AoE Damage increases: kinda curious

#0 - Aug. 31, 2010, 11:45 p.m.

So I, as I assume most others have at this point, was reading through the newest changes listed on MMO-Champ. I noticed that nearly all AoE spells have had their damage increased, most of them by 33%.

I was under the impression though that the design changes to instances/raids was going to focus more on heavy CC (at least until you greatly outgear them) and less on the zerg-rush AoE fest that most instances/raids are currently.

I don't have an opinion one way or another on whether or not returning to heavy CC fights is the right choice, because more damage is always fun and more strategy needed to win is also fun, but if you're trying to tone down the AoE zerg rush like previously stated, why the increase in damage? Won't that just encourage people to forgo CC all together, or are the dungeons designed so that if you attempt that, then your tank will get face planted instantly? Just kinda curious on the philosophy/concept behind the damage increases.

Ghostcrawler

#21 - Sept. 1, 2010, 4:11 p.m.

We found with the previous numbers that it wasn't really worth using AEs even on packs of 5+ creatures. We made some of the initial AE damage adjustments before the new talent trees were as far along as they are now. With the trees in their current state there are talents that buff specific abilities, often single target abilities, but not as many synergies that improve AE. Once you're talented, the single target abilities just eclipse the AEs by too much.

This shouldn't get us back to the place where players (good ones anyway) AE even on 2-3 targets.