Yeah, on thinking about it more I mostly just find it odd that the defensive bonus exists at all on the alternative choice node. (although 5% mangle and swipe damage would be a lame choice without it, I’ll admit )
Like, I feel it would make more sense if the magic damage reduction were tacked on somewhere else and it was just a direct choice of more damage by shapeshifting and (somewhat less) more damage by not shapeshifting.
But it is fine as it is as long as Wildpower Surge actually does notably more damage.
I would assume as much and hope that is the case, but it says “25 additional energy” making me think they’ll just add that 25 on top of FB’s already 25 energy cost. But we will see
I can’t say I have any real desire to go into Cat Form while I am tanking, but if it is managed to be a fun thing that I do every so often as a bonus, then I’m fine with it.
The problem that I have with the tree is that it’s fundamentally extremely boring, just like the other option for Guardian. Neither tree makes me feel “strong” or that I’ve made some monumental choice by picking it.
Absolutely get over yourself if you think 4% magic mitigation is anything other than a laughable joke in comparison to what other Hero Talents are offering people.
I know it’s wasted effort to even complain about these because you guys still haven’t made a single Guardian-specific Blue post response in over two years, but I desperately hope that you’ll at least revisit both of these options for Guardians to make them actually fun to play rather than just boring add-ons, and I really hope you’ll do literally anything for Guardians in War Within other than more radio silence.
What if they’re looking at it from the necessity side of things. Incap Roar, pop off an IF, while getting a small HoT, then back to Kitty form (and retaining defensive bonuses) for fite! Or when you need to Bear form as a defensive (like Thorns on golem boss in WM). Or perhaps you need to tank real fast, switching into bear form, using Mangle (aside from the damage), the extra rage puts us at 42 rage. Enough to pop off an IF.
I dunno. Maybe they’re trying to prepare us for some overly interactive encounters going into TWW? I doubt it, but it’s fun thinking of some of hte possibilities.
Also forgot that PvE parry immunity is tied to bear form as well, so that needs to be addressed if we’re expected to be in Cat Form while the boss is facing us.
Luckily CPs don’t get consumed when a finisher is parried, but I’m imagining the Wildpower Surge 50% buff getting consumed on a parry and dying a little inside atm
I’m all for that. The extra rage generation is great – and necessary, Ironfur costing 40 rage makes it basically unusable for Feral without wasting several gcds. I’m just saying that extra Mangle damage is not really doing anything for me as a Feral, I’d much rather have it contribute to my bleeds in some way.
I also wonder if this could signal an update to the Strength of the Wild PvP talent, which has a pretty parallel role of giving us more rage and a harder hitting ability in Bear Form.
I’m not a fan of current activated talents in the DF trees getting modifying talents in the hero talent trees. Like Pulverize and Feral Frenzy. Will these become baseline for guardian and feral respectively? Right now there is no situation where feral doesn’t take Feral Frenzy but before season 3’s tier set, there were times when I didn’t talent into it.
The talent is there to help with the dps down-time for having to shift into bear form as a defensive - I doubt it will be part of the regular rotation.
If you’re going to name an attack “Massive Attack” it better be M A S S I V E. Like, this thing needs to have the most over the top, satisfying animation in the game with a name like that.
The best druid tree so far. The only suggestion I have is to make massive attack 360 degrees instead of conal as its rng will bother a lot of ferals when it inevitably misses half the mobs in a M+ pull.
This is a good idea. I think there is a place for some abilities to be the x seconds after shifting like Tireless Pursuit and Ursine’s Vigor. But anything that has to do with damage is probably better like this.
This is the best druid hero talent tree yet, amazing work Devs, feel proud and accomplished. My only slightest complaint of them all is when your bear turns into cat to get a good free rip / bite is aggro / survability while in cat form to do it. Perhaps keep a good chunk of armor for say 4-6 seconds while in cat form? But yeah, much love <3
EDIT: Sure enough you do have it in there, my mistake! Amazing job Devs! I say every hero talent tree for druids is pretty great with the exception of Keeper of the Grove!
This looks awesome. Bringing fluidity and purpose to go between bear and cat again is going to feel amazing and I really cannot wait to try it.
One thing I would really really like to see though, is don’t restrict the areas to guardian and feral.
Wildpower surge as an example, please allow mangle cast as a feral generate stacks of feline potential and vice versa.
Additionally, removing this type of restriction would allow for really good PvP interactions because in PvE we don’t get Maul, so those talents are impossible to proc as feral in PvE. But in PvP? We can get Maul via our pvp talents. So giving bear form actual functionality for ferals would feel absolutely amazing! This would mean that bear form is effectively a D-stance for feral. If we get trained we can go bear and be functional and build up Feline Potential stacks to jump into cat.
Maybe it would be broken, idk, but it doesn’t seem like it. Removing the feral/guardian distinction seems like it would just open things up for creativity too.
We are druids of the claw after all and should want to be swapping between em both.
Without factoring in the shifting into Cat Form concept from Wildpower Surge, this talent tree is.
Auto attacks proc Super Maul.
Press Super Maul, which is 10% stronger, which hits hard? and adds a dot and gives you a passive buff for 6 seconds.
Press your normal bear moves (sans Moonfire) which crit more often, hit a little harder, while taking a bit less damage.
During Beserk, Super Maul will proc more often.
The entire spec is just doing what a physical side of the bear tree already does, with no interaction from the Druid because he is just doing his normal rotation.
The only interesting thing in the tree is the shifting into catform, but the only benefit it provides is a single stronger finisher, which requires you to take more damage to use and just messes up the rotation you were doing to get the most out of SUPER MAUL. (chances are it will be a dps downgrade to do unless under perfect circumstances)
This feels super boring for bear. Basically just “what you do now if you don’t like moonfire, but it hits harder” (and don’t worry we’ll nerf you to make this even it out)
)