WoW demon Cortyn is really angry. Because Blizzard has revamped the shadow priest and turned small problems into big ones.
I have been playing a shadow priest in World of Warcraft. Not just since yesterday, but since January 2007, when I switched to a different realm for roleplaying with “The Burning Crusade.” I don’t switch for a “Flavor of the Month” class. It doesn’t matter to me whether shadow priests are at the top or bottom of the DPS ranking (although being at the “top” is obviously nice).
For 16 years, I have played this class and specialization. I remember when it was a “mana battery” for other classes, loved the adrenaline-fueled time of “Legion,” and remained loyal even when it was so weak at the start of “Battle for Azeroth” that you regularly died while questing because you accidentally pulled three instead of two mobs.
When it was announced a few months ago that a small rework of the shadow priest would be coming with Patch 10.1 Glut von Neltharion, I was curious and interested.
Because, among us priests, I can be honest: Yes, it could do an extreme amount of damage and lead the DPS lists. Yes, mass dispel, leap of faith, and vampiric embrace are really strong utility abilities for the group.
But, by the Old Gods, this class is chaos.
Not only has the shadow priest had so many buttons that even with 4 skill bars it barely manages, but the priest’s priority list was so confusing with over 25 entries that many threw in the towel who wanted to learn this class.
A revamp was therefore necessary – but not in the way it has happened now.
I already warn you, today will be a “little” technical. But I just have to get it out.
The last spark of mobility is dead
The shadow priest is traditionally one of the least mobile classes in World of Warcraft. When movement is required in combat, this class loses a lot of damage. Until now, it has been possible to compensate for this through some procs and instant spells. For example, you would save charges of instant “Mind Blasts” and “Mind Spikes” to use during a movement-intensive phase.
Well, that is no longer possible. If movement lasts longer than 2 seconds, you might as well jump or type emotes – a bit drastically put.
The end of choice
A major goal was to give the shadow priest more choice in talents to enable other builds. And it’s true that now you can choose more at the “end talents” – but not for everything else.
Previously, the shadow priest could choose how to deal area damage. There was a choice between “multi-dotting” or the mind explosion – an area spell that could even be cast on allies, who would then explode in shadowy energy and devastate everything.
The “new variant” is: mind explosion is gone – simply removed. From now on, you must always engage in multi-dotting. In what world is that “more choice” and “more playstyles,” I might need a clearer explanation, because I simply don’t see it.
Decisions where you can only lose
I also have the impression that Blizzard simply ran out of ideas when developing talents for the shadow priest. The old talent “Shadow Bolt” is a slowly flying projectile that hits after a short time, deals high damage, and applies dots to all targets in range. The new variant is: The spell does a flat 70% less damage, and if it should apply dots to targets, you need to invest a second talent point.
While the spell now has less cooldown, a problem was “accidentally” intensified.
In the last patch, it was possible to extend dots on targets almost endlessly, even on entire groups. This is no longer possible, so you regularly have to dot groups with “Shadow Bolt” again.
The problem, however, is that as a priest, you now constantly have to weigh: Should I dot this group again and risk that I will have to apply dots to all targets individually on the next pull? Or do I sacrifice the damage here to be able to start again directly on the next pull?
This is not a “small” decision like with other classes, whether to pop a small cooldown. This is the essential question of whether you even deal damage or if it simply drops by 60%.
There is no good answer in these scenarios, which occur dozens of times in dungeons. No matter which answer you choose, it always feels bad.
So “on the side,” the Shadow Bolt also has the drawback of having a travel time that you have to account for. So when the tank just wants to kite the mobs – because that’s what tanks do – the projectile often goes astray. But hey, shadow priests know their way around the void.
Blizzard is tampering with the most iconic abilities
A final point that I can hardly forgive is that Blizzard is tampering with the most iconic ability of all shadow priests. No ability of the shadow priest is as old and notorious as “Mind Flay,” or as Uncle Barlow would say: “Officially nasty dirty face melting.”
The spell was so notorious and important for the shadow priest that at that time there were several priests on every realm who called themselves “Facemeltor” (or a variation of that).
It’s a channeled damage spell with strong slowing, which is mostly used as a “filler” – but it is an ancient, iconic pillar of this specialization.
With Patch 10.1, “Mind Flay” is now a choice talent and shares the slot with “Mind Spike.” The idea behind that you should only have one of the two spells and therefore have fewer buttons to press is fundamentally commendable – but did it really have to be the most iconic ability of all?
What’s especially bad about this is that, according to the current status – “Mind Spike” seems to almost always be the better choice, especially in raids and solo fights, like against big bosses.
Or to put it briefly: If I want to be a “good” shadow priest, I have to say goodbye to the most iconic ability. That’s like taking a fireball away from a mage or a cat form away from a druid.
I miss the playstyle of the shadow priest from Legion. I know that it will never return in its former form since it was simply impossible to balance with increasing gear. But since then, every patch and every revision has been a step that robs me more of my “connection” to the shadow priest.
Phew, that felt good. It just had to come out.
With all the positive news around WoW, I am confident that Blizzard will eventually get it right – but whether I can stay loyal to my class until then is becoming increasingly unlikely.
How do the shadow priests among you like the changes? Are you satisfied with the rework? Or do you have any criticisms?
