Your Perfect Swing
by Eric Vice 
Aug 30th 2007 at 2:30PM
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." - Robert FrostWho knew that Robert Frost played World of Warcraft. He didn't? Well, he should have. I think he would have played a survival hunter (maybe even a melee hunter) who did tailoring and goblin engineering. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, I am going to take this time to vent (or rant, if you prefer) in as polite a manner as I can about something that really bugs me. It gets under my skin. It sometimes upsets me to the point that it affects the quality of my performance in-game. Before you continue reading this article, maybe you should go to the fridge and get yourself some comfort food, perhaps some of that meat loaf from a couple of nights ago and a nice glass of milk. There you go. All comfy? Ready for the jaw-dropping news that is going to change your perception of World of Warcraft?
There is no magic formula.
I see people looking for this magic formula in chat channels all the time. "What is the best profession for a..." or "What is the best spec for a..." or "What is the best weapon for a..." are all ways that sentences in these conversations start. Folks, you're missing the most crucial part of the equation: the human variable.
You should play what feels good for you. I think one of the biggest reasons some guilds are so frustrated in end-game content is because all their characters are photocopies of each other, or builds that they picked up off the forums. Do you think maybe that Blizzard reads these forums too? They know with mathematical precision what the most popular builds are. So do you think when they were designing the instances and raids for The Burning Crusade that they took this data into consideration? They would be foolish not to.
I'm not saying there is no benefit in using a tried and true configuration as a benchmark, and I'm not invalidating the benefit of our Build Shop series of articles. What I'm doing in this editorial-style piece is encouraging you, the player population, and especially the younger population, to experiment. So what if every mage in your guild is frost spec? If you want to roll arcane (or a mix of all three) then more power to you! If it makes you happy, do it! Be an individual! One of the most addictive qualities of World of Warcraft is the number of choices that Blizzard has offered us to personalize the abilities of our characters.
Six years ago Will Smith was in a movie called The Legend of Bagger Vance and one of the things his character said was "Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone..." and this wisdom applies to World of Warcraft today. Please. I'm begging you. Our characters were not made to be all the same. Go out and discover your true authentic swing.
[With special thanks to Scott and Randy at The Instance for planting the seed a few weeks ago that blossomed into this article...]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Raiding, Virtual selves
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sylythn Aug 30th 2007 2:44PM
Games (not just computer/video) of the past can be put into two extreme categories (and the lucky few have landed in between). There's totally open games ala role playing...where many people happily take on "off-specs", "weaknesses", and play the game they want, regardless of whether they'll pwn the world with it. And there's linear, scripted play that clearly brings you from nothing to god-like within the duration of your play. WoW is a lucky one that landed in between...but it also grabbed players from both categories. So a lot of the people you hear asking, "what's the best..." and looking for that mathematical perfection that leads to god-like gameplay are simply doing that because it's what they've come to expect from videogames. Granted, it does get tiresome. In the end, if you're happy playing WoW, you're doing it right. Whether you're happy at level 5 going around talking to everyone, trying on new armor, and crafting stuff, or at level 70 pwning faces in raids and arenas. You don't "beat" a game like WoW...you can't trigger a "god mode"...you'll never be #1 best of the best...or at least not for long.
Dave Aug 30th 2007 2:56PM
I completely disagree with this concept on a fundamental basis.
Yes, if you're playing for warm fuzzies you should absolutely tinker around with crazy specs and gear that "looks good" and all that sort of thing. When you do that, you instantly invalidate your right to complain about things though, as you're making a choice to stray from the optimal build/gear.
There's math involved in this game, and a lot of it. Anyone who has an advanced degree in computer programming and most likely game design took some fairly advanced math classes in college, so they're going to approach the game with a basic mathematical foundation that the entire game is built upon. The whole top layer of the game, is essentially still a shell for computational dice rolls and situaional mathematics with a lot of game theory built in.
