13.8.09

Buffs and nerfs

Warcraft is not a static game. The rules change every few weeks/months. Some classes get stronger, some change, some get weaker. Recently Retribution Paladins got the nerf a bit. Before 3.2 a Retri opening would consist of Crusader Strike (lot of damage) Judgement (lot of damage) Divine Storm (lot of damage) - in PvP this meant that Paladins of this persuasion would literally blow people before they got a chance to do anything. Especially because all of those abilities are interspersed with auto-attack that also procced Seal damage.

It's changed now so that the Seal of choice needs a bit of time to get going and deliver a lot of damage. Crusader Strike now has a lower cooldown and also does less damage. In short the potential for huge bursts has been reduced, but overall the damage is still reasonable.
No matter what the changes are invariably people seem to dislike changes, or at least big changes like this. If something gets changed from 5% to 10% you don't hear anyone, but small tweaks like that are rare. Blizzard like big changes and a lot of them. So do I.

Lots of small changes that would slowly make everything creep towards something resembling balance is just not what Blizzard are after. They want you to have to deal with changing circumstances. Balance is not a realistic goal when some people wear cloth and others wear plate. Big kick-ass two-handers vs. wands.

I think almost every class has had one of those patches where people were declaring that Blizzard 'hated their class' and they were going to quit. Strangely Warcraft is still going strong and I can't think of any class at the moment that is really useless, unless played badly.

I've found that buffs and nerfs come in cycles, sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. Blizzard seems to make decisions that make you grab your hair and want to pull it out in big clumps. I think their decisions are almost purposely made that way - again, they want you to deal with changes. The system must be unbalanced so new changes can be made.

2 comments:

  1. That's an interesting perspective on it. Whatever Blizzard's intention, you are right we must deal with change - not just to balance but to changes in the gear economy which prevent us from sitting on our laurels. I know some people who have quit because hard won advantage was not static, and I have to admit I'm not slow to moan about these things sometimes.

    But I like your take on it. And let's face it, the game would 'end' without these kind of shake-ups, the most status-shaking and yet rewarding being the introduction of entire expansions.

    Generally speaking I notice that those who strive for certain standards will always achieve them. The examplars will still be the examplars next time around, the stalwarts still stalwart, the coasters still coasting.

    But we always get these periodic opportunities to change our status, to rise or fall - if we are so inclined.

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  2. I whole heartadly agree with your take on this Ard. Just recently in the same patch my favorite move ever (Shadowdance) took a massive hit of nerfage. falling from 10sec (with glyph) to 6 secs (with Glyph). I complained at first then realise that I was using it to my advantage in a very useful way. I thought of respeccing cause this ability is the final talent of the sub tree for rogues but then came to the conclusion that I love this tree, even if my fave ability has lost most of its umph... I'm still going strong in PvP (which is what I use the spec for) and I'm using Shadowdance even more now, even if its just to cherish the times we had together =d

    All in all, I can deal with the nerfs that I've had since starting WoW (January) but what I think I can't deal with is the constant QQing in forums and online about them. If something is overpowered, nerf it. simples.

    -Eyriour =)

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Thanks for your thoughts!