Who is Kalgan? Kalgan, aka Tom Chilton, is the lead designer for game systems, including classes, item design mechanics, and PvP. As the problems with the shaman class are deeper than just the class's abilities, Kalgan is who we must convince that the game needs to change.
Many players, even shaman, misunderstand what happens to the shaman class as you approach endgame. The shaman is a melee-oriented spellcaster with secondary healing capabilities; spending all your time healing, or all your time nuking from range, was not what the shaman class was originally intended to do. But it is what two out of three shaman specs have evolved into doing, as a result of the impositions of the raid environment. The problem is that specialization for these roles prevents shaman from being able to melee effectively, which is an essential part of the class and the reason for shaman not having the crowd-control and other defensive functions that other classes have. This has led many shaman to suppose that their secondary functions should be self-sufficient; they should not have to melee in order to attain the level of versatility and effectiveness in PvP that other classes have.
This is wrong. Shaman should be able to use all aspects of their class... healing, nuking, and meleeing. Talents are a minor form of lock-in, but the main reason that shaman are not able to use this kind of hybrid playstyle is the restrictions from gear.
Therefore, in order to fix the shaman class, Kalgan must redesign the item design mechanics to support hybrid gear. Currently, a shaman using "hybrid gear" incurs an approximately 60% scaling penalty (40% effectiveness) for all aspects of the class, because item stat points are being split up between melee stats, caster dps stats, and healing stats. Other classes, such as the mage class, suffer a much-reduced penalty for using generic gear: a mage in generic +damage gear that affects all schools has about 85% of the spelldamage as a mage who has damage gear that affects only one school.
=> A mage is at 85% effectiveness in generic gear.
=> A shaman is at 40% effectiveness in generic gear.
It's no wonder all shaman end up becoming specialists! 40% effectiveness isn't anywhere close to being sufficient in a raid; 85% is.
Q. What change would be required to make shaman hybrid gear viable?
A. Change how stats work. Currently, the type of a stat is irrelevant in determining how much of an item's budget it takes up. Kalgan must change this so healing stats are cheap when melee stats are already on the item, melee stats are cheap when casting stats are already on the item, and so on. There are additional considerations when balancing the system such as damage/healing vs healing (i.e. have the +healing and +damage components be computed separately, and balancing the cost of the two stat types such that the final cost of the current +dmg/healing and +healing/dmg stats remain the same, relative to other stats), but this is the main idea.
Q. Is it possible to fix the shaman class without changing how item design works?
A. Extremely unlikely. The shaman class would basically have to have abilities added to it, until it was three self-sufficient classes packaged into one. Changing itemization so shaman can actually use all the different aspects of their class is a much simpler solution.
Q. What about adding more Mental Quickness-type talents? Why not just fix resto and ele's melee ability with hacks to their talent tree?
A. Each spec would still be locked into a single set of gear, which would be completely useless if the shaman respecced into another tree. And since specialization would still be required for raids given the efficiency of more specialization, the hybrid utility would have to be 'extra' on top of the ability to match the dps of any pure dps class or the healing of a heal-specced healer of another class. Basically, it voids the whole idea of hybrid as a choice, one with its own advantages and disadvantages that allows the player to choose how they want to play instead of being forced to be cookie-cutter, and fixing item design is a much, much better solution to the problem.
Q. What other hybrids are affected by this deficiency in item design mechanics?
A. Every class that isn't a "pure dps" class is affected. That is... warriors are split between defensive stats for tanking, and melee dps stats for anything else. Priests are split between healing and dps. Druids are split between healing, melee dps, tanking, and caster dps (!). Paladins are split between caster dps stats, healing stats, melee dps stats, and tanking stats. All these classes suffer fundamental scaling issues as a result of flawed design, and all of them would benefit from a design change in itemization mechanics.
Q. Wouldn't this make hybrids overpowered in PvP?!
A. Not any more overpowered than they were at lvl 50! Back then, a shaman could nuke as well as a mage with lightning bolt and shocks... sans utility spells like Counterspell, crowd-control spells like Frost Nova and Polymorph, or any significant aoe. A shaman could heal as well as a priest... except without HoTs, without Power Word: Shield, without Psychic Scream if they got in trouble, and only until they (quickly) went out-of-mana from trying to use offensive abilities in-between heals. A shaman could melee as well as a rogue... except with no stunlock, no blind or sap, no 3k ambushes from stealth, no 4k CB evis, no sprint or vanish.
The Third Blood War of the Bloodsail in World of Warcraft
The Third Blood War of the Bloodsail
Aye, we fight on. I feel me crew, by this point, need not be informed of what we fight for; however I must restate our demands yet again as they go on unmet.
Bloodsail Buccaneer Demands
-The title "Bloodsail Admiral" rewarded at Exalted reputation with the Bloodsail and completition of the quest, "Avast, Ye Fleet Master!"
-A proper way to reach Exalted with the Bloodsail Buccaneers
-Wider range of novelty reputation rewards
-A Bloodsail-Friendly city with an associated Flight Path or Zepplin (Plunder Isle/Bloodsail Hold)
-A new ship, quest hub for Bloodsail quests. 'The Blood Diamond'
-Steamwheedle Cartel Flight paths become inaccessible to Bloodsails
-A Black Market Auction House, covertly connecting Bloodsail wares with those inside Neutral Auction Houses (Suggested by Trinda of Thorium Brotherhood)
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Me First Mate, Rhamidarigaz of Garithos has taken the liberty of crafting a set of quests and suggested reputation rewards associated with our crew.
Quests and Reputation
Honored:
[60 Daily] Dealin' With Traitors
Quest-giver: Fleet Master Firallon
Listen, <name>, I hear there's a traitor outside o' Booty Bay. Take care of him, admiral.
