Comments on: It’s My Party and I’ll Spec How I Want To! http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/ Where healers come first Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:40:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: cookie cutter http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24459 cookie cutter Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:51:40 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24459 I just started and I am so confused... I just started and I am so confused…

]]> By: Kapwned http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24428 Kapwned Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:35:16 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24428 That is the mentality I have about my priest. I bought the game, I paid for the game, I am paying for the game every month. I am going to play however I want. I think a lot of people on WoW take it way too seriously and/or are MMO over-achievers. Sure you risk not finding parties, but those who get all pissy over someone who is just playing a GAME, don't look so cool either when you get an outsiders perspective. Me... I made my own build, it looks like a remix of the cookie cutter holy. But I wanted to heal, I'm not going to consider Shadow or Disc. If I wanted to be a DPS, I'd make a mage or DK. If I wanted to buff, I'd make a shaman. You ultimately play for you. And if you end up doing some spec that you'd rather not do but do anyways because "everyone else is doing it", tsk tsk to you. That is the mentality I have about my priest. I bought the game, I paid for the game, I am paying for the game every month. I am going to play however I want. I think a lot of people on WoW take it way too seriously and/or are MMO over-achievers. Sure you risk not finding parties, but those who get all pissy over someone who is just playing a GAME, don’t look so cool either when you get an outsiders perspective.

Me… I made my own build, it looks like a remix of the cookie cutter holy. But I wanted to heal, I’m not going to consider Shadow or Disc. If I wanted to be a DPS, I’d make a mage or DK. If I wanted to buff, I’d make a shaman.

You ultimately play for you. And if you end up doing some spec that you’d rather not do but do anyways because “everyone else is doing it”, tsk tsk to you.

]]> By: Zusterke http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24406 Zusterke Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:23:26 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24406 @Codi: let me put it this way... if a priest with a 30/41 holy/disc build present himself... would you accept that or would you doubt his talent choice? Would you be willing to redo the maths and study this new style to find its strengths and weaknesses before judging it? Or would you ask him politely to 'just take a pure spec'? :-) Would every RL you know do that? Some of these exotic builds may not have been tested sufficiently by the great public so it's unlikely you'll find info on them easily. It's not about RL's being lazy. It's about tradeoff: they too have a lot of work and their knowledge, while great, may have its limitations. In the end they have to make a choice about who to bench and you bet that exotic builds will have a smaller chance of getting a raidspot. Not because they aren't equally good but because they deviate too much from the known and commonly accepted cookie cutter builds. @Codi: let me put it this way… if a priest with a 30/41 holy/disc build present himself… would you accept that or would you doubt his talent choice?
Would you be willing to redo the maths and study this new style to find its strengths and weaknesses before judging it? Or would you ask him politely to ‘just take a pure spec’? :-)
Would every RL you know do that? Some of these exotic builds may not have been tested sufficiently by the great public so it’s unlikely you’ll find info on them easily.

It’s not about RL’s being lazy. It’s about tradeoff: they too have a lot of work and their knowledge, while great, may have its limitations. In the end they have to make a choice about who to bench and you bet that exotic builds will have a smaller chance of getting a raidspot. Not because they aren’t equally good but because they deviate too much from the known and commonly accepted cookie cutter builds.

]]> By: Rahana http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24402 Rahana Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:43:57 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24402 @ "I'll do what I want for my money!" - I usualy tell those people fine, do what you want, but don't expect me to be playing around you. I don't want that for my money. Which is very often followed by insulting and rants falling on my head how cocky I am. Double standards, eh? :) @ Cookie-cutter specs: As was said, those are all great. As long as person thinks about it a bit. I've seen countless applications in which the question - Please explain your spec and glyphing, be as detailed as you like - was: It's EJ spec. And EJ here being the better example. Of course, I understand that EJ has some great theorycrafters, and can provide you with the best talent point breakdown, but in the end, you should customize the spec to your liking and your guild needs (coming from 10 man raiding only guild, so for us the most utility and versatility is always the best choice). I almost went through the roof the other day seeing a ret paladin specc'd 10/5/56 claiming "it's the only valid spec". D'oh. As well, even informations on sites like EJ and the likes are often outdated - Resto Shaman thinktank comes to my mind. @ GearSets - it oftentime surprises me that people go all "wtf" when I say - lemme switch to haste gear, or mp5 gear. Half or more of my bags is filled with glyphs, gear and gems :) @ “I’ll do what I want for my money!” – I usualy tell those people fine, do what you want, but don’t expect me to be playing around you. I don’t want that for my money. Which is very often followed by insulting and rants falling on my head how cocky I am. Double standards, eh? :)

