Cataclysm information continues to be revealed by the testers and this time MMO-Champion has a lot of solid information to share that is actually quite informative since it details a great deal about how class mechanics are changing during Cataclysm.  Based upon how you choose to spend your talent points, each player will unlock specialty skills that define their class.  Since players are forced to choose one path and stick with it until the end, it’s quite an important decision (not that it hasn’t always been this way though).  Choosing it even more important now though. Check them out.

Hunters get Explosive Shot at level 10 if they spec survival.  Warlocks get their Felguard at 10.  Druids get Mangle.  Mages get Water Elemental.  It goes on and on.  Classes are getting their defining abilities — some of them — right from the start.  This totally changes how leveling will work now and it actually makes the prospect of playing a new class and starting over not seem so drab.  It’s going to make leveling and doing just about anything from questing to dungeons to PvP be entirely more dynamic much quicker.

This particular type of overhaul can be likened unto the changes EQ2 saw when SOE removed the archetype’s and let players just choose their level 20 class immediately.  It cuts out a lot of the dry crap that people simply dread going through just to get to the class that they want to play.  This is often a big problem with all games where characters starting out all feel the same.  When this continues to level 5, 10, 15, 20, etc it gets old.  Admittedly this will make brand new players love the classes and be bigger altaholics than ever, but it entices veteran players to reroll.

It wouldn’t hurt the entire MMO industry to consider allowing players to experience a more dynamic, diverse, and exciting low level experience.  I appreciate the idea of progressing and building up from something small though.  Character progression is important, but not at the cost of really mild play.  In hindsight it’s easy to say how classes should have all started this amazing, and looking back WoW has always had more pizazz than other games early on, but it’s still nice to see such a transition and learn from it.

I’m excited about creating alts has just skyrocketed.  Playing a Goblin Mage that gets a water elemental at level 10… yes please.

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