Hello,
I been playing a druid since the release. I know you guys don't like to read so I will try to make it short.
-- Feral is not on par with the other hybrids. --
Blizzard tried to do something in BC but as soon gear progressed the feral weakness were obvious both in tanking and dps.
This is not a so much a fault of gear as all usually said (itemization etc) but more because of talents and mechanics.
Druid is a lethal class in pvp if played well but in pve has many problems.
Now I know in wotlk blizzard wants to make hybrids perform better but how well a druid stands compared to the other classes ?
First, lets start with the talents. After 3 years blizzard finally gave to druids some of those changes the community were begging from the beginning : pots and procs, leap, panic buttons and some 5' specials.
The BIG letdown is not that they giving us what we should had years before now but they giving it as end talents.
In comparison, almost ALL classes and ALL trees instead of 3-5' specials have new spells and abilities that work every 10 seconds (average) or gives them or new tools to play with.
The biggest changes in feral are the "defensive stance" sort of (like the other tanks) for bears and a 3' minute special for cat.
Problem is nothing new that enhances our functionality (pve).
Bear situation.
Now that armor and (probably with end gear) hps will be more close to the other tanks, bear mitigation still relies on dodge.
Yet a Tier6 Bear can't do this : because of the mechanics.
No block (or sufficient dmg reduction), not enough heal and dps.
(t4 pala survived)
As you can see clearly no matter our hps and dodge we are still inferior to the other tanks.
Cat situation.
First let's not make fools of ourselves. We are (pre wotlk patch) the worst hybrid for dps and as it looks like we will remain the worst.
Blizzard added a 3' special "ala adrenaline rush" we wanted years now, a new finishing move "ala rampage or slice and dice" and a talent for shred.
Thing is when we talking for constant DPS, Berserk plays a minor role and is more for the effect.
Our dps cycle is much more complicated now with savage roar and rake but it's not more efficient.
Take a look what dps do : a moonkin with 700spell, an arms blue /green warrior, a t4 paladin and a t6 shaman in comparison to cat.
Not to mention their new spells and abilities to play with their dps is far better than cat.
I know I don't have the best gear around but I've seen t6 druids and the do mostly the same.
All classes received new spells and talents and we got what ? a 3' special ?
Druid functionality remains the same and in comparison with the other classes and hybrids we feel gimped.
Take a close look to the other classes or hybrids. Do you think we still "look" as cool and perform the same?
I am posting this here because for some reason I can't post on wow forums in a futile attempt for blizzard to rethink the ferals.