Clarity of Will - Have I missed something here?

[Jimjam38]

In the current Beta build, Clarity of Will and Power Word: Shield seem pointlessly similar:

CoW vs PW:S
Cast: 2.5s vs Instant
Mana: 3.5% vs 3.3%
Spell Power: 595.2% vs 573.2%
Duration: 20s vs 15s

CoW compared to PW:S; the mana cost is almost identical, but CoW actually costs more, the %spell power is very similar but CoW come's out slightly ahead, it has a considerable cast time instead of being instant and only lasts 5 seconds longer. The most significant difference from PW:S is just that CoW can be cast back to back on the same target. Furthermore, CoW doesn't proc Borrowed Time, and I'm not sure how it will work in terms of crit and multistrike, I assume it can, but I can't find it actually stated anywhere.

What kind of niche did Blizzard intend this spell to fill that PW:S doesn't? Tank healing... perhaps, but disc has never been great for that, and even less so now that grace has been changed.
Have I missed something here?

[roflwaffle]

no weakened soul seems like a plus to me, they're probably guna change up numbers on it though considering it's pretty much identical

[Deleted]

Back in WotLK and prior to ICC, Discipline was primarily played as a secondary tank healer due to Penance and Power Word: Shield. Maybe Clarity of Will is for Discipline priests that want to focus upon tank healing? With those numbers, it seems more sensible to use PW:S for raid coverage (bubble spam!) than CoW.

[Jimjam38]

Indeed, it is, but for a spec that's never really been considered a reliable tank healer, that seems a fairly minor plus for something that's meant to be part of our ultimate tier of abilities. Also, Enhanced Power Word: Shield will bring Weakened Soul down to 10 seconds, and Glyph of Weakened Soul will further reduce that to 8 seconds. I'm not saying that the tank won't need shielding more than every 8 seconds, but this does make it a less significant benefit over PW:S.

Update: I stand corrected, it has at times been a tank healer spec. Doesn't really change its current position :|

[Deleted]

Clarity of Will should not break on damage as in- it should last its entire duration and is meant to be cast over Power Word: Shield, hence its lack of gcd, to provide shielding while shielding. Pretty similar with casting barkskin over ironbark.

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Do you really think that all these are coincidences? They were simply browsing the various specs of their game and said, ah, okay, so.. let's give to the holy paladin another.. beacon, to the discipline priest another.. bubble shield, etc, just make these really prettier than what they already have, to the restoration druid another.. rejuvenation, to the shadow priest another.. damage over time spell, call it void entropy, with a cast time but make it off the global cooldown to help them apply some dots while they are applying some dots.

[Thirteen]

Clarity of Will should not break on damage as in- it should last its entire duration and is meant to be cast over Power Word: Shield, hence its lack of gcd, to provide shielding while shielding. Pretty similar with casting barkskin over ironbark.

I'm genuinely confused here. Why would you want a shield to not break on damage? The point of the shields is to increase your effective health pool over your total HP value (eg. Iron Prisons) or to function as proactive healing. Having the shield run out is basically the same as overhealing.

The thing is though, Clarity of Purpose (holy's version of the same talent) is supposed to be the AoE choice in that tier, and Words of Mending the single target choice. For discipline though, it looks like both are very single-target oriented? Unless Blizzard plans for CoW to be used for blanket shielding.

[Jimjam38]

More importantly, how can a shield not break on damage? Should it just infinite absorb for 20 seconds? No, no, that doesn't sound right...

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You do realize that being off the GCD doesn't mean you can cast it while casting something else right? It just mean's it doesn't trigger a GCD, so you can use it immediately before or after something, but you cant use it while in the middle of another cast...

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Also, if they do intend it for blanket shielding I seriously have to question their thought process, a 2.5 sec cast is never going to be viable for blanket anything

[madmanx]

Clarity of Will should not break on damage as in- it should last its entire duration and is meant to be cast over Power Word: Shield, hence its lack of gcd, to provide shielding while shielding. Pretty similar with casting barkskin over ironbark.

