Hello all,
Long post incoming!
TL|DR at bottom.
I was looking through the talent trees, and both BM and MM have a certain feel to them. They really bring out that Handler/Archer feeling.
I think SV doesn't have this.
I imagine SV as the trap/explosives master. He is the one who goes fishing with dynamite, and who sets a huge ass trap that blows mammoths to pieces.
So in that regard, i have a few suggestions that would change the FEEL of the spec. (and in some way the game play, but not much)
Black Arrow:
It shares CD with trap spells. I think the first thing they should do, is remove that restriction, and tone down the damage of Immolation Trap and Black Arrow a little. This way, we can use our stuff, AND traps, as the specialists we are.
New 31 pointer:
This might sound drastic, but i would switch Black Arrow with Trap Launcher.
Yes this means Trap Launcher should be SVs 31 point talent, that also increases trap effectiveness by 20%.
What would happen to BA? It would be baseline, in place of TL. At level 48 as i heard now on Beta.
Why would BM and MM be able to handle traps as SV? What would they use Trap Launcher for? Of course for Immolation and Explosive traps. All other traps can be managed without the need to shoot them. So this way all specs get a ranged dot, other than Serpent.
Related change of T.N.T: Since now both BA and Immo can keep ticking on the target, i would nerf this talent to a two pointer: 4/8% (read below why).
Wyvern sting re-imagined:
First off, i would rename this to Heavy Shot.
Description: You fire a Heavy Shot that incapacitates the target for 10 seconds (like repentance) and splashes Napalm over the target. The next fire based attack (explosive shot, or a fire trap, or even a Mage's fireball) will ignite the napalm and burn the target for (more than Wyvern sting now, because it's easier to get out of this, plus it has a shorter duration).
Noxoius Stings re-imagined:
I would rename this talent to Chemistry.
Description: Increases the damage done by your napalm and cobra shot by 5/10/15%, and increases your damage done to targets affected by Serpent Sting by 1/2/3%.
Since the new mastery of SV is elemental damage, and since BM hasn't any talents that specialized on Cobra Shot, i would ninja cobra shot as the replacement for steady shot in the use of SV rotation. I'm not sure about the damage increase in the chemistry talent for cobra shot, i would bring it up only to the level of steady shot, maybe for it to do 10% less damage, as it does nature damage so no armor affects it, and we increase it's damage passively with our mastery.
Hunting Party modified: We all know that the Windfury effect will be incorporated in to this talent, but i would like to further emphasize the importance to use only Cobra shot, so i would make the effect trigger off Cobra Shot only.
Improved Hunters Mark
SV has a lot of fun talents, some improve defense the others help situational offense. I think the tree looks quite all right, except the first row, where there is no choice. You have to take both talents to move on.
As i see it, improved hunters mark was removed. I liked that talent, because it gave meaning to marking up targets.
I think it fits well in SV, as it's kind of tracking related. This talent will be very simple, as a first row talent:
Improved Hunters Mark: Increases your hit chance on targets you marked by 1/2/3%.
Since now we have a new 3 pointer there are two talents i would decrease to two pointers:
Entrapment: 2/3 second and T.N.T: 4/8% (read above why).
TL|DR version:
Black Arrow: baseline at level X, off the trap CD, but with decreased damage.
Trap Launcher: the new 31 pointer, that also increases trap effectiveness by 20%.
Heavy Shot: (in place of Wyvern Sting) Incapacitates target for 10 seconds and splashes Napalm over the target. The next fire damage on the target will ignite the napalm that will burn the target over time for X (more than now Wyvern) damage.
Chemistry: (in place of Noxious Stings) Increases the damage done by your Napalm and Cobra Shot by 5/10/15%, and increases damage done to targets affected by Serpent Sting by 1/2/3%.
Hunting Party: Increases your agility by 2%, and your Cobra Shots have a 50% chance to trigger Efficiency, that increases melee and ranged attack speed by 20% and grants Replenishment.
Improved Hunters Mark: New first row talent: Increases chance to hit your marked target by 1/2/3%.
Entrapment: Now 2 pointer, 2/3 seconds.
T.N.T: Now 2 ponter, 4/8%.
I hope you like my suggestions, please share your thoughts!
I would also like someone, who likes my suggestions and is still subscribing, to post this on the official forum, because my account is iced till Cataclysm! Thank you!