Mists of Pandaria Buff and Debuff Design

[Milkshake86]

Mists of Pandaria Buff and Debuff Design

We recently released an update to the Mists of Pandaria talent tree. Since the expansion is still in development, these updates represent a snapshot of where we are at any given moment and not a final design where we step back and say “Ladies and gentlemen, we have achieved perfection. Let us not change a thing.” If you’ve been playing the game for a while, you’ve probably realized by now that we never think we’ll hit perfection, and we probably never will.

One design that we haven’t focused on much yet is the plan for various group buffs and debuffs. Some specs have their buffs in place and some do not. Rather than trying to describe each omission, we thought we’d just dump the whole design on you here. As with the rest of the expansion’s systems, we’re not even in beta yet, so there’s plenty of time for things to change.

First, some underlying design goals, so you might understand where we’re coming from. Our main goals for group buffs are:

• Make you feel more powerful when grouped with other players.
  
• Give you lots of freedom to invite whom you want. This gets to be a problem when there are too many mandatory buffs spread out among too many specs. . .
  
• …But not offer too many incentives to class stack. If you can achieve every buff with, say, only three players, then there might be a tendency to fill all of the other slots with whoever is best for a particular situation. Some class stacking is inevitable at the cutting-edge level, but to some extent, the players on the cutting edge of raiding enjoy extreme min-maxing. For the rest of us, we try to make sure you can finish all of the encounters without feeling like you need a huge roster of folks waiting in the wings for their one fight.
  
• We tend to be more generous to DPS specs, since groups -- especially raids -- already have ample reasons to bring tanks and healers.
  
• We generally don’t want a DPS spec to have to switch to a different spec in the same role just to bring a different buff. An example would be a Combat rogue who has to go Assassination just for a buff. In our experience, players are less likely to switch from a ranged to a melee DPS spec just for a buff, so DPS shaman and DPS druids might bring different buffs.

And finally some notes on the categories below:

• The list only includes what we consider “traditional” buffs, such as Prayer of Fortitude. It doesn’t include utility like being great at snaring, battle rez, knock backs, high DPS while moving, and other mechanics. Those ultimately all factor into a raid or Battleground comp as well.
  
• The matrix is a little more complex than it appears. A paladin, for example, can only offer one Blessing at a time, while a warrior can only do one shout at a time. You can’t assume one character can cover every buff or debuff listed below at the same time.
  
• Some of these are active (you must cast them, like Prayer of Fortitude) while others are passive. Note that totems no longer bring passive buffs as a rule.
  
• You’ll see several categories consolidated or gone. Bleeds no longer made sense, since everyone who cared about bleeds already buffed themselves. Magical resistance we just removed from the game, though there are some abilities that provide magical damage reduction.
  
• We are still likely to use the design that hunters, especially Beastmaster hunters, can fill in for missing buffs or debuffs by using certain pets.

As always, we’d love to get your feedback on this design.

Buffs

Stats
Effect: +5% Strength, Agility, and Intellect
Example: Blessing of Kings
Brought by: Any druid, any monk, any paladin

Stamina
Effect: +10% Stamina
Example: Power Word: Fortitude
Brought by: Any priest, any warlock, any warrior

Attack Power
Effect: +10% melee and ranged attack power (which will be the same value again)
Example: Battle Shout
Brought by: Any death knight, any hunter, any warrior

Spell Power
Effect: +10% spell power (there will no longer be a 6% version)
Example: Arcane Brilliance
Brought by: Any mage, any shaman, any warlock

Haste
Effect: +10% melee and ranged haste
Example: Improved Icy Talons
Brought by: Frost and Unholy death knights, any rogue, Enhancement shaman

Spell Haste
Effect: +5% spell haste
Example: Moonkin Aura
Brought by: Balance druids, Shadow priests, Elemental shaman

Critical Strike
Effect: +5% ranged, melee, and spell critical chance
Example: Leader of the Pack
Brought by: Guardian and Feral druids, any hunter, any mage

Mastery
Effect: +5 mastery
Example: This is a new category
Brought by: Windwalker monks, any paladin, any shaman

Debuffs

Weakened Armor
Effect: -12% armor
Example: Sunder Armor
Brought by: Any druid, any rogue, any warrior

Physical Vulnerability
Effect: +4% physical damage taken
Example: Brittle Bones
Brought by: Frost and Unholy death knights, Retribution paladins, Arms and Fury warriors

Magic Vulnerability
Effect: +8% spell damage taken
Example: Curse of the Elements
Brought by: Any rogue, any warlock

Weakened Blows
Effect: -10% physical damage done
Example: Previously Demoralizing Shout; now Thunder Clap
Brought by: Blood death knight, Feral and Guardian druid, Brewmaster monk, Protection or Retribution paladin, any warrior (any tank)

Slow Casting
Effect: -30% casting speed
Example: Mind-numbing Poison
Brought by: Any death knight, any rogue, any warlock

Mortal Wounds
Effect: -25% healing received
Example: Mortal Strike
Brought by: Arms or Fury warrior, any rogue, any hunter

Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street is the lead systems designer for World of Warcraft. He was unsuccessful in convincing the rest of the class team to change Arms warrior mastery to decreased falling damage taken.

