Blizzard Hotfixes Death Strike Healing Nerf :: ZAM

Blizzard Hotfixes Death Strike Healing NerfApr 18th, 2009 at 8:34 AM by Togikagi

Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street has announced on the official World of Warcraft forums that Blizzard has hotfixed a change to the amount of healing provided by Death Strike. He explained the reasoning behind the nerf:

"Originally, this ability was something you would use only situationally to heal yourself at a cost of damage. Since then we have redesigned the death knight class sufficiently to where Death Strike was a major rotational ability for Blood. Given how much the attack is hitting for, we think the amount of healing it provided was too much.

Healing still scales based on diseases and the damage is unchanged. Blood retains its other tools to heal."

So what do all you Death Knights out there think about the change?

Tags: WorldofWarcraft, News

Comments

the fun walked out with the healing

# Apr 21 2009 at 12:12 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591922334163

2 posts

I used to enjoy playing my new shiny Death Knight, now I just tolerate it. I have put in for my account to expire once my time is up due to the fact that the game I used to play has turned into a pvp based nerf fest. I remember each class I *used* to play having complaints about being overpowered. Now, I simply stopped playing some, because the enjoyment has dissipated. Sure, flame me cause I can't play my class wonderfully, and I take advantage of being overpowered. WoW was never about how well I was able to outskill my competition for me, it was about how much fun I have while I'm playing. I have lifetime honor between all characters and all realms combined that would be shamed by a weekend of pvp by most players.

To my understanding, WoW started as a pve game with pvp encounters. This has since given way to what is showing as a pvp game with pve encounters. I would rather have two different sets of rules: one for pve, one for pvp, rather than have to keep seeing nerf after nerf to classes to make sure that any class can kill any class. It's an expanded game of Rock, Paper, Scissors for crying out loud. Sure, tactics have their spot, but some classes are better suited against others.

Give me back my Death Strike. I lost a critical spot in my rotation for some easily replaced dps. Take away the damage if needed, I want the healing. I don't want to be forced into blood spec to stay alive (even though it is one of my dual specs, and even that has lost its appeal). I already lost my zombie form after dying in unholy spec, now seeing how my solo runs are being robbed of enjoyment value, I'm looking for a new class to play.
If the fun is taken away from running around killing trash mobs, I'll simply find a replacement for WoW in my daily entertainment intake. I just hope I don't find reason to do that.

the fun walked out with the healing

# Apr 21 2009 at 3:42 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1591928214104

Sage

1,096 posts

I hadn't really paid attention to the death strike changes, since I had respecced to 2-handed frost and was focussed primarily on raid dps, until a few days ago when I noticed I was getting low on health. I picked a mob that looked like it could handle a couple of swings and loaded up the diseases so I could Deathstrike myself to full health, as I have done so frequently in the past. The first DS healed me for 450. Thinking it must've been bugged, I tried again and got a heal for around 700.

While I don't feel the nerf is game breaking, it does represent a drastic decrease in a talent that alot of people have come to rely on for solo play. When I was fully blood leveling spec, I have on numerous occasions gotten DS heals in the 8-9K range. I'm not saying that healing yourself for that much while doing significant damage isn't OP in PvP scenarios, because it obviously can be. What I'm saying largely echoes alot of the complaints that people have with the way alot of class re-tooling is done, which is that balancing around PvP is rarely beneficial for anyone in a PvE scenario. Ths simple fact is that there are different mechanics neccesary for PvP and PvE and its virtually impossible to balance for one without adversely affecting the other.

QQ moar!

# Apr 20 2009 at 11:03 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1592339732801

Sage

3,272 posts

I'm blood with 2/3 blood worms, no mark and one point in rune tap and I'm soloing elites like it was my job. Hell I'm in 2 crafted epics, blue and green leveling gear.

Don't QQ about solo play dk is so freaking easy to solo its almost retarded.

Seriously?

# Apr 20 2009 at 10:57 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591954420802

10 posts

So... my question is this... does this recent adjustment make the DK impossible to solo PvE? I mean... if they nerf something to balance it out in PvP and you can still effectively run solo PvE with it, then what are you ******** about? The class is still playable. What's the problem?

get a grip

# Apr 19 2009 at 1:53 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592266323469

1 post

As a blood DPS spec I count on Death Strike for my healing. I do not have the waste-a-rune healing so this is a very major nerf to someone trying to maximize their DPS and help keep the healers from OOM. PvP should take a VERY back seat to PvE. You don't like getting wtfpwnd by the other side don't **** them off and maybe they won't kill you every time they see you. No one cares that it was predicted... it was a bad thing to do

By the way, the hero in hero class is getting to start at level 55, NOT being better than any other class.

...

