News Roundup: Survival Hunters, DK & Warlock AE, Priest Changes

Posted 2011/01/13 at 4:06 PM by Miyari

...on Haste and Survival Hunter DPS

It looks like the haste change either didn't make it into the PTR build or is bugged. Steady Shot, Cobra Shot and Slam don't appear to be affected by the haste change. Some hunters might be noticing more focus, but that's more than likely from the Hunting Party bug fix. We're still investigating.

To clarify on haste affecting SS and CS - - haste did lower their cast time before but it was a rather old implementation and (although I don't know the technical reasons behind it) there was a desire to update it. The designers wanted to change how Slam works with haste, and getting that code change from the programmers in turn allowed them to handle the hunter shots in a more elegant way as well. Ideally. In retrospect the changes probably shouldn't have even made the patch notes because it was a behind the scenes code change (which happens all the time) and not a meaningful redesign. On the other hand, it's likely some slight differences would be noticed in the shot behavior which might have had some impact on people's DPS and gearing. But, as I said, it's not working correctly and I'm not sure what the next steps are going to be. Whether the fix goes in or doesn't, the effect on SS and CS will be minimal-to-non-existent.

Also, I realize this may not be high priority, but it'd be really good if you guys would consider adding a display of our current focus regen (other resource based classes might also appreciate this) in our character sheet.

Why even propose such an excessive nerf that surely will break the Hunter SV spec, making it unviable?

Why, Blizzard, Why?

We don't want to see logs a few months from now with Unholy DKs winning every fight either. We're adjusting talents for DK's too, but like hunters, we'll make sure the adjustments get them in a good place.

We're evaluating hunter DPS even now, and if it turns out the changes go too far we'll make adjustments.

On PvP, we don't think high damage is the key to hunter success. The Deterrence and Master's Call changes are intended to help to that end and make some defensive mechanics a little less tricky to use. Again, we'll continue evaluating the changes. The patch isn't going live tomorrow.

...on Frost DK and Demo Lock AE DPS

Frost DKs and Demo Locks were definitely doing too much AE damage on fights. We knew once we got those under control that Serpent Spread might be next. AE abilities of every class were nerfed coming into Cataclysm, yet when some players compare their AE damage to that of DKs, locks, and hunters, they were left scratching their heads. We don’t think Serpent Spread is as big a problem as those other abilities, and if we over-nerfed it, then we’ll back those changes out. If you've actually tested the changes and have feedback we definitely welcome it, or even proper theorycrafting by those with an abacus and slide rule, but just seeing a patch note and commenting on it isn't very helpful for us to get good feedback passed along.

I've given feedback to the devs before along the lines of "People don't like this" and then they have the audacity to ask "Why?" and me shrugging my shoulders somehow doesn't quite light a fire under them to act on it.

...on Healer "Nerfs"

There was a blue post that said it was a correction and not a nerf, but it was not clear whether the blue was posting as to the present Lightwell or as to the apparent nerf on the ptr.

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/1232869http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/2011384http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/2053469...on Sin and Punishment Diminishing Returns

This leads to my main point about Sin and Punishment: The only way for Sin and Punishment's dispel protection to be on equal footing with UA as a dispel deterrent is to make the "horror" effect not share Diminishing Returns with anything, whether it be itself, Psychic Scream, or Psychic Horror/Death Coil. Anything less is inferior dispel protection, and will be ignored by dispellers who will spam dispel it with no fear of repercussions. According to Zarhym, Blizzard knows that spamming dispels is currently a very easy and effective way to counter warlocks and priests, and I hope that they can incorporate the appropriate changes necessary to make this ability do what it was intended to do very soon.

Comment by 148123This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by 763969This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by 407204This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by bitehattoriI want to hear the druid-root removal from them.....

I'm fine with the rake and rip nerf, That WAS O.P.

The beserk was pushing it and then the shapeshifting just broke it. :(Comment by shamanixxwhy exactly do Locks need their AE nerfed?

