Permanent Wolves [Enhance]

[ShamanLicksYourFace]

Enhance Shamans would benefit greatly from a change to the current 31 point talent "Feral Spirit."

Background

In PvP our survivability and success has been almost completely defined by the ability to summon these Wolves resulting in the Specc being largely underpowered without the Wolves out. Beastcleave teams have been extremely popular recently because of this and sadly it makes all other forms of PvP a nightmare for the majority of Enhance Shamans. In a sense we are very strong with Wolves out but horrid without them.

There is even a very long thread going on about Enhance being the worst PvP specc in the game.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...99010092&sid=1

In battlegrounds Shamans are nearly always targeted first in large groups due to our dismal survivability without wolves and any other meaningful defensive cooldowns bar Shamanistic Rage. Rogues for example have free reign to completely decimate Shamans while we are completely stunned but Permanent-Wolves would allow us to do some form of dmg and have a certain level of control even when stunned or CC'd.

Change

This would be done with the use of a glyph or a talent that makes them permanent but at the same time reduces damage done, healing done and increases the cooldown on the stun.

For Example:

Glyph of the Feral Spirit - Reduces the damage of your Ghost Wolves by ##%, increasing their duration by ##%.

We would then have Wolves that are out permanently similiar to a Mage or DK pet. A reasonable solution would be to remove the healing portion of the wolves or lower it to a negligible level (1% hp per hit? or 1% mana per hit as a way to counteract the int change?).
The stun could be an ability with a 2 minute cooldown actively controlled by the shaman to allow us 1v1 and battleground survivability. And as all damage is being rebalanced in cataclysm it would be very simple to tweak the numbers to prevent Shamans from doing excessive damage (though we all know shamans don't do excessive damage).

It is disheartening that alot of shamans tend to have too much pride to admit the dismal state of Enhance PvP which is arguably the worst PvP specc in the game. There is a perception that Shamans do not want Perma-Wolves but numerous threads made by other Shamans with this same suggestion actually prove this wrong.


http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...36602522&sid=1
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...35175511&sid=1
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...61060159&sid=1
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...93119479&sid=1
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...48776695&sid=1
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...77332474&sid=1
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....41916803&sid=1

And there are more....


Further Information

People revert constantly to the argument that there are already enough pet classes when actually out of a total of 30 speccs only 8 of those have pets more importantly only 3 of them place a big emphasis on them.

Lorewise the Far-Seer Hero Unit in Warcraft 3 had the Wolves up all the time but for some reason this has been changed now which is frustrating.


There is obviously no risk of Enhance being overpowered and that is very clear, our mastery does not even affect our wolves. This could be an iconic and fun new ability for Cataclysm and it is really not that hard to implement. The recent focus on Totems though warranted sets back the progress of Shamans in general and an idea such as this should be considered as a valid fix to some of our concerns moreso in PvP than PvE though both would benefit.

So many of the so called "tools" Enhance needs to be viable are already and effectively worked into the wolves. The movement buff, stun and more readily available healing are all in place and the alternative would be to give enhance a stun and Maelstrom weapon stacks on damage taken.

So add a stun to an Enhance attack and allow Maelstrom weapon to proc off damage taken or just add perma-wolves? hmm...

I say perma wolves.

I'm sure I am not the only Shaman who would welcome such a change.

[Entalpia]

People are afraid to answer because they are afraid of other class troll spam ;p

[mercutiouk]

As per your other thread, i'd go for a glyph that turned off the other fun effects and just gave wolves and their DPS up constantly. I associate enhance quite strongly with the wolf pack they get every 2 minutes.

[phai]

I'm an enhancement shaman and I don't like the concept. I'm not a freaking hunter.

[Huntaer]

melee hunters no thanks.

[Gish]

No, now stop with these threads. Please

[Abbeel]

How about this.


Glyph of Spectral Puppies
Use: After the duration of your Feral Spirits wear off, they will assume the form of smaller, non-combat Spectral Puppies until the next use of Feral Spirit.


Personally, I think that asking to be a pet class, is like asking to have Polymorph, or asking to be a Totem class. Or for stealth.

You want to be someone you're not. Stop asking for stuff from other classes and if you're going to beg for something, be original.

I'm still all for Spectral Puppies, though.

[Entalpia]

How about this.


Glyph of Spectral Puppies
Use: After the duration of your Feral Spirits wear off, they will assume the form of smaller, non-combat Spectral Puppies until the next use of Feral Spirit.

Best... idea... ewah!!! rargh need those pupies ! ;p

[Fenrir The Phantom]

I'd rather have glyphs something close to this
Glyph of Spirits: If your feral spirit's are killed the cooldown is set to one minute.
Or
Glyph of Feral Vengence: If one of your feral spirit's is killed the other becomse enraged increasing all damage done by 50% and increasing healing done by 30%
Or
Glyph of the Frost Wolf: If one or both of your spirit companion's are killed you transform into a Spectral Frost Wolf increasing all damage done by 30% and your melee strikes heal you for 5 to 7% of your total health

[C Rage]

So, you think that just because an idea is popular makes it good? By that sentiment, we should all care more about gear score than being properly geared. But, I digress.

I think you're far too focused on the way things are now. Remember, there is a rather game changing expansion coming up in the next couple months. With it, we are gaining in greatly increased mobility which is our biggest downfall. This along with a general slowing of combat will do wonders for Shaman PvP.

