On the first part - It is easy to root rot 1 or 2 mobs. Soloing 1 or 2 mobs at a time is pretty common for most classes and very low reward. It is not "very easy" to root rot efficiently and effectively in higher quantities. While done proper it is very effective but also very intense and very high risk. Just because the very best played and equipped can do amazing things does not mean that the entire method/class-set should be nerfed to compensate for the top players' capabilities. Can you imagine the game if they tuned it off of what only the top players can do? While that wouldn't effect you, do you think that that would be healthy for the game? Second part - Relates to the first part, the big deal is that it does not warrant change. I think our definitions of OP are different. Root rotting doesn't fit into my definition of OP. My staunch defense of the method is because I like the option to do so. As rarely as I do it, it's a great option for the current state of affairs and I enjoy being able to do it. It is an important feature of the game to me so I will defend it. I already have to do numerous things to be able to root rot. I have to remember to use the right weapon, take my proc augments out, memorize my preferred spell set that is pre-designed for the situation. Then, after that to have any sort of efficiency I need to manage my resources attentively. I need to know the time left on roots and dots, be aware of my surroundings, keep mobs debuffed, keep myself healed from ae's, dots, and nukes applied from mobs (more a tbl thing, restless ice for ToV isn't bad to deal with). I have to be aware of the proximity of each mob to each other incase they begin summoning sub 3%, and if they do I have to be prepared to react. There is a lot more going on than may seem. To me you are nit-picking and making something out of nothing. Do you think that the developers missed the capability of root rotting for 21 years? That it was never considered in design elements?
Most devs don't play and many who do have zero say in these matters. It's hard to say what they've discussed and are currently aware of or what issues they think are worth doing something about. This particular one has gotten worse over the years. Especially with the DoT buffs.
A good point, but I disagree on it being an issue. Especially with the exp rates in ToV and it was hardly viable anywhere in TBL. Not to mention most t2 mobs all chain summon. Where t1 mobs don't or only do sub 3%. However root immune mobs exist in t1 and t2 (orcs and cubes in velks? I think). So with those measures in place I'd say they have considered it in their design.
DDs break root if you are casting ones with a push back. The greater the push back for that spell the greater chance they will break the root. That is why my druid friend never liked root nuking with me an enchanter because all our spells have push back. Just ask raid leaders in Vex thal because not only do push back nukes break roots they also move the raid mobs around.
Any DD breaks root but there is a conflict with some of those push back abilities. Not all of them though. I think Vinelash is probably fine. But the enchanter one has issues with root. Like if you root a mob and the duration says 3 minutes then you use beguilder's banishment it adds a 2nd temporary root. When that root fades it will break all roots no matter what. Even if that original root is still on the mob and says it has 2 minutes left. It won't actually do anything and the mob is free. I tried getting them to move the beguiler's root effect to slot 2 like regular root uses so it could be overwritten to avoid this problem. But I guess they don't want enchanters to have things that easy with their banishment.
Do certain creatures break root more then others though? I've casted root and it seems that some are unaffected. I can not give all names and or instances, but today I casted it on a leopard and it was completely unaffected or instantly broke it. I cast it again and the same happened. I cast it a third time and then just beat the crap out of it as it reached me. I want to say I have seen the Orcs in Everfrost Peaks do this as well from time to time. Most are caught in it, but every so often it will break and once it breaks it seems hardly to be affected by another go with the same spell. And while I am asking this, why does the same nuke spell cast the second time is almost always less in damage then the first and by a considerable margin? Lets say an ice spell does 30 damage. The second time it will only be 10 to 15 points of damage or I guess I am using percentage from the thing's health bar. But it is consistent. I cast it a third time and a considerable amount drops. I cast it a fourth only a little. A fifth another nice chunk, so on and so forth.
Well think about it, roots tangle a troll, the roots are strong enough where he can't move.. but if you hit the troll with an ice comet, obviously its going to have a physical impact on the troll and its surroundings, considering it's a comet. Now the troll doesn't die (always) from the impact, but obviously it's breaking the roots near his feet. Now a arrow, would just hit the troll, not affect the roots. A dot on the other hand, is a curse, it's not like a physical comet or a bolt of fire, which generally destroys stuff.
Except some enemies break root before I can even cast anything. And when I get the chance to cast something now it is only poisons and quite possibly a curse, yet they break root.
When the game was new/popular there was an intentional movement towards preventing or limiting solo play. Mechanics which allowed for some classes to do so were limited. For example, at one point, the devs said they'd never release another pillar spell because they wanted to prevent quad kiting at lower levels.
