Killing Spree: yay or nay?

[Linneth]

A question to the Rogue community:

What do you think about Killing Spree? Is it a clever skill which requires thought from the user or is it a random suicide device? Would like it to stay as it is? Perhaps some minor adjustments? Or would you rather kill it with fire (BY FIRE BE PURGED!)

My opinion is that as boss mechanics have been gradually gotten more complex it has become a hindrance to Combat. On bosses like Ragnaros during phase 1, 2 and 3 post-fix you knew where you would land, allowing some strategy to its usage. However on phase 4 it was rendered useless because it would teleport you to those teleport beacons instead of the boss.

Then you have bosses like Elegon during phase 3, where using it will most likely kill you (using it at the pillars is suicide). But how do you know beforehand if it will kill you? On some encounters like Madness you can't use it at all, on others there are teleport beacons and, in this case, there's just death. It seems like playing russian roulette.

[Squirl]

Something more controllable would be nice. The KSp revision shown at Blizzcon was pretty cool, but not really necessary.

On Stone Guards, I usually use at least Feint before KSp. Sometimes CoS. Trying to use it while chained to a healer or ranged DPS that refuses to get on top of me is no bueno.

Being able to maintain my position would be best. Something like this:

Killing Spree
10 25 yd range
Instant
2 min cooldown
Requires Melee Weapon
Step through the shadows from enemy to enemy within 10 yards Attack your target every 0.5 sec with both weapons until 7 assaults are made, and increasing all damage done by 50% for the duration. If not in melee range of your target upon activation, you step through the shadows, appearing behind your target. Additional activations cause you to step through the shadows, appearing behind your target. Cannot hit invisible or stealthed targets.

[Deleted]

Trying to use it while chained to a healer or ranged DPS that refuses to get on top of me is no bueno.

That's my whole problem with it. While Killing Spree is one of my favorite abilities in the game, it's a pain to use because in some cases it requires something not related to me or my own ability to use this ability correctly. The Stone Guards are a great example, if someone is chained to me I can't always use it. And sometimes I get chained as I use Killing Spree resulting in me not being able to move for 2.5 seconds.

I also hate how you can't always fully control where you go. I remember a heroic Zon'ozz attempt where I, I kid you not, got teleported across the room over 50 yards away and started the attacks against the orb.

[phenom568]

It my favorite ability in game. The only change I would make is when you are using it you are invincible that plus the glyph solve alot of the death issues. Though this just leads me to a rant about how stupid it is that you are penalized in combat if you can't use your cds on cd.

[Firebert]

It could do with minor adjustments.

Not having it end and make you fall through the world to your death would be a start.

[shadowboy]

Needs to do fewer hits with a bigger damage bonus. 7 hits is too long. In T16H when we're swimming in haste it will become a problem. It needs a (major) glyph to give the option to focus on your current target.

The cooldown that needs a revamp, imo is adrenaline rush. From 100% energy regen, 20% attack speed to straight up 50% haste, imo.

[Deleted]

I think Killing Spree is kinda okay. Sure, you can't just blindly use it on cooldown, you need to think before casting. But for every situation where you can't use it or it's risky, there is another one where it actually gives you something nice in exchange - KS + BF is a nice damage boost, it's a nice burst that can be used for example on Elegon sparks, it allows you to stay on a boss' back even when it's moving away, it breaks roots and can help when you are snared, ...

And Blizzard actually put some effort into encounters to make KS safe - think about Madness or Ultraxion.

That you can't use it absolutely everywhere? Well, Killing Spree is certainly not the only ability with such limitations, what about Shadow Dance?

Also, /cancelaura Killing Spree /cast Cloak of Shadows can prevent accidental deaths.

[Vinho]

I've fallen through the world to my death a couple times so fixing that bug would be great.... Oh and let me cast it on targets in the air again please.

[hoodrogue]

I voted minor changes, I'd like a glyph that makes it only hit the current target.

[Deleted]

It's ok as it is.

[Deleted]

It is, inarguably, a mess of a cooldown.
Yes, some people might like it as it is...
Some people may enjoy using it for the flair...
But neither one of those change the fact that it just doesn't work very well as a cooldown.

For PvE:
- It causes a complete lack of control of the character, inevitably causing many unforeseen deaths
- It locks our rotation in place for its duration, which would be fine if we were any other class, but seeing as energy-capping is considered a sin, punishable by death, for us, KS simply becomes a counter-intuitive cooldown, used out of "need" and not out of "desire".
- If the current target of KS runs off somewhere.... So do you...
- If you suddenly don't have a target close-by, you simply stop the KS.
- It MUST be used on cooldown, because our dps is balanced around that being the case, but with the issues above, using it on cooldown may turn out to be an issue.

For PvP:
- It causes the character to randomly lose focus of their primary target entirely; which is a major problem in PvP, seeing as it's a field mainly dominated by precision.
- The KS stops when a target suddenly disappears

It's a fun cooldown. It's flashy, it's quick, it actually does quite a bit of damage now... But it's just not a very efficient or good cooldown. It just doesn't work very well with the class, nor in general. It needs some MAJOR changes if it is to be useful as it is.
- It needs to have the option of attacking a single target available
- It needs to function as a bubble for its duration, so it doesn't randomly kill us.
- We need to have some kind of energy outlet during KS, so we don't cap while using it.

