Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsMana regeneration changing dramatically in 3.1
by Eliah Hecht 
Feb 5th 2009 at 3:35PM
The devs have been telling us for some time that they're not happy with the current state of (most) healers having infinite mana, and it looks like the reckoning is going to come in 3.1. And make no mistake, we're getting hit hard.
- Outside-of-5-second-rule regeneration is decreasing. They think the combination of HoTs and clearcasting let us stay OO5SR too long and get too much mana back.
- Mana regenerated by Spirit is being decreased "across the board."
- However, talents that boost while-casting regen (specifically, Arcane Meditation, Improved Spirit Tap, Intensity, Mage Armor, Meditation, Pyromaniac, and Spirit Tap) are being buffed.
- Since Paladins don't really use Spirit for regen, they're getting a different nerf: the healing penalty on Divine Plea is getting raised from 20% to 50%. Spiritual Attunement is also going to be nerfed for Holy paladins somehow.
- They're "taking a close look" at clearcasting abilities. "One likely outcome" is changing them so they restore mana instead of making spells free to cast, which would still give you mana back, but would not kick you OO5SR.
- It has finally been spelled out that they balance around even 10-man raids having Replenishment. Although I think this is silly (why not just remove it from the game, if everyone should have it all the time), it makes me feel a bit better that they said they are "likely to offer this ability to additional classes" (it's already been announced for Destruction warlocks, for instance).
Overall, although this feels very "sky-is-falling," it's important to remember that Blizzard is not trying to make healers sad, or break the game, or ruin your class. As they spell out at the bottom of the post, this is for the purposes of giving encounter designers more room to play. If healers can't run out of mana, they only way to make the encounter hard for them is to throw huge amounts of raid damage around, which is not always the best choice for an encounter.
This will be going up on the PTR, of course, so we'll get a chance to see exactly how it plays out. But I know a certain Holy paladin who will probably want to stop completely avoiding gear with MP5 on it in the near future.
Patch 3.1 brings us Ulduar, dual specs, significant changes to all the classes, and more! We've got you covered from top to bottom with our Guide to Patch 3.1.Filed under: Druid, Mage, Priest, Shaman, Patches, News items
Reader Comments (Page 9 of 9)
Kreia Feb 10th 2009 1:55PM
Healers Can't Run Out Of Mana? WHAT THE HELL?
i play a resto druid; i have played a resto druid in bc, and pre-bc. i grew up on this class. I run out of mana all the fricken time. I use innervate practically every 6 minutes and i keep pots on me at all times.
Im fine with changes; but this one seems that it could break healers, especially since not every 80 healer is in epic 7.5 gear and not every healer is running around with a tank in epic 7.5 gear thats uncrit etc..
Seems like yet another step to make hardcore players feel some pain and make us casual players think we should be quitting since we dont have time to invest 80 hours into this game a week for gear :(
Xannder Feb 12th 2009 8:51AM
Uh 80 hours? I was really feeling your point right up until you started exaggerating. Even the top guilds in the world have jobs, families, and work like everyone else. Granted, I could have a part time job on top of my full time one if I wanted, but I would rather play wow honestly.
Kreia Feb 12th 2009 12:37PM
Was trying to express a point. Not in reality spending 80 hours a week, but for the casual player it is a lot less then most. Sorry for the exaggeration.. but was trying to impress upon the idea that some of us have FAR less time to play than any one else... I am a casual player. It took me months of saving up badges to see end game content in BC. With Blizzards move away from that aspect and adjustments to the game, it makes you less appealing to groups & your own guild.. I've been asked to step out of raid schedules because i was a casual player.. kinda makes you bored with your 80 quick ..
Sorry for the stretch on my comment.. was trying to illustrate some of the frustration i'm seeing as well as my friends are seeing...
Xannder Feb 12th 2009 8:45AM
I hate to point this out, but as my guild's raiding Disc Priest, I have completely stepped away from gear with Spirit on it. I litterally pay no attention anymore to that side of it.
Last night during our Farming session of OS3D, I litterally didn't stop casting for the entire duration of the encounter which is close to 10 mins. I welcome the change.
GhyphonHeart Feb 24th 2009 2:46AM
Outgearing the instance as healer isn't allways a good thing, with a good healer people tend to not worry about manny things healer will keep them up.
Pulling too many adds , nah healer can handle it, staying in aoe, what's the point of moving healer will keep me up anyway, letting healer drink once before attacking again , nah what would he need to drink during an instance? pulling without any warning, healer will allways be prepaired.
I just wish tanks and dps will play a healer and see how stressfull it is when your team members make your job harder and then blame it on you if they fail.
fluffyruffles Feb 24th 2009 12:56PM
My healing toons are now"
"OFFICIALLY ON STRIKE".
No more heals for anyone else.
Use whatever means necessary to keep yourself alive.
Richard Mar 10th 2009 3:53PM
If the designers need more room to play, why not let them use content based mana regen rate strategies. I.e. in this content, or area of content, let mana regen be reduced, or have an active mana sink or drain. You could also have content that has a fixed mana pool to draw from, once its gone none can be obtained from the environment.
threesixteen Dec 7th 2009 12:54PM
i'm so glad to read your post Xannder... i've been totally wrestling with the MP5 vs. Spirit thing for at least six months now. maybe it's different Disc vs. Holy...
.... i've got an 80 holy priest (Bix on Quel'Dorei) and i always have critical mana issues. i definitely have an 'all out' play style; meaning, i am generally tops on the overhealing list, but i find that mostly that's due to spamming group heals (CoH, PoH)... generally i find in a group of undergeared players (and there are many youngsters out there that confuse their desire to hit ToCr with their geared ability to do so) i'm OOM lickety-split. even trying to be judicious with heals, i'm still using a mana pot, shadowfiend, my BE mana racial (what's it called again?) and Divine Hymn.
the problem i think is perhaps i'm confusing the efficacy of gemming and gearing spirit... maybe i don't need spirit if i'm almost never in the 5-second rule because of having to string heals together all the time... should i make the switch (at least gem-wise) to MP5?
Also, i usually eat Cuttlefish for my food buff, but maybe i should be switching to SpellPower or Fangtooth.
Any other Holy Priests wrestling with the same dilemna?