To start off, I’ll let you know that I’m a warlock main, and while I largely use warlock in PvE activities, I rarely use it in PvP for reasons I will later list. To clarify one issue, in my own opinion and from the opinions of a lot of other warlock players (I say a lot but I mostly mean ones I’ve spoken with so obviously I can’t speak for a majority of the community) Solar 3.0 was a “nerf” as it stripped Warlocks of their identity in order to distribute their power to the other classes. A lot of these players are hesitant about Arc 3.0 for the fear that Bungie will do the same thing. While the new rework will allow for new combinations and ways to play, that shouldn’t come at the cost of Warlock’s identity.
In PvE, Warlocks are designed to be energy powerhouses. A majority of their abilities (pre-light 3.0) consisted of a LOT of ability regeneration. This was largely done because Warlock’s are seen as Support, so this ability regen is often added as a way to maintain supportive capabilities at the cost of high damaging abilities. Now not all Warlock subclasses are like this, for example Nova Bomb was designed to do a decently high amount of damage while also supporting a rather powerful grenade. However, Void warlock is still capable of ability and health regen, as CotOG and Devour regen health and ability energy, making them self sustaining. But a super like Chaos Reach is currently designed to do a majority if its damage with the super, while lesser ability proc Ionic Trace so they can still be self sustaining while not dealing incredible amounts of damage. Solar Warlocks aren’t really designed for damage but largely for support (I’ll address Dawnblade in the next paragraph). So pre-light 3.0, the perk benevolent dawn was granted to warlocks to help maintain high ability regen at the cost if almost only support abilities. By giving benevolent dawn to everyone and then nerfing it, being an incredible support is less appealing. My personal fear is that with Arc 3.0, Ionic traces will be nerfed bc they’re being given to everyone.
Lets get to a big point, ability comparison. Did you know that Warlocks have 0 instant killing abilities in PvP (this doesn’t include supers)? Even with added exotics, the number is still 0. Did you know that Titans have 5, including buffs from 2 exotics? Did you know that Hunters have 3, including buffs from 1 exotic? In PvP, Warlocks largely have to focus on gunplay, because often times abilities are used to buff, debuff, or distract. Icarus Dash is a perfect example of this, so too are Stasis Turrets. While there are damage abilities, not a single one is capable of defeating an opponent without help. This often isn’t too much of a bother in PvE, but in PvP its an issue. An issue that does occur in PvE is support power. With classes now having the power to heal themselves, there’s no need to bring a warlock.
Now don’t get me wrong, Arc Warlocks are incredibly powerful in PvE and can be if used correctly in PvP so only getting one new toy doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is Bungie and the communities failure to realize that one class’s buff is another class’s push towards being obsolete.
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4 Replies
Ikor's HairProtecting the Eliksni Quarters - old
Honestly I don't even see much people "whining" much more so than expressing concern. everything you brought up is true especially with the fact that if we dont include supers, warlocks have zero one shot abilities while titans and hunters both do. warlocks either bring high ability damage with personal support or low ability damage with team support. right now Arc is in the gray area of both. it can be good for high DPS (chaos reach) or support (tickle fingers for ad clear) and considering the fact that solar 3.0 warlocks were mostly neutered in terms of support, solar 3.0 got left in the dust by solar 3.0 hunters and titans who dont need a well, because even without classy restoration they can go minutes of straight gunfire and taking the wrath of every enemy in the room before they finally take a dirt nap. Solar warlocks already didnt have any major damage abilities and in solar 3.0 the most we got was scorch and ignitions which still pale in comparison to throwing 24 explosive knives in the press of two buttons at the same time or standing in a fiery tornado breaking the knee caps of bosses with a hammer made of the sun until the insides of the boss have been turned into bone meal and flesh turned into a freshly smoked brisket. in Void 3.0 however Warlocks have their time to shine with damage but bring next to nothing for team support which was ok since the only thing void warlocks were best at was spirit bombing everything in a 5 mile radius. in Arc 3.0 I'm a little concerned with how Warlocks will turn out, considering we already had our time to shine for DPS I'm hoping Arc 3.0 will allow us to give the team support that we need because we already know every titan is going to become a tsar bomb and hunters are getting the Fanatic's Lighting staff as a super. [spoiler] If you ask me I think with the way Bungie is reworking the light subclasses they're giving each class a chance to shine by allowing one subclass be great for DPS, one for Great support, and one in between subclass. each class will have different subclasses that are better for said matter like how hunters have great DPS with solar and great team support with void and potentially arc being that "best of both worlds" subclass for them. [/spoiler]