Why was the Spriest resource changed from mana to insanity?

[CritFromAfar]

As someone that isn't very fond of classes with darker story built into their design, I was pretty disappointed when shadow priests went from having a neutral resource like mana, to using insanity as a resource. Prior to the change I saw Shadow priests as being more elemental and neutral, rather than being darker and on the edge of the void.

I know this might be a funny thread to make considering some of the abilities that spriests have had for a long time and how shadow generally is related to the void, but I don't pay much attention to the story and lore. Regardless, as someone that doesn't pay attention to the story and lore, I wasn't pleased with the change in resource and what the change suggested about the characters themselves.

[MoanaLisa]

Class fantasy.

I hated it too. As someone with a shadow priest who knows her well enough to know that whatever she is she isn't insane, it was a huge turnoff.

[Tehterokkar]

Thematically it was fairly identical to Affliction. You throw a couple shadow damage dots and spam filler, you even had the same kind of alternate resource(Soul Shards vs. Shadow Orbs). And Shadow was long overdue a rework, it had been very stale same stuff since Cataclysm.

They made Shadow more about Void magic, which has not appeared in any of the other class designs, which includes insanity, controlling minds, tentacles and so on(AKA Old Gods).

The Artifact also tied into this very well as the dagger in Legion gave the community a lot of lore behind what's coming through the whispers, and community figured out the dagger is part of a void creature of some sort. Now in BfA, the dagger is found to be somehow linked to the new 2-boss raid, which most definitely has something to do with the only Old God we have not seen yet in WoW, N'zoth.

[Hobbidaggy]

I don’t think your character is insane. They are tapping into the void and building the void insanity within them. The insanity building is the whispering of the void into your mind and you harness that and weaponise it

[TheSerialSniper]

Nothing about it makes sense. Using void form makes you go sane? Casting regular shadow spells make you go insane? The resource makes more sense if you invert it.

[MechaCThun]

They changed the "theme/fantasy" of the specialization. They wanted to focus around the aspect of "being insane" and being that Shadow/Void magic is the domain of the Old Gods (and to a higher degree, the Void Lords) they wanted to distinguish Shadow Priests from Affliction Warlocks (or perhaps Warlocks as whole).

Enhancement and Elemental Shaman got their primary resource changed (they still have Mana as a secondary resource for healing spells) to better fit their "refocus" on class fantasy.

Nothing about it makes sense. Using void form makes you go sane? Casting regular shadow spells make you go insane? The resource makes more sense if you invert it.

I think the "fantasy" goes:

You're building up Insanity as a resource (and in the process, you are becoming more insane) and when you shift into Void Form you are all out, 100% psychotic/insane being able to really utilize the "power of the Void" and so as it drains your Insanity, you go back to normal.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Ia! Ia! C'thulu Fhatagn!

Joking aside, I think it is safe to partially blame Lovecraft for it, though the devs and writers are ultimately responsible for making it part of the class identity. They probably could just rename the spec at this point Void to cut down on the confusion.

I suppose the whole "insanity" aspect of it has been arguably part of the class ever since they had Mind Control as an ability. It makes sense to me that you'd have to be insane to some degree to use magic to invade people's minds.

[wanax]

I think insanity is the best name they could come up with and have it related to the void abilities they wanted to give you without stepping on toes(rage, anger, adrenaline) like if someone annoys you you could say “you’re driving me insane” You’re using all of your mental restraint to cast these dark spells. It taxes your mind until it finally breaks(void eruption/void form) the darkness inside of you takes over until you are exhausted. It would sorta be like Emperor Palpatine using the Dark Side to the point it twisted him phisicaly but you can bounce back from it.

[SirCowdog]

It's largely due to how Shadow Magic has its source in the Void and Old Gods. By tapping into that power, any user of Shadow Magic takes a tremendous risk. While other magic users might occasionally tap into shadow, Shadow Priests are going directly to the source due to their devotion to that aspect of the Light/Shadow dichotomy of the Warcraft Universe's underlying structure.

They're literally channelling the powers of insanity that the Void comprises. That's what shadow magic is, in many respects. It's a reality outside our own.

