I belive WoD is a step in the right direction. Decreasing stats is their best idea in this expansion, by far. Not sure what I think about the Garrison, though.
Well the stats become a problem due to Blizzard's exponential scaling. If it would be linear there wouldn't be twelve million agility on a ring... Scaling has just gone through the roof.
Garnison: If it replaces farming in general it will be highly interesting but yet it's just another farmville/facebook gamish time sink. Hope it dies soon and it is noooooo replacement for the player housing (you cannot equip unique items into your garnison e.g. trophy from kills). And they are not in major cities so who cares? Will die like bastions in Conan...
Most annoying point of WoD is the revamp of revamp of revamping material: Draenor (again), Orcs (again?), the Warlords from Warcraft2 (again) and Garrosh (again). No major villain behind the story (again), nothing lorewise to explore (again), no surprising elements (again). Even if they balance the game out like Ulduar HC content there is -nothing- I would expect from that xpac... I really miss the story line concept behind this (why should horde and alliance fight this? Just seal the goddamn portal and Garrosh be Garrosh), where is the war for ressources? The shapening of Azeroth in general and how does this xpac again prepare for the arrival of the Burning Legion? And I have no idea how they make the "time travel" of Garrosh (he will meet his father Grommash) or the Reunion with Broxigar happen (if they miss Broxigar its a major flow in events as HE is the most remarkable warrior in the First, Second and Third War). And why would the Iron Horde listen to Garrosh instead of Thrall? What if he tells them that in Azeroth only pain and suffering awaits them? And why do you have to fight figures that have a long long story connection with the game but yet do not tend to be evil (sorry but some of the warlords are quite neutral)?
Sorry but there are waaaay to many options for Blizzard to fk this xpac up (again).
