Warning for Dokushin: 1. All posters are to make an effort to communicate clearly.

• Snowy · 08/25/09, 1:39 PM

Post: Blizzcon 2009
User: Dokushin
Infraction: 1. All posters are to make an effort to communicate clearly.
Points: 0

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Message to User:

Don't ever use "lol" or anything of that sort on our forums please.

Original Post:

I'm a little concerned about how itemization is going to fall out of all of this, lol.

Right now it looks something like this:
DPS Caster Cloth (SP/Hit) -- wanted by 3xMages, 3xWarlocks, Shadow Preists
Healer Cloth (SP/Spirit) -- Wanted by 2xPriests
Melee Leather (Agi) -- Wanted by 3xRogues, Feral Druids(DPS/tank)
Caster Leather(SP/Spirit) -- Wanted by 2xDruids
DPS Mail (Int/Agi) -- Wanted by 3xHunters, Enh Shaman
Caster Mail(SP/Hit) -- Wanted by Ele Shaman, very rare
Healer Mail(SP/MP5) -- Wanted by Resto Shaman, usually used by Ele Shaman
DPS Plate(Str) -- Wanted by 3xWarriors, 2xPaladins, 3xDKs
Healing Plate(SP/MP5) -- Wanted by Holy Paladins

This is a mess and needs addressing, sure, but, as pointed out, if DPS Mail changes to Agi and no Int, then it's going to look exactly like melee leather. Furthermore, if MP5 is changed to Spirit, then healer plate is going to look exactly like healer mail, which is going to look exactly like healer leather, which is going to look exactly like healer cloth.

Also, this is going to further isolate Elemental Shaman, isn't it? If they're going from MP5 to a strict Spirit->Meditation model, then Spirit is going to be completely useless for non-healers without a Meditation talent, making healing mail even less attractive for elemental shaman, and if they're serious about no Spirit->crit or whatever then all caster leather will likewise be useless, forcing them down to cloth. I don't play an ele shaman but I've oft sympathized with their current plight, and it sounds like it's getting worse.

The loss of intellect on enhancement shaman will hurt their mana pool considerably, but if they retain a talent to translate melee to spell damage I guess it will have to be in the form of Agi->Int or somesuch which may fix this issue out of the gate.

So I guess my biggest concerns are:
1) Healer cloth = healer leather = healer mail = healer plate; what differentiates?
2) DPS leather = DPS mail; what differentiates?
3) Ele shaman itemization even more of a corner case; what benefit?

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm 100% for simplifying stats, but I'm worried that the distinction between armor classes is about to blur even farther.