Allthatissettochangeforeverinjustninedays.Nowtheclassesaremuchmoreinterchangeablewitheachotherthanbefore.Someprominentbuffshavebeennerfed,andinonenotablecase,distributed:ShadowPriests,SurvivalHunters,andRetributionPaladinsallgivemanabackwithReplenishment.Ingeneralthereismorethanoneclassthatcanprovidemosttypesofbuffsanddebuff.Also,manybuffsthatusedtobegroup-widearenowraid-wide,suchasPaladinaurasandShamantotems.Thismakesitmuchmorelikelythatpickingtwotanks,threehealers,andfiveDPSersoutofagrabbagwillgetyoudecentcoverageonbuffsanddebuffs.
AnotherplacewherethisnewphilosophyshowsthroughisinhybridDPSers.TheoldphilosophywasthathybridsmaybeweakinDPS,buttheywerestronginutility.NowspecssuchasenhancementShamansareexpectedtobedoingveryclosetotheDPSof"pure"DPSclassessuchasRogues.Blizzardpostersmaintainthatdifferencesinplayerskillandgeararelikelytobegreaterthaninherentdifferenceshere,sothatinordertogetthehighestDPS,you'dtakeashamanoverarogueifyouknewtheshamanwasabetterplayer.However,pureDPSersaremeanttobedoingslightlybetterthanhybridsifallotherfactors(gear,skill)areheldconstantandthefightmechanicsdonotfavoroneortheother.
Finally,everytankingclasscanmaintanknow.Previously,ifyouweredoingaprogressionraid,youwerebestservedbringingaProtwarrior,partlyfortheirlargearrayofcontingencybuttons,partlyduetomechanicsthatheavilyfavoredWarriors,andpartlyjustbecauseitwastradition.Wecan'tdomuchaboutthatlastfactor,butthefirsttwoarelargelygoneinWrath.Theothertwoprevioustankingclasses(PaladinandDruid)havebeengivensomenicenewtricks,andBlizzardhaspledgedtheirsupportinmakingallfourtankclasses(remember,DeathKnightsarecoming)equallyviablemaintanks,whichshouldmeannospecialfightmechanicsthatrequirespecificclasses.
Someplayersfeelthreatened,worryingthattheydon'thaveanyuniquespellsanymorethatguaranteethemaraidspot.That'stheentirepoint:nospecisguaranteedaraidspotanymore.Earnyourspotbybeingagoodplayer,byknowingyourclassandthefights,andbycomingprepared.
Personally,Ifindthisaveryexcitingtrend.ThatmightjustbebecauseImostlyplayhybridclasses,buthonestly,sixoutoftenclassesarenotpureDPSclasses,whichatleasttosomeextentqualifiesthemashybrids.Iknowwehavemoreoptionsthanthepureclasses-wecanrespectohealsortankingifwewantto-butit'suntenabletokeepuslowDPSsimplyforthatreason.Andiftheycanachievetheirstatedgoalofmakingiteasiertoformasuccessfulraidjustbybringingpeopleyouliketoraidwith(intherightproportionoftanks,healers,andDPS),thatwouldbeexcellentinmybook.Afterall,thisgameisaboutfun,andIneverhavemorefunthanwhenI'mplayingwithfriends.Weshouldn'thavetochoosebetweenfunandsuccess.
There'sanewphilosophyinWrath(actually,alreadyhereinthepost-3.0.2world)whenitcomestowhoyoushouldbringonyourraids.Inshort,astheheadlinesays:picktheplayersyoulike,nottheclassesandspecsyouneed.InallofWoWuntilthispoint,therehavebeencertainspecsthatwerevirtuallyrequiredinvariouspartsofthevariousraids.Whichspecsthesewerehaschangedwithtime,butthinkofShadowPriests'manabatterycapabilities,orstackingShamanstogetmanyHeroisms/Bloodlusts.Tobeacutting-edgeraiditwassimplyrequiredtoprioritize"correct"raidcompositionoverotherfactors.Yes,yourplayersneededtoknowhowtoplaytheirclass,butbeyondthat,youtookwhatwasneededforthefightsyouweredoing.AndyoutookaWarriormaintank,generallyspeaking.