Is it just me or has our world gone hybrid? I mean seriously, back in the day when seeing a level 60 with The Unstoppable Force was breath-taking everyone seemed to be the spec they were suppose to be, and that’s all. If you were a warrior that raided you were prot; if you were a mage you were frost. There were no disputes on what type of resto shammy you were, you just were. Ever since BC has been released and we were given ten more talent points to use, it’s as if everyone in Outlands decided to stop for a second and actually experiment.
Now, before I continue I must admit: I too have suffered from the talent tree bug. I am a level 70 druid that can’t seem to figure out what he is. My spec is called the Moonglow Spec for those of you that aren’t familiar with the druid talent tree, and yes, I’m a healer. I know, I know- you’re gasping for air, trying to figure out how and why a druid could possibly heal without the almighty Tree of-freaking-Life (ToL). Well my friends, I won’t bore you with my personal biases, I’ll just say this: it’s because ToL sucks… Okay, that may have been a little harsh and untrue but I obviously sometimes let my personal opinions get the best of me.
Just like the ToL druids my spec has it’s ups and it’s downs. Because of my points in the balance tree I get things like Lunar Guidance (Increases your spell damage and healing by 25% of your total Intellect) and Moonglow (Reduces the mana cost of you Moonfire, Starfire, Wrath, Healing Touch, Regrowth and Rejuvenation spells by 9%). In relation, the ToL form grants an aura that increases the healing received by 25% of your total Spirit for all party members. It also reduces the mana cost of your heal over time (HoT) spells by 20%. The difference between the two personally is this: 1. I have more Intellect than Spirit therefore my heals will get more +healing benefit with Lunar Guidance than with the ToL form. 2. ToL’s mana reduction of the HoTs is far greater than mine, but I can actually use Healing Touch (which for me hits at 6-7K non crit and 10-12K crit).
With my spec you have a way better chance of owning the healing meter, but with the ToL form you give off an aura that, if is on the MT, will help every healer in the raid. I’ve heard that ToL druids are far more mana efficient than Moonglow druids, but I say stick me in a group with a shadow priest and no one will die. The biggest difference is this, if you want to be a back up healer that will keep the MT topped off with HoTs while the holy priests and the holy pallies make sure everyone is actually alive, then ToL if for you. But if you want to main heal and be an actual contender on the healing meter, then you need to get Moonglow or re-roll.
That, of course, is my personal two cents. With this Moonglow Spec I’m almost always topping the healing meter in my raids and I can main heal any heroic you want me to. I’ve also seen a hybrid shammy spec that’s pretty much the exact same thing as the Moonglow Spec. It’s a cross between Restoration and Enhancement and it’s wonderful. Ever since TBC release I’ve seen so many hybrids it’s crazy. I ran a Black Morass with a pally tank that was a hybrid Retribution and Protection Spec, and a mage that was a hybrid Frost and Arcane Spec. My point is this: hybrid speced players can be used and can benefit any group. But to counter that, what are you giving up when trusting a hybrid spec over a standard speced player of that same class, and is it worth it?
I believe the biggest question is this: can you, or can you not survive as a hybrid player? Every time I tell someone about my spec I get the same question: “who lets you raid with them?” I found the loop hole in that one, I made my own guild. But for those of you that don’t have that luxury, how do you survive? I know some of you probably switched back to the norm just so you can find yourself a spot in Gruul’s. Then again, for those of you who perhaps refused to change your spec, did you ever end up convincing your raid leader to let you go as a hybrid? And if so, how’d you do it? Make nice with the officers? Prove your worth in normal 5 mans? I’m so curious to know how many fellow hybrids there are out there, and what is it that you do or did to make sure that you still have a place in the game? So with that said, what spec are you?
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