Unless the tuning build screws us over, Shaman will be doing far better. All without messing up one of our most powerful survivability and burst DPS talents. I think I rather sit and wait than mess with a good thing.

[Nynax]

I like how broad minded some of you can be! /sarcasm

I kinda doubt the OP is thinking "Oh i want to be a melee hunter!" imo, wanting the spirits the shaman ask for aid to stick around more permanently is a totally natural line of thought. Could even give them a 20yd lease to the player, like the fire ele has a lease to the totem, but simply having them would make me feel more shamanistic than I do now.

The people requesting this arent looking to be hunters, or DK's or mages. Sure each of those classes have pets too, but I don't remember seeing any threads saying "unholy DK's are just melee hunters, QQ" The possibility of permanently raising an undead minion was part of the class. The possibility of having permanent spiritual aid is part of the shaman class, and there is very little of that feeling as it is.

Don't get me wrong though, I kinda enjoy the cooldown nature of wolves...but at the same time i think it would be cool to just have the spirits around to help for pve. It doesnt make us hunters, they dont have talent trees, and we dont have traps and the pet abilitys are different. it doesnt make us mages or DK's or warlocks either, all of the pet abilities are different, all of the classes play different.

---------- Post added 2010-09-09 at 12:10 PM ----------

Also, the funny thing i'd like to note about hunter's pets, is that in pve most hunters basically use their pet as a fire and forget weapon. Not much interaction there. Pvp its a little different...but really only if your using a spider/crab and for masters call...

So the signature "pet class" has less active synergy with their pets (BM has a lot of "passive" but not much more "active") than do warlocks, frost mages, DK's and enh with wolves out.

[Raqubor]

I like the idea very much, and i don't know why there are these guys who just say, no and don't even mention it again.
I love the concept of fighting alongside spirit wolves. And since they killed the melee hunter concept, maybe you should change your mindset and just call it 'new enha concept'.

Shamans already have cooldown pets. The elementals. That's why i was surprised to see these wolves as another cooldown pet.
I'd love them to be permanent, but re-tuned so they are not too powerful.

Ps.: I would love to see what class it would hurt if this change would be implemented. I mean the 22 people who voted No are probably not shamans.

[zlygork]

Glyph of the pink rage: increases the amount of time your feral spirits are summoned by ##!, also changes the appearance fo your feral spirits to that of two hello kities

---------- Post added 2010-09-09 at 01:18 PM ----------

srsly, you are asking for a magic vertion of the hunter..

[Raqubor]

Glyph of the pink rage: increases the amount of time your feral spirits are summoned by ##!, also changes the appearance fo your feral spirits to that of two hello kities

---------- Post added 2010-09-09 at 01:18 PM ----------

srsly, you are asking for a magic vertion of the hunter..

No he is not. Absolutely different playstyle. The only similarity is that Enhance shammys also have pets.
Like Warlocks, and Death knights.

[mercutiouk]

At a push i'd go for the "they hang around as a visual but can only be called on in dire need" idea of non-combat with combat mode on a cooldown.
The line of thought with the shamanism = spirit guides etc IS spot on. Perhaps not with wow lore (as we've seen this line of thought before with real world ideas being twisted to something decidedly un-wow) but certainly with most people's perception of shamanism.

A wiki search brings up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Animal
"Power animals are endemic to shamanic practice in both Eurasia and the Americas. They are the helping or ministering spirit or familiar which empowers individuals and is essential for success in any venture undertaken.

In the shamanic worldview, everyone has power animals or tutelary spirits which empower and protect them from harm, like guardian spirits or angels in the Abrahamic Traditions. The power animal may also lend its ward or charge the wisdom or attributes of its kind."

So (while trying not to fall into the "real world" vs wow lore trap) it would be entirely fitting for shamans to have an animal (or 2 ) permanantly around.

For balance purposes sure, the spirit can be called on at need. That's a VERY simple code switch too - passive only, follow only, pet bar off until the cooldowns blown.

Meh, taken the idea to European suggestion forums (with a bit more thought/tweaks).

[Guineaworm]

Enough of these "melee hunter" comments. No matter how much you dislike the pet idea, you have to admit that enhance aside from beast cleave is a near worthless pvp spec. If not perma wolves, they certainly need something.

[Mammoth]

1. Enh shamans already have the same gear as hunters. We don't need pets like hunters too.

2. Permanant wolves would have to be significantly weaker than they are now. Think, permanant wolves have no abilities, just auto-attack.

3. Current wolves are great. You pop wolves, you're doing amazing damage + self heals. Nothing is greater than an Enh Shaman charging at someone and popping 2 flipping rabid ghost wolves with his powers of the elements. Permant wolves wouldn't have the same feel.

Wolves + BL are great fun, don't get them nerfed by making them permanant.

[Omanley]

i understand why people want feral spirits passive in regards of the utility they add, but it should be fixed some other way.

[ShamanLicksYourFace]

NO, now stop this nonsense.

This is the completely useless feedback that just derails progress for Enhance Shamans.

Obviously there are some issues with homogenization if wolves were made permanent but Enhance is lacking a whole lot in PvP and unless a complete overhaul is made(which we know isnt going to happen) then why not just give us permanent wolves?

STUN + ON DEMAND HEALS

^This.

[gfodee]

If enh shamans gets perm wolfs then boomkins should have permanent trees too....dont u think? lol