With Shadowlands, the classes in World of Warcraft are meant to refocus on their core. Old abilities are set to return while others will be separated from specializations. We summarize the most important things for you.
What is changing with the classes? Blizzard has provided insights into the changes to the classes. These are meant to return more to their original concept in the new expansion Shadowlands. Some abilities that were tied to specializations with Legion will once again be available to the entire class.
Additionally, they plan to reintroduce some old class abilities as well as the introduction of new Covenant abilities. What exactly lies behind the Covenants, we have explained here.
Each class receives significant updates
Below we will present to you what is supposed to change for each class. We have highlighted the key points that Blizzard has introduced. You can find the complete article on the official website. It is important to note that there will be no new class with the expansion.
What is changing with the Death Knight
With Shadowlands, Death Knights of all specializations will regain access to some overarching abilities that were heavily tied to specializations through Legion. These include:
- Death and Decay
- Anti-Magic Zone
- Path of the Lich
- Raise Dead
- Chains of Ice
The new ability ‘Covenant Pact’ allows Death Knights to drain health from one of their undead servants until it explodes, dealing damage to all nearby enemies.
What is changing with the specializations? A Blood DK automatically gains access to “Rune Transformation,” while a Frost DK can once again choose between two one-handed weapons or a two-handed weapon.
Unholy Death Knights automatically gain access to “Summon Gargoyle” and can also once again call the “Army of the Damned,” which is said to be stronger than ever.
What is changing with the Demon Hunter
The Demon Hunter was introduced with Legion and is therefore strongly focused on specializations. Nevertheless, all Demon Hunters now gain access to the resource “Fury.” The “Firebrand Aura” is set to be made accessible to both specializations.
What is changing with the specializations? The Havoc specialization receives new passive abilities “Endless Fury,” which increases the maximum capacity of Fury. This allows for additional attacks.
Vengeance, on the other hand, has undergone significant revisions in its talents and receives the talent “Demonic,” allowing them to temporarily shift into demon form.
What is changing with the Druid
Shadowlands aims to highlight shapeshifting again for Druids. Therefore, all members of the class gain access to the following abilities:
- Wild Bite
- Barkskin
- Ironbark
- Whirlwind
- Rampaging Roar
- Additionally, the talent “Heart of the Wild” is returning
What is changing with the specializations? Balance is set to return more strongly to its roots in Wrath of the Lich King. To this end, adjustments will be made to “Wrath” and “Starfire,” which will alternately trigger “Solar Eclipse” and “Lunar Eclipse.” The “Starfall” should also return to its design from back in the day.
Guardian Druids can discover their wild side with “Berserker” and thus reduce the cooldowns of many offensive abilities. Additionally, the talent “Renewal” is returning.
Restoration, on the other hand, is pleased about the return of “Nature’s Swiftness,” which turns some spells into instant-cast spells.
What is changing with the Hunter
The Hunters are also getting back some abilities that are currently only tied to certain specializations:
- Arcane Shot
- Eyes of the Beast
- Hunter’s Mark
- Deadly Shot
- Intimidate Beast
- Soothing Shot
What is changing with the specializations? “Bleed” is a new talent that Beast Mastery Hunters receive. The target begins to bleed heavily, suffering increased damage from companion attacks. The new talent “Poisonous Bite” causes that when “Wrath of the Wild” ends, a Cobra appears, becoming stronger based on how often Cobra Shot was used.
Hunters specializing in Marksmanship gain a new talent that gives “Deadly Shot” two charges. Additionally, there are two more talents: one immobilizes the target and the other creates an AoE effect that simultaneously activates “Precise Shots.”
Survival Hunters, on the other hand, mainly benefit from additional damage across various abilities.
What is changing with the Mage
Mages are set to gain access to strategically important abilities, regardless of which school of magic they have focused on. Therefore, all specializations will have access to the following abilities:
- Arcane Explosion
- Fire Blast
- Frostbolt
- Mirror Image
- Fire Ward
- Frost Ward
- They will also regain access to Time Warp, an old ability.
What is changing with the specializations? Arcane Mages receive an additional charge for “Free Casts.” Additionally, “Touch of the Magi” becomes a standard ability. The new talent “Illuminated” increases Arcane damage when a lot of Mana is available.
Fire Mages will be able to better control when they activate “Ignite.” The ability Fire Blast also jumps to up to eight nearby enemies if the target is affected by “Ignite.” “Blast Wave” and “Fire Torrent” have also been strengthened.
Frost Mages can now play more with “Winter Chill” as the effect lasts much longer and ensures that the next spells deal more damage when the target is frozen.
What is changing with the Monk
Monks are supposed to rediscover their identity as masters of martial arts, thus always gaining access to the following abilities:
- Damage Redirect
- Strengthening Brew
- Whirling Crane Kick
- Touch of Death
- Along with the three summons of the different specializations.
What is changing with the specializations? Brewmasters regain the choice between two one-handed weapons or a two-handed weapon. They also get “Footwork” back. The “Touch of Death” of Brewmaster Monks instantly kills any creature with less health than the Monk.
“Chi-Ji the Red Crane” returns as a talent for Mistweaver Monks. Otherwise, not much changes.
Windwalkers also receive the choice between the two weapon types and the new passive talent “Chi-Ji’s Dance,” which allows them to waive the costs of “Whirling Crane Kick” during the next use and potentially gain bonus damage.
What is changing with the Paladin
Paladins regain “Holy Power” as a resource, which can be gained from abilities like “Crusader Strike.” Additionally, all Paladins learn the abilities:
- Blessing of Sacrifice
- Hammer of Wrath
- Detect Undead
- Shield of the Righteous
- Exorcism
- Word of Glory
- Moreover, Paladins will regain access to various auras that can be granted to other players.
