After the recent survivalbility nerfs to both specs, Devourer is once again just permanently dead in arena when focused down. Blur is too weak compared to Havoc (25 vs 35%) and you simply die even when pressing it on max hp against burst damage.
Here I will address key issues with the spec, especially the intended gameplay style (which is around Collapsing star)
- Collapsing star is not playable in Arena. Despite being a ranged spec, Devourer struggles to fit into the ranged playstyle and is more often viewed as a melee. The spell is an analogue to Chaos bolt for Destruction warlock. Destruction has multiple tools to set up their chaos bolts, and even then it is hard to do so. Devourer has no such tools, there is 1 stun that is dispellable and thats it.
All other caster specs have better tools to survive being focused as a kill target (roots, knocks, spammable casted CC) . Devourer has no such tools.
Here are some ideas for Collapsing star:
- Make it longer range. Oftentimes being in 25 yard range for your “key” spell is easily denied by people just moving away. 30 yards or 35 would be more appropriate.
- Remove the 5-second penalty for the cast being stopped. There is a nearly-infinite amount of ways the spell gets stopped - CC, interrupts, outranging it, going invisible, pillars, anything. Having a 5 second CD once that happens feels very bad and clunky.
- Make the damage more rewarding. Even if somebody currently plays it, Star does not do much damage. The effort vs. reward factor is too unbalanced here.
- Lack of proper crowd control tools for a ranged spec.
Devourer inherits all the CC Havoc has, however that CC is very clunky for a ranged spec. A Ranged spec requires better CC tools in order to survive being attacked, save teammates or secure kills. Proposals here are:
- Add a choice node to Imprison for a casted CC spell on incapacitate diminishing return (similar to Hex or Repentance or Polymorph) and make it the same duration as them - 6 seconds. Make it Fire school so it can be used if interrupted on damage.
- Increase duration of Sigil of Misery to 4 seconds. The cooldown is way too long for how useless it is compared to other similar spells. Alternatively give it a choice node with a new spell that does a root.
- Lack of proper defensives for a ranged spec. Current Blur is 25% and not enough to survive, most definitely not enough to survive if you are playing Annihilator / Collapsing star. People are literally forced into Void Scarred to Vengeful Retreat (with Glimpse PvP talent which was recently overnerfed) as their only option to survive. You simply JUST DIE when you are focused down.
- The Desperate insticts talent from Havoc should be removed for both specizalitions and Blur made 35% baseline damage reduction for both Havoc and Devourer. Glimpse nerf needs to be reverted at least back to 30%.
- Darkness should be a choice node with a return of Netherwalk or a similar-functioning spell. Relying on chance to survive is not good design.
- Bandaid option attempts such as the PvP talent “Armor of Souls” did not work out because of how important other PvP talents such as Glimpse, Beckon and Reverse magic are. Giving that talent as a spec talent instead would be a better idea.
- Overall damage profile. Current rotation is very simple however having only 1 school to cast with in PvP is very problematic. It would be highly useful if any optional rotational spell is added under a different spell school in order to have any kind of filler damage to press when interrupted.
These changes will turn Devourer into a real caster spec. Current iteration is back to being too squishy, Collapsing star is NEVER played in arenas due to how hard it is to get off (which is very problematic when this is the intended “core” spell of the specialzation) and lack of proper crowd control tools for a ranged spec simply turns your spec into a “damage turret / damage bot” spec that only exists to do damage and prays they win on damage before it dies.