Patch 5.2 interview with Dave Kosak
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The latest patch 5.2 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsDon't freak out about the Cataclysm changes yet
by Gregg Reece 
Apr 12th 2010 at 1:00PM
One important thing to remember (and something Ghostcrawler and other devs have stressed multiple times) is that almost all numbers, coefficients and bonuses are going to be changing when the expansion ships, and none of the abilities are final. This means trying to say that using certain spells or stats is a "horrible idea" because of particular issues in the current game doesn't really hold up, because your class might end up needing that stat or relying on that spell when Cataclysm hits.
Also, being as the entire stat system is getting a revamp (with a lot of the current stats going away or being repurposed completely), all of your current gear's stats will also be changing to reflect this including increased armor for cloth, leather and mail users.
There is also the fact that these previews are not the whole story. There might end up being additional talented spells for your spec or revamps of various class abilities that will change your current rotation. Some classes are getting simplified and others will be getting a little more depth.
All in all, please look at these changes with an open mind and leave any preconceived notions at the door. We still have the entire beta for them to tweak and change any of the current ideas that might be lacking or might not mesh well with your class's existing kit.
Always remember to leave constructive feedback (Note: "This sucks!", "Blizzard obviously doesn't play my class," and "Ghostcrawler promised me a pony!" are not examples constructive feedback.) and tell them what parts seem clunky, good, lackluster or just simply feel "off" of what it should be for whatever reason (and always include the reason why). If you're eloquent in your post (and sometimes even if you're not), you might be the voice that gets things changed.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From goblins and worgens to mastery and guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 6)
baldbull Apr 12th 2010 1:53PM
While I understand the reasoning that other healers can use offensive abilities while in their healing specs, the mere mention of such a rationale for changing the tree form because of this means that they're balancing the class based on complaints from the PvP community. Every dungeon and raid I've been in, I've never seen the healer also put out dps. If they do, it's laughable at best, because they're not in the instance to be a dps, but rather to be a healer. If they'd like to change that up, we have been given dual specs.
In PvP however, other healers can indeed perform their offensive abilities.
What's unfortunate is that their fix to this is the removal of the tree. Why not allow offensive abilities, but at a dps reduction. This could be very similar to how a warrior in Defensive stance gets a reduction to their dps.
Argojax Apr 12th 2010 1:55PM
The problem with that is that as a Mage I wouldn't be sure whether I could sheep you if they allowed a purely cosmetic form. Also I wouldn't know if you were supercharged Druid or just ordinary Druid. I sympathize, but I see it being very problematic from a PvP standpoint. Though perhaps they could do the current model as the cosmetic and then when the cooldown was popped make you sprout leaves the type and color of which dependent on your hair style and color.
Daniel Whitcomb Apr 12th 2010 1:54PM
As someone who used to heal in Vanilla raids and LOVED the fact that I didn't have to hide behind a newbie mob form when I healed as opposed to when I feraled, I am ecstatic to be losing Tree Form. It was never an "iconic" part of our class, just a relic of when Blizzard was trying to "Balance" Hybrids by making us accept massive handicaps to heal/dps/etc.
Qot Apr 12th 2010 2:00PM
Remember when Tree of Life form used to have a hamstring attached?
I always found it funny to have our resto druid have to shift out of form to run with us, then shift back when we got to the boss.
Al Apr 12th 2010 2:02PM
I don't really get this either. "Tree druids have to blow a cooldown to be able to DPS. This is such a pressing concern we think we'll make Tree Form a limited ability. They shouldn't have to give up DPS capacity to heal."
Way back when this first came up in the Q&A's - So does that mean Holy Paladins will get offensive capacity beyond auto-attacking and Judgements? "No, because we designed you to have no offense. Druids have offense they can't use at times, so we're more worried about that." In other words, "lolpaladin!"
Not to worry though, they'll finally improve Tree Form's appearance. Even though you'll barely see it anymore.
Seaborn Apr 13th 2010 1:58PM
I have never played a druid enough to say i even have a druid. After reading some of the posts I can understand the point that if your in a form all the time you never get to see the gears. This tier has us huntards with a huge boner growing from our head but sometimes the sets look pretty cool.
Elmouth Apr 12th 2010 2:18PM
Another of the perks of this change (getting rid of Tree Form) is that resto druids will finally be able to see the gear they work so hard to upgrade.
Al Apr 12th 2010 2:34PM
Oh yes, the gear. Except for everyone being in badge gear, which is mostly re-coloured stuff, and thus we all look the same.
Rob Apr 12th 2010 3:24PM
100% agree with bull, this is just wrong, it feels wrong, it flies in the face of their core design for the last 5 years. I want blizz to give me a reason to buy cat, and this isn't it. Moreover, removing tree (or making it a demon like thing) just doesn't feel right. I mean, maybe you can have a super buffed tree or something with a button click, but why destroy what's working great now? If you don't want to heal as a tree, fine stay in caster form. but I want to say "follow the tree" and not "follow...that guy". I'm a tree b/c I like being a tree, not because I like looking at my long-eared self.
baldbull Apr 12th 2010 3:57PM
After reading through some of GC's posts about the rationale, I still am left wondering if their decision is the right direction.
