15% starfall damage is not enough for balance to be viable in s4 group content.
I’m not sure if making posts like this is how some specs get more attention?
Is this what can lead to the “we’ve heard your feedback and decided that…” follow up buff?
Yes the top end is being nerfed a bit. But look at something like WW, nerf their SCK damage by 5% and compare that number to a boomkin with +6% overall (~40% starfall damage + 15% = 6% overall). There is still a massive disparity if both of the specs are being played well. I’ve heard estimates of a 30% overall nerf to destruction. What’s hilarious is that STILL puts them miles ahead of balance druid with a 15% starfall buff.
The starfall buff only works if it is one of a series of buff that comes in the next few weeks. But I don’t know why we even have to wait weeks. If raid balance is a concern, then counter tune some single target? Clearly there has been no problem with aoe/single target granularity tuning when it comes to other specs…
Saying that the season is just supposed to be a fun experiment—that serious balance and specs being competitive isn’t important— is all well and good, but how is it fun for a balance druid to sit in queue for hours instead of playing the game? Learn a new spec? Feral is in the same boat. Guardian druid is at the bottom of the tanks. Resto druid is decent, but the healer slot is so tightly locked down by priest and shaman that even that is a stretch for grouping.
I think balance even loses power in itemization for season 4?
IQD is such a massive part of a 3 minute class and there isn’t really a viable replacement coming. Shadowed Orb of Torment is probably as close as it gets.
EDIT:
Forgot to include something I saw mentioned elsewhere:
let fury of elune and full moon do full aoe damage up to 5 or 8 targets before dropoff.
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I find it crazy that people are still even playing balance at this point. Id rather have a feral for m+ then a balance druid, almost every single balance i see does no dmg and dont use their utility.
Only good utility in m+ is a quick kill…and an aoe stun to go ^^
I mean, tuning feral to a viable place in s4 m+ would be great too; I just thought I’d put out a more reasonable ask…
The balance druid might even be using their utility, but you wouldn’t even notice since trees die instantly in a hard pull when you need them, innervate is pointless since blizzard doesn’t think mana should be relevant in 5 man content, ursol’s is on a 1 minute cd and controls mobs for less time than a binding shot.
Oh no i definitely notice trees my ui shows when i lose aggro to things like that.
Really the thing about ursols is to be used for the grip part of it, so you can votex walk up and typhoon in the middle of them for a psuedo gorefiends. Thing is no balance druid i have been with has ever done that or really done much of anything.
I see ferals using their utilities more often then balance druid players. But generally id rather have feral since they can actually do quite a significant amount of single target and aoe (if they have berserk up for large aoe packs).
The argument about feral damage just speaks even more to why the tuning of balance is in such a dire spot…
As far as feral vs balance using utility, that’s a little too anecdotal to make an argument for tuning.
For sure just saying experience with the 2 player types. But ye balance dmg is pittiful and the whole 3min spec garbage dhould be changed.
Just like bear feels great while using the cd but outside if that it sucks.
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The druid currently along with other classes (Paladin, Priest, etc.) have specs that are bottom of the barrel like tank, dps and healer (or at least the Disc priest) and only glow 1 of these…however in the case of the druid, none of the 4 shines in any field of M+ (in raid it is the exception but we are not always going to raid).
15% to Starfall by itself doesn’t even put us up there even close with the 2nd tier DPS specs in keys, let alone the 1st Tier stuff like destro and surv etc. We will still be like firmly back at tier 3 / low C-tier in terms of dps output.
Prob gonna be doing most of my key pushing for S4 as Resto or on an alt.