Class Balance Developer Chat - The Warlocks Den

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November 09, 2011, 03:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Teej Character Info LockyBalboa 85 Troll Warlock Sen'Jin US PvE Guild: The Asylum Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Tree: Affliction	Class Balance Developer Chat Thanks to Teej for posting the following developer chat excerpts Q: Could we have more details about [the three resources], especially on the Infernal Embers of Destruction ? A: while the new Warlock resources are still in-development, here's the current iteration: When you incinerate an immolated target, your character builds up Infernal Embers. Infernal Embers increase the power of your next single Conflagrate or Soul Fire by 10% each. That ability uses all of the embers you have. There may also be additional abilities which generate or consume Infernal Embers, but we're still experimenting. Here's a little bonus: as you generate more and more embers, your character slowly ignites, until you're basically a walking torch. Infernal Embers currently have no cap, but we'll likely add one before Mists ships. Q: Looking at the new talent tree, I noticed that Demonology warlocks will be casting a spell called Malefic Grasp. Will this be Demo's new filler spell in the rotation and how does it play differently from Shadow Bolt and Incinerate? Last, does the name of the spell imply that it will be a spell which is cast at melee range? A: Malefic Grasp replaces Shadow Bolt for Affliction. It is a channelled nuke which increases the damage of your DoTs on the target by increasing their tick rate by 100%. Q: Are there any plans to do something about Demonology Warlocks and Pet Swapping for 4.3? A: Yes, we plan to eliminate Pet Twisting for Demonology. Step 1 - replace Soul Shards. Step 2 - fix Demon Soul. One popular idea has been to give each spec a different version of Demon Soul. However, we haven't finalized that idea. We'd love to see some discussion about this on the Warlock forums. Q: Any additional information about how Soul Shards will work for Affliction? How is the new resource going to change up the rotation? A: Four major changes. Soul Shards are passively regenerated out of combat. (1 per 45 sec atm) Soul Shards are generated by Drain Soul, even if you don't kill the target. Soulburn has a 15 second cooldown, but each ability can only be soulburned once a minute. We're adding new Soulburn: X abilities. An example - Soulburn: Curse - your Curses apply to all targets within Y yards of the target. Q: ...it still looks like there will be required talents, or talents that obviously designed for a certain spec. Demo warlocks would obviously pick the talent that gives them the upgraded pets. Is there any plan to go back over these talents and make them truly optional? A: We're still working on our talent trees. In the case of the Warlock Grimoire of Supremacy and Grimoire of Service - both of those talents benefit from your demon boosting mastery. However, Demonic Fury (currently) also increases the damage you do outside of Metamorphosis and this value increases with your mastery. Which means Sacrifice can be strong too... Q: What are your thoughts on the state of Demonology's pets? Our Felguard does sub-par single target damage and is only used for its Demon Soul and AoE, leading to a very clunky pet swapping mechanic. Is there any chance that our Felguard could stand out like it should, or are we going to have to wait until 5.0 to maybe use our spec's signature ability. A: While I can't speak for everyone on the class team, I am really upset I haven't seen my succubus in like two years - I promised her the heart of a gnome and fresh hunter tears. We really want to make it viable for each spec to use a pet that isn't tied to their spec. For that reason, the intent is to decouple the pet from the spec and instead increase your pet choice based on its utility. However, I realize I haven't hit your personal question - the Felguard. I love Jhootom as much as anyone else, but it became quickly clear that if we made the Felguard defacto better than every other pet for Demonology - you simply wouldn't use an Imp, Succubus or Voidwalker. So our intent is to make the single-target DPS close, but the Felguard remains the best AoE pet. Oh - and Grimoire of Supremacy allows you to upgrade your Felguard into a Wrathguard. Q: A while back you guys mentioned the ability for Warlocks to change the gender of their pets. Is this still being talked about? A: We haven't forgotten about this - however, when it comes down to getting a cool, new race for Mists or getting a Femguard model - we need to make the right choices for the whole game. Q: Will there be some changes to the Warlocks Affliction spec in 4.3? I've only seen changes for Demo and Destro A: We feel internally that Affliction is one of the best feeling specs in the game. While not planning any major changes, internally, we've implemented a system that allows you to refresh Corruption, UA or Bane of Agony up to 6 seconds before the DoT falls off without clipping any ticks. Q: Is it possible to get some new Warlock demon designs? Like a random imp model when you first summon it and if you want a different look you pay like you do with the names. A: You know, while that sounds easy, the underlying system that supports the Warlock pet system is slightly different than the Hunter pet system. I would love to have a bright green Felguard - however, if we were to add such a thing, I'd rather it be something you earned as a player, rather than just adjusting a slider on your character screen. Q: I really miss the Imp Cannon build from back in the day. Will the little guy be given some more love in either Demo or Destro spec? A: I'm going to be collecting feedback on Warlock pets from the forums this week. Let me know what you loved or hated about them on the class forums. Q: One of the first Warlock talents mentions Shadowbolt, Incinerate and Malefic Grasp. Are those going to be the 3 main nukes of the various Warlock specs? If so, what are sub-10 Warlocks going to use? ' A: All Warlocks get Shadow Bolt at level 1. Then Shadow Bolt will transform around level 40 based on your spec. Affliction: Malefic Grasp, Demonology: (in Meta) Demonic Slash, Destruction: Incinerate. Q: I just saw that you guys will improve the range of resurrection spells across the board in 4.3, but no Soulstone love for now. Any plans to do it? If not, why? I think that SS has the lowest range of all res skills. A: Soulstone will indeed get a 40yd range in 4.3. Q: For the warlocks new minions, would their jobs be the same as their lower form jobs? Lke Felgaurd being for groups of bad guys, void walker for Tanking, Imps for magic blastic, and succubus for single targets and seduction? Also, I hope the Shivan's are awsome. Can you give us some of their abilties? A: We don't know what [Shivan] will have yet. What would you like to see? Let us know on the forums. Q: How Kij'jeaden cunning will work? I stand still and cast spell at normal rate, then move so casting speed slows down and if I'll cease moving will casting speed increase to normal again? A: If a spell would have been interrupted by movement, the spell casting speed slows down (to half speed) for the remainder of the cast, regardless of whether you stop immediately after. __________________ By the time you get to the end of this sentence you will realize it's just another stupid signature. Last edited by fizboz; November 13, 2011 at 03:58 AM..