A better solution would to buff other class AEComment by 235310This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by Mondaywhy exactly do Locks need their AE nerfed?

A better solution would to buff other class AEComment by ughzean...so they never want us to AE?

might as well take it out then lolComment by 169059what i wanna know is why did they say they will look into a horror effect being off DR yet they are knocking UA silence effect to barely able to handle a healer...hell with drain mana gone getting them to the break point is going to take an armyComment by OptimusJAbout Serpent Spread and perhaps even the other AoE damage, let me bring you to the final days of Volley:
Soon before Volley got extincted it started to work by doing the normal damage until it started to hit MORE THAN 10 TARGETS. After that the damage was calculated on the first 10 targets and then spread amongst all the targets. That way you could be hitting 18 targets, without your DPS weirdly skyrocket, because your damage was equal to 10 targets.

So, why not bring that calculation back? Serpent spread is too much? Make it work normally to up to 8 mobs. After that, simply make the serpent sting damage work as volley. Hitting 16 mobs with 50% damage,for instance.

Really, Blizzard have this code in the house. Why throw that on the drawer, instead to quickly adapt it, sparing them of so much trouble?Comment by matheus314About Serpent Spread and perhaps even the other AoE damage, let me bring you to the final days of Volley:
Soon before Volley got extincted it started to work by doing the normal damage until it started to hit MORE THAN 10 TARGETS. After that the damage was calculated on the first 10 targets and then spread amongst all the targets. That way you could be hitting 18 targets, without your DPS weirdly skyrocket, because your damage was equal to 10 targets.

So, why not bring that calculation back? Serpent spread is too much? Make it work normally to up to 8 mobs. After that, simply make the serpent sting damage work as volley. Hitting 16 mobs with 50% damage,for instance.

Really, Blizzard have this code in the house. Why throw that on the drawer, instead to quickly adapt it, sparing them of so much trouble?direct attackComment by EudemoniaAbout Serpent Spread and perhaps even the other AoE damage, let me bring you to the final days of Volley:
Soon before Volley got extincted it started to work by doing the normal damage until it started to hit MORE THAN 10 TARGETS. After that the damage was calculated on the first 10 targets and then spread amongst all the targets. That way you could be hitting 18 targets, without your DPS weirdly skyrocket, because your damage was equal to 10 targets.

So, why not bring that calculation back? Serpent spread is too much? Make it work normally to up to 8 mobs. After that, simply make the serpent sting damage work as volley. Hitting 16 mobs with 50% damage,for instance.

Really, Blizzard have this code in the house. Why throw that on the drawer, instead to quickly adapt it, sparing them of so much trouble?direct attackPestilence right nowComment by 521273why exactly do Locks need their AE nerfed?

A better solution would to buff other class AEComment by 144929This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by 521273why exactly do Locks need their AE nerfed?

A better solution would to buff other class AEComment by pxydtzSigh. Apparently you haven't realized yet what i said in my original post. Magma totem = never ever used. Even if the shards had only 10k life, ... btw they don't, it wouldn't kill them before they moved. Even with fire nova. Both of them do under 10k dmg. Not to mention those shards start moving about 4 seconds after they spawn, and if it was on a ranged I won't even make it to them before they start moving. Hance AOE, along with MOST classes, is broken. That's good, in a playstyle manner. That's bad, when blizzard still designs fights that have hefty AOE requirements. It's even MORE bad when they decide that only certain classes get to have good AOE (cough warrior, cough hunter, cough DK). So stop doing it, please, Blizz. There, I asked nicely.Comment by Omarion1Moreso, why is every class offered a dps spec, while some classes are offered only dps specs (hunter, mage, lock)? Shouldn't the three of these (on the merit that they cannot tank or heal) understandably be the top dps classes since that's the only thing they can do?P.S. If they don't nerf plate-wearer AoE, then I want to tank as a demo lock. Seems fair enough to me :)