Great post!

Before the Mists announcement, I had decided I was a fan of the "hybrid tax" on dps. In my spare moments, I even came up with a tweak to the buffing system that allowed individual dps specs to do equivalent damages one-on-one, while allowing the "pures" to do more in raids/groups. (Not very complex, basically just give raid buffs to the hybrids; the buffs would be required for the hybrids to do "normal" damage, and would allow the pures to do normal+5%. That way would encourage a raid to bring both pures and hybrids.

But Blizz went the complete opposite direction. And honestly, I respect where they're going. This basically means they will have 34 classes going into Mists, instead of 11. But it removes the need for any kind of hybrid tax.

I will say that I think they've gone a bit too far; I chose to play a shaman and then a paladin because of their flexibility and the different ways they could handle challenges. (I'm very much miffed by the removal of exorcism and holy wrath from tankadins...I use holy wrath all the time and exorcism was a great single target opener, and filler during certain "stand way over there" phases.) But hopefully they'll loosen up and put these back in.

And your idea of combat using polearms (and agility staves?) is brilliant. These are only stat sticks for hunters (and ferals??) now, correct? And with the changes coming in Mists, only Monks would be using them...maybe? A whole genre of weapons that none of the original classes actively uses in combat is a shame and a waste. Rogues with pole arms/staves would really give the that ninja feel. :)

Also, give me a dodge/parry rogue tanking spec and I would probably level one.

I'm just going to put it out there, I think 4th specs are coming. Maybe not in mists, and maybe not for all classes, but I think Blizz knows that with Monks out soon, they've tapped all their new class potential. All they're left with is variations on themes. (This couldve been handled before within trees like feral, but now Blizz has given itself the locked-spec model.) If nothing else, the new shaman Ascendance (basically GoAK for Shammies) spell is crying out for an Earth Ascendant.

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