Epic Fail? SoD Phase 3 New Class Imbalance! - Sunken Temple Raid

NOHITJEROME
27 Apr 202413:11

TLDRIn the third phase of Season of Discovery, Blizzard introduces significant class balance changes aiming to empower weaker classes. However, concerns arise over the long-term effects and potential class stacking in raids. Shadow priests and boomkins receive damage boosts, hunters see rotation changes, and paladins become mana generators. Despite these adjustments, the core issue of class utility versus damage persists, with scaling concerns for warriors. The community debates if these changes will truly diversify raid compositions or lead to further imbalances in both PvE and PvP environments.

Takeaways

  • 🔄 Phase 3 of Season of Discovery brings significant class changes, aiming to balance the weakest classes and make them more viable.
  • 🌀 Shadow priests and boomkins receive a 10% damage increase, but the actual impact is less due to multiplicative effects with other buffs and debuffs.
  • 🎯 Hunters get a new rotation mechanic with Sniper Training, allowing for instant Aimed Shots and a base weapon percentage increase, making them attractive for raids.
  • ⚔ Paladins now refresh their seals with Crusader Strike and Sacred Shield, and Seal of the Martyr changes make them mana-generating machines for their raids.
  • 👤 Shamans see changes to make melee less dominant, with mental dexterity triggering only from Stormstrike and Lava Lash, attempting to shift the class identity.
  • 🤺 Rogues' Mutilate spec remains untouched, but Saber Slash is buffed to encourage its use, though most Rogues are expected to stick with Mutilate.
  • 💥 The changes to Paladins' mana generation could lead to more Retribution Paladins in raids and potentially make them more formidable in PvP.
  • 📉 Scaling issues are highlighted, particularly with Warriors, who naturally pull ahead of other classes, leading to initial failures in Sunken Temple raids.
  • 🗡 The nerfing of Sunken Temple and the shift towards maximizing damage output has led to a preference for damage-focused classes over support roles.
  • 🔮 Blizzard's balancing approach is questioned, as class stacking persists and may not be effectively addressed by the changes in Phase 3.
  • 🛡 Discussions on class utility versus damage highlight a core problem in the game design, where support roles are less valued in favor of maximizing damage.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video script discussing?

    -The main topic of the video script is discussing the class balance changes in Phase 3 of the Season of Discovery in a game, and the potential long-term implications these changes might have on gameplay and raid compositions.

  • What percentage damage increase are Shadow Priests and Boomkins receiving in Phase 3?

    -Shadow Priests and Boomkins are receiving a 10% damage increase in Phase 3, although the actual increase to Shadow damage after considering multiplicative effects with other buffs and debuffs is 8.7%.

  • How does the change to the Hunter class in Phase 3 affect their damage output?

    -The change to the Hunter class in Phase 3 allows for an instant Aim Shot when Sniper Training has 5 stacks, and a base weapon percent increase from 120% to 135%, which results in an overall damage increase of about 200 to 300 for ranged Hunters.

  • What significant change is introduced for Paladins in Phase 3 regarding their mana generation?

    -In Phase 3, Paladins receive a significant change to the Seal of Madam, allowing them to generate a large amount of Mana with each swing, dealing 10% of that damage back to themselves, which is then converted to Mana for their raid at a rate of 133%.

  • How does the scaling of certain classes like Warriors affect the balance in raids?

    -The scaling of certain classes like Warriors means they naturally pull ahead of other classes, leading to an imbalance where Warriors may be preferred over other classes in raid compositions due to their higher damage output.

  • What is the potential long-term implication of the increased mana regeneration for Paladins in Phase 3?

    -The potential long-term implication is that Paladins will become essential in raids for their mana generation, possibly leading to a shift in raid compositions to include more Paladins and fewer other classes.

  • What changes are being made to Shaman in Phase 3 to encourage a more ranged playstyle?

    -In Phase 3, Blizzard is trying to make melee Shaman less viable by making mental dexterity only trigger from Stormstrike and Lava Lash, and by increasing Flame Shock damage by 100% and DOT damage by 6 seconds.

  • How does the script suggest that Blizzard's balancing approach may be flawed?

    -The script suggests that Blizzard's balancing approach may be flawed because even with balancing efforts, there is a fundamental problem with class stacking in raids, where the highest damage classes are preferred, and this issue does not seem to be resolved by the changes in Phase 3.

  • What is the script's view on the importance of class utility versus damage in the game?

    -The script views class utility as important but feels that the current game design does not reward playing a support role as much as it should, leading to a focus on damage dealers and potentially neglecting the benefits of class diversity.

  • What solutions does the script propose to address the class balancing issues in Season of Discovery?

    -The script proposes solutions such as rewarding class diversity in raids, similar to strategies used in Wrath of the Lich King, and adjusting loot balancing to incentivize a variety of classes in raid compositions.

  • How does the script describe the initial raid experience in the Sunken Temple?

    -The script describes the initial raid experience in the Sunken Temple as challenging, with many guilds failing at first due to the difficulty and the need to adapt strategies, such as diversifying class compositions, to achieve success.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Class Balancing Changes in Phase 3 of Season of Discovery

The script discusses the significant class balancing changes introduced in Phase 3 of the Season of Discovery in a game, presumably World of Warcraft. It mentions that classes like Shadow Priests and Boomkins receive a 10% damage increase, but the actual impact is less due to multiplicative effects with other buffs and debuffs. The script also covers changes to Hunters, Paladins, and Shaman, with Paladins becoming mana-generating machines, which could lead to more Paladins in raids and changes in PvP. The author questions whether these changes have been thoroughly considered for their long-term effects and whether they will truly make weaker classes more viable.

