Feral, 2h or 1h ? how will it work in bfa

[Whitepaw]

From the start, Ferals could wear a weapon in their main hand, which were typically a dagger or a 1-handed mace, and an item (for stats) in the off-hand. Ferals mostly chose to use 2-handed weapons, because the daggers and maces were typically made for healing. Why? Because all itemization was made for Restoration.

This changed when the stat Feral Attack Power (FAP) was invented. Now, we were given 1/2-handed maces with FAP (the latter part of Vanilla). Why? Because Blizzard hadn't figured out how to convert the damage stats from the weapons to our very fast auto-attack speed (baseline 1 attack per second). And remember, back then, we didn't have main hand and off-hand attacks, so we lacked the very basic game mechanics to actually dual wield.

Later, we were given relics in the item slot where others had an off-hand weapon or item. They have also been removed.

Oh, someone said we'll just use staffs and polearms as we always have. That's wrong. We couldn't use polearms during Vanilla and TBC.

My guess is that we will use 2-handed weapons. Which is really nice in my opinion, not only because I think those daggers look bad (I mog them into other dagger skins now - the irony!), but also because I think our Druid armour sets look way better with 2 handed weapons. So now, we just have to convince the devs that we need to "wear" our Legion cat skins without also having the Legion daggers visible. My guess is they'll cave in with patch 8.2.

[huth]

Later, we were given relics in the item slot where others had an off-hand weapon or item. They have also been removed.

Wrong. Relics went into the ranged weapon slot which has since been removed.

And while Druids could always equip 1h weapons in the main hand, there was rarely any reason to actually do so for Feral or Guardian since a 2h almost always provided better stats. 1h FAP weapons were a misstep on Blizzards side, there were never any useful offhands to go with them.

[Whitepaw]

Wrong. Relics went into the ranged weapon slot which has since been removed.

And while Druids could always equip 1h weapons in the main hand, there was rarely any reason to actually do so for Feral or Guardian since a 2h almost always provided better stats. 1h FAP weapons were a misstep on Blizzards side, there were never any useful offhands to go with them.

Oh, that's right. Relics went into the ranged slot, at the start to give us the stats we missed from not having an item there.

FAP weapons was a misstep, but at least we got some pretty good weapons - some of them even as part of sets with bonus effects specifically for Ferals. Full set Vanilla PvP Druid set with 3-set AQ 20 (weapon-cloak-ring) was actually ok.

[Raiz]

Anyway, close the door after signing off. Bye bye!

I have no shame leaving. If you can't even spot the irony, then blizz did a good job with you putting more money for the popular druid class you all whorship about. Spend more money, maybe they'll reconsider your option. Here. Go chew that bone and come back again like a good boy you are. Oh wait, you're a cat. Oh well, doesn't matter, cats like laser, blizz can probably work around. After all you can also shapeshift to a owl and pew pew laser right ?

I don't even know why I'm wasting my time.

Bye.

[Sylar Hao]

I have no shame leaving. If you can't even spot the irony, then blizz did a good job with you putting more money for the popular druid class you all whorship about. Spend more money, maybe they'll reconsider your option. Here. Go chew that bone and come back again like a good boy you are. Oh wait, you're a cat. Oh well, doesn't matter, cats like laser, blizz can probably work around. After all you can also shapeshift to a owl and pew pew laser right ?

I don't even know why I'm wasting my time.

Bye.

Dude, weren't you leaving? Why do you come back to answer yet again? You're such a kid that just because we have two different opinions you have the need to compare me to a dog... You're pathetic.

Nobody could spot such a badly expressed irony, by the way. I'm not paying any money, gold is useful for that. And if you don't play the game... why do you even bother to answer to a perfect stranger like me? You must be fun at parties (see, this is actually an irony)... or a very sad and bored person (this is not). Or both.

Please, don't bother replying back. Ever. To anyone. Nobody deserve such dishonor.

[Whitepaw]

I never understood why druids can't dualwield fist weapons... there's no better class for fist weapons than druids.

I totally agree! In fact, I think there was a 2-set fist weapon set in Vanilla (might have been from the original ZG), which had a 2-set proc effect. The effect gave you attack power for some seconds (think it was 10/12 seconds), but it also transformed you into a tiger-like creature, complete with a cool sound effect! Was loved by rogues.

Back then, those two fist weapons actually made those wielding them more feral than Ferals. I mean, our cat form back then...

