On Speed of Light

[Rheckameohs]

Speed of Light
1 minute cooldown, instant cast
Increases your movement speed by 60% for 6 seconds, in addition:
Holy
Reduces damage taken by 20% for 12 seconds.
Protection
Increases damage done by 10% for 12 seconds.
Retribution
Radiates 1000 healing to allies within 10 yards for 12 seconds.

Did Metzen have a seizure or something? If not, why in the hell do these sound so fucked up?

[Deleted]

would be more fun if they were swapped around a bit

[seijo]

I read and thought the same thing... Holy bonus should belong to protection, Protection one should go to Ret and Ret's should go to Holy. It's like they purposely gave everyone the wrong one?

[Soisoisoi]

NYF.

We're not even in the Alfa yet.

[Fhi]

I read and thought the same thing... Holy bonus should belong to protection, Protection one should go to Ret and Ret's should go to Holy. It's like they purposely gave everyone the wrong one?

If they did this, it wouldn't be a 'choice' anymore, every self-respecting raiding paladin would pick Speed of Light over the other two. Which is what they're trying to avoid - not saying they've been doing a very good job of it. But the 'mix up' is intended, so that it becomes a 'utility' talent instead of a 'must-take' PvE talent.

[checking facts]

it's on purpose. they are giving you the choice of having some hybrid characteristics. you can take some punches in holy, pull more threat and help with DPS on prot or help in healing on ret.

they said hybrid classes would have some talent choices that incrise their ability to do their "other things" to give back the old feeling of being hybrid.

[Elovan]

Exactly, it's like some of the druid talents, where it increases your ability to help out in a different role. It's intended to be this way.

[Nangz]

If I had to guess? Labeling error. However, if they were swapped to the one that is "optimal" for the spec, then that talent would be a no brainer.

[Deleted]

It's obviously not an error. If you compare the talent to the alternatives, you'll see that it's pretty much a compelling choice without the spec-based bonus. If it gave damage reduction to Prot, damage increase to Ret, and healing to Holy, Speed of Light would be a no-brainer for everyone.

Which is not their intent. This is how the talent is (currently) intended to be.

[ipoststuff]

The first is movement speed increasing talents. Speed of light just has some bonuses.

I read and thought the same thing... Holy bonus should belong to protection, Protection one should go to Ret and Ret's should go to Holy. It's like they purposely gave everyone the wrong one?

if that was the case the talent wouldnt be a choice at all. We wouldnt even use it to increase movement speed.

My opinion of the talent is its cd is too long.

[Eon Drache]

Speed of Light is already the one to pick. For Protection and Holy at least. I mean, Protection never moves around in a raid, unless to turn the boss. So obviously 10% increased damage. And same for Holy, 20% reduced damage? Come on.

[Deleted]

The bonuses are not matched up correctly, pretty obvious.

[zcks]

It's pretty obvious he got them mixed up.

I mean look at all the other times he has mentioned paladin abilities which no longer even exist for his reasons for crying nerf or look at all the times he has talked about doing something for paladins only to "forget" later.

When it comes to paladins there can only be 2 explanations 1: He honestly doesn't give a shit & thus doesn't bother to pay much attention or 2: He has not idea WTF he is doing, both are completely valid options.

[Fhi]

The bonuses are not matched up correctly, pretty obvious.

It's pretty obvious he got them mixed up.

I mean look at all the other times he has mentioned paladin abilities which no longer even exist for his reasons for crying nerf or look at all the times he has talked about doing something for paladins only to "forget" later.

When it comes to paladins there can only be 2 explanations 1: He honestly doesn't give a shit & thus doesn't bother to pay much attention or 2: He has not idea WTF he is doing, both are completely valid options.

Read past the first post again, you'll find your answer.

[Splosion]

It's pretty obvious he got them mixed up.

I mean look at all the other times he has mentioned paladin abilities which no longer even exist for his reasons for crying nerf or look at all the times he has talked about doing something for paladins only to "forget" later.

When it comes to paladins there can only be 2 explanations 1: He honestly doesn't give a shit & thus doesn't bother to pay much attention or 2: He has not idea WTF he is doing, both are completely valid options.

Or that it's not meant to be a be-all end all solution. 20% damage reduction for 12sec on a 1min cd is kinda powerful for prot, as is 10% extra damage similarly for ret.

[Ap0calypse]

The Ret one is pretty stupid though. Think about it. Speed boost + healing to others near you. Whos going to be near you if your running faster than everyone else?!?

I think I'd prefer it increasing healing taken, or have the same damage reduction as Holy.

[Raugnaut]

I believe that currently, with Speed of Lights current option, it will be THE choice for paladins, or, at least, paladins wont be taking it for its speed boost.

First, lets consider the pure movement speed boost, without the extra, of all talents.
60% speed for 6 secs is actually quite nice for PvE content. There are few fights where you need to move this fast extremely often if you position yourself correctly. This is to fill the niche for big area fights like, say, Beth when you need to skeedadle asap to pick up a new add on the other side of the map. Big speed boost for a short amount of time, but long enough to move, on a decent CD. If you look at numbers, its 60% speed with a 10% uptime. Useful for all 3 specs, depending on fight. I think I can safely say, though, that this will be the better talent for Protection, as fast periods of movement where you need to move FAST, and over a good deal of terrain is relatively common.

