Druid's Swipe now generates 50% increased threat
by Adam Holisky 
Dec 16th 2008 at 4:40PM
Ghostcrawler mentioned last night that the Druid ability Swipe was on their radar for a fix. Blizzard, and many Druids, felt that when you combined Swipe with the global cooldown it wasn't generating enough threat. There have also been extenuating issues concerning Swipe's effectiveness in picking up mobs in a uniform manner, often requiring the druid to have near perfect positioning.That's now been "fixed" today via a hotfix.
Swipe's threat has been increased by 50%.
Previously the limitation on the number of targets swipe could hit was removed, along with other classes AoE tanking abilities like Thunder Clap.
The immediate effect of this won't be known beyond "it'll let Druids AoE tank better." There might be some backlash from the other classes that Swipe will now cause too much threat compared to their abilities (thus tipping the scale in favor of a Druid tank). There also might be some concern that people will just spam Swipe.
Only time and everyone's reaction will tell.
Thanks to vsureaper for the tip!
Filed under: Druid, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Tilly Dec 16th 2008 4:46PM
As a druid tank I've gotta quote Keanu on this one
"Whoa"
EightBit Dec 16th 2008 4:50PM
What's threat? Wasn't that removed with Wrath? I sure haven't seen anyone have a problem with it.
hold up Dec 16th 2008 4:49PM
Yay! I'm going to write your next "Druids: A Guide to Bear Tanking"
1. Position self in front of mob(s)
2. Press "Swipe" key
Done.
havitech Dec 16th 2008 5:19PM
Voted up. I'm speaking as an experienced druid tank: my AoE is fine. Not that I'm complaining about a buff to my class, but the problem is completely on the part of the players this time around.
Stormsinger Dec 16th 2008 5:50PM
Shhh... Don't give away our ancient ursine secrets!
Honestly, I hold 4 heroic mobs with just swipe easy even against AOE (unless someone goes on a crazy crit streak). I don't mind the extra threat, but I didn't feel I needed it at all.
But hey, thanks Blizz, and I didn't get you anything (except $15 a month).
flameflash82 Dec 17th 2008 10:36AM
Bah.
Never had a problem. More or less I just always reminded people to hit the skull first. :p
So strange that in their 70s and people still don't seem to understand that.
Still haven't really seen this AoE killing that keeps getting mentioned. Guess I need to run more things. Have to see if this improves it. I generally don't enjoy PUG tanking.
Robert M Dec 16th 2008 4:51PM
The problem is not with swipe, it's with the complete lack of necessity to do anything but AoE things down. If they would add some trash that will really punch a tank in the mouth then all this concern about AoE tanking would be less of an issue.
I'm not suggesting that everything be heroic Shattered Halls, but with the reduced trash pulls that exist overall, would it kill Blizzard to make them a little tougher?
Clint Dec 17th 2008 9:14AM
Agreed. I had my first night in Naxx recently and I could just run into every pack blindly and just AoE tank. I thought maybe I might need to pop a CD to stay up... nope, nothing really hits thaaat hard (trash-wise).
Jelement Dec 16th 2008 4:54PM
If swipe generates enough threat it doesn't need to be spammed. Right now with everyone being AOE-happy spamming swipe worked as a way to keep threat easily on multiple mobs. Without that we could really only hold 2 (maul glyph) or 3 (berserk when off cooldown) and anything more mean busting out the swipe spam or using mouseover/tab lacerate macros. Swipe was just the easiest thing to do. It might still be the easiest thing to do but for those who want to try and do more DPS it gives us some free GCD's to throw in things like mangle and press more than one button without having to worry about losing aggro.
Ian Dec 16th 2008 4:56PM
I don't think there's any worries that druids might start spamming swipe exclusively. The change was put in to help alleviate that problem! While it might not be effective at solving that issue, it certainly won't get worse.
Angus Dec 17th 2008 11:46AM
I was about to say, "they already are spamming it"
The main reason they had to spam it was that healers had to keep healing them and so the healing aggro was pulling mobs away if they didn't spam it.
If this lets them use it 2/3rds as often, all the better. I was feeling bad for the poor bears.
zappo Dec 16th 2008 4:57PM
Also interesting that many Priests feel that when you combine "Circle of Healing" with a cooldown, it doesn't generate enough "heal".
Offtopic, but I thought the similarity was sort of interesting.
Beable Dec 16th 2008 5:06PM
This is fixing the wrong problem. Swipe's threat was fine. The issue that causes bears to have problems are those pesky mobs that get behind us. I need my bear butt to do some kind of rear facing AOE to get threat back there.
But hey, I'll take it.
akw Dec 16th 2008 5:36PM
"I need my bear butt to do some kind of rear facing AOE "
must...resist...
Brownjohn Dec 16th 2008 6:06PM
As a paladin tank, I never have a problem with mobs getting behind me. Is it hard to reposition yourself?
Deadly. Off. Topic. Dec 17th 2008 9:29AM
Not really hard, you just turn the hell around and put your back to a wall if possible. (The only damn problem is the camera zoom in when you're close to an object. Try staring through a wall when trying to position yourself with your back to it is really lame.)
kworry Dec 18th 2008 5:49PM
I don't presume to speak for all druids but the only time it really becomes an issue is if a mob runs for the mage that just got a 5K crit, we have to go after them which means all the other mobs are now behind you and hence you're generating no threat which can result in another mob(s) taking off for the healer. Maybe this buff is the trade-off. We now pack the same amount of threat generation in the range of swipe that the other classes get in 360 degrees.
Not that I wouldn't mind removing need to constantly reposition in some fights.
Woolwort Dec 16th 2008 5:09PM
Bear druids get an "I Win" button......again.
Slago Dec 16th 2008 5:34PM
Is this change going to make Druid tanking stats go...
Stam > Agil > Haste?
razisgosu Dec 17th 2008 2:22PM
why would druids want haste? the global cooldown on melee skills cannot be reduced below 1second and that's what it is at now. i think you need to do some research on how to play a druid and what stats they want.
haste is only good for a feral druid in that it will grant more omen of clarity procs, and give faster attack speed, nothing more.