I cannot remember a tier where cataclysm was not an autopick in all situations, as it currently is. Looking at Murlok.io, in all categories (2’s/3’s/RBG/m+) Cataclysm is the only pick on this row, the spec just feels really crummy without it. The only time this wasn’t the case in recent memory was when you could apply immolate in AoE via the WoD iteration of Fire & Brimstone. Making cataclysm baseline will free up the row for a new talent and hopefully some choice.
I’d also like to see Shadowburn return to being baseline but it doesn’t really change that row as significantly.
2 Likes
Would be cool that Destruction main AoE tools,
Cataclysm, Demonfire
Weren’t talents that basically need to be taken in order to do a semblance of AoE damage. Without those, legit our only AoE is Rain of Fire… and honestly it takes like 6 targets to outdamage a chaos bolt and be worth the shard cost. Havoc for 2 so that means if target count is 3-5 (most mobs in every dungeon) you have no baseline options.
I’ve played classes that get Strong AoE options, but it’s to augment the powerful AoE spells already. Destruction needs at least Demonfire or Cataclysm baseline for sure.
2 Likes
There was a time when blizzard stated all priority no choice talents would get baked into the class baseline so that choice was still a thing.
We’ve had the same “no choice” talents since legion.
It would be nice if they reevaluated our talents, and gave us the ones that seem mandatory in all situations.
3 Likes
I can only imagine how much QoL we would have if CDF and Cata were made baseline. Oh man and maybe add Dimensional Rift as the final talent replacement turning CDF into it and allowing it to be cast on the move exactly like the Legion version.
We can dream…right?
4 Likes
Dimensional Rift brought destro to a glory that i thought wasnt achievable after MoP.
It was one of the most fun spells a destro warlock had to offer, and offered a lot of movement and damage outside of chaos bolt.
3 Likes
IMO they ought to buff up the damage of chaos bolt instead and keep destro single target.
Destro is known for single target and low AoE damage, while afflic is known for high AoE and low single target damage. Demo is known for a bit of both worlds with a higher survivability rate. This makes it so each spec has it’s own playstyle.
Overall, warlocks are pretty bad IMO and are overdue for a buff in almost every category you can think of.
IDK where you heard that but destro is supposed to be the “master” of two-target cleave and split cleave / AoE situations with proper havoc use and cds. If it’s massive AoE we are not always at the top but for split / two-target we are near the top.
Having said that, I think blizz somehow just needs to figure out what they want destro to be. Two-target cleave is far too niche to have a spec revolve around it or make a spec reliant on specific situations. Destro should be a single target master but Aff sadly has taken over with some of the QoL changes they got and such but destro can still pump it just depends on RNG fight mechanics and CDs.
Demo actually is the best of both and when given the opportunity to hardcast is lethal as hell but with so much movement Demo is easily outclassed.
I think blizz just needs to figure out how to balance and help out turret casters. I really do not see a problem with us casting and moving with a movement speed% penalty like we had in MoP (KJC). Locks need something to allow us to not get spelllocked to hell and back and then globaled. No dev plays a lock so they aren’t aware of some of the deeper seated issues we face but you are absolutely correct that there needs to be some across the board QoL changes, fixes and buffs to even us out with other DPS.
1 Like
Destruction is nothing special in two targets cleave right now. It’s certainly not dominant. The single target is so heavily undertuned than even havoc can’t save it. Both aff and destruction are mostly aoe spec and that’s pretty much it.
I’d rather see Fire and Brimstone brought back baseline and have Cataclysm shifted elsewhere in the talent tree if they can’t figure out how to balance such a powerful spell. While Cataclysm alone probably should be baseline based off 2 expansions worth of it being the dominate spell in it’s row I just find Fire and Brimstone much more interesting in it’s MoP/WoD version. Either way one should go baseline due to how lacking the spec is without Row 35.
4 Likes
I actually agree with this. I hate that theyve made destro some stupid “cleave” spec. I want to be able to focus on one target at a time and not have to worry about juggling two targets with havoc every 30 seconds. I mean its cool to use, but if i have to choose between that and having real single target, Ill take ST.
Backdraft and Shadowburn should have been baseline talents since forever ago.
2 Likes
Shadowburn baseline again with Ember Tap in it’s place. yes pls
2 Likes