It is very likely that you are following the changes of the class Priest for Cataclysm and now, we have the opinion of those who play the class on the implication these changes might have. Therefore, we ask that you use the article voting system to evaluate the Skrilax article objectively.
If you have not yet seen what awaits the Priestbe sure to check the changes that are to come. We will continue to publish your opinions and, if you dare, you may want to take a look to see how participate in this of the opinions of classes.
Hi, I'm Skrilax, Dun-mord's first shadow, no clan. I am a shadow priest, and I have experience with both branches of healer, but I will only talk about the shadow as it is the one I know the most in depth.
Regarding the changesI want to say one important thing that people seem to have not taken into account. These are not the definitive changes (neither for priest shadow nor for Brujo), this is an advance, this is the tip of the iceberg, with these data we can know the direction that Blizzard is taking with respect to the class, but that is not why we should be discouraged nor do we complain that the R + D + i sector for priests does not work. This is the first contact, but between now and the expansion, so many changes will be announced, that I am very sure that all the priests will end up satisfied and surely happy with the changes that are going to be made.
Getting to the heart of the matter, I will comment on the new ability that has been put to the shadows: Mental Spike. Yes, that ability that we have been missing surely since we started using this branch of talents, and we realized, that in short battles, we did not have time to do considerable damage. It is not something that is going to enter the rotation (or at least they do not want it to be like that), but it is an arrangement with the shadow priest, something so that we can defend ourselves better, especially in heroics.
In truth, that is the only ability that they have announced for the shadows, it seems little to me, I want more, but surely there will be more new skills, obtained by level or by talents, at least, I hope one more, well yes it would not be to complain. Although they haven't announced any more shadow abilities, I fervently wish Leap of Faith can be used in shadow form, as it gives an ability to play endless pranks.
I now get into the subject of mechanics, since they have already announced several that affect the shadow priest:
“Periodic Healing and Periodic Damage spells will benefit from Haste and Critical Strike passively. Periodic healings and periodic damage that are under the effect of Haste will not have a shorter duration but the period between each healing tick or periodic damage will be faster (that is, the number of tics will be increased so that they have the same spell duration). »
This is an optimization of the dps, and a change in the mechanics of the damage over time in order to make it easier to manage the class, because until today, it was necessary to avoid "clipping" the damage in time. It's an improvement, I like it, it will be more comfortable, but it is not a direct change to the shadow priest (since it will apply to all classes), and it is not something that one wants to try with eagerness.
"We want to bring back the Shadow Word: Death spell as a way to 'execute' - something you can cast against a target that has less than 25% health."
This is another of the fixes, it will help that skill be useful (Well, it doesn't have it today), but it is still not a substantial change that you want to try. I hope it turns out to be a really good skill though.
"We want to improve Shadow specialization in short fights and reduce their susceptibility to being blocked by schools of magic."
Yet another arrangement, shadow priests are fatal in short encounters, and not to mention that when we are blocked by a school of magic we become totally useless. Okay, it is a change that helps, but it is not something innovative.
“Since the Tree of Shadows has many passive abilities that increase its damage - something we want to avoid in Cataclysm - we will have to replace various talents from that tree. One idea we have is to use the new Shadow Orbs mechanic (more info below) that will likely allow them to consume those orbs to increase the damage dealt by Mind Blast or reduce the cast time of Mind Spike. "
This is, as I said above, the tip of an iceberg. We have (Counted) 5 talents (with their respective points) that directly increase the damage we do, plus then other talents that increase the critical. We know that these talents are going to cease to exist, and consequently, they are going to have to put other talents to replace those with others that are more active, and that is probably where the interesting thing about the expansion for priest shadow is.
Misfortune will no longer affect hit rating; we want players to acquire weapons based on a certain hit rate limit, but not depending on the composition of the party. "
This is the change that I have no longer liked. It's not me, but I know a lot of people who chose Shadow Priest, because it's a class that in addition to dps, helps the band, with buffos, with the vampiric embrace, with misfortune, and I don't remember if there was anything else, and They argued that if what they wanted to do is dps, they would have chosen a rogue or a wizard. If they are going to take away these aid from the band, that factor will no longer be there, and it will bother me a lot. (If anyone is curious, I chose to be Shadow Priest the moment I was killed by a mind-controlled Shadow Priest by throwing me into the abyssal void in Bg Eye of the Storm) In short. I don't like it because I want to help my band.
And now the FAT change is coming, which is going to be decisive for the shadow priests: The shadow orbs.
«Shadow Orbs: when they cast spells there will be a chance to create Shadow Orbs that will float around them and increase their Shadow damage; this will help lower-level priests, who have not yet learned Shadowform, feel more like a Shadow Priest. "
I love the idea of having a little balloon fluttering next to me, I honestly think it is very freaky and therefore, I like it. I have read in the forums of the priest complaints with this, because it is by probability. I don't see that as a problem, the critic also goes by probability, and yet I have not yet seen anyone who disgusts the critic or the magician's "Focus magic". I do not think it is a 10% probability, it will surely be around 30%, variable by talents, and surely Blizzard wants them to come out very easily to make the use of the shadow priest much more fun. That one be attentive to the balloons, and when they come out, use them:
"Which will likely allow them to consume these orbs to increase the damage dealt by Mind Blast or reduce the cast time of Mind Spike."
I don't think it's just that, I imagine they will have much more use, but that alone seems quite interesting to me. In addition, it will be necessary to put the balloons together to launch the sticks and not consume them before launching them, etc. It will surely make the shadow priest rotation a lot more fun.
In conclusion, little data, and the data they announce are fixes (Except for the shadow orbs) and that is what causes let us say the dissatisfaction on the part of the shadow priest community. But I think you have to look at it thoroughly, and realize that behind the two points I mentioned before (Shadow Orbs and New Talents) is where the newness of the talent branch will reside, and what is really fun.