BlizzCon 2011: Screenshots of the new Pandaria talents for all classes

If you wanted to look at the new talents that will be debuting in Mists of Pandaria, I would hope you followed our liveblog of the talent system overhaul. The short version is you get to pick 1 talent from a pool of 3 talents every 15 levels. By the time you hit the new level cap of 90, you will have 6 talents. Each set of talents does the same thing, more or less, in different ways.
Now, for your perusal, we present a class by class gallery of the new talent system as it stands today. Remember this is subject to change, alot, before Pandaria, launches.
Make no mistake, this is a significant game changer for everyone. This is the dawning of unparalleled flexibility in personal customization choice. Arms warriors with Shockwave, fury warriors with Bladestorm. This is the biggest change to the game since reforging.Now, for your perusal, we present a class by class gallery of the new talent system as it stands today. Remember this is subject to change, alot, before Pandaria, launches.
There are no tree examples for the upcoming Monk class yet. Galleries of each class's talents after the cut.
The nws is out -- we'll be playing Mists of Pandaria! Find out what's in store with an all-new talent system, peek over our shoulder at our Pandaren hands-on, and get ready to battle your companion pets against others. It's all here right at WoW Insider!Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, BlizzCon
Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria news





Reader Comments (Page 7 of 7)
Mitch_b_666 Oct 22nd 2011 11:31AM
Well that "problem" is where the new system shines! If you do get strand of the ancients, you'll just be able to swap out that level talent for seal of justice, right then and there and not have to go back to a trainer to reset your talents.
srshupe Oct 24th 2011 7:27PM
A slow on a short cooldown is not that useful against flag carriers?
John Frakes Oct 22nd 2011 8:01AM
The site below has a blood elf for about $12. The warlock can be found on that site as well. However it turns out, take pictures so that you can make improvements for the next time.
http://leanmusclexfacts.com
angelicmage Oct 22nd 2011 11:54AM
Hey WTF is this shit pretty much nerfed every class fucked over everything blizzard ur ideas suck and kung fuu panda wow wtf BS keep it the way it is but with level 90 and class and race
Gromghad Oct 22nd 2011 8:39PM
When I read Blizz are overhauling talents (again) I was pretty skeptical, and looking it over I don't understand there reasoning much; Cata showed you'll never eradicate 'cookie-cutter' specs and forcing utility talents on them always feels like a forced concept at best. So the solution it seems is to make talent points even more boring.
I've always thought blizz's stance here ironic, given that whenever a spec arises that deviates too much from the norm (i.e. shockadins, early HaT rogues, spellpower enh shaman, or hybrid specs in general), they'll play whackamole with the nerfbat, and still espouse an ideology of letting players have a genuine choice.
On a side note, looking at the pala talents (sanctified Wrath @lvl90), I'm quietly hoping we see a shockadin revival in PVP at least.
Elpizo Oct 22nd 2011 3:09PM
I'm thinking, the best way to describe the way new talents work is, a poster on MMO-Champ linked this:
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/3015/25867587.png
The idea is, you choose a spec & get a signature ability or whatnot, you also get these as baseline:
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7629/22283805.png
You get baseline skills, spec skills, AND the talents. if something was good, chances are its a spell or skill learnt at a certain level. the talents are optional flavouring. utility & whatnot.
Credit to the posters over there that put these up.
Khirsah Oct 23rd 2011 3:05PM
I've only looked over the rogue talents, because those are the only ones I care about, and I love what I see.
What creates a 'cookie-cutter' spec is the idea that one talent is an obvious dps boost over another. (or hps or damage mitigation or whatever your role is). Anyway, none of the talents seem to be geared toward obvious dps increases. True, some seem to have more pvp or pve utility than others, but none are things like "increases damage from x ability by 5/10/15%", which then forces the rogue to take that talent.
It will be nearly impossible to theorycraft if one movement speed ability beats another, and will depend entirely on the fight or situation.
This is a great change. I'm totally excited to use Deadly Brew, Shadowstep, and Killing Spree all at once.
ZephyrSP Oct 23rd 2011 4:44PM
The shock of the "pick 6 talents from 18 options" change was jarring, but when you think about it GC is right...as it is now there is extremely little real choice in builds.
At first glance it looks like the Shaman selections aren't quite as...tailored...to Enhancement as Ele and Resto. Very much reserving judgement, of course. So much we don't know yet.
No buff totems is scary! I'll feel naked without my 4 multicolored friends around me.
But AoE root or (easier access to) Frost Shock root? Oh yes.
trick Oct 23rd 2011 7:13PM
This just looks to me like another extremely heavy-handed attempt by Blizzard to remove even more decision-making from character progression. Instead of actually providing several viable talents in each tree, and allowing people to pick from whatever tree they want (a la pre-Cataclysm WoW), they make nearly all all the decisions for you.
One of the things that I've always enjoyed about WoW was that the more you put into it, the more you got out of it. If you took the time to research your class, it would pay off.
