#0 - Feb. 6, 2007, 10:15 p.m.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=74260489&sid=1
A. Elemental.
a1. The elemental tree has big problems with mana regeneration. Unlike the other trees, it provides no active mana regeneration, but instead scaling MP5 in the form of Unrelenting Storm. While this indeed helps, it does so in a slow, passive way that does not allow for us to react to going OOM. In addition, it is seen by many to be too little to fix Elemental sustainability. (A number usually thrown around is ~50MP5 with high end gear.) Is the Elemental tree designed to have the weakness of poor sustainability, or can we expect a more proactive mana regen mechanic in the future?
a2. Many Shamans feel the Lightning Overload talent is very poor. At 5% it seems to proc very rarely and the results are roughly the same as a simply crit. On the occasions where it does have a bigger impact (IE: double crit or double proc) it is seen as a liability in PvE for its potential for drawing aggro. Are there any plans to review this talent and perhaps either change it completely, or change its mechanics to be less unreliable?
a3. Totem of Wrath is seen by a great many Shamans as unworthy of its status of a 41 point talent. At 3% +to crit and 3% + to hit, it seems to be less useful than the Moonkin aura that Druids receive as part of their 31 point talent. With a prerequisite of Lightning Overload, those who might have wanted to take this talent could be dissuaded by the potential liability LO poses. Theorycraft also shows that ToW adds less DPS to a group of five casters than Searing Totem, only barely beating ST when the group is all Mages. It also competes directly with Nature's Swiftness in the Restoration tree, and NS is generally regarded as one of the best talents we have for any playstyle. Is it possible we could get a new 41 point talent to replace Totem of Wrath and get ToW as a trainable spell?
a4. Elemental Shamans currently have no incentive to DPS in raids. Even if we spec. 41 in Elemental, we may simply be told to drop our totems for the casters and heal. Many would like some sort of talent similar to Unleashed Rage in the Enhancement tree to encourage Elemental DPS in a similar fashion. Is this possible?
B. Enhancement.
b1. The enhancement tree is very top-heavy in talents. From the 31 point on, almost every talent is must-have to allow PvE viability. Dual Wield, Stormstrike, Dual Wield Spec., Unleashed Rage, and Shamanistic Rage are all essential to the Dual Wield Enhancement playstyle. Those added with the improved totem talents Enhancing Totems and Improved Weapon Totems, (which are also extremely important to providing the necessary buffs to make it worthwhile to bring an Enhancement Shaman) equals at least 44 points in the tree. Is there any way to pare down the talent costs of making Enhancement PvE viable to 41?
b2. After Stormstrike, there are no talents in the Enhancement tree that genuinely benefit using two-handed weapons. Our previous MO is being pushed aside, and many Shamans feel this change takes away from our PvP viability and the general flavor of the Enhancement playstyle. Is there a possibility that some kind of mechanics changes could be implemented to the existing 31+ talents that could make using a two-handed weapon viable again? If not, have you given consideration to making two-handed weapons trainable?
b3. With the recent changes to Parry (Spirit Weapons), Rockbiter Weapon and Earthshock to remove/reduce threat generated, we can assume the idea of the Shaman tank is finally put to rest. However there are still talents in the Enhancement tree that seem to still point in this direction. Shield Spec. and Toughness specifically. Neither talent provides the level of usefulness that other classes get from comparable talents. Paladins' Shield Spec. Redoubt is seen as much better. And while they get the same Toughness we get, it has a much smaller effect on Mail armor as on Plate. I do not mean to compare us to Paladins, of course, but their respective talents are in the Protection tree and meant to aid in tanking. Is there a chance these talents will be reconsidered and/or replaced for something more appropriate?
b4. Tier 1 of the Enhancement tree is seen by many as a very poor tier. WIth Shield Spec. whose drawbacks I have discussed, and Ancestral Knowledge, which gives very little benefit for high cost in points. With high end gear, an Shaman does not gain enough mana from this talent to even cast an additional shock. Many would like to see Ancestral Knowledge changed from 5% of mana to 10% of Intelligence like the Paladin Talent. This would also add synergy to Unrelenting Storm in the Elemental tree and Nature's Blessing in the Restoration tree, encouraging more hybrid builds.
