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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsPlayer reactions to dual specs
by Mike Schramm 
Feb 27th 2009 at 1:00PM
Just in case you haven't been following what people have been saying about the dual spec system lately, Slashhug has a terrific post up covering all of the concerns and thoughts about the new system and how it will affect groups and raids. It's long, but he covers all of the bases, from how hybrids with two specs will affect which players get chosen for groups, to loot and how that will work (the same -- main specs first, offspecs if needed), and even soloing and why dual specs will be a blessing for classes who are normally built more for group play.There's not a lot of new complaints or answers in here -- lots of it has already been discussed on the forums and in our own posts. But Slashhug does a great job of wrapping it all up into one big tasty dual spec sandwich, so you can catch up on all the thinking about dual specs so far. The bottom line, in terms of player reaction, is that dual specs will allow you to do more with your class than you can with just one spec. If you want to heal, you can still heal, or if you're built for tanking, you can still do that. But in groups where things don't quite fit (you've got a few tanks and your DPS is a little low, or your Priest could use a little extra help healing for this boss fight), dual specs will let you make the necessary tweaks right then and there, and excel that much more.
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: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Classes, Talents, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
thinice Feb 27th 2009 2:59PM
The answer is simple, we are practically to the point where a 25man raid only needs to consist of paladins.
I for one, am re-rolling from my lock to a pally. The real last straw for me is when they put replenishment into the destro tree ... Warlocks are not the type of class that 'buffs' everyone, its just not right by lore. It'd make more sense to put it into demonology really... but that's a different subject all together.
Eli Feb 27th 2009 3:01PM
I would have a better impression of the actual feature if the WoW PTR client didn't crash within 15 sec of login.
Rov Feb 27th 2009 3:01PM
For me its all about having a battleground burst spec and a good pve spec at the same time.
Matt Feb 27th 2009 3:06PM
From the Wow Insider article I was expecting a well balanced look at this issue not "shut up and quit bitching Pure DPS classes."
I think there is benefit in this for all classes. Like most things in wow it benefits some more than others. Anyone who thinks that this isn't going to cause a world of Drama for some then you are kidding yourself . We will all have stories in a few months about how we have been burned by duel specs but all and all I still think its a good thing.
jfofla Feb 27th 2009 3:07PM
Loot
The majority of this discussion is between main spec and off spec.
My question is whether the term Off Spec is even relavent once dual specs enter the game?
If a Paladin is Speced Holy/Prot, are they not BOTH main Specs?
If the Dual Spec Pally comes to an instance as a healer, but Need rolls on a Tanking Item are people going to flip out or accept this as normal for a two spec character?
FenSat Feb 27th 2009 3:30PM
People will flip! Okay, maybe they won't flip, but I don't imagine that people who stick primarily with one spec - even hybrids who, for whatever reason, don't care to have an offspec - will be two happy about dual-spec people trying to treat each spec as main spec.
While I personally won't flip, I won't be thrilled if, for instance, a priest that runs with us as holy rolls on +hit gear against the DPS casters who need the gear for their primary roll in the group...
Rich Feb 27th 2009 3:48PM
As a player with a hybrid and a pure DPS class I welcome it on both characters.
For my Pally it allows me to tank or dps easily and quickly depending on what we are running whether if it is a 5 man heroic or a raid.
For my Lock it allows me to have my raid spec and my grinding spec. I personally hate Affliction for grinding/dailies etc, but for raids it essential. Now I don't have to respec before and after a raid.
Pure DPS classes, really... STFU. You want compensation? For what? You aren't going to do loose spots for a DPS dual spec. If you do, find a new guild. Its like everything else in this game, alot of damn bitching when something new comes up and then the biggest complainers accept it wasn't as bad as they thought. So cronic complainers, deal with it.
Moo Feb 27th 2009 4:35PM
As a holy pally I think I'm just going to create a different healing spec. Maybe one going into prot for Divine Guardian instead of in ret for more crit %.
I know, I'm a pally and I should have a Tanking spec, but I think I'm going to try to force the 725 DKs in my guild to all have tank specs/gear instead...
thinice Feb 27th 2009 4:33PM
There are those who PvP, and those who don't.
There are those who have hybrid abilities (Heal vs. Tank), and those who don't.
If you PvE AND PvP - you benefit greatly.
If you can hybrid (Tank or heal or dps) - you benefit greatly.
If you PvE OR PvP ONLY, and can't hybrid - you barely benefit. (Sure, you get some 'novelty' benefit...)
If you PvE only and can't hybrid, you have a lot more to lose.
