Highlights
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight introduces the Evoker class, paving the way for future classes like the Necromancer.
RuneScape 3's latest combat skill, Necromancy, could potentially provide inspiration for the inclusion of a Necromancer class in World of Warcraft. Combining tank and power specializations, the Necromancer class in RuneScape offers a distinctive addition to World of Warcraft, with the potential to introduce healing and support abilities.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight introduces the Evoker class, offering players a more intricate style of gameplay. This opens up possibilities for upcoming classes, such as the Necromancer, a concept that has been explored in other games.
RuneScape 3, which predates WoW by several years, shares similarities with the game. In its recent update, RuneScape has introduced a new combat style called Necromancy, a groundbreaking addition since its initial release.
World of Warcraft Could Use RuneScape's Necromancy As Inspiration For a New Class
If World of Warcraft ever considered adding a necromancer class, they could draw inspiration from RuneScape 3's latest combat skill. The skill revolves around the player seeking help from Death himself to defeat the first necromancer, Rasial. Initially, the spirits of the deceased are unwilling to cooperate, as they do not wish to be enslaved to someone else's will. The player circumvents this dilemma by politely asking the dead for assistance instead of demanding it.
By taking this approach, the player can maintain their role as a hero without resorting to morally questionable actions. While World of Warcraft may not have to follow the same path, since some playable classes already blur the line between good and evil, the lore concept is intriguing. In RuneScape, necromantic power is acquired through engaging in rituals, which involve collecting souls in the Underworld to unlock various abilities.
In RuneScape 3, the combat aspect of necromancy offers players the choice between two specializations: tank and power. Each specialization brings unique benefits to the table, creating a duality in roles that would greatly benefit World of Warcraft classes. Necromancers in RS3 are ranged classes that wear cloth, similar to mages, but their fabric is imbued with the souls of the dead. They dual-wield a gauntlet-like weapon called a Death Guard and wield a skeleton lantern, both of which hold significant lore functions.
Although capable of ranged attacks, necromancers excel in tanking when surrounded by enemies on all sides. They have the ability to drain the health from multiple foes, infect them with diseases, and send ghostly minions to heal themselves for the damage they deal. In theory, a necromancer in World of Warcraft could also heal other players by summoning spirits to mend their wounds or provide buffs.
The necromancer concept, however, has its drawbacks. World of Warcraft already has death knights and warlocks who excel at summoning powerful minions and spreading diseases, so the necromancer would need to find a unique approach. As mentioned earlier, utilizing undeath for healing specialization would bring a fresh dynamic, along with a caster class that can effectively tank using spells, minions, and self-healing abilities.
With the introduction of the Augmentation Evoker specialization in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, players were introduced to spells that intelligently target other players. This allowed Augmentation to not only deal damage but also enhance the abilities of teammates. This opened up opportunities for various support classes, each with their own unique powers, to assist teammates in innovative ways. In this regard, necromancers could easily fill the role of a hybrid support spec.
Since its inception, the concept of necromancy has been present in World of Warcraft. The idea of having a dedicated and flexible necromancer class is quite thrilling. However, to stand out amongst other powerful classes like the Unholy Death Knight and Demonology Warlock, a necromancer class must introduce innovative and captivating elements. Regardless, if the World of Warcraft storyline were to venture into the realm of the undead once again, it would be the perfect opportunity for necromancers to shine. Go play World of Warcraft: Dragonflight on PC today.