Don't fool yourself. They're not giving people "unparalleled flexibility" when they only allow you to make six talent choices over the lifetime of your character; they're doing the exact opposite. This isn't about adding flexibility, it's about removing it and making things easier for the most casual players.
This is another step toward giving the illusion of equality, of dumbing things down so the people who take the time to learn game mechanics don't have any kind of edge over the people who don't. I'm sure there are a lot of people willing to support Blizzard in doing that, but I'm not one of them.
Anony Moss Oct 25th 2011 12:18AM
I agree completely. It wouldn't even be *as* bad if you could pick 6 of the 18 choices, but it's 1 of 3 x 6, meaning (like someone pointed out) you can't have Dragon's Breath and Blast Wave anymore.
My girlfriend and I were looking at coming back to the game, particularly with the free Diablo 3 deal that they have going on: but I'm certain we won't be now. I loathe the new system. I won't degrade those who enjoy it: more power to you, but the two of us will be looking for a different game to play together.
Chopper Oct 24th 2011 10:55AM
omg no Titan's grip??
Anony Moss Oct 25th 2011 12:12AM
My girlfriend and I were considering renewing our WoW subscriptions but this change has me sure I won't be returning. I strongly dislike the change. I like the complexity that real talent tress bring to the game. I wasn't a huge fan of the way change to talent trees that Cata brought but I found it a well balanced system between complexity and intuitiveness.
This revamp just seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator of player. It may appeal to some and I won't condemn those who enjoy a simpler game but it isn't for me.
For those who are claiming this offers more choices, that's only if you assume that you HAD to use a specific build in cata (which almost all builds had at least some level of flexibility that allowed the character to be better for 5/10/25-man play and/or for certain encounters or group make ups), and suggesting that the new system offers more choices also assumes that the new system won't create the exact same dynamic.
Regardless of how others feel (I won't judge them, more power to those that like it), I dislike it and will be looking for a different game to play.
secondmem712 Oct 25th 2011 3:08PM
First, druids have always had 4 specs.. -_- it just depends on how you specced your feral tree. Bear, cat, resto, or balance.
Second, this looks stupid. At first glance, mind you, but it does. It really strikes me as Blizzard trying to make everything simpler and simpler. What they NEED to do is make maybe more talents.. or more points to put in to more talents. 6 points is terrible.. it's not only seeming more cookie cutterish, now it's also cookie cutter for an 8 year old.
Third, I also am FED UP with them redesigning talent trees. I don't mind a slight redesign but this looks really bad.. -_-
Last, I really WISH they would PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do something about professions. Come on.
lividmonkey Oct 25th 2011 6:03PM
I dunno, y'all. I've looked through a few of these and I have to tell you, it seems very lack luster. There are definite skills you will have to take to either maximize DPS or heal or tank. Very little room for fudging in most cases. I can see quite a few skills that will rarely, if ever, be used by anyone because those skills neither maximize DPS or help with healing or tanking. I can understand the situational uses for them, but in the end, it's just another boring choice that nobody is going to want to make. Not to mention, while leveling, you're only getting one of these choices every 15 levels. For some classes, the choices on any given level are all dull. It doesn't give you that feeling of accomplishment that you can now add something to your arsenal every couple levels. Now you have to wait 15 and MAYBE get something worth taking. At the end game, of course that doesn't matter, but, it looks like leveling just got more boring. I think it's just going to be the same problem we have now in a new form.
vlakaa Oct 26th 2011 1:50AM
zzz
pudge Oct 29th 2011 3:17PM
blizzard should look at how you get spells in elder scrolls:oblivion have yet to see how skyrim works but you go to a trainer if you have the cash you can buy the spell now i know that wont work in wow but you could do it on a merit system you earn tokens through dungeons and pvp and raids then when you have enough you can get the talent you want
Musclyarms Nov 1st 2011 8:53PM
I personally think Blizzard is doing right by their customers. If you look at what alot of complaints people had when cata came out: change this class mechanic, increase damage her, nerf that. Perhaps thats what their trying to do take your folks advice and apply it to the game the best they can. I look at those talents and I see some really difficult choices for my arms warrior. juggernaut or double time. which goes better with bull rush? or perhpas deadly calm is an better choice. tough pick. avatar or bladestorm? there are some more clear pvp choices, but i look at those and i think wow, i like that talent but this one is sweet too. overall you want all those talents but this makes me think very carefully about how i want to affect my combat. of course i have no idea what abilities are going to be available to each class now. will stances still be there or will they trash they system to and just give all warriors similar abilities? that would suck as i like my rend colossus smash mortal strike slam heroic strike rotation, it defines battle stance arms warriors. irregardless all this i like this system so far. the only thing i don't like is that i feel there aren't enough talents. perhaps a talent every ten levels starting at level 10 all the way up to 90. if blizzard wants to give us choice, toss a little more our way. of course they still may add more. i hope they do. until then ill be combining all the ways i can make my arms warrior a beast.