".... ok this next group is a 5-pull so be ready because we don't want to accidentally get the pat too. MT pick up <skull> OT pick up <X> we're going to trap <square>, sheep <moon>, and shackle <diamond>, DON'T use your AE until the first 3 are dead or we're screwed. Everyone ready?... ok pulling..."
Anyone remember hearing instructions like these from a raid leader? Been a while hasn't it. For those who have joined us since WotLK, instructions like these had to be used for trash pulls in BC raids. Yes that's right... trash pulls. I know I'm going to sound like one of those "old school" guys who talks about "back in the day" when we had to quest up hill (both ways) to get anything done and every other mob was an elite and the game so much harder but so much more fun. I assure you that is not my intent. I will say however that we have become spoiled in Wrath when it comes to dealing with trash mobs in raids and 5-mans. Target marking, kill order, and CC got kicked to the curb like last years fashion trend and replaced by round em up... spam your AoE... and watch the damage meters have an aneurysm trying to keep up. If anyone doesn't believe me just take a look at Recount from the trash leading up to Marrowgar sometime. Am I the only one who thinks 18k-20k dps is ridiculous? Even with the 30% buff these numbers are insane, especially since most of what we have to do to get there is remember to re-cast a channeled spell in the right area every 6 or so seconds. There's very little skill involved and unless you're not watching your threat the only ones who have to worry about dying are the tanks. Well times they are a changin'.
I found out a few days ago that among the many changes being made to my beloved Hunter class, we are losing Volley... (What?! Jumpin jeezus on a friggin pogo stick! They can't do that! Can they?)... Yes they can and apparently they are. That's the bad news. The good news is it looks like they are doing something similar to everyone else too. From what I've been reading so far the AoE abilities of the classes are going to either be nerfed into obscurity or they are going to become so costly from a resource standpoint that it will no longer be efficient to use them extensively. That's right kids, AoE is getting a Barry Bonds swinging for McCovey Cove home run whack with the nerf bat.
My first reaction was very much like what you just read. As I dug deeper and began to read comments on both sides of the argument I have changed my mind. This of course comes with the disclaimer that they (Blizzard) have to treat all of us equally, but I think that AoE getting nerfed is a GOOD thing. The most important reason for this is that it will force all of us to learn to play our class...again. Things like CC (that's Crowd Control... had to throw that in there since there are some players who have no idea what this concept is), kill order, and... god forbid... employing a strategy to actually kill something, will be important again. Anyone remember running Gruul's Lair back when it was level appropriate? The High King Maulgar pull? Put a fight like that at the end of one of the ICC wings and I guarantee 85% of the player base would never see the Lich King. We're just not conditioned to play like that anymore. That's not to say that there are not some challenging and interesting fights in Wrath. Unfortunately the Thorims, Yogg-Sarons, Putricides, and Lich Kings are few and far between the tank-n-spanks, and gimmick fights. Trash is no longer serious business and don't even get me started on the Trial of the Big Round Room at the Ice Crown County Fair (thanks for those Panzercow).
I don't envy Blizzard in their quest to be all things to 11million people. But I am happy to see that at least they seem to be trying to put some challenge back into this aspect of the game. Time will tell whether or not they are successful but I for one am looking forward to finding out.
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