Moonkin PvP and Blizzard's Perception

[sc2071]

Quoted from a blue post appearing on the front page:

I'm going to talk mostly about Arenas here, because I think that's where most of you are coming from. BG balance is a surprisingly different beast, and the one on one "ganked in Stranglethorn" or duel situation is just a lot less important.

The way I approach Balance balance (rimshot) in Arena is in terms of comps. If I'm putting together a 3-player team, why do I want the Balance druid? You can joke about how you're a free kill or whatever, but I honestly don't really think that's the issue. Druids have CC and survival tools and a great debuff and I don't think it's just as simple as buffing those (unless they were silly OP like Stunfall was).

I think the issue is comps. What does a Balance druid bring to the table? Why have one instead of just getting e.g. a mage, hunter or shaman? Yeah the obvious answer is to give everyone some form of Mortal Strike. We don't think that's the only answer though. Even if you assume MS is mandatory, there are enough classes that have it now that you should be able to bring MS and a healer and have room for a Boomkin as your third. That won't mean within the matrix of classes that every possible class combo makes sense, but it should mean that there are some comps that make sense.

So what do Balance druids need before they look super attractive for a 3-player team? One answer is that they aren't bringing enough unique utility that druids themselves don't bring. Cyclone is awesome, but Resto druids and especially Feral druids have it. Another answer is that they probably need a little more on-demand burst. I'll argue with anyone who thinks Balance druids don't bring a ton of damage when they are left unmolested. However, they don't always have that on-demand big hit to finish someone off when they're low.

I was a Boomkin in TBC. I never did much Arena. but a lot of Battlegrounds. I found it very fun, but balanced.

When Wrath hit I was Boomkin all the way to 80. I even PvP'd for about 90% of the experience it took me to get to 79 to the level cap. Again it was fun, and it felt balanced. However, against some classes I would get destroyed. I often would get level 71 Warriors blade storming me to about 40% health! This is while I'm in the crafted rare PvP set. But because I had the level advantage in these situations, I didn't mind so much.

Once at 80 it was a whole other story. I get it that some Boomkin's are very skilled, and because of their skill can compensate for the shorting comings of being a Boomkin. But I'm not that player, I think many aren't that player. And of the three specs for Druids, Boomkin is the most difficult... perhaps the most difficult of all specs in the game.

Reading Blizzard's post here, I don't think the problem is a Boomkin's DPS potential. I think the key statement here is, "I'll argue with anyone who thinks Balance druids don't bring a ton of damage when they are left unmolested." But it's getting left unmolested part that is so difficult. Playing other range classes like the Hunter, Warlock, or Mage just seems like their tools for escaping and keeping enemies at range simply work BETTER than a druids.

Let's see what we got here:

• Roots - It costs casting time, and can only be applied to one person. Compared to Mage's Frost Nova which is instance and freezes multiple enemies.
• Entangling Roots - Well, it's instant, but it requires you to be hit. And you don't exactly want to come into melee range if you can help it.
• Travel Form - I associate this with a Mage's Blink or Warlock's Teleport abilities. It offers us an escape, but it's relatively useless. Most melee have multiple ways to close the gap instant and hit you with a slow debuff. Meanwhile, you're extremely fragile cause essentially you are just in caster form.
• Typhoon - I do like this ability, but it takes some skill to use properly. Let's face it, the game can lag, or if you're lesser skilled you're aim could be fatally off. Compared to a Shaman's Thunderstorm, I think this ability is weaker.
• Healing - We can drop our form and go healing. However, we are extremely vulnerable in our caster form. Our healing isn't as strong as a Resto spec Druid, nor do we get the added survivability that Tree form and other talents provide. Compare this to a Shaman or Paladin which their armor and shield defenses remain the same.

And the key trait of being a Boomkin is the bonus to armor. Unfortunately, armor in PvP means so so much less these days. Damaging attacks hit harder than ever, and melee are in the habit of stacking armor pentration gear. It makes the benefit of the armor bonus more and more worthless compared say to be able to block with a shield, ice block, or lean on your demonic pet for extra health.

I don't want Boomkin's to become Mages or another other class. I like it that it can be a spec with it's own unique way of range DPS. However, our given survival abilities just don't work as well as other range classes. I think they need to be re-evaluated, and perhaps even re-built completely. What good are sky lazers when you're stun locked and steam rolled 90% of the time!?!

[anyaka21]

As in all things pvp, melee tends to dominate. They have escapes and gap closers (with the exception of paladins)

feral is just a better way to pvp, better damage, automatically uncrittable and with a big health poll increase too and that just from the stats on the armor.

Feral has cyclone, roots, faerie fire, only thing you lose is typhoon, which was always situational anyways. And you have additions like charges, bear armor and bear hp's too, a decent hot with frenzied regen if needed, etc.

Bottom line with Boomkin in arena is, if you want a competitive team, there are better options.