Suggestion:1-free Artifact respec with Hotfixes

[Xadefinn]

Hi All,

Its been well publicized the challenges that come with swapping between specs due to the artifact talent trees. It makes perfect sense that players will want to play the strongest spec and choose to dump their AP into the corresponding artifact. So what happens when changes are made, like the impending balances updates?

There is precedent for this. A close analog to the current artifact trees are the old player talent trees, prior to dual spec. Respeccing was possible, but at a price. In old times it was gold, now it is a trait's worth of AP. But if large changes were made your talent tree was reset and you could rechoose, free of cost.

I don't see it unreasonable to offer the same when artifact balance changes are made. Your spent AP is refunded and you get a 1-time chance to respend. Even an in-game notification that "changes have been made" so players who don't frequent the forums aren't caught off guard when their artifact is suddenly devoid of points.

I'm curious about the community thoughts on this topic. Does anyone have a better solution?

[Regalbeast]

This goes against Blizzards goal: to make all specs viable. By letting players switch AP between specs for free they would be admitting that one spec is better than the other.

[shonist]

im bussy playing the game.

[Xadefinn]

This goes against Blizzards goal: to make all specs viable. By letting players switch AP between specs for free they would be admitting that one spec is better than the other.

I don't disagree, the goal should be maintaining viable specs across the board. But part of the fun of using a talent tree system is planning out the path you want to take. Balances changes mess with that, and its outside of the players control. Having a 1 free respect allows you to make informed decisions and would be a feel good moment.

[Deleted]

Which specs do drastically change, so that one spec becomes better than another?

[pmkaboo]

sure why not. if anything this would allow the developers to balance properly without worrying about keeping the top spec at top.

[Xadefinn]

Which specs do drastically change, so that one spec becomes better than another?

In the upcoming balance changes an example would be DPS warriors. Most have probably gone Arms, since it was one of the strongest DPS options at launch. However with the changes, Fury should be much more competitive. Giving warriors a chance to rethink their choices when these updates go live would be a nice option.

[Regalbeast]

In the upcoming balance changes an example would be DPS warriors. Most have probably gone Arms, since it was one of the strongest DPS options at launch. However with the changes, Fury should be much more competitive. Giving warriors a chance to rethink their choices when these updates go live would be a nice option.

Blizzard will just say that artifact knowledge lets you play catch up fast.

[Alyajna]

I agree with this, and really I'm surprised they haven't said they're going to do it. It was said all over the place that they would not make such huge changes for this very reason, and yes we're less than a month out and already these were huge changes - both buffs and nerfs.

Personally, I play a mage and I've always loved Arcane. I wanted a staff. But with the data available to me a month ago, Arcane was very very bad and would not be viable for much of anything. I picked fire, despite not really liking it much. Now that I've devoted all AP I've gotten into that and Arcane is being buffed to a playable state, I'm disappointed. We don't yet have the artifact knowledge levels to make respeccing easy at all.

[Xadefinn]

Blizzard will just say that artifact knowledge lets you play catch up fast.

You are probably right. I am just looking for a better option. The community can provide some great ideas, and contrary to what some people think, they do listen if the ideas are good enough.

[Regalbeast]

You are probably right. I am just looking for a better option. The community can provide some great ideas, and contrary to what some people think, they do listen if the ideas are good enough.

The problem is that providing 1 free AP refund isn't a feature, it's admitting that a spec is failing or that they made a mistake. I see where you are coming from but I can say with 99% confidence that it will never happen.

[Otimus]

I agree with this, and really I'm surprised they haven't said they're going to do it. It was said all over the place that they would not make such huge changes for this very reason, and yes we're less than a month out and already these were huge changes - both buffs and nerfs.

Personally, I play a mage and I've always loved Arcane. I wanted a staff. But with the data available to me a month ago, Arcane was very very bad and would not be viable for much of anything. I picked fire, despite not really liking it much. Now that I've devoted all AP I've gotten into that and Arcane is being buffed to a playable state, I'm disappointed. We don't yet have the artifact knowledge levels to make respeccing easy at all.

Man, I went fire on my mage alt the other day. I pretty much only ever play arcane, and would have preferred that. Now I wish I had waited. Now I won't be able to change it back till I'm 102 On the upside! At least I haven't really played it at all yet past getting the weapon, so there's that going for me! I'll just stockpile what little AP I do get and pool it all in when I switch over at 102.

[Greylan]

We definitely need a free respec with changes this big -- I like all three of my specs and am happy to play any of them, but after this much time invested in just one it's bad practice by blizz to make changes this big with no recourse for the players.