For anyone that didn't read the article:

tl;dr-- WoW has no true hybrids. The hybrid classes have to specialize to fulfill one role hence they aren't "true" hybrids.

Hybrid doesnt mean "One toon can fill 3 roles"

Hybrid means "One toon can pick from one of 3 roles.."

i've played all the classes and i've found hybrids lacking in nothing as long as you know how to spec and what gear you need your on par with the other classes.

i see you know nothing about shammy class, since enhance shammy unleashed rage (10% increase in dps) is great buff for the dps classes.

You still do not understand the article and have mentioned hybrid classes with builds using only one talent tree not both.

no it actually means one toon can play 2 of the classes, If that toon is true hybrid character, which is not the case. You mentioning 3, is way of base and never mentioned in original article.

someone who gets its and provide great feedback, exactly what the original author was trying to explain..:-)

Largely, this article makes a strong point. My toon, Sazramell is an enhance Shaman. He's a dps'er with light useful healing abilities, but couldn't act as the group healer without respec'ing. My guildmates with very well geared Shamans have to have multiple sets of gear and spend Gold respec'ing.. verses the interesting idea the Writer suggests, "if your really a Hybrid, one should be able to do at least two things pretty well, like a 'score' and .85 on both rather than a .5 on both". NO one in Wow put 1/2 talent points in one tree and 1/2 in another. But we should have an enviornment that we would want to! Furthermore, is we put all our points largely in one. We should not become better at that role than the Non-hybrid class, but compete fairly well.

The Writer does somewhat oversimplify with the 3 person group example, although it helps them make there point, which has validity and connects to my experience trying to be a tank in small parties (NOT so well vs a warrior). This is something the hybrids have all experiences... thanks author for describing it well.... but we all know that Shaman's are valued in larger raids because we can soften the bumps of the unexpected raid event with our flexibility... I put out the DPS, but can heal a bit to keep the group on track... and we Hybrid players Glow when we pull that off....

It seems that the article's author may be leading the discussion to having Hybrid talents spike up more in power given in the mid tree specs area (where you giving 60-70lvl 1/2 points) allowing endgame players true hybrid-ship. This could work and resonates with my personal Hybrid real life qualities that draw me to these crafty toon types... I'm a contractor, but I'm an artist and have good communication skills, like people and get along and work with women well(under there direction as clients). Me mutli talents understand we have to keep an eye on the prize for later in "life". (perhaps with th 80 lvl cap, we will achieve this...) My shami should mid combat be able to dish out pretty near DPS as a mage or warrior, then pull back and fairly well heal folks. Well enough that raidleader & players generally would feel like your not weakening the group my taking a "secondary" role... That's the proof of being a Hybrid. At this time, one hybrids between spec'ings not mid raid/adventure......

Writer: Thanks for your smart words....

Sazramell (Melrilious) Silverhand

I'm with souliisoul

Hybrid means your competent at more than one role at a time... It's understandable that wow has build this around Spec'ing (one role at a time with the potential to do one of three roles...). but the main point is strong. I would like to spec my toon so I could do two things well enough. Example: Since one can't cast Heals and Lightning at the same time, one still is doing one thing well at any given moment, but the other ability is at the wait, in hand, to adjust to combat situation...

I hope one day this will be possible.

mddangelo888

Ah. Arcaen makes a good point. I did wonder if 10 more points were available then this may bring hybrids closer but Yes, the trees are being extended to and the world will be tougher...

Thanks Arcaen.

Arcaen, I agree with your reading for the article up to your last paragraph.

The writer uses % or 1,.5, .75, 85. to describe the full or a fraction of the ability to fulfill one of the three Trinity roles. The writer questions Wow's stucturing of Hybrids to only fulfill at best a .5/.5 ability or quality in 2 roles at the same time/spec. If instead the Wow Hybrid could fulfill two roles at a... say .85 ability, then one would be worthy to include in a raid because the lesser ability of one trinity role would be worth the ability to switch at will (mid combat). Yes he points out that D&D adjusted the cleric because it fulfilled two trinity roles nearly 1/1 (100% well on both). this is too much. Arcaen I respectfully say you mis-read this part, concluding the writer is asserting a "true Hybrid" is always broken. I say NO! It's do-able in the Wow and MMORPG worlds with careful balance.

Please sound off if you agree with this! Hybrids (true Hybrids) UNITE!

It may help if your level 80 doing level 70 content, but level 80 doing level 80 content...

NO..

Respectfully, I thought this to at first but I believe now this will not be so unless Blizzard revises the Hybrid classes to a serious degree.

Example: the Talent trees would need to let one reach a... Say 85% power of a standard trinity role at about 1/2 of your talent points in any given tree. But putting 100% of your point would only make one a 100% (vs 110% or 130% etc. ) of one of the trinity roles. So I'm saying the benefits of going deeper into the tree get subtler, keeping game balance. Currently one has to re-spec to do any one role well and one somewhat piss poor. As a Enhance shaman, I've thrown some well timed heals but there's no way I can keep anyone up seriously. Not when the 'chips are down'.

Who feels this is not quite right? Sound out..

What I'd suggest he's saying is we can do one thing at a time as well as the next guy but we really cant to two things at the same time to put 1/2 - 1/2 points in each talent tree.

The writer is not dis'n hybrids, just pointing out there is now way to spec one self that you could go into a raid and serve on of two roles well enough you could be counted on.

I like you, love playing hybrid classes. I like well enough with Blizzards system to date, but now that I read this article, I appreciate what Hybrid class could be with some bold redesign from blizzard.

like your passion... hope to be teamed up with you in the field someday...

Sazramell, Silverhand

I think what this post says, poster let me know if I'm reading you wrong,....

that City of Heroes is a game example that as found a good game design flow to let you design affective Hybrids.

I can speak to this directly, as I've never played the game, but I've played GW (finished all three games plus expansion), and NC Soft as a deft touch at game balance/design. It sure would not surprise they pulled of hybrid balance well.

Look forward to Champions online.....

Well,, you make some interesting points.

A warrior can never heal or cast spells, a Mage cant heal or do Melee, and a priest cant really through it down like a mage (pretty well as a shadow) and can't Melee. Now any of the Hybrids can if spec in one category can do little shots in the other roles.

Not fully contradicting you Mastermike707, If I show up 1/2 point in one tree, and 1/2 in another I will not be invited in a raid. Period. Your point hold in PvE general play, but not in high level stuff. I grant you, you couched your argument in the area of "casual play". So I like your point and agree with it. You've softened my stand a bit.

Still, the original writers article (Below) states I think well that one cant really serve two roles at say a '85%" level well at the same time switching roles in response to mid-combat conditions without respec'ing.

Thanks though for pointing out the appreciation of what hybrids can do..

(http://www.kotaku.com.au/games/2008/07/druids_paladins_shamans_oh_my_why_hybrid_classes_dont_work.html)

respectfully, you've missed the articles point.

they are not saying Hybrids can't keep up with other classes in functioning as one of the 'trinity', but can only do one at a time, thus not functioning as a 'true' hybrid.