Bring back Libram/Idol/Relic swapping

[Macduff]

Patch 2.4.3 instated the following change;

" Equipping an item will now cancel any spell cast currently in progress. "
Source ;http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Patch_2.4.3

This had the effect of ending the era of fluid relic swapping. However, context is important, relic swapping was prevalent throughout the majority of TBC, about 95 % and was only changed in preparation for the relic changes to be mounted as part of the Wotlk content patch. This means, in a server that remains in TBC for perpetuity that relic swapping is and should be an organic part of Smolderforge. Moreoever, this was the case until it was changed recently against the protests of the community.

Relic swapping will help bring back some of the under represented classes/specs, like Paladins (ret/holy/prot), Druids (Feral/Balance) and shamans (enhancement/elemental). So the question is why, when the majority of TBC had this feature, and reinstating it would help class balance, do we have to go without it?

I find these arguments compelling, however you may disagree, if so let me know why, so we can have a debate about it. I do think/hope that the majority of the community that is concerned about the amount of rogue/warrior/druids will be amenable or enthusiastic to such a change.

I shouldn't really call it a change, rather reverting a previous change.

[Atky]

Patch 2.4.3 instated the following change;

" Equipping an item will now cancel any spell cast currently in progress. "
Source ;http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Patch_2.4.3

This had the effect of ending the era of fluid relic swapping. However, context is important, relic swapping was prevalent throughout the majority of TBC, about 95 % and was only changed in preparation for the relic changes to be mounted as part of the Wotlk content patch. This means, in a server that remains in TBC for perpetuity that relic swapping is and should be an organic part of Smolderforge. Moreoever, this was the case until it was changed recently against the protests of the community.

Relic swapping will help bring back some of the under represented classes/specs, like Paladins (ret/holy/prot), Druids (Feral/Balance) and shamans (enhancement/elemental). So the question is why, when the majority of TBC had this feature, and reinstating it would help class balance, do we have to go without it?

I find these arguments compelling, however you may disagree, if so let me know why, so we can have a debate about it. I do think/hope that the majority of the community that is concerned about the amount of rogue/warrior/druids will be amenable or enthusiastic to such a change.

I shouldn't really call it a change, rather reverting a previous change.

[Galathion]

Quality post.
+1

[Comeherefour]

Druids (Feral/Balance) and shamans (enhancement/elemental)

[Exsurgo]

I actually got a private request (lol) asking me to weigh in on this issue – partly I guess because way back before I did any development for Smolderforge I was a community member/player who defended of Libram/Weapon swapping when Hufsa originally removed it from the game.


Honestly I don’t think my views have changed much since then:

Libram/Idol/Relic and weapon swapping was an integral part of Vanilla and TBC right up until patch 2.4.3 – so it was basically with wow for the majority of the time.

For balance reasons I was also in favour of keeping this feature in the game: mainly because:

• Other classes get Ilvl 154+ wands, while the highest level of Librams/Idols/Relics capped at 128.
• Paladins and Shamans are underpowered in arena anyway, Feral is to an extent aswell
• Swapping Librams/Idols/Relics and weapons is primarily a boost to hybrid versatility (healing), and not to damage – a gameplay feature that I feel is healthy for the game.

Again I had other balance suggestions I would have liked to have kept/implemented on the server, like giving the more under-powered specs access to 4xT6.5.

I don’t really play or follow WoW much anymore (although the whole Nost situation has been somewhat interesting) – so I am just responding to a private request to weigh in on the issue with my opinions.

Anyway, sup, I see TBC is popular again – which is really really nice to see.

[Paniz]

oh god, relic swaping thread again -_- http://wow.gamepedia.com/Patch_1.7.0

Switching weapons in combat triggers a 1 second global cooldown for all abilities for rogues and a 1.5 second global cooldown for everyone else.

either relics considered as "ranged weapon" (coz same slot, obviously) and this means that you should not be able to switch it before spell with avoiding gcd or we consider relics as "not weapon" and we can't switch it in combat at all. pls stahp with this already, it's not something hard to do relic swap macro for next spell right after you cast your previous spell and avoid gcds in that way.

[Exsurgo]

It always did trigger a 1.5s GCD, nobody would try to refute that - the point was you swapped a weapon at the same time as casting a spell and the additional GCD would be masked by your spell/ability GCD.

I do believe there was a short period between Vanilla and TBC when weapon swapping was nerfed.

That was the way it always used to function on Smolderforge, until it was changed (not exactly sure when tbh)

You can see this effect in play by watching videos such as Feel the Justice by Tehseus or The Fat Cow 6 by Crille, when the frequently swap between dps weapons and a healing mainhand + offhand.

[Paniz]

Have you even watched your fat cow 6? The guy switch weapons after cast started (when gcd of the spell already going), while casting regrowth. This was fixed in 2.4.3 patch, not in wotlk prepatch (not in 3.0.2, where we had lvl70 cap and spells from wotlk). Why it should be added on smolderforge? You still can switch weapons right after any instant spell, while there are still gcd of the spell and this is exactly what i see in Fat Cow 6 movie (except switch while in cast part).

[Macduff]

either relics considered as "ranged weapon" (coz same slot, obviously) and this means that you should not be able to switch it before spell with avoiding gcd or we consider relics as "not weapon" and we can't switch it in combat at al

I don't understand why you are arguing with me. We both agree on the sailent points, I presume, since I've given plenty of evidence in this thread.

a) Relic swapping can be used in combat, but triggers a GCD. This means you can swap a relic simultaneously with a cast although obviously, if you elect to fakecast, you are still hit with a GCD which is the drawback to this mechanic. This was the case up until 2.4.3. Read the link.

b) 2.4.3 onwards, you can no longer swap relics efficently because the action of swapping a relic will now cancel casts that would have otherwise taken place simultaneously. This is currently the case on Smolderforge. We are arguing for the reasons I already cited that we should revert relic swapping to the pre- 2.4.3 format.

[Atky]

either relics considered as "ranged weapon" (coz same slot, obviously) and this means that you should not be able to switch it before spell with avoiding gcd or we consider relics as "not weapon" and we can't switch it in combat at al

I don't understand why you are arguing with me. We both agree on the sailent points, I presume, since I've given plenty of evidence in this thread.

a) Relic swapping can be used in combat, but triggers a GCD. This means you can swap a relic simultaneously with a cast although obviously, if you elect to fakecast, you are still hit with a GCD which is the drawback to this mechanic. This was the case up until 2.4.3. Read the link.

b) 2.4.3 onwards, you can no longer swap relics efficently because the action of swapping a relic will now cancel casts that would have otherwise taken place simultaneously. This is currently the case on Smolderforge. We are arguing for the reasons I already cited that we should revert relic swapping to the pre- 2.4.3 format.