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November 09, 2011, 03:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
dreadfel Character Info dreadfel 80 Blood Elf Warlock Agamaggan US PvP Guild: Sinister Gentlemen Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Tree: Destruction	Re: Class Balance live thread how about giving aggressiveness back to my feldawg to tip me off when a stealthed player is within range?

November 09, 2011, 04:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
ImRorschac Character Info Neehye 85 Gnome Warlock Crushridge US PvP Guild: Critz Savez Livez Talent Tree: Affliction	Re: Class Balance live thread Huh. I am actually pretty excited about this. Malefic grasp sounds awesome for PVE. Might bait some silence and school lockouts in PVP though. Not that biggee though. I seem to still be able to drain life.

November 09, 2011, 07:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Scathbais Character Info Scathbais 90 Undead Warlock Mal'Ganis US PvP Guild: Adult Swim Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Tree: Affliction Destruction	Re: Class Balance live thread My favorite was the part about pet swapping going away in 4.3. BTW, they did say post in Warlock forums on suggestions for implementing demon soul. __________________ A living Warlock = a dead everybody else

November 10, 2011, 10:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
mavric240 Character Info Evilyne 85 Human Warlock Garona US PvE Talent Tree: Destruction	Re: Class Balance live thread Did anyone catch the part about warlocks getting a mêlée attack? Or them expecting Restro druids to go kitty or bear while healing? Or was a just imagining this? __________________ When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!

November 10, 2011, 10:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
D1RE Character Info Shagina 90 Human Warlock Grim Batol Euro PvP Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Tree: Destruction	Re: Class Balance live thread 1: Immolate a target and start throwing incinerates. 2: Build up a shitload of embers. 3: Blow some poor sap up with a massive conflagrate that does ridiculous damage. 4: Profit. __________________ Life is empty, life is meaningless. When we take a life, we take nothing of value. Warlocks are killers. That's all we do, that's all we are. There are no poets in the bitter business.

November 10, 2011, 11:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
Morgenstrn Character Info Dylandemorte 85 Worgen Warlock Velen US PvE Guild: Ministry of Mischief Profile: Blizzard Armory	Re: Class Balance live thread For those curious about Malefic Grasp: Malefic Grasp replaces Shadow Bolt for Affliction. It is a channeled nuke which increases the damage of your DoTs on the target by increasing their tick rate by 100%. Wildly different and I am actually amazed that Bliz is going this far out of the box. I've got a feeling that MoP is not going to be business as usual for the practitioners of the demonic arts.

November 10, 2011, 12:04 PM

#8 (permalink)

ImRorschac

Character Info
Neehye
85 Gnome Warlock
Crushridge US PvP
Guild: Critz Savez Livez
Talent Tree: Affliction

Re: Class Balance live thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgenstrn

For those curious about Malefic Grasp:

Malefic Grasp replaces Shadow Bolt for Affliction. It is a channeled nuke which increases the damage of your DoTs on the target by increasing their tick rate by 100%.

Wildly different and I am actually amazed that Bliz is going this far out of the box. I've got a feeling that MoP is not going to be business as usual for the practitioners of the demonic arts.

he hee. I know this actually excites me. I really want to see how it feels in pvp. How channeling that with full dots on a feared target will affect damage output on my enemies. Might make aff feel a bit burstier. It is a real word. Don't judge me.