This sums it up quite well.
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If I play Guardian at all it will just be as an off spec to mix things up. Resto for m+ is the only reason I’m considering maining a druid
Thinking of changing mains from monk to this guy. That Ardenweald cinematic…jeez.
Dunno what covenant, would have to consider ‘what’s best’ instead of flavor for a main. Even if Guardian’s getting gutted yet again.
Tical is a bit abrasive at times, but I gotta say… Dude knows the class and is usually right.
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In that case, maybe he should think about spending less time playing a video game and more time working on his social skills?
Thanks for your time,
Barespanks
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He’s a Feral druid, he might know that spec, but he didn’t even touch guardian until the end of the expansion when corruption could carry him. Nor does he do difficult content as any spec. So… yeah, pretty dubious on your claim, sorry.
Being a loud voice doesn’t give you credibility if you have nothing backing that up, although in the age of the internet people unfortunately do overlook that sometimes. Credentials DO matter. I don’t go yapping my mouth off about Bloodtalons, etc., because I don’t play Feral at a high level. I wish everyone would show the same courtesy.
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What would you all change about Guardian? Or what weaknesses are the most apparent?
I’m slowly learning the spec, never actually tanked a high key or raid, all I’ve done on Guardian was Mad World.
Once again Tewa is incorrect. (As usual)
I main tanked for all of my raiding career.
I healed for the most of bfa because resto = invites and my time is limited.
What a pile of crap!!!
Iv called you out Countless times for posting in resto/feral threads telling you to stay in your lane.
I wish I was making this up…
Tewa thinks it’s unfair that guardians can’t use certain spells in form. That’s fair, I agree with her.
Her “fix” for this, however, isn’t to allow the spells in form, no. I kid you not… her brilliant plan, is to force resto druids to also use a form in which they also can’t use utility, so that it’s “fair”.
Do we really need more pearls of wisdom from Tewa?
I think not.
Back to the monk forums you go.
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I’d start with the “Guardian is a boring spec” thread here, or the Druid thread in the beta class forums (although you’ll have to skip through a LOT of feral/balance posts… just do a search for ‘Guardian’ within that thread).
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Oh hey. Look what I found…
Just a few hours later after posting the same thing here.
This has been happening all year.
/sigh
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Ehhhhh eheheheh…considering Swiftmend’s changing in SL and making a Lay on Hands lite on a 30 sec cd be castable in bear form is kind of ridic…I would have loved a pared down version of RoTS as a cd, or a pared down version of adaptive fur (I know, it’s a passive, boring stuff, still…it was a good passive)
(bear…heh…in mind, I didn’t start playing Guardian in earnest until mid Legion, so if there’s something from WoD or prior that is a better design, I don’t recall. All I remember from pre-Legion Guardian is symbiosis)
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Guardian has a great many weaknesses, which are not shared by the other tanks. Ignoring the lack of a reliable slow and the recent nerfs to our crowd control the fact that bears have to remain in bear form or lose most of their mitigation and “tankyness” is (in my eyes) their biggest weakness.
There are many abilities that require you to be out of bear form to use. Dropping bear form causes you to lose the extra Armor, health, ironfur stacks, pooled rage, and time remaining on a cast frenzied regen.
In my opinion being a skilled guardian means finding ways around this. Like using typhoon to grab a few seconds for you and the healer, then dropping form and throwing out a wild growth, swiftmend, kiting a bit with tiger dash, and dropping a few rejuvs on the DPS before popping back into form and using the rage from your first thrash to pop ironfur back on (hopefully) before you get your behind kicked.
Weaknesses
-Bear form reliance eschews access to abilities.
-Affinity spells, Tiger Dash, and some abilities (engineer belt enhancements for example) drop bear form and require planning and disengaging from enemies to use safely.
-“Dead” talents like lunar beam have simply been terrible for a long time and are never used.
-Low magic damage mitigation in comparison to other tanks.
-Wasted talent row by having to talent into a gap closer, which is baseline for other tanks.
-Lack of class identity (are we the big hp self-heal tank? If so why do other tanks do this as well/better? Are we the hybrid caster/healer/dps/tank? If so why are we punished for leaving form to use the abilities we talent into?)
-very little interaction of abilities or talents with each other
I can keep going for a while, a long while, but you can find full lists, better written, all over the druid forum.
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Gasp!!! The forbidden talent!!!
I would very much love to see this talent usable in bear form.
I mean… realistically, this isn’t a far stretch from reality. Have you ever seen a bear run? I have. Iv been chased by one on my skateboard. They can move!
Tigers dash should absolutely be usable in bear form. If for no other reason than for the luls!
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Of course, you can’t do that in Shadowlands, since Typhoon is getting locked to Balance and is mutually exclusive with the healing spells.
That’s the biggest problem: As bad as Guardian was in BfA, it’s worse in Shadowlands. Hard to believe, but true.
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So use vortex…
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It’s not at all optimal in most cases, because of the reliance on bear form, but its fast (SO FREAKING FAST) and you can get some quick distance where it is viable. If you can disengage from melee (in my example I threw out a typhoon first) its viable. If you cant, its not great. I usually run wild charge /shrug.
Bear should definitely be able to use it. I just googled it and a Black Bear can book it at 30 mph. And their not a magic glowing disco-bear with mystic powers.
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Yeah. They push for us to be the hybrid class, but ignore that guardian cant really do the things that would make it a more viable hybrid.
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Oh I know.
I got torn apart for admitting I use it on +18 keys.
But it’s great.
Just don’t use it to kite Urg’roth while he’s casting spirit breaker. Doesnt matter how far away you are. He will one shot you! Found that out the hard way. Lol
Tool tip says 20 yards, but it’s all lies! I was all the way across the bridge to the last boss in freehold and he tagged me with it.
Black bears are FAST, and incredibly so when shooting up a tree, it’s amazing to watch.
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Exactly! Droves of players will happily search “Top shadowlands tank” choose the most popular video, then base their decision solely on another’s voice of opinion anyways.
The videos typically raise valid points within the tiers, but should not entirely persuade you against a spec because of the unfortunate outcome that your favorite spec isn’t meta and being super-duper complimented around every corner.
Choose a role and class that you’re drawn to in a way that best represents you. Adapt, learn, and play your heart out, because most importantly, have fun! 9/10 you will continue to enjoy the spec regardless of the cons. If you’re too busy focusing on every negative aspect, I assure you that you will eventually hate, everything!
Will be going into shadowlands as feral and more than excited to represent.
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