Classic +
First, the design philosophy for classic + shouldnt be to become retail.
“Wouldnt it be cool if mages were healers BatChest”, no it would’nt, stop it.
Before an ability is added, thought should be made to wether that ability is too powerful for classic. In classic every class have obvious weaknesses and those classes would look to other classes to fix them. If a class’ inherent weakness is solved through design of that class by it self, then the simple design philosophy of classic is being broken and an mmo aspect is lost.
Rune Engraving critique
I was dooming hard when i heard the planned changes of SoD, though i have warmed to the idea recently. It is really important that the runes added in SoD doesnt take away from classic, even if the goal is to shake up the game. Vanilla is the most complete MMO experience created by blizzard to date, no expansion since vanilla has come close to the feeling achieved in Vanilla. I will go through every rune for each class that i find problems with, and discuss those problems.
If i dont mention a rune, that would be because i think its benign and have nothing to add. Many of the runes are good and dont mess with the feel of vanilla in my opinion.
I love Shaman tanking finally being given tools, Warlock tanking is cool, Rogue tanking shouldnt be a thing, being tanky is not rogue fantasy.
In regards to tanking in general i would like more emphasis on block. I think block should be changed to do a flat block, like it does now, and then a dynamic amount on top, for like 10%. Then block value would change both values, and if you gear fully for block value in late game, you could get the dynamic block value up to 20 or 25%.
Then i think spell block should be introduced, which would just make block work on direct spell damage sources. Spell block could easily be a Rune that Paladin, Shaman and Warrior all have access to. The shield in general is a completly non interactive part of the kit, opposed to real life inspirations, where the shield was the primary reason that a soldier was effective in combat. Blocking projectiles has defined historical warfare more than any other single tool. But in wow its an afterthought. This would also help in pvp for the classes who get kited alot, Warrior and Shaman. Stuck in a Nova? Put on a shield to reduce damage taken until you can get closer.
Druid
Rune ideas
Feral frenzy from retail, high energy cost decent damage 5 combo point generation, 30 sec cd
Maim feral druid kidney shot, slightly weaker
Fury of the Stormrage
good idea with the wrath mana cost, but the instant healing portion is too much. Generally vanilla doesnt have healing spells that your opponent cannot interact with in some way, hots can be dispelled and casted heals can be interrupted. Nature’s Swiftness is on a 3 min cd, and is really the only exception, so the cooldown is high. Bringing instant healing effects to the game is generally a bad idea for that reason.
Survival of the Fittest
good idea, but i dont want to see passives that reduces chance to crit in pvp, so if the crit reduction portion is either only active while in bear form, or only affects npcs, that would be better.
Wild Strikes
Dont like it, its homogenization. If the idea is to boost feral druids for pve and make them a buff / supporting role, then give them a unique buff, like 10% attack speed for the party or something. Homogenization takes away from the game.
Wild Growth
Too powerful in my opinion. The cooldown isnt stated, if its 45 seconds cooldown or longer it might be fine.
Lifebloom
fine, might be too strong, tuning needed probably.
Skull Bash
fine, too many interrupts in the game might make it too much. Dont know.
Hunter
Sniper Training
I dont think disincentivizing players from moving makes raids a better experience.
everything else is benign i think.
Mage
Rune ideas
Frostfire frost bolt are affected by talents that affect fire damage.
Arcane barrier Barrier slightly weaker than Frost barrier, to make fire and arcane mages more viable for pvp.
Regeneration
No. Lessons learned from Cataclysm with Recuperate should have made this idea obviously bad. Healers can heal, pure damage dealers cannot. Thats a good rule that should just be stuck to.
This is the worst rune added in SoD, along with all the other Mage healing runes. Please come up with something else.
Rewind Time
NO. This ability is one of those retail abilities that makes it so arena games never end because pure damage dealers are swiming in self healing cooldowns. Bad idea, no place in classic.
Mass regeneration
- || - see above.
Mostly Mage runes are cool and doesnt mess with mage fantasy, except the healing aspects, which should be scrapped.
Paladin
Rune ideas
Shield of Righteousness.
Spell block.
Seal of Martyrdom
I think this seal should be given to Paladins by default, with some quest chain involving the forsaken at around level 30.
