[Poll] Should Searing Totem Go?

[HardlyWaken]

So with the ability pruning going on, they're removing some stuff from all classes. Good riddance to Stormlash, in my opinion. It's my PERSONAL belief that they could have cleaned up the Shaman bars a little bit better, however. Personally, I hate Searing Totem. It's weak, doesn't work with other spells in any meaningful fashion (even less so in WOD for Enhance), it's an annoying immobile low damage dot, essentially. I feel like that space could be better utilized without it, and from what I can tell, the only reason it's not being axed is because it's a bit too "iconic" for shaman... (Shaman since vanilla, btw)

I think it just needs to go.

Should it go, yes or no?

[Goondicker]

I voted no. I think totems need to stay, mainly for the reasons you stated. They're just too iconic and central to the shaman identity.

That being said, I feel like they need some serious reworking. The game has progressed a lot, but totems feel very dated and clunky now. They definitely seem like a nusiance at times. Instead of a straight cut, I'd just like to see them (searing totem specifically) have better function/mechanics.

Maybe enhance shamans "carry" the totem, much like the challenge mode gear graphics? Maybe elemental drops one on each lava burst cast (that would shoot say, 5 bolts and despawn). Just some thoughts.

Also, thanks for making a good poll. So many on the forums here are biased as all hell.

[thewallofsleep]

I agree that totems need a drastic rework. Dropping totems feels pretty unintuitive and "clunky".

[HardlyWaken]

I voted no. I think totems need to stay, mainly for the reasons you stated. They're just too iconic and central to the shaman identity.

That being said, I feel like they need some serious reworking. The game has progressed a lot, but totems feel very dated and clunky now. They definitely seem like a nusiance at times. Instead of a straight cut, I'd just like to see them (searing totem specifically) have better function/mechanics.

Maybe enhance shamans "carry" the totem, much like the challenge mode gear graphics? Maybe elemental drops one on each lava burst cast (that would shoot say, 5 bolts and despawn). Just some thoughts.

Also, thanks for making a good poll. So many on the forums here are biased as all hell.

I could see that. I do like totems, but personally, they've slowly changed to (imo) nothing more than group buffs that are immobile and killable, but otherwise, no "stronger" than a typical utility. Because of that, I sort of feel like they just shouldn't be targetable/killable anymore. I know that kills the counterplay but... I just feel like its only fair...

I also have always loved the idea of carrying totems, and could even come in the form of a Minor Glyph to allow carrying them versus putting them on the ground. Carrying them would be cool because it'd remind me of the old Element's shouldres:
http://www.wowhead.com/item=42951/my...hots:id=275278

Either way, I do think they need massive changes because they just don't feel very good anymore...

And for Searing, i still would rather it go. I know it's unique in that it's our only totem we keep out the entire fight, but when it works with abilities (like lava lash) it feels AWFUL, and when it's just a minor dot it feels awful... I'm really not sure how to make it in such a way that I don't loathe it... :/

[Vexfu]

Yes Please, Remove that ish. It always feels weird and not worth it. Totems can be so clunky, they always feel like a "I have to" instead of a "I get to"

[HardlyWaken]

Yes Please, Remove that ish. It always feels weird and not worth it. Totems can be so clunky, they always feel like a "I have to" instead of a "I get to"

That's a really interesting way to put it... I agree, actually.

[Raugnaut]

Currently, Searing Totem provides ~5% of your dps. Next Expansion, due to the many, many buffs to Searing Totem's damage, its closer to 20% of your overall damage. So Searing Totem is now akin to auto-attack for Elemental/Enhance.

[Emophia]

I don't mind totems in general, but I hate searing totem, especially in PVP.

I would enjoy seeing it removed for enhc.

[tru]

I agree that totems need a drastic rework. Dropping totems feels pretty unintuitive and "clunky".

With celestion doing a bang up job for class direction... yea it wont change sadly

[HardlyWaken]

I don't mind totems in general, but I hate searing totem, especially in PVP.

I would enjoy seeing it removed for enhc.

As ele, i wouldnt mind it gone neither, tbh. A stationary part of your dps just doesn't feel very fun, especially given its relatively "meh power". Like I said. I just don't feel like it's necessary- outside of saying "its been here forever so it shouldn't go", but I'm not sure I agree with that notion anymore.

[foxHeart]

Please get rid of it. It's a prime example useless, quaint bloat. The reason that it has stayed around so long is a total mystery.

@Aedras Yes. Not removing Searing Totem because it's iconic, useful, is movement DPS, and acts as a platform for totem gameplay. - Celestalong

Just lol at this.

[HardlyWaken]

Please get rid of it. It's a prime example useless, quaint bloat. The reason that it has stayed around so long is a total mystery.

@Aedras Yes. Not removing Searing Totem because it's iconic, useful, is movement DPS, and acts as a platform for totem gameplay. - Celestalong

Just lol at this.

Sounds more like "won't be going away because otherwise we'd have to rework the 100 talent).

Though instead, the 100 talent could just be its own totem and remove searing. I'd rather that...

[Omanley]

Basically either make it good, or remove it. The problem with making it bursty is that it'd be yet another dps cooldown, so not likely. If kept as the always-up totem blizz wants to keep for their "totem platform" or how they like to call it, it shouldn't deal to much of our overall damage, and maybe give it mobility, to ensure you dont lose it's damage all the time when an enemy jumps behind cover, or out of range, or destroys it (not mentioning AI).

[shamantime]

I would really enjoy seeing Searing Totem burn but, if they won't do that atleast rework it like HST to some extent.

[l33t]

Yes, either make it a dps cd or remove.
I don't get this idiotic homogenising stuff. Why all classes must possess a dot? They mustn't. Let some have dot-based gameplay, let others have dotless gameplay. Let some classes have great sustained damage, let others do burst one. Let players choose what playstyle they want. Bingo. Welcome to the Old Warcraft way of making things work.

[Zylos]

Perk: Whenever you lava lash summon a searing totem (only one searing totem can exist per shaman).

[Eliot123]

Pleeeeenty of ''iconic'' abilities got the boot so easily people are probably already forgetting they exist. Searing Totem should definitely be one of them.

[shamantime]

Yes, either make it a dps cd or remove.
I don't get this idiotic homogenising stuff. Why all classes must possess a dot? They mustn't. Let some have dot-based gameplay, let others have dotless gameplay. Let some classes have great sustained damage, let others do burst one. Let players choose what playstyle they want. Bingo. Welcome to the Old Warcraft way of making things work.

It isn't really a dot. It's a totem that casts X damage ever sec over 60 secs, a pseudodot at best, but then you can say a Lock's imp is a pseudodot too. Shaman do possess a dot and come WoD it will be just as important to Enhance as FS is important to Ele, it will reset your Lava Lash which is your heavy hitter.

[Raiju]

Perk: Whenever you lava lash summon a searing totem

I made it better for you

[HardlyWaken]

I wouldnt mind it so much if they made it non-attackable and just a part of the shaman, like back-carried. I just really dislike how totems work atm in general, I think, but this one in particular just feeds the ability bloat and does very little (if anything) to enhance play.