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Do you really think that all these are coincidences? They were simply browsing the various specs of their game and said, ah, okay, so.. let's give to the holy paladin another.. beacon, to the discipline priest another.. bubble shield, etc, just make these really prettier than what they already have, to the restoration druid another.. rejuvenation, to the shadow priest another.. damage over time spell, call it void entropy, with a cast time but make it off the global cooldown to help them apply some dots while they are applying some dots.

In that case you are talking about a pally bubble that is lasting 20 sec and is usable on others. Needless to say, this is not going to happen.

[rylai21]

I'm not sure how those coefficients are correct. On beta my CoW shields for ~55k, and PWS for ~25k in mastery gear.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure how those coefficients are correct. On beta my CoW shields for ~55k, and PWS for ~25k in mastery gear.

Since he is comparing the potency of various spells in this way maybe it is worth mentioning that Saving Grace heals as much as Heal or Flash Heal at 10 stacks of its debuff. Whoever took Saving Grace but heals with flashes outside of Source of Light...

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Surge of Light.

[Deleted]

Since he is comparing the potency of various spells in this way maybe it is worth mentioning that Saving Grace heals as much as Heal or Flash Heal at 10 stacks of its debuff.

That sounds like it is broken or not correctly implemented. At 10 stacks, all sources of healing / absorbs should do nothing.

[Deleted]

That sounds like it is broken or not correctly implemented. At 10 stacks, all sources of healing / absorbs should do nothing.

100% -10% is 90% -10% is 81% -10% is 72.9% -10% is 65.61% -10% is 59.049% -10% is 53.1441% -10% is 47.82969% -10% is 43.04672% -10% is 38.74205% -10% is 34.86784%. 35% out of Saving Grace (793.6%) is 277%. Flash Heal (277%).

[Larynx]

100% -10% is 90% -10% is 81% -10% is 72.9% -10% is 65.61% -10% is 59.049% -10% is 53.1441% -10% is 47.82969% -10% is 43.04672% -10% is 38.74205% -10% is 34.86784%. 35% out of Saving Grace (793.6%) is 277%. Flash Heal (277%).

Or 100% 90% 80%... 20% 10% 0%. That seems slightly less complicated and less exploitable.

edit: took me all of 20 seconds to test it. At 10 stacks I do 99% reduced healing.

[Jimjam38]

This holy priest fella seems dazed and confused

[Noradin]

100% -10% is 90% -10% is 81% -10% is 72.9% -10% is 65.61% -10% is 59.049% -10% is 53.1441% -10% is 47.82969% -10% is 43.04672% -10% is 38.74205% -10% is 34.86784%. 35% out of Saving Grace (793.6%) is 277%. Flash Heal (277%).

While this is not what one woule exspect it is in line with every other reduction ingame - but maybe it was not supposed to be in line and really go to zero?
Otherwise it is a trap, making you have to rely on SG more and more the more you already used it, which while interessting design is bound to frustrate players to no end and thus is bad design in the end.

[Deleted]

While this is not what one woule exspect it is in line with every other reduction ingame - but maybe it was not supposed to be in line and really go to zero?
Otherwise it is a trap, making you have to rely on SG more and more the more you already used it, which while interessting design is bound to frustrate players to no end and thus is bad design in the end.

A trap is basically the only way to describe SG IMO.

[Deleted]

CoW should use borrowed time. It is probably a bug if it doesn't. The benefit of CoW is that you can use borrowed time to roll absorb buffers. The 20s duration is very important.

[zhongsp]

Does anyone know, if CoW's effect could be increased by Archangel or Twist of Fate etc.. ? Thanks!

[Larynx]

Does anyone know, if CoW's effect could be increased by Archangel or Twist of Fate etc.. ? Thanks!

Archangel buffs absorbs. ToF does not buff absorbs.

[Clebane]

Archangel buffs absorbs. ToF does not buff absorbs.

That seems unfair! Disc needs the buff considering how little ToF uptime will be regarding the fix they put in for it.