A differen(?) approach to enhancement gameplay

[Deleted]

So, after thinking about how i would like to "fix" the problems i have with enhancement (mainly being cd locked and having different buttons which do not have that much of a synergy) i came up with the following stuff:

Instead of using lightning bolt after randomly generating maelstrom stacks, we generate a resource we call "overcharge" (but which can again be called maelstrom(?), or sth else better suited) by using stormstrike and earthshock. "Overcharge" allows us to use, either, instant lightning bolts and chain lightnings, or, transform in our ascendance form, which gives an overal damage buff, drains "overcharge", and removes "overcharge" generation from stormstrike, but increases its damage (maybe also transformation of lightning bolt and chain lightning to something with more "oomph"). The numbers should be balanced in such a way that using "overcharge" on lightning bolts would give you more sustained dps, while using ascendance gives you more burst dps.

(Also, having high "overcharge" charges should give a unique animation in which our character "charges up", having lightning flashes all over our body, similar to how destruction warlocks "burn up" with more embers)

To this end, the cooldown of stormstrike would be reduced to either 2 or 3 gcds, depending on the flow of the rotation.

Lava Lash and Searing Flames would work as they do now, however i would like to decouple searing flames from the searing totem (by any method. I think there are several suggestions floating around)

This might feel a bit too much like the new demonology warlock rotation, just with an elemental flair instead of a demonic one, but i am not really sure.

What do you think?

edit: to elaborate further: the interaction with ascendance is not really required for the above approach to work, i just added it because i thought that it was "cool". Ascendance could just as well remain as a CD which does not interact with "overcharge" in any way.

I really dislike Blizzards tendency to hide a lot of damage output of different classes in passive effects (such as maelstrom generation and the damage buff stormstrike gives), and imo, more active gameplay feels more rewarding. Above approach decouples using lightning bolts from a passive effect (maelstrom weapon) gives more interaction between stormstrike and lightning bolts outside of the damage buff.

in all honesty though, "overcharge" still feels alot like rage from warriors, which probably is not good (even though enhancement shamans follow the archetype of elemental warriors, or spellcasting warriors)

[Raiju]

Yes, I thought I was in the warlock forums for a second. No ty.

[Potsu]

Enh is unique amongst all the classes in WOW in that we don't have any resources. Our resource is that all our abilities have CDs. If you don't like it, there's plenty of other melee classes with resources you can choose. I like not having a resource dump or a combo builder or a filler spell to fish for procs.

[Deleted]

put in an edit in the OP to further clarify, but your points are all true

[melzas]

Sounds like your played your demo warlock too much latetly...

[Felocity]

Yes, I thought I was in the warlock forums for a second. No ty.

lol woah, me too

[whyabadi]

Yes, enhancement is unique in having only short cooldown attacks and no resource system. So were almost all specs at some point, but they have all evolved to have resources and the ability to "bank" them except for Enhancement and Elemental.
Note that the same argument can be used against giving shamans Ascendance; "If you like burst cds, then play Arcane, or Ret."
The ability to "bank" resources has been given to most specs in WoW, in the form of energy, demonic fury, rage, burning embers, holy power and others. It promotes skillful play and more interesting gameplay decisions.

[Advent]

Yes, enhancement is unique in having only short cooldown attacks and no resource system. So were almost all specs at some point, but they have all evolved to have resources and the ability to "bank" them except for Enhancement and Elemental.
Note that the same argument can be used against giving shamans Ascendance; "If you like burst cds, then play Arcane, or Ret."
The ability to "bank" resources has been given to most specs in WoW, in the form of energy, demonic fury, rage, burning embers, holy power and others. It promotes skillful play and more interesting gameplay decisions.

I do bank my resources. I call it waiting X amount of seconds before hitting that cooldown that just came up so I can burst something down. Works fine.

[whyabadi]

I do bank my resources. I call it waiting X amount of seconds before hitting that cooldown that just came up so I can burst something down. Works fine.

Hitting your abilities on cooldown is not "banking" your resources. It is the exact opposite in fact.

Edit:
There are interesting ways to implement some form of banking for enhancement while maintaining the soul of the spec. Example:
The Gathering Storm passive
For every second you are in combat and Stormstrike is ready, you gain increasing bonuses which reach their maximum after 10 seconds. [reduced by haste]. Using Stormstrike consumes this effect.
Stormstrike range increases to 30 yards.
Stormstrike deals up to 100% nature damage.
Gain 30% melee haste.
This effect is disabled while Ascendance is on cooldown.

[whyabadi]

Whatever the problem might be, its solution is NOT to allow enhancement to use Ascendance for the duration of a fight. As far as resource system goes, I agree that having something designed for the spec might be good, but not something too radical. Maybe allow maelstrom to stack above 5 stacks and add another spell to the mix. Again, not an overhaul or anything.

The bonus is reset after using Stormstrike. Sorry for the confusion.

[Malcanthet]

Whilst I agree that there some issues with Enhancement, Searing Flames/Totem being one of them, the spec has not really been in as good a place as it is now. Just because other classes have resource play doesn't mean Enhancement has to have it. Not all change is a good thing. I've played Enhancement since day I started playing this game (beginning of TBC) and I've always loved the fact that it feels different from anything else I've tried. I always come back to this one class and spec, warts and all, I love the playstyle and it's dynamics.