In Bear, Cat, and Owl form, you have abilities that you can't use in other forms (for the most part). Once you shift into cat you've got a lot of dps abilities that you can't have while not shifted.
Their rationale is that when you shift into tree, you're essentially working with the same set of tools as when you're not shifted. Perhaps the answer then is to take some of the druid's resto spells and make them tree-only. Nourish or Wild Growth? I don't know the answer here, but what I am saying is that perhaps rather than make Tree a cooldown based shifting ability (which, unless the mana cost is very low, I don't know how that'll work in the middle of a fight when you're trying to conserve mana), keep the Tree as a shift ability and then add tree-specific spells/abilities. I know they don't want to have more buttons to press, but you could instead move some existing ones into that form.
Out of tree form, druids could probably have rejuvinate and healing touch. Everything else could require tree form.
I just think a more creative approach could have been done.
Pam Apr 12th 2010 4:01PM
I am disappointed in the ToL change. I don't know how many hours my tree stood outside AH in SW milling herbs while working on Darkmoon decks.
Riding in bikes and driving demos in tree form....will be sorely missed.
I do not currently run the 5 mans in tree form, because I am DPS-ing due to overgear for them....but once in a while I do, when I run across a new 80 tank, or a DPS pretending to tank.
I have screen shot after screen shot of places my tree form has been. I was looking forward to being able to fly in old world just to get to places I wanted to screen shot the tree at.
Hollow Leviathan Apr 12th 2010 5:18PM
I like being a tree, not least of which because night elves are the only class for alliance druids. Personal taste being what it is, Nelfs are not my thing. Trees (and kitties), however, are!
Lemons Apr 12th 2010 5:27PM
This is a very good point, but it seems people are arguing for or against it simply out of personal preference. I for one don't get the people who are so obsessed about seeing their gear and staying out of tree form. Who cares? If you're a healer you spend 90% of your time staring at tiny boxes, and the other 10% of the time making sure that you're not standing in fire. When you're ooc you can shift out and admire your gear all you want (you crazy narcissist), but when it's healing time I don't see how seeing your gear is even relevant.
Blizzard is just being dumb. Tree form is no different than any other form, and if you want to use extra spells then, my god, you just might have to shift out for a few seconds. That's what druids do...they shift forms! It's part of their gameplay.
Grovinofdarkhour Apr 12th 2010 1:16PM
This sucks!
Sorry, someone had to do it. :)
But no, really, it still sucks.
Wowcoholic Apr 12th 2010 1:39PM
in a Wrath of the Lich King state of mind, some of these things do suck...
but we'll have to wait and see what else they have in store for Cataclysm to be sure.
MisterMoose Apr 12th 2010 1:17PM
Well, ostensibly they listed the most exciting stuff they have planned. They DO talk about talents in those previews afterall. I don't think people are tending to freak out overall, it is just that they are not enthused.
Look at most of the class changes. By and large the new spells, talents, and other mechanics are just quality of life tweaks (even Hunters moving to Focus is this). It's hard to get excited when your Druid tank (or whatever) is just getting one ability to make AoE a little less monotonous.
Mages and Shaman are just about the only two classes that are really getting some new and cool stuff that looks neat.
blodphenix Apr 12th 2010 1:25PM
The only thing that really confuses me is that Most of the new abilities for all classes looks better for pvp than pve. Dont let it be said i dont enjoy pvp in battlegrounds or arena but since when did wow become a pvp dominant game that most of the focus gets leaned toward pvp?
MisterMoose Apr 12th 2010 1:28PM
Well that too, which is pretty unexciting for PvE which almost everyone does (I think more PvE than PvP). The few things left that seem designed for PvE are largely Quality of Life stuff (except for Shamans and Mages, as I said).
Personally I didn't find the PvP tweaks all that exciting though lowering the healing debuff to 20% looks like a good idea for Cat (not an exciting one though). It's all pretty ho-hum, imho.
BadAndyMk3 Apr 12th 2010 1:30PM
I agree. I wasnt' freaking out, just dissapointed.
What's going to be the warrior's but, fun exciting new LVL 85 talent? Charge+thunderclap. Oh. Great.
And the Inner Rage thing has the potential to be awesome, but they way they worded it initially, I couldnt' tell if hitting 100 rage was supposed to be a reward or a penalty. So I didn't get excited.
And a talent that makes 1hand fury viable. Ok.... Neat, I guess, but it doens't feel like they're adding anything to the class really. Bringing back another playstyle for nostalgia sake. If they can make it balanced and work perfectly then great.... but still, it's nothing to get excited over.
All of these changes are fine, but they dont' seem like the "Here's what we're going to to to make being a warrior even better in the next expansion" changes that I was expecting from the preview.
I think a lot of us are just feeling underwhelmed.
Darkember Apr 12th 2010 1:42PM
We get mushrooms as the owl ^^
my petition for the graphics to go all trippy when it explodes on you have fallen on death ears however :(
or perhaps upon exploiding /campfire /dance