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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Your Talent Points
by David Nelson 
Nov 13th 2006 at 8:00AM
Getting to level 10 is no major achievement, but it does come with some benefits, most notably your first talent point. Being a warlock for the last 9 months or so, and having respecced several times, I can tell you where my first talent points go...Improved Corruption 5/5. For non-warlocks, that means I can instant cast my corruption spell, meaning I have 2 instant DOTS ready to go at any time. I find it crucial, and even more so if I happen to be on a PvP server. I have tried speccing without it, but when I see the casting bar start counting down when I click the corruption button, I feel as if I have gimped myself.So, what is absolutely the one talent you can't live without in your class of choice? Is it an easy one, like the Improved Corruption, where you can spend your first five points on it? Or is it deeper in a tree and requires some fancy planning?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Kurackus Nov 13th 2006 12:43PM
Having played a Shaman to 60 there are a couple of things that really help at low level. The first is Ancestral Knowledge 5/5, Convection 5/5, Tidal Focus 5/5, and Totemic Focus 5/5. You have now increased your mana by 5%, and decreased the cost of healing spells by 5%, Lighting Bolt and Shock spells by 10%, and totems by 25%. Mana efficiency is the best way for shamans to survive.
Kaziel Nov 13th 2006 12:40PM
Mage: While quite a few mages will disagree with me on this point, the must-have talent for mages, is Improved Arcane Missiles. For non-mages, this makes Arcane Missiles uninterruptable via normal or magical damage (can still be interrupted via a knockback or an interrupt ability such as kick). This is nice, b/c sometimes you can't get away easily, and you can cast Arcane Missiles while being beat upon.
Paladins: At least for leveling, the best talent you can have, IMO, is Spiritual Focus. At 5 talent points, it gives you a 70% chance to not lose casting time of Holy Light and Flash of Light, when you take damage.
rogue Nov 13th 2006 12:21PM
Whenever a roll up a rogue, the first 2 talent points are always dropped in Imp. Sinister Strike, cutting the energy cost from 45 to 40. Much nicer that way.
After that, it's usually Master of Deception to improve my stealthing, then Malice for the extra crit chance.
Druid dude Nov 13th 2006 12:33PM
Druid: Reflection. Mana regen rules.
Hunter: Hawkeye. 41 yard range, can't be a Hunter without it.
Fury Warrior: Cruelty, or Unbridled Wrath, or Enrage, or Flurry. Hard to pick one over the others.
Barrett Nov 13th 2006 1:33PM
Seal of Command 11 points into ret. and spiritual focus 10 points into holy are a must. This means forget 31 points into protection.
bk0 Nov 13th 2006 1:41PM
mages would be 5 points in their chosen bolt imo. Of course there are other things that you can't live without (literally sometimes) but those are the first things I go for when making a build.
schweeneh Nov 13th 2006 2:22PM
I'd have to agree with the 5/5 imp corruption. I have a lvl 54 and a lvl 57 warlock, alliance and horde respectively and that's the first 5 points I spent for both.
Also, I can't imagine playing a hunter without aimed shot and scatter shot.
Abhinav Nov 13th 2006 2:29PM
I personaly go for the 5% hit in the Rogue tree, while this is a fair bit in i also get improved gouge and imp sinister strike so it seems well worth it.
Frankly Nov 13th 2006 4:08PM
As a raiding mage, I would have to say that every build I have played with has three points in Elemental Precision (6% to hit). Those 6% are incredible on bosses.
As an initial mage build, I have to agree with Improved Fireball/Frostbolt (pick your flavor). Half a second off the casting time of your main damage dealer is something that no mage should be without.
AcceptableRisk Nov 13th 2006 3:01PM
Every priest lower than level 60 has their first five points in Spirit Tap nearly without exception. That's probably the best first tier talent out of any class.
As a Warlock, the first five certainly go to Improved Corruption and the next five to Demonic Embrace.
aaron Nov 14th 2006 5:19PM
Hunter
Hawk Eye 20 Marksmanship 3 Increases the range of ranged weapons by 2-6 yards
Chris Nov 13th 2006 3:27PM
My shaman was elemental into enhancement until around 50, where I went pvp spec. After being 60 for a couple weeks I went resto for raiding.
Keeper of the Dumplings Nov 13th 2006 3:55PM
As a warrior, your first talent point goes into the Arms tree, regardless of spec, because you have to get Tactical Mastery immediately if you do not want to play feeling like you only have one hand.
Fortunately Blizzard finally made it partially trainable, doesn't completely solve the problem, since the already gimped us by moving the most crucial PvP talent into the Protection tree, but it does make the blow a tad softer.
Speaking of soft...warm, delicious!
http://murlocdumplings.com
Vlam Nov 13th 2006 4:18PM
@Kaziel
You said for mages that the first 5 points should go into Imp Arcane Missiles. This would be a horrid idea. Your first 5 points should go into Imp. Fireball or Frostbolt, depending on whether you want to go Fire or Frost.
I found that a essential Talent point is in my mind Presence Of Mind (Makes any casting spell under 10 seconds an instant cast), It is great for PVP and PVE
And for my priest I am leveling up, I'm finding the first 5 should go into Spirit Tap.
Bangarang Nov 13th 2006 4:36PM
one of my priest alts I usually grind solo with is full shadow..level 44, and not a point in anything but shadow. Boy, he brings the pain.
Gorath Nov 13th 2006 6:00PM
Aimed shot - Hunter
Seal of command - Pally
Furor(Resto tree) - Feral druid [If you pvp you need to switch at any given moment]
Moriarti Nov 13th 2006 6:20PM
As a feral druid, constantly changing forms is an absolute must. However, changing out of a form means the immediate loss of any built up energy or rage. Therefore, 5/5 Furor is an absolute must when it comes to getting back in the game quickly after popping out for a quick heal.
Markus "LAKE" Berglund Nov 13th 2006 6:40PM
I'm a trap-laying hunter. I will never have the "best" gear or do "World first"-kills, so i prefer to be good at something else. I walk a road less traveled. Trap-hunter.
The three trap-talents are a must for me - Clever traps (+30 longer duration), Trap Mastery (10% less resists) and Improved Feign Death (4% less resists), only 6 points in total, that helps immensely when perma-freezing a mob.
Thats what i do. :)
gen Nov 14th 2006 6:54PM
I have a bunch of alts but this is how I started and focus with them in terms of talent trees.
Warrior: Cruelty
Priest: Spirit Tap (MUST have for any priest soloing)
Rogue: Master of Deception
Warlock: Improved Corruption (makes you THROW MORE dots easily)
Hunter: Aimed Shot/Scattershot
Paladin: make your way to Seal of Command. Also go with talents that improve your mana pool.
Siedre Nov 14th 2006 5:09PM
I tell every druid to push to Feline Swiftness when they first start out. The ability to go 30% faster at level 21 is priceless, plus in the process they've picked up other good Feral talents. Cat form is brilliant at the lower levels for both leveling and pvping.