World of Warcraft Expanding Classic Tier Sets in Season of Discovery

Season of Discovery has always been about making bold changes to the World of Warcraft Classic formula, and Phase 4 is set to completely rework endgame tier sets for all classes. Whereas the original intent behind World of Warcraft Classic was 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, as World of Warcraft subscriptions are on the rise.

Phase 3 for Season of Discovery is set to launch on April 4, 2024, and it will raise the cap to Level 50. The new endgame will revolve around Sunken Temple, a raid version of the iconic World of Warcraft dungeon 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, the runes in Season of Discovery have allowed new World of Warcraft class combinations to shine.

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 Retribution Paladins in