Bring Back Combat Skills

[elderu]

As a player since just before the launch of Wrath, I was completely let down to see that Combat Skills had been removed when Cataclysm hit.

Casualization is real, and it started there.

BUT, I personally think Blizzard should BRING THEM BACK!

I really liked having to work for my specific weapon drop, rather than having any weapon my class can use be immediately good enough. Combat skills brought a sense of character to your character.

You're a warrior... You can use Axes, Maces, and Swords... BUT you have to MASTER all of them to truly be able to use them. Many people preferred of course to focus in on one weapon type over another, and you know what that brought?

LONGEVITY! I remember so many times I'd have to re-run raids because my weapon would either drop and be won by somebody else, or it didn't drop at all. Here was the cool thing though!

As a Blood DK (Used to be DPS) I used Two-Handed Axes, and I was almost experienced with the Maces. So when I ran raids and saw 2-Handed Swords dropping, and I couldn't use them, it left me feeling like I was still inexperienced, and that I had more to do.

I could go back and grind out my sword skill in my spare time, or I could re-run this raid until I got my kickass Axe. I of course did both, but barely, because I was too busy leveling alts. So re-running the raids it was!
I know a ton of people HATE the Combat Skills, but I have no problem calling them casuals, even more so than I am.. ( And I'm pretty casual!)

Thoughts?

[Slippery Gypsy]

How is auto attacking random mobs for hours on end to get max proficiency with a weapon good gameplay or enjoyable? Genuinely intrigued here.

[SoulSoBreezy]

Genuine thought? Post in the current "casualization" thread here http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...True-or-false/

[elderu]

Genuine thought? Post in the current "casualization" thread here http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...True-or-false/

Except this post isn't about Casualization. It's about Combat Skills adding some awesome aspects to the game that were taken away, and I want to know how other people feel.

How is auto attacking random mobs for hours on end to get max proficiency with a weapon good gameplay or enjoyable? Genuinely intrigued here.

That's not a requirement when it comes to adding back Combat Skills. That's one path you -can- take. The other is sticking to your preferred weapon type.

[Daedius]

Yes, doing really trivial things added "depth" to the game...

Plus you've forgotten that Hit and Expertise have been removed, rendering weapon skills pointless.

[elderu]

Yes, doing really trivial things added "depth" to the game...

Plus you've forgotten that Hit and Expertise have been removed, rendering weapon skills pointless.

You might want to rethink quoting me on the word "depth." Go look at the OP.

I fail to see how that makes Combat Skills pointless. If you only have proficient skill with a Mace, but an Axe drops, you have to either try again, or take the time to develop your Axe skills so you can use the axe. Hit and Expertise have absolutely no effect with this concept.

[Belloc]

You're a warrior... You can use Axes, Maces, and Swords... BUT you have to MASTER all of them to truly be able to use them. Many people preferred of course to focus in on one weapon type over another, and you know what that brought?

What exactly do you think our characters have been doing over the course of the last several expansions, if not mastering our skills?

You're asking for an archaic, meaningless mechanic to be reimplemented. It's never going to happen, nor should it. It was bad game design in vanilla, and it'd be even worse today.

I get that you want more depth, but this suggestion isn't depth.

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

lol no thanks. This was in the game when it was trying to be a proper RPG.
There was no other point to it, and has no place in the game now.

[elderu]

What exactly do you think our characters have been doing over the course of the last several expansions, if not mastering our skills?

Although of course you're looking past the fact, that it is implied we fight stronger foes each expansion.. Meaning Blizzard would raise the Combat Skill level every expansion.. The exact same way Professions are.. Or even, the same way they used to.

So then I beg the question, why do you all despise this mechanic so much? Why do you think it was bad? Or meaningless?

[SoulSoBreezy]

Except this post isn't about Casualization. It's about Combat Skills adding some awesome aspects to the game that were taken away, and I want to know how other people feel.

Fair enough =).
Back in the day I punched trees below Dalaran to max my skill, get the achievement, then never think about it again.
If there's something I miss though, it's defense rating and block value.

[Eliseus]

I'm all for more things that give you a grind, but combat skills in WoW really served no purpose. Maybe if there was some sort of progression tied into them or something, but there isn't. I don't care if they exist or not personally. Just stating wether they exist or not is truly irrelevant to basically the entirety of the game. The grind to skill up everything isn't even long enough to warrant it being a real grind. It was more of a nussiance and most people serious about it just carried each weapon type while leveling. Now things like accuracy and the sorts is a different story, but even then I feel they could implement more enjoyable gear grinds rather than focusing on those stats. I do see a problem though where something to do that felt like you were advancing your character was removed wasn't compensated with really anything else.

Now the game being too casual is a different story. But I don't feel combat skills was the beginning of the end.

[Krawu]

I've seen a lot of great ideas to make the current game better, but oh boy.. this is not one of them.

[SoulSoBreezy]

Although of course you're looking past the fact, that it is implied we fight stronger foes each expansion.. Meaning Blizzard would raise the Combat Skill level every expansion.. The exact same way Professions are.. Or even, the same way they used to.

So then I beg the question, why do you all despise this mechanic so much? Why do you think it was bad? Or meaningless?

It was like hit rating, but like leveling. We wanted to get past it as quickly as possible, and it was very passive (boring) to do it.

[Belloc]

Although of course you're looking past the fact, that it is implied we fight stronger foes each expansion.. Meaning Blizzard would raise the Combat Skill level every expansion.. The exact same way Professions are.. Or even, the same way they used to.

So then I beg the question, why do you all despise this mechanic so much? Why do you think it was bad? Or meaningless?

Because it wasn't fun. It was a tedious grind mechanic.

[OreoLover]

Genuine thought: no. You master them by picking the class.

[elderu]

Because it wasn't fun. It was a tedious grind mechanic.

It was not just a grind mechanic though.. I'm not asking Blizzard to add back a new reason to GRIND.\

Move past that and look at the REAL point. It added flavor and options to max level gameplay.

If you CHOSE to grind, that was your fault.

[Calfredd]

Because it wasn't fun. It was a tedious grind mechanic.

I got [Did Somebody Order a Knuckle Sandwich?] from punching baby mammoths in Dragonblight.

[sociald1077]

Why on earth would you only raise one weapon skill if you used all types of weapons? I remember going out with greens to level skills so I was ready for any drop. It did not add depth, only a time sink. That's why it's bad. If the game was based around creating you class or spec by the weapons you use, you would have a base for bringing them back. But Wow has never had a system like that.

[Belloc]

It was not just a grind mechanic though.. I'm not asking Blizzard to add back a new reason to GRIND.\

Move past that and look at the REAL point. It added flavor and options to max level gameplay.

If you CHOSE to grind, that was your fault.

I'm sorry that you disagree, but it was, in fact, a grind. Just because someone might choose to raise their skills passively over time doesn't mean it isn't a grind -- it just means that they didn't care enough to actively grind it out.

It didn't offer flavor or options, it restricted options. How do you not see this? And with everyone using artifacts in Legion, all such a change would do is... prevent you from switching specs without, *drum roll*, being forced to grind!

But, most importantly, it wasn't fun. That is reason enough for Blizzard to never bring it back.

[Butterland]

Of all the things that went wrong since WotLK, this isn't one.