Let me just start out by saying thank you for whoever reads this and gives valuable feedback based on the class/spec/hero or even on the feedback here, let’s get started.
Acronyms to know-
BM- Beast Master
PL- Pack Leader
DR- Dark Ranger
DB- Dire Beast
KC- Kill Command
BW- Bestial Wrath
CotW- Call of the Wild
Bs- Bloodshed
ST- Single Target
AoE- Area of Effect
Identity-
BM has had its ups and downs through this expansion, but along the way I feel like it has lost part of its combat identity. We no longer do any one thing good, we used to have good prio damage and okay execution. Along the way we have evolved into a bleed spec, which in of itself is a little annoying. We were one of several classes that didn’t track dots and part of the reason I loved BM, there are already 11 out of 27 dps specs that have to track dots (this is not counting demonology or bm, as pets in their own way are kind of dots).
Active Cooldowns-
Bestial Wrath (1.5 minute cd/variable), Call of the Wild (2 min cd), Bloodshed (1 min cd). Currently as it stands PL uses two of these (BW and Bloodshed), and DR uses all three. All of these are on the GCD which clogs up firing them at the beginning of combat, I am not saying they should all stack, but something should be looked at here. My vote is removing BW from the gcd, in the past they said they didn’t want damaging abilities to be removed from the gcd… so just remove the damaging part of Bestial Wrath (it’s negligible anyway).
Variable Cooldowns-
I teeter totter on this thought often, but I feel like BW should be put at a set 30 seconds or 1 minute cd. Looking at other classes get their cds adjusted/fixed was mostly seen as a good success and I feel that BM could benefit from this as well. If you want to keep skill expression alive in a variable, maybe either have Kill Command or Barbed Shot extend BW.
ST vs AoE Talents-
This is mostly taken as a m+ perspective, currently as it stands with a normal m+ build we have to take 4 or 5 talents that have no benefit in ST for bosses unless there are adds in the boss fight. Multi-Shot, Beast Cleave, Kill Cleave, and Dire Cleave (Blood Frenzy if playing DR). Looking at other classes unlock their AoE with 1-2 talent points makes me envious, because they are able to maintain their relative good ST and good AoE while not really losing either.
Focus Management-
Right now this isn’t a huge deal in ST, or the newly developed No-Multi Dire Cleave, but where it becomes an issue is a standard multi-shot build. Having to dump 40 focus every 6 seconds in AoE slows us down so much.
Changes to AoE that effect Focus-
I actually propose a radical change in just removing Multi-Shot from BM. Bake Beast Cleave and Kill Cleave into a single talent point that is just passive; Pets (Main pets, not DB pets) melee attacks and Kill Command now strike nearby enemies for 80%, reduced damage beyond 8 targets, and Dire Cleave can stay on the side as an improved AoE option.
Dire Cleave and the current new AoE build (no-multi) on live-
In its original inception I vehemently hated this build, but have actually grown fond of it. My only qualm I have of it is having to multi-dot Barbed Shot around; this takes me back to point #1 of being a bleed spec/class. I think adjustments could be made to Barbed Shot that could inherently make this simpler; Barbed Shotting your current target that already has a Barbed Shot debuff forces your old (or new) Barbed Shot to shift to a nearby enemy, or let multiple applications of Barbed Shot stack (like legion affliction unstable affliction debuff). Shifting Barbed Shot option still allows for skill expression in mouseover of more dangerous targets but doesn’t super punish bad play either. Stacking Barbed Shot option allows us to excel at priority damage again, but could punish bad play by applying a third barbed shot stack to an enemy at 2% health.
Bad talents-
There should be good talents, and situational talents, but there should never be bad talents much less bad talents blocking the way of better talents. Some good examples of this is-Situational Talent = Thundering Hooves- Almost no one is going to take this, but it is an option for people who want to play with explosive shot.
Situational Talent = Hunter’s Prey- While actively not good for PL, it is great for DR.
Bad Talent = Killer Instinct- Blocks the pathing to Call of the Wild and point for point this is a horrible talent in being a 2 point investment compared to other KC improving talents; (Killer Instinct) 2 points for 16% KC damage vs (Savagery) 1 point 10% KC damage and longer barbed shot or (Alpha Predator) 1 point 15% KC damage and KC now has 2 charges.
That’s it for now, might/will add to this later.