Even though it’s in the form of a cooldown, 15 sec duration, you still have to make use of it.
Is it too much to ask for having it be completely optional? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s nice to have a new damage cooldown, but it’s still voidform and I still don’t want anything to do with it.
Perhaps the devs could relegate it to last row talent and then add some others. Both camps of the discussion get what they want if it’s a talent. As it stands now, I’m still forced to use it and pick a last row talent to enhance its functionality - no thanks.
Edit: tl;dr: Voidform literally triggers my PTSD - change the name please.
Currently I don’t mind either way and hope with testing, we can get a more clear picture on the state and health of shadow.
The only reason I am “okay” with Voidform now is because It is in MANY ways reflect what Dark Archangel was in Cata. I enjoyed Cata very much and loved Dark Archangel, so I am willing to give it a shot with VF now and see how it plays first.
But If its possible, I would love to have a non self buff DPS CD Shadowpriest talent build. I am just not sure how they can balance a spec on both fronts. Like do you sacrifice the DPS CD for a passive +3-6% damage from all sources? I dunno.
“Voidform” as in the mechanic that was causing a lot of the slow-ramp and other issues is gone now. This is what all of us were asking for when requesting voidform to be removed.
The new “voidform” looks like a totally different thing, it’s a cooldown that just happens to be called “voidform” now but not the core mechanic of your gameplay.
Is it just the fact that the name “voidform” still exists as a spell that’s bothering you?
Oh come on mate, that’s a bit over-dramatic, they are giving us the rework we wanted.
I mean sure they could probably find a cooler name for the cooldown (“Dark Ascension” maybe), but that’s honestly nitpicking. I think it’s fine if they want to keep the void theme for lore or whatever other reason as long as we have a healthier and more functional spec.
Vf is still in the game visually but I think it’s going to feel so different mechanically. It sounds to me like it’s going to feel more like a DK’s Pillar of Frost or a DH’s Metamorphasis which have a very different feel than the legion/BFA VF imo. That said, if you aren’t a fan of those mechanics either then you probably aren’t going to like the new VF either.
I prefer a class lacking in DPS CDs as well. Keep VF baseline, but let us have a talent somewhere that prunes it. That was BfA Shadow’s almost-saving grace. I don’t find pushing a button every X minutes to be engaging. It’s just another chore.
Void form baseline as it is now sounds like it is the class’s dps cool down. Asking for it to be removed would be like me a Balance Druid asking to not have Celestial Alignment.
In addition @Irogath, the WoWhead article stated that in the last talent row, there is a talent that makes Voidform function similar to how it is now where it is a form you can maintain while your sanity drains over time, so that could be similar to what your describing?
I’m thinking more along the lines of Demon Hunter’s Demon Blades in Row 1 of Havoc. It’s a talent that straight up prunes one of their abilities. Unfortunately for DH that was (maybe still is?) their strongest choice in Row 1, which is unhealthy design.
I appreciated that Shadow wasn’t a CDs based spec. It is a greedy request admittedly, but being the lone spec with no DPS CDs was a niche that I found enjoyable. I wouldn’t mind this pruning talent being the weakest option in that row. Just so long as we had an option to forgo our DPS CDs.
No, I’m glad Voidform is mostly dead. But just as the VF fans get an option to bring it back, I’d like an option to kill it dead.
I would be okay and welcome this option. But I just cant think of an interesting way to make to make it happen and keep it balanced.
All I got is give it a low passive damage % boost. But that is boring AF lol.
Do you got any ideas?
Edit:
To be honest… It would be cool if you can just pick “Shadow Orbs” as a talent and then you can have your fluid playstyle without the DPS CD.
I think that could be balanced lol. But That would be a radical spec altering thing that blizz wont do as that is classified as “resource changing” etc.
Honestly, I’d rather just kill off Surrender to Madness, and then fill the talent in with something that kills off VF. Let STM’s replacement be some sort of passive stacking. Ancient Madness would still be the more complex option for those who like the additional complexity. I know a lot of players like having more buttons to press. But I’d rather my complexity come from passives encouraging unique interactions with our abilities myself. I would rather push toward being a pure sustain dps class, vs yet another burst CD. As an option anyways. I’m not interested in ripping off anyone’s wings. I just would like to clip mine.
We are essentially on Shadow Orbs again btw. It’s just 20 Insanity rather than Orb. You could even make a few Weak Auras to provide the graphics.
Edit: to balance a passive killing off VF, it needs to provide 3.3% innately to offset VF’s loss.
You need to add a bit more power to offset the opportunity cost of not taking Ancient Madness. Which I can’t accurately calculate until we see how much the talent provides to the base build.
What I mean is we can make a talent that takes the 90 sec VF CD and moves it to a more fluid playstyle to have less hilly/valley moments and more steady consistent moments. It possibly add back in Mind Spike as well.
OR heck, bring back CoP? I would love that.
Clarity of Power is a level 100 Shadow priest talent. Your Mind Spike, Mind Sear, and Shadow Word : Death deal 40% additional damage to targets not affected by your Shadow Word : Pain or Vampiric Touch. Also reduces the cooldown on Mind Blast by 3 sec and makes it instant cast.
Perhaps just remove the negative dot interaction & proc instant cast mind spikes? so…
Clarity of Power is a level 100 Shadow priest talent. Your Mind Spike, Mind Sear, and Shadow Word : Death deal 40% additional damage. Periodic damage from your Vampiric Touch has a 20% chance to cause your next Mind Spike become instant cast. Limit 2 charges. Also reduces the cooldown on Mind Blast by 3 sec and makes it instant cast.
Or maybe bring back From Darkness Comes Light as its own separate talent?