Blue Posts: Ghostcrawler returns saying no to warlock tanking spec

Ghostcrawler has returned to the forums, for at least one post in the beta section, to quell the warlock tanking talk that's been going on ...
Blue posts
Ghostcrawler -- Warlock tanks
Just to make our intent clear, the Glyph of Demon Hunting isn't intended to turn Demonology warlocks into a tanking spec. You won't be able to queue as a tank for Dungeon Finder for instance and won't have the survivability or tools of say a Protection paladin.
Historically, warlocks felt tankier than other casters and could even off-tank some encounters. We have made an effort in Mists to recapture some of that flavor. A warlock with this glyph should feel like they are about as effective tanking as an Arms warrior who pulls out a shield and swaps to Defensive Stance, or a Feral druid who goes into Bear form. You might be able to off-tank adds or pick up an actual boss for a short period of time if the tank goes down.
To make warlocks an actual tank would take more significant changes. For example, we want tanks to have to pick up separate tanking gear than their DPS gear (this is even true of druids) and want tanks to have to give up some of their DPS potential in exchange for their survivability. In short, it needs to be a commitment, and that's the sort of thing that needs larger gameplay changes than just a glyph.
That shouldn't stop the glyph of Demon Hunting from being fun though. As you can probably tell, we are trying to make even the major glyphs more about character customization and fun.
Historically, warlocks felt tankier than other casters and could even off-tank some encounters. We have made an effort in Mists to recapture some of that flavor. A warlock with this glyph should feel like they are about as effective tanking as an Arms warrior who pulls out a shield and swaps to Defensive Stance, or a Feral druid who goes into Bear form. You might be able to off-tank adds or pick up an actual boss for a short period of time if the tank goes down.
To make warlocks an actual tank would take more significant changes. For example, we want tanks to have to pick up separate tanking gear than their DPS gear (this is even true of druids) and want tanks to have to give up some of their DPS potential in exchange for their survivability. In short, it needs to be a commitment, and that's the sort of thing that needs larger gameplay changes than just a glyph.
That shouldn't stop the glyph of Demon Hunting from being fun though. As you can probably tell, we are trying to make even the major glyphs more about character customization and fun.
Last Chance: ampm Cups and Sweepstakes
You don't have much time to act before these high-gloss, BPA-free cups vanish from ampm shelves -- only you can secure your future as a fully-hydrated human being! Don't delay; your opportunity to ingest and process carbonated liquids from these epic-ly adorned drinking receptacles is swiftly drawing to a close.
While you're at it, try and win some World of Warcraft and ampm loot by entering the ampm Sweepstakes before April 2. It's easy, free, and you could win all sorts of official Blizzard and World of Warcraft swag. Read the official rules and visit the contest page to enter.
While you're at it, try and win some World of Warcraft and ampm loot by entering the ampm Sweepstakes before April 2. It's easy, free, and you could win all sorts of official Blizzard and World of Warcraft swag. Read the official rules and visit the contest page to enter.
WoW news from other sites
- MMO-Champion Priest Tier 14 Preview, Mists of Pandaria Beta Class Changes
- Wowhead News Mists of Pandaria: Jade Forest Preview and News Round Up
- Weekly Podcast Roundup: March 19-25, 2012
- Patch 4.3 hotfixes for March 26
- WoW Moviewatch: Forever a Nub
- Blood Pact: Don't sell your soul for a warlock tanking spec quite yet
- Mists of Pandaria Beta: Where to find wild pets in the Eastern Kingdoms
- Two Bosses Enter: Murozond vs. Queen Azshara
- Beta Testing 101: Good group etiquette
- Officers' Quarters: 6 qualities of a successful raiding guild
- Raid Rx: Mists of Pandaria healing changes
- Drama Mamas: The mystery behind guildchat silence
- The Queue: Come to me, Pandaria
- Around Azeroth: Own goal on the dwarf team!
- Mists of Pandaria: Female pandaren emotes and animation
- Breakfast Topic: Has your opinion about the pandaren changed?
- EVE Online players can use in-game currency to pay for real-life graphics cards
- 277 GAME stores shuttered, 40% of workforce let go, gift cards suspended
- Amazon knocks some space bucks off Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 downloads this week
Filed under: Today in WoW
Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria news





Reader Comments (Page 4 of 7)
Boobah Mar 27th 2012 12:09AM
Besides, Mr. Bond, there's no need to kill a DPS spec at the altar of adding a tank spec. Add a tank spec if you must, but there's no call for destroying what people enjoy in the process.
kapulani.koa Mar 26th 2012 11:14PM
Well, this sucks.
It sucks not only because Ghostcrawler poo-poo'd it, but his explanation also doesn't make sense. "We don't want Warlocks to be a tanking class" would've been valid. But saying "we want this to work like a Warrior throwing on a shield or a cat Druid going bear for a brief time" shows a deliberate sort of misrepresentation.
A warlock can't just DPS with this glyph in their book. They have to tank and DPS with it. There's too much threat, too much mitigation, and too many full-on tanking tools associated with it. You can't throw the glyph on in combat, so it won't work there, either.
Ghostcrawler also comments that tanks are supposed to need a separate set for tanking. Tell that to Druids and Monks. They'll be happily reforging their leather -- there's no reason a cloth tank couldn't reforge their cloth.
Ultimately, it sounds like we're getting a gimmick boss that will require an absurd amount of mitigation (vs. avoidance) and that Warlocks will fill that role for one fight with one glyph. Instead of just making this Warlock tanking into a real thing. And that's disappointing, because there's a fun option here that they're just not taking.
