When the initial rumors of the 3rd spec came out I got really hyped, cause I was thinking “Finally! We might be able to tank as an Evoker!” I got hyped from that and hyper focused on the class. It’s a fun class design overall and was looking forward to what tanking could be, either melee or a first attempt at caster tank.
And then the full details dropped and I was kinda left feeling…meh about it. It’s interesting, and it’ll be fine I think, but was really hoping for a tank. And after seeing Augmentations design, I think it would be a really neat caster tank so its a difficult feeling to shake off.
So, to assist with that I wanna turn to something that always helps me feel better…hard data. So I wrote up a quick survey monkey thing, and was curious what peoples thoughts were. This intro partially meant to inform you of my inherent bias so you can take the questions with a grain of salt. But if the results overwhelmingly conclude I’m in a minority opinion, then it’ll be an easily dropped opinion.
Eh I know some people who cannot wait to play/main the spec. I want to like evokers, but mid-ranged caster just isn’t something that appeals to me. If they could cast while moving(yes I know they can with hover but you can’t have 100% uptime with it) then I might like them more. I really wanted to be a melee dragon, be it a tank or mdps. I guess I’ll have to wait until Blizz lets Dracthyr be other classes at the end of this expac or beginning of next expac.
If Augmentation does well and goes over well, maybe that means Blizz will add a bard class that many of us want. Hopefully, that one won’t be a midrange caster.
Originally mid ranged caster didn’t appeal that much, but at least in Evoker’s case it really changed my mind on it. But I get where you’re coming from on that.
The range issue I feel is usually a non-issue since it is largely avoided by just proper play. The only actual gripe I have regarding the range is the utility spells like dispels or quell should just be standardized with other ranged versions.
I mean people should stack for healing anyway. The “high throughput” build with Blossoms it wouldn’t matter if the spell had a 100 yard range because if people aren’t stacked the ability doesn’t do anything.
Dream Breath is also target capped so it doesn’t make a difference if you have 5 in front and 5 behind you when you are only hitting 5 anyway. Chain Heal would also only heal half of those people in that scenario.
It will be impossible to balance. Either completely broken and mandatory in every piece of group content or completely useless. This will prove problematic for Blizzard for the whole expansion until 11.0 when they will rework the spec into a normal dps spec.
It will come out overly strong to get adoption. Then over the next six months it will be nerfed. It will probably be popular in raids if their abilities are raid wide but less popular in small group content. At least you can change specs easily enough these days.
I agree it will be possible to balance and pretty much mandatory.
The only part I think may end up different is in 11.0 blizzard will rework the grouping system and add a support queue, rework a few specs/add a few specs that fit the support role.
Then support will still be mandatory, just like tanks and dps are mandatory but there will be more than one class filling the role.
It might be up my alley. I might do crap DPS on the charts but that’s not my primary job. My job would be to make everyone else’s DPS reach the heavens.
Literally all of their utility is target capped. The only thing that will make it stronger in raids is you don’t “waste” one of your buffs on a healer.
I just don’t think that the “support role” is that popular. A lot of people say they want to play it, but I’m pretty confident in saying that they really don’t. Shaman and Pallies were support classes in Vanilla, and people didn’t like it. Most Mezzers and Controllers don’t exist in modern MMOs because people didn’t really enjoy the playstyle, and it was outshined by the fact that bringing another dps class is always the better solution.
As evidence of how unpopular this playstyle is: PI is hated, Pally Blessings are hated, Fairies was hated.
Augmentation Evoker is miserable to try and accomplish solo content with. It needs a passive buff to its damage output based on how many people aren’t in its party.
This is kinda what i am hoping. There are a lot of specs as good candidates. I saw a warlock type up a thing for affliction to be come support, but rather than buff based its debuff based to make the boss weaker.
And personally, disc would be a great support spec. Give that smart targeting tech to all your bubbles and spells so you can focus on damage while still providing bubble support. Buffs/damage when the bubbles pop. It could be cool.
I want support to become a thing because that is one of my favorite roles to play.
Edit: oh also, idk what peoples obsession with a tank spec is. Evokers are casters, there is no reason for them to be tanks. Id rather see shaman tanks or a new class with tank instead.
