Countdown to Classic Phase 2 Season of Exploration Interview with Tim and Josh

Season of Discovery, Phase 2 is on the horizon, and the WoW Classic community is buzzing with excitement. In a recent interview with Assistant Lead Classic Designer Tim Jones and Senior Game Producer Josh Greenfield, we got some insights into what's in store for players in this next phase. From spell scaling to faction equality and a warning for those trying to get around GDKP restrictions, there's a lot to unpack. Let's dive into the details.

PvP Discussion

One of the major concerns in PvP is dishonorable kills. The team has made changes for Phase 2 to ensure that certain abilities, like Living Bomb and Explosive Shot, won't accidentally pull civilians into combat. Dishonorable kills have always been a contentious issue, but they were added to prevent griefing and maintain balance. The goal is to have intense PvP battles without factions dominating entire zones and hindering other players' progress.

Another issue that arose is win trading during the Blood Moon event. The team has designed the event to be a free-for-all, allowing players to self-police by disrupting win trading groups. However, if players continue to exploit the event, the developers will come up with additional solutions to combat this behavior. It's important for players to treat the event as a serious PvP experience rather than a PvE grind.

QoL and General Design

Quality of Life (QoL) improvements are always a topic of discussion in WoW Classic. However, some changes, like increasing the nameplate distance, are not considered simple QoL changes. They significantly impact gameplay and the overall feel of the world. While the team acknowledges that changes from vanilla to modern WoW were gradual, they are not aiming for a complete replica of modern WoW. Players often express the desire for a "Classic Plus" experience, but the developers are cautious about deviating too much from the original vision.

When it comes to class design, the team understands that some classes may feel incomplete without their full kit. However, the introduction of runes was not going to change that until the classes had their trademark spells. The focus is on making discoveries exciting, within the production cycle's limitations. Consequently, some classes may feel more or less complete based on the availability of their talents.

Class Design

Season of Discovery follows the framework of previous WoW expansions, making it challenging to allow baseline spells to scale with level like runes do. Despite this difficulty, the team believes that each phase will balance out at level 60. It's natural for the way classes are played to change as players progress through different phases, and the team is okay with that.

Hunters underwent some significant balance adjustments during Season 1. The team intended to make Hunter pets stronger and more enjoyable but ended up overshooting the mark. They admit that they should have been more conservative in their changes and are still learning from this experience. The class changes are part of an ongoing plan that incorporates player feedback, especially in terms of faction equality and key buffs.

"Technically" GDKP

Regarding the recent stance against GDKP (gold-distributing raid runs) in Season of Discovery, the developers are aware that players might be trying to find loopholes to continue these trades. However, they are taking a common sense approach to enforcement. Players attempting to engage in similar trades, even if not technically GDKP, will still face consequences. It's essential to adhere to the guidelines set forth by the team.

Gnomeregan Bosses and Lightning Round

The bosses in Gnomeregan will be +2 levels above the players. The designers have made adjustments to weapon skill items to ensure they are not excessively powerful. At L60, when the bosses are +3 levels higher, weapon skill items become crucial for success. The goal is to strike a balance that allows players to play the specs they want without overwhelming penalties.

Instances above Uldaman will be inaccessible during Phase 2, although there may be some notable findings that even the developers are not aware of. New runes will mostly be found in L25-40 zones, encouraging players to revisit older areas. Additionally, Phase 2 will introduce more gold sinks and allow the STV mount to be usable everywhere. Finally, Aggrend, a notorious figure, may have influenced some Paladin nerfs.

As Phase 2 approaches, the WoW Classic community is eagerly anticipating the new content and challenges. Make sure to check out our guides covering everything you need to know about this exciting phase of the Season of Discovery!