Hero Classes in the Expansion?



New leaked information that is being removed from the official forums as fast as they can, along with banning those who post it there. So, I thought I would post it on my site as a mirror. I also took the time to format it so it was readable.

This all might be another Hoax, but the way blizzard is reacting, it seems like it might be real…

[Begin Word for Word Copy and Paste]
Sources inside Blizz have revealed their plans for hero classes. Blizzard does plan to release hero classes with the expansion, but they haven’t explicitly stated it because they want to announce it close to the release date, insuring a huge amount of hype. I haven’t been told much more than the basics, but I’ll try to explain the system as best as I can:

At any given level there is a certain amount of content; at level 60, the amount of content is very disproportionate with the available content for other levels. The reason is obvious: it is the current endgame, and players need something to enjoy. However, with the level cap raised players would be able to blow through and skip a lot of the content that has been developed over the past year, and allowing players to do so would be a poor use of the developers’ time. This is where hero classes come in.

You will be stuck at level 60, just like you are now, even when the expansion comes out. An epic quest (of REALLY epic proportions) for each hero class will be made available to level 60 players. The only way to break the level 60 barrier will be to go on one of these quests to become a hero class. The quest will require the player to do a lot of solo content as well as a variety of group and raid content. Upon completion of the quest, the player will become a level 61 hero class . They can then once again begin their normal level progression. A hero class is not innately more powerful than a normal class (but the level differentiation makes them more powerful of course). Hero classes will be available to everyone and although the hardcore players will naturally get their hero classes first, it is designed so that players of all play styles will be able to become a hero class in a reasonable amount of time. Blizzard’s implementation of hero classes will accomplish a lot of things. It will create a natural barrier at level 60 that will insure that the average player will experience more of the content Blizz has developed, it gives players a way of further differentiating themselves, and it adds a huge amount of new dynamics between different classes.

Each race/class combination will have 2 hero classes available to them (with several overlapping). This presents a monumental balance job (there are about 50 hero classes), which is probably another reason why Blizzard is delaying the information release. Choosing your hero class will be irreversible, much like the tradeskill masteries. Some hero classes are an extension of the “father” class, some have tweaked mechanics, while others are radically different. The easiest example I can think of is a Night Elf priest, for which the 2 hero classes are a Priest(ess) of the Moon (a continuation of the priest’s current form) and Demon Hunter (an agility-based combat hero with a variety of discipline-esque abilities). So without further ado, here is a brief overview of some of the hero classes:

Druids

Night Elf Druid

Arch Druid: This will be a hybrid class in the same vein as its “father” class, and Storm Crow form may make a reappearance.

Keeper of the Grove: The druid will sacrifice some of his shapeshifting abilities in exchange for improved healing and casting, and will even be able to command treants on occasion.

Tauren Druid

Arch Druid: see above

Elder: This is essentially a druid that has lost some shapeshifting abilities and gained some beast-like abilities similar to the hunter. The casting and healing abilities are also amped up, but not nearly as much as the Keeper of the Grove. The Elder also has a bit of the Diablo II druid mixed in for good measure.

Hunters

Night Elf Hunter

Ranger: The Ranger is sort of a hunter/rogue mix. The Ranger will use the energy bar, will have a few stealthy abilities (but not of the same caliber as the rogue), and will no longer have a pet.

Beastmaster: The Beastmaster focuses more on the beast aspect than the ranged aspect of the hunter. He gains new beast abilities, such as switching pets in battle, and is a bit meaner in melee combat in exchange for a lot of his ranged hitting power.

Dwarf Hunter:

Mountaineer: The Mountaineer is similar to the ranger (no pet, energy bar), but without the stealth aspects. The Mountaineer is hardier in melee combat than the hunter and and also has more extensive tracking and detection abilities.

Beastmaster: see above

Orc Hunter:

Outrider: The Outrider is very similar to the wolfrider from Warcraft III, focusing on swift maneuvers and incapacitating enemies. He uses the energy bar.

Beastmaster: see above

Tauren Hunter:

Tracker: The Tracker uses the energy bar like the Mountaineer, but still retains the hunter pet, and as a result is not as tough as the Mountaineer.