# Apr 19 2009 at 7:22 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1593370389799

17 posts

Bottom line is this class is being ruined to suit those who play PvP/Arena. PvE is rapidly becoming only a secondary part of the game, which is just flat out wrong.

ridiculous

# Apr 19 2009 at 7:11 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1593370712353

11 posts

Quote:

I'm sick of it. This is a HERO CLASS, meaning it's superior. I'm tired of the latest round of whiners kvetching about DK's.

Let me tell you something - I've been playing Bliz games since Diablo 1, and the one thing that has always been standard is a group of players crying because they can't beat every single class in the game. As soon as they run into a class they have trouble beating, that class is accused of being over-powered.

So is this what we're going to have now? A string of people constantly crying about DK's until they're nerfed into oblivion and are just another class instead of the HERO CLASS that they're supposed to be?

This is plain wrong. No class should have significant advantage over others. What would be the point in playing a non-hero class then?

ridiculous

# Apr 19 2009 at 8:22 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592761567391

Scholar

132 posts

Quote:

This is plain wrong. No class should have significant advantage over others. What would be the point in playing a non-hero class then?

Of course they should. Every class has its advantages over others. There are some matches you just don't try. Once again, the primary whining from people - as usual - is from the PvP crowd that thinks their toon should be the #1 build, and anything that can beat them (but maybe not a different class) is OP.

I agree whole-heartedly with what icarusiscariot says in this thread:

Quote:

Bottom line is this class is being ruined to suit those who play PvP/Arena. PvE is rapidly becoming only a secondary part of the game, which is just flat out wrong.

Every time you hear of a class getting a nerf, it's because the babies in PvP are crying about it. Well some of us don't play PvP, so why should our abilities, which are balanced in PvE, be nerfed because they're too OP for PvP? Bliz needs to find a way to balance the words of PvP and PvE in this game, maybe by taking this dual spec system of theirs further and having a completely new set of talent trees with skills balanced for PvP play. Players entering PvP would automatically be switched over to their PvP spec. That way Bliz can keep their hands off our PvE talents.

Shouldn't need it.

# Apr 18 2009 at 8:59 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592309956400

4 posts

You honestly shouldn't need the healing if you have even a decent healer in your group. If you really need the 7-9k health every rotation, check if you healer is an actually healer not a DPS healing. the damage is still the same, so thats all you need. But this is from a DPS perspective, but I think that it should be the same for a tank, if your healer is worth anything, you shouldn't need the healing.

Shouldn't need it.

# Apr 19 2009 at 2:24 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1593370389799

17 posts

There's a healer in your group during solo play as a blood DK? Where did this ability come from? Oh, apologies, you simply forgot to take the obvious into account.

Shouldn't need it.

# Apr 20 2009 at 7:06 AM Rating: Decent

View User Forum

Ghost in the Machine

36,443 posts

icarusiscariot wrote:

There's a healer in your group during solo play as a blood DK? Where did this ability come from? Oh, apologies, you simply forgot to take the obvious into account.

Dude, are you complaining about a Death Knight's survivability in solo play?

Seriously?

____________________________

Please "talk up" if your comprehension white-shifts. I will use simple-happy language-words to help you understand.

It's bull

# Apr 18 2009 at 7:54 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592761567391

Scholar

132 posts

I'm sick of it. This is a HERO CLASS, meaning it's superior. I'm tired of the latest round of whiners kvetching about DK's.

Let me tell you something - I've been playing Bliz games since Diablo 1, and the one thing that has always been standard is a group of players crying because they can't beat every single class in the game. As soon as they run into a class they have trouble beating, that class is accused of being over-powered.

So is this what we're going to have now? A string of people constantly crying about DK's until they're nerfed into oblivion and are just another class instead of the HERO CLASS that they're supposed to be?

It's bull

# Apr 19 2009 at 3:23 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1625444434195

Scholar

2,602 posts

Blizz has stated many times in the forums and in the DK FAQ, that DK's are indeed just another class. And are supposed to be in no way superior.

They are simply unique in their style, play and how you obtain and start off with one. They are already established heroes who fell to the lich king and were brought back to serve him and revolted.

The jedi class broke a certain game. Blizz isnt gonna do the same.

It's bull

# Apr 19 2009 at 6:32 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592761567391

Scholar

132 posts

Quote:

Blizz has stated many times in the forums and in the DK FAQ, that DK's are indeed just another class. And are supposed to be in no way superior.

Which is totally against the promotion for the class when WotLK was released, when they were called a heroic class, something that was supposed to be powerful.

Be that as it may, my point still stands - people get mad because they can't defeat every single class with their favorite toon and they start the OP whining and crying. It's been going on for ages, and it's stupid. See that team of morons from Korea for a good example of the standard whiner's phrase - "WAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! I don't want to adapt!!!! I don't want to learn new strategies! I'm gonna throw a fit because I'm not the top dog anymore!"

