Less than 2 months until SL. Have you already chosen your Covenant??

[ymirsson]

Not completely sure, but doesn't it work the opposite way? I mean, the % isn't affected, but generally going from 200 to 300 rating is one thing and going from 1000 to 1100 is different (as in the second one is a smaller increase in actual stat %)

At least it's how i got it - ratings won't change, but the amount needed to get 1% of a stat progressively increases the more of a stat you have. Anyway, if i get 15% of anything, it's always be the same (not in actual rating) so it evens out. Depends a lot on stats scaling.

Diminishing returns never applied to ratings, except avoidance when we still had them.

[Coldkil]

i think that is what Caerrona meant, it was just worded poorly.
what i think he means is that:
15% given as % are always 15%
15% given as x haste rating will dr based on current stat values. so [x] haste rating will be equal to [x-dr] haste rating.

Yeah, perfectly clear. Must see how secondary stats will scale and see if the mastery buff is gonna be useful or not.

- - - Updated - - -

Diminishing returns never applied to ratings, except avoidance when we still had them.

They're gonna be present in SL - though in the form or needing more rating to increase a certain stat by 1%.

LINK

[ymirsson]

They're gonna be present in SL - though in the form or needing more rating to increase a certain stat by 1%.

LINK

The news coverage has been a mess, ive seen more articles about quests and new weapon models then about interesting changes.

Because this is an interesting change.

[Coldkil]

The news coverage has been a mess, ive seen more articles about quests and new weapon models then about interesting changes.

Agree.

However, now that i'm digging deeper on this, found two interesting tidbits:
- there's an hardcap of 106% to a stat from rating, though i cannot see anyone reaching that.
- as said before by @Caerrona, the flat % increases won't be affected by this. Though we all know how Blizzard is with wording - i think that if it's explicitly said "x% rating", it's still going to be affected by the DR.

Basically, let's take Heroism/Bloodlust which is a 30% haste. If you have X rating = 25% haste, with heroism you end at 55%. If it was "30% haste rating", you would end with X+(X*0.3) which would suffer from the 10% penalty of the second tier (or even more if we pass the 34% threshold).

[Aurosh]

I think this week will have some tuning to cov abilites. From fridays raid testing i saw logs where a sub rogue got 33% of overall dps from serrated bone spike, so basically serrated bone spike was a 50% dps increase over no covenent ability. That's still insane and far above any other cov ability ingame.

On paper Flagellation is IMO really boring. It also cannot be balanced since assa is getting so much slower than sub, sub feels like i am insanely flooded with combo points and energy while assa is still super slow, so spending 20 combo points is a real problem. At this point i'd really love to see that outlaw and assa got some love too since both seem to fall off considerably on many things.

[Coldkil]

So, more info on Flagellation.

You use it, doesn't trigger the CD and appies 3 stacks on your target. Each combo point spent triggers another lash/stack - doesn't matter who you spend you combo on, the lash is still triggered. At 25 stacks you can use it again (not on GCD) and get the 1 minute mastery buff, and the ability goes on CD. This is best used on Sub because of the increased combo generation compared to other specs, for Assa it kinds sucks since cp generation is really slow in comparison.

You can use it for active cleaving, which is really good. As for damage, both Flagellation and Sepsis are fine - it's SBS that's completely out of bounds and a nerf should come soon. Kyrian is going to be reworked i suppose since it's total trash.

Overall, the situation for rogues isn't that bad. 3 out of 4 are perfectly usable.

[Kadenzza]

SBS nerf is in, and it's heavy. It went from a 60% AP dot to a 30% AP initial strike and 10% dot, and the energy cost was increased from 10 to 15.

And they buffed Echoing Reprimand's.... initial damage dealt. Because that was the problem with that clunky ass ability.

Venthyr it is.

[Tronski]

Sorry but I dont enjoy feeling like a dead beat in groups and I push high level content.

#sorrybutnotsorry

This is what it has come down to.

"I can only enjoy this game as long as I'm producing higher numbers than everyone else"

It's downright pathetic to hear people say "Yeah, that ability looks really cool and I'd love to take it, but it makes smaller numbers than this boring ability here, so..."