Beastmaster: see above

Troll Hunter:

Shadowhunter: This is essentially a hunter that drops some of it’s beast and survival abilities for some shadow spells (think Hex). The Shadowhunter still uses mana.

Headhunter: The Headhunter still has the ranged emphasis of the hunter, but it focuses on throwing weapons (a massive revamp for throwing weapons is planned). The Headhunter uses energy, has more combat abilities, and drops the pet.

Mages

Human Mage:

Archmage: The Archmage is an exact extension of the mage class, with arcane, fire, and frost spells. Apparently one of the abilities being toyed around with is Summon Water Elemental. The planned incarnation of the spell will be a long-cooldown summon that will not function like a normal pet, and will instead function more along the lines of the Mechanical Yeti (no player control).

Necromancer: The only similarity between the Necromancer and the mage is the emphasis on magical damage. The necromancer uses shadow damage and has a major focus on pets, similar to the warlock. However, unlike other pet classes, the majority of the Necromancer’s damage will come from the pet instead of the Necromancer. I do not know if the Necromancer will be able to have multiple pets out at once.

Gnome Mage:

Archmage: see above

Arcanist: The Arcanist is similar to the mage, with a focus on arcane magic. The Arcanist does slightly less damage than the Archmage, but gains added utility and new support spells.

Undead Mage:

Archmage: see above

Necromancer: see above

Troll Mage:

Hydromancer: The Hydromancer is similar to the Arcanist, but with a focus on the frost tree. The Hydromancer may also receive the Summon Water Elemental spell. In addition to added utility and support spells, the Hydromancer will also get some limited healing abilities.

Shadowcaster: The Shadowcaster is essentially a mage that uses shadow magic instead of fire and frost.

Paladins

Human Paladin:

Templar: The Templar is the holy warrior that so many paladins wanted their class to be. The Templar has limited healing, but receives a slew of new combat abilities, making the Templar much better at tanking and melee damage than the paladin.

Cleric: The Cleric is the other side of the paladin spectrum. Instead gaining new combat abilities, the Cleric gains improved healing, more utility and support, and some holy damage spells.

Dwarf Paladin:

Templar: see above

Cleric: see above

Priests

Human Priest:

High Priest: The High Priest is essentially a priest that drops the shadow tree, but gains new damage spells from holy and discipline. The High Priest will be the most powerful healer in the game.

Spellbreaker: The Spellbreaker wears mail, has several combat abilities and diminished healing, and has several anti-caster abilities.

Dwarf Priest:

Thane: The Thane is basically a priest in mail, with a slight hit to healing abilities but a few new combat abilities.

Runelord: The Runelord is similar to the High Priest, although not as healing heavy.

Night Elf Priest:

Priest of the Moon: The Priest of the Moon is similar to the High Priest as well, but has some extra damage and utility spells coming from arcane and nature magics.

Demon Hunter: The Demon Hunter is radically different in playstyle from the priest. The Demon Hunter is a mana-using melee damage hero class. The Demon Hunter has a mix of discipline spells and combat abilities with some shadow spells mixed in.

Undead Priest:

High Priest: see above

Shadow Priest: The name is pretty self-explanatory. The Shadow Priest does not have all the healing abilities of the High Priest, but makes several gains in the damage, utility, and crowd control departments.

Troll Priest:

Shadow Priest: see above

?:

Rogues

Gnome Rogue:

Assassin: The Assassin is an extension of the rogue with damage, stealth, poisons, and martial arts.

Scout: The Scout has slightly less damage than the Assassin, but is tougher in combat, and has the ability to use traps among other new utilities.

Human Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Scout: see above

Dwarf Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Pitfighter: The Pitfighter is a rogue without stealth, but with improved combat and defensive abilities.

Night Elf Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Scout: see above

Orc Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Pitfighter: see above

Undead Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Scout: see above

Troll Rogue:

Assassin: see above

Scout: see above

Shamans

Orc Shaman:

Farseer: The Farseer has more emphasis on healing and casting than the shaman, and as a result has less combat ability. The Farseer doesn’t use totems but gains it utility from other abilities. Feral Spirit might make an appearance using a system similar to the Water Elemental.

Spirit Walker: The Spirit Walker is a more direct extension of the shaman than the Farseer, maintaining a rough balance of combat, casting, and healing ability.

