In recent days, Blizzard has been working on a hotfix that will have quite significant impacts on class balance. The dials for damage, healing, and mitigation have been adjusted on almost all specializations. However, some classes have received such massive changes that their playstyle will change subtly – and certain abilities may become completely useless.
The biggest complaints come from the Priest and Demon Hunter forums, as both “Shadow” and “Destruction” have to endure severe cuts. Blizzard is trying to calm the waters and announces via Twitter:
“Note: The tuning hotfixes are not final. We are still discussing the changes, especially for Shadow/Destruction, and following the constructive discussions.”
Why are Shadow Priests complaining?
With Legion, the developers have given Shadow Priests a new playstyle. After a while, “Voidform” can be activated, which then depletes the resource “Insanity” faster and faster until the form ends. The longer you manage to stay in Voidform, the stronger you will be after the form. And this is exactly where the developers are trimming the playstyle of the class.
The spell “Dispersion” has always been a “deal with the devil” for Priests. When activated, they receive 60% less damage for a short time but cannot use any abilities. In Voidform, this was something special because, although you do not deal damage, Voidform lasts longer (and generates stacks) – this is precisely what is now being changed. This makes Dispersion a “dead” cooldown since the ability now only serves for damage mitigation – and “60% for 5 seconds” does not justify the fact that you cannot do anything during that time.
It also doesn’t help that the damage of “Mind Blast” (an area spell) is increased by 50%. Because even with that, the spell is still so weak that even a Holy Priest can deal more damage with “Holy Nova”. Or rather cynically: 50% of 0 is still 0.
The mood is quite heated in other class forums as well – perhaps with the small exception of Warlocks, from whom only loud party music is heard (but hey, they deserve it too).
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