The worst part is that when you and your kind choose the optimal instead of what you want to play for fear of not being including, you're simultaneously fulfilling your own prophecy and making sure that anyone who doesn't won't be included.

"But, but, WoW is tuned too tight, I need those extra 0,5% numbers to be competitive"

No, WoW needs to be tuned less tight and you need to be content with Heroic if those minimal percentages is what makes the difference.

[Puffah]

This might come as a shock, but different people play for different reasons. I find it fun to optimize my character, and I think it's fun to play with people who feel the same. It's a reason why pugging usually sucks.

Anyway, WoW has plenty of space for casual players. Instead of whining about how everyone else plays the game, you yourself can play it however you like.

[mauserr]

Yes, I'll chose the one that sims the absolute highest for the content I will do on my main and my main alt after the first balance pass is done before mythic opens

#muhchoice

This is what it has come down to.

"I can only enjoy this game as long as I'm producing higher numbers than everyone else"

It's downright pathetic to hear people say "Yeah, that ability looks really cool and I'd love to take it, but it makes smaller numbers than this boring ability here, so..."

The worst part is that when you and your kind choose the optimal instead of what you want to play for fear of not being including, you're simultaneously fulfilling your own prophecy and making sure that anyone who doesn't won't be included.

"But, but, WoW is tuned too tight, I need those extra 0,5% numbers to be competitive"

No, WoW needs to be tuned less tight and you need to be content with Heroic if those minimal percentages is what makes the difference.

You've excluded yourself by choosing the suboptimal choice honey

[Icelin]

My loyalties lie in the unfinished zone that is the Maw. I really don't see how Blizzard would mess up a chance to make a fun zone like that and Oribos. As I heard it is pretty underwhelming too.

On a real note, I have actually been more excited about the Jailer and Arbiter. Have expressed it several times and the zones they seem to reign over.

[Kaver]

This is what it has come down to.

"I can only enjoy this game as long as I'm producing higher numbers than everyone else"

It's downright pathetic to hear people say "Yeah, that ability looks really cool and I'd love to take it, but it makes smaller numbers than this boring ability here, so..."

The worst part is that when you and your kind choose the optimal instead of what you want to play for fear of not being including, you're simultaneously fulfilling your own prophecy and making sure that anyone who doesn't won't be included.

"But, but, WoW is tuned too tight, I need those extra 0,5% numbers to be competitive"

No, WoW needs to be tuned less tight and you need to be content with Heroic if those minimal percentages is what makes the difference.

Sorry but you’re delusional to the truth mate. You’re basing your arguments on how Blizzard have said the covenants should work. But that’s just not the reality. The differences between the covenants are not a few percentages. There will be a massive difference in performance between picking the worst and best covenant. The fact you’re talking about 0.5% just shows you have absolutely not idea what you’re talking about an that you are basing your arguments purely on what you have read. There is 0 chance you have played the beta. Otherwise you must have slept the whole time. Blizzard cannot tune shit and the covenants are going to be extremely unbalanced. People are going to be extremely excluded from groups based on the covenants and that is just the unfortunate reality. Blizzard are creating a problem that never existed and that they said they were trying to avoid.

[sensei-]

Sorry but you’re delusional to the truth mate. You’re basing your arguments on how Blizzard have said the covenants should work. But that’s just not the reality. The differences between the covenants are not a few percentages. There will be a massive difference in performance between picking the worst and best covenant. The fact you’re talking about 0.5% just shows you have absolutely not idea what you’re talking about an that you are basing your arguments purely on what you have read. There is 0 chance you have played the beta. Otherwise you must have slept the whole time. Blizzard cannot tune shit and the covenants are going to be extremely unbalanced. People are going to be extremely excluded from groups based on the covenants and that is just the unfortunate reality. Blizzard are creating a problem that never existed and that they said they were trying to avoid.

SBS got destroyed in today’s build. Deestroyyed. Like forget about it destroyed.

[Kaver]

SBS got destroyed in today’s build. Deestroyyed. Like forget about it destroyed.

