Apparently the hotfixes aren't final.

[Deleted]

From Twitter. I can't post links

Note: tuning hotfixes aren't final. We're still discussing the changes, especially to Havoc/Shadow, and following constructive discussions.

[Gorsameth]

From Twitter. I can't post links

Note: tuning hotfixes aren't final. We're still discussing the changes, especially to Havoc/Shadow, and following constructive discussions.

They go live in 3 days. Sorry if I am not confident they can fix the damage in that time.

[l33t]

They go live in 3 days. Sorry if I am not confident they can fix the damage in that time.

Why, I believe we all can agree that Mind sear buff is too much and they really should revert it. With 50% buffed mind sear people will be doing 4 times the damage of a battle pet in dungeons, which is unacceptable.

[Deleted]

let's just cross fingers....maybe they received too many insults/treaths on twitter and actually noticed that was actually pretty stupid nerf

[KaPe]

They'll probably withdraw the Void Torrent change. It's something that affects more than just Surrender to Madness and neither Mind Spike or LoTV deserve any nerfs. Dispersion will probably stay, since it was supposed to be a defensive cooldown, not an offensive one.

Also, Holy Nova will get nerfed by additional 33%, so it will finally match Mind Sear.

let's just cross fingers....maybe they received too many insults/treaths on twitter and actually noticed that was actually pretty stupid nerf

I actually hope they didn't, as they'd use it as a "proof" that they can't listen to the community feedback.

[Deleted]

Also, Holy Nova will get nerfed by additional 33%, so it will finally match Mind Sear..

I kinda wished it was the opposite, buffing MS to HN damage would have been awesome. 50% just isn't enough.

[zito]

I don't understand why they think a 50% buff would be fine? Like there is no point in using it over just tabbing shadow word pain on everything.

Honestly if should apply a DoT if there are 4+ targets hit by it, like bring back devouring plague. Mind sear applies DP if the main target has VT and SWP and mind sear hits at least 4 targets.

[Zephirdd]

I don't understand why they think a 50% buff would be fine? Like there is no point in using it over just tabbing shadow word pain on everything.

Honestly if should apply a DoT if there are 4+ targets hit by it, like bring back devouring plague. Mind sear applies DP if the main target has VT and SWP and mind sear hits at least 4 targets.

tbh the 50% buff would place mind sear above mind flay against 2+ targets. Doesn't mean it won't suck against 20+ targets due to how our ramp up works, but at least it's a decent buff on the 2-5 target area.

I believe there was some math where sear is better than casting mind blast at 5+ targets too?

[KaPe]

tbh the 50% buff would place mind sear above mind flay against 2+ targets. Doesn't mean it won't suck against 20+ targets due to how our ramp up works, but at least it's a decent buff on the 2-5 target area.

I'm not sure why exactly this would be a bad thing. It's not like Mind Flay is some amazing damage spell and thus having something even better would totally imbalance Shadow. Hell, at higher Voidform stacks, you barely use the thing and simply juggle VB, MB and SW.

And if that's really a huge problem, then they should buff Shadowcrash and Mind Spike instead.

[EyeceeA52]

Uhhhhhhh..... on a 3-5 target that stays up for ~ 1 min+ you can SW:P everythang, VT everythang, then just Mind Sear everythang. Snipe SW, and then have insanity to go voidform and do it again. non-stop voidform madness

Honestly, theses nerfs are not even that big to us. People are just making it a big deal. Let's be honest, the nerf to dispersion makes sense. It's too strong if you had relics to further reduce CD. Something had to be done. The VoIT I am not in favor of because THE ability TO STOP and INCREASE insanity drain, stack increase WAS THE FEELS. It's like taking the Chocolate Dip off the Chocolate Dip Doughnut and still have the nerve to call it a Chocolate Dip Donut.

Mind Sear has always been terrible for Shadow Priest except for ICC. I have played a Shadow Priest since BC every expansion. It's had it's moments but overall it has always been overwhelmingly disappointing. With this straight buff, combined with a future gold talent that lets you spread dots with first mind sear, and the additional mind sear dmg increase from Artifact, I think this will scale really well. Especially if it SPREADS THE DOTS FOR YOU.

Patience my Shadow Priests. Patience.

JK

RIOT. IF THESE CHANGES GO THROUGH I WILL MELT YOUR MINDS BLIZZARD!

[Gorsameth]

tbh the 50% buff would place mind sear above mind flay against 2+ targets. Doesn't mean it won't suck against 20+ targets due to how our ramp up works, but at least it's a decent buff on the 2-5 target area.

I believe there was some math where sear is better than casting mind blast at 5+ targets too?

The problem with Mind Sear being our AoE ability is that it is merely a filler. Its not a decent buff in the 2-5 target area because your replacing a low damage filler with a low damage aoe filler.

We need an AoE ability that we want to cast over something like Mind Blast when facing 3+ targets.
Something like Shadow Crash with a much lower cooldown baseline.

[Woop Woop]

The problem with Mind Sear being our AoE ability is that it is merely a filler. Its not a decent buff in the 2-5 target area because your replacing a low damage filler with a low damage aoe filler.

We need an AoE ability that we want to cast over something like Mind Blast when facing 3+ targets.
Something like Shadow Crash with a much lower cooldown baseline.

Exactly, I just can't see the point of an aoe filler when we have dots. Mind Sear will be awkward to use, doesn't matter if it ticks for 100k.
We need an aoe burst type spell, mind spike could easily be designed to be just that.

[Durand]

I'm not sure why exactly this would be a bad thing. It's not like Mind Flay is some amazing damage spell

The biggest issue is that one of our golden traits is tied to casting Mind Flay, so the buff to sear makes that an even worse trait

[Ilfayt]

I'm not sure why exactly this would be a bad thing. It's not like Mind Flay is some amazing damage spell and thus having something even better would totally imbalance Shadow. Hell, at higher Voidform stacks, you barely use the thing and simply juggle VB, MB and SW.

And if that's really a huge problem, then they should buff Shadowcrash and Mind Spike instead.

The problem with further buffs to mind sear and, hell, the current listed buff, is that it dampens synergy and uniqueness of those other talents, and then some. It's not just Mind Spike and Shadowcrash, but also Fortress of the Mind and Void Ray(which probably needs to effect Insanity gen as well as damage to some point). It's a lot of talents effected by one change, because we were DESIGNED around Mind Sear being so weak.

Also, I wouldn't buff shadow crash's damage, instead I'd make it effected by Haste for the CD. That's one reason I'm not all that attracted to it, it's damage doesn't scale up at all with haste whereas Mindbender does, and Power Infusion, well it feeds us so much haste in and of itself. Shadowcrash is only going to get worse compared to the other 2 as we get more gear.