Next, 45% speed boost when you judge for 2 seconds. Judgement has a 6 sec CD, so, it goes like a 45% speed boost with 33% uptime (2/6). Smaller speed boost, but with a higher uptime. Its niche is when you need to chase something moving fast, or for a very short gap closer (dps moving to dps spiderlings, or chasing a Son of Flame.) However, for pvp, I think it should have something like you cant be reduced below 100% of normal movement speed, or you are immune to slows when the effect is active. This can be useful for both Ret, Prot, and Holy. Holy can judge a target to quickly move, Prot, movement speed is extremely nice, Ret, playing catch-up.
I can say this, IGNORING non-speed related parts of other talents, will be the go-to talent for ret on most fight.

Persuit of Justice is 10% speed boost per charge of Holy Power. Considering that most paladins will, most of the time, be at 1-2 holy power with the new situation, and rarely at 0 or 3, I think that i can safely say that this is, on average, a 17% speed boost with an average of 100% uptime. Very small speed boost compared to the others, but significantly higher uptime.
For Ret, this is nearly useless, as we want to get as much Holy Power in the shortest possible amount of time, and spend it as soon as we get it. However, for both Protection and Holy, we can sit on, say, 3 HP for a short period of time (Why is WoG if you can Holy Light to top them off? Or the new HP moves for Prot? Why use Shield for 10% extra block if you arent taking direct damage, ect, ect) So, this will be the go-to talent for Holy, movement only consider, and situational for Prot.
A way to improve this, for all 3 specs, is when you use any ability that uses Holy Power, you retain movement speed boost equal to charges of HP used until you generate a new charge of Holy Power.

Now, lets factor in the Extra on Speed of Light. 20% damage reduction for 12 secs for Holy, 10% extra damage for Prot, and AoE healing for 10 secs for Ret. For top guilds, this right here will make Speed of Light the ONLY talent to take, and not for the movement speed, but for the bonus. 20% damage reduction can be the difference between life and death. 10% extra damage can be the difference between enrage-wipe and beating timer by 3 seconds. Healing can be the difference between life and death, not just for the single ret, but ALL melee. This talent, with the extras, wont be used for the movement, but for the bonus. The bonus becomes the main focus point, the speed movement IS the bonus.

Thus, for this talent, blizz failed. We have 2 options in order to make other talents as wanted as this talent.
A: Remove the extra, either increase the speed bonus to 80% for 6 secs, or 60% for 8 seconds.
B: Add something extra to the other talents.

I personally prefer B, since, after all, extra things are ALWAYS nice. I am thinking of extras like this.
Long Arm of the Law: When you judge as Holy, the next damaging attack you recieve is reduced by 20%. Protection, your next attack has its damage increased by 20%. Ret, you generate an AoE heal equivalent to Judgement damage done.
Persuit of Justice: Holy, you take 4% less damage per chrage of Holy Power. Prot, you deal 3.33%(repeating) more damage with all attacks per charge of Holy Power. Ret, you generate a small AoE heal whenever you generate a charge of Holy Power.

This right here will still cause the first talent to be used for its extra instead of the movement speed boost, BUT will make the last 2 more viable option to take. If anyone at blizzard has ANY balancing sense, they will probably go for option A instead of my prefered, option B.

---------- Post added 2011-11-26 at 01:34 AM ----------

I will say that, for balance, tier 2 is nearly perfectly balanced compared to the other choices. Fist of Justice is a 30yd range stun, on a 30 sec CD, that lasts for 6 seconds, compared to Hammers 10 yd range and 1 min CD. Repentence is now a cast time spell, no CD, that puts the target in a state where they cant do a thing for 8/60 (pvp/pve) seconds with a 30 yd range. Burden of Guilt is a 50%, 12 sec snare on a 8 sec CD. For PvE, you will use them as the situation calls for it. For instance, the Stun would be good on Sons, while the snare would be useful for snaring Riplimb when he fetches the spear, and Repent would be useful where you need CC.

For pvp, all 3 are EXTREMELY useful. Repent can be used to CC heals for 8/4/2 secs, Fist can be used as a stun on a short CD, and Burden is a 50% snare, making kiting a thing of the past.

I will also say that there is good synergy between talents.. For instance, Burden of Guilt, combined with Long Arm and Acts of Sacrifice prevents one from being kited. Now, if you are prot, and you have Sanctified Wrath, Long Arm, Burden, and, say Clemency for double freedom, you are suddenly an extremely mobline slowing machine, or for a single person, ON THIER FACES! (Judgement spam+constant 45% movement speed buff+50% snare+Freedom movement invulnerability for long time)

[Veliane]

They look good, I really think the Holy and Ret one should be swapped though, Ret needs that Damage Reduction and Holy that heal.

And I mean this to give the spell utility in PVP because in PVE everyone will be picking it anyway and in PVP not so much.

[Sorshen]

Maybe because in that case it would be a nobrainer to pick it over the other two?

[JeffOFth3HORDE]

I came here expecting a discussion on the actual speed of light and related things... I leave disappointed.