Im going to start this by stating this is simply an idea I wanted to share, since I love the DH class as a former warlock main and waited on them to be released SO MUCH ever since I did the Loramus and Altruis questlines, then I played the crap out of Demo lock, especially with the super fun MoP meta and of course Glyph of Demon Hunting. Now that we have the class, it met my expectations although Ill admit the two-spec limit disappointed me a little, especially when theres classes with specs totally different from one another.
There are many examples, but if we think about it there are several classes with a spec that feels a little more out of place but blizz made it work anyway.
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Demo Warlocks lost Meta and and its abilities because of Demon Hunters, yes? That means we will NEVER see demo spec and its abilities again… so why not use them? Demo locks changed a lot already, metamorphosis and glyph of demon hunting were already “butchered” to let DH’s exist, so why not give those abilities to them?
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This way, Havoc can remain UNTOUCHED, without having to water down the spec, and DHs can have a melee/RANGED spec (a caster in “human form” and a ranged (melee in meta), based on old MoP meta. A mobile caster spec, maintaining metamorphosis as long as there’s Chaotic Energy left.
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Resource would be Chaotic Energy (0 to 1000), build-spend spec with procs, similar to shamans. You can dance between meta and normal form depending on what you need for each fight (Build your main resource and stack procs mostly doing Single target OR Spend your main resource while dealing heavy insta-casts and cleaves as a demon).
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Weapon of choice are 2h: polearm and staves, rocking a style inspired by Allari the Souleater, throwing the spectral scythe similar to Xul in heroes of the storm.
Spellbook would be like this:
BOTH FORMS:
+DEMONIC LEAP (instead of Fel Rush) - 10 sec recharge, 2 charges: Leap 20 yards forward.
+Demon Flight (Similar as Rain from Above, this one usable in PVE) 1 minute cooldown: Triggers Metamorphosis, Fly into the air out of harms way, caster is able to cast spells while floating down or cast FALLING METEOR. Doubles the range from spells.
+FALLING METEOR (Only works while falling more than 20 yards or after using Demonic Flight)
Slam into the ground rapidly. Deals High Chaos damage to enemies nearby, stunning them for 3 seconds and leaving a smoldering crater for 6 seconds.
+ FLAMES OF AZZINOTH - 5 minute cooldown: Summons two flames of azzinoth. Lasts 30 seconds
-FLAME OF AZZINOTH (Pet) lasts 30 second – Deals chaos damage through auto attacks, Each auto attack generates 10 chaotic energy.
+ SHADE OF THE BETRAYER (group utility) – 2-minute cooldown: You cast a shadow of the target, creating a new target that takes 10% increased damage, lasts 10 seconds and transfers all damage to the affected target. All attacks done to the shadow doubles Chaotic Energy generation or halves Chaotic Energy Expense. All existing buffs and debuffs carried by the target get transferred to the shadow, and back to the target when the effect ends.
+ Vampiric Touch (passive) - The caster heals for 10% of the damage done
+ Demonic Thirst (active) 3 minute cooldown – Doubles the effect of Vampiric Touch for 10 seconds.
NORMAL FORM (Has improved Demonic Wards):
- Improved Demonic Wards (Passive): Your tattoos reduce magic damage taken by 15%
+ FEL BOLT – Generates 50 chaotic energy , 2 second cast : Sends a fel bolt to your target causing medium chaos damage. Also inflicts the target with Fel Embers.
- FEL EMBERS (DOT) - Burns the enemy for low chaos damage over 30 seconds. Every tick generates 15 chaotic energy.
+ Spectral Scythe - Generates 25 chaotic energy; 10 second recharge, 2 charges – A spectral scythe appears from the chosen location and travels to the caster after 1 second, inflicting shadow damage to everything on its way. Generates 15 additional chaotic energy and shatters a lesser soul fragment for every enemy hit. Slows enemies hit by 50% for 6 seconds.
+ VOID RAY Generates 25 chaotic energy per second. 30 second cooldown
Blasts all enemies in front of you for 3 seconds. Your primary target takes 50% increased damage. Empowers the caster with CHAOTIC CORE. Generates 15 additional chaotic energy. Leaves void remnant stacks on enemies hit. (basically purple eye beam with a twist)
-VOID REMNANT (Dot) – Burns the enemy, inflicting with shadow damage for 15 seconds
-CHAOTIC CORE (proc): Chaotic energy crackles through the caster’s soul for 6 seconds. During this effect the caster gains 15% haste and 30% Increased Critical Strike.
+ DRAW SOUL – 5 second channel: Spin you scythe and drain the soul of enemies in a frontal cone, extracting a lesser soul fragment for every second drained and inflicting medium shadow damage every second for 5 seconds. Refreshes Fel embers and Void Remnant dots on the targets.
