Wednesday 7 August 2013

This Note's For You


Yesterday I wrote about the classes from a personal point both historically and their current incarnations. Today I was feeling a little remorse, so it is time to see if everybody else agrees with me. There are no comments from yesterday which probably means that I didn't upset anybody.

Back in May 2012 I wrote a post The State of The Union, which looked at the raiding numbers and the general WoW census information during Dragon Soul days. Back then the under represented classes were Rogue (9%), Warlock (6%), Shaman (8%) and Warrior (9%).  With 10 classes at the time an equal distribution would have provided 10% for all the classes. Blizzard highlighted Warlocks as on the endangered list, and to be honest without a pair of Legendaries, Rogues might have been on that list too. Warlocks got some love in the MoP expansion and breathed some life into what was a dying class.

May 2012 Census
The current census information includes the Monk class and with 11 classes the median drops to 9%. The classes sat under this mark are Monk (7%), Rogue (7%), Shaman (8%), and Warlock (8%). Monks are struggling in terms of numbers being the new class on the blocks and the difficulties of levelling to 90. Rogues without Legendaries have slipped back in popularity. Warlocks have seen a greater take up due to the changes and the chance to get Green spell from their class specific quest. Shaman have remained steady, and are still more popular with the Horde than Alliance, which is a throwback to Vanilla days and the limitations of race that was originally placed on the Alliance version.

August 2013 Census
The last 2 classes that I have chosen to level are both in the unpopular category, although I like both Shaman and Monk classes.

Another interesting change is the fall in the popularity in Paladin and to a lesser extent Druid, both being the full Hybrid classes have possibly been squeezed by the introduction of a 3rd full Hybrid class the Monk, although Mages have also suffered from the squeeze and they are currently the top performing Raid class by some distance.

It is obviously difficult to compare figures with 10 classes with one with 11 classes, but it does imply that there as been some movement in main characters and there are less people with alts at max level than in previous expansions.

2 comments:

  1. I noticed myself that you always get more comments if you manage to annoy someone. ;) So it is safe to say you did not offend anyone. Always wondered why people get offended by opinions anyway, they are opinions and opinion can not be right or wrong, just yours.

    From my own leveling this expansion I will say my three least enjoyed.

    Warriors, because they are dreadfully weak compared to the other classes and with bad rage generation and less healing than all other tanks I am just not feeling it.

    Paladin, because they just seem clunky now. I love paladins, don't get me wrong, but they are the hunters of the tank community. To many buttons and in their cases they need to use them all.

    Warlock, green quest or not, I just never jived with a lock. I've tried and I am beginning to like them more but they just to not catch me the way some other classes do.

    Now a word on Monks. I love them and they could very well be my new favorite play around class. The one I just do random stuff on like soloing and the such. They really rock at that, have a great AoE move for low level stuff, and have some heals and some control and a few fun tools that while it does give you a lot of stuff does not leave you with the cluttered feeling.

    I think DKs and Hunters will remain at or near the top for a while still to come. Hunters are the easiest class to level and DKs are still as over powered as they ever were. People like those things about classes.

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  2. I agree with your assessment on Warriors, I neglected to include the problem with rage generation. I think they would be better served with a focus style mechanic. They could have steam coming out of their ears by gnawing on a shield and then charge in with a full bar of rage.

    Warlocks I need to read up on, I do not even know what spec to choose or which one is easiest etc....

    Monks are good, I would like it to be easier to get that second set of gear, so that I can try healing.

    DK's are my new love and Hunters my first love, but Shaman and Mage are having a good expansion for different reasons.
    Mages are rocking, and Shaman is the easiest rotation.

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