A "Sunwell" for Hybrids?

#0 - March 27, 2009, 3:07 p.m.
Blizzard Post
There has been a lot of talk about avoiding a "Sunwell" situation for mages where because of scaling issues they were no longer a viable part of raids. I applaud this. No one should be left behind. But I'm concerned that hybrids are heading in a similar direction.

For all the talk about a 5% spread between pures and hybrids, the spread is much bigger on the PTR. If you look at PTR parses the average difference between pure and hybrid dps is more like 15-20%.

My main (a dps hybrid) belongs to a serious raiding guild. Our guild recently decided that they will no longer raid with a moonkin as the moonkin buffs (some now present on pures) were not offset by the dps loss of a pure vs a moonkin. My guild is going to stack pures instead.

Although I do not play a moonkin, as a dps hybrid I am pretty concerned. I can see the writing on the wall. Mathematically, hybrids are becoming marginal raid contributors. I am concerned that by the time my class is marginalized there will be, "no one left to speak up."

Edit:

A few additional comments in response to the conversation that follows.

1. I have no problem with pures doing more dps than hybrids.

2. When the difference is big (and right now, with a few buggy exceptions like feral druids the difference is *big*), hybrids dps loss becomes more significant than their "utility."

3. I am sympathetic to Blizzard's balancing act. I'm sure it is hard to balance this game. But while the recent changes have generally "corrected" the order of pure>hybrid dps, they have also introduced a significant disparity between pure and hybrid. Forget about 5% or whatever number you want to consider. Look at PTR parses. The difference is *big*.

4. My guild has decided that the disparity is too big to allow at least one good player to continue to raid.
#219 - March 27, 2009, 8:23 p.m.
Blizzard Post
I think it's totally understandable to be worried about being kicked from a raid because you don't bring enough.

However, the Sunwell probem we are trying to avoid was pretty consistent and widespread. There was some variation in raid composition, but not much. I think it's far too early to declare that any LK class is headed in that direction. All we are currently seeing is a lot of "My GM said we won't bring dps warriors anymore," or "My GM says Resto shamans are terrible now."

If any of this turns into an actual trend, we'll all know it and it will be pretty obvious to everyone. DKs (of at least some specs) being too good at tanking, dps or PvP was pretty obvious to everyone except maybe a few DKs. (I know, everyone like to poke fun at the new guy.)

I understand some of you are just trying to catch a problem before it blossoms out of control. Nothing wrong with that. But we're always going to be pretty cautious on acting based on early predictions that don't have a lot of evidence (even theoretical evidence) to back them up.