Therefore, if you want to succeed and/or be the best at what you do, there are specific mathematical combinations that'll allow that. You can mathematically calculate the benefit of +2 in one stat over +3 in another stat. You can mathematically calculate how much damage on average per fight a particular spec will prevent or cause.
Just because something "feels" right, doesn't mean that's the case at all. The most successful guilds are the most successful because they ponder these things and can calculate an optimal build and figure out whether a resto druid is actually going to BE more valuable to the raid than a resto shaman.
Some of the game comes down to execution and performance by the person doing the button mashing or clicking, but the bulk of the results come from mathematical preparation.
Individuality is good and all, but not when your desire is success. Unless you can mathematically prove that your overall damage output as an Arcane mage is better than if you were a Fire mage, then your raid is sacrificing their "win potential" to appease your desire to be a unique snowflake. Similarly, if you can prove that your Paladin tank can actually mitigate as much or more damage than the Prot Warrior or the Druid tanks, then absolutely you should spec that way. Otherwise, you're much better off with an optimal raid spec that allows your class to provide the most benefit to everyone.
Maybe someday Blizzard really will balance specs and classes to provide equal benefits for off-specs with regards to their role, but that's not how it is now, and not how it's likely to be.
I'm not saying I agree with how it all goes down, but regardless of personal feeling, mathematics plays a majority role in this game. You're always free to do whatever, but the successful guilds know that conformity to whatever the flavor of the month spec that's been proven to be the best at whatever it does is a model for success. If you get 25 "individuals" on a raid, you're going to have a much more difficult time with things than if you're part of a team that's all on the same page.
Omegi Aug 30th 2007 2:57PM
From a raiding perspective this editorial was asinine.
From a casual gamer/role-player perspective I don't see why more people don't do what is mentioned in the article.
lumiden Aug 30th 2007 3:02PM
>>You should play what feels good for you.
No, you really should read up on the info provided about builds. Learn why and what and how to pick talents. The raw fact is that game mechanics are based on numbers and mathematical equations.
>>I think one of the biggest reasons some guilds are so frustrated in end-game content is because all their characters are photocopies of each other, or builds that they picked up off the forums.
Hollywood Ron Aug 30th 2007 3:02PM
But what's the best build for me to be myself and play the way I like?! ;)
-----
Ron
http://flektor-blog.com
lumiden Aug 30th 2007 3:05PM
(carrying on from above... stupid link bs)
Dead opposite on that. I am frustrated by a LACK of reading by raid members for a good build.
This isn't Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
Oblivion Aug 30th 2007 3:08PM
Legend of Bagger Vance.... ROFL
/agree with #2
Stephanja Aug 30th 2007 3:13PM
While I agree with your sentament, You are in a way making as broad a generalization as those looking for the perfect spec.
Ite very true that this game can be played a multitudes of ways, and should be as offen as possible. However that is rarly the case in high end, or progressed end game content. For a raid to be most sucessfull all parts need to be working at peak performance in the most efficient way possible.
Currently I'm a BM hunter after almost 3 years of Solid MM play. I play this way now becasue this spec allows me to contribute the most possible DPS to my raid thus increasing its chances of sucess. Sure a melee hunter might be a blast, and anyone should feel free to play with one. But that dosent mean that toon should be taken to an end game enounter with a guild.
This game is huge and varried and no player population should feel pressured into playing any specific way. If you never want to raid the sky is the limit. But if you want to see Black Temple or beyond, your spec od play style needs to be secondary to your willingness to eek the most out of your toon as possible to help the group.
Chilblain Aug 30th 2007 3:10PM
Interesting article. I agree that Blizzard wants you to customize your character to your play-style, and that there shouldn't be a "right answer" when it comes to talents and gear.
However, that department at Blizzard must not have lunch with the department that designs Raids and Instances. The reality of the game right now is that there are builds and talent specs that are "better" for certain content. I'm deep frost, and I had to work really hard to get good gear so I could come in second place to an inferior Fire Mage.
