Summary
Season of Discovery has always been about making bold changes to theWorld of Warcraft Classicformula, and Phase 4 is set to completely rework endgame tier sets for all classes. Whereas the original intent behindWorld of Warcraft Classicwas about preserving and allowing players to experience the content as it used to be, Season of Discovery embraces its experimental side. New class combinations, new items, new events, and new raids have managed to breathe life into Classic servers, asWorld of Warcraftsubscriptions are on the rise.
Phase 3 for Season of Discoveryis set to launch on June 11, 2025, and it will raise the cap to Level 50. The new endgame will revolve around Sunken Temple, a raid version of the iconicWorld of Warcraftdungeon intended for 20 players with 8 bosses to challenge. While Phase 3 will continue to build upon the features that separate Season of Discovery from Classic, more dramatic changes are coming in Phase 4.
While Blizzard Entertainment released a video to showcase the new content coming in Phase 3, it also provided a sneak peek into the fourth phase of Season of Discovery. Among a myriad of radical changes, such as giving Priests a chance to unlock all racial bonuses at Level 60, one thing stood out in particular: a complete itemization overhaul for endgame raids, professions, and other drops in the open world. Whereas the Classic experience pigeonholed most classes into one viable specialization, therunes in Season of Discoveryhave allowed newWorld of Warcraftclass combinations to shine.
World of Warcraft Will Add Alternate Tier Sets in Phase 4
Following this design philosophy, Phase 4 will be implementing “off-spec” versions of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 armor sets in Season of Discovery. One of the examples shown was a Tier 1 piece for Druids with a set bonus specifically suited for the Balance specialization, implying that unique builds such as Mage healers would have proper support at Level 60. Other examples were a Rogue tanking set and a set that should make RetributionPaladins in Season of Discoveryviable in endgame raids.
However, these changes also apply toprofessions inWorld of Warcraft, as Season of Discovery will seemingly offer new best-in-slot options to accommodate the different specs. It’s obvious that Blizzard has an ambitious vision for the final two phases of Season of Discovery, though it may be a few months untilWorld of Warcraftplayers will have all the details.
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World of Warcraft is an incredibly successful MMORPG that has been going strong for almost two decades. It’s one of the highest-grossing franchises in history and is widely considered the most popular MMORPG ever made.
