Should all classes be equal?

[FriedNublet]

The Hybrid Tax system works when there is actual utility involved. In the current system, and especially in Cataclysm, the Hybrid Tax should simply be called the Hybrid Handicap because there is nothing to tax for. In Wrath, several Hybrids (Feral, Warriors) are right up there or even above the Pure classes. That design is completely flawed since they fit the Hybrid model, but receive little to no tax. Other Hybrid specs, Moonkin and both Shaman specs, are crippled by the Hybrid Tax even though they bring little to nothing to the raid. Neither Shaman spec brings any unique utility to the raid and Moonkin only bring battle rez. The tax is applied to those specs at about a 15% dps rate, meaning that their dps is on average automatically 15% lower than an equally geared and skilled player, compared to the top Hybrids and pure specs.

In Cat, the Hybrid Tax will be impossible to justify. In the current model, the only conceivable buff that Shaman are taxed for is the ability to bring Heroism. Now that that is no longer a unique ability, their tax system should in theory completely disappear. With Battle Rez no longer being unique, assuming they go through with the Soulstone plan, there should be no reason to tax Druids either. The unique ability of Paladins is nearly canceled out by a freaking inscription scroll so they shouldn't be taxed.

No.
That is not the hybrid tax, that is specs scaling poorly which Blizzard is obviously trying to fix by messing withing the way elemental shamans work. Maybe they'll get it fixed in Cata =/. And iunno bout you, but the boomkin in my guild continually pulls 13-14k.

[Shullski]

I personally think hybrids should be able to do the same DPS as pures..because of the fact that I think most people roll a class because they like the playstyle of a certain spec.

[lopk]

As the aboce poster said, I think that hybrids should be doing the same dps as pures as well. The reason being is that a pali is a hyrid class, but while specced and geared for tanking they can't do crap for heals.

[ComputerNerd]

Hybrid tax as much as an unpopular mechanism it may be, it is necessary as at the moment, particularly caster hybrids can easily perform an off-role fairly well while specced for another.
Most notably in pvp where even a dps specced hybrid caster can comfortably toss out heals and keep themselves, if not one or two others alive and still be able to kill people.
If you want rid of hybrid tax, then your ability to perform something other than your primary spec would need to be hugely nerfed.

[Deleted]

In my opinion all classes should be equal. My very very first charcter was a rogue. I picked rogue because of its gameplay and abilitys. Not because it would top damages.
In my opinion classes doing equal damage is fair. I dont know about others, but i never pick my class to do the best damage.

[Nev12]

The hybrid tax is fine, not wtfawesomesauce, because as you can see theres plenty of hybrids topping fights in icc according to WoL logs, personal performance plays a role too, but not as much as the class which you play, scaling would be my guess why pures aren't topping in most cases.

However I do not approve of this system.

Blizzard should've made from start on all classes either hybrdis or pures, which would result in less QQ.

[pionock]

Back in BC, the hybrids were the only ones that brought the unique buffs, and because of that, they're dps was taxed because of it. But here in Wrath, hybrids don't bring those unique buffs exclusively due to Blizz homogenizing the classes. So therefore, the dps gap should be even smaller now (5% I'd say, which is currently here in Wrath) which conforms with Blizzard's motto "Bring the player, not the class" because even if your raid is composed of the best skilled players, the gap between pures and hybrids will be 5% and that difference won't be whether or not you get that kill because very few fights, if any, require you to be the highest skilled player.

Now having said that, I do believe pures should do more dps than hybrids always. Maybe not every single fights, but certainly the majority. Reason being is that hybrids do have the option of speccing into healing and/or tanking, and pures do not; and while you may not be looking for a dps that can also heal or tank in a pinch, that option is there, and there should be a tax. Just nothing ridiculous like it was back in BC.

[aether99]

in BC i disagreed but understood.

But at this point, im sick if trying to reason for something that blizzard will ultimately decide themselves. If my hybrid cant dps as well as i want in cata, ill reduce him to pvp, if he cant pvp effectively then he will become a profession slave.

[Deleted]

Actually the hybrid tax should be much greater, 25-50% and they should move away from the 3 role system and that the only way the character is useful is pushing out DPS on a boss aside from tanking or healing.

For example.. hybrid healing and DPSing in the same fight, lets say paladins and shamans.

Or AoEers, like fury warriors or fire mages. They do less direct damage but have much greater AoE damage than other classes.
or even roles like debuffing/buffing and CCing.

None of them should of course be absolutely required and the leader would have to pick what suits best for the group. For example, in 5m, a rogue would be able to disarm traps and open chests or shortcuts bringing the group more gold and making the instance faster but doing lower DPS than, say a warrior.