Tauren Shaman:

Farseer: see above

Spirit Walker: see above

Troll Shaman:

Witch Doctor: The Witch Doctor is similar to the Farseer, but has a heavy emphasis on totems. In addition to the elemental magics the Witch Doctor also uses some shadow magic.

Spirit Walker: see above

Warlocks

Human Warlock:

Master Warlock: The Master Warlock is an extension of the warlock class, keeping the pet and the vast majority of the warlock mechanics.

Shadowguard: The Shadowguard has more melee emphasis than the warlock, and loses the demonic pet. The Shadowguard on his own is weaker than other melee classes, but is aided by demonic-type abilities (such as burning blood and fiery breath) to power himself up.

Gnome Warlock:

Master Warlock: see above

Shadowguard: see above

Orc Warlock:

Master Warlock: see above

Shadowguard: see above

Undead Warlock:

Master Warlock: see above

Shadowguard: see above

Warriors

Blizz hasn’t fleshed out warrior hero classes as much as the others, so I wasn’t able to get much on them. However, it has been confirmed that Orc warriors do have the option to become a Blademaster!

Question marks (?) denote a hero class that hasn’t been decided on by the developers yet. I don’t know the Blood Elf hero classes. I don’t know the new Alliance race (although I hear they’re going to reveal it soon). I have no idea how talent/abilities are going to work, I don’t know what will happen to armor requirements and class specific sets, etc. Everything I know I’ve posted here, and it is subject to change as it is still in fairly early development stages.

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Original link as I saw it posted on the forums in one of the latter threads:
Link Appears to be Dead

89 thoughts on “Hero Classes in the Expansion?

  1. Krus

    For all those complaining that this is not legit based on the redundant Warlock lists and lackof a Warrior list, the OP said it’s still in early development, meaning it’s not all there!

    For a rumor this is pretty well done, and it actually makes sense. Blizz does this a lot, they release a lot of ‘fake’ information to stir up some discussion between fans and see their reactions to what they’ve got so far. The only people who would know about it are the hardcore fanatics, not the casual joe-schmo. They avoid pissing anyone off too, people who don’t like it can simply dismiss this as a rumor.

    This isn’t something new that Blizzard does. They did this numerous times for Warcraft 3, like officially saying the 4th race wasn’t going to be elves (Night Elves), or announcing 6 heroes per race (cut to 3) and tons of skills and spells have been changed around in the process.

    If this list is even remotely true, then most of what you see here is subject to change. At least we get to see what they might have planned for the next 10 levels after 60. Extending all the base classes past 60 wouldn’t work. Talents would break and people would get 2 lvl 31 talents! Having a hero class would prevent base-class redundancy and open up more diversity. Problem is balance and stereotyping; but we’ll have to wait and see how it all works in the end.

  2. Lol

    And dude… YES it existed Necromances in warcraft3….
    they guy with a skull looking thing on his heaD?… undeads had them YES!

  3. Larunis

    Okay. This sounds like a good idea and a bad idea at the same time. I’m a night elf priest. Strictly holy. To me becoming the hero class that I naturally would become would majorly kick, but as stated by previous posts, this would totally screw the balance of the game. It makes players choose a more definate style in class. Losing some abilities and gaining others. It would make more sense if you didn’t HAVE to choose a hero class, but as far as I could see, you have to choose one. This, in it’s self, is not right. What if I decided to change my spec to shadow for sh*ts and giggles? (bad example I know) I couldn’t do that according to my “hero class”. It gives you bonuses but severly hinders your abilites to make decisions for your character. Also, the fact that you can’t get to lvl 70 without choosing a hero class makes me not really want to work my ass off for end-game and high lvl content. I don’t want to have to seal my toons abilites in stone at any time in this game. To me this all sounds like a bunch of BS. If blizzard seriously does this, I may have to find a different game to play…

  4. nez

    Hero class – probably gonna happen
    Are these the actual classes – probably not
    Are there too many little kids flaming on this forum – most definitely

    Oh, and btw…

    “The way this will work is you get to level 60, complete the epic quest (which requires you to swim around an entire continent in less than 3 hours without surfacing), and then select your hero type. The options are Carebears, Smurfs, and Cabbage Patch Kids. For an additional 90 gold to the quest giver, you can choose your color as well.”

