3.1 Shaman Changes (So Far) Follow

The CL change seems odd. I mean I can understand adding a 4th target and clarifying it as an AoE move, but by reducing the damage to the initial target, they are taking a large chunk out of our DPS (on single targets) if we take CL out of our rotation. They just went and buffed our DPS, then reduced it with this change, seems like running in circles.

The increase in the initial cast damage for flame shock would have to be significant to make up for the lost damage from CL. I guess for now we can only assume that the current 60% increase in periodic damage will also be applied to the initial cast, which would be the significant increase needed, but it's anyone's guess what they actually are going to increase the initial damage by.

But that leads to even more questions.

Would the increase damage from the initial cast of Flame Shock mean you would want to cast FS every time it's off cool down to make up for the lost DPS from CL?

If that is the case, will it no longer be worth it to get the FS glyph? With a slight change in the rotation, cast LvB with 3 seconds left on the FS DoT timer, you clip your last tick, but you still get the crit cast off in time, and then cast LvB every time it's off CD, and re-apply FS after. You will be casting FS every 8 seconds instead of 6, but it leaves you open to another glyph.

Will there be new glyphs worth getting? The next best option we have now is flametongue (assuming you already have glyph of lava and lightning bolt) for it's 2% crit increase.

It's definitely interesting, which is a good thing to me, and I can't wait to see some of the other changes, not just to classes but what gets added to professions.

Edited, Feb 5th 2009 11:35am by SynnTastic

That's true, but I don't really recall many raid encounters where you wouldn't be able to go through a couple 8 second rotations (FS > multiple LBs > LvB > FS)having to move, I mean unless you get unlucky and are hit with, oh say grobs poison injection a couple times in a row(that always sucks, random my ***). Usually you are given an average of 30 seconds or so to get a few rotations in there.

That's why I said it's interesting, because speculating on change and how it will affect gameplay, to me, is just as fun as actually playing.

Aside from that I'm not even sure what else they think they can give us. They could increase Hex's range, I guess... I certainly wouldn't mind that. Uh... Wind Shock could stun for a couple seconds? I dunno. I'm almost curious to see what they come up with, but then I remind myself that it'll almost certainly have something to do with totems and will therefore be useless.

I like the mana regen changes most of all and how they dont/barely affect us. (which is completly rightous if u ask me)
I think it was ridiculous if u compared our regen to others.
Sure u can outgear the current content and laugh at your own mana bar most of the time.

We must also take Ulduar in mind and how they are currently thinking of buffing all of the priests aoe heals.
Dual speccing will also make them excellent healers because they can switch between disc/holy.

Should this concern us? Maybe not.

At least i want to feel that i am atleast able to push out the same amount of healing for the same time and this isnt the case atm. (the numbers are about equal but time they can cast isnt)

Those changes will bring us more up to par with the other healers in the future content.

On pvp grounds i think they should really change hex atleast a little.

It's almost like a fear, except there's no los issue as the hexed guy could just run to get dispelled.
It has a 45sec cooldown.
It shares DR with sheep/sap/repentance for no reason
It is considered as a poly, meaning druids can shapeshift it.
It is a curse so various classes can dispell it.
You can still use all non offensive physical abilities like spellreflect (i mean wtf a frogg shield reflecting), evade, vanish, sprint, shield wall,totems, iceblock, disengage...
This includes CoS and the list goes on...
Most important is the range i think though

Think the ability to do all those things is a bit over the top and doesnt qualify it as a CC because your opponent simply aint controlled.

It is a powerfull spell however but i think atleast some of the things above should be changed.

Overal good changes and nice to see they are trying to improve us in both pve (through nerfing others mana regen and totem streamlining :P) and working on pvp.


Edited, Feb 6th 2009 6:59am by Raqiel