ForthispieceIwanttotalkaboutthechangestoourDPSspecs.HowdotheyholdupinPvP?HowaretheydoingasDPSforinstancesandraids?WhyamIgenerallymuch,muchmoreoptimisticaboutthesespecsthan,say,90%ofwarriorsonthebetarightnow?
Well,we'llcoverthat.I'mnotgoingtocoverglyphsintoomuchdetailbecauseyouwon'tbeseeingthemforabitandmanyofthebestoneswillbeoutofreachuntilWrathitselflaunches.Wait,didIjustmentionitagain?Rereadingpreviousparagraph...welldang.ToobadI'mtooslowtoworkoutthatwholebackspacedealcheapwowgold.(Wow,thisisalongwaytogotohangahatonascrewupfromapreviouspiece.)
Onebigchangethat'sactuallymanagedtobesobigI'veabsorbeditentirelyisthechangetotheholytrinityofwarriorabilities:Retaliation,ShieldWallandRecklessness.Inexchangeforareductionineachability'seffect(theabilitymostreducedwasrecklessness)younowgettouseeachabilityonceeveryfiveminutes,andtheynolongershareacooldownatall.Instead,whenusingoneoftheseabilitiestheothertwogoonashortcooldowntopreventthemfrombeingusedatthesametime.Inessence,asatankyoucoulduseRetaliationtohelpyourAoEthreatandthenuseShieldWalltohelpstayaliveafter12secondsorso.
Arms
MakingThingsBleed
Well,ifyoudon'talreadyknowit,here'sbigchangenumberoneforPvParmswarriors:macespecializationdoesn'tstunanymore.Ifyou'rerunningaroundwithaStormherald,getreadytorelywhollyonthemace'sproc.It'shardtosaythata15%reductiontoarmorisabadthing,mindyou,butIhavenowayoftellinghowmanyPvPwarriorsaregoingtodropthepointsinMaceSpectopicksomethingelseup.
Thewaythenewarmstreeisdesignedbasesalotmoreofitsabilitiesaroundprocsandbleedeffects.Rend,forinstance,isbeefedup,andImprovedRendmakesitevenbetter.However,Iwon'tlietoyouandtellyouthatthisdamageincreaseiswhyyou'regoingtowanttouserendasanarmswarrior.No,you'regoingtowanttouserendduetothevarioustalentsthatsynergizewithbleeds.TasteforBloodmeansthatkeepingrenduponatargetisaverygoodidea.IfyoustackexpertisetoremovedodgesinPvE,thisabilitywillallowyoutostillgetthe50%bonuscritchanceofyourImprovedOverpower.ImpalenolongerrequiresyoutotakeDeepWounds,infactit'sreversed:youtakeImpaletogettoDeepWounds.Imapleitselfisunchanged,butDeepWoundsisdownto48%damageover6secondsfromitscurrent60%.ThisisprobablyduetoTrauma,asthetwoabilitieswouldhavestackedforludicrousamountsofdamage.Trauma'sabilitytoincreasetheeffectivenessofbleeds(andnotjustthebleedsthewarriorputsup,either)makesitaverystrongraidingtalent.Meanwhile,whileSwordSpecializationgetsaninherentcooldownofsixsecondsbetweenprocs(whichIthoughtwasalreadyinthere...tooltipchangeorwasIjustanticipatingit?)PoleaxeSpecializationgetsanicebuff,adding5%morecrticalstrikedamagetoits5%criticalhitbonus.SinceTrauma,SuddenDeathandWreckingCrewdependonyoucritting,thismakesaxesvery,veryattractiveforPvEandmayormaynotmakethemaviablePvPoption.
Wreckwreckwrecktheirheads
WreckingCrewitselfisaveryniceability.Basicallyit'sanEnrageeffectthatprocsoffofyourmeleecriticalstrikes.Now,inPvPthiswillbemodifiedbyresiliencebutforPvEit'saverystrongability(partofthereasonit'stherehastobesothatarms,furyandprotallhadmeanstouseEnragedRegenerationifnecessary)anditworksverywellwhenyoutakeSuddenDeath.You'llnowbecertaintobeenragedwhenyourExecutebuttonlightsup(sinceeverycritgivesyoua30%chancetouseExecute)andyouwon'tbeflushingabsolutelyallofyourrageawaywitheachexecute.Meanwhile,oldreliableBloodFrenzyseessomechanges,losing2%offofthephysicaldamageincreaseitonceprovidedbutgrantingthewarrioranextra6%toattackspeed.