    Definitely the coolest idea ever. Smurfs. ‘Nuff said.

  5. LoL-Er-Skate

    Clearics hmm? Didn’t Uther seek paladin as a better life as a clearic? Why would he go back? If no Whatever; Clearic’s are support. If they were to add clearic’s to the game it would be false advertizing. They said there would be no support class’s. Further more; Death Knights! They will be added along with Templars prolly, have you even seen the the new Ashbringer that drops in Naxx?

    It says things like

    “The Line Is NO LONGER PURE”

    “KILL THEM ALL”

    “I FOUGHT FOR RIGHTIOUS”

    “The Crusade shall FALL”

    As you fight with it.

    Perhaps a hint… Yes?

  6. Bigpete

    Yeh its a nice idea – maybe the hero classes would work as a “template” over the existing class?

    So you end up with a character L60Druid L1-10 Archmage allowing people to keep their original talent trees etc..?

    But this is too shakey to be real. 7 Priest classes, hunters with energy bar, druids with no shapeshift? If they did release some sort of plausible hero class system before the release of the expansion I might actually start playing again.

  7. shiathis

    Ok, I’ve got to say something(a bit drunk so please excuse spelling) Anyone who says “yeah mix it up a bit”, “it’ll be fun” has obvoiusly never grinded an entire guild into mc. I’ve been with 2 guilds and a raiding community in mc and it is hard work. The hero class concept is good as long as it supports what my guild has been working so long and hard for. My idea would be that after lvl 60 you get a new talent tree that you can further customize you playstyle with. This alleviates balance issues while still allowing for diversity amongst the classes. And as far as new classes the one thing that must be said is that with the current class distribution blizz has pretty much covered what is needed in a raid situation, healing, tanking, dps. So lets try not to reinvent the wheel here. And btw whoever up there mentioned lag and log in problems has been the only one thinking on a practical level, I mean you guys know that patch day is always a clusterfuck as it is, imagine expansion day. So that is my diatribe, hero classes, fine as long as they support and not undermine what we have all been working towards.

    and after all it is just a game… right?

  8. No good

    this is absolutely fake, the BS will change heavy with honor systems pvp and pve raids but blizzard would never ever choose to destroy the existing classes so much, tho it would be very nice to be a ranger ( me myself being NE hunter )

  9. eeh priests?

    priests in mail? omfg thats not gonna work, they cant be killed now already, they heal against anything and then give them 35% damage reduction too?!

  10. *Cough.*

    Kudos for tryiing but nooo way.
    Something more simple maybe?

    Hows this:
    Extra button next to talents “Hero Tree.”
    You pick one and it gives you a few extra spells to play around with, And maybe a cool glow.

    Example: 1. Archmage – High damage spec frost and fire with a water elemental.

    2. Lich (Ressurected Mage) – High damage spec arcane spells with an undead minion similar to the elemental.

    Speculation, obv. But it cuts down balance to a minimum.
    Sounds kind of lame but they aint gonna mess around with a game that is still attracting users.
    Maybe when the popularity starts to really fall they’ll mess around with it, or maybe just release a sequel.
    It’d probably be damn easier.

  11. BurningCrusadeguy

    I for one, believe that the Heros classes are good in this. In Wow you cnat make many of your choices besides race, class, gear, and talents. The Hero classes would allow a more free-spirited game. I like every last one of these Hero Classes.

    P.S.
    The Warlock needs one more Hero class.

  12. Splasher

    This might be true….but I can’t get it why alot of peoples post without reading…
    For example, the priest in mail…it isn’t a priest it’s spellbreaker or thane, no one reads that. It means that the “priest” get more armor and are worse at healing and so on, so it’s not a priest anymore.

    But about the part that the NE priest can become Demon Hunter i don’t believe….I believe that the NE hunter will become that, cause that’s why hunter got the mana bar from the first place. Blizzard thought about giving them a energy bar, but now they got the mana bar, cause demon hunter will use mana 🙂

    And about the druid losing their shapeshifting abilities can be true too. All druids in wc3 can’t use shapeshift, atleast some of them. In wc3 there is druid of the claw that can only become bear and talon can be bird….so I think they will only have one shapeshift in the hero class 🙂

    I think that they won’t take all these hero classes in the game, they see us complain alot of some and want some others so they will be changed. But I think that every class will get 1 hero class that every race can become, then maybe one/two extra that only that race can be…NE for example maybe could become priestess of the moon (priest) demon hunter (hunter) warden (rogue) and others like that 😛

    That’s all I can come up with now 😛

  13. ss4keef

    Orc Warriors could become blademasters. Blademasters are in warcraft lore, but are only orcs.

