Hello all,
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time playing SoD and it has been an exciting and enjoyable journey.
However, as much as I appreciate the fresh content and features, I’ve noticed that the rune system, a core element of SoD, often leans towards promoting a very linear and predictable playstyle. In my opinion, many runes seem to lack creativity and depth, often guiding players towards specific, pre-defined paths rather than encouraging experimentation and personal flair.
The introduction of abilities from other expansions, such as Riptide, Lifebloom, and Prayer of Mending, has been a delightful touch. These abilities resonate with my passion for healing and add layers of enjoyment to my gameplay. Yet, amidst these welcome additions, there’s a palpable absence of the classic WoW essence - the freedom to explore unconventional builds and the joy of crafting ‘meme specs’ that, while not always viable in competitive play, offer a unique and personalized gaming experience, which I love to experiment with.
Moreover, certain elements, like the overly simplistic mechanics of “mind flay resets the duration of your SW:P” or the concept of “homunculi,” fail to capture my interest, feeling uninspired and detached from the “classic” feeling. Other examples are Inspiration Exemplar for paladins or Spell Power (+50% crit damage) for mages, which are very strong and viable in certain situations, but are just boring buffs that don’t interact with your spec. The specialization-specific choices further narrow the scope for diversity, as they often lock players into selecting runes that align with their chosen spec, rather than exploring a broader range of possibilities. I hate to see rune slot options where you have one exclusive choice for each spec.
Other than some old fun abilities, options such as the Elune’s Fires rune, rumored for Phase 3, are also great additions. This rune fosters versatility and creative experimentation across all specs by allowing different spells to extend the duration of various DoTs or HoTs. Such a design opens doors to a multitude of builds, encouraging players to delve into the depths of their creativity.
As an enthusiast priest player, I’ve felt constrained since Phase 2, limited to a singular approach to gameplay. The absence of flexibility to explore hybrid or non-traditional builds, even if they fall outside the meta, has dampened the spirit of discovery for me.
In conclusion, while I embrace and enjoy much of what the Season of Discovery offers, I believe there’s significant room for improvement in encouraging diverse gameplay and creative freedom in rune choices and design.