05:01

🎯 Balancing Issues and Raid Dynamics in Season of Discovery

This paragraph delves into the problems arising from the balancing changes, particularly in the context of raid dynamics. It highlights how the initial success of diverse class compositions in the Sunken Temple raid was short-lived due to nerfs and a shift towards stacking the highest damage classes for speedruns and optimal parses. The script discusses the player dissatisfaction of being benched for not playing the 'optimal' class and questions Blizzard's balancing history and approach. It also raises concerns about the fundamental design issues of the game that might not be resolved by simple balancing tweaks, such as the tendency to stack Warriors for maximum damage output.

10:02

🌐 Long-Term Implications and Potential Solutions for Balancing

The final paragraph addresses the long-term implications of the recent balance changes, such as the potential for Shadow Priests and Boomkins to become overpowered in PvP and the ongoing issue of class scaling, particularly with Warriors. It suggests that Blizzard might implement 'rage normalization' to address this issue. The script also proposes potential solutions to the balancing problems, such as rewarding class diversity in raids, similar to strategies used in previous expansions, and adjusting loot systems to incentivize a mix of classes. The author invites viewer feedback on these issues and the proposed solutions, emphasizing the complexity of finding a balance that satisfies all players.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Season of Discovery

Season of Discovery refers to a specific phase or period within a game, in this case, a game update or expansion that introduces new content and changes to gameplay. In the video, it is the context within which class balancing and other game mechanics are being discussed, highlighting the impact of these changes on the player experience.

💡Class Imbalance

Class imbalance in gaming typically refers to a situation where certain character classes are significantly more powerful or effective than others, leading to an unfair advantage or a less diverse gameplay experience. The video discusses the perceived imbalances introduced in the new phase of the game, questioning whether the changes will truly make the game more balanced or just shift the imbalance to different classes.

💡Shadow Priests

Shadow Priests are a specialization of the Priest class in the game, known for dealing shadow damage and often used in damage-dealing roles. The script mentions that Shadow Priests are receiving a damage buff, which is part of the game's balancing efforts, but the actual impact of this buff is questioned in terms of its effectiveness in raids.

💡Boomkins

Boomkins is a colloquial term for Balance Druids, a class specialization that focuses on spellcasting and dealing damage from a distance. The script discusses how Boomkins are receiving a 10% damage increase, which is expected to make them more viable in the game's PvP (Player versus Player) and PvE (Player versus Environment) scenarios.

💡Paladins

Paladins are a class known for their ability to heal, tank, or deal damage in the game. The script highlights changes to Paladin abilities, such as Crusader Strike and Seal of Insight, which are intended to make them more effective as mana generators for their raids, significantly impacting the class's role and utility in group content.

💡Mana Generation

Mana Generation refers to the process by which characters in the game accumulate mana, the resource used for casting spells. The video discusses how certain class changes, particularly for Paladins, are making them more effective at generating mana, which could alter the dynamics of group compositions in raids.

💡Hunters

Hunters are a ranged damage-dealing class in the game, often relying on pets and ranged attacks. The script mentions changes to Hunter abilities that affect their damage output and rotation, such as the instant cast of Aim Shot with five stacks of Sniper Training, making them more attractive for raids.

💡Shamans

Shamans are a versatile class that can heal, deal damage, or provide support with totems and buffs. The video discusses changes to Shaman abilities, particularly the focus on ranged damage with the buff to Lava Lash, which is part of an attempt to shift the class away from melee combat.

💡Rogues

Rogues are a stealthy class specializing in dealing high damage from close range. The script mentions that changes to Rogue abilities are aimed at making Saber Slash a viable spec, with bleed effects stacking and increasing damage, though it is suggested that most Rogues will continue to prefer the Mutilate spec.

💡Scaling

Scaling in the context of gaming refers to how effectively a class or character's power increases with higher levels or gear. The video discusses the issue of scaling for certain classes like Warriors, who are pulling ahead of others by default, leading to potential imbalances in the game.

💡Raid Composition

Raid Composition refers to the selection of different classes and their roles within a raiding group. The video discusses the impact of class balancing on raid composition, suggesting that despite efforts to promote diversity, the tendency to stack the highest damage classes remains prevalent.

Highlights

Phase 3 of Season of Discovery introduces significant class balance changes.

Shadow priests and boomkins receive a damage increase, but the actual impact is less than 10%.

The shadow form increase from 15 to 25% affects multiplicative buffs and debuffs, resulting in an 8.7% Shadow damage increase.

Boomkins get a genuine 10% damage boost, improving their PvP performance.

Hunters see changes to their rotation, with Aim Shot becoming instant at five stacks of Sniper Training.

Paladins now generate a large amount of Mana with each swing, significantly aiding their raids.

The change to Seal of Madam allows Paladins to convert 10% of their damage back into Mana for the raid.

Shaman receive buffs to ranged abilities, possibly altering the class identity of Elemental Shaman.

Rogues see an attempt to make Saber Slash a viable spec, but Mutilate remains dominant.

Blizzard's balancing history in Classic WoW is contrasted with their approach in Season of Discovery.

Scaling issues are highlighted, particularly with Warriors pulling ahead of other classes.

The initial Sunken Temple raid saw guilds failing, leading to a strategy of diversification for success.

Post-clear nerfs to Sunken Temple and the shift towards maximizing damage output in raids.

The long-term implications of class utility versus damage, and the potential for support roles to be devalued.

Blizzard's balancing approach may be fundamentally flawed, leading to persistent class stacking issues.

Suggestions for solutions include rewarding class diversity and adjusting loot balancing.

The video concludes by inviting viewer feedback on class balancing and its impact on their guilds.