[Polarthief]

I never understood why druids can't dualwield fist weapons... there's no better class for fist weapons than druids.

Really? You couldn't possibly think of a better class for using their fists?

[Venziir]

Oh, that's right. Relics went into the ranged slot, at the start to give us the stats we missed from not having an item there.

FAP weapons was a misstep, but at least we got some pretty good weapons - some of them even as part of sets with bonus effects specifically for Ferals. Full set Vanilla PvP Druid set with 3-set AQ 20 (weapon-cloak-ring) was actually ok.

Wrong again. Relics (idols for druids) didn't give stats until Cataclysm. From TBC-Wotlk they gave you some other bonus, like + dmg to Rake.

[Whitepaw]

Wrong again. Relics (idols for druids) didn't give stats until Cataclysm. From TBC-Wotlk they gave you some other bonus, like + dmg to Rake.

Some of them did - others just gave stats.

[Venziir]

Some of them did - others just gave stats.

Nope. Not until Cataclysm where they, specifically, changed them from basically tier bonus items to stat sticks. Just look it up wow.gamepedia.com/Relic

[Sylar Hao]

Really? You couldn't possibly think of a better class for using their fists?

Yes, really. There's quite a difference between using your fists and using fists weapons. To me monks should fight with bare hands. In fact, if you look the link you've provided, only a couple of pictures have some sort of fist weapons in it, the other are all bare hands or with bandages, while the fist weapons in WoW are all designed with some sort of protection to the hands themselves (mostly covering them) and blades/fangs/spikes/whatever attached to them.

[Deleted]

Yes, really. There's quite a difference between using your fists and using fists weapons. To me monks should fight with bare hands. In fact, if you look the link you've provided, only a couple of pictures have some sort of fist weapons in it, the other are all bare hands or with bandages, while the fist weapons in WoW are all designed with some sort of protection to the hands themselves (mostly covering them) and blades/fangs/spikes/whatever attached to them.

lol

and last I checked kitties are not wearing any gear.

[Sylar Hao]

lol

and last I checked kitties are not wearing any gear.

lol

Druids aren't kitties, they are shapeshifters that use gear. You should check better next time.

[huth]

To me monks should fight with bare hands.

Some even use bear hands.

[Arlee]

I totally agree! In fact, I think there was a 2-set fist weapon set in Vanilla (might have been from the original ZG), which had a 2-set proc effect. The effect gave you attack power for some seconds (think it was 10/12 seconds), but it also transformed you into a tiger-like creature, complete with a cool sound effect! Was loved by rogues.

Back then, those two fist weapons actually made those wielding them more feral than Ferals. I mean, our cat form back then...

Yep that was from ZG. Also Fury warriors loved them although the Warblades of the Hakari were better for Fury warriors but sometimes getting the off hand of those was a pain because rogues often wanted that.

I would however love to find out why they made the choice was made not to allow us to dual wield. My guess though is they originally viewed druids as mostly castors who could only be melee (feral cat/bear) by transforming.

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Some even use bear hands.

Ahhhhh >< I wish I could like this though

[Ashnazg]

The iconic druid in the game is dual wielding claws (and, in fact, uses those dual wield claws to defeat one of the iconic warriors in a 1 on 1 melee combat).

[Whitepaw]

Yep that was from ZG. Also Fury warriors loved them although the Warblades of the Hakari were better for Fury warriors but sometimes getting the off hand of those was a pain because rogues often wanted that.

I would however love to find out why they made the choice was made not to allow us to dual wield. My guess though is they originally viewed druids as mostly castors who could only be melee (feral cat/bear) by transforming.

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Ahhhhh >< I wish I could like this though

As I recall it, it had something to do with our attack speed and the fact that the devs then had to change our auto attack values, to take the off hand attack into consideration.

There was a long discussion in Vanilla about this, because an off hand attack demanded a higher hit rating. That would then have demanded a better itemisation for Feral, which would have been difficult, since we basically used Restoration gear or Rogue non-tier items (and Rogues + Fury needed the +hit leather - guess who would never get that!).

So the whole discussion basically ended when all realised how much work would go into all that. It took until WotLK to make Feral a viable and competitive raid spec and the means to do so never involved dual wielding or standing on our hind legs while fighting.

Until Claws of Shirvallah!

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Blessing of the Primal Gods proc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIy_wZCDo5o

[Sylar Hao]

Some even use bear hands.

Badoom tssss anyone?