Changing Specs

As long as I’m forced not gaming this week, I thought I could write a long-planned post about my spec issues in Legion.

So, specs.

Spec Swapping Philosophy

Switching specs is becoming easier and easier with every expansion. Gear has been given double or triple major stats: that is, you’re automatically start to benefit from Intellect rather than Agility if you Enhancement Shaman switches to Elemental or Restoration. Rings and trinkets have those stats removed – this is the next step in this direction. Legion has also granted us the ability to switch to whichever spec you want upon click without visiting training masters.

At the same time the introduced artifact weapons became some sort of impediment. You could find it hard to try some serious tanking if you’ve put all your artifact points in a healer weapon, or try to swap from one DPS spec to another for the same reason. But I suppose it concerns only serious raiding business guys only. For a casual player like myself, a spec swap is not a problem. In half a day your second weapon could be upgraded to 25 traits with absolutely no effort, and you could buy some basic relics at AH and win the upgrades in LFR and world quests. Maybe you won’t be as cool as a badass main spec too soon, but at least you won’t feel too undertuned to suffer during raids , dungeons and questing. So if you want to try another spec, I see that there’s little trouble. Which is good, and even more exciting that it happens considering the whole complexity of the artifact system.

Before Legion, I stuck to the philosophy of one spec – one alt. I enjoy starting alts and leveling, so it’s never been a problem to get myself a new toon and drive it to level cap while learning to play a spec from basics. And I had time to do so – there was not much to be done during WoD and MoP expansion ends. Still I’ve reduced my alt number to 12 in Legion – covering all classes. This decision during pre-patch was quite a prophetic one, as I’m barely coping with keeping even them 12 up-to-date now. The amount of content in Legion is pretty overwhelming.

Now I’m feeling good with my toons – I’m just at the right place. They all are ready to drive through The Nighthold LFRs, and it also means that I may pick whichever class and spec I’d like to play at the moment. My goal now is to open 35 traits for all artifact weapons, then I could slowly and lazily invest the leftovers until 7.2.

Spec Choices

Legion has brought us massive spec changes, so in some cases I’ve started questing in August with another specs than I’ve played before. And it’s time to revise how it played out – let’s do it class by class.

Mage

By the start of the Legion Micromantica mained Frost throughout her lifetime, and I’ve also had a maxed Fire alt (deleted now). Leveling in Frost in Legion was pain, but I’ve remained true to the spec apart from few quests in Suramar in Fire. Now that all undertunes to Frost are long gone, I’ve forgotten about Fire and main Frost again. I have recently tried Arcane for the very first time in my life. It appeared to be interesting, so Micromantica could grab her Alu’neth from time to time to have some fun in LFR. Though if she’s outside raiding environment or if she wants some serious damage, it’s Frost only.

Warlock 

Microfury has been faithful to Affliction until Legion pre-patch. Questing and leveling till January was spent in Destruction though. A slow but powerful mortar, Destruction seemed more suitable to me. Now that I leveled traits in Affliction in January, I’m back there again. I was positively surprised how Suramar mobs just POP under Affliction spells – you don’t even have time to place all the DoTs. And it’s extremely fun and complex rotation with fatter foes – elites and bosses, that is. So, Affliction it is now – as a faster and more vivid spec. I’ve tried Demonology, and it didn’t seem fun or engaging at all.

Priest

No surprises for Aurinko. I’m not into healing game, so the only choice here is Shadow Priest. Quite enjoying the spec and the whole madness mechanics which is quite unique.

Warrior

My warrior history is long and complex. Bons is a blend of three initiate warrior toons who mained all the three specs. During Legion I’ve played her as Protection, but felt the need of having an extra DPS spec if I felt lazy to tank multiple LFRs. With quite a squishy Fury, I’ve turned to Arms for the first time since Pandaria, and it appeared to be very satisfactory. So, it’s Arms now – with occasional switches to Protection to make the most tough quests easy. I could say these specs are equal here.

Death Knight

Rumors (and proofs) are that Death Knights are the best tanks who could even solo the current expansion raids. Well, not for me. I’ve tried playing Blood in Suramar, and all I do is dying at fat and dangerous mobs. Obviously I’m doing something wrong, but I just can’t figure it out. Nevermind, the one and only DK spec choice for me has always been Frost which is quite amazing in Legion. Unholy – as a pet spec – is dismissed forever.

Monk

Paitsu was a Windwalker once, but she inherited some knowledge from Oluu, the retired Draenei Brewmaster, and was leveling and having fun as a tank in Legion. Brewmaster spec mastered, she picked up her Windwalker skills once again. Killing mobs may prove way too long if you’re tossing kegs. Basically she shares the approach with Bons: tanking the toughest enemies and multiple mob clusters, but enjoying herself as a Windwalker during normal questing and raids. No Mistweaving for sure.

Paladin

Anibell nurtures love and respect for Retribution as the only DPS spec. Although That One Quest in Suramar made her try Protection too, and now she can effectively cosplay Captain America-style Alliance knight of the Light too. Dual-specced, played the same way as Monk and Warrior. And no too Holy business with Silver Hand.

Demon Hunter

Obviously Havoc is the main spec for Melaris. A very enjoyable and super fast melee spec, it’s a great success introducing the new class. I’ve got a grip of Vengeance as well during That One Quest. The first mob nearly got me killed, so I figured out I was doing something wrong. It was obvious I was missing some vital spell on my bars. So a quick scan of the spellbook introduced me with one of the basic blows which is also the core of providing self-heals. Everything is a piece of cake ever since in that spec. Although, unlike Paladin, Warrior and Monk, I would stick with Havoc only. I don’t like much those Vengeance trademark jumps and all the rotation. Easy, but I’d better Havoc.

Druid

Mayluna has always been my only druid, and during her long history she’s tried all the specs – and in raiding environment too. In Legion she leveled as a cat, and she’s extremely enjoyable, swift and super effective fighter. For raids though I’m rapidly growing her Balance scythe now. Ranged DPS is my thing, it’s more relaxed – especially with pretty squishy kitty. But for the field it’s the cat only. Balance casting is unforgivingly long compared to the quick bites and scratches of a ferocious feline. Bear feels solid, easy and powerful, but I can’t figure out any situations I may want to use it. Restoration is best when played by other players.

Shaman

Same way goes with Schlitzchen. Doomhammer is a cool choice for the field now, it provides super fast skirmishes. For longer fights like elites and raids – it’s Elemental. An extremely enjoyable, flashy, powerful, ranged spec, but not for sprints – it’s a marathon one. Restoration? Yes, this is exactly the spec I don’t play.

Hunter 

Lizgun couldn’t help trying the Survival of course, and she has been swinging her cool spear up until raid farming. Apart from everyone else says, Survival is a perfect reboot, and I’m enjoying it. Still, for raids it’s Marksmanship and Lone Wolf talent to please my extreme laziness. Beast Mastery – no, never. Not only most of your spells are about beasts, not shooting. But there’s a whole zoo running with you now. Not on my watch.

Rogue

Hexen has always been a master of Assassination which is my favorite spec, and it stays as such. Outlaw needed some tunings to exclude the annoying finishers, and I would eagerly play it for fun from time to time – much like Arcane spec with my Mage. Subtlety – I’ve tried that. It’s probably the most complex and interesting spec to play in the whole DPS camp. But others have guns and poisons…

***

One of the lull symptoms for me is the urge of trying new specs and starting new toons. I think this is what happened in January. Although I have raids to run and Insurrection to complete yet for most of my toons… but I’m eager to try it in other specs. Not the ones I’ve leveled in.