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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsCounting up 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 more Shaman complaints
by Mike Schramm 
Feb 18th 2008 at 5:30PM
There's a new chapter in the ongoing saga of Shaman disappointment with patch 2.4, and it's this: "1, 2, 3, 4... 6?" As you may have noticed in the patch notes, Call of Thunder (an Elemental Shaman talent that increases the crit strike chance of Lightning spells) had five ranks that gave 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 6% respectively. But patch 2.4 will bring it in line with standard arithmetic, and have rank five give 5% crit chance.An obvious nerf, right? Blizzard doesn't seem to be so sure. Players say that there was a reason rank five gave 6% chance to crit, and it was probably to balance the ability with other abilities in endgame. But Neth says that though it is a nerf, the devs did it just to bring the values in line with other similar ranked talents. Even giving Neth the benefit of the doubt on the devs' decision, that seems really unlikely-- no one would "accidentally" count 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. Clearly the extra percentage crit chance was in there for a reason, and the devs shouldn't change it back unless Shamans really are critting too much (and by all accounts, they are not).
It seems like a lot of whining over a small issue (and yes, that could be said about all of this Shaman business), but once again not only is Blizzard not clear on their communication, but they continue to mangle Shaman relations-- in a patch where Elemental Shamans are finally hoping for a buff, the devs decide instead to nerf one of their biggest talents, supposedly to fix a mathematical bug. If the devs suddenly said that Fel Concentration was getting nerfed to 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% (rather than the 14%-70% it's at now) because those numbers were more "in line," Warlocks would throw a fit. And that's exactly why Shamans are so unhappy right now.
Filed under: Shaman, Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Talents, Forums
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Rob Feb 18th 2008 6:13PM
I think Blizzard just needs to have their developers play a 70 Elemental Shaman in battlegrounds (WITHOUT the 4 piece Arena set bonus)... there will be SWEEPING changes to the class the next day.
imparush Feb 18th 2008 6:17PM
they will do that with every class, when all other got 3s set, and u get a green gear
Richard Feb 20th 2008 11:33PM
Heck with having them play in battlegrounds have them play a Lvl 70 elemental shaman in 2vs2 arena... thats the worst part. On my level 70 elemenal shaman I melt faces in battlegrounds but in 2vs2 I get totally steam-rolled.
Tridus Feb 18th 2008 6:30PM
This is a colossal failure of community relations, since the reason given is flat out wrong. As has been pointed out, Mace spec also has weird numbers, and they think thats fine. If weird numbers are fine in one spot, why not another?
Its a nerf to a class that doesn't need nerfing and is already feeling emo. I don't think most of their emoness is justified, but I'm completely on board with them about this change being crap.
If its OP, nerf it. Don't nerf it because the numbers seem odd, while leaving other odd numbers alone. Thats a horrible way to balance a game, and an even worse way to run a community.
tmneer Feb 18th 2008 6:36PM
i stopped playing my shaman after the bus shock incident. http://shamanreview.ytmnd.com/. =)
Seamus Feb 18th 2008 6:43PM
I'm so tired of Shaman whining. /craimor
Wulfhere Feb 18th 2008 11:10PM
On the one hand, screw shaman and their players, they play WoW and so they're probably insipid wankers.
On the other hand, screw you. When it's your class come whining, I'll laugh my balls off at you.
hoeding Feb 18th 2008 6:45PM
I like how in a shaman QQ post the author found a way to slip in a QQ about warlocks =/
Ahoni Feb 18th 2008 7:01PM
Another Mike Schramm Shaman QQ post.
Get over it shaman. Your class isn't broken. They aren't going to change it drastically. Get used to it and learn to play the game they way it is.
/tired of shaman
Mongolor Feb 18th 2008 7:11PM
I love the people who just tell shamans to shut up. Its such a lovely debate.
When every patch has an extra special shaman nerf, somehow we are all supposed to just shrug and move along?
