The Nerf Stick!

Here are a few recent blue posts:

• "Savage Defense is massively overpowered on beta and has been dealt with accordingly. Many of the reports of beta raid bosses two-shotting tanks were because that was how much damage the bosses needed to do in order to challenge Feral tanks. With less damage absorbed, the boss damage can be adjusted downwards. We've reduced the multiplier for attack power on the absorption effect (from 65% to 35%, still modified by mastery) and it no longer procs from periodic critical hits." 

• Survival Instincts -- Damage reduction changed from 60% to 50%. Cooldown reduced from 5 minutes to 2 minutes. Duration still 12 seconds. 

• Bear Form -- Stamina bonus lowered from 20% to 10% and Heart of the Wild health bonus from 10% to 6%. Bear health should be close to plate tank health with this change.

What does this mean? Probably nothing. I knew tanks would end up a lot more symmetrical before Cataclysm rolled around, but I was going to assume they would buff the other tanks to the level of where druids were. Instead it's the other way around and that just means we actually have a pretty hard job on our hands. I'll list a few ways I hope to be challenged by...

A boss enrages for 15 seconds and casts 3 fireballs that would normally do enough damage to kill us. We have to proc our "survival shield wall" right before the first one finishes casting or else we die and the raid wipes.

Some mechanic throws the tank in the air high enough to if he's not an engineer a mage/priest needs to save him with slow fall.

Less taunt back and forth bosses. Unless during the downtime the tank gets to do something interesting such a small gauntlet/debuff cleansing triathlon.

Giant ground stomps that we get to use stampeding roar for! - Literally going to be my favorite ability.

So yeah! I am very excited about cataclysm still and I have no worries about these nerfs and if you are a true druid at heart you'll be honest with yourself and know that we sort of needed it.