Cataclysm Weapons

So for most of Wrath Enhancement has but a few options for weapons.

Slow Fists
Slow Maces
Slow Axes

Slow = 2.6 speed or higher

Thats the way it works, Basically most (I wont get into the list of all) of our Damage abilities scales with slower weapons. This is the way its been and its a great design, I like the way it works. I dont feel like a caster-rogue with daggers, and axes and fist weapons fit the shaman well.

We typically have little competition for weapons, the main problem is RNG not giving many up, or in the case of TOGC-25, all the weapons are stuck under Hardmode Anub, which is the most ass thing they could have done (when most of our damage scales with weapons, and we need more damage to take down the hardmode bosses, why put the ONLY weapons and not just only, but ALL 3 available under the same end of raid hard mode boss? Better planning next time. Ok /endrant). RNG is a pain, but a driven person as I am, I made 99.99% of the guild raids and in the end was pretty luck each tier and got what I needed. Slow (insert one of the weapons above).

There is this thing called itemization. Shaman theoretically share weapons with some Rogues, which is cool, I dont mind sharing and it helps them design more weapons actually (Just don't add too many Fast Axes/Fist /cough TOGC Again...). The Itemization for Rogues and Enhancement is pretty close, the only real difference is Int for Shaman, everything else is the same, its the speed of weapons where Rogues and Enhance differ sometimes. Some Rogue axes are fast and thus become useless for Shaman, completely useless. Uninformed may not know this piece of the function of the shaman, and this may result in some high gear-scoring Enhance doing miserable DPS in some Randoms.

So what about moving into the future and into Cataclysm... Attack Power on gear is gone, the stat still remains but its not on gear. Hunter, Enhancement, Cat Druids, and Rogues will get Attack Power through Agility and possibly Mastery stat. Itemization changed but not by huge leaps, mostly just Int and AP went away on gear. All is still good in the way of weapon design for Enhance still? ... right? Maybe, but then I read this post by a friendly Blue Crab

Re: DW Frost DKs and Cataclysm Stat Changes
We will be making one-handed weapons with Strength on them.
Source: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=23425637887&pageNo=3&sid=1#48

What does that mean? It means that Frost DKs will be the only Duel Wielding tree for DKs, but DK itemization favors Strength not agility. Speed, I cant say much about the DK Weapon speed design, my guess is slow 1handers since their abilities are modifications of weapon damage (which means slow = higher weapon damage which equates to harder hitting abilities). I doubt that Enhancement weapon speed will gravitate to dagger-speed, it would require a full make over for all of our abilities, it wouldn't make sense to change that, and we wont have any use for strength since we lose the conversion of strength to AP. I do know One thing that DKs can do that Shaman can not is... Use Swords! That hopefully is where they will gravitate Frost DK weapons too because putting Strength on 1H DPS axes makes no design sense for rogues or shaman.

But what happens if it does go through? Well there are 2 possible design solutions that hopefully some of the developers are anticipating. 1st is to allow Strength to Agility conversion by the means of the stat modification given to professions. This wont fix the entire problem because there are references that 50% of the original stat stays. 2nd fix is to possibly allow weapon speed modifications similar to the way stats are modified.

Example: If you look at two axes One fast and One slow, same item level, from ToC:
Lionhead Slasher: Item Level 245
206 - 384 Damage, Speed 1.5(196.7 damage per second)

Stormpike Cleaver: Item Level 245
357 - 665 Damage, Speed 2.6(196.5 damage per second)

The Damage per second for both is near identical, the difference is in the speed translates to the Damage values. If there could be some tool to modify the speed, keeping Damage per second constant you could make these two items the same.

So where the hell are you going with all this Gojant? I don't really know actually. Just speculating. I just want to see a design concept that doesn't choke out Enhancement too long. Ive seen too many of my brothers sitting and waiting for weapon upgrades week after week only to have to wait more or upgrade at the next tier of raids. Rogues have multiple different trees and talents that allow changes in weapon type without much issue so they can take advantage of the full spectrum of weapons. DKs can still go to the other talent trees and 2Hander of which there are many of those available. Enhance will forever be in the state of Dueling 1hand slow, which is a good thing, just hoping they give more early weapon choices in each raid tiers or give us a way to modify things so they fit us.

