It's been almost a year since the launch of World of Warcraft's The War Within expansion, which came out on August 26 of 2024, so it's fitting that Blizzard has now revealed the content of the upcoming Midnight expansion scheduled for 2026. First showcased with a cinematic trailer at Gamescom and followed up on social media and the official World of Warcraft website, as well as the Battle.net launcher, Midnight's features are now clearer. They include:
- Player Housing, with tons of customization options
-
Four new zones:
- Quel'Thalas, which is undergoing a rework for the expansion
- Zul'Aman
- Harandar
- The Voidstorm
- Prey, which allows players to pick up contracts to defeat powerful elite enemies for worthwhile rewards
-
Haranir as a new Allied Race, for both Horde and Alliance, with the following classes available:
- Druid
- Warrior
- Hunter
- Rogue
- Priest
- Mage
- Warlock
- Monk
- Shaman
- Devourer Demon Hunter spec, with Void Elf as a possible playable race
A third Demon Hunter spec in World of Warcraft may seem an extraordinary announcement, but patch 11.2 did pave the way for a Void spec for the class extensively, with a new storyline and one of the encounters in the Manaforge Omega raid. Still, one detail was left hidden on the official website, and it could make or break Devour Demon Hunter builds and their balance in the game.
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World of Warcraft's New Demon Hunter Spec in Midnight Has an Ace Up Its Sleeve
Considering the context of patch 11.2, the fact that Demon Hunters in World of Warcraft are the only class with two specs, and the fact that it has been almost three years since the last full class release for the game in Dragonflight, it does make perfect sense to add the Devourer spec now. With a fake leak from a while ago showing the "Entropy" spec for Demon Hunters, even before patch 11.2, a Void spec seemed a logical progression for the class. The leak included two-handed melee weapons as part of the fake Entropy class' proficiency, but the Devourer's concept could not be more different.
Based on the official website's section about the Devourer spec, this new Demon Hunter build is breaking a massive tradition: keeping ranged and melee combat separate. The description from the Midnight reveal is as follows:
Unlock the new third specialization for Demon Hunters, the Devourer, which harnesses the Void with unique ranged abilities ripped from your enemies. Engage foes from a distance, utilizing soul-harvesting techniques to fuel devastating Void abilities. Summon a Void Scythe for powerful attacks, including ranged strikes, cone slams, and melee spin attacks.
With this in mind, it's clear that the class won't be the usual melee spec with a few ranged abilities at best, but rather a wide selection of both. Since it's unlikely that Devourer Demon Hunters will be able to fully play the ranged class in World of Warcraft, and considering they will still use warglaives, the spec is probably going to be classified as melee overall. However, the gameplay loop will be a combination of both for the first time.
Why World of Warcraft's Melee and Ranged DPS Are Two Worlds Apart
Normally, there's a rather clean distinction between a ranged or melee spec in World of Warcraft, as most abilities, save for a few exceptions, will be labeled with one of the two gameplay styles. For example, the Hunter class has a dedicated melee spec rather than melee abilities in its two ranged specs. Likewise, most melee classes have some form of ranged ability, even if it's just to ping enemies from afar to draw aggro, but it's never a big focus of the build overall.
There are cases where the two overlap a little, but it's always just that - a minor superimposition of layers. WoW's Paladins have skills like Judgment or Avenger's Shield to attack from afar, Evokers are the ranged class with the shortest average range for their abilities and the melee-like range for Fire Breath, and both Mages and Hunters have defensive abilities to survive melee range should they be caught in it. Instead, Devourer Demon Hunters are seemingly fusing these playstyles into one, and the new trailer showing glimpses of the spec also includes what seems like a new ability that conjures Void energy to attack enemies from a distance.
Melee classes with ranged abilities do exist, but this seems like a different beast entirely, with a hybrid design that could be a blessing or a curse when it comes to balancing the damage Devourer Demon Hunters deal in WoW's Mythic+ Dungeons, raids, delves, and so forth. Still, it's a refreshing take on the gameplay loop, and it will be interesting to see the extent of it when Midnight's beta drops.
- Released
- August 26, 2024
- Base Game
- World of Warcraft
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Publisher(s)
- Blizzard
WHERE TO PLAY
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.
