Patch 3.08

[Hawkbit]

2H Tanking Weapons have been taken out of this patch according to a new Blue post.

What's the motivation for this?  To get the .01% of DKs that are actually decent players who might like to tank to drop the class?

Because you don't need them to tank.  Especially with the new runeforge, which is only to be used if you're under def cap.  Def cap is initially hard to get to, but once you finally hit it you'll never go back under it.  Just gem/enchant as necessary. 

[ClydeJr]

I believe the spellpower reduction on the guardian still leaves it a bit ahead of similar weapons in spellpower at least?

Its supposed to drop from 490 to 457.

[kildorn]

I believe the spellpower reduction on the guardian still leaves it a bit ahead of similar weapons in spellpower at least?

Its supposed to drop from 490 to 457.

That puts it barely under ilvl 213 casting maces (they all have 461 spellpower)

[Ingmar]

I believe the spellpower reduction on the guardian still leaves it a bit ahead of similar weapons in spellpower at least?

Its supposed to drop from 490 to 457.

So yeah, that keeps it ahead. Normal ilvl 200 gear is at 408 spellpower.

[Draegan]

2H Tanking Weapons have been taken out of this patch according to a new Blue post.

What's the motivation for this?  To get the .01% of DKs that are actually decent players who might like to tank to drop the class?

DK's are fine, they still get +25 DEF rune enchant.  Thats 25 DEF not defense rating.  That's huge.  They are better off getting a 2h'er with exp/stam/str anyway.

[Hawkbit]

Don't forget +hit, either.  DK tanks prioritize:

1.  Def @ 540 (689 rating)
----------------------------------------
2.  Expertise @ 9%
3.  Hit @ 6%
4.  Dodge/Parry
5.  Stamina
6.  Strength
-----------------------------------------
7.  Crit
8.  Agility
9.  Armor Penetration
10.  Haste

Get to 540 def first.  Then concentrate on 2-6 as you can.  7-10 should only be added if they are on a good piece of gear that has 1-6 already on it.  That's about it.  Use mods Equip Compare and Rating Buster to figure out how much of an upgrade that gear really is. 

[Draegan]

DEF may have a higher priority since it lends itself to the mitigation levels of IBF.  I'm not going to pretend to know the math and limits of the DEF diminishing returns.

[Simond]

In other words: "We don't want to force DKs to use one weapon"
*forces DKs to gem every slot +def*

[Fordel]

I'm sad about the weapons being gone simply because they were the same models as the DK starting 'noob' weapons, and those weapons were cool looking!

[Ingmar]

I'm sad about the weapons being gone simply because they were the same models as the DK starting 'noob' weapons, and those weapons were cool looking!

Yeah, that is the big minus for me too.

[Rasix]

In other words: "We don't want to force DKs to use one weapon"
*forces DKs to gem every slot +def*

Apparently with the tanking rune it's relatively easy to hit 540 without gemming for def at all.  As for weapons, is it too much to ask for a 2h sword or axe version of the Titansteel Destroyer?

[K9]

I am forever baffled as to why Blizzard doesn't implement a line of 2h tanking maces suitable for druids and DKs.

Also some 2h spellpower maces for druids, shamen and paladins.

[Ingmar]

I am forever baffled as to why Blizzard doesn't implement a line of 2h tanking maces suitable for druids and DKs.

Also some 2h spellpower maces for druids, shamen and paladins.

Expect the 2h maces in Ulduar+. The feral weapons were still deliberately low 'real' dps when all the current itemization was done.

[Sjofn]

2H Tanking Weapons have been taken out of this patch according to a new Blue post.

Oh God fucking dammit. ><

[Setanta]

I can understand Shaman being at the bottom - if imp Ghostwolf had the druid mechanics like it did in beta they'd a hell of a lot better - the earth totems are all messed up (no seriously, do people actually use stoneclaw - it's never been on my bar and I was a shaman main in vanilla abd BC).

on a plus side, the tapped when aggro is a godsend.

[Fordel]

Stoneclaw is fine for solo pve, especially with the stun mechanic now. Not much use otherwise though.