@ Cookie-cutter specs: As was said, those are all great. As long as person thinks about it a bit. I’ve seen countless applications in which the question – Please explain your spec and glyphing, be as detailed as you like – was: It’s EJ spec. And EJ here being the better example. Of course, I understand that EJ has some great theorycrafters, and can provide you with the best talent point breakdown, but in the end, you should customize the spec to your liking and your guild needs (coming from 10 man raiding only guild, so for us the most utility and versatility is always the best choice). I almost went through the roof the other day seeing a ret paladin specc’d 10/5/56 claiming “it’s the only valid spec”. D’oh. As well, even informations on sites like EJ and the likes are often outdated – Resto Shaman thinktank comes to my mind.

@ GearSets – it oftentime surprises me that people go all “wtf” when I say – lemme switch to haste gear, or mp5 gear. Half or more of my bags is filled with glyphs, gear and gems :)

]]> By: Matticus http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24397 Matticus Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:49:28 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24397 Players have the right to spend their talent points and get whatever gear however they want. It's their 15 bucks a month and they're entitled to it. But as the bench boss, it's the player's $15 vs the $15 x 24 other raiders who've invested their points wisely and acquired the best possible gear for the content we're doing. So as I always, you can spec however you like. But in the end, I get to pick who gets to play ball and who gets to be the bench warmer ^^. Players have the right to spend their talent points and get whatever gear however they want. It’s their 15 bucks a month and they’re entitled to it.

But as the bench boss, it’s the player’s $15 vs the $15 x 24 other raiders who’ve invested their points wisely and acquired the best possible gear for the content we’re doing.

So as I always, you can spec however you like. But in the end, I get to pick who gets to play ball and who gets to be the bench warmer ^^.

]]> By: Codi http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24395 Codi Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:10:47 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24395 I'll admit it, I -hate- that "it's my $15, I'll do what I want" excuse. With a passion! Sure, do what you want, but not when it's costing me and my raid team time and heartache, thanks. LOL @ Zusterke: Are there really that many lazy raid/healing leads out there? (Serious question, no snark or cynical nature implied!) I always take it on myself to know exactly why each of my healers is using a specific spec or gearing strategy and to research how it's effecting the rest of our team. It makes me sad that other leaders don't do the same. : / How do they get by without it? .-= Codi´s last blog ..<a href="http://moarhps.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/worthy-causes/" rel="nofollow">Worthy causes</a> =-. I’ll admit it, I -hate- that “it’s my $15, I’ll do what I want” excuse. With a passion! Sure, do what you want, but not when it’s costing me and my raid team time and heartache, thanks. LOL

@ Zusterke: Are there really that many lazy raid/healing leads out there? (Serious question, no snark or cynical nature implied!) I always take it on myself to know exactly why each of my healers is using a specific spec or gearing strategy and to research how it’s effecting the rest of our team. It makes me sad that other leaders don’t do the same. : / How do they get by without it?
Codi´s last blog ..Worthy causes My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Zusterke http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24391 Zusterke Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:01:33 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24391 I definitely understand your point Thespius :-) It certainly is a valid one. A healing priest with spirit tap could raise an eyebrow in a raid I suppose :) (and yet I bet we could devise a usable strategy around it) The opposite is true as well, however. It could be that a player has a min maxed spec and yet he's not "min maxing". To give an example: I had a holy priest recruit specced into single target healing and Renew. Yet his playstyle comprises (almost) only AoE heals. I'm focused on AoE healing and he's using even fewer single target spells than me. I'm not going to make a problem about that but is he "min maxing"? IMO: no. If a more exotic talent would be chosen but the player knows how to utilise it in a raid to make it a (small) benefit... then I'd prefer that over a player who's not using the talents he specced for. One more thing: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hammer you with holy talents! (I did throw a wall of text at you didn't I? My appologies!) I only wanted to give as example how more than half of our talents could be subject to debate if you weigh things carefully. Min Maxing is, imo, for a large part a mindset rather than something measurable by gear or specs. Your post and comment hint in that direction so I definitely agree but the "gear and talent" aspect are not always accurate measures :-) Of course, the intent behind it is crucial, as you mentioned, but I would classify exactly that as mindset. I definitely understand your point Thespius :-) It certainly is a valid one. A healing priest with spirit tap could raise an eyebrow in a raid I suppose :)
(and yet I bet we could devise a usable strategy around it)
The opposite is true as well, however. It could be that a player has a min maxed spec and yet he’s not “min maxing”. To give an example: I had a holy priest recruit specced into single target healing and Renew. Yet his playstyle comprises (almost) only AoE heals. I’m focused on AoE healing and he’s using even fewer single target spells than me. I’m not going to make a problem about that but is he “min maxing”? IMO: no. If a more exotic talent would be chosen but the player knows how to utilise it in a raid to make it a (small) benefit… then I’d prefer that over a player who’s not using the talents he specced for.