I love my shaman, and I play him very well. We don't need to be OP again, but viable in PvP would be awesome. How about dealing with our totems, or the fact that hunters yell at me when I roll on "hunter" gear.
Where does the hate for shamans come from anyway? When warriors were screaming last year, nobody told them to stfu.
Eleazar Feb 18th 2008 8:22PM
Mainly because people are sheep and can't think for themselves. The shaman have a very legitimate cause for concern with Blizzard, and it's ridiculous other people can't see that.
Scionicle Feb 18th 2008 7:29PM
The warlock example doesn't make much sense in this case. You're comparing a +crit talent nerfed to fit the "standart" 5% with another talent that's already at the common 70% pushback resistance :/ If you're going to put reason in your rants, better keep doing it till the end. Anyway, start chanting "Reason is stronger than my hate for warlocks", it might help!
Angus Feb 22nd 2008 11:48AM
Actually, look at it this way...
gladiator 4pc set bonus goes from 70% to 50%
Hey, remember that common pushback, you cited? Well we had it and it was changed to 50%. How would you like your "common pushback" of 70% changed to 50%? They didn't cite for reasons of consistancy, but it would have been obviously a lie then.
Mace spec, 6% stun. Not being touched. Why?
If it was for consistency it is being applied unfairly and only to one class. How is that even remotely fair?
Ark Feb 18th 2008 7:36PM
Gosh guys, 1% is not a noticeable change. Of course when the patch hits, the placebo effect will run its course and have all the elemental shamans thinking 'though the tooltip says they have 25% spell crit, it feels like only 10'.
Stop the whining, just once, please.
native Feb 18th 2008 7:58PM
shaman QQ always brightens my day.
especially when its from everyone's favorite hardcore b1tcher.
another job well done Mr. Schramm! Huzzah!
theRaptor Feb 18th 2008 9:03PM
This is what happens when the people that designed and programmed the game are replaced with new recruits. Institutional knowledge is lost and fine tuning like this is removed because it "doesn't make sense".
Uruman Feb 19th 2008 5:14PM
What bothers me most is that their excuse for the nerf is such LAMEsauce! We are changing this talent to bring it in line with other talents ... what they really mean is "we are changing this talent because we don't like that it skips a number, and we can't count to six on 1 hand."
Seriously?
drunkwally Feb 18th 2008 11:32PM
Is there someone in charge that reads these articles. There seems to be more an more articles that are just the same forum QQ.
Articles with no substance, no intelligence, just immature forum crying transplanted to this site in the guise of a serious article.
Who is the idiot that wrote this garbage?
Pzychotix Feb 19th 2008 12:01AM
ATTENTION!
MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?
BREAKING NEWS: "WOWInsider" is now "Mike Schramm's soapbox for Shamans!"
Urthal Feb 19th 2008 12:50AM
Yes, the extra crit was there for a reason. Most likely, to reward players that took all 5 points in that talent. No, it wasn't a bug, and Blizzard has never claimed it was. Stop saying that, you only make yourself look even more ignorant.
It's a design philosophy change. Make every rank be worth the same. Look at warrior talents, Improved Revenge used to be something like 10%, 30% and 40%. They normalized it to 15% per rank. Your flawed example doesn't really apply, considering each rank of Fel Concentration gives the same 14% pushback resistance.
And guess what, Blizzard has every right to change anything in their game for whatever reason they feel is appropiate. Despite what the masses of soapbox kids claim, Blizzard knows what they are doing. They have a much better idea than any of us. Ever occured to you the 4 piece arena set bonus nerf might be related to a future buff? Maybe shammies are finally getting a talent that grantes them pushback resistance for their lightning spells? No, I doubt that is conceivable to your paranoid, over inflated ego.
I'm surprised there has barely been anything related to the much awaited built in totem UI, a huge feature in my opinion. But a small consistency change has everyone whining as if it were the end of the world.