wow DesMephisto on the Return of Single-Minded Fury

[Starym 3,800]

 

A lot of warriors rejoiced when Single-Minded Fury returned, but none more so than the 49 max level warrior wielding, 99.9% of all plate transmog in the game owning (only 6 left!), speed leveling, autism charity promoting DesMephisto.

We found out about his passion for the return of Single-Minded Fury during our interview, and now that it's confirmed as coming back in Shadowlands, we thought we really should hear his perspective and reaction to the big news! He talks about player identity and how a greater choice is always a good thing, even if most players will only play the top DPS spec, his hatred of DKs for having stolen his class identity, his crazy wait from the Shadowlands reveal and every alpha build since then, and a really great message of perseverance in the specific thing you really want back in the game.

So let's get to it and let the man himself speak:

A while ago Single-Minded Fury was finally shown as coming back to warriors. Since the dawn of Warcraft, well, near dawn, I’ve been a fury warrior. Through and through, I’ve never raided as another spec. Prot? I don’t need protection where I’m going. Arms? No, not for me, I prefer legs. Single minded fury. The speed, the intensity, the rage, the proportional looking weapons on gnomes (also known as toothpicks), it brought me so much joy.

People get caught up on which specialization is the best, which one does the most damage. This is World of Warcraft, a role playing game. I assume a role, I play a character, I have a playstyle, and why am I playing a game? Because I want to live out a fantasy, I want to have fun, I want to feel a reflection of my inner desires brought to life in this incredible world. Dual wielding always seemed so incredibly cool to me, Tales of Symphonia in Lloyd Iriving, the idea of being ambidextrous, the skill, it was incredible to me.

Throw in wearing heavy battle plate, then the speed and ferocity of warriors? What an identity! I latched onto warrior with the grip of a titan. Then it just vanished. The great pruning pruned player power, punishing player personality. My identity was shoehorned into a cookie cutter attempt at diversifying classes, leaving me alone, forced to endure someone else's identity. But it wasn’t mine, it wasn’t me.

I soldiered on, every chance I got, the first thing I always told myself, if I ever got a chance, I would champion for SMF to return. It wasn’t a case of if it'd return, it was a case of WHEN it’d return. Google single minded fury, you’ll see tons of posts from me asking for its return.

I’ve done podcasts, interviews, every single time “what would you like to see return” without hesitation, single minded fury. It is as if though I embodied the concept, for my mind was singled on single minded fury returning.

When it was announced that one handed weapons could be transmoged into fist weapons I HOWL’D with the rage of a screaming volcano, finally, THERE IT WAS. I could have had my dream warrior, a battle driven god of blood lust with fists of *filtered* fury ferociously finishing fights.

BUT NO, ALAS it twas not for me, no.

My rage grew, I saw the DKs, my identity stolen and given to them. I know they hurt too, their two handed Obliterates gone, no more big numbers, just constantly out of Breath of Sindragosa.

But I hated them. They took it from me. Time moved on, Shadowlands neared, HOLINKA TAKES THE STAGE, THIS IS IT I SAY, THE GREAT UNPRUNING, MY SINGLE MINDED FURY IS RETURNING! I SCREAM WITH JOY….nothing. My heart ached. No, this can’t be, SURELY they’ll bring it back! They’re talking about player identity! Player abilities!

Alpha comes...DKs are getting...two handers back...my heart races, surely this means...SURELY THIS MEANS...no...no single minded fury. BUT WAIT, some hope! Ion says they’re looking at it. Every alpha build, I have two one handed swords, first thing I do, I log on and see if I can use Bloodthirst. SURELY THIS TIME I tell myself. Again and again, build after build, months go by, frustration builds and there is only silence. I have given up. They aren’t going to do it, it just isn’t importan...wait what’s this, A NEW BUILD? SINGLE...MINDED….FURY!? This grown 31 year old man cried tears of joy over the ability to use... pixels.

As someone with 49 max level warriors, and one 110, I think it can be said that I have...an appreciation for warriors. So, single minded fury coming back? It is a big deal to me. My banner? World of Warriors <Single Minded Fury>. Every single warrior? Fury. This is like a thousand Christmases combined into one singular moment of pure joy.

The playstyle people are saying, why is single minded fury coming back? What if it does more damage, what if it does less damage, I sure hope Blizzard can balance it. There are players out there, who love their specs, and refuse to change. They might be at the bottom of the charts, but guess what, YOU CAN *filtered* DO ANYTHING in this game. Your spec isn’t entirely limiting your ability, your obsession with being someone else is. Play the game for fun, play the game in your identity, obviously NOT everything will work, but you don’t need to be in the illusion of the top 1%.

I LOVE the concept that using 1 handers increases my movement speed by 5%. It isn’t a whole lot, 5% isn’t THAT MUCH movement speed, you get that as a racial as a Zandalari. But as someone who loves RPGs, that extra little bit of flavor just holy s**t. This game isn’t all about f***ing numbers.

So this is one, well, 50 fury warriors excited and exhausted to finally be able to play the class the way I love it. It has been a long 1429 days for us but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. If you are passionate about something, survival hunters wanting to DW, warriors wanting gladiator spec to come back, wanting Demon Hunters to have more than 3 abilities in their DPS rotation, be vocal. Blizzard does listen, sometimes you may have to carry your banner til you’ve almost given up hope but it will happen...assuming others agree with you.

[durdyenglish 298]

5 minutes ago, Starym said:

But as someone who loves RPGs, that extra little bit of flavor just holy s**t. This game isn’t all about f***ing numbers.

This is the mantra I take with every talent, Azerite trait, Essence, etc. Otherwise the game is no fun.

Pick what you enjoy, pick what you play best - your experience will always be better for it.

[Brutalis 165]

46 minutes ago, durdyenglish said:

Pick what you enjoy, pick what you play best - your experience will always be better for it.

This a thousand times. Unless you're pushing for world firsts or whatever else that will put you in the top 1% of players, where every minute detail that gives an edge is required, then doing what's enjoyable is gonna be the best way to play the game.

[Borgoff33 101]

his plate transmog % pretty much says it all for how many people will change to Single-Minded Fury and for how many will change back

[Dejo93 1,023]

Did someone do the numbers? Will it be better to stay dual wielding 2 handers or will SMF be good? If I recall, for dealing less damage, attack speed was increased, correct? Even though it looks cool, I fear that most people will stick with 2 handers

[Harvey 60]

The numbers don't matter to those who don't care. Let players have their fun. In the worst case scenario, it is always better to keep a sub-build that deals subpar numbers than eliminating it completely. Players who care/need for numbers can go for the max dps build. For example, I could choose to play dual two-hander when progressing or M20+ and play SMF for M15 or daillies, and vice versa. If Blizz really wants to go crazy a bit, they can even make it so that dual 2H and SMF each have their own specialized "traits" that will be better in some mythic+ affixes and the other way round (but that's hoping too much...)