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The Lost Art of Class Balancing
GamePro has a look at the delicate touch needed when balancing classes in a Massive title. From the article: "Bad class balancing has been an endemic problem to MMORPGs--unfortunately especially in games where PvP is a major component. Dark Age of Camelot tanked the usability of the original classes with the emergence of Vampiirs in the ill-reputed Catacombs expansion. Users were incensed when Creature Handlers ruled the universe in Star Wars Galaxies--then angered even more when the class was beat down with the nerf bat in subsequent patches."
It's just a matter of a little going a long, long, long way. Changes that seem to resolve an immediate problem can have drastic effects long term. Look at it from a gameplay mechanic instead of a balance mechanic. When the level cap is raised in World of Warcraft, it most likely will be five levels, to a maximum of 65. Perhaps it will be more, but that remains to be seen. Level 65 doesn't make much difference for one person in many situations; most NPCs at the current max level, 60, will just be soloable by most players without uber gear. Large encounters, however, will be completely changed. Players will be able to kill Onyxia and Ragnaros (a big bad nasty dragon and a big bad nasty lava giant, respectively) quickly and easily if they plan ahead and execute well.
It's this kind of ripple effect - where one small change suddenly becomes very drastic when multiplied by larger numbers - that makes class balance so difficult. After all, it's easier to multiply by 1.
ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
Nerf Shamans!! (or rogues, if that's your thing)
I don't see how balancing is a problem at all. I wish everyone would just ignore completely the relative strengths and weaknesses of a class when choosing it, and just choose a class because it suits their personality or whatever. Basically choose ideologically if you know what i mean. But instead the "pro" (wow they're soooo cool!) players go off and all choose a class that in general may be better than others in whatever situation and the people who loose to them start crying because all everyone wants to be is the winner, the boy on top of the sandcatle. I remember when i first started playing online games I had great fun ever when loosing, which happened most of the time and still does, though I win sometimes (!), because I loved saying "well at least i fought hard and it was such an epic battle and what glory!" etc. I won sometimes and obviously felt great about those. But i was shocked the way nearly everyone else, with the exception of a few magnificent people, were all like "omg we're loosing lets surrender" or "this is so shit I'm joining their team". I really cannot understand how winning is the only way people get enjoyment out of the games. And i think, so what if an enemy mage/kingdom/team is really powerful, we'll go out there and throw ourselves into battle and not give up and give it our all. And we'll do loads of damage and the enemy will certainly have been worse off than they were before they faced our brave onslaught. And we'd tell tales of the battle and talk all day and night with our friends and it would be such fun!
Alas most people are but little boys who have to be on the winning team.
This guy are sick.