Hi everyone, I thought I’d chip in on the feedback for Feral DF Talents…
I’ve highlighted in a previous thread the lack of direction Feral has suffered from in recent expansions. As a result, I see a player base that is divided on what Feral should be. I think the new Dragonflight talent system is a great chance to finally give players the choice to play Feral the way they want to play it.
Some examples of meaningful choice that could be included in the talent trees:
Bleed focused or Bite focused damage profiles
The new or old version of Bloodtalons (or avoid completely)
high energy regeneration for a faster (more forgiving) playstyle or less energy for a slower (punishing yet rewarding) playstyle
I appreciate I’m asking a lot here and so I spent a couple of hours knocking up a spec tree of my own to try and provide some inspiration:
I know it’s not perfect and doesn’t even address the last point, but it’s a start and highlights some of the synergy between abilities that could be grouped together to allow players the choice between specialising in Bleeds or Bites. Improved Convoke should reduce the CD to 1min as well.
While re-iterating on the Feral tree, it’s also a great opportunity to address some of the long-standing issues with Feral:
No buff/debuff to make the spec desirable in PVE content. If not LotP then how about either the monk increased physical damage debuff or DH increased magic damage debuff?
Balance has Feral utility (roar, maim) but Feral doesn’t have Balance utility (Treants/sunbeam)
No DPS niche (Lack of Burst AoE/cleave damage and ST damage doesn’t justify it)
Owlweaving is clunky and only serves to further complicate the rotation
Lastly I wanted to talk about the Druid class tree. As a general rule of thumb, I think utility spells belong in the class tree and rotational enhancements/ spec specific spells belong in the Spec tree. With this in mind, I think Treants and Solar Beam need to be moved from the Balance Tree into the Druid tree. Treants was available to Feral in Mists of Pandaria so I don’t see a reason for it to be Balance specific now. Heart of the Wild also doesn’t feel like it belongs in a world without affinities. Also I think Skull Bash and Soothe should be made available earlier in the tree as interrupting and dispelling are fundamental to the game.
If you’ve made it this far, then thanks for taking the time to read this post. I’m concerned that Death Knights and Hunters have already had a response from Blizzard but they have been silent regarding Druid. Please continue making noise and providing feedback. With some luck, Feral could get the attention it sorely needs.
In general I think that it is a good direction. I myself think we need more usable spells from the general druid tree to be used in every spec, and especially in Feral and Balance.
I am definitely for including Force of Nature and Sunbeam in the general class tree. I even made a post with detailed explanation.
Regarding HoTW it is a super interesting concept. It should be COMBINED in terms of tree path with Furor, and HoTW should have to “options” - periodical on shift option or a big cooldown (but not minutes for heaven’s sake). For example, we could opt in that after each shift (with some 15 seconds cooldown) you gain that specialisation power for 4 seconds. Then combined with Furor you could have interesting gameplay. E.g., as a Feral you have to move out of range of a boss, swap to Moonkin, fire some lazers for 5 seconds, and continue the fight when that phase is over. This is INTERESTING GAMEPLAY, and would not add some overpowered levels to the druid.
I am also working on my set of suggestions for feral. I think we need to have viable those three options you listed, but also with some choice within it.
Regarding criticism, I am definitely not for bundling the whole Berserk stuff in one talent. Some aspects of the new Berserk are more dot oriented while others are more of a burst oriented stuff. Those things should be in different branches.
My main concern in Feral tree as it is now is apsolutly no inovative stuff, and taking too many filler talents and useless talents. I mean we need 5 or something talends just to get the Tiger’s Fury back as it is now. That is completely stupid. It is ok to build it up, but in few talents.
Why do we not have talents which for example give us a ranged finiesher Starsurge? Why can we only use Moonfire as Feral and Guardian? Why not give us another spell from balance like Starsurge for Feral and Starfall for Guardian? This would be druidic, would be new for specialisations and would not “cost” anything in terms of new development. Also, it would not be just copying stuff from Warriors or Rogues.
This is the most significant thing for me. Yes, I’m feral, but I’m a feral druid, and I want to feel that I’m a druid as well as being a cat. Otherwise, feral is not that much different from rogue. (And with the extra range talent being moved into the main rogue tree so assa can now take it as well, the difference has become even smaller.)
I’ll be honest dumping all the power of Feral into a 3m CD just feels bad. CD’s like savage roar that gives a buff but cost energy combo points and a GCD also feels bad to use.
i wish they would make a unique melee build instead of a worse Assassination but for druids. the DoT’s feel worthless and the AOE feels currently bad.
Playstyles shouldn’t be punishing just different. the idea of punshing but rewarding is not fun for anyone. and will only shine later in the Xpac when you got enough stats to compensate then it becomes the go to build since its numbers are just better.
Tho i do agree Cat’s should get leader of the pack back as their unique aura.
Druid has so many cool abilities from the general toolkit. Why are specs so limited and not able to fully utilise them is beyond me.
Why Feral would not have Solar Beam?
Why Guardian would not have Starfall? Maybe even a tallent such as Pulverize which would summon all stars at once for on demand high AoE?
Why is stun from Pounce removed from Restoration? Why restoration can not have stuff such as Brtual Slash for easier questing?
Why is Balance so detached from the rest of the druid specs? Why could not Balance have Survival Instincts, or utilise Cat Form for some empowered Ferocious Bites where CPs could come from Balance spells?
There is SO much potential in Druid class, and it is wasted. Just look at Shaman’s new tree. It is amazing!
