Mortal Strike for all!
by Allison Robert 
Feb 28th 2008 at 4:30PM
In the wake of the most recent PTR change to Flametongue Weapon applying a -50% healing debuff over 5 seconds and -- it now appears -- the Flametongue totem itself doing the same for others' melee attacks, a number of forum threads have popped up questioning the increasing number of these debuffs in the game. The funniest asks, "Is there some sort of Mortal Strike non-proliferation treaty that stops me from having Mortal Strike on my priest?" (short of Hex of Weakness, I guess). Suggestions include an MS effect on Crusader Strike, "MORTAL SHEEEEEEEEP!", and "Mortal Portal" for mages.
The best argument I've seen is not that Mortal Strike or MS-like effects like Aimed Shot are themselves imbalanced, but they're bound to seem that way if healing is overpowered in PvP. Healing per second is nearly always more efficient than damage per second if you're specced for it, although that's cold comfort to yours truly while resto-specced and under heavy fire in battlegrounds or arena. Nobody knows if the newest version of MS is really going to help Shamans in arena, but between this and the nerf to drinking, it does look more and more as if PvP is increasingly being balanced around the notion of healers staying exposed (and vulnerable) for longer.
Filed under: Hunter, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior, Analysis / Opinion, PvP, Classes, Battlegrounds, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tridus Feb 28th 2008 4:40PM
Whats funny is that barely a day goes by where there isn't a 15 page thread asking "how come nobody heals in battlegrounds?"
Given that PvP is being rebalanced entirely around killing healers, I wonder why nobody wants to heal in PvP?
Allison Robert Feb 28th 2008 4:58PM
I can say as a frequent BG healer that the job often sucks in no small part because people don't always look out for you. Not everyone has the option on the default UI enabled to see who's healing them and may genuinely be unaware of who's doing it, but there's really nothing worse than being under attack as a healer while the people you've kept alive run to finish off a low-health enemy for another KB.
On the other hand, a player who wades through a mass of enemies to kill someone who's trying to kill me is going get healed for the rest of the battleground, period. They don't die unless I do. Problem is, with more MS effects in the game and the upcoming nerf to drinking, BG healing isn't getting any more attractive.
Yossarian Feb 28th 2008 5:00PM
Seriously. I actually enjoy healing in BGs (not interested in Arenas at all). Blizzard seems hellbent on making my role more and more unenjoyable and frustrating. Are people not dieing enough in BGs? Being a priest and a clothie, that certainly doesn't seem to be a problem with me. What's this newfound urge for them to reduce healing? I'm sure it has something to do with balancing issues in Arenas. I'm getting very fed up with this game.
Bootsanator Feb 29th 2008 10:38PM
I don't want to heal in AV in some areas, such as when people pick up two dozen NPC's right around the alliance base.....I land a few heals and suddenly they're all beating on me, and the aforementioned nobody looking out for healers goes into effect....yeah, i'll just heal pre-bridge, and on Vann, else look for me to be lolsmiting, psychic screaming, PoMing, with maybe the occasional flash on someone who's actually PvPing versus an ally.
Stupid NPC's, nerf their location around the alliance base, OR, nerf the stupidness of many hordies.
Magenificent Feb 28th 2008 7:30PM
LOL @ Mortal Portal
csulok Feb 28th 2008 4:48PM
i hope you know the flametongue weapon/totem healing debuff does _NOT_ apply a -50% healing taken effect but a -50% healing done effect. this means you put flametongue debuff on healers, whereas you put mortal/whatever on focus targets.
eROKv Feb 28th 2008 4:54PM
they are both -50% healing taken according to mmo-champion post.
thain Mar 2nd 2008 9:49AM
If it actually does 50% healing DONE then this is the most overpowered nerf in healing history, As hitting the healer with this and the target with MS means heals would land for an amazing 25% of their original power.
Birio Feb 28th 2008 4:57PM
# Flametongue Weapon damage effects for rank 3 and above now also reduce healing done to the target by 50% and lasts 5 seconds.
# Flametongue Totem damage effects now also reduce healing done to the target by 50% and lasts 5 seconds.
this pulled from the patch notes
Kevin Feb 28th 2008 4:56PM
you sure about that?! It says "reduce healing done to the target", not "reduce healing done by the target".
Epoc Feb 28th 2008 5:07PM
the text reads "healing done TO the TARGET" why would you apply this to the healer unless he's healing himself?? /boggle
it is a mortal strike type ability
Dracula Jones Feb 28th 2008 4:54PM
As a holy paladin, this is really starting to really piss me off. Like I don't have it bad enough with Cyclone spam in every other match...
Nightworks Feb 28th 2008 5:02PM
It's ok, you can rest assured that feral druids in fact cannot benefit from this because they can't get windfury or firetongue procs... unless you're afraid of a resto druid running towards you instead of away?
Dracula Jones Feb 28th 2008 5:13PM
You're misinterpreting my comment. There's just been a long string of healer nerfs in PVP for no apparent reason. It's becoming needlessly complicated and harder to do our jobs. Why do shamans need this?
The Cyclone comment was a tangential rant.
MechChef Feb 28th 2008 5:04PM
This just in: All mortal-strike like effects have been repealed. Instead, there has been a game-wide reduction to ALL healing spells by 50%. Sorry healers, but your PVE has just been nerfed.
Isambaard Feb 28th 2008 5:44PM
Finally, a way to reduce my overheal!
Fizzed Feb 28th 2008 5:03PM
The irony of the pic attached to this article is that feral druids get no benefit from this shammy buff.
@2: Your comment reminded me of AV this morning...I was healing some random guy fighting npc guards and two npc guards peeled off him and came for me. He plodded on up the way and left me to die. Several other folks rode by and no one stopped to help. No support indeed - this is why healers are rare in BGs. Healing is a team activity. If a healer isn't getting protection, he's going elsewhere.
Allison Robert Feb 28th 2008 5:10PM
/laugh
You're right, feral druids get no weapon procs. Probably something I should've thought of before making a lolcat graphic, because it's one of my personal sore points as well. Wtb Windfury especially for raiding...
And in AV I can't count the number of times I've died because the NPC's obey aggro rules even if players don't. Especially grating are the complaints about "Where did the heals go?" while you're waiting to rez.
Nekudotayim Feb 28th 2008 5:02PM
Sap doesn't heal, Ciclone, Fear, Scatter Shot, whatever... I have no idea why Sheep heals. It would be really awesome if they buff sheep with ubber mortal powa! =D
Zaringu Feb 28th 2008 5:29PM
This honestly isn't overpowered. The caster specs won't be in melee range to use this and as far as enhance goes, they're just getting an MS effect live EVERY OTHER melee dps class in the game. (Paladins are debatable on this point and there's no doubt they're getting a tad shafted here.)