Rewards: 25 reputation
Why? So that people reach revered without flying to Badlands and killing Jazzrik.
Revered:
[70] Report to Jones
Quest-giver: Fleet Master Firallon
Look, I have to be straight with ye, <name>...
Your admirality isn't official...me authority be not enough for that. However, one o' Falrevere's close men be nearby.
If ye want to be a full admiral, ye'd best report to William "Bloody Sabers" Jones on the Blood Diamond, <name>.
Rewards: 100 reputation, "Bloodsail Admiral" title
Why? Because getting daily quests from Firallon might get annoying after a while. There's a quest to kill him, you know.
[70 Daily] Bruisin' Bruisers
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
I know ye've already killed a great many of them...but, <name>, it'd still be a boon for ye to go and kill some o' the Booty Bay Bruisers. Ten should be enough to keep 'em on their toes!
Rewards: 250 reputation
[70 Daily] Weakenin' Their Allies
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
<Name>, do ye know o' the Steamwheedle Cartel? It be an organization of goblins, an organization to which Booty Bay belongs. I want ye to go to the other member cities and kill their guards, too. Kill five from Ratchet, five from Gadgetzan, and five from Everlook. The more focused they be on raising security, the less effort they be puttin' in to helpin' Booty Bay.
Rewards: 350 reputation
[70] Gatherin' Resources
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
Well, Admiral <name>, if ye want to keep fightin' Booty Bay, it might help ye to bring some materials to the engineers below decks. They say they have a special...surprise for our green friends, but it be requirin' ten Elemental Blasting Powder, three Fel Iron Casings, and five Adamantite Frames.
Rewards: 100 reputation
[70 Daily] Pak Abel's Cannons
o Quest-giver: Gizzik Bloodsprocket
Well, today's batch is ready. <Name>, take these explosives over to the Booty Bay cannons. Hopefully, they'll cripple the city's defenses. Be careful, though. If Canonmaster Pak Abel's inspecting the cannons, he'll probably try to blow you to bits.
Rewards: 250 reputation
[70 Dungeon] Wand o' the Inciter
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
I hear rumors, <name>, rumors that there be an ogre in a place called the "Shadow Labyrinth." What's so great, ye ask, about this ogre? I hear he has a wand which can turn allies against one another. Go get this wand, <name>. I have plans for it.
Rewards: 500 reputation
[70 Daily] Incitin' Bruisers
o Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
Remember that wand I had ye fetch, <name>? Well, I had some o' me mages work on it. Take this wand and use it on some o' the Booty Bay Guards. Maybe, if they cause enough of a ruckus, it'll grab the attention of Discipline Master Sprizzix. If we could kill Sprizzix, Booty Bay's guard force might collapse!
Rewards: 250 reputation
[70 Daily] Forces O' the Sea
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
Do ye know why it is, Admiral <name>, that Booty Bay's ships nearly never have problems with the sea giants? I'll tell ye! They have a pact with Mosh'gurra, the king o' the sea giants. Well, we'll see what we can do about that. Take this battle horn and blow it near the sea. It'll summon out Sho'goth, the son o' Mosh'gurra. Kill him and place his head near Booty Bay. With any luck, Mosh'gurra will think the goblins be responsible.
Rewards: 250 reputation
[70 Daily] The Greatest Rum
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
Have ye ever heard o' Captain Sanders, <name>? The man brewed the greatest rum to e'er pass a pirate's lips. Unfortunately, the man's dead. However, I hear tell that the bronze dragons have opened up their Caverns o' Time. I want ye to venture in and see if ye can find Sanders. If ye can, try and get some o' his rum. I warn ye, though, it won't be free. Like as not, he'll have ye kill some murlocs. The man was terrified of murlocs, especially the mythical Great White Murloc, Nosy Rick.
Rewards: 250 reputation, 5 Volatile Rum
Exalted:
[70]Avast, Ye Fleet Master!
Quest-giver: William "Bloody Sabers" Jones
Well, <name>, I sent word to Duke Falrevere about all the good ye be doin' us Bloodsail. His response came back today and, well, let's just say that it was addressed to "Fleet Master <name>." That's right, ye be a full-fledged Bloodsail Fleet Master! If ye'll just hand me your Buccaneer's uniform and your Bloodsail Admiral's Hat, I'll get ye your Fleet Master's Trappings.
Rewards: 1000 reputation, Fleet Master's Trappings, Insignia of the Bloodsail Fleet Master
Items:
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Hat
Head
+30 Intellect
Use: Conscript target player as one of yer crew.
Basically, this applies a buff similar to that of the Savory Deviate Delight or Hallowed Wands to target friendly player. Cooldown of thirty seconds. Looks more like a First Mate Hat than it looks like the Bloodsail Admiral's Hat.
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Percher
Shoulder
+30 Spirit
Use: Right click to summon and dismiss your bird.
Same thing as the Bloodsail Admiral's hat. Firallon doesn't have a shoulder piece, so picture a parrot perching on your character's shoulder.
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Greatcoat
Chest
30 Armor
Equip: Allows ye to breathe, even in the briny depths!
You can breathe under water.
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Sash
Belt
+30 Strength
Use: Pull out yer hip flask.
Gives you a conjured alcoholic beverage. Thirty-second cooldown.
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Leggings
Legs
+30 Stamina
Use: Causes nearby players to dance.
Everyone loves Piccolo of the Flaming Fire. Everyone.
Bloodsail Fleet Master's Walkers
Feet
+30 Agility
Use: Increases your run speed slightly.
Similar to the Gnomish and Goblin Rocket Boots.
Insignia of the Bloodsail Fleet Master
Trinket
+45 Stamina
Use: Call out yer crew to battle!
Hey, look. It's a Barov Peasant Caller for pirates.