Yeah I agree. I don’t know where to draw a line, though.
Take for example a Death Knight. I think they play pretty cool but they seem out of place to me, especially in major cities.
As a lore example: Regular people are doing regular things in Stormwind City, buying bread, going to their mailbox. Then you look to you’re left and oh my god there’s a glowy-blue-eyed undead killing machine right beside you, equipped with plate gear covered in skulls, wielding a rune weapon radiating unholy energy.
A bit of both class fantasy and gameplay, but since I like all the different fantasies behind the different classes, it comes down mainly to gameplay for me.
I’m a melee junkie (but have found a new love with a Spriest).
Sub is pretty much all shadow magic, though dunno if it remains for shadowlands.
Usually i personally look for a name fitting the race I’m playing, and maybe the class as seen with this character whom is a Destruction Warlock because it’s parodying an “Inquisitive and pious” archetype who “smites her foes”.
Basically i made this character to fit a theme for not really the class as a whole but one spec, a spec that felt nice to play with and that could carry out the fantasy for my character.
Usually when i make a character i look into what theme i want for it, then a name fitting for said theme, such as x-feature where x depends on my desired spec and feature depends on the class as a whole or race.
Of course the thing that remains then is if the class feels good to play like Destruction with the essence that summons random infernal and high haste… Unfortunately not all other specs feel as engaging, especially thanks to the GCD change from legion to BFA which just broke the flow of most classes.
I picked a hunter as my “preferred choice” after having tried it for a while.
I just liked how it felt to play as well as what theme/fantasy it catered to.
I don’t like casting/channeled spells.
I don’t like melee combat.
I prefer dealing damage over tanking/healing.
I like dealing damage that is based on weapons, not magic.
The fact that the Hunter class had/has a strong influence of using pets as well, is a bonus indeed.
Having said that.
I’m okay with BM even though it relies a bit too much on pets over ranged weapons, for my taste.
I’m not a big fan of MM as it’s heavily focused on hardcasting and channeling abilities. +I want additional options to rely on a pet for when I so feel like it/need it. Which isn’t really an option for MM, beyond the mere basics.
Current SV is a melee-based spec so, it’s a no for me.
My favorite spec that we’ve had, was Survival as it was designed prior to Legion.
In short, this is what I would like to see in the modern game for the Hunter class, to get that playstyle back which I liked so much:
I like the idea of unique specs. But at the end of the day when Demon hunters for instance literally are currently defying all logic having insane damage, utility, mobility and a offensive and defensive dispel I think class game play needs to be worked on over class fantasy by miles before we actually look at adding any “fantasy” back
Both matter… But mostly how much I like the idea of the class…
I really like rogues because I like the idea of fighting smart instead of fighting hard.
Hit weak spots, hit when they’re not prepared, pick your battles…
But I have other class-fantasies I like a lot too, like my Human Paladin, Worgen Warrior or Orc Shaman. For various reasons.
Class fantasy of course, though I like many classes for their fantasies. But in the end I’m always that edgy cringy dark guy so you can expect me to turn anything I play into something edgy and dark, even if I played a paladin (which I don’t, but if I did, I’d play one in a Warhammer zealotry fashion).
The general rule is: if it has skulls, it’s good. If it has demons or shadow magic, even better. I have a limit of edginess though, so dks and dhs are out of my range cause I can’t turn them into dark idiots, which is something I love to do (take this toon for instance, dressed like an idiot).
If you can see a class inside this kind of humor, then it’s my class:
Gameplay, fun fast fluent complex. But a little bit of fantasy aswell since ive tried monk which is fun gameplay wise but it just isnt for me, those slap sounds and tornado kicks just looks stupid.
Everything else could be resolved via the glyph system.
I don’t need developers to tell me what the fantasy is by forcing mechanics down my throat. I don’t think anyone does.
What is class fantasy? No, seriously, what does class fantasy mean and who decides about it?
I learned two hard lessons in my WoW history. I played Classic as Enhancement Shamans. I loved it. But with TBC they just killed it and turned it into a DW abomination. Later I started a 2h FDK. I loved it. But suddenly they decided to kill him and basicly everyone, even the DK “community” that is now happy it might come back, danced on his corpse and spit on his grave.
Class fantasy means nothing. When tommorrow a dev wakes up and thinks “uh, I think Rogues should wield 2h. Let’s rework Outlaw once again and call him Clobber from now on” then that’s what we will get sooner or later.
Isn’t “Class fantasy” literaly the same thing as “class gameplay”?
Like, Shaman being a spirit / elements aided warrior.
Palading being a holy light infused warrior.
A Death Knight being all that’s unholy and unthinkable.
It used to be like that, we chose a class fantasy and gameplay corresponded it - specs were just flavours.
Currenly we have a “Spec fantasy” where each spec is something completly different and literaly seperate class.
What I choose when I pick a toon? Fantasy & Gameplay.
I won’t pick something I do not like fantasy of, but won’t play it even if I like the fantasy if the gameplay is clunky / dull (FU BOS).
Both are important. Class identity since in the end it is still an rpg game and not some FPS or RTS game in wich you got to change your tools and playstyle depending on others.
And obviously if the class gameplay does not fit your taste/class, it wont be fun to play
Both are EQUALLY important.
Assassination rogues have great class fantasy and a gameplay that suits it.
Subtility rogues have a great class fantasy ( ninja using ancient magic techniques) but the game play is horrible and weak.
Outlaw rogues have a boring class fantasy but ok game play.