Finally,thenew51pointtalentBladestormandthereturnofSweepingStrikes(albeitaweakerSweepingStrikes,downtoyournextfiveratherthantenmeleeattacks)toarmsmeansthatthetreenowhasaverypotentamountofAoEdamageatitsdisposal.WhileBladestormisproblematicforPvP(goodinthatitrendersmostformsofCCnon-viable,badinthatitalsopreventsyoufromusinganyabilitiesmeaningthatyou'reeasilykited)ithasnosuchissuesinPvE.
It'sclearthatthenewdesignelementsintendtoseearmswarriorseitherstayinbattlestanceorswicthbetweenberserkerandbattletotakeadvantageofchancestoprocoverpower.MovingTacticalMasterybacktoarmsseemsdesignedforallowingmorefluidstancedancingforanarmsDPSrotationaswellasgivingotherspecssomethingtolookatinarms.AllofthesechangesultimatelymakedeeparmsamuchmoreattractiveDPSspecforPvE:infact,Ibelieveit'ssafetosayit'sthebestperformingDPSspecforalevel80warrioratpresentonBeta,althoughthatwon'tbeoftremendousconcerntoyouasEchoesofDoomlaunches.Armsisastrong,well-synergizedtreewiththenewtalentsbutitremainstobeseenifPvPwarriorswillfeelanythingiscompellingenoughtospecdeepintothetree:IpersonallyhopethattalentslikeWreckingCrewdrawtheireyes.Butyouwouldbehardpressedtogo51pointsinarmsforPvPandthenonlyhave10pointstospendelsewhere,whenPiercingHowlisstill11pointsinfury.
Fury
WeareBarbarians
WhenEchoesofDoomlaunches,youwillstillbeinyourlevel70gear,whateverithappenstobe.Valuesforhitandcritwillstillbethesameastheyareatpresent.Soinpartthechangescausedbytalentsandpenaltiestosaidtalentswon'tbeasextremetodealwithbecauseyou'llneedlessgeartoovercomethem.
Yes,I'mtalkingaboutTitan'sGrip.We'llgetitoutofthewaynowandthenmoveontootherthings.Thepenaltylistedonthattooltipishigherthanwe'recurrentlytolditwillbe(downto12%)soyouneedlesshittoovercomeitcompletely.However,evenwithjust9%hitTitan'sGripisaDPSupgradeoverwielding21hweaponsat70,itshiftsyourDPSfromspecials(asiscurrentlythecase)towhitehitsandwhirlwinds,whichwillbothhitmuchharder.Alltheissuesforlevelingandlevel80raidingwarriorsarenotgoingtobetherewhenthetalentfirstgoeslive.Withfullprecision,youwillneed142hitratingtomakeTGoutperforminallways,andevenbelowthatratingyou'llseemorewhitedamagefromtheability.Iteffectivelyshiftsdamageawayfromspecialsandtowardswhitehits.InthepicturethataccompaniesthiscolumnyoucanseethatI'vecheatedbyhavingmydraeneiwarriorbemyfury/TGwarrior,ashisracial1%hitallowsmetodrop15.77hitratingandstillmaintainasolidamount.Butatlevel70,it'ssimplynotveryhardtoovercomea12%misspenaltyonspecialattacks,andyouwillgainsignificantstatsandrawdamagefromTitan'sGrip.Level80isadifferentstory,butit'soneI'msurepeoplewillbehappytoseediscussedsomewhereelse.
I'monaRampage!
Rampageisasorespotwithme.Firstoff,whileIunderstandwhysomanyotherwarriorshatedhavingtobabysittherampagebutton,Ienjoyedtheinteractivityoftheoldversion.Furthermore,countmefirmlyinthecampofpeoplewhodon'tseetheraid-widecritbuffofRampageasbeingterriblyworthwhilewhenitwillalwaysbeinferiortoLotP.Effectively,it'sanicecritboostforsoloingandleveling,anditwillbeniceifyourraiddoesn'thaveaferalanywhereinit,andthat'sit.SinceRampagehastobeactivatedbyawarriordeliveingacriticalhitwhileLotPisalwaysup,it'seffectivelyjustapoorman'scopycatofthedruidability.Butontheotherhand,man,Ilove5%critwhenI'msoloing.It'sathingofbeauty.SoI'mtornhere.
Ingeneral,furyshouldstillprovidesolidDPSinPvEandhasmorePvPviabilitynow.TalentslikeIntensifyRageandFuriousAttacksinparticularshouldhelpinPvP,asshouldHeroicFury.TGisanicestatincreaseandgivesmoredamageonwhitehitsattheexpenseofthefastandfuriousstyleofold.duetothegeneralslowspeedof2hweapons.EnrageandFlurryareunyokedgivingyoumorechoices,andAttTcombinedwithImpBerserkerStancecouldgiveyouasolidboostofAPalongwithnicecritfromRampageprocs.It'snotthatthetreeisreallybad(especiallysincegearingissueswon'tbeassevereat70)asmuchasitisthatthetreefeelssomewhatuninspiredwithrotationsbeingmoreoftheBT-Whirlwindsame.EvenwithBloodsurgeaddinginstantcastslams(assumingthatthetalentappealstoyou)it'sstillnotgoingtomakeupfromtheunrelentingsamenessoftherotation.Don'texpecttofeelvastlydifferentfollowingthepatch.
