New World of Warcraft specialization promises ‘a playstyle never seen before’

The Augmentation Evoker will be added to World of Warcraft this summer.

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Associate editor Tyler Colp said back in March that he was convinced Blizzard was about to bring aranged support classto World of Warcraft. As it turns out, he was partly right: Today Blizzard unveiled the new Augmentation specialization for the Dracthyr Evoker class, a damage dealer role coming to the game this summer that uses “the essence of the Black and Bronze dragonflights to amplify the abilities of nearby allies.”

“The playstyle for this new specialization involves empowering your allies with a variety of beneficial effects,” Blizzard explained in theAugmentation Evoker preview. “Some can be cast directly on your allies, while others are tied to using your damage-dealing abilities effectively. Augmentation Evokers deliver their damage in a wholly unique way. They act as force multipliers, increasing their group’s capabilities (and damage output) significantly.”

Some Augmentation abilities will buff either your entire party or individual members, and many will use “smart or proximity-based automatic targeting” so Augmentation Evokers can support their pals while staying focused on the fight. You’ll also be able to target specific members of your party for buffs, if you prefer.

Black dragonflight magic is focused on raw power boosts and “forceful outbursts of earthen might,” Blizzard said, while bronze dragonflight magic “is all about bending time, changing fate, and shifting timelines to tremendous effect.” Here are a few examples:

Ebon Might

Eruption

Upheaval

Breath of Eons

Augmentation Evokers will also have access to an all-new spec tree that will enable them to increase their black or bronze magic specializations and discover new ways to support their comrades.

So it’s not an all-new class, but adding a whole new specialization to an existing class is a big deal in its own right, and Blizzard said the Augmentation Evoker spec “offers a unique opportunity to delve into a playstyle never seen before in World of Warcraft.”

The Augmentation Evoker specialization is slated to go live in World of Warcraft this summer as part of theFractures in Timecontent update, which will also include a new Dawn of the Infinite mega-dungeon, a new Time Rifts public event, and the Kalimdor Grand Prix dragonriding event.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill.Lotsof Henry Cavill.

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