  14. B-rad

    Rofl. It’s funny to look back and see all these people saying it would never happen, and yet it is.

  15. awww

    lol altho i think this is totall bull……i wish it were true i would love for this to happen mainly cuz i would luv to be a demon hunter 😛

  16. wowdude

    so is the hero a class like a rog or a race like the undead
    and if it is a class like a rog then wats so speshel about it duss it heal or tank or wat???????????????

  17. Tanatos

    You know Lineage 2?
    Now… THIS hero class system is most likely to be “inspired” by the proficiencies of Lineage2. The classes above remind me much of (for ex.) the fighter-to-scout developing in L2. Said with 2 words: total BS!

  18. Namarrakon

    Ok if you read some of the info from those hero classes it will become obvious that 1) this was a REAL leak at the time 2) the proof is the inclusion of some of those ideas into a. what we have seen with level 60-70 character abilities and b. the announcement of the Death Knight hero class in “wrath of the Lichking”. Just look at the two elf druid ‘hero classes” the storm crow DID get included and the treant ability is a level 70 Boomkin spec talent ability. The death Knight sounds a bit like the Shadowguard mentioned in thsi 2006 leak.

  19. IMMA WAWEEEAR

    KEY WORD….interracial, as in half mage/lock/hunter
    or Hunter/rogue/warriorish

    I sorta dig a few of the names that are given for the hero
    class names.

    Anyway….they need to make some sorta arena where you can use your flying/ground mounts to fight or do something!!!!! I see that picture of the dang dwarf in the air about ready to beat the meat out of someone with that mace or w/e it was…im jealous!

  20. Marcel

    i do think that the hero class is based upon warcraft 3 …. where you can chose death knight as a hero …. other heroes are mountain king, paladin, lich ( frost mage ) ,blademaster, seer , ranger ( bansheed high elves), warden ( the one that’s after illidan) …. i think that you’ll have a better view on the hero class if you download warcraft 3 and the expension

  21. bling

    was hoping for keeper of the grove but seeing that arch druid is here as well im starting to doubt..:P

    cant find the death knight think it’ll be warrior tough

    if u went past lvl 60 can u still get hero class? if not they should definatly rethink it!

  22. WoW Fan

    i think this is bull crap…blizzard isnt that stupid….

    …i hope…

    but if they make a new class such as “mage, warrior, death knight”

    90% of server will be rolling the death knights, theres gonna be about 11 million level 4 death knights questing…

  23. Nightelf Hunter

    Some of these sub-classes seem to make it sound overpowerd…I mean if your a beastmaster hunter you can pull out multiple pets??? (seen this bit of info on Wowwiki)

  24. Thomas McInnerney

    yeah………………………doubt if its real…………………GO 29 BALANCE DRUID TWINKS THEY ROCK!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!………………………………………………………………………..ppl, just wait for them to tell u wats happening instead of guesssing what will happen……………jeez……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………woot

  25. Spencer

    Some of these are great ideas while some are not too good.
    I personally think that the whole changing from a caster to a melee would be a great idea. Just imagine…u buff yourself up would provide great potential. It would almost be like a semi druid cause you would be able to transform into your demon counter parts…such as the “infernal” counterpart…..i think it would be very cool. The whole range to a rogue thing doesn’t excite me as much but it still adds a little fun to the game. The one thing i know is not true is the whole priest class that jus gives you mail armor.

  26. hifyfluesee

    Sounds like a very interesting concept! Are you playing with my incredible appraisal I have read a good joke in internet 😉 What do you get when you cross a rabbit and a spider? A HAREnet!

  27. Joe P.

    LOL, I think you missed a Hero class. (Clown) – lvl 60 ability to be a jackass, lvl 70 ability to act a fool and lvl 80 Epic Retard…

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