What is changing with the specializations? Holy Paladins will see the Azerite bonus ‘Light’s Radiance’ move into the talent selection at level 50, where it will have to compete against powerful options like ‘Flame of Hope.’
Protection Paladins receive the new passive ability “Radiant Light,” which makes the next use of “Word of Glory” free if “Judgment” critically hits.
Retribution Paladins have permanent access to “Ashen Wave.” Moreover, “Divine Power,” previously an Azerite bonus, becomes a talent.
What is changing with the Priest
All Priests gain access to the following abilities regardless of their specialization:
- Mind Blast
- Mind Soothe
- Spirit of Power
- Shadow Word: Death
- Shadow Word: Pain
What is changing with the specializations? Discipline Priests gain the new ability “Caress of Light,” allowing them to heal allies with “Power Word: Barrier.” They can also learn “Shadow Pact,” which temporarily increases damage but prevents Holy spells from being cast.
“Circle of Healing” now belongs to all Holy Priests as a core ability. They are thus free to choose a new talent instead: “Prayer Circle,” which boosts “Circle of Healing” and reduces the cast time of “Prayer of Healing.”
What is changing with the Rogue
The Rogue specializations share their knowledge with each other, allowing everyone to have access to these abilities:
- Various poisons for weapons
- Deceptive Blade
- Pocket Picking, which now also allows finding ingredients for the “Blood Red Vial” more frequently.
What is changing with the specializations? Assassination Rogues receive a revamped version of “Grevious Wound,” allowing them to use “Ambush” outside of Stealth.
Outlaw Rogues contain several new features:
- “Fate Dice” no longer requires combo points, but has a variable cooldown.
- “Evasion” returns as a defensive ability.
- “Riposte” becomes an enhanced talent option.
- The talent “Retractable Hook” now also increases the speed of “Grappling Hook”.
All Rogues with the Subtlety specialization automatically gain access to “Weakness Detection.” The ability “Shadow Dance” now automatically includes the bonuses from “Dark Shadow,” which was previously a talent.
What is changing with the Shaman
Many abilities are again usable for all specializations of the Shaman class:
- Chain Heal
- Chain Lightning
- Healing Stream Totem
- Flametongue Weapon
- Flame Shock
- Frost Shock
- Lightning Shield
- Totem of Burning
What is changing with the specializations? Elemental Shamans lose the resource Maelstrom. The new talent “Echoing Shock” deals damage to a target and allows the next healing or damage spell of the Shaman to be cast a second time at no additional cost after a short delay.
Enhancement also loses the Maelstrom resource. Furthermore, “Storm Blast” was revamped to automatically reset the cooldowns of “Flame Shock” and “Frost Shock.” “Stormkeeper” also ensures that the next uses of “Lightning Bolt” or “Chain Lightning” are instantly cast. Additionally, a new talent “Elemental Strike” has been introduced.
Restoration now automatically ensures that you have access to “Earth Shield.” The new talent “Wave of Earth” consumes some charges of “Earth Shield” to heal the current target as well as several nearby allies significantly.
What is changing with the Warlock
Warlocks are now learning to cast curses from scratch:
- Curse of Tongues
- Curse of Recklessness
- Curse of Weakness
- Curse of Doom
- They also gain access to “Demonic Circles” which can cover large distances.
What is changing with the specializations? In the Affliction specialization, quite a bit happens:
- “Unstable Affliction” now torments targets for longer without consuming Soul Shards.
- The new ability “Soul Torment” enhances the Warlock’s spells that deal damage with dark magic.
- “Seed” now plants two additional seeds in nearby enemies, which in combination with the new ability “Eerie Euphoria” can yield an explosive harvest.
- “Doom” now deals more damage over a shorter time, and if the target dies, there is a small chance to summon a Doomguard that fights temporarily for them.
For Demonology Warlocks, “Dark Pacts” now scales with spell power and deals more damage than ever. The talent “Dark Fury” further enhances the cooldown reduction of the ability “Shadow Fury” by increasing the area of effect of the spell.
Destruction sees enhancements with Fire and Brimstone that generate 2 Soul Shard Fragments for each enemy hit by the empowered “Conflagrate.”
What is changing with the Warrior
Warriors can now all access a variety of general abilities:
- Execute
- Hamstring
- Grim Determination
- Shield Block
- Shield Slam
- Shattering Throw
- Spell Reflection
- Whirlwind
- Challenging Shout
- Intervene
- Additionally, Shattering Throw returns with an innovation: Enemies protected by an absorption shield take devastating damage.
What is changing with the specializations? “Piercing Howl” can now be used by Arms Warriors. Additionally, the talent “Cleave” has been revised. After targets are hit with “Whirlwind,” the Warrior can use Cleave to hit all enemies in front of him and trigger “Deep Wound.” The talent “Deadly Calm” has also been revised and removes all Rage costs from the next four abilities.
Fury Warriors gain the new talent “Bloodlust,” which lets them enter a blood frenzy during “Whirlwind.” Warriors also learn “Charge.” Additionally, the talent “Furious Berserker” has been modified. At 100 Rage, the Warrior now receives haste and increased movement speed.
Protection Warriors are expected to deal a bit more damage. “Revenge is Sweet” increases the damage of “Revenge,” with the damage bonus increasing significantly when “Revenge” costs no Rage after a successful dodge or parry. “Unyielding” passively increases the maximum health of Warriors by a moderate amount. When the ability is active, Warriors can spend Rage to heal their wounds.
What do you think about the changes to the classes in Shadowlands? Do they appeal to you? And which class do you prefer to play in WoW?
