Originally Posted by Azsh

Erm, that's not what GC said... Relaxing the restrictions on HfB (ie. no bleeding component) would make it overly attractive to pvp'ers who (for example) could open with ambush etc boosted by 18%. Combine with overkill and sub talents and we're back to square one, assassination spec allowing you to frontload a hell of a lot of damage in the short time after you emerge from stealth.

That's the whole point of the buffing of HfB as PvE assassination was weakened by the reduction of mutilate dmg on poisoned mobs. It's the only talent you could possibly buff further down the tree than the CP builder (mutilate) which is far enough out of reach for PvP'ers (separated by 5 points in CttC) to preclude them giving up a powerful PvP talent like prep.

While HfB @ 9% wasn't attractive to PvP'ers (deep investment, not likely to be refreshed after initial burst, lost opportunities in sub), 18% is a different matter if you can buff prior to opening. It's current form makes it pointless for a PvP'er who specs for vigor etc to achieve max burst within overkill.

Side note, of course lumping everything in to HfB indicates core problems with assassination, but I don't think we can expect them to completely rethink the tree + itemisation at this point, the task is just too big to do in the same ad hoc fashion that got them to this point. I expect like everything else it will be addressed in time.