this rollercoasting buff, nerf, buff, nerf in just a cuple mounths is really getting out of hand . u asked us to test things and theres no way we can help testing when our class keeps changeing the way we take dmg every mounth or 2 mounths. We just tuned a full x-pack with this things active and now all of a sudden you change all the paramaters for it. less hate take more dmg , become less flexble. come on now u cant be this short sighted
4 years ago (after the first ISS nerf), our burn DPS was ~50% of a zerker's, we didn't mess up defensive disc timers, we didn't block Flash of Anger (which is absolutely vital when switching to DPS mode to tank mode on the fly), and even with our full burn running, we could still take AE ramp better than any melee DPS -- only 'trade off' ability was Vehement rage which lowered heals on us. Today, (if you ignore the Heroic Blade exploit) our burn DPS is ~35% of a zerker's, we have to put defensive and defensive proficiency on recast timers, we block Flash of Anger, we take AE rampage worse than some melee classes (despite wearing full plate), with offensive we take AE rampage worse than any other class; since to achieve lower relative DPS we need to use many 'trade off' abilities. Yes, 2H stance does bring our burn up to ~35% of a zerker's DPS while we were at ~25% before, but the price is quite large. By removing the ability to use phalanx with 2H stance going, you're further entrenching this "Warrior's shouldn't be able take damage while DPSing" menality. Maybe that makes sense on a dev's spreadsheet, but it's getting to the point where it's overly cumbersome to play in game. Class balance aside, you're making the class less dynamic and less fun; weren't stances supposed to make the class more dynamic? I can ensure you in game there is more than enough trade offs to DPSing on raids w/ 2H these days that nerfing Phalanx (and more importantly, Flash of Anger) w/ 2H is completely unnecessary.
I was under the impression you've been around long enough to know about the icon and timer in the combat disciplines window... The one that shows you're running a discipline... And can't run another... There is a very visual indication that you're running a discipline, all melees and hybrids know this.
Yes, I'm familiar with the make your own interface bag of parts. In fact 10 years ago I suggested that devs create icons for disciplines and hotkey abilities that were melee oriented. When the Phase 2 Melee Update was proposed I suggested that hotkeys became ungrayed out when the opportunity to use them happened. If we had to play the user interface better that then looking for text messages as they flew by. My point is that even if the goal is viable I'm not clear why additional complication would be introduced. The gear you are using should incorporate its characteristics. What we need to do is sometimes very time constrained and even with macros there are some issues. When you remove a shield you should lose the benefits of a shield. Our sword in sword and board should have always been shield appropriate. Proficiencies are another play the interface complication that should have been built into the nature of the gear you are using. We didn't need yet another set of hotkeys with no visible indication if it was useful our not to push 1 of the 3. Be in 2H and push Defensive Proficiency. You get a red "Your spell is interrupted." text message. Wouldn't a grayed out key and a "doink" error sound be better? You know it would. No proficiencies and no situational use of Phalanx of One would also be good. Elegance.
My god. So much wisdom. I'm not sure why Proficiencies are even needed. Remove/changing gear should bestow the benefits of the proficiencies automagically. Why the excessive complication of another frickin button to push.
How many years will the interplay between player actions and user interface be awkward? <-That should be of more concern to you.
"Circular argument" might be more appropriate, but many posters have pointed out that content was tuned around the previous stacking rules. Warriors are concerned that our defensive power is being summarily reduced over a technicality with the ability's description rather than a demonstrated need. Until this need is demonstrated, the prudent action would be to simply fix the description text. (Improved Shield Specialist is similarly inaccurate) In addition, those most impacted by this reduction are the low-end/undergeared/casual types who already fight an uphill battle. Any changes that specifically impact these types of players in a negative manner should require an extra degree of consideration.
I would also prefer it be passive. It was passive for years without much/any vocal opposition to having it passive (other than when it was a hate-over-time instead of direct hate some people complained about it messing with warlord's howl, but that's a non issue now that it's direct hate), so should just make the new version passive as well.
I'm going to take a different route and suggest that Sneering Grin and Phalanx of Fury proc be combined into a single, permanent-duration buff since both are agro-related and really intended to be kept up permanently. This solves all the issues including having to recast Sneering Grin every 5 minutes and lets us toggle it at our lesiure. I can't really think of a scenario where I'd want one up but not the other.
Since I never use taunt for aggro, that would be an added buff for me. EDIT: To clarify, I don't spam taunt, I use it when needed
I'd rather it be a passive AA. A buff can be dispelled. If it warrants being permanent and having no timer, might as well make it a passive AA. The only time I can see this being a detriment is when I am not tanking and if I'm capturing agro from someone else with autoattack and shield topple/bash/kick, they aren't trying hard enough.
If you fold Phanlanx into def stance then you would also need to add the proc to the Last stand line of buffs. While Actively tanking is when we need the aggro proc from Phalanx, when last stand drops i put up Defensive stance, the two don't stack so we would be losing that bit of aggro during discing last stand. Although passive in my opinion is the best choice, less buttons to push.
either passive or dre´s idea is the only sultions. we cant lose the proc once we go defensive thats not good
He's making phalanx of fury a completely separate line without the mitigation that makes it not stack with defensive or defensive prof. and rolling 5 % of the mitigation into Defensive prof and dual wield prof. The raid and named tanking set up and the group exp set up.
