I’m going to echo what Preach said in his latest video, It’s simply not the case. Blizzard should not be allowed to get away with a toxic system like covenants by using the example that “covenants should feel like a sub-class”
This is the same expansion where Blizzard went on about how they’re hoping to bring back class identity, then you have an interview with PandaTV and Ion where Ion straight out says he believes that it’s okay if the person who plays one spec is more powerful than the person who plays multiple specs. https://clips.twitch.tv/TenderSuccessfulGnatFailFish
Why is this the case? When has Blizzard ever punished players for wanting to try out new specs? Blizzard is both punishing players wanting to play around with new specs and additionally punishing people who want to play outside their main content focus with covenant abilities. It’s like forcing a resto shaman to do m+ as VoP Major instead of being able to pick Vc/Crucible because?
It’s like starting a 100m race 20 metres behind the starting line. Nothing is more offputting to me than trying new content with a objectively bad skill ability. Some covenant abilities straight up get extremely minimal value in one for or another.
Why after 15 years has Blizzard now changed their focus to punishing people who do more content? They should be rewarding people for playing multiple specs not punishing those who prefer to stick to one spec.
Reminder that this is not a ‘Mythic raiders’ vs ‘Non Mythic raiders’ argument. This is people who want to be the best version of their class vs the people who don’t care about that. You’re allowed to do +5’s and LFR and want to be the strongest version of your class.
To echo what Thdlock from Complexity Limit said on stream "I play a warlock, not a destruction warlock"
They are trying to turn 12 classes into 48 classes, 36 specs into 144 specs and believe they can balance it within single digits numbers across 4+ forms of content.
Just so we’re clear I don’t have a dog in this race personally, I’ve already got three shamans ready to go for Shadowlands in case the system doesn’t change. I just want the best version of WoW available to all.
The advantage should be if you can play better not limiting my skill because you believe being more adaptable is a bad thing. Jesus blizzard. Really are dumb. And this is in an expac where they are focusing on “class over spec”.
It all just seems so convoluted, so sick of having my character feel terrible until i’m knee deep in the new expansions systems, then when we start to feel normal again it all gets ripped away and we’re walking into new content feeling gutted and broken.
Why is Blizzard okay with this god it blows my mind, we already have a hybrid tax in Azerite and to a lesser extend essences and corruption, but this is turning it to overdrive.
Yes. Those two things are related. Soulbinds being associated to a covenant into which you socket the conduits that makes it so you are punished for not maining a spec.
They might be related but the majority of the topic is on being punished for playing multiple specs and he doesn’t really mention covenants not being a sub-class.
I feel they are directly related. Blizzard is championing behind a shield of We feel covenants are to be viewed as a sub-class to defend this poor system.
Its a common cause but he isn’t outlining the bigger picture, he isn’t campaigning for them to make it an internal power progression system he just wants a spec swapping friendly game. So if he wants people who think this idea to click on the post then it shouldn’t be needlessly vague. i just want more people to click on this because I hate being punished for spec swapping.
Well quite frankly two abilities and some passives is not a sub-class literally has nothing to do with spec swapping. Literally. Nothing. Wow covenants stop spec swapping, ok nothing about being a sub-class impacts this. Whats that its a part of the covenants? Specifically conduits? Crazy so it has nothing to do with 2 new abilities? or vaguely defined passive?
He is referring to the covenant abilities and the conduits. The former being class-wide creates a lot of situations where spell X is really good for spec 1, but doesnt work at all for spec 2. The latter being like legion relics where they are deleted when replaced. This prevents the ability to create spec specific builds.
This is already a failed system that the devs refuse to receive feedback on. If you think AZ traits were bad, and still pretty much untouched for 12 months, then you have a rude awakening when the new covenants and soulbinds come out - it will be 2 years of tweaking and guessing what will be good. It is talent trees ontop of talent trees x 3. It will be horrible and way unbalanced.
They did not learn from the failed systems in BFA but amplified and increased it.
All they needed to do was fix the talents we already had but they refuse.