There’s a lot to admire and like about Legion so far, but of all of the touted features for the expansion, the one that is supremely underwhelming me at the moment is the class order hall. Seriously, can someone tell me why they’re even necessary? So far mine feels like a waste of space.
Sure, they’re interesting-looking and come in flavors for each class (including recycled ones, aka the Death Knight). But other than looking all thematic and providing you a different place to start and end that day’s adventures, what do they do?
Two of the key features of class order halls — customizing your artifact weapon and follower missions — could easily be done via interface (and, in the case of the latter, will soon be done via mobile app). There are the class missions, which are great, but they hardly need an order hall to make them work. There is the once-in-a-very-great-while choice of a bonus. It’s all nice — but not necessary. It doesn’t feel tied into the expansion the way that garrisons did with Draenor. And what class order halls are not seems greater.
They’re not yours. You’re either the chosen savior of the world with a unique artifact weapon (and all of these other yahoos are illusions) or one of a crowd of clones. But this place is markedly not yours. It’s just a clubhouse in which all of the other club members are steadfastly ignoring each other and not talking because nobody likes to be reminded that there are dozens, hundreds, and thousands of other players who have picked your class and spec.
They’re not customizable. Not visually, at least. I think there are a couple trophies you can hang up here and there from missions, but it’s not like Blizzard has changed its position on interior decorating.
They’re not replacements for city hubs (because that would be a disaster) nor for the full utility of garrisons (because that was, I guess, too much ownership and isolation). They’re Garrisons Jr. with some of the annoying elements removed or streamlined but little else practical and exciting added.
I don’t hate class halls, I just don’t get them (yet). They feel like a waste of space and a missed opportunity, and I can’t understand why Blizzard has been talking them up for over a year unless the studio is way too proud of its art department.
Maybe I need to stop trying to view them through the lens of utility, ownership, or customization, and instead see them more as a launch pad and a setting for stories. A familiar place that could become a character in its own right. We’ll see.
(insert “Why can’t we just have proper housing?” rant here)
Bio Break 
I thought it was a missed opportunity. Should have been phased tech so that I was the big hero, and it’s my space. Seeing other people faking being the savior of the land with CLEARLY fake artifacts (I mean, there is only one of each, right?) kills any sort of immersion. I think Blizzard just doesn’t care about that anyway.
Still, fun game. =P
Pretty much agree. When class halls were first announced, I wondered what the point was. Still waiting for an answer on that.
Honestly it feels a bit like someone was trying to justify a paycheck.
and hence why I am not playing retail wow, am I really missing some great fun??
I dunno, Neptulon the Tidehunter, AKA Elemental Lord of Water, showed up in mine to give me quests. I guess if your class’ is super lame you can just play it as a mini-game on your phone as of last Tuesday?