The truth about datamined WoW data
Right now I'm playing World of Warcraft as more of a pinch hitter than I am used to, in part because I also do things like make the calls for our raids and help plan out raid times. In essence, I find myself a guild officer in a guild just getting off the ground, so I don't have the luxury of gearing for only one role. I have to be ready to tank or DPS based on what's needed. This isn't a problem, exactly. But it means I find myself having to really pay attention to what either role demands at a moment's notice, and so the patch 4.0.6 changes are constantly on my mind.
As such, I found this forum thread interesting not for what it contains but in what it reveals about how people use datamined information. The original post is based on information that is datamined, and as such, is not always fully in line with what is intended. In this particular case, as Zarhym points out, the Heroic Strike changes aren't new but are the same HS changes we've seen in every version of 4.0.6 that have been discussed to date.
Datamining can be an awesome tool, to be sure. I've salivated over weapon models and reacted with consternation to class changes over and over again in the past, just like everyone else. I still remember sitting at my computer trying to will Ulduar into existence; got a heck of a nosebleed.
But please, when dealing with datamined information, you have to keep in mind that it often (purely due to the limitations of the process) comes up short or deals with information that may have no bearing on what ends up in the live game. So when you see a tooltip change or hear about an ability going up or down in power based on it, it's best to wait and see a confirmation of the change from Blizzard before you panic. Datamined changes can be a good heads up, but they're not to be considered the same as officially released information.
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