Nethaera: “With the upcoming release of Wrath of the Lich King and the many changes the expansion brings to classes and mechanics, we have decided to rearrange our forums to make it easier for players to hold constructive discussions. To that end, we have added three role-based forums: Tanking, Damage Dealing, and Healing. Why?
Common ground for common roles. The new structure provides central places for players of diverse classes and specs to discuss their common roles. Until now, there was no one obvious forum for a holy paladin to discuss Arena healing tactics with a restoration shaman, or for a protection warrior to talk tanking mechanics with a feral druid. This often led to splintered, fractured, and redundant discussions.
The class forum structure is great for players of each class to have a sense of identity, but it isn’t necessarily effective for taking into account the impact of talents. While lumping together a shadow priest and a holy priest (for example) may be good for maintaining the identity of priests, this isn’t always effective in terms of our ability to address the very different roles these two talent specializations fulfill.
Celebrate diversity! While a tank tanks and a healer heals, the specific ways each class and talent build go about these roles are very distinct—and the addition of new abilities in Wrath of the Lich King will continue to add even more ways to play. The new forum structure will still be a place for a frost mage (for example) to discuss tricks of the trade with other frost mages, while at the same time facilitating an understanding of the unique tools that rogues or other damage-dealers have to perform similar functions.
Help us help you. The new forums will also allow the community team and developers to follow discussions and gather feedback more effectively as the game continues to evolve—which, ultimately, translates to a better World of Warcraft for you.
Please bear in mind we will have a continued moderation presence on the class forums to ensure discussion remains civil, however, the focus of our posting about class roles will be on the new role-based forums. You can begin using the new forums immediately at the links below”:
