08-18-2005, 08:01 PM
:)
I was comparing alliance Druid to Priest, which is NE to NE.
I'm not overly convinced that Wrath is a better choice over Starfire, and Starfire should just be relegated to a puller. If we ignore the slight stun chance through talents, Starfire receives + Damage, - Mana cost and get the full amount of any + Spell Damage equipment, which I've been stocking up on. Well, I'll admit by preference is skewed, as I'm using + Arcane Damage items, as generic + Spell Damage items are hard to come by at my level. Maybe the difference will even out with better gear, but at the moment, Starfire is hitting for 300+ and Crit'ing for 500+ without Vengeance. All for about 66 more mana and 2 second cast speed over Wrath.
I know Priests don't have to take any of the three Talented spells, so at the minimum they more Spells than an untalented Druid (I'll ignore Starshards for the moment), and can get three more, if they spec as a Primary Healer (31 points into Holy). With Mind Flay as 11 points into Shadow, it is possible to get it along with Holy Nova.
I'm not meaning to compare spell for spell, just point out that Priests have more options available to them. Even if one of thier spells is situational (target has to have a mana bar) or another does weak damage (Holy Nova. It has other benefits).
"The caster druid form is not "damage specced". The feral combat form - and actually using those animal forms you've just written off dismissively - is the damage spec."
Then why does about half the Balance tree improve damage? What is it supposed to do? Plus spell crit damage. Plus Crit on Moonfire. Plus Damage on Moonfire and Starfire. Minus casting speed on Wrath. Minus mana cost of Moonfire and Starfire. All these Talents are basted around the 'Caster' form specialising to do damage with it's spells, as opposed to improving the damage of the Druids Melee forms.
"Druids are supposed to be good at healing, good at tanking, and good at DPS, but not the best at any of the three.
A Druid can tank as a bear, do DPS as a cat, and as a caster can heal and nuke. A priest can only heal or nuke. Maybe that's why Priests have more attack spells than Druid caster form."
As a Balance spec Druid, I'm ok at healing, and can't tank. Even if I shift to Bear. But I'm sure the answer to that is just carry around a + Str set of equipment and use Stancesets to automatically change your geat when you shift. Ugh... Doesn't that point to something being wrong?
A Druid can tank as a bear, when they Gear and spec for it.
A Priest can heal, nuke and melee (With PW:S and IF) better than out Caster form. But we're got Animal Forms right? Priests also have the option of specing to a form, which gives Damage reduction while not only still allowing them to use most of thier DD spells, but boost some of them as well. They give up healing for this, but so do Druids when they Shift to forms.
Spec'd as I am, I would never shift to an aminal, if only for the one reason that I loss the chance of an Omen Proc. Which could be another 500+ Starfire Crit.
I'd not thought about comparing totally untalented DD spells, and the Druid seems to be ahead with the slightly faster cast times, but bar using that on opening and maybe squeezing another in before the mob closes, all Priests still get the benefit of unhindered casting time in melee through PW:S, even if it's only once ever 30 seconds.
It's when talents are added that even a pure healer get's more DD options that a damage spec'd Druid.
I was comparing alliance Druid to Priest, which is NE to NE.
I'm not overly convinced that Wrath is a better choice over Starfire, and Starfire should just be relegated to a puller. If we ignore the slight stun chance through talents, Starfire receives + Damage, - Mana cost and get the full amount of any + Spell Damage equipment, which I've been stocking up on. Well, I'll admit by preference is skewed, as I'm using + Arcane Damage items, as generic + Spell Damage items are hard to come by at my level. Maybe the difference will even out with better gear, but at the moment, Starfire is hitting for 300+ and Crit'ing for 500+ without Vengeance. All for about 66 more mana and 2 second cast speed over Wrath.
I know Priests don't have to take any of the three Talented spells, so at the minimum they more Spells than an untalented Druid (I'll ignore Starshards for the moment), and can get three more, if they spec as a Primary Healer (31 points into Holy). With Mind Flay as 11 points into Shadow, it is possible to get it along with Holy Nova.
I'm not meaning to compare spell for spell, just point out that Priests have more options available to them. Even if one of thier spells is situational (target has to have a mana bar) or another does weak damage (Holy Nova. It has other benefits).
"The caster druid form is not "damage specced". The feral combat form - and actually using those animal forms you've just written off dismissively - is the damage spec."
Then why does about half the Balance tree improve damage? What is it supposed to do? Plus spell crit damage. Plus Crit on Moonfire. Plus Damage on Moonfire and Starfire. Minus casting speed on Wrath. Minus mana cost of Moonfire and Starfire. All these Talents are basted around the 'Caster' form specialising to do damage with it's spells, as opposed to improving the damage of the Druids Melee forms.
"Druids are supposed to be good at healing, good at tanking, and good at DPS, but not the best at any of the three.
A Druid can tank as a bear, do DPS as a cat, and as a caster can heal and nuke. A priest can only heal or nuke. Maybe that's why Priests have more attack spells than Druid caster form."
As a Balance spec Druid, I'm ok at healing, and can't tank. Even if I shift to Bear. But I'm sure the answer to that is just carry around a + Str set of equipment and use Stancesets to automatically change your geat when you shift. Ugh... Doesn't that point to something being wrong?
A Druid can tank as a bear, when they Gear and spec for it.
A Priest can heal, nuke and melee (With PW:S and IF) better than out Caster form. But we're got Animal Forms right? Priests also have the option of specing to a form, which gives Damage reduction while not only still allowing them to use most of thier DD spells, but boost some of them as well. They give up healing for this, but so do Druids when they Shift to forms.
Spec'd as I am, I would never shift to an aminal, if only for the one reason that I loss the chance of an Omen Proc. Which could be another 500+ Starfire Crit.
I'd not thought about comparing totally untalented DD spells, and the Druid seems to be ahead with the slightly faster cast times, but bar using that on opening and maybe squeezing another in before the mob closes, all Priests still get the benefit of unhindered casting time in melee through PW:S, even if it's only once ever 30 seconds.
It's when talents are added that even a pure healer get's more DD options that a damage spec'd Druid.