Druids are one of the most unique classes in all of the World of Warcraft. Not only do they have the ability to mimic the ‘pure’ classes, but they also have access to an exclusive set of spells that other classes are unable to replicate (most noteworthy, shape-shifting, innervate and rebirth). This alone has always been a hot issue with the pure classes and has been used in countless debates that theorize the need for pure classes to outperform their hybrid counterparts to offset this lack of unique-ness. If this isn’t enough, druids are the only class in the game capable of filling all 4 potential roles. Druids have a heal spec, a tank spec and a dps spec of both the caster and melee variety. This versatility has long been the druids claim to fame; The jack of all trades and the master of none.
This versatilityis what I both love and hate the most aboot my class. It’s a double-edged sword. While it allows me to be effective at my role and (more) able to switch to perform a different function at a moments notice, it also inhibits me from belonging to any group in particular. I’m not a “real” tank. I don’t wear plate. I don’t use a shield. I can’t block or parry. I don’t benefit from the same tanking stats my counterparts do. I don’t bid when any of the ‘tank’ loot drops. To the tanking community, I’m an outsider…more akin to a rogue than a tank and much more capable of dps-ing when not required to tank than they ever could. Yet at the same time, I’m not a dps. I don’t spec for damage. I don’t gear for output. I focus on creating hate, not minimizing it. Even if I equip, gem and enchant for full dps and hit my rotation perfectly, I’ll place 13th on the damage meter…just ahead of that absent minded hunter that stood in the bad and behind that recently returned to the guild mage that is still wearing quest reward blues. This lack of identity has me wondering where the line is between the two feral specs. Where is the line between tank and dps?
An interesting situation came up this week in which I couldn’t decide the answer. While a handful of us have completed our Glory of the Raiderachievements, several of our raiders are one or two check marks shy of their proto-drakes. After an hour or so of attempts at A Poke in the Eye, we conquered the fight and went to claim our loot. To our surprise a Surge Needle Ring dropped. Though this ring may not be best in slot in terms of enhanced health or mitigation, it is something I have been waiting for, for a long time. My current gear set is starved of hit and I am relying on several poorly socketed +16 hit pieces to meet my hit quota. Eagerly, I hit need and watched the resulting roll off between me and the two hunters present. The RNG showed mercy on me and I won the roll.
Both hunters we upset at losing the roll. One of them actually tried to enter into negotiations with me for how much it would cost me to give him the ring. As I started to generate my response telling him that attempting to persuade a fellow guild member to pass a desired upgrade was not only selfish but would be attempting to undermine our entire loot system, a thought crept into my mind. Is this a main spec bid for me?
On the surface, yes. My main spec is feral. This item has nothing but good stats for me. Stamina and agility are my most important survivability stats. Hit, crit, agility and AP are crucial to me generating sufficient hate. There is no wasted stats on this ring that I am unable to benifit from. It is an upgrade in every way from the ring it will be replacing. The problem? This isn’t a mitigation ring. I know there will be times I will swap it out for a ring with more stamina or dodge. The hunters on the other hand will certainly use this ring for every PvE fight they participate in from now until they replace it. Does this trump my bid? Is this more of a main spec for them than it would be for me?
I have no doubts that I will use this ring for my main spec. Not all fights favour the same stats or gear sets. The set I use to tank Sartharion is very different from the one that I use for tanking Patchwork. But where is the line?
Though it has been several days, the ring is still sitting in my bag unequipped, until I can assure myself that needing that ring was the right, and fair thing to do.
I’d say it’s fair for you to roll on that ring. You’re going to use it most of the time. Tanks (all tanks!) have several sets they use for different fights. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t roll on loot they’ll only use in one set.
I’m all for gearing up tanks, makes my job as a healer easier.
“Even if I equip, gem and enchant for full dps and hit my rotation perfectly, I’ll place 13th on the damage meter…just ahead of that absent minded hunter that stood in the bad and behind that recently returned to the guild mage that is still wearing quest reward blues. </i?”
What?!? Not a chance. Ferals are extremely competitive as it is – I place top 5 DPS in raids I don’t tank, and Flyv has been topping the charts. And they’re buffing our DPS substantially.
On the question you pose: tanks have multiple gear sets…. I have 3 in fact – health, avoidance, and threat.
Tara – Thx for the reassurance. I know having different gear sets is a necessary part of tanking. I just don’t want to be seen as a “loot whore.”
Karthis – I’m speaking as a feral bear, as supposed to a feral cat or hybrid. I tank for progression, so I can’t afford myself the luxuries of such dps talents as Shredding Attacks or Predatory Instincts.
In 3.1 I will have the option of duel-specing into a more output friendly spec. But that limits my versatility as I can’t play a resto spec on days that we are healer light.
I’ve seen first hand how powerful cat swipe can be. Often times I’ll use it to ‘cheat’ my way to the top of the meter on Maexxna. But when it comes to single target dps, without a respec mid raid, I can’t get past 12th on damage.
I’d say you deserve it all right!
See you in a couple of months
also
http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp87/slivers/KittyDPSRotation.jpg