Divine Sacrifice
Too powerful. could put Sacred Shield insted here.
Inspiration Exemplar
Dont like it, counters too many things in the game. Im guessing its a way to get tremor to the Alliance, for Onyxia and similar encounters. The reason tremor is fine is because its so easy to counter in pvp. If this is a problem that needs to be fixed, then a better solution is to find a way to bring shamans to the Alliance and Paladins to the Horde, could be Undead Paladins and Dwarf Shamans.
In my opinion theres no reason why Undead Paladins should’nt be a thing, the Holy school is already explained in the Undead Priest early leveling where they state that casting holy spells is excrutiating for the caster, but the Forsaken are edgelords so they do it anyway. The Lordearon people had Paladins, so the Forsaken, after the change, should too.
The Wildhammer clan had Shamans. Dwarfs could easily be Shamans.
This is just my opinion, im guessing this is a hot topic with sharp opinions on the conservative side.
It really sucks to play cat druid on Horde without kings, knowing you cant compete because you dont play Alliance.
Rebuke
fine i guess, if too many interrupts are in the game, then it takes away from Vanilla.
Priest
Rune ideas
Vampiric Touch obviously
Power Word: Barrier
way too powerful. Could be just Pain Suppression instead.
Rogue
Rune ideas
Combat Potency, to speed up rogue pve gameplay, its kind of slow.
Just a Flesh Wound
no. Rogue tanking is weird and doesnt make sense. come up with something else.
Main Gauche
This ability is fine even if Rogue tanking is scrapped, its fine for leveling.
Blade Dance
Rogue tanking shouldnt be a thing, its dumb.
Shaman
Rune ideas
Earth Lash nature damage shield bash, just damage and high threat.
Frost Lash frost damage shield bash, just damage and slow.
Spell block block wors on spells.
Shield Mastery
Very good idea. In Shaman tanking emphasis on blocking should be really high for fantasy reasons. Historically before the invention of the plate armor, the shield was the most important tool in a melee combatants arsenal. Because the Shamans best armor is mail, emphasis on the shield is natural, like it was for ancient warriors before plate was invented. The shield wasnt only used for defense, but also for offense through bashing. Wow is missing shield interaction abilities, especially for Shaman.
Lava Lash
Cool ability, should work not only while dual wielding, but also if using a shield. If using a shield, should scale with block value and spell damage, if using offhand weapon, should scale with attack power and spell damage.
Way of Earth
Crit reduction should only be for npcs. Reducing crit chance is a way to reduce damage taken, but it also reduces fun in pvp.
Warlock
Rune ideas
Felguard
Metamorphisis
Searing pain shouldnt be instant, but have 100% pushback resistance. A Warlock in pvp with instant Searing Pain will be SUPER overpowered. It also plays into there’s no damage or healing in the game that cannot be interrupted in some form, which this rune breaks.
Demonic Grace
Defensive cooldowns are in general bad for the game, unless on a very long cd so its usage should be weighed heavily. This ability could be a 90% damage reduction for your pet insted, to allow better use of your pet, and maybe a small crit buff for pet + you.
Warrior
Rune ideas
Shockwave AoE stun is way too powerful, if shockwave slows insted then its fine.
Rampage Retail version, 4 quick slashes just doing damage, 80 rage cost.
Spell block block works on spells.
Tactical Edge tactical mastery goes up to 50 rage conserved when switching stances.
Heroic Throw 2 second silence and some damage 25 yards range, not able to remove bubble or ice block, instant.
Warbringer
I hated this passive when it was introduced in original Wotlk and still does. This passive makes Warrior a less skill intensive class, which warrior is one of the highest, especially in pvp. If this rune just cleared movement impairing effects on intercept use it would be better in my opinion. Generally this rune goes against warrior fantasy, being a lumbering beast with low mobility. This rune reduces a Warriors need for a support class to help him, which takes away from the mmo feel.
Devastate
devastate is cool, it should’nt be confined to defensive stance though.
For the love of god DONT put in heroic leap.
All in all, excited for SoD. Some of the runes i havent mentioned a probably too strong, but they dont mess up the game in my opinion, and trying them out wont hurt.
Hoping for wise and thoughtful balancing from the classic devs in regards to the Rune system during the servers lifetime.