A spec for leveling and a spec for endgame
by Mike Schramm 
Feb 13th 2008 at 8:00PM
This post by Catherine on WoW Ladies (about getting just the right spec for PvP and grinding) got me thinking about specs and their purpose in general. For a lot of classes, it's pretty much accepted at this point that you spec one way for leveling, another way for endgame, and a third way for PvP. While some classes can pull off all three with pretty much any spec (hunters and warlocks, ahem), other classes are much more confined (leveling as a resto shaman or prot warrior is possible, but I wouldn't want to do it any time soon).Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Blizzard has made a big deal (and a lot of money) about making sure that almost any class can jump into any situation at any time and do what they want to do. But the opposing viewpoint of that is that when all classes can do everything, no one class can do one thing better than others.
I think there's a good balance at this point, and though respec costs could be lower, they're definitely low enough that you can change spec a few times in the journey from 1-70 without a problem. But there are two ways to fall off the edge Blizzard is walking here: either specs become too limited, and you need to respec to do different things, or specs become too vanilla overall, and there's no reason at all to change anyway.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Classes, Talents
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
theRaptor Feb 13th 2008 8:12PM
I think we should be able to have two specs that we could change between for minimal cost or with a cool down (three hours or so). If they did that the tank/healer "problem" for PVE would disappear.
Ironhide Feb 13th 2008 8:17PM
Thats exactly what we need.
REspecing either of your saved specs costs money but you can swap between them with a 1-3 hour cooldown.
You already generally have to maintain separate sets of gear to tank/heal, DPS and PVP so its not like respecing will make you instantly be viable for that job.
skvngrx Feb 14th 2008 11:06AM
How about this for an idea - a spec bank? It could work just like your regular bank. You would by default get one "specbank" slot. Then you could pay an amount of money to "bank" a new spec (or replace an existing one). They could have little kiosks just like the guild bank additions in the regular banks. You might not even need a cooldown for this - if you could just swap out by going to a capital city, it would put a limit on exploitable swapping of specs.
Maybe it could even connect to this rumored rethinking of bags for gear, for the various specs. You swap your gear, it swaps your spec too.
drjonesac2 Feb 13th 2008 9:20PM
As unpopular as leveling a warrior prot is. I've found that it's actually the best spec for leveling. I've tried numerous builds, in both the arms and fury trees. It wasn't until I went prot that I actually started loving my warrior.
Maybe it's my play style, but leveling prot actually grants me the survivability to take on more than one mob at a time. In fact I can usually take up to three without too much difficulty. I also barely ever stop to eat.
I admit I had difficulty timing my improved shield slams, so I gave it up. Now, after putting up some shouts and a thunder clap, it's all shield blocks to proc revenge, rinse, repeat.
Pzychotix Feb 14th 2008 1:51AM
A spec shouldn't be measured by anything but the ability to do its job. Sure, you may be able to live through a trainwreck, but it doesn't help when you take twice as long as the next warrior to level.
jrb Feb 14th 2008 3:46AM
but equally, he shouldn't be rideculed for playing how he's comfortable.
wow is a great game, ruined by end-game spec and talent snobbery which sees other people dictating how you have to play, rather than letting you play how you like.
props go to the free-thinkers out there, like shadowpriest.com and big red kitty (hunter) that take under-appreciated talent builds for their classes, stick with them, and prove time and time again that, when done properly, an ill thought of talent spec can work wonders in any situation.
Pzychotix Feb 14th 2008 7:59AM
I'm not ridiculing how much enjoyment he gets from what he does. If I felt good from slamming my head into the wall, you'd see me do it the entire day too.
drjonesac2 Feb 14th 2008 8:59AM
The time I save in avoiding corpse runs has more than made up for my somewhat slower mod killing. On average it only takes me about 10 more seconds to take down a mob than it did when I was fury/arms. It might not be the spec for you, but it works great for me.
Ikarus Feb 14th 2008 2:31PM
@6 (jrb)
Amen. It drives me crazy how often you encounter this "talent snobbery" in the game. My first 70 was a shadow priest, and prior to the changes that made us more viable for raids, the common attitude i received was " go holy or go home". I also have a sub spec rogue, was 70 b4 the nice changes with 2.3 when we were the black sheep of the rogue family. I experienced a lot of ridicule.
This is a game, which means it's designed for fun/entertainment. You wanna be a ret pally? have at it. survival hunter? enjoy yourself. Do what makes you happy. If other people dont like it...screw em! Play your class/spec well, and you'll find the groups you need
dean.speedway Feb 14th 2008 3:40PM
"wow is a great game, ruined by end-game spec and talent snobbery which sees other people dictating how you have to play, rather than letting you play how you like. "
Truer words have never been spoken.
