Why can't casters cast while moving?

[anon5123]

After getting the legendary boots that let you cast while moving for a few seconds, I just find myself wondering why this isn't baseline. It feels absolutely amazing to be able to cast while moving, even for just those short 4 seconds at a time.

This restriction becomes especially noticeable for Shadow Priests, where if you have to move more than a little bit, your DPS just drops like a rock. On top of having bad mobility, you don't have much in the way of instant cast spells, so if you have to move for more than 1-2 seconds, you're fucked, due to how Voidform works.

I do remember at one point, I think during WoD, Hunters could freely cast while moving. That seemed to turn out okay, as far as I could tell. So...is there any specific reason why we can't cast while moving? With more and more movement-based mechanics, having to stand still to cast just seems weird and clunky.

If it's a PvP balance issue, perhaps it could be restricted in PvP areas.

[Deleted]

It's a tradeoff for being able to stand wherever you want within a 30-40 yard radius of whatever you're attacking, as opposed to a melee who has to stick close to the target at all times.

[melodramocracy]

Because there'd never be a reason to play melee if that was possible.

[Santti]

I'd imagine if Blizzard made that happen, they'd have to nerf them some way, probably by lowering their overall dps. Or make make the damage while moving pitiful enough you might as well as not do it.

[judgementofantonidas]

After getting the legendary boots that let you cast while moving for a few seconds, I just find myself wondering why this isn't baseline. It feels absolutely amazing to be able to cast while moving, even for just those short 4 seconds at a time.

This restriction becomes especially noticeable for Shadow Priests, where if you have to move more than a little bit, your DPS just drops like a rock. On top of having bad mobility, you don't have much in the way of instant cast spells, so if you have to move for more than 1-2 seconds, you're fucked, due to how Voidform works.

I do remember at one point, I think during WoD, Hunters could freely cast while moving. That seemed to turn out okay, as far as I could tell. So...is there any specific reason why we can't cast while moving? With more and more movement-based mechanics, having to stand still to cast just seems weird and clunky.

If it's a PvP balance issue, perhaps it could be restricted in PvP areas.

because traditionally a caster needs utmost concentration to cast a fireball and not incinerate themselves.

[Thetruth1400]

It's a tradeoff for being able to stand wherever you want within a 30-40 yard radius of whatever you're attacking, as opposed to a melee who has to stick close to the target at all times.

Considering that's extremely easy to do, I'd say that casters not being able to move and cast is just a relic of the past.

[WintersLegion]

Considering that's extremely easy to do, I'd say that casters not being able to move and cast is just a relic of the past.

not really it used to be that a lot of casters had at least one spell that could be cast while moving but blizzard got rid of it for most of them.

[Chasavaqe]

It's a tradeoff for being able to stand wherever you want within a 30-40 yard radius of whatever you're attacking, as opposed to a melee who has to stick close to the target at all times.

Hunters say hi.

[XDurionX]

Because otherwise noone would play melee.

[Deleted]

It's a tradeoff for being able to stand wherever you want within a 30-40 yard radius of whatever you're attacking, as opposed to a melee who has to stick close to the target at all times.

Any other game does just fine with casters being able to cast on the move. Just make every class equally interesting - currently in WoW, you've up to 10 useless or unwanted spec for the highest PvE/PvP content.

[BananaHandsB]

It's a tradeoff for being able to stand wherever you want within a 30-40 yard radius of whatever you're attacking, as opposed to a melee who has to stick close to the target at all times.

Unfortunately, at least in PVE, due to the absolute plethora of ranged mechanics, this is almost never true.

[Noocta]

Because they tried it during MoP and it was a balancing nightmare.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Old fantasy tropes mostly.

The "reality" is that every caster that isn't a complete cripple and shut in book worm would essentially be somewhat mobile while casting, because otherwise none of them would survive even 5 minutes outside of some mage enclave. The issue is that makes for quite wonky gameplay in a multiplayer game (even though hunters are allowed as well..), but is probably the case in the majority of single player games or literature.

[nekobaka]

Considering that's extremely easy to do, I'd say that casters not being able to move and cast is just a relic of the past.

Well for a while game design did shift to allow range DPS to cast more while moving. This was balanced by making ranged move more often while mele could leverage cleave abilities. Then devs gave ranged cleave and even more mobility some an absurd amount while introducing more mechanics that reduced mele uptime. This created a lot of balance issues. This resulted as per usual Blizzard overreacting and going far back.

[darklogrus]

People would still play melee because then they dont have to worry about 2/3 more of the mechanics that a ranged has to deal with this expansion.

[Nyel]

This restriction becomes especially noticeable for Shadow Priests, where if you have to move more than a little bit, your DPS just drops like a rock.

Excuse me? Shadow Priest is one of the most mobile casters in game. Please try Elemental Shaman or Destruction Warlock.

[Tradu]

Because if casters could cast while moving, there would be absolutely no reason to bring melees.

[Radaney]

For balance purposes.

Melees wouldn't exist in PvP or PvE is casters could cast whilst moving.

Also the game would be insanely easier overall.

[Tradu]

Unfortunately, at least in PVE, due to the absolute plethora of ranged mechanics, this is almost never true.

Sure, if we just ignore the decade where casters have always been preferred over melee, with NH being the only time where melee where actually stronger/more desirable than ranged.

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Any other game does just fine with casters being able to cast on the move. Just make every class equally interesting - currently in WoW, you've up to 10 useless or unwanted spec for the highest PvE/PvP content.

It has nothing to do with being interesting and everything with ranged being directly superior to melee if they were able to freely cast while moving.

[fenixazul]

Ahhh I miss MoP when warlocks were able to cast while moving