Shaman forums shocked by interrupt changes
by Matthew Rossi 
Nov 5th 2007 at 11:30AM
The official site Shaman forums are revolting. No, I mean they're up in arms over the changes to interrupt in 2.3, specifically diminishing returns and how it's going to affect Earth Shock. The protest seems to be taking the form of a series of posts consisting entirely of a period. (The idea being that Blizzard doesn't listen to shamans anyway, I suppose.)
Now, I agree that putting Earth Shock's interrupt on a diminishing return mechanic, considering that it already locks down a shaman's casting time longer than it does the people you interrupt with it (1 second lockdown on the affected spell of magic vs 1.5 second global cooldown) is a nerf for all shamans. But since it's just in PvP, where all sorts of other mechanics have been reduced or lowered in effectiveness - just ask a mage about hypothermia sometime - I don't think it's really worth all this uproar. While interrupts will be much less effective against others, so will CC of all kind, the shaman's absolute bane.
In the end I expect this to balance out. What do you think? Are the protesters storming the barricades in the shaman forums on the money or is this just a case of that last straw falling on the camel's back?
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, PvP, Forums
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Epiny Nov 5th 2007 11:39AM
The uproar is also that Ele DPS was changed and Blizz claimed it would result in the same dps over all. Shaman's ran the numbers and proved that they now did less DPS.
These posts were deleted and the accounts suspended.
Xip Nov 5th 2007 11:51AM
Obviously the author of this article doesn't play a Shaman. No other class recieves constant PvP nerfs patch after patch - they're finally fed up enough to risk being banned.
skwol Nov 5th 2007 12:03PM
i myself being a 70 shaman, i am completely and utterly discouraged at blizzard's consistant ignorance of the class...even when they are reviewing the class and saying they are "buffing it" they ignore hundreds of good ideas from the community...elitist jerks forums about shamans provided a great point regarding the nerf to the shaman dps...shaman's old lightning bolt/chain lightning ran 3.0 and 2.5 seconds untalented, with 2.0 and 1.5 talented...mages and warlocks complained that for the samd 5 points, shamans got an entire second off their casts, while they only got 0.5...the difference is that the shamans is a 26-30 points into the tree for the 5 point talent, whereas mages and locks require 5 points only, as it's a tier1 talent, thus why the shamans claimed theirs was even, as it required a much larger investment into the tree...i think the earth shock thing, while a huge nerf (as shamans were told a long time ago that we did not get CC due to our interrupt being only 6 second cooldown) in a sense that it is the ONLY way to interrupt...warriors still have MS to reduce healing, mace stun, and a fear...mages have poly still...warlocks have death coil and 2 fears...rogues have blind, gouge, kidney shot, hunters have scatter shot, etc etc...shamans ONLY form of limited control over a fight was earth shock, now it's utterly useless, especially in a group setting
Dusters Nov 5th 2007 11:59AM
to #2........Obviously you don't play a warlock. You want to talk about constant pvp nerfs........dont get me started.
Feras Nov 5th 2007 12:04PM
Man, this has started to be a QQ my class gets nerfed, no QQ my class gets nerfed more thread
Rembrandt Nov 5th 2007 12:07PM
@3
Wow, obviously you're new to lock... Lock's weren't always the OP gods they are thought of today.
And, shamans have been getting the nerf-stick constantly and consistently for as long as I can remember. Some justified, but I feel they are getting a little over zealous these days.
iapetes Nov 5th 2007 12:07PM
They're absolutely justified. I have zero doubt that the main purpose for this change was to reduce the effectiveness of heavy dps teams that simply rely on chains of interrupts like counterspell and spell lock to keep a healer out of the action. But as a side effect, it destroys the viability of earthshock, a 2 second interrupt. earthshock's only strength was how frequently it could be used, but with this change, teams arent going to want shamans to use it much at all: it'll cut the duration of counterspells in half. its a very big, very stupid nerf for a class that doesnt need any.
iapetes, 70 paladin, laughing skull
Matthew Rossi Nov 5th 2007 12:06PM
@2 - Actually, I play a 70 raiding resto shaman and a 65 and climbing enhancement shaman. Yes, I know shamans have suffered in PvP, but to be honest that's still no excuse for behavior that's counter-productive to the class. I don't see how, when compared to the various nerfs to CC (and CC is STILL the worst threat to shamans in PvP) that you can complain about this change. If a fight in PvP lasts long enough for ES to stop interrupting spells, then it's lasted way too long already.
