Upcoming warlock changes; Ritual of Summoning

[LavaDuck]

As we have mentioned, we are discussing some exciting changes to how soul shards might work. This is not an announcement of an overhaul to that system, but it will make shard use slightly less painful.
When a warlock casts Ritual of Summoning, instead of creating a portal, they will summon a new creation similar to a dungeon meeting stone. It will cost one shard to create this item. Then, anyone in the warlock’s party or raid can use the “meeting stone” to summon other members of the group. For example, once the warlock summons the stone, then party members B and C could summon D without the warlock’s direct involvement, and most importantly without requiring additional shards. You will be able to bring the rest of a 25-person raid quickly (since you can summon folks simultaneously), for the cost of a single shard, and with less clicking on the part of the lock.
The “meeting stone” will last 5 minutes with a 5 minute cooldown. It will not be usable in areas where summoning is currently restricted, such as battlegrounds or in combat. Creating the stone still requires 2 people in addition to the warlock. Summoning actual party members only requires 2 people.
This change will be in for the next patch, which will occur before the 3.1 Ulduar content patch.

Source: http://blue.mmo-champion.com/9/69718...ng-change.html

What do you think? Will it make summoning less of a hassle?
I think so, atleast you dont have to spend as many shards as you do now.

[Ektoplasme]

Summoning was PART of the problem. I see that as a huge improvement already. Thanks Blizzard!

[Datix]

I'm pretty sure that our shard problems are 100% not related to summoning... /facepalm blizzard

I'm pretty sure you never did a marathon on the Headless Horseman or Coren Direbrew. It's a PIA to remember to replace the shard you blew to summon in the new group member.

Also, if you ever farmed Karazhan, you know the PvP-fest that made it impossible to use the meeting stone, leaving it up to the lock if we wanted to get going quickly.

[Crusemissile]

This is a great idea. Use of our soul shards is directly related to farming to this is a part solution to the problem

[Wolfmarine]

I think its great much better than that portal (easier summoning etc.). At least it looks better ;D ;D

[Datix]

We also have to remember...it's a start. They aren't done fixing our shard system yet. I'm not really sure what they plan to do. I mean, they still have even larger soul bags available to us for Northrend. I can see a couple of solutions based on that:

1) Make the shard bag something that fits inside our other bags, giving us back our 5th bag slot and only using one inventory slot to hold it. This probably won't happen.
2) Make shards stack to 5. A 32 slot soul bag would then become a 160 shard bag. I like this idea too, but I don't know if they want us to have to use LESS shards, or just have a more efficient manner of transporting a large number of them (reducing the amount of "shard farming" playtime needed).

Eh, either way I'm just excited to see what they come up with.

[Aknot]

I'm pretty sure you never did a marathon on the Headless Horseman or Coren Direbrew. It's a PIA to remember to replace the shard you blew to summon in the new group member.

Also, if you ever farmed Karazhan, you know the PvP-fest that made it impossible to use the meeting stone, leaving it up to the lock if we wanted to get going quickly.

Change the level requirement on the stones. Dont know why it is there as it is so easily circumvented anyhoo..

PvPfest? On a PvP server maybe.

[Datix]

Change the level requirement on the stones. Dont know why it is there as it is so easily circumvented anyhoo..

PvPfest? On a PvP server maybe.

Still a pain to run out of the instance, summon, then run back in for each person.

Yes...I'm sorry that I didn't clarify that? Carebears probably had a picnic before entering the raid.

[Aknot]

Still a pain to run out of the instance, summon, then run back in for each person.

Yes...I'm sorry that I didn't clarify that? Carebears probably had a picnic before entering the raid.

Yes because we are much more efficient with making sure our people are where they are supposed to be and on time. Cant help it if you are afraid to show up in a common area on a PvP server early.




<he started it>

[Reubicant]

Ugh, I saw the headline and thought it was a overhaul of PET summoning.... blah what a disappointment. It's cool and a welcome change, but it's trivial.

[Datix]

Yes because we are much more efficient with making sure our people are where they are supposed to be and on time. Cant help it if you are afraid to show up in a common area on a PvP server early.




<he started it>

<it was a joke> (You also implied by your message that the problems encountered on PvP servers shouldn't be factored into the designer's decisions.)

[Aknot]

<it was a joke> (You also implied by your message that the problems encountered on PvP servers shouldn't be factored into the designer's decisions.)

uh... You chose a PvP server. The meeting stone is there to use to summon people. You want an easier way to "avoid" PvP on a PvP server in a common area.

To take an already ingame "mechanic" and mentioning you want it changed (or circumvented) and or the change helps because of PvP implications on a PvP server is kinda funny.

