Changelog 15/11/16

[Dabbart]

Question one that actually. Since books and chalices will eventually be unequipable, will we still be allowed to use the appearance? Since every WP/dok if changes are input non non exp mode(i.e. Standard)... Just a question. I have no intention of using book or chalice appearance...

Also, will all the items eventually be replaced/rebalanced?

Lastly, you said melee power and healing will eventually be swapped via auras also. Will melee and heal crit ever be swapped for them?

[Sigimund]

Dual wielding hammers you say.... well It just so happens I made a video to showcase it., but like Torque says, don't get your hopes up too much

That actually looks a 1000 times better than I expected. I thought it would use WH offhand animations +/- spazzing out like a DoK.

It's a pity HoS has always looked better with a 1H.

[Azarael]

Internal discussion atm about using Chalice / Book appearance as visual aid when casting Tenacity / Absolution.

Melee power and healing power will convert in next build. Melee crit and heal crit I'm not sure about yet.

[peterthepan3]

With a new mechanic what I can possibly do? I still have less damage than any decent damage dealer with no burst too, and I will never make more healing than decent regular healer if I don't get guarded. So any party leader who will invite me to replace they're healer or damage dealer is complete madman (because I still require guard as healer).

A good DPS DOK could already easily replace a WE or Choppa in current gear levels; it will be even more viable with this patch. Only problem you'll face is a good tank who can snare/cc you to death, but damage wise a DPS DOK provides more than enough burst via devour essence and procs.

[grimmASSa]

cool

[Stmichael1989]

Just chipping in my thoughts. While no balance changes are perfect, I think this experimental change is as close as you're going to get to it. DPS WP/DoK has a legitimate function now and can be taken seriously (though I'd argue that DPS DoK's were always viable in good groups) and the healing side has a balanced trade off of risk vs reward.

I do think the damage debuff to SR/DA in PoD is a little excessive considering that grace spec was never a huge damage threat to begin with. But when you consider the throughput of the healing it provides now and the fact that the attacks can't be defended (obviously for healing reasons rather than damage) it's an acceptable compromise. I also agree with the devs who believe that the changes to backline healing are more of a change of playstyle rather than an outright nerf. As one of the few who has been playing as a melee healer all along, I've hardly had to adjust my playstyle at all. Switch out divine fury for another tactic of your choice, learn to stance dance at the appropriate times, and you'll be putting up the same numbers you always were.

[Tesq]

i will be costructive , make the covenant/prayer swap the first bar like stance beacuse try to swap from a back line to a melee with covenant is a suicide if you do not set up NB for actually replace heal skill with melee stuff/ other stuff

As I replied elsewhere, it can't be done, and even if it could it would be pointless because you need all of the skills and not just a few now. It's more than possible to bind all of the keys:

Spoiler:

Also, bollocks to NB.

i have 2 full skill bar and still miss all the melee skill (more than 20 button for me is madness) so ye if you do not find a way that mean NB for me

btw is armor potion intended to be halved too when the coventant is active? i dont think they should since other healers dont get their potion halved.

[catholicism198]

That (dual wielding Warrior Priest) looks silly.
Now how about one that shows off the original animation for a Sorcerer's Black Horror? That ability animation was amazing.
-
As far as the changes...it's a move in the right direction as this is clearly how Mythic originally intended those careers to be played.
One of the main issues that plagued melee healers were defensive stats, abilities, and bubbles as sometimes tanks were/are the only combatants in range but their high armor values, block rates, and parry meant that you wouldn't be able to heal yourself/group for much- if at all- causing a wipe; Thankfully this is being remedied by making melee healing abilities undefendable.
At first the speed buff that Warrior Priests received looked like "Order bias"- (first thought, "do they really need a other gap closer? >.>") but, upon closer inspection, now makes since as Warrior Priests call upon Sigmar to bless/buff their allies (20% speed buff,) while Disciples summon Khaine's furry to cripple their foes (20% snare.) -I blame the lack of flavor text- but this appears to be something that most mmorpgs completely disregard.
...now all that's left is finding a way to bring back Consume Essence and Divine Strike.

[Marsares]

A good DPS DOK could already easily replace a WE or Choppa in current gear levels; it will be even more viable with this patch. Only problem you'll face is a good tank who can snare/cc you to death, but damage wise a DPS DOK provides more than enough burst via devour essence and procs.

Isn't that a clear sign though that the changes have gone too far? Looking at healing output this whole evening, WP/DOK is still superior to other healers and if DPS wise they can replace WE/WH or Choppa/Slayer, then what's the point of them either?

I was hoping that after so many years, we'd finally break the back of a 2xDOK/2xWP meta, but it seems we're just reinforcing it more and more. Just based on this evening's observations though, and these changes need time to be digested obviously and for the player-base to adjust to them, but I'm really nervous about this as I eluded to in a previous post.

[sanii]

Gonna give some early feedback
From playing with the new changes in a 5man today , vitalityDoK seems in a decent spot healing wise BUT it does seem too powerful damage wise if you couple it with sorc procs and celerityDoK procs. It allows the vitalityDoK to utilize devour essence in addition to AA speed proc in order to do VERY competitive damage outputs.

This was only from one night of testing and in a 5man but it might need looking into further.

We haven't played order yet , so i can't comment much about WPs.