WoW Stratics IRC Chat

[Quark]

The entire transcript can be found on http://wow.stratics.com/

Here's some tidbits I found interesting:

Brannoc: *nv* From the CM's replies on the forums regarding the diminishing role of priests in the current game content (PvE and PvP), we're led to believe there is going to be future review of priests. Can you provide us any insight on the changes that could be a possibility?

Kalgan: Well, i think some of the diminishing role of priests had a lot to do with the power of the illumination talent. With 2.1 there are some significant balance changes that should improve the role of healing priests in endgame content regardless of the fact that it wasn't the hpm/hps of the priests themselves that changed significantly.

Kalgan: It also had something to do with the power of the shadow spec. ;]

Confirms they followed the "addition by subtraction" line of thought: nerf the two biggest reasons healing priests weren't being brought.

Brannoc: *Grogzor* With the changes to encounters in TBC and the development of KTM threat meter, Safe DPS is not as important as it was 2 years ago. Also, many raids are dropping down to 1 or less hunters with only MD in mind. Tack that onto the most difficult method of DPS in the game, the buffs given in 2.1 seem to be nice but they will not be enough to bring hunters back into raids so my question is...What are you going to do to save the hunter?

Kalgan: We'll keep ratcheting up hunter raid dps as needed.

Kalgan: I do still think there's value in "safe" dps regardless of threat meters. It doesn't change the fact that hunters have the potential to be less threat limited than other classes.

Not much to add ...

Brannoc: *Halal* Was it intentional that cloth armor at level 70 provides less damage reduction than did cloth at level 60?

Kalgan: Yes. In fact all types of armor provide less mitigation at 70 than they do at 60, it isn't specific to cloth at all.

And yet mobs have more mitigation than at 60. Strange beast.

Brannoc: *Mazrael* With the advent of multiple tanking classes in The Burning Crusade, Paladins and Druids are now competing for the role of main tank in 25-man raiding content, extending from Karazhan up through the Black Temple. Has WoW development reviewed the game mechanics of Crushing Blows? In 2.1, the Glancing Blow mechanic has been changed to assist DPS classes - has any similar discussion been undertaken for Crushing Blows

Kalgan: Yes, we have had a similar discussion regarding crushing blows. We feel they add too random an element for players in endgame content.

Kalgan: We expect to deal with this issue at some point in the future (although it may not be immediate)

This is huge. This is the number 1 issue that makes warriors the "tank" class above all tank classes, something that simply couldn't be changed by tweaking class skills slightly.