It's the DK's turn on the whipping post. Before that it was paladins. Before that it was rogues. Before that it was hunters. You people keep whining and crying for nerfs and sooner or later you might as well be playing Hello Kitty Adventure Island.

It's bull

# Apr 19 2009 at 7:51 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1625444434195

Scholar

2,602 posts

what i told you about what blizz said was announced during the promotion. DK's are frikkin powerful. Even after the nerfs they're powerful. Blizz never said "heroic class is supposed to be more powerful than all the other class", thats just your assumption and what you assume to "heroic" to mean.

Unlike what most believe, Blizz doesnt actually jsut listen to the whinings of the population on class changes. They review performance. paladins WERE op. Even after the "fixes" they're still slaughter mongers.

And this is more a balance check as the usage strategy has changed since blizz implemented the strike. It was just mean to be an offhand ability, but now has taken up a big role. Since its position has changed, it has to be tweaked, it does a **** load more dps now.. It is now made to be the main strike, has its damage boosted but the healing factor wasnt changed. Thus it was tweaked.

Quote:

we have redesigned the death knight class sufficiently to where Death Strike was a major rotational ability for Blood. Given how much the attack is hitting for

you heal less when you cleave your enemies skull open on a mountain of skull cleaved enemies. Boo hoo.

plus this was predicted a month ago. By Theophany. Be happy you're dealing with me and not him [brrr].

Quote:

and I can definitely see a healing nerf coming to DS, but I doubt they'll change the damage.

predicted Mar 23rd. Occured 18th apr.

Edited, Apr 19th 2009 4:19pm by Tenjen

It's bull

# Apr 19 2009 at 8:32 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592761567391

Scholar

132 posts

Quote:

paladins WERE op. Even after the "fixes" they're still slaughter mongers.

And once again I'll say it - when the supposed "OP" gets nerfed, the next class down becomes the most powerful and thus the "OP" class and people start complaining. I hope you have your reservation for Hello Kitty placed.

And you know, maybe there IS a point this time... but unfortunately over a decade of whining and crying about classes being "OP" when the person just isn't good against that particular class has pretty much made me stop caring when people start complaining.

Quote:

It is now made to be the main strike, has its damage boosted but the healing factor wasnt changed. Thus it was tweaked.

Where were people listing this as the main strike? I'm curious, because the DK strat sites I visit have never had that as one of the suggested rotations. The only time I really used it was in raids, where I would be getting low on health and the healer was busy helping people lower than I was.

moron!

# Apr 19 2009 at 9:30 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1625444434195

Scholar

2,602 posts

you moron!

cant you link the dots?

Quote:

It is now made to be the main strike

It was changed as of this patch. The stuff about strategies your reading is outdated. Just as strategies saying rogues should keep up 3 stacks of HFB before battle is outdated.

the ability now does more damange than obliterate ever did with the recent change. it was a 1:1 healing ability. that was WAY too OP in blood. It used to be a rarely used ability and the recent boost to it to make it the central rotation one has made it in need of changes.

so this isnt a nerf. Its a rebalance. You now have a previously rarely used ability thats replaced the one you did use, it offers healing and does more damage than the previous ability and its previous incarnation.

And if you meant that another way. Where did i say people used it as a main strike before? My sentences seem to clearly indicate that this is a recent turn of events. Hell they're very point seems to be to say that this is a recent event.

Quote:

It was just mean to be an offhand ability, but now has taken up a big role. Since its position has changed, it has to be tweaked, it does a sh*t load more dps now

You're ramblings about the great cycle of nerfs [whcih goes along wiht the great cycle of buffs] is irrelavent because this topic is about an ability that is much more powerful and is now a main ability but needed its healing nerfed. It got a DPS boost and had a 1:1 healing effect which was way too unbalanced. So the healing was nerfed. [yes iam repeating my points over and over]

moron! <--- This is you

# Apr 20 2009 at 5:33 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1593370389799

17 posts

"main strike" or not, what DKs needed was mitigation - not more DPS. What little mitigation Death Strike now provides is essentially negligeable. I fail to see how trading in something you really need (mitigation) for something you don't really need (slightly more dps overall) is a good idea. At level 77 with blues, I was able to pull DPS that would be considered by most to be more than sufficient for Naxx. Any extra DPS garnered from this "rebalancing" (nice doublespeak btw)was easily counter acted by the need to burn runes to compensate for the healing losses. So the only real net change was less healing, for the most part.

/sarcasm

# Apr 18 2009 at 10:02 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591901176799

1 post

bump

...

# Apr 18 2009 at 9:53 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1593370389799

17 posts

While we're at it, lets go through the rest of the abilities and change the ones that are still marginally useful so that they're less than mediocre too. Lets keep nerfing things until there's little to no point in choosing a class or attack rotation. It's good that Blizz keeps doing stuff like this. Classes should just basically be a skin choice for your character.

/sarcasm

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.

© 2024 Fanbyte LLC