Let's see. Conduit Pylons can't be used to instantly kill the Rift Guardian anymore. Nightstalker has been redesigned, so no immortality anymore. A ladder reset two days ago, lots of mechanical changes, and only a few hundred people testing (versus thousands of players on live). Yet, DHs are back at the #1 spot on PTR and clearing GR49 - just two levels shy of their performance on live. It might look like a nerf, but in the end they're still the #1 class in terms of damage in groups as well as solo, and we don't even know what the final build will look like. It took weeks until the lightning build was found on live, and on PTR the DH was ~5 levels lower than on live, just because there's only a limited number of people testing.
Overall, what Blizzard said is completely true - it's not a nerf, but a change in game mechanics, and it makes the DH gameplay feel much more active and engaging. This is especially true for anyone who's playing below GR40, but even for the high-end DHs on top of the ladder.
My favorite quote from Reddit: "Cool. After this bug fix, they'll go back to being massively overpowered, instead of comically overpowered :-)" - not sure if I agree with the "massively", time will tell; they're definitely still a bit overpowered (still no other DPS class in groups), but probably not "massively OP" and definitely not "comically OP" as on PTR for the past few weeks.
I've thought about the Spines quiver as well, problem is that with the new mechanic of sentries it's even better to have more charges/sentries which makes Bombardier so absolutely insanely overpowered and a must-have... hard to see any other quiver coming close to that. Unless a new Meticulous Bolts shows up ;-) It needs to be something that buffs damage by ~30% or so, which I have a hard time seeing any quiver achieve by now. But would be glad to be proven wrong
No, just the traditional Raekor build. As on live. Only difference is that there are Conduits everywhere. But anyways... this is a DH thread, let's keep it at DH talk ;-)
I wonder what "new" variations, besides the build changes, will come up for the DH. Besides the obvious Kridershot choice, maybe there are other weapons or other items that allow for new interesting synergies? Since you don't need Taskers anymore, I also wonder which other item could be used to combine with M6... or maybe even go full M6 and Restraint+Focus set?
@Heledar: DH was overpowered as hell from day 1 on last PTR. In the weeks of testing to follow, Blizzard went on to "fix" DH and increased the gap, and we all know it went live. I can see this going live... Blizzard seems to have given up on releasing a patch in total balance, but want players to find out other ways to restore balance (the barb just came up very late in this patch). Maybe there's something to be found in other classes as well - we'll see as soon as people on PTR have found the new sets and familiarized with the new playstyles. Of course, everyone has perfect DH gear after a season of "play DH or forfeit" which is why on day 1 of this PTR everyone is checking out the DH changes first. (Not true for everyone though - for example, Buleh already cleared GR60 on his barb.)
Overall, what Blizzard said is completely true - it's not a nerf, but a change in game mechanics, and it makes the DH gameplay feel much more active and engaging. This is especially true for anyone who's playing below GR40, but even for the high-end DHs on top of the ladder.
My favorite quote from Reddit: "Cool. After this bug fix, they'll go back to being massively overpowered, instead of comically overpowered :-)" - not sure if I agree with the "massively", time will tell; they're definitely still a bit overpowered (still no other DPS class in groups), but probably not "massively OP" and definitely not "comically OP" as on PTR for the past few weeks.
I wonder what "new" variations, besides the build changes, will come up for the DH. Besides the obvious Kridershot choice, maybe there are other weapons or other items that allow for new interesting synergies? Since you don't need Taskers anymore, I also wonder which other item could be used to combine with M6... or maybe even go full M6 and Restraint+Focus set?
@Heledar: DH was overpowered as hell from day 1 on last PTR. In the weeks of testing to follow, Blizzard went on to "fix" DH and increased the gap, and we all know it went live. I can see this going live... Blizzard seems to have given up on releasing a patch in total balance, but want players to find out other ways to restore balance (the barb just came up very late in this patch). Maybe there's something to be found in other classes as well - we'll see as soon as people on PTR have found the new sets and familiarized with the new playstyles. Of course, everyone has perfect DH gear after a season of "play DH or forfeit" which is why on day 1 of this PTR everyone is checking out the DH changes first. (Not true for everyone though - for example, Buleh already cleared GR60 on his barb.)