We’ve had a big problem brewing for ages now and that problem is about to hit critical in World of Warcraft. Right now the people are complacent to the problems because only some classes are affected. Some classes are only halfway affected, some are all the way, but in a way, as an entire community, we’re all affected. What is that problem? It’s hybrids.

It has always been a problem. When World of Warcraft launched years ago it was a problem. Hybrids were not hybrids even though they were advertised as such. For instance a Paladin healed and did nothing else. Druids healed and maybe if they were geared out enough, did DPS. Warriors and Shamans were the real hybrids being able to either tank/DPS or DPS/heal, although Shamans were again healers. You needed a lot of healers in a 40 man group and Mages, Warlocks, Rogues, and DPS Warriors were there to do the damage. Warriors flew their banners of tanks wide and proud. Druid tanks were laughed at. If you were DPS specced as a Paladin 10 minutes after hitting 60 then you were “doing it wrong”.

In the expansion World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade you had an upheaval. The status quo was changed. Paladins were tanking. Druids were DPSing. Shamans were doing all kinds of things. The hybrids really were hybrids. Paladin DPS still wasn’t there, yet, but they too enjoyed the ability to LFG for something other than healing. Warriors who were kings of tanking quit in droves to reroll another class now that their power over their guilds were shattered by the people who were healing them in AQ40 and Naxxramas.

Then again with the expansion World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King you see more hybrid love. Hybrids can now do anything they set their sights on. Druids are the most versatile class and have as much chance of being number one on the threat meter, DPS meter, or heal meter as any other tank, DPSer, or healer. However, what can Mages, Hunters, Rogues, and urghh.. Warlocks do? They can do damage.

That’s right. Rogues get off easy by having their DPS equate to simple gear mechanics and their rotation. They can get as high as possible on the DPS meter. However, they can only do DPS. Mages can only do DPS. Warlocks can only do DPS. They can’t do anything else. Warriors can tank or DPS, Shamans can heal or DPS, Paladins and Druids can do everything (and Druids even get to be casters as a way to DPS). Death Knights tank and DPS and do both very well. Priests? Heal and DPS.

Mages cannot heal. They cannot tank. They’re not even melee DPS which means their damage is mostly dependent on gear. The same goes for the other pure classes that have a single role. They do damage and provide a moderate amount of utility.

Here’s a(n) (un)funny joke. What does a Mage do when they dual spec? Waste 1,000 gold.

Is this an argument about viability or an argument of wants? It’s true that right now Mages are brought to raids. Their DPS is consistent to their role as DPS only. It’s not bad, they’re not useless, and for right now, they’re “fine.” However, they have the flexibility of a wooden plank that isn’t soaked in water and has steel beams and cement tucked inside.

They may always be that way. How can you explain a Mage healing? How can you see a Mage tanking anything other than gimmick encounters (mana used as a health pool instead, anyone?) How can you see a Mage taking up their staff and meleeing? You can’t really change the description of a class once it’s been in the game for years too.

There will never, ever, be a hybrid Mage unless we see reincarnation of some form and even then that’s unlikely. Mages will always be “the king of AoE DPS” which is like saying “they’re the king of DPS, but Rogues have that and Hunters have the ranged DPS title so… AoE DPS!” There is no changing it. There isn’t any fairness or unfairness to it. It’s what you get when you sign up for a “pure” class.

However, as the other hybrids gain their power we’re given more things to be jealous about. If the hybrids aren’t the “best” at something then they can’t do it because of simple mechanics. Don’t use something lukewarm when it could be scalding hot. So they have to be really good tanks, healers, and/or DPSers otherwise they couldn’t hold that role. But if they can switch, especially with the advent of dual-specing at will, then us Mages and every other pure DPS class is left with the same boring rotation and locked directly into one thing.

Is it us, the players’ fault for choosing a class? I would say so, but remember. Most classes at launch were pure classes. The other trees were jokes or for leveling. The hybrids signed up for hybrids and got a purist class. This same article was written many times back then, except it was arguing for hybrids to be able to do what was promised.

In all honesty this problem will continue to persist. It’ll always persist. There are things that can be done to make things better though. More gimmick encounters like ones that need Warlock tanks or ranged DPS to do something; more utility as the game advances for pure DPS classes that are needed to get to that next level so you can debuff more or crowd control more. More “good things,” essentially.

Remember this, though. While problems will always exist, the community is resilient. When Paladins could only heal they were still representing in raids. Even now, Warriors might not always be the best main tanks but they’re still being brought to raids. So while it’s an issue and it’ll be always an issue, the community itself will always persevere.

So if you take anything from this article then it’s a reminder that hybrids vs. purism is always an issue. It always will be. There is no fair balancing act to it unless everyone is a hybrid or everyone is a pure role, and even then it’s unfair to change people’s classes so drastically. The issue though, while ever changing (who knows what the next expansion will bring), will work itself out. People need to play and people need other people to play. So no matter the controversy or the rants or the protests you’ll still see instance portals packed on Tuesday nights even for the low population servers.

What do you think? What are your views on hybrids vs. purists? Come to our forums and discuss it with our community.