New Shard System Thread

[Orcbert]

So, you get 3 shards per fight, as of right now no way to get them back. Does that mean that warlocks are going to have burst for short fights, but not much in the way of longer fights with this system?

I might be missing something with how it works, but in a pvp senerio, could the lock pop all 3 shards to burst someone down, get out of combat (which should be easy with the soulburn+demonic circle) and be ready to start again?

And on the other spectrum does that mean they only have the 3 cooldowns to use on long fights that last 5-10 minutes?

[Bakis]

For PvP they will be great. Fun, interesting, usefull.
For PvE we goto wait and see cos if they are going to fullfill the above criteria they need to be equal to some 2-3 min cooldown.

[eddie4]

So, you get 3 shards per fight, as of right now no way to get them back.

Did you read it all? drain soul will still be there to regain the shards

[kabshiel]

There's almost definitely a cooldown on Soul Burn.

[DaveTheHunter]

Did you read it all? drain soul will still be there to regain the shards

Soul Shard Overhaul

This major change regarding Soul Shards was previously announced at BlizzCon 2009. Soul Shards will no longer be inventory items, but instead a new UI resource mechanic. Warlocks will have 3 Soul Shards that can be used during a fight and will not be able to gain additional shards during combat.

[ComputerNerd]

Sure as long as in pvp we can get out of combat, but that is not an option for long pve fights.
I was under the impression that we were to have a means of reobtaining them as I believe it was quoted "making drain soul a soul shard evocation".
They at least from this description seem to be going back on a fundamental part of the mechanism.

[Bakis]

Wonder how the UA shard is used, since the dot can clip. Without critchanse on a portion of it the damage will be pretty low.

[allforone]

# On regenerating shards in combat, we will add a mechanic to regen shards if we find that we need to in order to handle variable combat length. We haven’t added one yet because we really want to emphasize locks using shards at the right time and not as fast as they can with then an Evocation-like spell to bring them back again. These are supposed to be special moments in a fight -- think Bloodlust perhaps -- and not used every 20 seconds on cooldown (or whatever the cooldown ends up being).

http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/24038...eview-warlock/

Looks currently like a no-go on in-combat shard regen.

[ryuadept]

The things to use the shards for are only a few things they discussed at the moment, its not a complete list. Most of the listed ones are way too pvp-ish and so i think there will be some uses for pve too, something like shorttime firestone effects if you use it with one of the mainpve spells like incinerate. There might be a 5% firedmg increase for 30 seconds or 200 haste for 10/15 seconds so you can use the shards as class-unique special-trinketlike effects.

[gherkin]

Unlocked this, but please try to stick to the sticky if you can.

[Merlinsback]

Did you see how they are kinda doing the same thing with shadow priests and "orbs"... but they regain theirs by casting spells...

[Onyxius]

I am surprised they didn't just go with 1 shard that is stackable to like 32 or something like that. I haven't quite grasped how me going from 32 shards to 3 shards is going to be good. I'm hoping the stuff that normally takes shards will all be reduced. I am going to have to re-read it again.

[Ravemstr]

Every/anything that costs a shard now won't anymore! Easy! Only Soul Burn will cost a shard and that will empower different spells in different ways. Read the posts to know what/how!

[Onyxius]

Every/anything that costs a shard now won't anymore! Easy! Only Soul Burn will cost a shard and that will empower different spells in different ways. Read the posts to know what/how!

See simplified thanks

[Jessicka]

It's a finite resource, that's something that no other class has to worry about. It may be nice in short fights and PvP fights, but in long raid fights we could well end up rather short changed if it ends up too good in short fights.

So far the only way they seem to have worked around that problem is to give it so little use in PvE that we would barely bother with the mechanic anyway. That doesn't fill me with 'excitement' or that using it would be a 'big deal'. Maybe if they attach it to the Doomguard/Infernal Guardian plans it could work, but that feels like a bit of a cop-out.

[Merlinsback]

Soul burn + teleport? Is the speed buff really necessary?

I place my portal los, so I don't have to run once I port... ie behind a pillar, on top of the bridge in blades edge etc...

I can think of so many better Ideas for this...

+50% healing taken for 8 seconds
or
un-interruptable for 8 seconds
or
reduces the cd by X%

Sure, the speed boost could be used offensively, but I'd much rather have it as a defensive oh sh*t bonus. =\ just my thoughts

[gherkin]

Not all combinations are useful, there has to be some flavor in there.
Look at glyphs. Half of them are useless, but some are neat to think about, and thats what they want. Thinking, not necessarily using.

[Jessicka]

Soul burn + teleport? Is the speed buff really necessary?

I place my portal los, so I don't have to run once I port... ie behind a pillar, on top of the bridge in blades edge etc...

I can think of so many better Ideas for this...

+50% healing taken for 8 seconds
or
un-interruptable for 8 seconds
or
reduces the cd by X%

Sure, the speed boost could be used offensively, but I'd much rather have it as a defensive oh sh*t bonus. =\ just my thoughts

Make it immune to stuns and movement imparing effects for 8 seconds and that would work, or greatly increase it's range for when you find yourself kited/feared that bit further from it than you intended to be.

[Jessicka]

Not all combinations are useful, there has to be some flavor in there.
Look at glyphs. Half of them are useless, but some are neat to think about, and thats what they want. Thinking, not necessarily using.

Only half the minor glyphs are useless?

[Merlinsback]

OH, soul burn + teleport - allows you to teleport while stunned!

please oh please oh please! =D lol