▁the ▁direction ▁for ▁ 4 E ▁D & D ▁that ▁W ot C ▁is ▁taking ▁is ▁that ▁new ▁class ▁design ▁will ▁be ▁following ▁the ▁gu idel ines ▁set ▁forth ▁in ▁the ▁Ess entials ▁products . ▁New ▁races , ▁fe ats , ▁items , ▁and ▁mon sters ▁all ▁follow ▁a ▁new ▁set ▁of ▁gu idel ines ▁that ▁came ▁around ▁mostly ▁with ▁Ess entials , ▁but ▁I ▁think ▁the ▁place ▁we ▁feel ▁the ▁difference ▁the ▁most , ▁and ▁the ▁place ▁where ▁we ▁really ▁care , ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁design ▁of ▁classes ". ▁ ▁App el cl ine ▁emphas ized ▁that ▁v amp ires ▁as ▁a ▁class , ▁and ▁not ▁as ▁a ▁race , ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁controvers ial ▁element ▁of ▁Hero es ▁of ▁Sh adow . ▁App el cl ine ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁" the ▁design ers ▁made ▁this ▁unusual ▁choice ▁because ▁it ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁' create ▁a ▁character ▁that ▁both ▁capt ures ▁the ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁icon ic ▁v amp ire , ▁and ▁feels ▁like ▁a ▁v amp ire ▁every ▁round '. ▁It ▁also ▁permitted ▁players ▁to ▁mix ▁various ▁races ▁with ▁the ▁v amp ire ▁class . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁strong ▁history ▁of ▁v amp ire ▁classes ▁in ▁the ▁D & D ▁game , ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁Dave ▁Ar nes on ' s ▁Black mo or ▁campaign ". ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁W iz ards ▁of ▁the ▁Coast ▁Product ▁Page ▁and ▁book ▁ex cer pts ▁( via ▁the ▁Internet ▁Archive ): ▁▁ ▁Art ▁Gall eries : ▁Hero es ▁of