Pardon for my english - not my native language.
Have played priest for a very long time. Used to play as shadow as holy, have a good pvp experience. By that time i have found the usage for every single spell, and for most talents in all 3 trees.
Except the new one - divine hymn.
It seems useful - another CC, but with a one single problem - it has a shared CD with fear. Even more. Every Fear starts the count of Hymns CD from more then twice of Fear CD. It is not instant cast - so what is this spell for ?
As i have said I have had a *full* priest life. As at arena floor, as in 5-dungeons so as in raids, wish is not the same.
And i actually don't see the place were this new spell is needed. So why would blizz bother about it at all?
5-men dungeon. I do remember several times when i had to use fear, just because tank was about to die or the tank lost a mob, which takes a DPS as a target. This situations needed a fast decisions not a 1.5 second cast spell. Some DPS will not survive more then one heroic mob hit just like a priest himself by the way.
So this can not be *oh.. shit* spell.
And i don't actually belive that group leader will count on such type of non instant, unrecastable, short range CC.
Raid. hmm.. priest as actually or healer or DPS, seems strange, yes ? ;D So he is making full DPS or healing. And he never bother about the work he is not supposed to do, like CC. Just because he has the task and he should do it well.
Arena. Vast variety of unpredictable situation.. But actually... being quite a good pvp priest last season i cant find a place for this spell.
There are actually 2 types of openings. Or I am attacked... or I attack - unbelievable, yes? :P
In the first case my task is to create pressure, to make the enemy play in defensive style.
In the second case i have to survive the first nuke and again transform the game into the attacking style. Does not actually mater what spec i am - Priest in defense is a dead priest.
I don't really remember the time when i had to keep fear for longer then 20-30 sec after it is of the CD. It is a Priests kick, the way to break a spell, or to CC the enemy for finishing burst.
So... Where do a have to find more than a minute to let the hymn get of CD provoked by last fear ???
And it is not instant cast, which for my experience useless if you are in a LoS of most enemies. With a 10-radius even a melee can manage to break your spell while focusing another target.
And by the way the holy school spell which is dangerous to be locked, if you are a healer. 4-5 sec 2dd burst from 100-0% was a reality in a4 season.
So.. again.. where do i have to find more then a min to let the spell of the last fear CD? Does blizz really think that a priest have that vast amount of time in arena during which he has no right to use instant fear? What for?
And the last aspect or a game is solo... Did you use many abilities while soloing ? I didn't. Shield - HF,MB, smite... R new mob. Or Shield - MB, MF... new mob. Some times even doting every single body and healing while they all are dead. Did not use fear or DH even a single time while leveling from 70-80.
I don't think we need something else, better or worse. I just want to know why do we need useless spell ?
Situations where the tank lost all the mobs he should tank or the rogue first saw the kick or ShS+kick button is not under discussion.
Or maybe i just get used to old fashion fear ? :