i dont know.....i was destroyed by the Cataclysm notes concerning resto druids. ive been searching countless posts only to find that many (long time) druids feel the same about losing Tol form. Aside from being vastly disappointed with the changes, i actually thought losing tree form was acceptable. i pvp a lot, and in my opinion switching back and forth to tree to heal and cast MF and IS, can try a druids patience very quickly. But as I finished reading, i felt deeply disturbed with all the imortant information left out by blizzard. As well as all the seemingly backwards explanations as to why the changes were made.
To me, Blizzard could’ve explored countless paths when they decided to "mess" with resto druids (to put it lightly). Being able to cast select balance spells in tree form would have been awesome (please give me feedback on this!) . We loved tree form, and the (rather small statistically) resto druid community just wanted new artwork for tree form. And for the longest time , we have asked over and over to be able to cast some (not all, that’s OP) spells in tree form. All we were missing was a CD ability, now having tree form become that cooldown doesn’t sound right as many times I say it in my head. All druids know that depending on what your spe’ed as for you may have missing slots when your in tree form (im not including cc abilities, warstomp, poisons, pvp stuff etc). Wouldn’t be more logical if trees got a nice cooldown while still in tree form, or only in tree form to increase healing abilities, healing output, damage done from moonfire anything!! It seems that, 1. Your making these changes solely to please new customers for Cataclysm 2. Your making something that is a signature druid ability, into a warlock like ability that they themselves don’t like.
but no....they decided to completely change a DEFINING aspect of the class into a CD. now as awesome as that change sounds. They completely leave us in the dark about all our armor, health, healing, and stat bonuses when we shift to tree form. Also, about the future play-style of both resto PvP and PvE. I mean.. I got a VERY clear picture of what they wanted to do to boomkin. And if bli$$ didn’t already put a bad taste in my mouth I would still be spec’ed balance. Nevertheless they made the changes, and adds to balance very clear. Actually, going as far as to give players some good insight on the different solar and lunar "cast bars" (or whatever your calling it). I mean its sad enough that bli$$ard gave druids two inadequate pvp trees (feral,balance). Only to fix small problems, ferals have been crying for since BC and finally fix a whole spec which was flawed from the beginning (moonkin). It practically held no viability in pve, and is currently still a joke in pvp. And again Bli$$ is only fixing these obvious changes now in Cataclysm, hmm…
With Resto's you basically say, “here..you get nothing really new. Oh, and.. yea, and were gonna completely change around tree form WTF... then you don’t even go in-depth about the changes AT ALL. listen i dont care about the Look of tol form. And if your going to make it on CD anyway, Why Bother Revamping It! This could be a crazy buff to Resto's actually. I just wouldn’t know it yet, from the sparse information Bli$$ gave us. it doesn’t take a genius to look at the ToL talent, read it, and wonder, Gee..I wonder How making ToL on CD a good thing. When I first tried to post this I was banned from the forums for a day because of the caps, so they say. I was online last night and was amazed at the wow.com interview. He went on and on about balancing the druid class, and trivial matters like players not being able to see gear. Any self respecting druid will tell you all that information was clearly laid out to them when they choose a shape shifting class. He then had the audacity to mention some dumb poll, that was flawed anyway, 2 of the questions were essentially the same to begin with. It was right there I realized that Bli$$ is just a business just like McDonalds or Burger King. And all I was thinking was “wow, so is it eventually going to happen moonkin?” I could imagine it.
“Well many people didn’t even like the look of moonkin form to be honest. We figured that although moonkin form gave the druid calss flavor, that all it contributed to balance spells, flavor.”” The super massive wave of new worgen druid customers demanded the end of moonkin form, and the ability to cast in caster form exclusively.””After some brainstorming (and a meeting with the sales dept.) We decided that, you know what they’re right.” “Enter balancing the druid class rhetoric here . I mean it’s the mirror spell in the balance spec, what’s up with that they could’ve done away with it also (annoyed sarcasm).
Hey, if it turns out that caster form will be innately buffed with the same Tol form stats, mana reductions, and healing bonuses, then that’s fine by me. But that’s really, the only way I would be able to live with these changes. If druids will finally get the little op stint without nerfs that would be refreshing in a world of burst damage which im sure cat will become. When everything is said and done, if our heals are downgraded, if my armor isn’t buffed the same, and if we don’t have any defensive resto spells, this is gonna be really bad. Im aware of the buffs to all Hots and Dots but, this is a general buff which will affect everyone. Never said they had something special for us. I mean if they make us as nice as the vanilla days that would be nice but I think they favor pallies to much for that.
I know very well that it will not compensate for missing our ToL form. and the CRAZY part is that I’m pretty damn sure there will be absolutely no other class wanting more information about what the heck happened to their class, and their specs. i mean the most beneficial thing resto's got was a MUCH NEEDED update to regrowth. I really don’t care about now having any new healing spells, but damn man..... still no form of shield, no RELIABLE stun (we miss so many bashes in bear form while specced resto BTW). I mean the mushrooms are nice but you said its primarily for balance, unless there will be a glyphed version, I see it at a VERY MILD pvp effective spell.
so please blizzard take some time from the epic paladin post and just fill us druids in. may not make a difference to you but it will make or break the future of this account.
P.S. Besides the new druid (10/25 icc) gear which is lackluster (IMO dont kill me) compared to other classes. and being that im forced to keep some t10 I really don’t want to see my gear and a lot of other (full time) druids feel the same way I do (well horde anyway). Why this would be such a BIG factor as to why ToL form is "no more" is completely beyond me.
P.P.S this post is not to talk about how "cool, Awesome" Wild Mushroom is. Because it is not, and it is not what this post is entitled. id appreciate if experienced resto druids (primarily in PVP) give me good feedback. if you think im wrong, or right, I dont care, just please be mature about it.