Luotian Mar 26th 2012 11:31PM
You can't throw on a shield in combat either. I think its a very good comparison, actually.
For specific fights or when the tank dies, if you happen to have the glyph on, you can use it. You *can* tank. Not for extended periods, and not as well as a dedicated tank, but it is tanking. Like when I turn growl back on, dedicate myself to keeping Mend Pet up, and go to town trying to down a boss before we all die after tank death. Its fun.
kapulani.koa Mar 26th 2012 11:43PM
You absolutely can throw on a shield in combat. Weapon/shield swapping in combat is currently do-able and doesn't require modification of other skills/abilities. Good DPS warriors do a swap-to-shield and shield-wall vs. some massive damage phases. So you're wrong about that.
If you happen to have the glyph on, you can't use your Demonology form to DPS because, well, all your major DPS cooldown abilities are now tanking related abilities, and you generate massive amounts of threat. Metamorphosis is a core DPS cooldown for Demonology Warlocks, and you're not a viable DPSer if you can't use it to DPS.
Luotian Mar 27th 2012 12:02AM
Really? Every time I try to change anything in combat, I get an error. Which is annoying when I'm stuck with an evaded thing.
Currently, yes, but things are still in flux. A lot is changing for all the spec, Warlocks more than anyone.
Just...wait and see before you complain to much.
I know my little sister is ecstatic that this isn't happening. She loved to DPS as a Blood DK, and no longer can. Demo Warlock has been her main since Vanilla, and she about cried when I showed her the changes-- and not in the good way that everyone else seems to be spouting.
For her sake, I'm happy with this.
Boobah Mar 27th 2012 12:16AM
You can't change armor; you can change anything in the three weapon slots; that is, main hand, off hand, and ranged/wand/relic slots. It burns a GCD, but you can do it. Worth pointing out: you can't equip a shield while using your off-hand to help hold a two-handed weapon; you have to unequip the two-hander first.
Second, part of the niftyness of the glyph was that it left Demonology as a DPS spec by the simple expedient of just not applying it. For warlock players, it was painless. Obviously not for the devs, but that's why they get paid to do what they do.
Killik Mar 27th 2012 1:11PM
Titan's Grip - still so annoying in so many ways :(
Old Man Franks Mar 26th 2012 11:15PM
I for one am giving new thoughts to a Warlock main. Serious love from the devs AND no tanking pressure? I likey.
Kilznah Mar 26th 2012 11:16PM
I have to admit, I cried upon reading this.... but that won't stop me from getting my drunken demonology drawf to 90 =D
Pyromelter Mar 26th 2012 11:29PM
I bathe in the river of your tears.
Signed,
Every mage ever
blancester Mar 27th 2012 4:53PM
@Pyromelter
Do you really want to bath in their tears? It might be tainted.
-Fellow mage,
Epirapth (Epir) Azurelfame
Prejudice Mar 27th 2012 5:28PM
@Pyromelter
You bathe in our tears.
We bathe in your blood.
Kilznah Mar 26th 2012 11:18PM
I have to admit I cried upon reading this... but that won't stop me from getting my drunken demonology drawf to 90 =D
Kilznah Mar 26th 2012 11:19PM
Curse you double post! Down vote to oblivion please.
Frank-potato Mar 26th 2012 11:23PM
I'm sorry and i don't care if i get down rated to oblivion....
If you want to be a tank...make a damn tank, period!
This beta phase is very funny cause these things ALWAYS happen... data mining happens and some tard gets some wacky conclusion out of it, half a billion people buy it, then they rage when blizz says its not true.
What this glyph will probably be good for...aside from GCs explanation...is for soloing content...being able to kinda be an off-tank will be really beneficial for soloing old content and fun too, nothing more....get a grip people!!!
Boobah Mar 27th 2012 12:19AM
Not so much the datamining as the actually implemented in beta.
That said, yeah it's beta and awesome abilities that never make it to live show up every time around.
Nyold Mar 26th 2012 11:23PM
It's still fun. Imagine how easy warlocks can solo old content now, pingponging the boss between VW and demo boss
Chris Gonzalez Mar 26th 2012 11:27PM
I was honestly excited about the idea of having a Warlock off-tanking spec, which is what this is. I knew that it was only going to be in an off-tank capacity, though; word is the End Time video had the Warlock doing some messed up damage because of a Mastery bug involving the glyph. Playing a bear tank, I know that 600% armor and a lower chance to be crit is definitely not enough to tank with, but it's great for soloing and for certain situations. I think people were getting too excited over something small.
That said, I will be rolling a Warlock for the first time for the pets; this glyph is just an extra bonus.
kapulani.koa Mar 26th 2012 11:32PM
Re: data mining.
Is it really data mining if people are, you know, playing the beta and getting the results described? It's not a matter of people looking in the data files and finding out that there are all these other things. They're playing the game. The warlock tank works (too well, right now). It's not like nobody has seen it functioning in game.
nosoup4u76 Mar 27th 2012 9:45AM
Well, the fact that it's the first couple weeks of the open invites to beta make it a fairly good chance that the finished product in LIVE will look vast different from what is up there now in Beta.
I'm cool with people getting exited about Mists, I know that I am, but remember to hold yourselves in check folks.
I mean, did the druids out there really think that Mangle was going to continue to do 3000% damage or that some of the ported tunes who had 10x their base stats were going to be the same? Of course not. Am I making a really big leap in connecting those obvious bugs to this glyph? YES. The whole point is, it's beta. Take everything you see and experience with a grain of salt the size