Alternatively, it could be converted ENTIRELY into one MASSIVE, SINGLE, BLOW..............! If it was, it would definitely work out perfectly fine. It'd be horribly unbalanced, but it'd work as intended, without setting the rogue at any serious risk.

[theturn]

It is, inarguably, a mess of a cooldown.
Yes, some people might like it as it is...
Some people may enjoy using it for the flair...
But neither one of those change the fact that it just doesn't work very well as a cooldown.

For PvE:
- It causes a complete lack of control of the character, inevitably causing many unforeseen deaths
- It locks our rotation in place for its duration, which would be fine if we were any other class, but seeing as energy-capping is considered a sin, punishable by death, for us, KS simply becomes a counter-intuitive cooldown, used out of "need" and not out of "desire".
- If the current target of KS runs off somewhere.... So do you...
- If you suddenly don't have a target close-by, you simply stop the KS.
- It MUST be used on cooldown, because our dps is balanced around that being the case, but with the issues above, using it on cooldown may turn out to be an issue.

For PvP:
- It causes the character to randomly lose focus of their primary target entirely; which is a major problem in PvP, seeing as it's a field mainly dominated by precision.
- The KS stops when a target suddenly disappears

It's a fun cooldown. It's flashy, it's quick, it actually does quite a bit of damage now... But it's just not a very efficient or good cooldown. It just doesn't work very well with the class, nor in general. It needs some MAJOR changes if it is to be useful as it is.
- It needs to have the option of attacking a single target available
- It needs to function as a bubble for its duration, so it doesn't randomly kill us.
- We need to have some kind of energy outlet during KS, so we don't cap while using it.

Alternatively, it could be converted ENTIRELY into one MASSIVE, SINGLE, BLOW..............! If it was, it would definitely work out perfectly fine. It'd be horribly unbalanced, but it'd work as intended, without setting the rogue at any serious risk.

The problem with combat in general is that its cds have become part of the rotation so when you can't use them completely it kills the dps. Adding invincibility, using the glyph, and allowing the use of abilities while in KS would solve almost all of the problems with it and at the same time keep the fun flavor it has in spades.

[JaoStar]

Make it baseline.

[Deleted]

The problem with combat in general is that its cds have become part of the rotation so when you can't use them completely it kills the dps. Adding invincibility, using the glyph, and allowing the use of abilities while in KS would solve almost all of the problems with it and at the same time keep the fun flavor it has in spades.

The problem with that, however, is that it would be insanely, massively, ridiculously overpowered!
The burst potential of the spec would become immense! Popping Shadowblades, Adrenaline Rush, and Killing Spree would unleash a barrage of incredibly fast, armor-penetrating auto-attacks, endless streams of Sinister Strikes, and to top it off, the god-mode Killing Spree itself, which doesn't just make you un-peelable but also fucking immortal...!

It would be fucking hilarious, I give you that! But it'd never make it to live.

[Deleted]

I'd like some minor adjustments on it. It's rather good as it is but there are also a few bugs i'd like to see removed.

[Deleted]

I'd like some minor adjustments on it. It's rather good as it is but there are also a few bugs i'd like to see removed.

Mind if I ask you to elaborate? As far as I know, it works as intended. I've not encountered or heard of any specific bugs it causes. Unlikes a certain Step of a shadowy kind........

[Reclaimer]

From a PvP side of things i think there is nothing wrong with the Skill. I changed to Combat PvP and find it a great skill. Stun + Apply RS + Killing spree and wacth you Hack you target into bits. People bicthing about it hiting more people etc etc Invaild. Its all part of knowing when to use it. The skill hits hard as hell , Breaks you out of CC, Has a 2 min CD but each combo point you use knocks the CD down by 2 secs so you cant complain. Its fine how it is IMO.

[Tsuna]

I voted minor changes, I'd like a glyph that makes it only hit the current target.

I too would be glad to receive said glyph! It's ok if it's a major glyph too, swapping glyphs is no trouble these days.

[Deleted]

While the concept of Killing Spree is sound, the iterations needed to make it work in varying content by far exceeds the gains - which I guess is why it doesn't really work on a lot of content. Ranging from a minor DPS gain to a DPS loss to death, Killing Spree - at least in raiding environments - becomes a hand grenade in your palm that you kind of have to throw at your opponent, well knowing it could blow up in your face at any point that you mostly just want to get rid of.

Anecdote: today at Elegon, I needed to help out with adds spawning in P3, so we grouped them up between two pillars and I Killing Spree'd them. Except what happened was, I hit a pillar 5 times, getting zapped to death in the process and then thrown into the hole beneath. My spec's ultimate ability actually caused a massive DPS loss and unpreventable death despite being used under the very conditions for which it was designed.