AoE Spirit and raid loot in Wrath of the Lich King

IheardthatspiritwillbemoreusefulforbothDPScastersandhealersinWraththatitisnow,isittrue?How?

Blizzardistryingtomakespiritmoreuseful,yes.Theyalreadytookabigstepinthatdirectioninpatch2.4byallowingspirit'smp5mechanictoscalewithintellect,butit'sstillnotquitewheretheywantittobe.AsGhostcrawlerwrote,"Spiritissomethingthatallcastersaregoingtoneedalotmoreof,"mostlybecausetheythoughtthemanaregenmechanicfromshadowPriestsinBurningCrusadewastoogood.Theywantcasterstotakeamoreactiveroleintheirmanamanagement,ratherthandumpingandrelyingontheReplenishmentbuff.

PersonallyIfindspirittobeaveryunderratedstatevennow.MymainisaDruidwhoisoftenResto,andwegotgobsofmanaregenerationfromitwithpatch2.4,tothepointwhereIcontinuetofindBangleofEndlessBlessingsfairlyusefuleveninTier6/Sunwell.AMagefriendofminefoundthatwithsufficientSpirithecouldactuallygainmanaspammingFrostbolt,whichgreatlyamusedhim.ButIdon'tthinkspirit'sreallygottentothepointwheremostplayersconsideritnecessaryordesirabletostack,andthat'swhatBlizzardistryingtochange.

Exordiusasks...

Iknowthatthebetaisactuallyclosed,butbeforeitshutdownwasthereanyhopeatallforusshammiessodesperatelyinneedofarangedAOE?

ThereareplansafoottogiveelementalShamansaviableAoE.Wedidn'tseeanythingbeforethebetaclosed,butIdidconfirmwithshamansdoingNaxxthattheirsingle-targetdamagewasexcellent.Blizzard'scurrentlytoyingwithafewpossibllitiesforhowbesttoimplementanAoE.Enhancementwillprobablynotbegettingit,however;Blizzardcomparesthemtotheweak/nonexistent/erraticAoEdamagedonebymostothermeleeclasses/specs.

Marathanasks...

Sometimeago,therewasatalkaboutnewplayercharactermodelsforWrath-andevensomebuggedpictures.Sothequestionis,aretheygoinglive?Arewefinallygoingtogetimprovedgraphicsonourcharacters?

AsAlexwrote,Blizzardusedonebetabuildtotesttheeaseofimplementingnewskinsandsomeofthem...didn'tturnouttoowell.Imagineyou'remeandyougetabetakey.Budgetafewhoursofanticipatoryexcitementwhileyourmaincopiesover.She'sa70TaurenDruidwhohasbeenwithyousincedayone,yoursole70,andyouthinkshe'sthemostbeautifulthinginthegameeveniftoeveryoneelseshe'sanungainly8-footheifer.NowimaginebootinguptheWrathbetaforthefirsttimeandbeinghorrifiedtoseeyourbelovedcharacterwithaGlasgowsmile,likethedevelopershadseentheJokerinTheDarkKnightandthought,"Hey!Wecouldmakethatwork!"

Holywaterdidnothing.Neitherdidcrucifixes,garlic,awoodenstake,wavingtheBibleinthedirectionofthelaptop,orsobbingquietlyinacorner.

Ontheplusside,herewasfinallysomethinginthegametowhichTaurencatformwasanactualgraphicalimprovement.

Runstadreyasks...

WhenIstartWoWafterinstallingtheWotLKdvd,willmyaddonsalreadybethere,orwillIneedtodosomemanualmoving?

YoushouldfindWrathoftheLichKinginstallinginyourparentWorldofWarcraftfolderonboththePCandMacversionsofthegame.

Tags:wrathoftheLichKing