Please, Blizzard, don't remove powershift!

#1 - Jan. 14, 2011, 1:16 a.m.
Blizzard Post
*Moved to proper forum*
I'm not sure if I'll get an actual response from a blue for this. I know they read over the forums often, and probably know that after the nerf to druids, there'll be a lot of rage here. But maybe they'll change their minds... there's always hope. On to my argument.

Just as a little intro, I was reading the latest PTR changes. Scrolling down, looking at guild stuff, DK, and then on to the part I cared about most: Druid.
I never made it past the first change. My mind dropped dead.
Shapeshifts: Entering or leaving a shapeshift no longer cancels root effects. It continues to cancel movement slowing effects.

Blizzard, PLEASE, re-think the change to druid form shifting. This isn't getting hit by a nerf bat. It's not even a nerf atomic bomb. This is beyond anything a nerf can do... This is the complete removal of what defined our class more than anything.
Druids are known more than anything else for our ability to shift out of CC. It was our core mechanic, the main thing that made us different from other classes rather than just a copy. Even the official Cataclysm Strategy guide defines it as a class-defining ability. Without it, we aren't druids. It's like removing fear from a warlock, stealth from a rogue, bubble from paladins, or make hunters use only limited types of pets without talents. I could go on, but I hope I've made my point. They're the class-defining mechanics that make that class unique. Now what's our class-defining ability? Our ability to hide gear? (Excluding resto out of tree)

Now, I understand that for something like heroic dungeons, the change making it harder made some people upset. They liked it easy, but it was hard. On the other hand, there were MORE of them who LIKED it. Now, an ENTIRE CLASS is hating on the change. Sure, other classes say to live with it, but if they had their core mechanic taken, they'd turn to blizzard and rage right back.

This mechanic has been in the game for 6 years. From the start of the game, the main reason to be a druid was for that mechanic alone. Without it, what is a moonkin other than a mage with a few changes? How is a feral kitty any different from a rogue? I defy anyone to find a SINGLE long-time druid to say (without lying) that they are okay with this change.
I've played only druids since I started the game, one balance/resto, the other bear/kitty. I couldn't stand to play most other classes, and one of the main reasons was because I did not like to be restrained by CC. I've lived by many nerfs and buffs, and I've been okay with them all. I won't deny some nerfs got me upset, but NEVER have I ever even considered playing a new class... until now.

I'm begging you, if a blue poster reads this, please, make a suggestion or anything to the developers to change it back, anything at all. One of my friends has already announced he's quitting WoW after his time card runs out because of this. I understand that this is only on the PTR, but on the other hand, Cataclysm's original patch was in the beta for months and there was still a lot of class balancing to be done. I know it may be for balance, but that's never stopped us from being killed before, has it? Saying it's overpowered is like saying the warriors multiple charges are overpowered, or that the low cooldown on psychic scream is overpowered. They aren't: that's what makes the class different from the others. I defy you to find any druid-lover who would decline the offer to give any other skill. Take away aqua form, take away regrowth, screw it, you can even take away moonkin form at this point, but PLEASE, do NOT take away the only thing that makes us unique.

And to posters, PLEASE, don't rage or spam, use mature conversation, we've seen how blue posters lock threads where such chat/trolling is developed. If you disagree with me, please say it in a mature way.
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Community Manager
#47 - Jan. 14, 2011, 3:09 p.m.
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Here's a little bit of insight for the change to druids and our thoughts for you. Again, I'd like to remind everyone that we're always open to constructive feedback and want to encourage everyone to keep trying things out for yourself on the PTR.

Simply put, we’ve been moving away from hard counters such as when one class is completely immune to the control mechanics of another class. Druids, unlike other classes in PvP, were too easily able to be self-dependent without the need of any additional support from any class and were capable of avoiding these control mechanics. To counter the cost of this change, we have added additional damage output to druids. Feral druids are now doing very legitimate damage.

We realize that by extension, Balance and Resto druids feel they are getting the shorter end of things with this change, but Resto can dispel any root on their own (but for warrior) in a single GCD. We’re currently discussing potential ways of compensating Resto and Balance druids for this change, but we still need to evaluate whether it’s truly necessary.

Again, I'd like to remind everyone that we understand the passion that you have for this topic, and we likewise value that passion and constructive feedback. We just ask that you keep it constructive and we'll continue to answer what we can for you.
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#51 - Jan. 14, 2011, 3:16 p.m.
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01/14/2011 7:13 AMPosted by Tihikea

You know what I see here? We lose in Arenas, so we are changing it.

And there's nothing you can do about it.


This is not constructive feedback nor is it accurate. Please refrain from further such comments.
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Community Manager
#82 - Jan. 14, 2011, 3:39 p.m.
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01/14/2011 7:30 AMPosted by Nuadia
I just finished a couple of bgs not using my beserk to break my fear and not using my shapeshifting to get out of snares. Definately felt and saw a big difference in my damage and was killed several times by a frost mage because i had no counter to being snared. This was not a 1 v 1 situation but a battleground. Basically it sucks. But I will figure out a way to make it work and still snack on mages and warlocks. I noticed my thread addressed to Ghostcrawler has been removed. Guess that is another way druids are being contained and eliminated. I thought I was as polite and sucinct as I possibly could be...


We'd be interested to hear how this is all going for you in the PTR for sure.

As for your post being removed, we had a slew of separate threads about the same topic so it was removed (also it's a good idea to avoid putting names in titles.) I apologize if you had spent a good amount of time on the post, but really wanted to try to get everyone to consolidate their questions, concerns, and constructive feedback into one main thread. It's always much easier for us to keep track of that way versus searching for separate threads on a topic.
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Community Manager
#98 - Jan. 14, 2011, 3:48 p.m.
Blizzard Post
01/14/2011 7:38 AMPosted by Hrothegar
Evaluating if compensating Balance Druids is truly necessary? What a joke.


Nope, it's not a joke. We want to make sure that if we make additional changes that they make sense and even if you don't believe the changes we've made so far make sense, it's where we're at right now. We also don't want to promise additional changes and then pull back from that. We try to avoid doing that as much as we can.

I'm still reading, and will continue reading even if I may not respond a lot. I'm trying to make sure that I collect what questions I can and see what else we can answer for you all rather than enter into debates. That's not what I'm here to do. I'm here to inform, and hopefully, what we're doing at some point begins to make better sense to you and if it doesn't, hopefully you'll keep at least discussing your concerns and providing feedback. I'm not promising any changes, just a bit of dialogue for now.

Just please remember to avoid posting angry or in a hostile way. We know you wouldn't be here if you didn't care, I just don't want your message to get lost in a haze of anger.
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Community Manager
#134 - Jan. 14, 2011, 4:07 p.m.
Blizzard Post
To those of you who are apologizing for sharing your insights, please don't apologize. We're not asking you to unequivocally agree with us. We're only asking that you consider and test then provide feedback. It may not result in rescinding a change, but it may well lead to other changes or things brought into consideration. That's what these threads are about.

As always, we appreciate you taking the time and care to post. We know you wouldn't be here if you didn't care and that's what matters most.