One more thing: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hammer you with holy talents! (I did throw a wall of text at you didn’t I? My appologies!)
I only wanted to give as example how more than half of our talents could be subject to debate if you weigh things carefully. Min Maxing is, imo, for a large part a mindset rather than something measurable by gear or specs. Your post and comment hint in that direction so I definitely agree but the “gear and talent” aspect are not always accurate measures :-) Of course, the intent behind it is crucial, as you mentioned, but I would classify exactly that as mindset.

]]> By: Gravity http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24390 Gravity Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:40:29 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24390 wow, as a tank I'm accustomed to have a few sets of gear (resist/ avoidance/ EH, and I used to have a block set)... but didn't realise a healer could have up to 7 sets (understood, not all unique gear pieces, but a specific mix of gear some bits different). Much respect! wow, as a tank I’m accustomed to have a few sets of gear (resist/ avoidance/ EH, and I used to have a block set)… but didn’t realise a healer could have up to 7 sets (understood, not all unique gear pieces, but a specific mix of gear some bits different). Much respect!

]]> By: @valkyrierisen http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24388 @valkyrierisen Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:27:00 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24388 I think I want Zusterke's babies. Or at least to play in his raid. ;) Great post as usual, Thespius. And as always, WOM commenters make this place awesome. I think I want Zusterke’s babies. Or at least to play in his raid. ;)

Great post as usual, Thespius. And as always, WOM commenters make this place awesome.

]]> By: Thespius http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/11/05/its-my-party-and-ill-spec-how-i-want-to/comment-page-1/#comment-24387 Thespius Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:25:51 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6522#comment-24387 @Zusterke I definitely appreciate your breakdown of Holy Talents. My intent was to not get so talent-specific. My references to Reflective Shield (no raiding priest should ever take it) and Improved Ghost Wolf (in most cases, Ghost Wolf can't even be cast) allude to talents that really serve zero raid benefit whatsoever. This includes DPS talents involving reduced disarm or fear affects against you. As I stated, "cookie cutter" specs are a good place to start. A good raider should put thought into his/her spec depending upon playstyle. "Pure spec" refers to a spec that is focused on raiding or focused on PvP. "Hybrid spec" is self-explanatory. The guild that Lodur and I are a part of have class leaders, and those leaders look at our specs and gear. If I have valid reason to use Healing Focus or another questionable talent, then it's "gravy, baby". However, if I tell them that my raid spec includes talents designed for PvP survivability, I would expect them to tell me to respec. Basically, raiding specs vary, as they should. There shouldn't be one "ultimate spec", in my opinion. However, there are obviously bad choices, and that's what i mean by cutting corners. Most raiding guilds will take issue with a "hybrid spec" of someone who doesn't want to pay the cost to respec between raid and pvp. @Zusterke

I definitely appreciate your breakdown of Holy Talents. My intent was to not get so talent-specific. My references to Reflective Shield (no raiding priest should ever take it) and Improved Ghost Wolf (in most cases, Ghost Wolf can’t even be cast) allude to talents that really serve zero raid benefit whatsoever. This includes DPS talents involving reduced disarm or fear affects against you.

As I stated, “cookie cutter” specs are a good place to start. A good raider should put thought into his/her spec depending upon playstyle. “Pure spec” refers to a spec that is focused on raiding or focused on PvP. “Hybrid spec” is self-explanatory.

The guild that Lodur and I are a part of have class leaders, and those leaders look at our specs and gear. If I have valid reason to use Healing Focus or another questionable talent, then it’s “gravy, baby”. However, if I tell them that my raid spec includes talents designed for PvP survivability, I would expect them to tell me to respec.

Basically, raiding specs vary, as they should. There shouldn’t be one “ultimate spec”, in my opinion. However, there are obviously bad choices, and that’s what i mean by cutting corners. Most raiding guilds will take issue with a “hybrid spec” of someone who doesn’t want to pay the cost to respec between raid and pvp.

]]>