Apologies for copy pasting a post here, but I cannot post on the forum it is on.... not sure if against this forums rules to copy/paste? (if so then my apologies again)
Reason for quoting this though is that it is by far the most accurately written and summed up piece I have seen, I think they get this spot on. Only bit I would add is that the fire nova they have introduced is making the spec even more mana intensive.. soemthing we cannnot afford. And the increased ranges of most offensive spells from 30 > 40 yards will further compound enhancement issues imo due to our lack of gap closer, defintely in the caster benefit who will be able to kite us more, and classes like warriors that have a gap closer. I believe this will also lead to the need to drop even more totems as the kiting will be worse...
Anyway Kudos for Wushootaki on the below:
So, MMO-Champ posted a new beta buid...
2 things struck me as interesting
1)Totemic Vigor is gone.
2) Improved Fire Nova is now a Tier 4 Enhancement Talent - Increases the damage done by your Fire Nova by 10/20% and reduces the cooldown by 2/4 sec. has been moved to enhancement (tier 4)
So its safe to assume that imp fire nova replaces Totemic vigor's spot. In addition:
1) Magma Totem base damage increased by 33%.
2) Fire Nova base damage increased by 33%.
This is all fine and dandy, except I'm noticing a trend. There is a lack of synergy for Enhancement. The only real synergy we have is maelstrom weapons to heal.
But lets take a look at these other issues:
1) Searing Flames is not generated by magma totem, because Blizzard does not want us to use it in our single target rotation.
2) Fire Nova does not work off searing totem, as Blizzard does not want us to use it in our single target rotation.
3) Without stacking Searing Flames, our Lava Lash hits for much less than with Searing Flames, making Searing Totem more optimal than Magma Totem
4) Because Magma totem and Fire Nova are now left for AoE trash, its possible that the actual talent of Improved Fire Nova isn't even attractive anymore, since so many other classes can AoE better. On top of that, Blizzard stated there will be less emphasis on AoE altogether and more on Crowd Control.
5) Totemic Vigor was going to be an AMAZING talent for Enhancement Pvp. We constantly have to drop our totems right next to our target, and it was a much needed BUFF to have them survive more than one pet attack or autoswing/wand/shoot.
6) Further lack of synergy can be seen in the talents of Toughness and Earthen Power. One reduces the duration of movement impairing abilities, and the other completely REMOVES movement impairing abilities upon pulse. With the reitemization of gear in Cataclysm, shaman shouldn't have a talent that specs for 10% stamina. It should be WORKED INTO THEIR GEAR. Furthermore, Toughness isn't even in a place where other specs of shaman can get it.
7) Frozen Power makes Frostbrand Weapon more attractive to us for PvP. It increases the damage of our Lava Lash, LB, CL, and shocks by 10% if the target has frostbrand debuff on them. However, this goes directly AGAINST the design of Lava Lash.
Lava Lash benefits 25% increased damage from being equipped with flametongue. 25% =/= 10% therefore we lose out on 15% damage that could be gained by using Flametongue. Not to mention we lose out on the spellpower, but that is made up through frostbrand's 10% to our Cl, LB, and Shocks.
8 ) Searing Flames in PvP takes too long to set up. And without Totemic Vigor its quite possible we will never get stacks to start up as our totems are usually killed the moment we put them down with MOUSE OVERS. This furthermore hurts us, because it makes speccing into Searing Flames AND Improved Lava Lash less attractive because of the time it takes to get enough stacks to do good dmg. In addition to frozen power, and Lava Lash not benefiting from Flametongue in pvp. In ADDITION, to the fact that Lava Lash and Searing Flames were one of the ONLY changes to Enhancement meaning the developers WANT us to spec into this.
9) Maelstrom weapons does not stack well in PvP. Its mechanic requires constant up-time on the target which is just not possible. Enhancement shaman NEED a way to stack maelstroms when they cannot get to their target. While we have some utility with being able to keep to our target (Frost Shock roots and Earthen Power), this is now slightly nerfed with the removal of Totemic Vigor (meaning our earthbind is still wimpy).
10) Mana Inefficiency in PvP.
Primal Focus does not work well in PvP. Its mechanic requires constant up-time on the target which is just not possible. Enhancement needs a way to regen mana when they cannot get to their target. All I keep seeing on Beta is how we can no longer spam totems upon destruction, and Shamanistic Rage is used ON COOLDOWN.
Shamanistic Rage is not being used for its survivability and instead is being worked into part of the regular rotation because mana is so tight for Enhancement.
Furthermore, Static Shock becomes useless in PvP because we are constantly running water shield.
12) PvP vs. PvE talaents -- Toughness, Earthen Power, Totemic Reach, Frozen Power are all PvP talents. I do not foresee anyone taking these in PvE as they don't exactly help maximize your dps. Blizzard stated they were trying to get rid of the PvP/PvE specific talents, yet we still have FOUR that greatly HINDER our ability to get the newly developed mechanic of Searing Flames for PvP ( disregarding the poor gameplay searing flames has in PvP aka slow ramp up time )
So to recap --
Devs worked a lot on improved Lava Lash and Searing Flames, but they are unattractive in PvP.
Improved Fire Nova is unattractive because its no longer part of our single dps rotation, does not work with Searing Totem, and therefore can be seen as a waste of points.
Still clearly distinguishable PvE and PvP talents
Lack of overall Synergy/Flow in Enhancement Tree altogether.
Mana inefficient in PvP.