@5 - I agree. Let's try and discuss this rationally instead of just complaining about things.
Matthew Rossi Nov 5th 2007 12:08PM
As an example, I hadn't considered iapetes point, and it's a good one.
Let's see more of that.
vildmule Nov 5th 2007 12:10PM
So shamans will actually have to start thinking about which shock button they spam, and when they do it? Boohoo.
Goldwolf Nov 5th 2007 12:15PM
I see what you did there.
Kang Nov 5th 2007 2:34PM
The reason the uproar actually started, was because blizzard deleted a lot of constructive posts with proof about the clear nerfs in 2.3 and banned the posters without any warning, not just because of the ES on DR thingy. Just thought I'd point that out.
Fraufrau Nov 5th 2007 12:25PM
this was the last straw on the camel's back
For years many shaman players have provided well thought out feedback on aspects of the class. Yet every time shamans are promised some attention they get nerfed (patch 2.1), sometimes mixed with buffs (like 2.3 and the class review) but never just 'fixed' or buffed.
Furthermore, the lack of response from the Blizzard CMs on these posts is sickening and the major cause for the '.' campaign. IF they do read those well thought out and written posts they request and they do pass them on to the developers why cant they flag the thread as acknowledged and forwarded?
Is it that hard to hit 'Reply' and type "I have passed this on to the Developers, thank you'
Its not and thats the major cause for unrest like this in every class at some point.
Shamans are the least played at lvl 70, given fewest raid spots as dpsers, have lowest survivability and the only class with 41 point talents which are 'removable' (dispellable spells and a 5hp totem)
They need fixes NOT nerfs
smack Nov 5th 2007 12:49PM
what happened on the forums was not just about the dr. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. After being ignored for so long, then promised buffs and getting only mediocre buffs and nerfs, with zero explanation, the shaman said screw it. And to the warlocks posting, yes you've gotten nerfed, but you're still a strong class and completely viable in both pvp and pve.
KCV Nov 5th 2007 12:31PM
If shamans went away I don't think anybody would notice. I remember when I first started this game three years ago and hearing how OP shamans were and people would QQ about them all the time.
PNess Nov 5th 2007 12:33PM
first earth shock shuts down caster 2seconds shaman 1.5 seconds
second ES shuts down caster 1s shaman 1.5s
third ES shuts down caster .5s shaman 1.5s
Working as intended?
Also for all you other people who have never played a shaman this is the ONLY ONLY ONLY interupt the shaman has...lets look at the other classes:
Mage- CS, Poly, Stun
Warlock- Pet Stun, Pet silence, AOE stun, AOE dot dispell silence, Fear, Instant Fear, Dcoil....all depending on spec but at least 3
how about others
hunter- Scatter, Silence, Pet stun, Pet silence, Ice trap.....
Rogue- Oh please do we even need to go here
Warrior- Hell they got a bunch and even a proc off a weapon...any mace weapon...even ones that have their own stun proc....
drooids- well they are closer to shaman, kitty stun, bear stun, cyclone cyclone cyclone....
Funny how they never banned those ret pally post, threat pally post......
Crypt King Nov 5th 2007 12:34PM
You mean I may actually be able to get a spell off now in the Arena with the double shaman's in all the teams I fight. Oh no!!
Hexile Nov 5th 2007 12:40PM
"The uproar is also that Ele DPS was changed and Blizz claimed it would result in the same dps over all. Shaman's ran the numbers and proved that they now did less DPS. These posts were deleted and the accounts suspended."
You know what?
There are way too many other new games out now or coming out this month for Blizzard to think they can just take a huge dump on their player base.
So, no soup for Blizzard.
I suspended my account and let them know why. That is the *ONLY* language these people will ever understand.
Shastaelisa Nov 5th 2007 12:44PM
Oh wow, give me diminishing returns on frost shock over this change to earth shock ANY day.
Talk about an unjustified nerf.
My earth shocking plus grounding totem has been my only chance and the main reason why I was able to take down most pallies as long as my timing was right. I'd use it over a stupid frost shock with or without diminishing returns.
I'm open to talk rationally about it as the others above have said, but it's such a low blow that I don't even know if Blizz cares.
Wow and Ouch
70 Resto Shaman.
Me Nov 5th 2007 12:42PM
@1 - if true, WoW Insider should investigate and report on that.