Breakfast Topic: Changing talent spec?
by Matthew Porter 
Jul 29th 2008 at 8:00AM
If you're anything like me, ever since the beta talents for Wrath of the Lich King were leaked, you've been going to your favorite talent planner and seeing what new spells and abilities you're going to get. A few days ago we asked what new talents got you excited, but now that you've had more time to study the new talent trees, do you see a respec in your future?
We all know that beta means any and all talents could be shuffled around, buffed / nerfed, or even removed completely, but knowing what we do at this very moment, what's your game plan? Will you fine tune your existing spec or completely change your play style and try a new tree?
Myself, I'm eager to learn exactly what "exotic pets" are going to be, but I really like the extra pet talent points, so my Beast Master Hunter looks like he's staying put. Just incase though I've mapped out an appealing Marksmanship build that might be a nice change of pace. My Mage on the other hand might be forsaking his fellow Ice Mage brethren for an Arcane build. That tree recieved a lot of love and looks really interesting and new. Finally, my Enhancement Shaman my just be shelved if Death Knight looks as fun as it seems to be. So what are you leaning towards? New build? New class? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Talents
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
toole11 Jul 29th 2008 10:02AM
Well I've always planned on going Ret on my Paladin to get him to 80, much easier to level than Holy is.
But I may end up changing my Warlock from Affliction to Destruction.
Fireflash38 Jul 29th 2008 8:18AM
If you check out mmo-champion's talent site, you will notice that mage talents got a huge Re-do.
Fire has some great talents (like one getting Pyroblast to a 1.5s cast when below 35% hp) benefiting both AoE and PvP. And there was a pretty big change to winter's grasp and the improved water elemental.
It looks like they are pushing elementalist builds pretty hard.
Epimer Jul 29th 2008 8:19AM
My levelling paladin is going to be staying Prot, thank you very much! The changes to that tree are excellent, in my opinion, and I'm looking forward to some cool new baseline abilities too.
My main rogue, however, I'm not sure about. I'm a firm believer that a rogue should be using daggers (not in terms of game mechanics - I know highest sustained PvE DPS is still attained through combat swords), and as such have a 41/20/0 Mutilate spec. But the additions to the assassination tree are a little underwhelming, so I don't know if the extra points will go into there or filling out one of the other two trees.
Clasifyd Jul 29th 2008 9:00AM
With the new changes to Seals, they're supposed to last TWO MINUTES, too! That's MUCH less mana being spent, and putting a huge dent in the GCD-dodging paladins have to perpetually do. This will make leveling as a prot-adin ridiculously fun.
zappo Jul 29th 2008 9:25AM
As an assasination rogue I'm not sure we are looking at the same things. The assasination talents are AMAZING. With deadly brew you can run instant poisons on both weapons. Energy regen each time you get a melee crit. 10/20% increase on the second highest damaging finisher (rupture). A 3 stack of hunger for blood, AND find weekness is a huge damage increase, especially landing a mutilate in there.
The talent 'cut to the chase' looks nice initally, but you realize it's just fodder because sooner or later the RNG will trash your cycle badly. Currently I'm looking at this build: http://wotlk.wowhead.com/?talent=f0efoeMoiMoARszGcV0bV
Zakk Jul 29th 2008 1:16PM
Clasyfid, can you tell me where you heard that? I've heard about judgement changes, and I'm really excited for that, but 2 min seals sounds incredible! I would love it if that happened!
Boobah Jul 29th 2008 4:22PM
While the Seals are up to two minutes and Judgments don't use up the Seal, you won't be saving any GCDs because without needing to reseal Judgments are back on the global cooldown. Holy Paladins are going to be judging for the haste, Prot for the threat and slow, Retribution for the damage and mana returned.
shoemanchris Jul 29th 2008 8:36AM
I too would like to see some Rogue dagger love. I am combat swords build for raiding but although it has served me well, it doesn't feel right. Rogues=Daggers imho
Plus I want to see some more stealthing and stunning abilities... too many moaning casters QQing in the Forums about Rogues. Lets shut them up once and for all by confirming Rogues as the Arena and BG masters!
Siara Jul 29th 2008 8:40AM
I doubt i will re-specc my shadow priest, looks like they are getting even better in Wrath. :)
DirtyPriest Jul 29th 2008 8:50AM
I'll be leveling a DK to 70. At which point I will concurrently be leveling both my priest and DK. I will spec shadow again mostly, but with the prospect of dual specs I will probably have discipline as a secondary swap. What impresses me the most about the shadow additions is 4 second horror effect to psychic scream and the movement debuff removal with fade. Dispersion is great for arena. Playing arena and hitting the top 100 easily in my battlegroup mostly by being focus fired to death and watching the rest of my teammates do the work. Sad face! I can't get that bitter taste out of my mouth. Even with dispersion in there I still don't feel compelled to go back to arenas.
Wolftech Jul 29th 2008 9:05AM
My mage is currently Arcane/Fire spec and will probably remain so for WOLK. My pally is Prot, and if I stay that way depends on how the adjustment to the game mechanics and the changes to the Protection tree work (unlike a previous commenter, I do no think the changes are 'awesome'). I have a 'lock I am leveling to 70 before wrath (and if I have enough time either a shaman, priest or druid) but I still learning the class so I can not comment on the build.
As far as DK goes...I so want to level an Unholy DK. I think all the new cool stuff is in that tree.. your own undead army, exploding corpses :)... Makes me wish I was on a RP server. Its as close to a Necromancer as we will ever get.
... now I just need my Bard Hero and my Panaren Brewmaster or Shodo-Pan and WoW will finally be the perfect game.
Epimer Jul 29th 2008 11:10AM
May I ask why you're not excited by the Protection changes for Paladins? I've been following the discussion on them in a few places and have yet to see anything I dislike, so I'm curious to here someone else's opinion.
Oneiroi Jul 29th 2008 9:09AM
I just switched my hunter to BM, I'm excited about having "exotic" pets again. Since Blizzard started making so many unique pets untamable.
Oneiroi Jul 29th 2008 9:10AM
Oh, one more...I may switch to demonology to check out that demon form. I really just want to be a demon.
OnniHopeDream Jul 29th 2008 9:12AM
Going to try out Illidan form, prolly leveling 70-80 demo, but Haunt looks fun.
As for my shammy, GHOST WOLF RAPE ATTACK GO!
Lizardking63 Jul 29th 2008 9:47AM
Nothing like having your leg humped by a Ghost Wolf.
OnniHopeDream Jul 30th 2008 6:24AM
Cept having your leg humped by TWO ghost wolves.
thatquietgamerdude Jul 29th 2008 9:29AM
The only talents I have really taken a good look at are the shaman talents. I am very pleased with what they've done with the enhancement tree and I think I'm going to stay there. Lately I have been bored with my shaman but with the changes coming I think my interest will be renewed. In addition to the new & reworked talents I really like the itemization change (1AP per str and 1AP per agi, with 1AP per int with the new talent); shamans will continue sharing gear with hunters but now they'll actually benefit from that gear!
Larry-Steve Jul 29th 2008 9:57AM
@ M. Porter
Shelve your Enh Shammy!?!?
/cry
Merlin Jul 29th 2008 10:03AM
Speaking of the new talent trees, which are an excellent way to refresh your love for your class, I would like to ask if there is a new system of respeccing in wotlk.
Something like a dual talent tree with which you could alternate between the two whenever you wanted. Im asking this because i have read something like this, a long time ago.