1. #1

    [Feral] Challenge modes

    I am quite interested to see what other Kitty druids think of challenge modes. I realize that the gold time should be reachable with any set-up, but how do we compare with other melee DPS when trying to go for the fastest time in a guild or even on the server? I love my kitty to bits, being my first character and all, however I dont feel like I have as much utility as other classes. I havn't tried them myself, and only came back to the druid for the release of MoP so I am no expert, but even comparing druids to a rogue, the rogue seems to come out on top for speed runs.

    The group invis, TotT, vanish for mob reseting just seems so much better than our druid abilities. Plus it is way easier to mob switch on a rogue, whereas the feral feel is to just sit on one mob until you have got a few finishers off until it is worthwhile switching (less freedom is the point im trying to make). Yes we have roots and what not, but it just feels a bit... meh.

    But anyway, this isnt a QQ thread and I havnt tried it out for myself, I would just love some opinions of some of you

  2. #2
    I'm really not all that excited about the prospect of challenge modes for ferals. Gold times, and beyond that top leaderboard spots, aren't just about DPR, they're about the whole package of the class. And ferals have a number of disadvantages that I think are really going to hurt them overall.

    1) Damage ramp-up time. It takes a long time for a feral to hurt something. Sure, their sustained damage on a raid boss is pretty good, but when the targets are individual trash mobs (and the trash DOES MATTER in a challenge mode run), it's much less. Even discounting the whole Savage Roar nonsense, something as basic to our damage output as Rip is going to be incredibly problematic. A full-duration Rip is going to be near impossible to get in a challenge run, yet the assumption that it is there is core to our DPS balancing in general (mostly due to raids).

    2) Lack of control. Feral CC options often require unshifting, which is generally bad and has a much larger cost associated with it than other classes have. If I switch off to hit Bind Elemental on a Shaman, that's a lot less of an investment away from my damage output than it would be to cast a similar spell as a Feral. Predator's Swiftness helps, but you can't rely on that to put out the fires in a gold run.

    3) Which means we're left with the other situational utility effects, which basically consist of Maim and Skull Bash. Ferals are one of only two DPS to have their interrupt cost a primary resource - the other is Windwalker. And Maim, well. Maim is just kinda sad, and always has been.

    Now, ferals do have some things going for them. Durability is pretty high, especially since they let us keep Survival Instincts. Self-healing is useful too, I expect a lot of ferals going for gold are going to have to start using Predator's Swiftness much more effectively than we've had to raiding, as well as the tier 2 talent. I expect the cat glyph to be pretty popular.

    No, I'm not particularly encouraged.

  3. #3
    Deleted
    Hello, to adress some of the concerns you are having regarding the comparison with for example rogues here is my thinking:

    1. Damage ramp-up. Yes it normaly takes some time to ramp up for us kittys, however with the new symbiosis we are actualy able to get "redirect" to counter this situation some of the time. yes ofcourse it depends on having the right setup, but i should help.
    2. Regarding the cc options, we still have hibernate. but the big win here is actualy the talent natures swiftness. This lets us on a 1 min cd use either hibernate OR cyclone IN FORM. that is a big thing guys.

  4. #4
    Yeah I suppose we do have our strenghts. I hope it will end up being more about the player infront of the screen than the class

  5. #5
    From my understanding of challenge mode and challenge gear Feral ramp up will be very slow and and it won't be possible to just tank a huge group and AoE them down. I haven't seen the dungeons but in a situation where you are using CC and Dpsing 1 or 2 targets at a time Feral is going to do very poor. Without drastic changes to the rotation the only way to make Feral viable in challenge modes is to give them permanent stampeding roar. I'm sure some other classes have problems as well but Feral is certainly near the bottom. If the Blizzard vs Blood legion challenge proved anything it is that Challenge mode is about bring the class not the player.

  6. #6
    Trash + swipe, best aoe eu just mass pull and keep pulling, pop cd's on bossea and enjoy 100k dps for 20 seconds, gg wp

  7. #7
    After watching Blood Legion, it kinda proves you can't mass pull in challenge modes. The mobs appear to hit harder than normal

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