11-23-2007, 02:27 AM
Quote:It is still a frivalous change. As Skan pointed out, if they're trying to make fights based around IB, then they are going to need to add similar skills to all classes, not just Mages because I can gaurentee they will screw up what their implementing and break it so that it affects more than just Mages necessitating an IB type skill for whoever gets affected. Think about what all IB does, then look at other classes, does it make sense for IB to be a class power, no, it doesn't, as such it's frivalous.
My point isn't that it's a frivolous change. My point is that we don't know. So far all the information we have is that Blizzard is balancing new PvE encounters around the assumption that every mage has ice block. That sounds to me like a good reason to give every mage ice block.
It's not about mages v. other classes. In terms of PvE design, if you assume that every mage has ice block and you do not make it a trained skill, you're forcing raid groups to bring all frost mages, in direct contrast with the way they've built talent trees to this point in TBC. Again, this is why they made Innervate a trained skill, because bringing a resto druid versus bringing a non-resto druid was such a wide gulf in capability.
As to exactly what they're doing that'll make ice block mandatory? I can't say. Just because we can't think of it doesn't make it impossible to do. At this juncture I think we should all take Blizzard's word when they say "Here's Ice Block. You'll need it." Better, I think, than automatically disbelieving them.
Quote:Given a few weeks, you will see the same thing happen again that Blizzard was trying to guard against, maybe this time they might realize where the problem lies, but I will bet you see Mages at the top or near the top of the DPS meters again with the reversing of the coefficient issues.
Part of the reason Icy Veins is being introduced is because Blizzard is checking out mage DPS with the coefficient tax reverses and finding out that, in fact, mages are still not sufficiently competitive. The fact is, the coefficient taxes were a reaction to the strength of tailoring and the apparent imbalance of mages in t5/t6 equivalent loot versus other classes in dungeon blues and Karazhan loot. Now that the gear playing field is level, mages are finding themselves behind, and I personally suspect that we need far more DPS help than just Icy Veins. But I'll take that for now. Baby steps.