C. Restoration
c1. For the most part I have seen nothing but good feedback on the Restoration tree. One thing I did hear from some Shaman, and I have to agree, is that this tree is fairly bloated. There seems to be too many points to invest in Restoration. One can easily spend all 61 points and not have a single point wasted. Could we possibly get the talent cost of some talents lowered?
c2. Mana Tide. Yes, you knew it was coming. Many many Shamans believe that Mana Tide Totem should be a trainable skill much like Druids received Innervate and Mages got Evocation. The recent buff to the totem does help a little, but many feel that it should not be a spec. based talent as guilds tend to force spec. for it. Also, the prerequisite of Restorative Totems (which is seen by many to be a lackluster talent) doesn't help. Especially when Restorative Totems is right next to Tidal Mastery, one of our best talents. Any chance of reconsidering this?
D. PvP.
d1. With the change in Stamina itemization in The Burning Crusade, burst damage is being made less impactful. Shamans main source of PvP utility comes from our high burst damage. With a mentality of "Kill fast or be Killed" that is supported by our lack of Crowd Control and lack of Crowd Control breakers, general consensus is that we are being left behind in PvP. Yes, the Overpowered PvP Gods of Frostshock are now, sadly, the laughingstock of the beta boards. Is there any way we could get some sort of PvP balance review on our class?
d2. As mentioned in d1, we have no Crowd Control. By Crowd Control, I mean an ability to take a player out of the fight. Such as fear, charm, stun, polymorph, sleep, disorient, etc. We are the only class in the game that does not have any of these. We also have no reactive means to break out of CC. Reports from beta testers have shown that we simply get kited, stunlocked, fearlocked etc. in almost every fight. Is there a chance we could get some sort of CC in the expansion?
E. General Concerns.
e1. Water Shield is widely viewed as underwhelming. Since we must be attacked for it to work, it is counter productive in group PvE, and while soloing, it simply does not give enough mana to be more useful than Lightning Shield. Suggested many times is that it applies a passive Mana Regen similar to the Earthshatterer (Tier 3) set bonus. Any chance that might happen?
e2. Wrath of Air Totem doesn't scale. By adding a straight 101 spell damage, it will be less impactful at higher gear levels. Could it be changed to a percent based buff?
e3. Elemental Summoning Totems. General consensus is that we simply do not want them. Most feel that they do not meaningfully add to our playstyle, and do not fit the spirit of the Shamans class. The restrictive 20 minute cooldown, tether to the totem, and perceived limited utility coupled with reports from beta testers that they are fairly useless, makes them extremely underwhelming. Suggestions on replacing them range from summonable non-totem-bound Spirit Wolves (Farseer spell from Warcraft 3) to Earthquake (Also from the Farseer, similar to a Mage's Blizzard, but with a slow/knockdown effect) to Hex (From the Shadow Hunter in Warcraft 3, short duration polymorph). Many many more. We would prefer just about anything to the Elemental Totems. Any chance we could get them replaced?
e4. We love Bloodlust, but many feel the 10 minute cooldown is too restrictive. Could it be reduced?
e5. Our one useful spell school is Nature. It is used for our nukes, our heals and our utility spells (like Ghost Wolf). If we are Counterspelled/Silenced in our Nature school, it locks down nearly everything we can do. Plus Nature resistant or immune Mobs make us cry. Other classes have a secondary school to rely on (Druids - Nature/Arcane, Warlocks - Shadow/Fire, Mages - Fire/Frost/Arcane, etc.) We would like a secondary Nuke at the least. Is this possible?
e6. Warlock's Curse of Elements does not include Nature in its debuff. Adding Nature would greatly help both Elemental Shamans and Balance Druids with raid viablitly. Could this be changed?
OK! That is everything! DONE! Hopefully my Wall of Text did not crit you for a million damage. I realize this is a lot to address, but if you could even respond to some of it, I think I speak for the entire Shaman community, when I say we would appreciate it very very greatly.
Thanks again.
EDIT: Also, please return the old Chain Lightning sound, I miss it!
