player housing. The Warrior class can wield longswords or greatswords, while the Ranger can choose between a hatchet or longbow. The game has experienced multiple delays.
Darrington Press Releases New Daggerheart Summoner Playtest, Introducing New Arcane Power
Darrington Press has released a new playtest for the Daggerheart Summoner class, a spellcasting role focused on conjuring otherworldly beings. This playtest material, available for free on the Daggerheart website, introduces two subclasses: Necromancer and Theurgist, and includes mechanics for managing Stress and summoning spirits. A player feedback survey for the Summoner class will open on July 23rd.
Darktide's new Skitarii class is its most unique yet, but it also advances our understanding of Warhammer 40k lore
The new Skitarii class in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide offers a unique, support-focused playstyle that advances the game's lore by defining previously ambiguous elements of the Skitarii's identity. Developer Fatshark is praised for creating a distinct class that emphasizes teamwork and lore integration, moving beyond a purely combat-centric design.
Blending my way through Hive Tertium's tunnels as a towering murderbot might make the Skitarii my favorite Darktide…
The new Skitarii class in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide offers a unique and imposing playstyle, standing taller than other human classes and featuring customizable cybernetic enhancements. Players can choose from various abilities and weapons, including the Chordclaw and Galvanic Rifle, with a unique radial skill tree that provides more player freedom and encourages experimentation with charge mechanics and elemental effects.
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen takes a deep-dive into its refreshed Shaman
Visionary Realms has provided a deep-dive into the refreshed Shaman class for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, detailing its lore, weapons, and two mastery lines: Oracle and Fateweaver. The game's next major update, including class mastery lines, is slated for release after mid-July, with the Shaman's new kit already available on the public test realm.