Shadowfiend nerf explained by GC
by Mike Schramm 
Mar 19th 2009 at 4:30PM
Ghostcrawler makes a quick run by the forums to break down that Shadowfiend nerf we heard about yesterday. The patch notes in the new build say that a Priest's creepy little best friend has lost their "reduced chance to be hit by spells and melee attacks." Apparently, Shadowfiends had a (completely?) random chance to sometimes cause a miss on various attacks aimed at them. Lots of people saw that as a nerf (and it is), but there are two buffs on the way, according to GC: Not only are the little fiends getting an HP buff "for PvP, " but they're also getting the standard pet AoE avoidance in PvE so they'll be able to stay alive longer on bosses that shell out damage to everything around them.There was also a bit of confusion on the datamined suggestion that Body and Soul is getting a nerf -- GC clarifies that the talent has two ranks, one at 30% and one at 60% movement bonus. That's been the way since we first heard about it -- no change to Body and Soul right now.
That said, remember that all class changes are still not carved in stone until they go on to the live realms. The planned Shadowfiend changes may not ever go through, but clearly GC and Blizzard are trying to make Shadowfiend surivivability much less random than just a chance to not get hit. Until we see just what the HP bonus is, it may still be a nerf, but at least it'll be based on specific rules rather than RNG.
Filed under: Priest, Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Talents, Buffs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
clegane Mar 19th 2009 4:46PM
This change is garbage. I want a talent tree for shadowfiends! :)
bod Mar 19th 2009 6:47PM
This change is garbage, i want a fire and forget mana refill like shammies or droods...
Hoggersbud Mar 19th 2009 4:47PM
As long as Shadowfiend can generally stay up, get a few hits in and return some mana, I don't care how they do it.
bundee Mar 19th 2009 4:50PM
Man, I didn't know [some] pets got AOE protection. My little trees would like similar protection please.
/although honestly, I don't raid with them anymore, so meh
Snailking Mar 19th 2009 5:03PM
These things were stupid anyway. Priests with pets? Lame. Maybe warriors and rogues should get pets, too.
Rollo Mar 19th 2009 9:39PM
It's not a pet. It's a *shadow pet*! :p
Brian Arnold Mar 19th 2009 5:04PM
"remember that all class changes are still not carved in stone until they go on to the live realms" should really read as "remember that all class changes are not carved in stone ever ever ever" - especially as of recent times, Blizz is all about hotfixes and minor patches to tweak things as necessary. :D
djmayhem2k3 Mar 19th 2009 5:16PM
AOE Avoidance for Shadow Priests summoned pet.
HMMMMM.....
I know of another cloth caster that summons 3 pets that just got nerfed that could really benefit from some AOE avoidance.
Candina@WH Mar 19th 2009 5:27PM
Spriests DOTs will no be able to crit. Can 'Locks?
RetadinMan Mar 19th 2009 5:28PM
Uhhh... doesn't the lock have 5 or 6?
Tushar Bharadia Mar 20th 2009 5:48AM
http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=55342
Interesting, though, you all hear "nerf" and think "lock" :P
Candina@WH Mar 19th 2009 5:27PM
All I really want is for my 'pet' TO ATTACK WHO I TELL IT TOO.
The fact that it will randomly pull off of the targeted mob and go after the mob that just hit me is quite annoying. Just chew on what I tell you! Ya damn little ingrate!
kworry Mar 19th 2009 5:55PM
While I am grateful I got the shadowfiend, I'm against it as a mana regen mechanic at all. Priests are the only class that say "here's the thing that helps me regen mana, let me send that right to you to kill off before it does so".
Anakinet Mar 19th 2009 6:02PM
Nah, men it's quite better to drop one wodden thing with crappy hp and flashes around to alert everybody you're almost out of mana...
kworry Mar 19th 2009 6:05PM
Fair enough. But still...trade you my fiend for your water sheild? ;D
Anakinet Mar 19th 2009 6:11PM
Soz, mate, i'm a priest too :) Just wanted to point one incongruence.
Seriosly, i don't think this would be a great nerf anyway, fiend it's useful now (okay, not perfect, just useful) and it would be in the future, trading RNG for better endurance it seems quite ok for me. Anyway, as a discipline priest I don't have any mana issues, critical strike rating ftw!
Posi Mar 19th 2009 6:17PM
Why are priests getting nerfed so hard. First spirit and now little nerfs on things that seem stupid. As a holy priest, enhancement Shamans already kick my ass at healing, and holy Pally's have plate. Sorry, but GC doesn't know what he's doing. He's guessing and guessing poorly.
Wyred Mar 20th 2009 5:45AM
I'm guessing you meant resto shamans, not enhancement. Otherwise...
Orrin Mar 20th 2009 3:21AM
It's time to give some love to mage little watery friends.
Blakkeyez Mar 20th 2009 5:49AM
Great way of rending one of our least crappy minor glyphs useless. Glyph of shadowfiend has the benefit of returning 5% of your maximum mana if the pet dies from damage. Players even learned to take advantage of it and send the pet to some place where it would get hurt a bit - yes looks are decieving, priests can be Ev0L. But wait... if the pet is better at avoiding damage it's going to be even more unlikely that you get something out of the glyph, right? On the other hand I'd rather see a few new good minor glyphs but that would be asking for too much I suppose.