No incentive to run 25m at all

[Alhoon]

No spell haste from Resto Shamans? I guess they'll make us equal to other healers in term of healing since we won't be having the utility role anymore.

[jibbyjackjoe]

Seems like the same as it is now, just less spec dependent (aside from separating tank/dps for those classes that do both).Welcome change, but if these buffs are that easy to obtain... why are they even added? Passive damage boosts behind the scenes aren't really that interesting :P

The goal is to make you feel stronger in groups. Your dps in a raid should be tons better than in a 5 man.

Isn't there enough going on in a fight, you want more things to watch out for? What's the difference between pushing a button before the fight or not pushing it at all?

[Karshda]

No spell haste from Resto Shamans? I guess they'll make us equal to other healers in term of healing since we won't be having the utility role anymore.

You give 10% spell power now

[Irisel]

I have an issue with only three specs bringing spell haste. The only issue I have, everything else I love.

[jeremynative]

buffs were never a problem for me and the only class stacking ive ever seen is healing shamans in sunwell and rogues with TOT. the real problem is loot distribution...no one wants to share the tokens or same loot. theres tons of druids/paladins in groups and they begin to deny entry into the group for loot reasons. they should investigate this but they are so lazy with loot ninjas and using the same tokens to give to 4-3 classes.

[Deleted]

... whatever but no more DI or FM... :/ I hate that my moonkin dps so depands on one warlock in raid...

[mudkipzz]

do deathknights really need slow casting debuff?

[Frazzle.d]

Wouldn't the Grace of Air totem still exist? Sorry, not entirely up to date on what's happening to Shamans in MoP. Afaik, there's not many Air totems in the game as there is.

[greyghost]

Seems like the same as it is now, just less spec dependent (aside from separating tank/dps for those classes that do both).Welcome change, but if these buffs are that easy to obtain... why are they even added? Passive damage boosts behind the scenes aren't really that interesting :P

Read Ghostcrawler's first bulleted item in his post: so individual players are stronger in groups.

Anywho, the only thing that makes me sad about the buff changes is that they are removing paladin auras from the game. *That's about as defining to Paladins as totems are to Shamans. *In fact, in the last few years there have been a LOT of defining Paladin characteristics that have been removed from the game....

but I guess all of those characteristics that defined Paladins, made them similar to their WC3 predecessors, were either two overpowered or simply not active enough to be 'interesting'.

Still. *I'm still mad that the aura ground effect -- the REALLY long-standing visual indicator for Paladins left over from WC3 -- has been taken away from paladins and given to holy priests. *I mean that's just screwed up.

[mushfique]

the mastery buff could be really nice and well one thing should be done is to make ppl not sacrifice on dps to keep up the buffs which makes ppl whine abt keeping the buff up !

[Zedextenr]

Where is this going to leave Hunter pets as far as providing buff and debuffs to the raid?

[Alhoon]

You give 10% spell power now

Just as Druids will bring MotW, Priests will bring PW:F and Paladins will bring BoK. Whereas previously Resto Shaman could bring 6% SP, Stoneskin and 5% spell haste all at the same time, this is no longer the case. I won't have my hopes up for being competitive in healing though, as that hasn't happened since TBC.

[Kyndig]

No debuffs for shaman? I know we never had much but still.

[Giantgoblin]

They should give warlock the 5% haste... the fact that we have to wait until lvl 82 to be able to cast the 10% Spell Power makes me sick.*

[Klu]

Another class needs 8% magic reduction, rogue and warlock only doesn't seem like enough. Moonkins and Hunters (pet) losing it doesn't seem the best.

[PBitt]

Yeah, spell haste needs to be available to other classes, IMO...a ten man could easily have none of those classes.

[MysticalOS]

Spell haste only on 3 spec's seems rather narrow and ??rogues?? and warlocks only on 8% magic damage is pretty harsh as well...

Otherwise generally nice

I agree, what happened to earth and moon? you need at LEAST 3 classes with this, just like 3 having sunder. Sunder and spell damage are easily teh two most important debuffs, 2 is not enough. but i already raised this concern here

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/to...38914?page=1#2

[Kikiyodragon]

Hunters will act as "wild cards", being able to provide probably all or most of these listed buffs. Just bring in the pet that's needed.

EDIT: This was in response to an above question.

[Chickat]

I thought they were going to make DI a raid wide haste buff instead of the current version (haste for 2 ppl and increased dot/hot).
Weird to see it missing here :/*

I'm pretty sure that DI is now the same thing as Arcane Intellect.*