Blizzcon unveils next expansion full of kung-fu-pandas and new monk class

Blizzcon is now officially behind us and what is left as aftermath?

I watched the news unfold, from the slow slow slow Twitter feed and the buggy Blizzcon livestream (thank you for that Blizz, when I paid for it). Funny enough, like many people watching the livestream, I still saw WoWInsider break the news of the new expansion about 5 minutes before it actually was said on the stream.

Was this a faux paux or was my stream buffered that much?  Irregardless, it made it quite a bit anti-climatic for me. I even threw the news in /2 on my server before it showed up on the stream.

In general, here’s a summary of the major news we heard about.  I’m working on another post where I delve into it more, but here’s the basic sumary.

Mists of Pandaria

This.

This is our next expansion. We saw the Blizzard register this name a few months back, but assume it would be an iPhone game or something mini-game like, with drunk pandarans. But no, we get an expansion full of them next. Let’s move on.

Kung-Fu Pandas

We are getting fucking pandas. Yes. Pandas. I shit you not. 

Some people love it, everyone else hates this idea.  No one is wrong on either side, but if you couldn’t tell, I am on the “do not like” side. Before you get mad at me, let me explain why I don’t like the pandas in game.

Consider that many people grew up playing this game. Maybe they started playing at 16 or 18, they are potentially now “adults” playing this game after a long day at work. I’m not talking about the new 15 year old player (they probably love the pandas), I’m talking about the majority of my guild, 25+ years old people who’ve been playing this game for 6 years now.

We are getting childish cartoon pandas. It’s ok, it really is. Everyone likes something different about the game but this seems sort of like a joke. Maybe I like the “serious” side of this game too much. What’s that mean, you ask?…  I like raiding, theorycrafting (though I don’t do nearly enough of it), hardcore play-time, and this game being my second job. Yes, it’s a game. That’s why I accept everything our overlords throw at me and will continue to do my thing and probably complain less and less over time.

So I asked my guildies. Most everyone I polled in the guild who’s over the age of 25 disliked the idea of pandas in it’s current incarnation shown. Some didn’t care either way as long as it didn’t effect raiding. Others, the younger crowd, LOVED the pandas. This age theory was tested even more without trying when this happened this weekend.

A social guild member logged in on Saturday absolutely extatic about the expansion news. He kept saying, “yayyyy I can’t wait to play a pandas!” I asked his age and he responded with “12″. Then he said, “did you know you start in a turtle zone?!?! OMG”.

To be honest and blunt, I’m a bit surprised they bring in such a cartoony looking character and say to our faces it’s meant to be funny, not serious, a joke like. I don’t want to come across too bitter and angry about this, because I’m really not angry. I just don’t like the panda direction that much. 

Pandaria F’in Rocks!

For those who know me in real life, you know about my obsession for Asian interior design and my pets even have Japanese names.  So, that part of me did a huge omfgcheer when I saw what this new Pandaria content will look like. It’s my damn dream come true with bamboo, temples, and simply breathtaking scenery.

So this content, hells yeah I am looking forward to. Just look at the concept art for this raid. Wow.

Monks. Hell to the Yeah!

Now, to balance out my blatent hate for pandas as a new playable race.. I am in LOVE with the monk concept. We get a Monk class – that’s freaking cool (as long as they aren’t cartoon pandas)!

To quote Blizzard’s Q&A:

The monk is a martial arts expert who excels in close-quarters hand-to-hand combat, and can fill the role of a tank, damage-dealer, or healer, depending on a player’s chosen specialization. As with most classes in the game (with the exception of death knights), monks begin their journey at level 1. 

Monks have a number of unique mechanics and resources that set them apart from other classes. For example, the class is being designed with a more active approach to combat than other classes; every kick and punch is performed with the press of a key, so they will not have a default auto-attack. In addition, monks build up “chi” through a combination of punches, kicks, and other basic martial arts moves, and then expend it to unleash powerful special moves, such as finishers or potent heals. 

This monk class sounds awesome! A monk healer, doing martial arts, and healing also. During the stream they said that the healing monk will be in close combat, in melee, and will heal similar to a smite build disc priest. DPSing will build up power to use very powerful heals.

I will be rolling a monk, not a panda, but yes a monk healer for sure.

What do you think?

What’s Next?

In the end, who knows what the future holds but us in this game. But what we can count on is that there’s a ton of change around the corner. What will happen with the game? I’m not sure. Many will leave. Many will join. It’s a continous flux until the game reaches “that time” that they start really losing players.

For now, I still love raiding, love my class, love healing. Some would call me a passionate freak about it. I hope that doesn’t change in the future expansion. I do have more and more worry though I have to admit.

Stay tuned, lots more to talk about especially the entire revamp (and dumbing down whooops did I say that?) of the talent system. Oh hello cookie cutter specs and save a sad sad goodbye to good ol theorycrafting as we know it today.