Molsan Method Podcast – Episode 18 – Not Sold on Mastery
On the eighteenth episode of the Molsan Method podcast, I continue to talk about the upcoming changes to the game in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. I discuss Mastery, itemization, and character customization. (4:58)
Special thanks to Alachia from World of Warcast and MetaTalks for the awesome intro!
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Did you record this before they gave specific examples of mastery? And I think the ‘fun customization talents’ are things like ‘on a pale horse’ that death knights have. It increases mounted speed by 20% and makes stuns last a shorter time. No smart raider will pick it up. But if there are less required talents, I could, because I will have talent points that don’t HAVE TO GO HERE OR YOU SUCK.
My point was that just because they’re removing the talents that you HAVE to take, doesn’t mean they won’t replace it with something else that you have to have in order to not suck.
I think I understand what you mean, correct me if I’m wrong: you think that thinning out the talents is ultimately futile, because people have to get something else (mastery on gear) to be a competent raider?
I think it will be just a different thing to balance. For example:
Dps plate item of mastery:
+50 Strength
+50 Stamina
+10 mastery
VS. Dps plate of strength:
+70 Strength
+50 Stamina
Which is better? It probably depends on how much mastery you have. You’d have to load them both into rawr and let that tell you which to pick. Using frost death knights as an example; you already have more runic power regen then you know what to do with (from other mastery on your gear) so the strength one is probably better. But someone else might want it, because he doesn’t have as much mastery and can get more benefit out of it.
I feel like it is just getting rid of armor pen and haste and the like, and replacing it with mastery. It means that more classes will be able to use more gear, because there are less “useless” stats on gear.
*Sorry if this is a bit rambly, I’m not the best writer in the world. But I think you can get the gist of it.
Today, the DPS Plate gear with base stats and ArPen typically will go to a DK. Tomorrow, the DPS Plate gear with base stats and Mastery will go to DKs, Paladins, and Warriors. This will reduce the number of items available on a loot table, sure.
Blizzard is simplifying itemization and talents, but I don’t think it will introduce a situation where there are no more cookie-cutter builds (gear and talents). They claim that through simplification, they’ll be able to offer more fun/interesting choices when choosing your player spec. I don’t think this will happen.
I think the goal isn’t to not have cookie cutter specs. Its to have a cookie cutter spec where there are 5-10 talent points left and a note from the author that says “We got every point that increases dps, put the last points wherever you want, like the increased mount speed talent, or the damage reduction talent, or the sprint talent, or something”