Will WoW ever have a 'DPS to heal' model?
by Matthew Rossi 
Mar 10th 2010 at 8:00PM
Ghostcrawler - Re: What's wrong with an Active Mana Regen Model?I'm not sure we'd ever do a "deal damage to heal" model. It might work for new classes, but feels like a big change to existing classes that players know and love.
Having choices to get mana back is good. Standing around to regen mana is bad.
However, we still ultimately need a way that healers who are playing badly, trying to keep alive an undergeared / underskilled tank, or just tackling content that they're not yet ready for, can run out of mana to the extent that the encounter is over.
Having choices to get mana back is good. Standing around to regen mana is bad.
However, we still ultimately need a way that healers who are playing badly, trying to keep alive an undergeared / underskilled tank, or just tackling content that they're not yet ready for, can run out of mana to the extent that the encounter is over.
Personally, I hope that 'it might work for new classes' statement means we'll finally get something like a Warhammer Warrior Priest. I'm still jazzed from seeing Diablo III's version of the Monk and I'd be thrilled if they created a cloth wearing, staff wielding, spirit and intellect utilizing melee healer. I'm sad that they've ruled it out for any current classes (man, it would rock for paladins in my opinion and would single handedly make me like that class) but I'm very hopeful we'll be monking it up in an expansion or two.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
m0880ss Mar 10th 2010 8:05PM
Cleric.
NecDW4 Mar 10th 2010 9:40PM
+1
Though really, Holy Paly in Prot gear works out to about the same.
cidninja Mar 10th 2010 8:07PM
strange, i was having a conversation about this last night.
i really wish they'd do something like this. i never played the warhammer mmo, but ever since i heard about the warrior priest i thought it sounded like an amazingly fun class to play.
Eberron Mar 10th 2010 8:08PM
Funny, when I first heard how they put things together for the forth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, I got excited about seeing this sort of model ("Beat things up as way of healing/supporting") in DDO.
Then DDO announced it was going to stick to its current class system, and I signed.
It would be cool for Blizzard to try this out. :D
Eberron Mar 10th 2010 8:09PM
sighed^
Lack of edits and inability to self-correct ftl. :(
Repto Mar 10th 2010 8:09PM
They could call them Shadow Priests!
Darksky Mar 10th 2010 8:12PM
That would rock! They could have some spell called "Vampiric Embrace" or something similar, so that as they dealt spell damage, it would heal themselves... maybe even heal their party to a smaller extent. Where'd those Suggestion Forums go!?
Hollow Leviathan Mar 10th 2010 8:33PM
I dunno, you heard GC, they don't want to change existing classes too much to make them fit that mindset. You wouldn't want them totally rewriting the way shadow priests work in order to make them dps to heal, now would you?
m0880ss Mar 10th 2010 9:08PM
I was just thinking that actually. However a melee style would be nice to see.
Prudelas Mar 10th 2010 9:24PM
Exactly! Shadow Priests are WoW's Tempest of Set.
Fox Van Allen Mar 10th 2010 10:14PM
YOUR IDEA IS JUST CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK
Tomatketchup Mar 11th 2010 3:28AM
This "Shadow Priest" idea is just bull@&%. If Blizzard implements it I'm seriously leaving this game.
Spriesty Mar 11th 2010 11:38AM
I read this and was..."wtf?!" ...and then came here to post mumbling to myself. I see my fellow shadowpriests had not only already taken care of the problem, but posted with just the right amount of sacrasm, 'huh?', and middle finger to suit the situation. I knew I could count on you guys! =D
morphh1979 Mar 12th 2010 12:46AM
I have been DPSing as healer for the last month or two already as shadow, its a lot of fun, you should give it a shot, POM and a shield then DPS away. On bosses go shadow form and blast away, awesome when I come in 3rd or sometimes even 2nd on DPS. ;)
Tigron Mar 10th 2010 8:15PM
I think they already did something like this with the Emerald Drakes of Oculus. The only way to regain "mana" as a greenie is to attack the boss with your leech poison. I think that's a great way to keep healers involved in the fight rather than watching health bars nonstop.
brian Mar 10th 2010 10:26PM
So, possibly something like Dragonsworn as a hero class? It has been bantered about before, and honestly sounds like it has potential.
BubblePriest Mar 11th 2010 12:40AM
I actually wanted them to make a hero class with this healing mechanic ever since the first time I healed Oculus.
I imagine our next hero class will be some sort of healer/dps hybrid, since dks can tank and Blizzard will want to spread out the hero class roles. This mechanic would be something vastly different than the other healers in game, which I would love.
Of course then I'd have to choose between that and my disc priest. Oh dear...
N-train Mar 10th 2010 8:19PM
Should we ever see another new "hero" (or any) class at all, I figure it will at least have the option to heal, and I'm curious as to how they could make it different mechanically from other healers. The neatest thing about DKs (second to the ability to tank and dps in any tree), imo, is the rune system, if only because it is unique and separates them from other classes.
A melee healer would be pretty cool, but it presents a good deal of logistical problems that would be hard to overcome short of a powerful ranged or aoe heal or the ability to "blink" to players fairly rapidly. If it is too limited by movement no one will have any incentive to ever play one; your heals can crit 80% of the time but it won't matter if you can't cover more than one person or are completely useless in "oh shit" moments or in a spread out fight.
That being said, I think GC is right with the damage-to-regen model, if only because they would have to find a way for them to run out of mana. They also severely run the risk of the class being overpowered... who doesn't want an extra half-dps that can raid heal while he/she's at it? They would also have to find a way to make it different enough from Vampiric Embrace to make it both interesting and practical.
Jake Mar 11th 2010 8:24AM
I thought for Cat they'd be making use of the rune system just for a class like this.
http://www.wowwiki.com/Runemaster
Like these guys:
http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=23960
Guess, we'll have to keep waiting.
tom Mar 10th 2010 8:21PM
Enhancement shaman already have this: we deal damage to build up Maelstrom Weapon stacks, and then can cast instant Healing Wave or Chain Heals. Sure, we're not healers, but we're a damn good hybrid! (This is also exceeding useful for Precious and Stinky's Decimate abilities.)