For that just make a "safe" zone near all the summoning stones. That way you can summon and avoid PvP while attempting to summon.

Crap for that matter put the summoning stone INSIDE the instance. That will relieve the Lock/Shard issue, keep lower level people out and no PvP.

I dont think a 5 shard stack will fly either thats a lot of fricking shards. How bout a 2 shard stack?

[Datix]

To speak to your original statement against my first post, I was merely stating why this change is a boon rather than a "ho-hum" addition to our mechanics. I said my piece in that post, and at this point I've postcounted +3 with mindless back-and-forth.

I don't know why you've singled me out here, but if it helps you, I will concede to your ideas being better than mine. I'm not in any mood to play the flame game anyway. Waste of my time. +2 Internets to you sir.

[Aknot]

I don't know why you've singled me out here,

Gee the Carebear comment probably helped out a lot.

[Arkke]

Soul shards are fine; maintaining them is never a hassle for more than the two minutes it takes to find a mob, kill it, and drain a shard off of it. This change is great, and will definitely save time farming shards, but don't act like just because we have to gather up a reagent for spells that it's the end of the world.

PROTIP: If you're running out of bag space because you have one shard bag, learn to manage your inventory better. I have a soul pouch AND an herb bag, so running with a backpack and 2 extra bags I've never had any problems managing my inventory space. I'm not a packrat; if I don't need it, I sell it. If I really want it that badly later, I can just use all the money I've made to buy it again.

The system is fine. I think it's some individual Warlocks that are the problem.

[p0rkjello]

I don't really see the use in these. I mean, there already are summoning stones. meh

[DressdtoKill]

Soul shards are fine; maintaining them is never a hassle for more than the two minutes it takes to find a mob, kill it, and drain a shard off of it. This change is great, and will definitely save time farming shards, but don't act like just because we have to gather up a reagent for spells that it's the end of the world.

PROTIP: If you're running out of bag space because you have one shard bag, learn to manage your inventory better. I have a soul pouch AND an herb bag, so running with a backpack and 2 extra bags I've never had any problems managing my inventory space. I'm not a packrat; if I don't need it, I sell it. If I really want it that badly later, I can just use all the money I've made to buy it again.

The system is fine. I think it's some individual Warlocks that are the problem.

Really, it's fine? Wtf do you sell and buy back later?

One bag for soulshards, a bag to hold PvP gear so I don't have to the bank everytime I wanna go into a BG, possibly resist gear (SR gear for BT anyone?), raid food/buffs, pots, various quest items and stuff you could use along the way, etc. It's all a matter of convience, and the less bank trips the better. The fact that we have one less bag automatically is a handicap, not a fair one I might add. You can manage all you want, but we've all been there: bags full fo junk from questing you can't wait to sell and you go to pick up your last quest items with no room. Given it's not hard to trash greys, but we shouldn't have to run out of space faster...running on my paly I didn't realize how big a hassle it is to have one less bag, or rather how much nicer it is to run with 5 instead of 4 (lock is my main).

In either case, I have no idea what you talking about...

[Aknot]

I don't really see the use in these. I mean, there already are summoning stones. meh

I do and I dont. However I don't think this is quite the "solution" people were looking for. I mean honestly why not have a solution or 2 and throw it out to the community....

Hey we have these two changes its going to be this or this. Talk about it intelligently in the next week and we will decide then.

[Kangg]

meh hunters have the same prob.

we get to carry PvP gear, resist gear, pet food, pots, buff foods, elixers, Bandages etc...

atleast locks dont have to feed their pets.

[Reubicant]

PROTIP: If you're running out of bag space because you have one shard bag, learn to manage your inventory better. I have a soul pouch AND an herb bag, so running with a backpack and 2 extra bags I've never had any problems managing my inventory space. I'm not a packrat; if I don't need it, I sell it. If I really want it that badly later, I can just use all the money I've made to buy it again.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you have no pvp gear and you carry one stack of healing potions. Am I close?

No one runs out of bag space because they hold onto vendor trash or their old tier 3 set in their bags. Carrying 2 full sets of gear (pvp/pve) and a full gauntlet of consumables (I use alot) is enough to start feeling the bag space pinch, and when farming or questing, a couple stacks of cloth or mats for whatever profession you have will send you to the vendor or mailbox prematurely and frequently.

Depending on the amount of stuff that your game play merits keeping in your bag, it's annoying and it's something you live with. But when they improve the quality of life for Rogues and Shamans who have a lot less inventory limitations than Warlocks and Hunters, that's when we start to say "well what about us?"