I disagree - this is totally about game mechanics. Compare Refusal to Ice Comet. 1200 dmg every 60 seconds versus 5000 every 45? I don't expect to out dps a wizard but I would expect our major offensive weapons to be recastable quicker than theirs.
I initally logged into the combat changes with optimism and excitement. After about 20 deaths, major stress over /respec and 5 platinum for new gear that initial excitement has changed a bit. I can play again now and it is fun, but there are still problems that won't be solved with new tactics or any adjustment of perception, relearning my toon, etc. However, I will say that the problems ARE solvable with some tweaking - no major rework needed. I play for the named kills (epics) and the fabled loots, needless to say, haven't even come close to seeing any of that since LU13. Its been grinding and more grinding and its getting old.
Basically, there are huge holes in the rythm of our fights now where we become fairly defenseless and our dps goes WAY down. We are all but worthless now on raids.
I posted this before, y'all have posted before, but maybe if we keep posting the "wishlist" they will either implement the changes or at least post why they can't do anything. I'm also curious about what kind of testing they did for this stuff and wether or not a long time pally ever had a chance at it before they released. A large part of MY anger comes from their change notes saying things like "most combat arts and spell recast timers have been reduced"...(the unsaid line there is EXCEPT THE 2 YOU USE THE MOST WHICH HAD THEIR TIMERS TRIPLED)... I would have much preferred "yah, we're about to nerf you into dust but here's some things that you can do to make it easier...twink your char out to the max and power lvl to 50+"
Pre-update paladins really didn't come into their own until lvl 42 or so. Anger is the proper response to obtaining that and then being told essentially the way you are playing, which was very satisfying, hard-won and successful, was essentially an exploit of the system and we've patched that up for ya.
Our Blessed/Devout/Pious Aid line needs to be equivalent to wards in terms of cast time and dmg healed, or Aid needs a lot less of a recast time. Wards should operate for raid friends. BOTH spells need to have cast times reduced. This will boost our desirability in raids quite a bit. Ironically on the rezbot subject the other day I had a templar say "the non-healers get better rez than us"... can you believe that?
I care about ranged slot about as much as I cared about Rescue - made it through the first 50 levels without it so why bother now? Ironically, that's the only thing they've confirmed they are talking about.
A huge justification for our class was, "well, pallies can wear plate armor"... plate armor is no longer as much of an advantage and we didn't get anything to compensate for that. If we throw out the plate armor there are many classes that would be a better choice. The avoidance penalty for plate needs to be adjusted or *gasp* done away with completely.
I don't want to hear about PVP balance either... how many duels has anybody ever had with someone the same level with all the same tiered gear? Duels will never be balanced, so there isn't any point in making certain classes suffer for it.
Now awaiting the next thread to repost the wishlist on.