Moonkin patchnotes

[Deleted]

Blizzard certainly did what they said in making it from hard to learn, easy to master to easy to to learn. They just forgot about the hard to master part. Although in saying that what can you really hope for? Pretty much every spec has been brought down to a level where playing it near optimally seems ridiculously easy.

could you eleborate why the beta version is easier to master than current live?
on live, whatever happens, you will cast the same spell as your optimal rotation dictates: you have to get to the next eclipse.

In the WoD version, if get hindered by something (like moving or inc damage/CD usage), you have to adjust what you'll next cast depending on where the eclipse moved to. That seems harder to master than live, but I might be overlooking something... it also seems more active play style to me (act on eclipse, rather than other way around)

(note: I don't have beta acces)

[Glurp]

could you eleborate why the beta version is easier to master than current live?
on live, whatever happens, you will cast the same spell as your optimal rotation dictates: you have to get to the next eclipse.

I never said it's easier. Also MoP Boomkin is arguably one of the most dynamic specs in the game. If you think it's static then you're horribly mistaken.

[huth]

It's kinda static in a Patchwerk situation, but then, which isn't.

Any complaint of the spec being "if x, do y" is kind of silly anyways, because that could be applied to just about anything ever, given fitting x and y.

[morislayer]

Here is some alpha pvp, from moonkin pov.


Few Notes:
-In one of the video's the duration of SI was 5 seconds..I tought it was 12?
-Lmao at that stellar Flare animation
-He had Ca glyphed in and it only seemed to consume a charge when he used an offensive spell. Would seem like a o brainer but the glyph did not specify.

Thanks for the video. I didn't really notice the rising falling animation on top of the druid but it did appear to brighten as you got closer to eclipse states. Looked really cool.

Second, besides the OP deeps (which will be toned down no doubt) how was the "pruning" effects on gameplay? Looks to me like it was much easier then live, but actually still has the dynamic play of live which is great. I didn't watch all but I am wondering how you performed in a defensive mode without NG / NS , etc... I saw you were locked out, but thats not as big of a hurting being nature locked on a rdruid.

Seems like mobility is still there. I'm actually pleased with this video and can't wait to do this live. Also, 311K health is wtf... Still bursting that down is what 3-4 globals? Damage is still too high compared to health tbh. Looks like the core mechanics of moonkin pvp are the same as now with many fluff spells gone, so maybe they did a good job??

[huth]

Thanks for the video. I didn't really notice the rising falling animation on top of the druid but it did appear to brighten as you got closer to eclipse states. Looked really cool.

At 2.10, look at the right side of the animation. There's a small "ball" of fire that shifts down a few seconds later.

The pruning isn't all that noticeable, since we didn't really lose much. MF/Sunfire is one button now and you use Starfall differently, but for the most part, that's it. It's much more important to keep track of your Eclipse bar now since you can't just count your casts.

Not sure where you're seeing 300k getting burst down in 4 globals. Seems to take quite a bit longer to me, not to mention that it doesn't fit when the really big hits are somewhere around 40k.

[morislayer]

At 2.10, look at the right side of the animation. There's a small "ball" of fire that shifts down a few seconds later.

The pruning isn't all that noticeable, since we didn't really lose much. MF/Sunfire is one button now and you use Starfall differently, but for the most part, that's it. It's much more important to keep track of your Eclipse bar now since you can't just count your casts.

Not sure where you're seeing 300k getting burst down in 4 globals. Seems to take quite a bit longer to me, not to mention that it doesn't fit when the really big hits are somewhere around 40k.

Watched again, K I noticed it @ 2:10, but looks like the "brightness" was more of an indication to me. I will probably just move the eclipse bar in WoD to underneath.

As for burst, well the first @ 0:35 - 0:55 was 20 seconds so not bad, he basically got him with his pants down. For whatever reason I thought was 2s with a Rdruid...Need coffee before posting because I didn't notice rogue bursted him to 75% and they together did 200k damage in 10 seconds (1:40-1:50). At work so no high quality as well in my defense XD.

Pruning I mean in defense. But it looks like SI with rejuv was fine in this. I'm always looking on live to see when Symb, barksin, NS, NG and Ursoc are coming off CD. He was basically on offense the entire 3 matches, which is fine, I liked it. I would like to see how he handled getting trained. Maybe typhoon, displacer beast will be enough in WoD since others are losing gap closers / silences as well.

[Deleted]

Pruning does happen on Moonkins, but due to its mechanic there is not much room to merge or cut rotationwise.
So we're losing some utility spells and some will be spec specific.

However I have looked at my druid and surprisingly I would be able to free up to 7 slots on my bars.

However I think there is still room for some more pruning to force druids more into their forms to enhance the hybrid nature. But this is just my opinion.

[huth]

Watched again, K I noticed it @ 2:10, but looks like the "brightness" was more of an indication to me. I will probably just move the eclipse bar in WoD to underneath.

Probably the low quality. It's quite noticeable ingame once you know what you're looking for.

While we did lose some defense, so did everybody else, and SI is more powerful than WL symb+Barkskin together was, plus we can keep it up for 24s if need be. Also, our T2 talents are more powerfull than before, since health was squished far less than damage.
The changes to health and stamina also make bear form more potent, as it now gives a direct 40% increase to health, in addition to being boosted to 330% armor for all.

[Deleted]

Blizzard certainly did what they said in making it from hard to learn, easy to master to easy to to learn. They just forgot about the hard to master part. Although in saying that what can you really hope for? Pretty much every spec has been brought down to a level where playing it near optimally seems ridiculously easy.

could you eleborate why the beta version is easier to master than current live?
on live, whatever happens, you will cast the same spell as your optimal rotation dictates: you have to get to the next eclipse.