[Shrike]

Stoneclaw is, supposedly, a PvP totem. The issue is the totems you'd most want to protect with stoneclaw are earth totems...

Blizz needs to really rethink totems and their effects. Other than that, shaman are OK in PvE. PvP now...well...not so good.

[Sheepherder]

It's extremely fun watching a rogue in 2v2 try to DPS down a stoneclaw totem. 


I wish I was making this up.

[kildorn]

I can understand Shaman being at the bottom - if imp Ghostwolf had the druid mechanics like it did in beta they'd a hell of a lot better - the earth totems are all messed up (no seriously, do people actually use stoneclaw - it's never been on my bar and I was a shaman main in vanilla abd BC).

on a plus side, the tapped when aggro is a godsend.

I used stoneclaw when leveling to keep adds occupied for a bit. It's far FAR better after it's hp/armor was reworked and the stun was added. I always thought getting someone stunned with that in pvp should be an achievement.

Earth's only real issue is the lack of a castery totem, like fire lacks a melee totem. Those are the parts of shaman stacking that get held up. SoE and what, stoneskin? Flametongue/wrath and... searing?

[Paelos]

Are they ever putting this thing out? It's not leaving me feeling good about the chances of their next content push being out before April.

[kildorn]

Are you really asking when Blizzard will release something already?

[Signe]

I was going ask the same thing.  I'm glad Paelos did it first.  It saves me the hurt feelings I would have had if I was the one Kildorn answered in that mocking tone of his. 

[kildorn]

I'm not mocking, I'm bitter and jaded about the 2035 tenative release date of Diablo 3.

[Signe]

There, there. 

[Nevermore]

Kildy pretends to be all jaded and cynical, but he's really a big softy on the inside.  Like a Lindor Ball.

[kildorn]

Come plaaaaay with us nevermore!

You know you want my big softy.

... wait. 

[Signe]

Aww.  Most people here pretend to be all jaded and cynical but are really jaded and cynical on the inside.  Like a Klein bottle.

[Soulflame]

I'm cynical and jaded, not the other way around.

[Paelos]

Well 2 weeks of "maybe this week" have come and gone already. If it's not here by Tuesday, I'm giving up any hope we'll see Ulduar before summer. I guess the one takeaway from this is that it's mostly a balance patch, so the delay is coming from tweaking with balance rather than any real content load.

[Soulflame]

My guild is probably just advancing slowly, but I'm ok with summer for Ulduar.  That'll give us more time to fail to get Malygos to phase 2.   

[Montague]

Just saw that Blizzard added another PVE server today and they're about to add another RP-PVE server.

The game is over 4 fucking years old, there are queues everywhere and they are still adding servers. Redonkulous.

[Vash]

Just saw that Blizzard added another PVE server today and they're about to add another RP-PVE server.

The game is over 4 fucking years old, there are queues everywhere and they are still adding servers. Redonkulous.

The latency fixes in 3.0.8 better be amazing or I imagine they will be adding even more servers and offering more free transfers.  My server wasn't in the recent batch of free transfers but it is pretty packed almost every night and all instances are lagged out so bad your lucky if only half your raid disconnects during a boss fight.

[Merusk]

Alleria was just part of the first round of transfers and the resident uberguild, Premonition, finally left the server figuring the new one wouldn't fill-up and wouldn't have the queues and latency. Good call.  They're the remnants of the old #3 us guild, so hopefully this means we'll stop having every asshat in the world transferring to our server to try and join them.   Our queue is still 800+ after 8pm est at this point.

[Hayduke]

I liked my DK initially.  It was pretty easy to faceroll in 5-mans to top dps (usually by a large margin) and in raids she's usually 2 or 3 behind our BM hunter.  But tbh I really wanted to tank and most guilds only want them as dps.  That and there's always way too many generic DPS lining up for a raid spot or group.

[Merusk]

Keep working on the tank gear. They're getting a boost in the patch as Blizz realized they need to be more like druids with the lack of a shield and the nerf to IBF.. which was a silly thing anyway. It's less of an 'oh shit' button and more of a "this is the only way I can live" button right now.