I don't think it's really necessary to consider what class roles are needed when we're talking about hero classes. This was never what they were "about". They're about celebrating and indulging in the warcraft lore, first and foremost I would say. Bringing Warcraft 3 to life.

Yes, when it came down to it in WOTLK, after they were only interested at first in the undead theme of the expansion and deciding on necromancers, they decided to look at class roles and wanted something to encourage tanking. That was an experiment that did not necessarily work out in the end.
I don't think the idea that hero classes are intended to balance out a void in the classes is exactly a law, as many people seem to think they are. It worked out that way in WOTLK, but with dozens of hero classes planned out and experimented with in development, this would mean we'd probably never see any of them ever again.

I think it would be boring and counter intuitive to the hero class units of Warcraft 3 to try and shoe horn something into a role just because it hasn't been done yet.

With the storyline that seems to be redeeming Illidan's choices in some ways and the introduction of a secret group of demon hunters known as the Dark Embrace, as well as a quest line hidden in Darkshore that deals specifically with the "path to becoming a demon hunter", I think Blizzard is doing what they said they wanted to do in the future by easing us into new races and hero classes without them seeming forced.

Who knows really. Hero classes could still become some method of advancing already established classes, or they could be a purely cosmetic thing with some special abilities thrown in for many classes to share from. There's plenty of room for novel ideas.

And beyond the stick-in-the-mud-against-the-grain sorts who think demon hunters are dumb and cheesy angst filled antiheroes, they're really the most iconic and "cool" hero classes from WC3 next to Deathknights, especially among the consideration of the fan base.

This is a little off topic from DPS warriors, but it would be a cool path of development for all melee DPS to explore.

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