Test a spec for free or try a new class on the PTR
by Dan O'Halloran 
Aug 19th 2007 at 9:15AM
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With Patch 2.2 currently on the Public Test Realm, Blizzard is allowing players to copy up to 4 premade L70 characters to the Test Realm. This time, I decided to see what it was like to play some other classes I long admired, so I copied a shaman, a priest and a rogue.
Each toon starts out with a full set of raid gear and PvP gear for different specs as well as plenty of trinkets, rings, weapons, drink, bandages and gems. They also get epic mounts, both land and air. They have none of their talent points assigned, so you can spec them immediately, but you will have to find a trainer to get the higher levels of any spells/abilities you pick up in your talent tree.
Read on for my impressions on each class after the jump.
I started with an undead priest. I named her Moldylocks and specced her for shadow. In her bags I found the gear set to complement her new spec and headed to Outlands to see what it was like to solo. I was surprised how quickly a shadow priest can down a mob. Faster than my Balance druid, though the comparison isn't exact due to the difference in gear between my main and these PTR premades. Still, I can see why priests spec shadow and stay there. Great damage and great survivability. Mind control was fun to play with as well.
Next I logged in the tauren shaman, Totemtail (not so supringly, the name Shamoo was already taken) and immediately specced him for enhancement after reading this great guide to enhancement shamans. I ran him to Shadowmoon Valley and was again shocked at the speed of killing mobs. Dual-wielding PvP maces with Windstrike enchantment I quickly became addicted to seeing double crits on the Stormstrike ability for over 1k each and watching the mob's health drop from 60% to zero. I barely took any damage, but each mob drained about 40% of my mana. I suppose if I didn't go all out with every spell and totem I had, I wouldn't have such a large mana drain. But I wasn't grouped so I threw everything I had at each mob and had a lot of fun doing it.
Finally, I logged on my undead rogue, Manchewer, and specced for Assassination. I poisoned my PvP daggers and stalked Firewing blood elves in Terokkar. I was very unimpressed. Killing mobs took longer than the other two classes I tried. And I had trouble dealing with adds. Admittedly I haven't played a rogue past L15 before, but I do know the basics and I didn't have much Live Realm experience with the other two classes either.
I'm glad I got to try out these classes. It helps me decide which alts to pursue. I'm definitely going to spend more time with my enhancement shaman after this. For anyone considering changing their spec or leveling a new alt, I highly recommend giving it a risk-free whirl on the PTR. You can request character copies here. I've copied over a mage, hunter, paladin and warlock. I'll report back on those next.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Classes, Talents
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gogey Aug 19th 2007 9:27AM
Of course assassination won't kill single mobs as fast. Mutilate is assassinations damage dealing skill, which requires you to be behind the mob.
Hmm. I definitely don't see a problem there >>
Argent Aug 19th 2007 9:41AM
go combat, equip some swords (if you got the pvp S2 MH/OH, you're all set) and try again.
my alt rogue (in mostly kara gear) just obliterates stuff. i do agree about shadow priests, though -- totally fun to play, imo.
Keya Aug 19th 2007 9:42AM
Lowest downtime combined with decent dps would be feral druid or hunter (I guess) - though I prefer the feral druid :D
(That is: without AoE killing mobs - most fun combo for AoE killing is Holy Paladin + Holy Priest)
Jengo Aug 19th 2007 11:10AM
"Read on for my impressions on each class after the jump."
... Im not sure that means what you think it does...
panahi Aug 19th 2007 12:54PM
Pre-mades available for patch 2.2? Thank you for covering this breaking news story...
Venkman90 Aug 19th 2007 2:26PM
If you only played a rogue to level 15 then no, you dont "know the basics" tbh. What class is comparable at 15 and 70?...
I take mobs apart adds and all in T4 and never had a problem in blues / greens either.
Gogey Aug 19th 2007 2:54PM
"If you only played a rogue to level 15 then no, you dont "know the basics" tbh. What class is comparable at 15 and 70?..."
Hunters.
Wait I just insulted myself :(
Apoc Aug 19th 2007 5:12PM
What you fail to mention about the PTR (particularly the PVP server) is that alliance characters get dumped right into the ghostlands upon login. It's horde territory, and they just sit there and gank you as soon as you login. You don't even get a chance to spec or setup action bars, you pretty much die immediately.
It doesn't even matter if you're just trying a new class, or playing one you're actually good with, you get gang raped by at least 5 lvl 70s at once, so there's no hope for survival. They continue to kill you every time you rez. You're best off setting up action bars and talent points as a ghost, and just trying to run for it as far and fast as you can, and just keep rezzing until you get out of there and head south to the plaguelands.
So far I've had 3 characters on the PTR, 2 of which I made it out of there with (warlock and a rogue), but my mage is forever stuck because I die within 2 seconds of rezzing.
Blizz clearly favors the horde on the PTR...
Kareem Aug 20th 2007 8:30AM
Did you run a damage meter of any sort while trying these characters out? I have both a spriest and a shaman on live and transferred premades of both classes. I did that so I could see if it was worth leveling my shaman to 70 (stuck at 63) and since these guys are more less equally geared I compared their average dps and the enhancement shammy was ... relatively low. And still horribly mana inefficient too compared to my priest who does more damage, has more efficient spells, and has more mana regen tools.
And yeah assassination isn't good for soloing. :P
Morthagrid Aug 20th 2007 9:42AM
@8 Agree totally. A tried initially on the pvp server as an Ally and as i've never played on one to see what its like. Got ganked every time i ressed. So thought i'd swap to pve server - still in ghostlands marked as pvp as in horde territory ganked endlessly. gave up and thought it a complete waste of my time cursing, Blizz to the seven hells, to bother doing any testing for blizard. whatever comes out of patch testing will have little input from the Alliance. So if it is crap and the ally's get shafted - blame blizzard who have to take full responsibility for the PTR joke.
Rifkin Aug 20th 2007 10:46AM
With most classes there are multiple specs that are viable (for PvE...ignoring PvP atm). With Rogues there is one, Combat. Some Rogues will argue differently and they're flat out wrong. Levelling to 15 does not even get you all the skills you will use every single fight.
Spec combat swords and try it again.
futura Aug 20th 2007 11:19AM
"Admittedly I haven't played a rogue past L15 before, but I do know the basics"
Yeah that pretty much sums up why you suck with the rogue. No offense.
You can roll a rogue and take it to whatever level, but you're really not considered a 'real' rogue until the late 30's early 40's.
Veteran rogues out there will know what I'm talking about.