I think the destruction tree is in a pretty good place after the latest changes. The previous changes meant we were pretty point starved in the later part of the tree, but moving Dimensional Rift up means we now get to make interesting choices without feeling too constrained. Going for Decimation, which seems pretty cool, means we have to make sacrifices on the right side of the tree, which will make for meaningful choices. Hopefully the tree will stay like this.
The only dissapointing thing is losing Flame Rift, which just looks very cool visually. It’d be nice if that was baked into Dimensional Rift. Or rework Dimensional Ripper to cast a Flame Rift instead of giving a charge.
Disagree on many points. Infernal should be in the middle of the tree like it briefly was, because it’s an integral part of the spec in any content. Rift’s proper location is at the bottom of the tree, as it is a far more situational ability for single-target fights with lots of movement.
There remains LOTS of other issues with the talent tree as well, such as the ridiculously weak Improved Conflagrate talent, Inferno and Cataclysm sharing a choice node, Rain of Fire not being baseline, one of the capstones being a passive DECREASE in dps compared to no talent, and so on.
I dont like the fact DR switched place with infernal as its actually designed in a bad way.
Unlike alot of abilites, you “lose” a rift when you cast it on a targets that dies under its duration, which is not good for an ability that already now has no cleave.
I prob never pick it, even if its good because i hate the fact its on the GCD also, and having to spam click it in S3 was annoying af just to not lose out on procs (I know it can only proc now via incinerates)
I personally love though the changes to soulfire and it seems it can be a contenter for ST as it is procced via crit (CB wohoo!) And apparently it makes the cast time of it under 0,5 seconds if you have flash point.
From a purely PvP point of view I really like the choices in the latest version of destruction. I don’t particularly like the Dimensional Rift, so by not taking it I can get a build that can apparently give satisfaction by managing to take Decimation, Improved Chaos Bolt, Avatar of Destruction and many Infernal benefits.
I’m very pleased that Soulfire, a truly iconic warlock spell, finally makes sense and is potentially very fun and profitable. I hope they can change the aesthetics of it, because now with the red fire it’s not very ugly, but with the green fire it’s not very pleasant for my tastes.
The current spec seems very solid and fun to me also because the big flaw of current destruction is that everything revolves around the application of immolate, and thanks to Hellcaller it will be instant.
However, I hope for two things: the first is that the drain life can make sense in this spec (I would like the return of MOP’s ember tap), the second that the grimoire of sacrifice increases the direct damage of some spells and is not a proc random
I would love it if the rain of fire became a debuff that followed the main target exactly like the moonkin’s aoe…
p.s. I would be very happy if Resolute Barrier was more easily catchable (perhaps under the Strength of Will/Dark Accord feat as logic would suggest) and that swift artifice was moved to the place of Lifeblood which no one uses)
I’m testing Destruction Hellcaller, and without going into too many technicalities that I honestly wouldn’t even be able to do… I can only say that I haven’t had fun with Destruction since the warlock iteration of Myst of Pandaria… and I have said (almost) everything.
Gameplay finally in step with the speed of modern gaming, fluid&smooth, instant Immolate (which I’ve been craving for twenty years) is HUGE, but above all DECIMATION.