The Science of Warcraft?

There is a great episode of the Venture Brothers which Byron Orphious and Doctor Venture have a contest putting Science and Magic Head to Head, the concept of human souls being the same as memory stored on a hard drive, reanimated corpses being no different than clones, and conjured fire similar to a lit match. That episode gets me thinking about Warcraft’s “Magic”. In the game of Warcraft full of magic, one thing usually doesn’t come to mind: Science. There are floating hunks of land with waterfalls springing from nowhere, and an entire city-sanctuary floating above a crystalline forest, but the laws of physics, biology and chemistry still poke their heads in the game. Sure we can’t expect the entire World of Warcraft to be based on magic. Most of us all grow up learning how the real universe functions based on the laws of physics, and that surely would permeate into game design, with any holes filled in by “Magic”. So I thought I’d look into a few ingame things that may or may not have some basis in the reality of physics/chemistry/biology.

Density of materials and tensile strengths play a role in how armor mitigates damage. We all see plate ingame with the highest armor ingame, but that comes down to mass and density of materials. I guess I should go to the Gap and ask for a pair of pants Item Level 264 and see how the sales person reacts. Um yes Hi, I am looking for your finest high level undergarments, I favor stats such as stamina and agility please, yes thank you.

While portals, summoning stones and even the entrance to the Burning Crusades looks entirely cloaked in magic, its still rooted in science. Portals are just wormholes, and wormholes do exist in reality. When forces act on two planes of space to connect them together, you can create a wormhole. Take a balloon, blow it up and look at the outside as if it were the face of some planet. If you take two fingers and push them together from opposite sides of the balloon you can see the effect demonstrated. While this isn’t a true wormhole you can see two planes of space separated by distance brought together by some force. Your fingers resemble either gravity or some magnetic link between two points. Traveling around the balloon would take far longer than just skipping between your two touching fingers. The Warcraft “Portals” are all based on this physical principle, while using magic as the force that connects the two planes.

Even my beloved shaman, cloaked in magic can’t escape normal laws of physics. My Lightning Bolts, Chain Lightning and Shields can all be linked to harnessing free atmospheric electrons and emitting them in a focused beam. Sure my wool socks make me a shaman IRL on a tiny scale when I run over and spark the cat. One of these days Ill oneshot him… The spell Water Walking can be linked to standing on the small force of surface tension of water molecules, similar to how a water spider can hover above the surface of a still pond.

There is no shame in being Enhanced!

My name is Gojant. I an a Draenei Enhancement Shaman. I pal around with my guild Jungle Style on many raids as we fight the might of the Lich King.

Why an enhancement shaman? So few of us exist. Every time I see one pass me I /wave. The class is a definitive hybrid, split down the middle between melee and caster DPS, but I still have capabilities to heal in a pinch. The lure came to me as I have always liked the ability to change my role as I see fit in any situation. I didn't like to be pigeonholed and Enhancement allowed me switch roles as the situation called for it. Sure, there are Druids that posibly fit this better, but the thrill of swirling around by windfury and transforming into a Ghost Wolf to rush towards my enemies gives me a kick. I can command the elements to my will and I do so with great skill and pride.

What is in store for me and what are my goals? I strive to be the best and most knowledgable shaman I can be. It is a badge I wear proudly. JS is approaching the fight with the Lich King and we are all preparing to enter his chamber. I have been quickly collecting tokens to equip the Frost Witch Battlegarb. The Shoulders were my first purchase, and I get a rush when I see ghostly figures emerge from them. The gloves came last night so I could see the true rage from Shamanistic Rage evolve on each use. While I still have a ways to go, I am on the right path for great damage. Trinkets and Totem Relics are in my future next. They will close some weaknesses in my armor that has been for too long.

While it may be a ways off before the Lich King feels the sting of my axes, I will continue to prepare for our encounter.

Gojant signing off.