There is a fine line between balance, and making the game boring. I think things are, for the most part, fine the way they are. Do I top the DPS meters at Kara? Not usually... But I'm in the top three and I do pretty well. More over, I've been frost since day one, and never even trained most of the Fire spells, and still made it to where I am.
The ability to play the spec you want is just as important as where you put those points. In the end, I believe people would rather team with a good Mage, not just a Fire Mage.
rick gregory Aug 30th 2007 3:12PM
hehe... I just replied to a forum post elsewhere about using a shadowstep build (rogue thing) in instances/raids. #3 is right, but there's an easy solution - respec back and forth. Wanna raid? There are a few viable raid specs for each class - get wacky and you're not going to do well... so find a raid spec you like and that's effective and spec to it. Want a wacky fun spec elsewhere? Spec to it!
I see where the poster is coming from though... people don't ask "what are good specs/professions/etc" but what's the best. It's kind of like they want to just be uber and not think about how they want to play.
anon Aug 30th 2007 3:23PM
why would you not even train your fire spells? i understand if you don't want to put talents into the fire tree but why not at least learn the spell?
boo Aug 30th 2007 3:25PM
I guess it all comes down to whether you want to raid a lot, or just play casually, probably with a bunch of alts across a few realms. I agree totally with both the thread poster and most of the pro raiding posters above. I have played wow on ( and on ) and off for a few years now, and I have come to the conclusion that raiding is sadly not for me, mostly due to work, social, family commitments. I make up for this by having a few low level twinks that I use to try out new and crazy builds on people in wsg. I also think that if you are going to end up with one "uber" build at end game, you should at least try a few on the way, even just so you appreciate your final one.
tekunogekai Aug 30th 2007 3:26PM
For the majority of WoW players, I agree with this point. For the players in guilds who are trying to progress but keep wiping on bosses at 3% because they enrage... perhaps the tried and true builds should be taken into consideration.
I lead a guild and I let our raiders know that they can try whatever build they want, so long as it is no more than a 5% deviation from the other raiders of that class in damage/healing.
The thing is, it's easy to choose what you want and what you think is fun - that's what games are for. But when your guild is busting its ass trying to down new content, there are certain 21/31 point talents for most classes that are too beneficial not to grab. In my experience, the best builds were those that were created around those crucial talents. Once you know that you've got to put 20 points in X tree to unlock the talent, there tend to only be 2 or 3 different optimal specs that include said crucial talent.
Either way, here's to level 80 and exponentially longer theorycraft posts!
Strongmark on Arthas Aug 30th 2007 3:30PM
wtf?
Yeah, let's play the video game called Math. That is SOOOO much fun, to do calculations and sit for hours trying to find the "best spec" and do calculations about getting that one extra DPS or that .25 crit chance....
If you find that fun, more power to ya, Eric Vice is just trying to bring us back to simpler times, when video games weren't about figuring out this and that calculation, when the game was actually about adventure and fun.
There is no ONE way to play a game. You wanna figure out the math, fine, but us "lesser" people will continue to play different specs and have fun on a "simpler" level.
aerosaucer Aug 30th 2007 3:49PM
@15, and partially @ Mr. Vice
Stop pretending that ignorance is a virtue.
I'll go have my "fun" winning arenas and killing raid bosses with a mathmatically proven spec while you go ahead and have your "fun" goofing around with whatever mathematically inferior spec strikes your fancy. Whichever one "feels" right to you, not which one is objectively better and will enable you to acheive your goals. As long as you're not in my raid group or in my BG causing me to lose, then more power to you.
Just stop pretending it's virtuous to ignore the game mechanics just so you get to feel original and special.
Rysc Aug 30th 2007 3:54PM
I think that some people are assuming that all players play this game equally well, therefore the math involved (spec choice) is the greatest separator of success/failure in a raid situation.
Thats not what I've noticed.
Yes, spec can limit your available dps/cc/success. But in reality its not the defining feature of whether or not a player is any good at playing this game.
