I don’t know about you guys, but I’m over the moon about all of the changes in store for us next year. I’m tossing up a quick summary of what I consider to be a few highlights from this year’s BlizzCon. I’ve been taking it all in via my Directv PPV and Virtual Ticket, which has been awesome, but I am feeling the urge… I may have to make the effort next year and head down for the event.
Here’s a quick overview of what’s coming up in Mists of Pandaria…
Pandas!
Mists of Pandaria will introduce a new race in Azeroth… the Pandaren. The Pandaren will be a neutral race – available to both factions. At level 10 players will choose whether their allegiance is to the Horde or the Alliance.
Pandaren will have access to: Hunter, Mage, Monk, Priest, Rogue, Shaman and Warrior.
New Class: Monk
The Monk will be the new playable class – available to all races except for Goblin and Worgen. Monks are a hybrid type of class, with specializations in all three roles: tank, healer or melee DPS.
Talent System Overhaul
The class talent system is being totally redesigned. Players will choose a specialization at level 10, then have their core abilities unlocked and auto-granted as they level.
Talent choices will be made available at levels: 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90. Players will select one of three talents when they reach each tier – offering a maximum of 6 talents at level 90. Talents will mostly be utility and survivability based, with less of an impact on the primary ‘role’ of the class.
The Hunter Talents Preview presents a good example of this. With the exception of the Level 15 Venom Tipped Arrow talent, none of the talents offer a direct boost to DPS — a Hunter’s primary role.
Companion Battle Pets
Blizzard will be introducing a new meta game with the Companion Pet Battle System. Players will be able to customize their (previously non-combat) companion pets — leveling and training them for battle, for both PvE and PvP action.
I threw together an overview of this new Pet Battle System if anyone’s interested in finding out more about it.
Challenge Mode Dungeons
Players will have the option to run dungeons in ‘challenge mode’. These more difficult timed trials will award statless vanity gear pieces that you’ll be able to skin your gear with via Transmogrification.
New BGs and New Arena
Up to 3 new BGs are planned for Mists of Pandaria, and one new arena. Read more about them here.
- STV Diamond Mine – Payload resource objective BG.
- Valley of Honor – Murderball type of BG objective.
- Azshara Crater – DotA style of game play.
- Tol’vir Proving Grounds – A new wide-open arena map with 4 LoS pillars similar to Nagrand arena.
Hunter Minimum Range is Gone
Yep… no more minimum range. Also, Hunters will be the only class that will utilize bows, crossbows or guns.
No More Melee Weapons for Hunters
Hunters will only utilize ranged weapons. Other classes will also lose their ranged slot.
Quivers and Ammo Pouches
Hunters will likely be getting a visual and customizable model for both arrow quivers and ammo pouches. These will have no additional stats and will only serve as eye candy.
Graphical Improvements
Mists of Pandaria will feature some amazing landscapes, so Blizzard will be performing some overall improvements to the visual aesthetics of the game. Most notably, draw distance will be improved – allowing players to see textures much further in the distance than before. Also, shadow quality will be greatly enhanced.
The facial structure of the Pandaren is is 10x that of the other races. Expect a visual overhaul for all of the existing classes.
Nerf Monks! I mean those monks are totally OP, oneshotting everyone in arena 🙂
Just had to add this here, hope those monks will not be like DKs at the start of WLTK.
Thanks for a great update Garr! Awesome analyzis as always. Watch hunter team win arena tournament finale http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf45oASIDe0
I looked at that Talent tree and it makes no sense to me as to help me boost my dps. I saw it more to be PVP oriented than PVE.
So if we start this spec at lvl 10.. when do we chose to be a BM, MM or SV?
I am a BM hunter and I love my spirit pets, I certainly refuse to give them up considering what I had to go through to get them all…
That’s the direction Blizz is heading with the talents. They’re going to be more utility-based, with less affect on the primary role of the class.
Having said that, your ‘core abilities’ will be granted to you automatically – unlocked as you level.
For example… if you choose to be a Beast Master, at level 10 when you make that choice you’ll begin with Kill Command. As you level up, you’ll auto-learn abilities such as Cobra Strikes, Bestial Wrath, The Beast Within, Beast Mastery, etc…
They’re making it ‘impossible’ for players to create a poor build, and they’re also removing the need for visits to the class trainer.
“. Other classes will also lose their ranged slot.”
does that include thrown weapons for rogues (and fan of knives, their only aoe)?
No, they had mentioned having rogues throw their main weapons. They’ll still have the ability. Also, the lost stats from the additional item slot will be offset by a higher stat budget on the primary weapon(s).
End result is that it’s one less item slot to worry about. As far as I recall, hunters are the only class to lose some abilities because of this change.
I can’t believe they are adding a Pokemon type game.
I was very much excited with the final Deathwing Raid, but after this announcement I’m like… “Hell, screw Deathwing! Gimme Pandas!!” lol XD