While testing hunter’s Survival Tactics, I found I something that was never reported anywhere: a change in the way how “casted” spells damage is applied. Before it was upon visual landing, now - when the cast is finished.
Question:
How do you like this change? Isn’t it another loss in the game?
Before:
Spell damage was applied upon visual landing of the spell on the target. So basically when the spell was already casted and flying towards the target, the target could avoid/reduce the damage using different mechanics: using hunter’s Survival Tactics, hunter’s Aspect of the Turtle, mage’s Greater Invisibility, etc. just before the spell actually lands.
Now:
The damage is calculated right after the caster finishes casting the spell, even though the damage in logs you will see upon landing. So if the target is far away and you finished casting Chaos bolt - it doesn’t matter what the target does - it will receive the full amount of damage.
Testing procedure:
I used my mage and hunter as a victim and warlock, mage and moonkin druid as caster’s.
- Warlock is casting Chaos bolt on hunter with Survival tactics (reduces damage for 99%). Feigh death right after the cast - Full damage.
- Same outcome with mage’s slow Greater pyroblast. No matter when you feigh death - after the cast, in the middle of spell flying to you, right before spell’s landing - always damages for the same amount.
- Warlock is casting Chaos bolt on hunter with Aspect of the turtle. Aspect is applied right after the cast is finished - full damage.
- Mage with pet casts Frozen orb on hunter with Survival tactics. 2 ticks of aoe are reduced, then pet’s bolt is not reduced, then 1 another tick of orb is reduced.
- Druids casts New Moon and Spell Surge on hunter with Aspect of the turtle. Aspect is applied right after the cast is finished - New moon full damage, Spell Surge avoided.
- Warlock casts Chaos bolt on mage with Greater Invisibility (reduces damage by 60%). Invisibility is casted right after the spell finishes - full damage is applied. But Invisibility is still removed because of the damage Looks like a bug to me or double standards.
However this does not affect pure immunities like paladin’s Divine Shield or mage’s Ice block, but affects hunter’s Aspect of the turtle, priest’s Dispersion.
I understand that there are many other problems, but this one makes me personally upset, since I still remember how mage’s could avoid Death coil using Blink that used to give 100% spell avoidance and it looked really cool and professional.