SomewarriorswillprobablyforgoTGentirelyforanImpale(12arms)/Incite(8prot)buildmakingheavyuseofHeroicStrike.(Thishastilyorganizedspecshowshowitwouldbepossibleat70,butisnotmeanttobeconsideredthebestpossibleuseofthosepoints.)It'spossiblethatdeepfuryinWrathwillbecomethedeeparmsofTBC,onlyselectedbyafewdiehards.Idon'tthinkthiswillhappen,asIbelievethatwithamoderateinvestmentin+hit(especiallyasthepenaltytoTGisbeingreducedto12%)you'llseemuchbetterreturnsfromthe51pointtalent,butit'sworthmentioning.
I'vecoveredBloodsurgeindepth.Ireallylikeit,noteveryoneagrees.HeroicFuryissolid,ifunremarkableandnotterriblyinnovativeinhowitplays,beggingcomparisonstothegoneHeroicLeap.UnendingFuryisanotherexampleofasolidabilitythataddsnothingintermsoffeeltotheclass.Youcan'tsayanythingbadabout10%extradamageonkeyDPSabilities,butit'sawhollyinternaltalentthatonlyshowsupasDPS,itdoesn'taddanythingnewtorotationsorseemascoolasyoumighthopethisdeepinthetree.I'dpersonallypreferitwiththeragediscountandDPSincreasesfoldedtogether.
TheirAttacksAreFurious
Whatabouttherestoffury?ArmoredtotheTeethistheonlynewtalentintheearlytiers.ClearlyintendedtoencourageDPSwarriorstosticktoplate,itfranklyseemsbetterforthreatgenerationfortankingwarriorsusingscalingAPabilities.HowmuchAPwouldthisabilityhavetohavetomakeupforthesuperioritemizationonmanyDPSleatheritems?I'msuresomeone'salreadyworkingoutthatmathaswespeak.However,it'sfreeAP,soit'snotlikeit'sabadability.ThenextbigitemstomentionarethechangestoEnrage:notonlyistheabilityunhitchedfromFlurrysoyoucantakethelattertalentwithouttheformer,butEnrageisnolongerbasedonbeingcriticallyhit,insteadgivingyoua30%chancetobeenragedaftertakinganydamageatall.Ifyouintendonabuildthatallowsforself-healingwithEnragedRegenerationyou'llprobablytakethistalent.ForpurePvEinstance/raidingDPS,it'sstillnottheoptimaluseofyourtalentpointsbecauseyou'reintendednottogethit.
Besides,youcanalwaysuseDeathWish,nowbackinfury,asanenrageifyou'rereallyneedingthathealingboost.DeathWishcomesbacktofuryjustintimetolosethefearbreak.Yay.
IntensifyRage,anewtalentinthesametierasBloodthirst,iswherethingsstarttogetinteresting.Byreducingthecooldownonfourkeyabilities(Bloodragebeingakeytogeneratingfastrage,Recklessnessbeingameanstoguaranteeuptothreecriticalhitswithspecialattacks,DeathWishbeingasoliddamageboost,andBerserkerRagebeingagreatfearbreakandhelpswithragegenfromdamagetaken)youendupwithasolidtalentthatgreatlyincreasesavarietyofyourabilities.Recklessnesseverythreeminutes?DeathWishevery2?Bloodrageevery40seconds?BerserkerRageevery20?Effectivefearimmunity,agreatdealofragegeneration,andsoliddamgeincreases.ImprovedWhirlwindischangedfromacooldownreductiontoflatoutmoredamage,whichwillstackwellwithTitan'sGrip'sincreasetosame.
FuriousAttacks,ontheotherhand,isapurePvPability.WhilethereareoccasionallybossesinPvEwhohealandwhothereforesufferfromahealreductionabilitylikethis,95%ofthetimeyouwanttoreduceincominghealstootherplayersinaBGorArenasituation.Tomyeyesthisisentirelybasedaroundthenewparadigmforfury2hDPS,withwhiteattacksdealingmoredamageaswellasapplyingthisdebuff,sinceitonlystacksonregularwhitedamage.The10seconddurationisjusttheretogivewarriorsachancetoactuallystackit,sinceit'snotuncommonfortargetstogetoutofrange.