Time to just have 1 spec?

[Reyuna]

We know that the pure tax is a reality. We know that classes with only a single DPS spec are catered too in every situation (because they need to be), so are therefor good at ST, cleave, aoe, etc etc.

Mages have been lumped with 3 very "meh" specs that we constantly have to farm AP for, farm legendaries for, that can change over-night because Blizzard get mad that one spec is being favoured over the other two, so in terms of "balance" they need to make sure all specs are mediocre.

I put it forward that it's time to do away with Frost, Fire and Arcane and just become actual Mages again, with spells from all schools, and one single balanced spec that is only as good as the players skill level allows.

[stevenho]

Cool april fools story 3/10.

[Tellof]

We know that the pure tax is a reality.

lul, then you must never play hybrid classes, because the hybrid tax has been a thing for basically forever. This is the first time in a very long while, if not ever, that mage has not consistently been top tier DPS with 1-2 specs at all times.

Secondly, the specs are not "meh". Each is very distinct in its play style, has strengths and weaknesses, and is arguably fun to play. The assertion that you must spec swap is a perceived issue, perhaps because you spend too much time looking at the Warcraftlogs stacking. The reality is that if you were a hardcore enough raider to require you to spec swap to the FOTM, you would have already been farming a main in addition to at least one alt - so your complaint about having to farm for multiple specs is really no different than what hardcore raiders already go through. If you are instead not a hardcore raider, then your personal skill level has a much higher impact on your performance than the spec does, and you probably aren't pushing enough progressive content to require you to min/max to the fullest extent such that your spec would mean the difference between a kill or a wipe.

Homogenizing mage into a single spec would cause an absolute uproar, and go against spec identity that many people actually enjoy. This would also go against all precedent that the game has had, and require Blizzard to always make mage unconditionally competitive because you can't just go to an off-spec if the latest tuning pass wasn't kind to you.

The real problem is the required time investment in artifact power and legendaries, NOT the existence of the specs. People always complain about how dumbed down and boring the game is, and when Blizzard takes steps to try to get players to commit to a certain character path then the same players, or others, complain that it's too time intensive. There used to be a time where re-spec'ing wasn't even possible in many games, and usually those are the times people most fondly reminisce over with their rose-colored glasses.

they need to make sure all specs are mediocre.

You just seem kind of bitter... Fire and Frost have each had an opportunity to shine as #1 spec this expansion. Fire started off being super desirable in just about all content, and Frost is very competitive currently.

[Fleckens]

Hello, I'm a shadowpriest, Please do inform me what this aoe you speak of is?

[Aphrel]

Or they could just give all pure dps classes one spec for another role. Be it tank or healer.
I whould be compeltly fine with demolock tanks or archon mage tanks. Hunters could get a botanist healing spec instead of surval and rogues some avoidance/parry tankspec.

[Nitros14]

Arcane has been balls this entire expansion except for a week at the start if you could keep 100 stacks of quickening. It's demoralizing. I want to play arcane.

[Obelisk Kai]

I'm tired of being on a DPS roundabout. Three specs, two of which are 95% identical and we spend the entire expansion hoping that the one we like the most comes out on top so we can play it for a little while before it inevitably falls behind or is nerfed.

I fully support some measure of spec consolidation just to end this ridiculous process that has gone on for a decade yet nobody regards as abnormal. It is just bad game design and we tolerate it for no reason.

It used to be Fire on top. Now it's Frost. After the balance pass it could be Arcane. And then it will be Fire again. Or Frost. And on and on it will go and no matter how much Blizzard claims we should be able to play the spec we want it will never ever happen. Something will always be best.

[Nihiel]

... just to end this ridiculous process that has gone on for a decade yet nobody regards as abnormal. It is just bad game design and we tolerate it for no reason.

Ahahaha you're making it sound as if you're being abused. Grow a pair, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezz. If it's too much for you to handle, go spriest/boomkin/ele and enjoy being below the pures 4 out of 5 times.

[Obelisk Kai]

Ahahaha you're making it sound as if you're being abused. Grow a pair, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezz. If it's too much for you to handle, go spriest/boomkin/ele and enjoy being below the pures 4 out of 5 times.

You know what? I don't care. I don't care about the issues hybrids face. Do hybrids face issues? Yes. But you know what? Pures have issues too and it would be nice to have a discussion on those issues without every hybrid who reads these forums screaming about it.

[Nihiel]

You're saying it would be nice to have a discussion about the issues pures face.... Ehhh, okay? So having 3 specs is an ISSUE? Well alrighty then, guess there's nothing else for me to contribute with to this "discussion."

Enjoy your sobfest, I'm sure you're right that every mage wants and needs to join your rebellion and stand up against the abuse you've been facing since vanilla launched. Vive la Mage!!! All for one and one for all!!!! No more class distinction!!!! One mage spec!!!! We won't take the abuse no more!!!! Wahhh!!!!

A small addition before I leave you to it; if you care enough about spec balance and performance that you'd switch spec every patch to conform to community perceptions of what is viable, you don't seem to belong to the segment of players which actually needs to concern themselves about this kind of stuff. Play what you want, or quit the game to escape the abuse. lol

[Tellof]

You don't seem to belong to the segment of players which actually needs to concern themselves about this kind of stuff.

Basically what I said to the OP. People act like they MUST play the top spec of their class as if the one that fell out of favor is "literally unplayable" or "nerfed to the ground" or whatever cliché complaint they use these days after tuning passes aren't nice to them. The fact is that spec balance has been much worse in past expansions (WOD Survival Hunter, anyone?), and pretty much everything is viable to 99% of the player base... the other 1% is going to accept tuning as a fact of life and not complain about it.

[Rootkitt]

Or they could just give all pure dps classes one spec for another role. Be it tank or healer.
I whould be compeltly fine with demolock tanks or archon mage tanks. Hunters could get a botanist healing spec instead of surval and rogues some avoidance/parry tankspec.

Nah mages would be an alter time healer, altering time to reverse wounds.