And playing with bad players causes at least -my- game experience to suffer.
Let me put it this way, I'd rather play with someone in an off spec that are good players than with someone that has a mathematical advantage in spec but don't understand aggro.
Candina@WH Aug 30th 2007 4:04PM
"Some of the game comes down to execution and performance by the person doing the button mashing or clicking, but the bulk of the results come from mathematical preparation."
Do you really believe this? I mean, Leroy Jenkins could be a god-build and still wipe your raid. I have seen too many over geared, probably 'optimized' spec'd imibiciles that your assertion is weak.
Game theory and statistics are predicated on two things - the average behavior of a population. A less than optimal build played by a better than average player will result in a better outcome than the 'mathematical' optimal build played by a sub-optimal player. Because the button masher has to know A.) His role, and B.) When to fulfill his role. Couple that with random chance and luck and your assertion that the math prep is more important than the button pushers becomes even weaker.
If math prep were primary, why hasn't anyone writen bot scripts that can beat the bosses? If all that matters is what chars and how they are built, why play the game at all?
Again -- weak.
Dave Aug 30th 2007 4:05PM
There's no one way to PLAY the game, but often there's one way to WIN the game that will be superior to the rest.
Things like %1 and and .25 of something may seem very inconsequential to someone who's scared of math and numbers, but over the course of a boss fight where the boss has 4 million HP and is going to absorb/reflect/eat/heal/etc 2 million damage, you're looking a necessary amount of damage that may be as high as 6 million HP's worth of damage in a usually specific amount of time.
Regardless of your current desire to do math or be involved in those things that you thought you got rid of when you graduated high school or college, there's a fundamental math problem here.
Your entire raid is going to need to pump out that 6 million damage somehow. (and we can keep it one-sided and not consider mitigation and healing). If you've got 3 people in non-optimal specs, generally speaking there have to be 3 above-average damage dealers ready to pick up that slack. The raid encounters are tuned towards this sort of thing after all, whether you like it or not. Gear plays a factor (numbers, math) and you can obviously overcome some spec deficiencies with other people having better gear, but for the most part your paramaters are simple: X damage over Y minutes by Z people.
Too many people contributing in a non-optimal fashion will take longer to succeed at the same content than the people who sacrifice their desire to be different, for the sake of the group and overall success.
It's really about being a team player, rather than just a guy who's doing stuff for himself when you come down to it. You don't have to know everything, there's someone else who's probably done all the hard work for you. Some people take this game way seriously, and most of them are nice (or obsessive) enough to document their findings and share it with the rest of the world.
Ultimately it doesn't matter if you WANT to play "math" or not, because it's there and it's going to be the backbone of the game whether you care or not. The main cause of raid frustration is in my experience lack of success and progress... which is usually caused by people wanting to do their own thing and not spec/gear the way things need to go for the raids to succeed.
Do it right, then when you're farming the content go ahead and run as some crazy offspec just to prove you can do it. Other people who actually like playing the optimal specs can pick up your slack and dominate at what they do and you'll get the same amount of success because someone else is picking up your end of the deal. You just can't afford that sort of stuff when everyone's on the low end of the gear scale and are just learning the content.
That's why some guilds power through the content, and some guilds struggle. It's about being a team, plain and simple.
Ariakhas Aug 30th 2007 4:14PM
I agree with the sentiment that Blizzard has yet to achieve making all specs for all class viable for all the content.
However, I firmly disagree with most of the commentary that in order to succeed, you have to follow a "cookie-cutter" spec if you are of a certain class. A "cookie-cutter" spec, be it for whatever you in-game content you participate in (PvE, raiding, PvP/Arena), merely increases the chances of success of accomplishing something. It is nothing more than increasing the odds in the group's favor.
BTW, kudos to the mathematicians who spend their time calculating in-game calculations. You show great potential. Now, go ahead and use it in your school work. =P
trepegroupieone Aug 30th 2007 4:13PM
@17
Bingo.