I predict (WOTLK)

Here are a few of my bold predictions for WOTLK. Feel free to post your own.

Prediction 1: All raids will require one good Frost Mage.
The introduction of the Death Knight, who has access to Unholy, Frost, and Blood runes (which likely translates to Shadow, Frost, and Physical abilities) will finally provide a class to synergize with the Frost Mage. Winter's Chill will buff the Death Knight's frost attacks and the Death Knight will offer some kind of raid-wide buff that helps the Frost Mage more than others.

Prediction 2: Shadow Priests will not get any AOE spells.
This will be called their Achilles Heel. I also predict continued bad scaling of damage, and decreased reliance on external regeneration for other casters due to changes in the Spirit/mp5 models. They will still get raid spots, however, because of a new talent at the bottom of the shadow tree. It will be some type of DOT/Debuff that siphons resistances from mobs to the player's party.

Prediction 3: Shamans will get an extremely meager type of crowd control.
Either an upgrade to Earthbind that roots targets, or a 'stun shock.' It will suck.

Prediction 4: Nihilum will not get the World First on Arthas.
They'll be beaten by some other European guild. Americans won't even make the top five.

Prediction 5: Legendaries will still be favored towards Warriors.
Frostmourne will be useable by all two-hand users (Warriors, Paladins, Death Knights). You still won't see a dagger legendary. They'll add a caster legendary, but it will be terribly designed.

Prediction 6: Rogues will still do the most damage.
Dagger Rogues will get something that moves them to the top of the charts, probably related to critical strikes. Hemo won't be viable in PVE. Mutilate will be, but will rank about on par with Combat Fists.

Prediction 7: The Death Knight will make other hybrids look stupid.
They'll overtune their new class and either have to nerf it or buff other hybrids. They won't want to nerf Death Knights too much, so you'll see some kind of raid-viable buffing for Moonkin, Elemental Shamans, and Ret Paladins.

Prediction 8: The best raid encounter won't even been in Icecrown.
It will be in the first or second 25-man dungeon, and be completely awesome.

Prediction 9: The Feral Druid will become the best tank, initially.
Crushing Blows will be removed somehow, either through a new stat or changes to the mechanics. Warriors will be required for some gimmick fights (spell reflect) and stubborn guilds will still use them. Paladins will be still be extremely good for AOE tanking. Death Knights will be a complete joke for tanking, but will be required in some gimmick fight (some type of extreme parry mechanic). As people gear up and warriors complain, they'll replace ferals on the top again.

Prediction 10: Resto Shamans will still be the best healers.
Priests, Druids, and Paladins will frequently vie for raid spots, but your raid will run 4 resto shamans. No other healer will get anything that even compares to Chain Heal's power.

Prediction 11: Warlocks will get a new type of escape spell against melee.
A spell that places a circle of demonic power on the ground. The warlock would be able to teleport to this location from within a relatively short range (ie: 40 yards), and would also be able to summon demons more quickly if they're standing within the circle.

Prediction 12: Mages will get new abilities to counter warlocks.
No more mage tears.

Prediction 13: Frost Mages and Fire Warlocks will be the highest raid DPS spec for their class.
Affliction will continue to sucks, and they will try to buff Demo for PvE and fails. No new pet.

I will definately have to agree on daggers.. They have been mentioning they plan on releasing some dagger 'upgrade' or advantages. I feel we'll see daggers as the norm again for rogues in WOTLK

There will be a legendary weapon for hunters.

Boomkin will own everything. They will be a viable tank spec.

All male troll priests will be deleted.

Quote :

All male trolls will be deleted.

Fixed.

Holy Paladins will get a new talent that will make it so any friendly target standing in their consecrate will get healed for a strong amount. The amount of people who can be healed in it will be limited.

Another gimmick heal for Priest, possible channeled.

Might even give a bonus by consuming any Prayer of Mending charges on the target.

Going back to my predictions...

Prediction 1: All raids will require one good Frost Mage.
So far, Frost Mages are getting some raid viability, but they are still looking like a PVP-centric tree. There is some frost buffing that the DK provides, but it's highly situational. On the other hand, DKs do get a lot of benefits from Frozen targets, so a Frost Mage may still end up being useful (the new talent that counts a target as frozen could be huge here).

Prediction 2: Shadow Priests will not get any AOE spells.
Totally wrong here. Mind Sear is a channeled AOE that doesn't damage its target, but everything around it.

Prediction 3: Shamans will get an extremely meager type of crowd control.
They get Hex, which is actually pretty decent, so wrong here.

Prediction 4: Nihilum will not get the World First on Arthas.
TBD

Prediction 5: Legendaries will still be favored towards Warriors.
TBD

Prediction 6: Rogues will still do the most damage.
TBD

Prediction 7: The Death Knight will make other hybrids look stupid.
So far they look pretty stupid powerful.

Prediction 8: The best raid encounter won't even been in Icecrown.
TBD

Prediction 9: The Feral Druid will become the best tank, initially.
Crushing Blows are gone, agility and armor changes have put Ferals into an awkward position while they tweak the talents. So far, I'm off the mark.

Prediction 10: Resto Shamans will still be the best healers.
TBD, but the new Guardian Spirit and Nourish spells are looking pretty freaking awesome.

Demoniack wrote:

Prediction 12: Mages will get new abilities to counter warlocks.
No more mage tears.

not...


dibs on not being that frost mage. s'all you smolder

Koraa wrote:

Warlocks got to crazy land with the % modifiers to their damage output (specifically with Demonic Sacrafice), that's been toned down. Warlocks should never be able to out DPS a Mage with no pet out. Alike a Hunter, their pet should factor into their total damage output. Warlocks that sacrifice pretty much all utility talents should come very close to Mage DPS, but those who invest in group/raid utility should be lower.

I personally found this post from the Mage beta forums very interesting.

old

Tak wrote:

Boomkin will own everything. They will be a viable tank spec.

i like this guy's ideas, inc panzerkin

I see the frost mage/frost dk synergy being more apparent in 5 and 10 mans, 25 man not so much. Its effective for keeping aggro but howling blast and the like would be shitty for just DPS. Same reason being unholy in a 5-man is shitty unless you're the tank. At the current state frost is still very much a tanking spec and the other two are for dps, blood having the edge.

Frost mage/frost DK will be hellacious in arena though.