Dual Specs - Part II

Continuing my post on Dual specs I think its time to look on a few negative aspects of dual-specing. The most important ones I could think of (with a little help from Ruhtra) are:

• Loot rules related
• Skill related

Loot rules

I expect this to cause a fair amount of friction. My view is that all raiders will seek to equip both specs with the best gear they can get their hands on - i.e. possibly seek to get gear for both specs the same way. If you are a Holy paladin and want retry gear, your guild is raiding everywhere you will not look to gear your second spec from heroics but the very same raids you get your Holy gear. However, that will mean you compete with classes that want that very gear for their primary spec.

I think guilds must enforce a primarily and a secondary spec and distribute loot around it. As we often bid for off-spec items in Escape but main specs (even with the lowest amount bided) get it. It’s essential to preserve the raid balance and role distribution - as this is ultimately the only way for anyone to keep gearing up - while allowing secondary specs to get loot without clashing with primary specs. It sounds simple and most guilds probably do it, but I expect that people will become greedy and issues will crop up (not in my guild necessarily, I am talking in general).

Skill related

Ruhtra makes a valid point into one of his comments. Playing two specs might have an effect on performance. Are you as good in your 2nd spec as you are with your 1st? Are you playing too much in your 2nd spec that you have become sloppy on your 1st? These are valid questions that might cause some issued to players - especially those with a knack of experimentation but limited playtime.

I think players must be responsible and maintain their best-performing spec as primary. This is for their benefit and their raiding group's benefit. In their own time they can explore the pleasure and the perils of that secondary spec, but not at the expense of their reputation (with the community, not the Argent Crusade :-p).

Overall, if people are not greedy and not too reckless Dual specs will bring a new dimension in the game. If people are frank of what they can accomplish with each spec, things will be much better for them and their groups. Being able to see the game from a different perspective (seamlessly and with out hassle, as you can respec anyway nowadays) will allow those with some brain to deepen their involvement in the game, have fun with that other spec and add some flexibility in group compositions.