Class Changes
General Information
Some class balance changes will go live sometime tomorrow, with number changes around 5% where needed.
There are only a few specs like Marksmanship Hunters and Windwalker Monks that are pulling a little too far ahead than the others.
When a spec is top on both movement and stationary fights, they usually need to take a look at the spec.
Everyone should be fairly equal in single target, although may still have niches (stationary vs movement). Once you get beyond single target, some might be good at cleave (2-3), some mass AoE, some burst AoE, etc.
When there was 70% overhealing, absorbs felt more important. Now that overhealing is getting smaller (and will get even smaller in Mythic) absorbs are starting to get where they feel just right.
They like that all the healers have different strengths and weaknesses.
They don?t expect there to be class mechanic changes in 6.1 or even 6.2 unless there is a large problem.
They feel the pruning in a lot of classes is not complete. It will take them a while to get all the classes cleaned up. Shaman still feels like it has too many damage sources. You won't see these in the 6.1 or 6.2 timeframe however.
Talents
Level 100 talents in general are have some serious balance issues compared against each other.
They do think the level 100 talents that are underperforming but fun should get a buff in 6.1 or 6.2.
For talents that people do not think are fun, they may just leave them alone for now and completely replace them next expansion.
Death Knights
They feel Blood Death Knights are using their magic too much and aren?t using their weapon enough. They need to make them use their strikes again, but it likely won?t be in the immediate future.
Hunters
If Hunter stacking becomes an issue in Mythic raids, they can nerf Aspect of the Fox or even remove it. It was added mainly because it was felt that Marksmanship Hunters didn't bring enough raid utility.
Mages
Fire and Arcane mages are pretty low. Frost is better but still on the low side. They want to make sure each spec is viable.
They are happy with Rune of Power. However if you feel forced into it, they want to make sure there are other options.
Monks
Challenge Modes revealed that Mistweaver Monks were a little low, which is the reason for the recent buffs.
They have no performance tweaks in mind for Mistweaver Monks.
Paladins
Beacon of Faith for Holy Paladins feels mandatory, and they think the other two talents need to be brought up to the same level.
Empowered Seals will be looked at in 6.1 along with the rest of the level 100 talents, and they will adjust it if it is too low or too high.
Priests
Shadow Priest?s Clarity of Power is another example of the other talent options needing to be buffed to be more in line.
Shadow Priests should be about multi-dotting when it comes to AoE. The amount that they can buff Mind Sear is limited because it can?t outpace Mind Flay in single target.
Rogues
They don?t see any data that shows Rogues need changes at this time. They feel Rogues might still be dealing with the changes to combo points, and think that Rogues are pretty well represented across their specs.
Shamans
Healers are pretty close on performance. Resto Shaman is probably a little low, they should get a little bump.
DPS shaman are probably on the low side and may get a small buff.
Fire Nova is possibly still too strong.
Warlocks
The devs are still looking at Rain of Fire and what it has done for warlock specs. They weren't happy with Rain of Fire being used as a core part of a single target rotation. In hindsight, they would have handled the hotfix differently, especially the suddenness of it.
Warriors
They don?t want warriors to feel they hit like ?wet noodles? until the execute phase. If they end up feeling like this on fights, they will look into it.
Gladiator was a little too high for single target. It was out performing the other single target.
Gladiator should still be close to the same single target dps, but not have the same toolkit as the other specs.
Arms and Fury will be brought up. They want to make sure Arms and Fury are doing the same single target as Gladiator. They don?t want to force people away from Arms and Fury to Gladiator based on DPS.
If people are not using Shield Barrier at any level of play, they will give it another look.
