Suggestion: Changes to soulshard mechanic

Soulshards and the game mechanics surrounding them have been in the game since release now, with relatively few (barely none) changes over the last 2 years. This might make people think that they are fine, and I'll start this post by giving a few reasons as to why I think this is not the case. Also, my concerns are solely about the PvP scene, for PvE shards are fine. In the first post I will explain why I think some change is needed, and in the second I will list the suggestions and add more if people bring creative ideas.

A soulshards is a reagent, nothing else. They are required for certain spells, none of which would be particular overpowered without the shard requirement, they simply add a unique 'feel' to the warlock class. Before anyone starts claiming "lol xxx spell needs shard requirement, it's imba without!" lets look at the spells requiring shards:

Summons: They have a 10 second cast time, while hunters call out pets instantly for no mana cost and no reagent requirement. Granted, warlocks can change pets depending on the fight, but a reagent requirement is not going to change this, the cast time helps solve this problem. Take away the shard requirement and you'd still not be able to summon them in combat (unless you speced for demonology, in which case you can summon a pet once every 15 min with 0.5 cast time).

Healthstone: It's basicly a free healthpot on a seperate cooldown, which is in fact the strongest spell of the ones requiring a shard. Again, compare this to mages mana citrines/jades(/whatever the name is for each rank), and you have a free mana pot, no reagent cost btw. Now, stones can be given out which is a big plus for them, but reagent cost does not at all limit how often of how many you can make, just bring enough reagents (shards). Changing them to not be consumed when used, but still disapear at logout would be a nice change, perhaps with an increased cooldown.

Other stones: firestone is useless for PvP, spellstone mechanics will change to not consume it in TBC. Gj Blizz, finaly some good changes to shard mechanics for PvP!

Soulfire: So, we get pyroblast we don't have to spec for, instead it costs a shard. Again, reagent requirement /= limit, bring shards and soulfire all you want.

Shadowburn: Shard requirement on a basic nuke that you even have to spec for? Shadowburn is basicly just fireblast with double the cooldown and a reagent cost, same base damage and instant cast as well. The shard requirement means you CAN, but you ARE NOT likely to spam this durring fights. Does this balance anything? No, if Blizzard feels the spell is too powerful to spam they have failed as you can spam this spell all day, just bring the reagents. You will run out of them yes, but the option is there. This is not the case though, as shadowburn has a 16 sec cooldown which means you get off 1-2 in a fight. Unless you are facing a paladin of course, in which case you are not burning your mana like that anyway ^^

So, looking over the spells that require shards I find they have one thing in common. They are average spells, compareable to similar skills of other classes, yet they have been given a shard cost. While I think they would be fine without I accept the fact that Blizzard feels the need to keep the shard cost as a unique trait of the warlock class, although I find the mechanic completely useless for balancing.

Well what does this mean? Warlocks are fine then if I can accept this? Not at all. Like I said, you do not limit anything with shard requirements for certain spells, you merely annoy the user by having a reagent requirement. Rogues have the same problem with poisons, but you can buy poisons at a vendor. It takes a minute to stack up poisons for an entire day, and you can buy them in any capital city. This bring us to the real (and only) problem with shards: farming them.

First, at 60 you need lvl 48+ mobs/players to get a shard (57+ in TBC at 70?), which alone limits the speed of which and the areas in which you can get shards. Second, you need to have a singletarget, range llimited channeling spell active durring the kill. This is perhaps the biggest problem with shards (remmeber, I'm only talking about PvP here), as it is easily interupted by damage/stuns/silences/ etc. Furthermore, the opponent can run out of range, and lastly you have to stand still, not casting other spells durring the time. Casting it early results in you severely gimping yourself and means you will lose the fight, casting it late means chances are your target ran away and is out of range or you don't get the spell started (lag, feared, target not in front of you, etc.). Basicly, it's hard to get shards in PvP unless you are ganking lowlevel players or clueless opponents.

edit: had to split the post