[Nyel]

For the sake of changing. I've yet to find someone who prefers Insanity over Shadow Orbs. MoP / WoD was peak SP and Blizzard just ruined it with the horrible Insanity / Void Form mechanic.

[Dastreus]

To emphasize some forced "class fantasy".

[Super Kami Dende]

Class fantasy.

I hated it too. As someone with a shadow priest who knows her well enough to know that whatever she is she isn't insane, it was a huge turnoff.

Isn't the entire point that even though they gather large amounts of "insanity" from the Void, they are able to control it and bend it to their own will.

[Apellosine]

As someone that isn't very fond of classes with darker story built into their design, I was pretty disappointed when shadow priests went from having a neutral resource like mana, to using insanity as a resource. Prior to the change I saw Shadow priests as being more elemental and neutral, rather than being darker and on the edge of the void.

I know this might be a funny thread to make considering some of the abilities that spriests have had for a long time and how shadow generally is related to the void, but I don't pay much attention to the story and lore. Regardless, as someone that doesn't pay attention to the story and lore, I wasn't pleased with the change in resource and what the change suggested about the characters themselves.

Shadow Priests have always used the dark side and void magics to power themselves. Holy uses the light, Shadow uses the void and Discipline walks the fine line between both of them.

[Linnianna]

For the sake of changing. I've yet to find someone who prefers Insanity over Shadow Orbs. MoP / WoD was peak SP and Blizzard just ruined it with the horrible Insanity / Void Form mechanic.

Priest since BC, Prefer Insanity over Shadow Orbs. Just so you know we exist.

[Kithelle]

Class fantasy.

I hated it too. As someone with a shadow priest who knows her well enough to know that whatever she is she isn't insane, it was a huge turnoff.

In theory it sounds interesting, in practice the system has been a letdown.

[MrLachyG]

As someone that isn't very fond of classes with darker story built into their design, I was pretty disappointed when shadow priests went from having a neutral resource like mana, to using insanity as a resource. Prior to the change I saw Shadow priests as being more elemental and neutral, rather than being darker and on the edge of the void.

I know this might be a funny thread to make considering some of the abilities that spriests have had for a long time and how shadow generally is related to the void, but I don't pay much attention to the story and lore. Regardless, as someone that doesn't pay attention to the story and lore, I wasn't pleased with the change in resource and what the change suggested about the characters themselves.

I am curious as to how Shadow Priests were ever "elemental" - unless shadow is an element, then no, no they are not.

- - - Updated - - -

Class fantasy.

I hated it too. As someone with a shadow priest who knows her well enough to know that whatever she is she isn't insane, it was a huge turnoff.

that's not really what they meant. you use the void magic to build up your insanity meter and then you harness it and turn it against your opponent.

[PaladinBash]

Because Shadow Priests are a spec that nobody likes but not quite at the level of Ret. Sometimes Boomkins, Shadow Priests, Enh shamans etc get to be good, sometimes not, but their own 'totally unique' mechanic changes from comfortable to awkward at the drop of a hat and you'll never get mana back because it's not really a mechanic and people think fiddly awkward design is 'good for the game' and 'requires skillful play' when in reality a fucking fire mage just spams his shit for them procs and hopes for the best but other casters don't get similar conveniences.

[sirethas]

Well, if you really think about it, mana doesn't really serve any purpose as resource for dps anymore, only dps class with mana are mages and warlocks, and beside arcane mage, you don't have to worry about it at all, so I guess they just wanted something unique? Hard to say, but ever since mana management became irrelevant for caster dps (except arcane mage) it's only for better they came up with something to play around

[Echocho]

It was actually changed from shadow orbs to insanity. Mana has been irrelevant to shadow priests for years. Ironic considering that it was one of the classes that originally had a lot of mana problems.

[Soon-TM]

It was actually changed from shadow orbs to insanity. Mana has been irrelevant to shadow priests for years. Ironic considering that it was one of the classes that originally had a lot of mana problems.

WotLK spriest will always be the best version imo. You had some group utility with replenishment and old VE, and you had to be careful with not getting your shadowfiend killed or you'd be dangerously close to OOM. Legion/BfA spriest is a big letdown, especially the latter.