Players ask for free respecs after class changes

A week after launch, World of Warcraft: Forever players are debating free respecs. Should Blizzard reset your talents for free after a big class change, as it does in retail? The changes to Enhancement Shaman started the discussion.

Why Enhancement

Enhancement Shamans got a big shift after launch. Their gear went from Intellect and spell power to Strength and attack power, and Windfury Weapon now works next to Windfury Totem. A whole new stat priority and a big change to their talents: reason enough for a free respec, say some players.

What retail does

In retail, Blizzard gives one free respec after a major rework of a class or spec: real changes to how several abilities work, not just numbers. Classic never had those refunds, because there was much less to change. Forever changes more, and then the question is what counts as major.

Gold is short

The timing matters. Most players are still leveling, which is when you try out talents the most, and their gold goes to a mount first. At level 60 quests give no gold, and the raids bring repairs and consumables. Dual Spec costs 50 gold at level 40 on top of that.

The open questions

• Free respecs at all, whatever the size of the change?
• What counts as a major class change?
• Free respecs while leveling, as in Diablo 4, with costs only at the maximum level?
• Is gold short now, and will it be again when the raids open?