For a little bit of context: i play stormclaw druid which is an off meta build, the staff of the crone is bugged and it doesn’t apply the 150(x) to stormstrikes. So, overall a very lackluster build but its a playstyle that i like, i made my own version of the build, i farmed a lot of pit and manage to make a decent setup that can clear all content in the game and farm pit 80-90, probably i can push a little higher but damage and survibavility isn’t enough in higher tiers.
Having said that, my main source of damage multiplication was thunderstruck, i have it at 135%(x) bunus in my current setup but in season 5 and in the PTR is capped at 40%(x), so is needless to say that im gonna lose a ton of damage. This wouldn’t be so bad if they buff the skill or fix the staff, sadly there is no mention of any of those things in the patch notes.
Finally, i don’t like the direction they are going with the balance, in my opinion is ok that there are meta builds but that can’t come at the expense of subpar and meme builds, it doesn’t make sense, im are already playing something suboptima just for fun and now i get punished for that??
I know this sounds like a lot of whining but its not, im actully worried about this because if this is the direction of the class balance then this will keep happening with other builds, in the long term this will pidgeonhole people into only playing meta builds which at the same time is going to make the game boring and ruin build deversity and theorycrafting.
2 Likes
I am seriously worried as well. It was the sole source of damage for my lightning storm build. With the sheperds change and the thunderstruck change, I’ll automatically lose 3-500x ish damage, maybe more if you triple crit dmg to distant, it also removes the desire for that temper, which leaves us with pretty much nothing. Maybe crit damage? i guess…
…
im definitely worried. The people who work on druids dont seem to play druids.
3 Likes
the only thing we can dow for now is test the class in the PTR see how it goes and provide feedback. I wasn’t planning on playing the PTR but now i want to do it just to be sure im not over reacting or something.
Maybe we can make them change the cap, so instead of 40 a 60 or 70% wouldn’t be so bad.
Glad they reduced roar DR from 70 to 40. Druid’s were so OP in the DR department.
They gave a mountain of love to rogues.
Shred has nothing as well. Aspects could have their damage adjusted. Paragon points could have their damage increased. Plus skills and damage on equipment could have been increased.
Not looking to promising for druids.
1 Like
they have no idea what to do with this class. all the good ideas they probably had for it are going to the thematically similar spiritborn. im finishing up this season with this class and then peace, its probably gonna be the worst class in the game longterm
2 Likes
Same this is rough! I am doing human only. My power with this patch would drop 340%x
Wow… I get the Sheppards nerf to make it focus on companion builds but the Thundersruck change is SHOCKING. Mines at 176%x right now ouch
100% not playing Druid in S5. I did it in 2 and 2 of them in 4. Im leaving for awhile.
1 Like
Unless they introduce several other optional multipliers they need to leave it as it is now. There is nowhere to get power ESPECIALLY if sheppards goes away.
2 Likes
Yes, if theres no massive changes s5 will not be for me, ill wait for s6 to play spirit born…
I am playing WW Lightning Storm with Grizzly Rage 100% up time right now and of course am using Thunderstruck. I couldn’t even play this build on the PTR because I would still have to use 2 aspects to make it work in Werewolf form and increase it’s duration but with the changes i’d spend as much or more time not in Grizzly Rage and I’d be doing a ton less damage even when in it. So skills got buffed but that isn’t going to come close to making up for Shepherds/Stampede giving me 180x damage and thunderstruck giving me 150x. The buffs just do not equal out with the nerfs.
We were arguably in by the worst shape of any class (and Sorcs of course) but look at the patch notes! We got buffs but we got nerfed harder than anyone besides Necros! Barb and Rogue patch notes just blew my mind! You would think they were the 2 classes that needed buffs 
2 Likes
The only flaw with this plan is that you will continue to give them money.