These suggestions assume that AoE gameplay—and the AoE DPS WP spec—are here to stay. I’m also working under the assumption that the following development vision, as shared in this post: viewtopic.php?t=52658, is still valid:
“To achieve that goal, we want to offer every career an option for both a viable Party and Warband specialization, allowing them to join and feel useful in any group or content in RoR—from Open RvR Battles, Keep or City Sieges, Roaming and Scenarios.
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By the end, we also intend to re-balance all careers with multiple archetypes, such as Warrior Priest of Sigmar, to fit them properly into these archetypes with appropriate Morales, utility abilities, or access to Charge.”
Engaging Gameplay
Currently, the AoE DPS WP rotation centers almost entirely on *Soulfire* and spamming *Smite*, with the occasional single-target filler. This results in a repetitive and unengaging loop. More importantly, it doesn’t fit well with the WP’s core builder/spender mechanic. While the spec technically has spenders, resource management doesn’t play a meaningful role in how you use them, making the spec feel disconnected from its intended class identity.
To solve this, I suggest introducing one or two additional AoE abilities that function as true resource spenders. These could serve as burst tools or provide utility effects while reinforcing the class mechanic. Such changes would add both depth and decision-making to the rotation.
Burst Damage
With recent changes that increased time-to-kill in many fights, the AoE WP has become more viable overall. However, in short engagements or key moments of longer fights, it still lacks a strong AoE burst option.
One simple (but perhaps unexciting) fix would be to make *Hammer of Sigmar* deal AoE damage when using *Empowered Smite*, at reduced damage compared to its single-target version. Personally, I’d prefer to keep *Hammer of Sigmar* as a single-target finisher even in AoE situations.
A more interesting alternative would be to design a new burst ability that interacts with *Guilty Soul* stacks. For example, it could deal AoE burst damage scaling with the number of active stacks—or consume them for a stronger effect. This would naturally integrate with the existing *Soulfire → Smite → Burst* loop, reinforcing both gameplay rhythm and resource management. The ability should cost a large amount of Righteous Fury to maintain balance.
Out-of-Party AoE Utility
While the AoE WP brings some party utility, it’s not impactful enough to justify a warband slot compared to other DPS classes. Depending on how future DPS reworks develop, the WP could use a utility tool that fits its theme—something that protects allies or mitigates incoming damage for nearby players. This would make it a more desirable addition to coordinated groups.
Proper DPS Morale
Currently, the only realistic Morale 2 option for AoE WP is *Siphon*, which feels too weak to compete with standard damage Morales. While the pure 1200-damage M2 would be effective, it would also be dull and out of character for the spec. A better alternative might be a hybrid M2 that deals moderate AoE damage (e.g., 900) and provides a small defensive or healing utility effect—something uniquely fitting for a WP.
Catch-Up Mechanics
Compared to other melee DPS, the AoE WP is easily disabled or neutralized. Being punted from the fight or hit with cooldown-increasing effects drastically lowers its performance. Other DPS classes have tools to re-engage quickly; the WP doesn’t.
Currently, the only recovery option is *Flee*, which drains both morale and Righteous Fury—crippling your performance. Adding a more effective gap-closer or limited mobility boost would help maintain uptime without making the class overpowered. Similarly, expanding the spec’s AoE toolkit (as proposed earlier) would reduce the reliance on just *Smite* and *Soulfire* when cooldowns are increased.
Boxed In by Divine Fury
Tactics are meant to offer build diversity, but in practice, many specs—including DPS WP—are locked into mandatory choices. *Divine Fury* is a prime example: the spec is dependent on it to function.
A clean solution would be to bake *Divine Fury’s* effects into equipping a two-handed weapon, freeing up a tactic slot for customization. This would open up more build flexibility while maintaining balance, provided the other tactics are carefully evaluated. Ideally, a similar solution would be developed for classes like Rune Priest and Archmage to ensure consistency.
Healing Abilities
It’s time to revisit how healing abilities interact with the DPS spec. Currently, DPS WPs still have access to most healing tools, which can feel both awkward and unbalanced. Disabling standard heals when wielding a two-hander would help separate the archetypes cleanly, while still allowing limited self-healing or cleansing options for survivability.
Afterthought
I don’t claim to have perfect solutions, but I wanted to highlight several issues and offer ideas that might inspire discussion or refinement.
