CATA or MOP Affliction?

[Kanariya]

Cataclysm by far. Affliction had never been more enjoyable (though you could make the argument for wotlk 3.0, I hated keeping Immolate up).

MoP completely gutted and ruined the spec. It was my absolute favorite in the game, I won't even touch it anymore. WoD looks to make it even worse with the removal of Drain Soul.

[jackvii]

I'm sure the people voicing how much they love Cata affliction would love trying to maintain 3 stack shadow embrace on most of the fights in SoO. Particularly when current affliction shines on shorter single-target fights where the initial burst carries the day it'd be disheartening to climb out of your shit-ramp time halfway through the boss fight.

[Jessicka]

I'm sure the people voicing how much they love Cata affliction would love trying to maintain 3 stack shadow embrace on most of the fights in SoO. Particularly when current affliction shines on shorter single-target fights where the initial burst carries the day it'd be disheartening to climb out of your shit-ramp time halfway through the boss fight.

By that logic, Firelands Demonology might be considered good design? Affliction is perilously close to that kind of 'first 30s perfect storm' requirement at this point.

[iriecolorado]

Last time I enjoyed Affliction I was running TK and SSC.

[Deleted]

I'm sure the people voicing how much they love Cata affliction would love trying to maintain 3 stack shadow embrace on most of the fights in SoO. Particularly when current affliction shines on shorter single-target fights where the initial burst carries the day it'd be disheartening to climb out of your shit-ramp time halfway through the boss fight.

If I wanted to play a spec that shines on shorter single-target fights I would never roll affliction. For 8 years it never was like that, and never should have been. Ramp-up was defining the spec.

[Jessicka]

If I wanted to play a spec that shines on shorter single-target fights I would never roll affliction. For 8 years it never was like that, and never should have been. Ramp-up was defining the spec.

Maybe it would be better if it started with limited resources like the other two specs?

[Deleted]

We (I believe) don't want the whole Cata package back. There were a lot of flaws in Affliction back in that time, hence why the class was so underpopulated.

Care to name any flaws?
I know there are parts of the "whole" cata package that I could live without (shadows embrace, though I didn't hate it in the slightest), and part of the MOP package I wouldn't mind taking (Soul Shard spenders), but as a whole - I'd certainly take Cata affliction over MOP affliction and don't consider the compet

I don't believe for a second the class was underpopulated due to any flaws in the spec, more the perceived complexity of it and the learning curve, since it was far harder to transition into a DOT class than it was between other ranged classes.

I'm sure the people voicing how much they love Cata affliction would love trying to maintain 3 stack shadow embrace on most of the fights in SoO.

I'd take that over not playing affliction at all because it feels crappy - it seems the lesser of two evils, and I'm fairly sure most people who prefer Cata affliction are fine with some of the clunkier components going.

Cata affliction wasn't perfect, I doubt anyone is arguing that - but it was close (and the devs seemed to agree at the time),a lot closer to perfect than the mess we have now.

Particularly when current affliction shines on shorter single-target fights where the initial burst carries the day it'd be disheartening to climb out of your shit-ramp time halfway through the boss fight.

You mean it shines in the complete opposite way to how the spec I loved used to work, where you had a slow start but gained ground over time and capped it all off with your fantastic feeling execution phase?
The fact people are promoting affliction as a burst spec should say plenty about why some people are unhappy with what the spec has became.

[vaeevictiss]

Im just gonna say, first of all, CataAff was the shit...and for all the people saying aff is/was boring, unless you played endgame BC you have no idea what boring was lol...

[Deleted]

Im just gonna say, first of all, CataAff was the shit...and for all the people saying aff is/was boring, unless you played endgame BC you have no idea what boring was lol...

Hunters had it worse!

Steady Shot > ...

[Jessicka]

Im just gonna say, first of all, CataAff was the shit...and for all the people saying aff is/was boring, unless you played endgame BC you have no idea what boring was lol...

Think you'll find it was Curse of Shadows you wanted...

[vaeevictiss]

Think you'll find it was Curse of Shadows you wanted...

hmm, thought they had combined it by then...really cant remember lol.

[Kanariya]

Im just gonna say, first of all, CataAff was the shit...and for all the people saying aff is/was boring, unless you played endgame BC you have no idea what boring was lol...

end game vanilla rotation too. I thought it was still fun though, especially getting those mega crits when the target had curse of shadows, 5x shadow weaving, improved shadowbolt debuff and nightfall (weapon proc) on it.

hmm, thought they had combined it by then...really cant remember lol.

2.4 they did.

[Nutri]

My real answer would have been TBC Affliction... but if I had to choose between Cata and MoP, it's every other option than MoP - because to me it's super boring to play affliction in MoP atm.

[Deleted]

Maybe it would be better if it started with limited resources like the other two specs?

Very much, yes.