I’m looking forward to test it. SBS was very broken so a nerf was inevitable. I was just sitting and waiting for it. However these kinds of nerfs also just show that the first numbers Blizzard are slapping on an ability are completely random.

[orsraunia]

My loyalties lie in the unfinished zone that is the Maw.

That's because it's unfinished, so you can still hope :P

[Aurosh]

SBS got destroyed in today’s build. Deestroyyed. Like forget about it destroyed.

According to sims for sub, it's for st the 2nd best cov ability for ST (although all 4 sim close). You still go necrolord and bone spike because of the aoe potential. And actually it still feels good. You see a target, you hit bone spike and you never need to care, just spike the next target and the next target for those juicy combo points on top of that damage. Never reapply the dot.

Yes, damage was nerfed hard that was mainly because it was dealing crazy amounts of damage. It still is very good for ST and especially whenever you can multidot.

- - - Updated - - -

I’m looking forward to test it. SBS was very broken so a nerf was inevitable. I was just sitting and waiting for it. However these kinds of nerfs also just show that the first numbers Blizzard are slapping on an ability are completely random.

Well those numbers were random. Many specs had no cov ability increasing dps by 10%, serrated bone spike was like up to or above 40% dps increase.

They seem to target stuff to increase damage by about 5-7%. That's where many coventants are now after tuning.

SBS is still the best cov ability. Absolutely love the flow.

[Unholyvamp]

I decided that i'd side with Venthyr the moment i saw what their theme was about.

Now the only problem is that Flagellation seems utterly shit for Outlaw (which is what i'm planning to play as). Seems like it adds unnecessary complexity to the spec, especially when you pair it up with RtB's 45sec CD and BtE's shity debuff window. And all of that just to be on par with everyone else...

But hey, what can you do right?

[Kaver]

According to sims for sub, it's for st the 2nd best cov ability for ST (although all 4 sim close). You still go necrolord and bone spike because of the aoe potential. And actually it still feels good. You see a target, you hit bone spike and you never need to care, just spike the next target and the next target for those juicy combo points on top of that damage. Never reapply the dot.

Yes, damage was nerfed hard that was mainly because it was dealing crazy amounts of damage. It still is very good for ST and especially whenever you can multidot.

- - - Updated - - -


Well those numbers were random. Many specs had no cov ability increasing dps by 10%, serrated bone spike was like up to or above 40% dps increase.

They seem to target stuff to increase damage by about 5-7%. That's where many coventants are now after tuning.

SBS is still the best cov ability. Absolutely love the flow.

I think I will also still go necro just because the ability is the same for all the specs so I can change freely. And if it still performs well then it definitely a winner for me.

[Coldkil]

SBS nerf is in, and it's heavy. It went from a 60% AP dot to a 30% AP initial strike and 10% dot, and the energy cost was increased from 10 to 15.

And they buffed Echoing Reprimand's.... initial damage dealt. Because that was the problem with that clunky ass ability.

Venthyr it is.

Fortunately i was dead set on Venthyr anyway. Damage wise, SBS is going to be on par with the others, so Necro as Fae is still a good choice.

I really don't get how Kyrian one is staying this way. Is there a conduit i don't know about that makes it usable? (like, empowering 3 combo instead of one or stuff like this).

[Tronski]

Sorry but you’re delusional to the truth mate. You’re basing your arguments on how Blizzard have said the covenants should work. But that’s just not the reality. The differences between the covenants are not a few percentages. There will be a massive difference in performance between picking the worst and best covenant. The fact you’re talking about 0.5% just shows you have absolutely not idea what you’re talking about an that you are basing your arguments purely on what you have read. There is 0 chance you have played the beta. Otherwise you must have slept the whole time. Blizzard cannot tune shit and the covenants are going to be extremely unbalanced. People are going to be extremely excluded from groups based on the covenants and that is just the unfortunate reality. Blizzard are creating a problem that never existed and that they said they were trying to avoid.

You know, I don't think I even mentioned covenants in my post?

This has been a problem in WoW for well over 10 years now.