Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Druid Changes!

So, I'm reading through the Druid changes in the patch notes. Here are the changes that REALLY jump out at me.

  • Entangling Roots: Can now be used indoors. This change potentially turns us into the KINGS of CC. Blizzard has always said that roots couldn't be cast indoors because it needed some kind of drawback because it was the only real long duration CC spell that can affect ANY TYPE OF TARGET. Polymorph only affects biological units (humanoids, beasts, etc), and it heals the target so it really shouldn't be used mid-fight. Roots doesn't stop a spellcaster or an archer from attacking, but if we can now cast it anywhere, that is a MASSIVE change for Druids.
  • Feral Swiftness: The movement speed buff can now be used indoors.
  • Feral Charge (Feral): Can now be used in Cat form. So, now combined with feline swiftness, we can basically intercept ANYTHING that needs damage done to it asap. I'd always wondered why a cat charge but a bear could. I wonder if we can charge while prowling? I don't see why not...
  • Hurricane: No longer has a cooldown (was 1 minute). This is another MASSIVE change for druids. I've always loved playing my mage because I love using Blizzard every chance I get. Now, druids can AOE continuously if they want. Granted, it will burn mana quickly, but the way Blizzard designs pulls, it usually means that a particular pack was INTENDED to be AOE'd down... packs like the gnomes before the second boss in Steamvaults, for example. I've never played a BOOMkin, but this change alone might make me finally try out that third spec on my Druid for a while.
  • Nature's Focus (Restoration): Now a 3 point talent, down from a 5-point talent. Also moved to Tier 1, up from Tier 2. Now also includes Nourish, Entangling Roots, Wrath, and Cyclone. I've always said that this is one of the most important talent in any of the druid talent trees for a solo druid. One of the things about the druid class is that we are a self-healer. That what balances out our low damage - we live long because we can heal ourselves. This talent helps to ensure that you get your Regrowth spells off when you need them. It enfuriates enemies when they can't slow your heals down, and this talent helps reduce the need to use barkskin just to heal yourself. If you solo as a druid, you should have this. Now, it's almost free!
  • Nature's Grasp (Balance): Can now be used and can proc indoors. This is now a base ability at level 11 and has a 100% chance to proc. I'm not sure how much I like this change. I've always used NG without it's improved talent because I like having it go off a few seconds later. I do this because I like to move away and heal as soon as it procs. Now, it will proc immediately. This means I can no longer precast it before a fight, run in and fight for a few moments before it procs. I will have to save the NG cast until I NEED to move away. Darn.
  • New Spell: Revive - Returns the spirit to the body, restoring a dead target to life with health and mana. Cannot be cast when in combat. (Ranks 1-7 added) I think the Starcraft 2 video said it best "Hell. It's ABOUT TIME."
  • Omen of Clarity (Restoration): Now a passive spell. Now also works for spells (healing and damage). Proc rate is roughly 6% with a 10 second internal cooldown. So, this makes it UNDISPELLABLE, if I understand correctly. Someone asked this at Blizzcon, and Blizzard brushed him off. This is probably why. Spec it, and it's on. (Like mages).
  • Rake: The damage for this ability has been increased. O M G. I'm sure Elitist Jerks will have to check it out first, but perhaps maybe I can stop yelling at other druids who actually use this waste of energy spell.
  • Remove Curse can now be used in Tree of Life form. Freakin finally. Sheesh.
Those are the changes that REALLY jump out at me. I'm sure many of the other changes, like the changes that affect tanking and DPS are going to be big changes, but I won't really have a feel them until I play.

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