George M. Feb 14th 2008 2:02AM
As far being a Paladin,
Level as Protection
Go Retribution for Gold
But if you want to Raid
All the Glory is Holy.
cb Feb 14th 2008 5:05AM
I hate that some classes need different levelling specs to endgame specs. Its not that I mind levelling a healer with a dps spec -- but what you get from that is that you can have fun healing levelling instances and still solo really well. Then you hit 70 and ... if you spec to heal you lose that soloability. You lose the versatility because endgame specs are horribly specialised. (I play a resto druid and holy priest.)
I really hate that tanks pretty much have to raid as non-tank specs while they get some tank gear. I see this with my SO who find it easier to raid Karazhan as a holy paladin so that he can get tanking gear to do the role he really wants. I see it with friends who raid Kara as fury warriors for the same reason.
Matt Feb 14th 2008 10:41AM
I couldn't disagree more. My main is a 68 night elf druid, and he's been Resto since he earned his first talent point. Did I level more slowly than others? Maybe, but I'm a mostly casual player anyway. I'm just starting a protection-warrior alt, too, and not using a "leveling spec" to get him going. By leveling with an "end-game spec," I get to learn it as I go, using it in mid-level dungeons to pick up all the skills.
Thijz Feb 14th 2008 6:49AM
What's the meaning of this post, I mean, this has been discussed about 10 times now on this website :S
SneakyZM Feb 14th 2008 8:02AM
My Rogue is specced mostly Sub and that seems to work well for me in most situations. However, I really like the ideas posted above about having multiple specs with a cooldown and maybe even a small cost.
Jessica Feb 14th 2008 10:08AM
I've been feral ever since they fixed feral talent points eons ago. In pre-BC I assumed that I'd need to respec to raid but my guild was very open to having druids of every spec raid with them. Now that feral tanking is respected as much as prot warrior tanking, I'm very happy with my spec since I can dps and tank really well. However I know some druids who switch specs aroun so they can better master their class since druids are a class with 3 viable raiding options.
Meira Feb 14th 2008 10:38AM
Would be a lovely idea if two speccs would be allowed for us to switch without any money/time sink... I don't have any hibrid class at lvl 70 where this swap would be almost vital, but my mage would apreciate a free trade between 40/0/21 (instance/ raid PvE specc) and 17/0/44 (farming/PvP specc), would simple the game so much ;)
turkeyspit Feb 14th 2008 11:01AM
At instances LV 50 or below, the concept of "Tank" is optional, Retribution Paladins can Main Heal, and Arms Warriors can Tank with a shield. I myself tanked ZF as a Retribution Paladin with a 1-H and Shield.
Once you hit LV 50+, and especially in Outland, you need a fully dedicated Tank Spec and Healing Spec to succeed in a dungeon.
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, as it's called progression. The game gets harder and harder as you move forward.
Why do you think most Twinks are LV 19? Because at THAT level, getting +5 Weapon Damage on your LV 19 Blue can make a tremendous difference, as most players have crappy gear, and most specs haven't seen any of their 'good' talents yet.
I leveled my Pally as Ret from LV 1 to 70, but he had a different build in the Ret tree: went from 10/0/51 to the standard 8/5/48 once I hit 70. If I were to be a 'dedicated' PvP'er, the points would again need to be redistributed.
To say that "each spec" be able to jump into any situation at any time and be just as effective is nonsense. Might as well combine all 3 Trees into one at that point.
This is a non issue.
Alkahn Feb 14th 2008 11:20AM
I think too many people disregard the possibility of a "hybrid spec" while leveling to be able to kill stuff and also practice your preferred dungeon role when you start getting geared up at 70.
For instance, I leveled my priest in outlands with this spec:
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=bVg0khxzbxZbxxccbVbZL
Gear up w/ spirit and +dmg, and you have a grinding build that's actually pretty good. Spirit tap keeps you going when grinding, and every spirit tap proc is like a trinket going off and giving you added +dmg/heal. Not to mention +10% base crit from holy spells (smite & holy fire) and you have a viable build.
Furthermore, that same spec can easily heal into heroics with a little gear. So you get to try healing AND do dmg with one spec - jack-of-all-trades perhaps, but it teaches you a lot about your character driving a spec like that. We had barely 5 people in my guild at one point, me as holy and a resto druid, and when we were both in an instance run I nuked holy (helps to have a pali tank) and was able to keep up DPS w/ other pure DPS classes.
As you're leveling, go for your primary DPS talents first (when you don't really need healing or tanking talents) and then sprinkle in the healing/tanking as you go. The net result is something that gives you a lot of versatility (in PVE) when you're gearing up a character and can be a lot of fun to play.
Now once my guild hit Kara, all bets were off and I moved points around to become a proper healer (and later, a face melter), but if you're not interested in raiding, hybrid builds can give you a lot of options and can be fun to play.
Catherine Feb 14th 2008 4:39PM
Hey that was my post on wow_ladies! That's so cool I made it here. Thanks for the interesting article :D