I’ve been leveling my goblin shaman in large part through LFD groups. I’ve been enjoying the under 10 minute queues, and seeing the old instances in new level ranges. But what I haven’t been enjoying as much is the non-stop arguing about who gets the spirit gear.
While in Dire Maul, I rolled need on, and won, mail spirit gloves. Our healing paladin, who, in that same moment, won the shield off the King, immediately started berating me. The conversation went roughly like this:
PALADIN: ” Why did you roll need on those gloves, shaman???”
ME: “?”
PALADIN: “Don’t you know anything? You use AGI not spirit, dumbass.”
ME: “Actually, as an elemental shaman, with a resto offspec, I can use spirit in either spec. I have the talent that converts spirit into hit.”
PALADIN: “Obviously you don’t raid.”
ME: “Yes, I actually, I do. Your point?”
PALADIN: “If you raid then you should know main spec before off spec.”
ME: “As already noted I’m elemental and have the talent that uses spirit for hit. And you not only got plenty of other loot this run, you can wear plate so you didn’t have more right to win those gloves than I did.”
/ignores paladin
ME: “Next time, before you start berating a stranger in an instance over loot, be more informed about your topic.”
That’s right. The paladin and I both rolled on mail spirit gloves, in a run wherein they had won a ton of loot, and he threw a hissy fit about my winning them with a need roll. I am not making this up.
Back in October, when I first wrote about the changing face of spirit, I expected we would have some short term hiccups. I did not anticipate, however, that my hybrids (and I only really do instances with my SP/boomkin/ele shaman) would be the target of non-stop harangues from healers who felt that every item that dropped with spirit on it was their priority over mine.
Yes, I understand that healers really really need spirit. But hybrids also can use it. And especially when you are talking about the mail and leather gear, there isn’t a plethora of non spirit gear awaiting my picking it up. And it’s ridiculous to expect me, in PUG 5-mans no less, to pass on any item with spirit on it in case a healer wants it. That’d be a great way to be wearing level 20 quest gear up to 60.
Warlocks and Mages: Still Don’t Need Spirit
Probably one of the more vexing related issues that crops up just as often is warlocks and mages rolling on cloth spirit gear, or my worst case so far: melee DPS rolling on and winning a spirit trinket. I know that Blizzard spent an entire expansion trying to convince locks and mages that they should have a teeny bit of spirit in their gear, but those days are past.
Yes, as someone pointed out to me in their argument as to why I was wrong that they don’t use spirit at all, your rate of out of combat mana regen is dependent upon spirit. That would technically be considered “using spirit” but having a stat on your gear that you mostly reforge away because it only affects your out of combat mana regen does not really fit in with my definition of “using it” the same way that casters who convert it into hit (which you need whenever you are fighting something up to your hit cap.)
At this point, I’m going to have to make a macro to spam before the first boss drops his phat loots, that says something along the lines of: “Since it always comes up, please be advised that boomkin/elemental shaman/shadow priests actually use spirit as hit; I have it talented. It’s not just for healers. Cheers.” Not that it will do any good, but it will save my wery fingers from typing these worn out arguments at least…
There are a lot of people who still don’t know about hybrids being able to use Spirit as Hit. I see it come up in pugs all across the leveling spectrum.
I’ve seen Warriors roll on Spirit gear this week, and I still get people in completely different roles asking why I’m rolling on them with my Boomkin.
I take a stand and try to educate where I can, but for every pug I bring to the light there’s another dozen that think they know everything about everything in this game and refuse to listen to someone that actually has a clue. But, for every ridiculous pug I run into with people doing this I get 4-5 more where we all have a great time. Can’t have the good without the bad now and then, I suppose.
I’m dead serious about making a macro. I suppose I also need one that says “Warlocks and mages, no spirit for you!”
Oh dear. Bugs me to no end everytime I see this attitude pop up >.< Yesterday I was doing a Blackrock Caverns on my Death Knight. The tank took the plate dps bracers off me and I didn't say a word. Beauty then goes ahead and drops that nice belt, you know, the one without hit OR spirit, the Mage needs and the healing Priest needs and wins it. The Mage starts going mental about the Priest ninjaing it, I say, "You are aware that healers don't have to have spirit in EVERY slot, right?" and then the Mage changes to, "I see, I'm sorry, I didn't know that because I don't play a healer." And I just thought O_O so why go off on one if you don't know? I can understand if you do know, I don't like it, but it's understandable, if you don't know what you're talking about, stop bloody preaching crap! Some people are darn strange.
I won’t roll need on spirit gear a healer actually needs, but someone’s offspec or non-armor specialization? You know darn right.
I’d totally make a macro and use it before I rolled need on something with spirit. Something like, “I’m rolling need because the healer doesn’t need this item and spirit=hit for my spec.” I actually got to where I’d link Balance of Power into the chat box to make them pipe down. They can’t argue with it when everyone in the group can see it right there. Well, they can, but they look even MORE foolish! 😛
Really? Warlocks and Mages whine that Spirit is useful to them because of out of combat regen? That’s the worst load of bull I’ve ever heard (from Mages and Locks, not you). No Warlock or Mage should ever have to worry about out of combat mana regen, because we have Life Tap, Soul Harvest.. and Mages have Evocation. All of which are tons better than any regen you might possibly get from a piece of Spirit gear.
Now, I’ll admit – I have a couple of pieces of Spirit gear. But it’s not because I want the Spirit – but rather that I’ve had bad luck with drops. I’d still never take a Spirit piece over a healer – the ones I have are ones I got when no healer needed them (and they were sadly better than whatever blue crap I still had.. there’s such a lack of good wands and bracers this expansion 🙁 )
Can’t believe that Paladin was even whining. Maybe I’m particular, but I don’t even like using mail on my Paladin, because I want the plate specialisation bonus. Maybe it’s not worth it – but 5% more of my prime attribute sounds a lot better than whatever little bonus some piece of mail gear might give me.
Actually, it was a former GL who gave me the speech out the out of combat mana regen (they maybe had alts of those classes?) I think sometimes people just want to make sure that you know you are not absolutely 100% positively correct in your statements.
Agreed on the peer pressure aspect of a publicly viewable macro being helpful in combatting this issue.
Oy vey. I’ve seen that as well, and have also defended the healer i those situations. It is interesting how the vehemence of one’s opinion can often be inverse in proportion to the amount of actualy knowledge on the topic, yes?
😉