Give Bloodlust to Rogues
by Eliah Hecht 
May 5th 2009 at 6:00PM
The idea behind "Bring the player, not the class" is that raid stacking shouldn't be as big of a deal as it was during, oh, say, Sunwell. For each buff and debuff, we have a few different classes that can provide it, so raid leaders don't have to go too far out of their way to get good coverage.
However, what single buff was the biggest factor causing guilds to stack a particular class in Sunwell? Ten points if you said "Bloodlust/Heroism." And that is, irritatingly enough, one of the few remaining buffs that no other class has; if you want Bloodlust, you need a shaman, period.
They have toned down its stackability - at the moment, one shaman is sufficient to provide Bloodlust to the entire raid whenever possible, and adding more shamans doesn't help you get more Bloodlusty. However, why is this still a shaman-only property? Bloodlust is arguably the most significant buff in the game when you're up against an enrage timer. Why require shamans, and only shamans, in that situation?
My proposal is to give Bloodlust to Rogues as well. Although Tricks of the Trade has helped, Rogues are still pretty low on the spectrum of raid utility. They're also one of the least played classes right now, according to both my personal experience and the Warcraft Realms census, which has Rogue as the single least-played class at 80. Let's give raid leaders a reason to bring our stabby friends, while cutting down on the "no shaman? we're screwed" factor. Who's with me?
Filed under: Rogue, Shaman, Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Buffs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 16)
Exodeus May 5th 2009 6:04PM
No.
Archaea May 5th 2009 6:20PM
Everyone puts this idea down but what is the point in playing a pure dps class these days? hybrids put out the same damage and fill multiple roles. rogues, mages, and hunters can only dps and dont bring anything that amazing to raids like hybrids. either pure dps classes should be buffed or everyone should just roll a hybrid class.
Nick S May 5th 2009 6:30PM
No.
mibluvr13 May 5th 2009 6:36PM
What's with all the rogue hate? All the rogues I've raided with are competent. When I think of the best raiders I've been with from vanilla to LK, I think of a rogue (all the others are healers and tanks, actually).
Avrus May 5th 2009 6:50PM
Blizzard has watered down the pure classes quite a bit. Rogues are one of the classes that has suffered the most from this.
Rogues are one of the classes that are going to need a major rewrite. While the idea of bloodlust as a raid addon is interesting, it doesn't resolve the underlying issue.
Blizzard will continue to claim Rogues are fine until the population drops to a critical point and then we will see action.
dpoyesac May 5th 2009 6:56PM
Yes.
vinniedcleaner May 5th 2009 7:28PM
Rogues are the most underplayed because if you don't get someone to 'let' you raid with them and get way above average gear, you're screwed. I quit playing my rogue back in the days of Kara attunement for that reason.
I say take back the rogue skills from the other classes.
Malkeior May 5th 2009 7:30PM
Rogues should be top on your meters by a long shot, there's your raid utility.
Kierachel May 5th 2009 7:39PM
I'd go one step further than giving Rogues or any other class Bloodlust and just remove it from the game entirely while making everyones personal CDs slightly better to even it out.
The mechanic is just irratating. If you are trying and kind of new content (especially hard modes) you need multiple shamans or suffer the tedium of having to wait on the CD every time.
Posi May 5th 2009 7:42PM
Why TF do Rogues need a buff? They already got PvE buffed so much last patch that they top the charts along with druids while mages and warlocks are once again left behind.
If you want to raid, dont roll a lame @ss Rogue or Fury Warrior.
skreeran May 5th 2009 8:45PM
/facepalm
Bloodlust is a SHAMAN ability. If you don't agree with me, go play Warcraft 3 again. It's a shaman invoking the primal rage of the spirits, not a rogue that gets really, really angry.
I'm not opposed to giving them some sort of buff, but Bloodlust?
NO.
Oriflame May 5th 2009 8:47PM
Fix rogue PVP first, then do whatever for them in raids. Stunlock sucks and always will suck. Balance for areanas is different than balance. Rogues should be at the tops of the charts in raids but as they stand in PVP that isn't going to happen.
Banndit May 5th 2009 8:52PM
While I agree that bloodlust should remain with the Shaman class, I do believe that the Rogue class needs a raid-wide buff. Every class right now has a buff for PVE except Rogues.
Warrior = Health/AP
Pally = AP/Armor/Stats
Warlock = Health/Intellect
Mage = Intellect
Hunter = Mana Regeneration/AP
Priest = Health/Shadow Prot.
DK = Heals
Shaman = Haste/Totems
Druid = Stats/AP/Heals
Rogue = *blank* :-(
tresser May 5th 2009 8:57PM
done in one.
Archaïan May 5th 2009 10:37PM
quote:
Bloodlust is a SHAMAN ability. If you don't agree with me, go play Warcraft 3 again. It's a shaman invoking the primal rage of the spirits, not a rogue that gets really, really angry.
/quote
Technically then druids should have it to, after all druids of the claw had a similar ability in WCIII (roar)
not saying druids should get bloodlust, they got more then enough already, just saying that you don't need to grab back to WCIII to disallow rogues from getting a buff, c'mon they need something
Roland May 5th 2009 11:37PM
@ Bandit: Uh, wrong.
Warrior = Health/AP +Sunder
Pally = AP/Armor/Stats +Replenishment
Warlock = Health/Intellect +Spirit from Felhunters, +funky deep Demo buffs, +Replenishment, right? +Teleports
Mage = Intellect + Biscuits, Focus Magic, Replenishment (if anyone raided frost)
Hunter = Mana Regeneration/AP, +MD
Priest = Health/Shadow Prot., +Spirit +Misery
DK = Heals (haha, what?) +Abom's Might, +Icy Talons
Shaman = Haste/Totems
Druid = Stats/AP/Heals +Boomkn Hit
Rogue = +4% Physical Damage (if no Warrior) OR +3% Crit (if no Ret Pally or Shaman), +Tricks of the Trade
Granted, we are low on the utility side, but there are many reasons to bring Rogues - virtually no aggro problems, high survival (Vanish, Evasion, Sprint, Cloak), actually rather ridiculous AoE now (Poisons + Fan of Knives).
And bring the player, not the class doesn't mean make all the classes the same. It means bring good players. You should be pulling 4k on every fight in Ulduar in BIS Naxx gear - there's your invite there.
What I'd really like to see Expose Armor become viable in a rotation. That would be logical, useful raid utility.
Docp May 5th 2009 11:49PM
@skreeran
They wouldn't have to call it Bloodlust you know. It's not like Blizz couldn't just come up with a BS name that applies the same buff but instead of a shammy invoking the primal rage of the spirits its a rogue "creating an opening against the target that inspires the others to take advantage of this oppertunity" (or you know, something good, but you get my point)
Jamin May 5th 2009 11:59PM
Warrior = Health/AP
Pally = AP/Armor/Stats
Warlock = Health/Intellect
Mage = Intellect
Hunter = Mana Regeneration/AP
Priest = Health/Shadow Prot.
DK = Heals
Shaman = Haste/Totems
Druid = Stats/AP/Heals
Rogue = *blank* :-(
DK brings Heals. Seriously, did you just say that?
Anuine May 6th 2009 5:18AM
You all seem to forget that Rogues can pick locks ! that's a great utility !
Fizzl May 6th 2009 6:55AM
No give it to mages, mana tide too! And a spell hurls warlocks at the enemy! And a Pony!
The main DPS classes should not have the really big buffs, otherwise what is the point of having a buff class (shamans).