METAMORPHOSIS (Has Nether Plating):
- Nether Plating (Passive): While using METAMORPHOSIS, your armor increases by 100% and the duration of stun and snare effects is reduced by 35%
+CHAOS WAVE (Replaces Spectral Scythe) – Costs 80 chaotic energy: 10 second recharge, 2 charges: Casts a chaotic wave dealing High chaos damage to your target and damages all enemies within 6 yards of your target. Reduces movement speed by 30% for 6 seconds. Chance to proc Chaotic Core.
-CHAOTIC CORE (proc): Chaotic energy crackles through the caster’s soul for 6 seconds. During this effect the caster gains 15% haste and 30% Increased Critical Strike.
+TOUCH OF CHAOS - (Replaces Fel Bolt) – Costs 40 Chaotic Energy: A chaotic slash damages the target and all enemies within 6 yards of main target. Shatters a lesser soul fragment from the target and has a chance to proc Chaotic Ripples.
-Chaotic Ripples (PROC): Ripples of chaos surround the caster for 15 seconds. During this effect, Chaos Wave may be cast again. This is always a critical strike.
+ SHADOWFLAME AURA (instead of Immolation Aura) – 10 Chaotic Energy per second 20 second cooldown: Surrounds the target in shadow flames (can self-target), Causing medium shadowflame damage to all nearby enemies every second for 15 seconds. Each tick has a chance to shatter a lesser soul fragment from each enemy.
+ CARRION SWARM - 30 Chaotic Energy, 45 second cooldown:
Caster flaps its wings and deals medium chaos Aoe damage in front of the caster, knocks back enemies.
+ Nether Rift (replaces Void Ray) - 30 Chaotic Energy, 60 Second cooldown
Caster’s eyes tear reality apart and open a linear rift 30 yards in front of the caster. Deals shadow damage to enemies 15 yards on either side of the rift every second for its entire duration. After 1 second pulls enemies to the center for 3 seconds.
NOTE: Im yet to think on more abilities for both forms, although the ones mentioned here are enough compared to most specs now at days… Im mostly thinking on switching some defensives and utility abilities, I mainly focused on “active” and damaging abilities. feel free to comment for more ideas!
Common Arguments:
- The style of the spec is very different from the current demon hunter fantasy/lore. Demon hunters as casters? Are you mad?
= Lets have a look at Survival Hunters or Outlaw rogues… I don’t see much difference since we DO have Ranged references from demon hunters examples: allari the souleater (npc), Vandel (from the book), Demon Hunters from WC3. Its not that crazy when we see other specs stretching their previously known capabilities and having little excuses as to why they can do this and that now.
- The type of magic/spells used by the demon hunter does not match the other two specs
= What about shadow priests using a completely different kind of magic? Or a brewmaster using actual “brews”; the goal of having different specs is to make them feel different, something this spec right here accomplishes without invading any other class.
- So just another warlock spec?
= if we really think about it warlocks are basically mages practicing dark magic / fel; shadow priests are priests who felt warlocks are cool… Holy priests and Holy paladins well… I believe the abilities I mentioned here are nothing other classes hasn’t done in the past; it doesn’t share any spells current classes have except for demon hunter itself, without watering down Havoc or Vengeance.
- You are using MoP meta spells there. Warlocks will riot.
= Yes. Meta was taken from warlocks in order to have dh’s coexist. We had REALLY cool and working spells / mechanics right there that were not even givne to demon hunters. Mists of Pandaria was two expansions ago (three with this one). We have seen Survival hunters go from using MANA, survival hunters melee and then ranged and back to melee, and using focus now. We have seen frost dk’s tanking, shamans tanking, gladiator stance… three expansions is more than enough to properly use finished and working abilties such as these. Lets be honest, are warlocks getting MoP meta back? Are they ever going to sue these set of spells? If meta was taken, well, then use it properly.
WHY?
- Demon hunter specs are known to be simple and stupid-easy. It should be great to add a more complex spec such a two-form dance and dot/proc managing one such as this.
- Demon hunters are the only class with TWO specs… doesn’t that make your OCD senses tingle?
- Like I said there is enough evidence of demon hunters being able to use ranged abilities, and since they are demon HUNTERS. Why wouldn’t they seek a different approach that helps them HUNT their prey?
- Now that they fulfilled their purpose of “hunting” the main demon forces, seems like the perfect excuse to further explore the extents of their abilties or simply discover new ways to use their power.
- The only ranged (non caster) class atm is hunter, and a bow themed spec wouldn’t fit a demon hunter as much as this one (personal opinion). The game should have this fighting style for at least one more spec (a third of a class).
- I believe the glyph of demon hunting back in MoP was done for a reason, to fill a certain gap. Blizz further explored Meta and I personally always wanted to play demon hunter so while manining a warlock I loved the idea of becoming a demon. So I was upset when I knew meta was gone for locks, but at the same time glad the reason was demon hunters…and now, the abilities that made it cool aren’t even there. Why not bring them back.