Anyone else feeling this way right now? Feels a bit like we’re in one of those fun little doldrums periods, merrily meandering along, without any idea what the destination is in the short-term. Sure, Firelands is coming out — but probably not for at least another month. Maybe two. So we’ll continue sticking our various appendages in the electrical outlets that compose hardmode fights, for the foreseeable future.
But, more specifically, I’m referring to our beloved prot spec. The changes to Mastery, hiding just over the horizon like a fleet of Greeks, have some major ramifications for our gearing — perhaps even our survivability if Blizzard screws it up — and yet we have no clue what we’re going to do.
With the reversion (and mysterious reappearance?) of the Holy Shield change, there’s nothing remotely tangible to attempt to shake a nugget of truth out of. It could go one of many ways.
Maybe the Dev Q&A for tanks will give us a hint or two when it’s put up next week, but I’m not holding my breath. Most answers in those tend to be generalizations and non-committals. Nearly akin to Blizzard getting on the stand and pleading the fifth for a span of twelve questions.
And that the PTR refuses to surrender its secrets with any further prot changes only belies the mystery. Though, I guess I can’t blame them after the three ring circus that was pitched following the initial report of a Holy Shield change. I’d be holding my cards pretty tightly after an episode like that, too.
Anyway, suffice it to say, I want some news dammit!
Update!
New PTR notes out this afternoon have the following:
Holy Shield has been redesigned. This talent is now an activated ability off the global cooldown. It grants 20% increased block amount to a paladin’s shield blocks for 10 seconds, with a 30-second cooldown.
Not sure if this was the change you were referring to or not, but just recently put on PTR was the newest Holy Shield alteration attempt :
Holy Shield has been redesigned. This talent is now an activated ability off the global cooldown. It grants 20% increased block amount to a paladin’s shield blocks for 10 seconds, with a 30-second cooldown.
Nope, that’s brand new as of this afternoon! Better add that to the post.
On that same note, Guarded by the Light does not influence Holy Shield anymore.
Interesting change – I don’t see how this will avoid the block capping issue though.
Maybe they’re not trying to avoid it anymore, just tone down its potency. That’s my reading, at least.
Honestly…
Somehow I’ve got the impression Blizzard really has no idea what to do with our beloved prot-spec, do they? It’s clear they’re dissatisfied, but also that they do not know how to fix it.
If this is their solution, I’m ok with it!
“The changes to Mastery, hiding just over the horizon like a fleet of Greeks….” /snicker <3 this analogy!
Seems as if we have another of global CD and its easier to reach block cap’d for 10 seconds every 30. I know its still early in testing but they do seem clueless on what to do with Prot.
it’s “20% increased block amount” not 20% increased chance to block, so it makes no difference to reaching the ‘block cap’.
All this does is give us a new button to mash every 30 secs to give us a chance at higher mitigation.
Thanks, yes I see that now. I didn’t even spell “OF” off correctly. I should try to be coherent when I reply…lol
As I understand it, this will have no effect on block capping – rather, for 10 seconds every 30 our blocks will reduce incoming damage by 50%, and by 30% the other 20 seconds. Combined with Divine Protection (unglyphed) we can essentially get 50% reduction to physical damage for half of every minute.
I’m fine with the change, I just don’t see the necessity for it and I don’t see how it ties into their stated aims of essentially making mastery ‘uncappable’.
Let’s not forget that we’ve already had a few changes to Holy Shield already. There’s no indication that this one is going to last, or at least not from what I’ve seen yet.
This still feels like a bandaid – what next, critical block? Bliz doesn’t know what to do with us. But to be honest, we’re nowhere near done getting moved around yet.