Hey Blizzard,
It’s me again, the living tumor known as Brainard, here with another quality post.
I’m not going to harp on the changes made to Nether Precision not applying w/ Arcane Barrage or the addition of Aethervision, I personally don’t mind them that much but I know a lot of people in the Arcane community preferred the double-dipping Nether Precision. I’ll let them talk about that.
Instead, I want to talk about some of the currently dead talents present, as well as some cool ideas I’ve been cooking up in my amphetamine-fueled forum posting rampage. Here goes:
Core Confusion with Arcane
Over the years, there has been a debate as to whether Arcane should even have mana as a resource. The reason for this debate is that from a rotational perspective, the only purpose of having mana is to get you from one cooldown window (Arcane Surge) to the next. As such, the main purpose of Arcane’s mastery was to combat the mana-draining effect of additional haste stat to achieve this purpose. Looking at the numerous changes made to Arcane in TWW, I really like what you’ve done here. Having higher haste as Arcane feels incredible, and is no longer super punishing like it was before.
This does beg the question, however: What is the point of having both mana and cooldowns if the only purpose of mana is to be extended from one cooldown window to the next? What could even be done to make both mana and cooldowns a unique resource for Arcane that could maintain its feel and flavor?
Here’s my idea for how to achieve this:
New Passive
- Arcane Power (Arcane-only passive): While in the Arcane spec, you gain a new secondary resource called Arcane Power, with a cap of 1000 Arcane Power. This resource is consumed to cast exceptionally powerful spells. Consuming Arcane Charges grants 10 Arcane Power per charge consumed.
- Note: Arcane would still have mana as a seperate resource for spells like Spellsteal, similar to Frost and Fire mage.
- Mastery: Savant: Increases the amount of Arcane Power generated per Arcane Charge consumed as well as the maximum Arcane Power capacity by 9.6%. Also increases Arcane Charges increase the damage of Arcane Blast by an additional 7.2% and Arcane Barrage by 4.8%.Increases all other Arcane damage by 8.0% (unchanged)
New Talents (and some changes to old talents)
- Arcane Surge (suggested change): Expends all of your current Arcane Power to deal anywhere from (0% Spell Power) to (431.48% Spell Power) Arcane damage to your current target and nearby enemies (reduced after 5 targets) based on Arcane Power spent. Generates Clearcasting. In addition, your gain the Arcane Surge effect, which increases spell damage by 35%. Lasts 1 second per 75 Arcane Power spent (13.33 seconds duration at 1000 Arcane Power spent; 15 seconds at 1125 Arcane Power with Mastery). No cooldown.
- Arcane Laser (new talent, choice node with Arcane Surge): Expends all of your current Arcane Power to deal (200% Spell Power) Arcane damage per second to your enemies in a line extending 40 yards out, based on Arcane Power spent. Deals double damage if only 1 target is hit. Channel time lasts 3 seconds (total damage = 600% Spell Power per target, or 1200% Spell Power if only 1 target). Damage is increased by 1% per 10 Arcane Power expended. 45 second cooldown.
- Surging Urge (suggested charge): Increases the potency of Arcane Power-consuming abilities, depending on which is selected:
- Arcane Surge: Now applies Touch of the Magi to the current target when >1000 Arcane Power is consumed.
- Arcane Laser: Arcane Barrage now generates 20 Arcane Power per Arcane Charge consumed, and the damage of Arcane Laser is increased by 1.25% per 10 Arcane Power consumed (up from 1%).
Explanation for Suggested Changes
The above changes aim to do 3 things:
- Provide a unique resource that combines Arcane’s unique mana resource and cooldown usage without allowing for spamming of Arcane Surge (since at 0 Arcane Power it will do 0 damage and the buff will last 0 seconds).
- Allow for a competitive option to Arcane Surge in M+ via the creation of Arcane Laser, which will also interact with this Arcane Power mechanic but in a different setting. I would expect this to look quite flashy and not like Ray of Frost (https://youtu.be/wzLWovRyp5Y?si=l9-zXnmDHbcD3L24&t=43)
- It will rescue Surging Urge as a currently boring (and low DPS gain) talent by giving it an interesting interaction: either it will increase the Arcane Power generation of Arcane Laser builds to increase their potency in M+ or it will allow Arcane Surge to apply Touch of the Magi when consuming >1000 Arcane Power, since you generally want to line up Touch of the Magi with Arcane Surge but this new Arcane Power mechanic would instead be dependent on Haste, and thus may not line up with Touch of the Magi for optimal damage.
Also note that spells like Evocation, and the Mana Adept passive would no longer grant mana, instead giving the Siphon Storm effect and Clearcasting for Evocation (which is already the main purpose of it).
Other Talent Suggested Changes
This is just a scrabble of ideas that I had regarding some of the other talents we have in our tree.
- Amplification: now baseline, replaced by High Voltage
- High Voltage: now choice node with Reverberate in the <8 tier category
- Reverberate: If Arcane Explosion hits at least 3 targets, it has a
50%100% chance to generate an extra Arcane Charge. In addition, Arcane Explosion deals 25% additional damage. - Rapid Fire (new talent): Reduces the channel time of Arcane Missiles down to 1.5 seconds (from 2 seconds). Placed where High Voltage was originally located
- Static Cloud: Each time you cast Arcane Explosion or it procs from Energy Reconstitution, you gain a stack of Static Cloud. At 20 stacks, your next Arcane Explosion deals 400% additional damage and generates 4 Arcane Charges.
- Concentration: Arcane Blast has a chance to make your next cast of Arcane Barrage not consume Arcane Charges. 3 rppm
- Arcane Harmony: Can now stack up to 40 times
Another suggested change is to create a mage tank spec based on the Starcraft Archon lol
