Arcane azerite trait change: Failing to see Blizzard's motive here

[Stellariya-bronze-dragonflight]

OK, so I’ve been playing with this uncommon Arcane Missiles build by using 3xAnomalous Impact (or Arcane Pummeling) azerite powers, and picking Incanter’s Flow + Time Anomaly + Nether Tempest talents, and spamming Arcane Missiles / refreshing Tempest.

I didn’t follow any guides or anything, I just kind of made up this build myself by trying lots of different sfuff. I spent a lot of time and effort, and enjoyed immensely every step of the process (of simming, of finding proper azerite gear, or finding proper gear, of attacking dummies, etc).

It is not top DPS spec or anything. It has lots of different problems: RNG nature of Time Anomaly / Clearcast procs means you sometimes run OOM looong before your Evocation cooldown, it feels incredibly awkward when there is AOE involved (you run OOM much faster or mess with Arcane Charge stacks), it has close to 0 cleave, it gains exactly ZERO benefit from mastery, it gains kind of inverse benefit from haste (you run OOM quicker…) so gearing is very awkward, etc, etc… It’s not even topping meters in pure single target fights. However, I’ve been enjoying it immensely (because it’s kind of different build, see) and having much fun playing it…

And now, I’ve read the patch notes of 8.1, and discovered both Azerite traits essential to this build are getting changed / reworked.

I really fail to understand Blizzard’s motive here. I’ve given it some thought, and either;

A) They did the big data thing, checked the statistics, saw that nobody was taking either Arcane Pummeling / Anomalous Impact traits, and decided to change these traits into “more desirable” traits. They are not aware/care that this different build exists, and some people actively gearing up for this specific build and are enjoying playing it.

B) They are fully aware that there exists a specific (albeit sub-optimal) Arcane build involving these traits, and they purposfully eliminated these traits in order to kill this build.
If that is the case, this means there is an ideal build/rotation for each spec in Blizzard’s mind, which involves some specific rotations/gearing, etc, which is supposed to be played EXACTLY like that by everyone and any deviations or innovations must be nerfed with extreme prejudice.
If that is the case, if Blizzard’s designers are deciding which talent we must optimally take, which rotation we must optimally do, then I might as well play kareoke (since rotations become muscle memory after a while and DBM is telling what to do in most of the situations anyways). What was the point of Azerite traits anyways then? Deal some minor damage on proc??

I cannot decide which explanation is worse…

I spent a lot of time and effort and suddenly all these efforts are getting effectively wasted… I would understand if this was an OP build which needed to be nerfed to the ground, but this?

I must admit that it’s been a while since I played WOW (I’ve been playing during TBC, and returned in BFA), and I immensely liked many of the changes in the game at first glance (different viable talent builds, streamlined gearing, most importantly - Mythic + end-game content, etc), I even liked Azerite traits (since I thought this was made in order to create lots of different viable builds) - but this change? I just want to understand what is the motive here. I understand that the chances for an official answer is close to 0,1%, but maybe some more experienced people can enlighten me. And no, no typical, cynical “blizzard sucks” answer, I just want to really understand the underlying motive here…

Thank you! And have nice game everyone

[Gehei-argent-dawn]

You already know the answer in a way.

No one play or barely anyone plays this build. Arcane is the least desired mage spec (fire for pvp, frost for pve), et it suffers greatly from the pruning coming out of legion.

They’re basically shaking things in hope they reach Something. Can’t say those changes are good or bad, won’t pronounce myself, but yeah, why they did it? I think That’s why.

Regarding the underlying philosphical question about the true nature of the game; yes, they want to dictate your choice. Talents have been homogenized to force you according to results, and sims rule the world, they know it. The vast majority of the player base follows guidelines made my random people in their room as a pinnacle of fun, fun they’re not getting a lot anyway currently.

If you Don’t believe talents are being force, look at affliction Warlock, it’s so blatant: drain soul is so not Worth it that even top locks complain that using this talent at the moment is not rewarding even when played perfectly, over the dumb cd option.

They Don’t want you to get creative or have any Opportunity to shine, they have got rid for a lot of reset on death, or any room for plays, mechanics (locks/warriors come in my mind, pretty sure others are concerned) and try to make sure you play a streamline version of the game. They reduce enchant and Don’t try to act up on in game potion prices with simple regulating systems that the game desesperatky needs, resulting in the impossibility to prepot a whole dungeon. They Don’t want you to stand out so no one feels bad.
They have this philosphy in it seems many game,s HS with so many rng i saw terrible players making disastruous choices sitll winning due to sheer luck, OW I Don’t play but heard it’s a casual toxic fest…

Could go on and on, but yeah, I think they just saw a potential possible build few were running for an underplayed spec, they didn’t think twice. I’m sure it’s a mix a lot of reasons, just gave some quick thoughts, I might be wrong.