PvE is probably the only way you enjoy the game and you lose your chances at gear, raid spots to people who will have two 'main' specs.
There's no reason to NOT take a person who can Heal and at the push of a button, DPS, and gear them up - they're DOUBLE the asset of a DPS only class and will certainly be picked over someone else.
Hunters, Rogues, Mages, Locks are getting the shaft on this , why can't people just admit it?
I play a lock so I'm obviously used to being walked on right now =[
Guydebord Feb 27th 2009 6:53PM
I'm not particularly worried about dual-speccing, even though I'm a 25-man raiding 0/41/30 lock. On the plus side, everyone will have a better balance of buffs. i.e. I plan on going Deep Demo for the Demonic raid buff for days when we don't have an El Shamy and Deep Destro for replenishment, when we don't have a Survival Hunter. Show me a caster, hybrid or not, that will complain about +320-ish spell power and I'll show you a Horde player that claims not to hate gnomes ^_~
However, I do also see the issue of "bring the hybrid, not the class" playing out in a way that is more concrete ways. That is, even assuming a deep destro lock will out dps a boomkin by 400 dps (that's about what EJ's models hypothetically predict at current gear levels), that's nothing compared to the gain from having a healer that does zero DPS switch specs to Boomkin. That's more like an increase of 4000 dps for the raid (utility aside) for fights when the healer isn't needed - a ten-fold increase (at least in that specific scenario)!
So as I see it, this means there will be fewer slots, both in guilds and raids, for "pure" dps classes, not none. Just guessing, but we'll probably see raid make-ups that have roughly 4 tank/dps hybrids, about 7-9 healer/dps hybrids and then 12-14 other slots. This would provide the raid with, not only the flexibility to pick from a variety of tanking and healing options (for AoE heavy fights or single target fights) but a flexibility of, assuming a minimum of 1 tank and 4 healers, 26,000 raid-wide dps (that figures that tanks will do double normal dps as dps spec). All or none of which could be brought bear free of charge, both in money and raid slots.
And this is nothing to say about the vastly increased desirability of classes that could ostensibly switch from melee to ranged depending on the fight...
Really, this means us "pure" dpsers will loose about 3-5 spots in a normal semi-progression-oriented 25-man raid comp, and probably the same proportion in raiding guild rosters. So in short, it'll probably be 15-20% harder than currently to get a slot as a "pure" dps. Maybe some "uber-core" guilds working on server or world firsts might go hybrid crazy, but I don't think, despite both my love of my lock and my wish that I had known anything about MMO's before I rolled a pure dps class, a vast majority of guilds in this "we're all casuals now lol" WoW environment will do anything but bring the best players they can get.
Konchu Feb 27th 2009 6:44PM
I personnally think this will add tons of depth to the the game and I hear people hear worrying about how some class is now going to be rolling on 2 sets and how pure classes are going to lose there viability and I dont think either are the case.
As for loot most Raids aka the place people are more likely to switch anyway have loot rules be that raid dkp or other rules such as having to pass on item if you got an item( was in a nax the other day that allowed you to roll on 2 purples a night once you one 2 you had to pass but those were the rules and kept people from just taking everything). So if I am half dps/half tank and i want to spend my DKP for working as hard as the next guy then they the haters can suck it.
I think alot of pure classes are going to be switching in raids too, we need a frost mage to do some for frost aoe kiting etc and then we need a arcane mage for slow. And similar for other classes ok we need you demonoligy for this fight ETC ETC ETC....
CC did used to give alot of the pure classes purpose and even preferencial spots as DPS. I think blizzard is going to do something to keep the need up for them but it will probably be in the form of buffs like replenish if current trends are to remain. I would like to see at least a little CC return to the game.
Fingal Feb 27th 2009 6:47PM
I'm all for dual specs, I think they'll be great for folks at 80. but...
Those people who are saying they want this because respecing all the time costs too much.
Really?
Your first 11 respecs go 1g, 5g, 10g, 15g...50g
At 50g a pop the 1000g entry fee gives you essentially 20 respecs before it's paid for itself.
You start dual specs at 40.
so that means between level 40 and level 80 you'll need to respec > 30 times to make this worth while.
with the exp bonuses 1 instance is 50 - 75% of a level.
There are about 21 instances between level 40 and 70 (if you don't do heroic BC instances and if you count DM as 1 instance, and don't bother with raiding)
So, for all the arguments of "do you want me to tank/heal lower level instances for you, i can't be respecing all the time"
I offer, i would, and i'll save you some money, don't buy dual spec, you'll be that much richer at level 80.
Now LF Healz Maura. (everyone still does Maura right? oh wait...)