Blizzard nerfs tank self-healing and durability in TWW
In its recent blue post, Blizzard shared with the community its decision to nerf tank self-healing and durability in The War Within.
Key Takeaways
- Blizzard is nerfing tank self-healing and durability due to their excessive independence, which diminishes the role of healers.
- The goal is to achieve better balance in the game, ensuring that all roles, including healers, remain crucial and effective in group content.
- Druid players are concerned about the negative effects on PvP, where Guardians already struggle.
According to Blizzard, tanks have become exceptionally durable due to the Dragonflight talent system and other seasonal changes. Their strong self-healing abilities allow them to perform independently in challenging in-game content, which has inadvertently diminished the role of healers. However, in the MMO-based world of Azeroth, every role — whether DPS, tank, or healer — remains crucial. Keeping the balance is vital, and the tank’s role is no exception.
Considering this fact, Blizzard has become on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, if the developers increase the damage enemies inflict, it may become excessive, causing tanks to die more often. On the other hand, if tanks take less damage, the primary endgame content challenge shifts to keeping the rest of the team alive, especially against high burst damage. So, how is Blizzard going to address this issue, you ask?
First, the Developers intend to increase the steady damage that tanks receive to make them more dependent on healers while not significantly changing their vulnerability to burst damage or other lethal threats. Of course, tank damage intake should be steady to allow healers time to respond and tanks to use self-heals effectively, preventing sudden, unexpected deaths. Tanks will remain self-sufficient and respond effectively to dangerous situations but will have reduced self-healing abilities, such as Elune’s Favored or Indomitable, making tanks reliant on healers and leading to more cooperation.
While healers play a crucial role in tank success, focusing exclusively on healing them should not come at the expense of supporting other group members. Blizzard says finding balance in such things is crucial. Also, tank gameplay should remain consistent without requiring drastic changes or new tactics like kiting to survive. Players should still be able to enjoy tanking using the strategies they have already mastered, such as standing toe-to-toe with enemies and using their learned tactics.
For more information about the incoming changes, be sure to check out Blizzard’s official post here:
What community thinks
Indeed, the community’s opinion is of great importance when it comes to class change. For instance, some players express disappointment, stating that these changes should have been implemented months ago. Additionally, Druid players argue that if Blizzard nerfs tanks in PvE, compensatory adjustments will be necessary in PvP.
They believe tanks already face significant challenges in PvP, and further nerfs will make PvP tanking excessively difficult. Many players view these changes as risky, noting that tanks strive for greater self-sufficiency, while healers wish to avoid taking on additional responsibilities. Although the goals for these changes are well-intentioned, there may be better ways to achieve them.
With that in mind, Blizzard encourages all players, including you, to share their experiences with the Developers to help determine if the company’s current direction is on the right track. We would also love to hear your opinion about these changes, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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