In the WoD version, if get hindered by something (like moving or inc damage/CD usage), you have to adjust what you'll next cast depending on where the eclipse moved to. That seems harder to master than live, but I might be overlooking something... it also seems more active play style to me (act on eclipse, rather than other way around)

(note: I don't have beta acces)

I never said it's easier. Also MoP Boomkin is arguably one of the most dynamic specs in the game. If you think it's static then you're horribly mistaken.

ok, I got the feeling that implicitly you were stating that the "hard to master part' was forgotten and that you meant that it was easier than live. Now I got it as follows: easy to learn, still as easy to master as current live...

My *feeling* is, is that in non training dummy fights, the new way of eclipse is harder and more open for mistakes as current live. it will all depend how punishing these mistakes are though, but to me it seems that acting on the eclipse bar, instead of moving it yourself requires more assessment (and more sub-optimal plays possible) and more awareness than current live.
I'm overlooking thing most likely... Or is it just the fact that current live is dynamic based on snapshotting and beta snapshotting (except eclipse) is gone. I can see that. Still, the eclipse change itself seems (to me) to be demanding more active play. Not argueing, just asking for your thoughts on this as experienced boomie; hence my initial question.

[Juvencus]

I like how there is a visual for 90% Eclipse and at 100%-peak it glows as an indication.

I'm only bitter about NS and Barkskin loss just because they were so reliable and short cd. But I guess we will get used to it, like always :P

The starfall visual and return to mass pull era is definitely a huge plus

[huth]

You must pull all the mobs! It helps that we're now able to do it for 40 seconds straight.

[Glurp]

My *feeling* is, is that in non training dummy fights, the new way of eclipse is harder and more open for mistakes as current live. it will all depend how punishing these mistakes are though, but to me it seems that acting on the eclipse bar, instead of moving it yourself requires more assessment (and more sub-optimal plays possible) and more awareness than current live.
I'm overlooking thing most likely... Or is it just the fact that current live is dynamic based on snapshotting and beta snapshotting (except eclipse) is gone. I can see that. Still, the eclipse change itself seems (to me) to be demanding more active play. Not argueing, just asking for your thoughts on this as experienced boomie; hence my initial question.

DPS while moving is getting changed for every ranged DPS so it's hard to say what the case will actually be in raids in terms of how badly movement will effect ranged. For all we know people might just swap to Feral on high movement fights because of the gearing changes. The real min-maxing part of current Boomkin is knowing when it's worth snapshotting your DoTs and knowing when to slow down your Eclipse cycle to line up a fresh Solar Eclipse with AoE. With both of those gone in WoD it's hard to find any mechanics which people could excel at.

In all honesty WoD Boomkin looks to be something which could be played near optimally with one of those addons that tell you what button to press next.

[xtramuscle]

inb4 CLCBoomkin

[Criminalle]

At 2.10, look at the right side of the animation. There's a small "ball" of fire that shifts down a few seconds later.

The pruning isn't all that noticeable, since we didn't really lose much. MF/Sunfire is one button now and you use Starfall differently, but for the most part, that's it. It's much more important to keep track of your Eclipse bar now since you can't just count your casts.

Not sure where you're seeing 300k getting burst down in 4 globals. Seems to take quite a bit longer to me, not to mention that it doesn't fit when the really big hits are somewhere around 40k.

I am not sure the gear at the lvl 100 beta is properly itemized. The warrior did get bursted down in about 7 seconds in the second match. where the pvp pruning will be felt is with "sorta niche" spells like hibernate being gone. NS is also gone but that was used mostly for insta(clone/Hiber) or insta HT, the first which was nerfed across the board( instant cc that is) and the later which will only be felt if survivability is an issue

I wouldn't read TOO much into this video cause that was alpha and right nwo balance is very hard to kill and can push out alot of dmg( CA+3 SS spam + Stellar F). The main reason for posting was just so people can see how it feels currently. pvp is more forgiving, and one lockout doesnt guarantee death.

Also to be noted alot of classes are going to be balanced in the coming month:
-Warriors are completely useless in pvp right now. The lack of second wind and a second charge makes them MUCH easier to kite and kill.
-As stands Balance druids are very hard for melee to kill. Very rarely are they even forced into bear form and it makes a significant difference when u do choose shift form

[Dreyen]

While I do think boomkins could use a little more depth, i don't think WoW is truly that kind of game... i've tried almost every spec in the game at different expansions, and most specs are simply about doing the rotation right, while a good player can usually do more funky things to make things better/survive/etc.

TBH though, boomkin went from easy to learn hard to master to easy to play and master. Never understood why blizzard thought the boomkin rotation was any hard to learn.

[Venteus]

Anyone with beta access want to tell me what happened to the level 45 talent choice Faerie Swarm? I absolutely loved it in PvP, but with the removal of Faerie fire from balance/resto I'm curious as to what will happen with the talent.

[Owlkin]

I don't understand one thing. We need replacement for our current spirit rings/neck or not?

Current database contain spirit version only.

[huth]

We do. Spirit rings will continue to have (useless in 6.0) spirit.

[FuxieDK]

I was on Beta for the first time, yesterday, and have one pressing question: Is eclipse-bar supposed to move by itself, even when not casting spells?

It felt weird and confusing..

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone with beta access want to tell me what happened to the level 45 talent choice Faerie Swarm?

Currently it's still there, with the same wording.. Haven't tried to pick it, though..

[Deleted]

I was on Beta for the first time, yesterday, and have one pressing question: Is eclipse-bar supposed to move by itself, even when not casting spells?

It felt weird and confusing...

It's intended.