More on dual specs at Blizzcon
by Eliah Hecht 
Oct 7th 2008 at 4:00PM
In the midst of a mostly unrelated post about the Druid Balance tree, Ghostcrawler let slip the following: "The dual-spec feature will shine more light on talent design (more on that at Blizzcon) and we'll have a better idea of what we want to do with trees when that goes live." Now I don't know about you all, but as someone who plays a healing class for a main, I am very interested in the dual spec idea. Knowing that we'll get more information on it at Blizzcon, just a few days away, makes me a happy priest indeed.
But what could she mean by the dual-spec feature shining more light on talent design? It's a slightly mysterious statement, but my interpretation is that when everybody can have two specs and switch between them either freely or at least cheaply, the load each spec needs to carry lessens. It's OK if Holy can't solo, because you can just switch to your Shadow spec for that. It's not such a big deal if Combat isn't as strong in PvP; just swap out to Assassination for the BG weekend, and swap back in time to raid. The trees no longer have to be strong in all areas of the game. But that's just guesswork on my part; GC may well have meant something else entirely.
Either way, we'll see in Anaheim this weekend, and WoW Insider will keep you posted with live reports.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Derek Oct 7th 2008 4:05PM
i hope the do this so it wont be bugged. seems hard to manage
Ug Oct 7th 2008 4:12PM
Unless what he meant is more info on talent design, at blizzcon.
Nossman Oct 7th 2008 6:34PM
For implementation of this, if it were to come to fruition, what about putting duel specs into a "stance/class" bar, with an intended penalty of a Cool down maybe etc?
Louis Hill Oct 7th 2008 4:27PM
As a warrior that loves to tank but hates to solo because I tend to hide from that content simply because I don't want to spend the time or money on proper respec'ing. But having dual specs available for quick relatively cheap move to either raiding or solo gaming would be enough. Anything more is just the cherry on top.
stevens.ce Oct 7th 2008 4:08PM
Please, please, please let dual specs be a very near reality. I have a warrior that used to tank, but leveling and farming as protection sucks (so he's fury), as did leveling and farming on my priest, who has nearly always been shadow. I've never bothered to learn healing very much, as it wasn't realistic to switch my specs all the time. I long for dual specs so that maybe I can play these toons as I and, I think, Blizzard intended.
Doug DeJulio Oct 7th 2008 4:13PM
People are making assumptions about how dual-spec will be implemented. But Blizzard hasn't told us any real details yet.
Want to know one way dual-spec could shed detail on talent design?
Well, let's say the way dual-spec works is, you define a PvE spec, and you define a PvP spec. Most of the time your PvE spec is active, but if you step into a battleground, or an arena, or Lake Wintergrasp, or you flag PvP near a PvP world objective, your PvP spec becomes active.
If that's the case, it would be clear that they intend every PvE spec to grant access to every aspect of PvE -- there's no such thing as an intended spec you use "only during raids".
That's just one example. There are other possibilities. Just be careful about making unwarranted assumptions.
Thiosion Oct 7th 2008 4:28PM
I really wouldn't be surprised if Blizzard did something like this.
Phil Oct 7th 2008 4:35PM
I would be slightly dissapointed if Blizzard implemented it in such a fashion mainy because I would love to have my warrior a tank spec and a soloing spec, things a long those lines are why I have been excited about the possiblity. However I will say that this implementation would be far better than say nothing =)
Doffencrag Oct 7th 2008 4:50PM
Not a fan of this, simply because not everyone's dual spec will come down to the PvE/PvP dichotomy. Which makes it harder if Blizzard introduces some arbitrary definition of when your PvE spec switches on, or when your PvP spec switches on. For example, someone might have a raid and farm spec (both, incidentally, PvE).
I like the suggestion of bob that the trainers remember two specs. Simple and relatively easy to use and understand, and fully under the player's control.
Liljon Oct 7th 2008 4:57PM
That would be a weird implementation. What if the 2 specs use totally different keybinds? would they also be saved?
Going to a bg would remove all your current abilities that you "unlearn" from changing spec. Pretty annoying if you ask me ;)
Robert M Oct 7th 2008 5:41PM
"there's no such thing as an intended spec you use "only during raids""
when was the last time you specced a resto druid? the current pinnacle talent locks you out of all offensive abilities. resto druids are clearly intended for grouping. can you still kill things with a resto spec? absolutely, but by being heal only in tree form means the spec is ONLY intended for grouping/raiding
bob Oct 7th 2008 4:32PM
It probably won't be anything more than the trainers remember two specs. When you go to them to re-spec you'll be able to just pick one instead of clicking each talent.
Eopie Oct 7th 2008 4:49PM
I would think this would be more like it as well.
Perhaps the may cap the highest spec cost at a lower price point, say 25g just because they intend people to be switching more often. Or maybe they will have a one time large fee (say 500g) that would allow one switch back and forth at the trainer for free.
I wouldn't expect any "on the fly" talent switching. I highly doubt they will allow one to be prot for one boss fight and ret for another with a different tank for instance. I really think you'll still have to go to the trainer, at least. It will also save the spec i'd assume, and hopefully also save your toolbar set up for each spec.
Rihlsul Oct 7th 2008 4:51PM
^ that
ivan256 Oct 8th 2008 11:38AM
Bingo.
There's no way that it's going to be an in-the-field toggle between two specs.
They've claimed things like making the feral tree "intentionally bloated" so people can't be the best cat and the best bear at the same time. Why would people think they're going to undo that with easy spec changes? You're going to have to pay, and you're going to have to do it at the trainer. Either that, or it will be similar to the PvE/PvP specs that change depending on the zone you're in. Anything that lets a hybrid class switch between the best specs for two different roles mid-raid isn't going to happen.
bob Oct 7th 2008 5:56PM
I completely agree with your statement "that when everybody can have two specs and switch between them either freely or at least cheaply, the load each spec needs to carry lessens." but this goes completely against Blizzard's strategy of late which seems to be homogenizing all of the trees so that they each be viable.
If you can switch specs freely and easily, I would prefer if each spec was drastically different.
Vinna Oct 7th 2008 4:47PM
I am looking forward to this as well, not so much for myself as I stay pve/raid specced all the time, but some people insist on wanting to raid while also insisting on having a pvp build.
The only way it reall effects me is my 2nd priest might have to go to another server as I have 2 priests, one holy one shadow and with this I won't have much use for that.. My friends on anotehr server will be happy to see me move one over. heh.
Rodrigo Oct 7th 2008 4:49PM
All you warriors posting here that "farming as prot sucks": Read Matthew Rossis beta impressions. In about every post he writes about the total failure of the fury and arms trees and about prot being the talent build of choice for dps. In WotLK, prot will rock so hard for leveling and farming: Even if you do only 80% of fury/arms damage, you will still take 1/10 of their damage from mobs. Furthermore, Talents like Damage Shield and Shockwave make prot warris very viable for aoe.
Just look at your new talents. Nearly every talent has its purposes outside of tanking. Let alone the fact that Devastate will now hit with both weapons.
The guys who really deserve dual specs are the healers. There are probably less than 5 talents in a priests holy tree that also boost damage. I recently respecced shadow wearing my full pve healing gear. I never rocked so hard. Soloing after speccing back to holy was like torture.
Rodrigo Oct 7th 2008 5:36PM
Dual Specs could also be the new gold sink. So be ready to cough up 25k or something..
Ikarus Oct 8th 2008 12:13PM
You'd have to respec at least 500 times just to break even if it was 25k. I think not