Hybrid Builds - Viable or Meme?

[Hortudy]

Longtime WoW player here, but pretty new to Turtle WoW, and I have to say, I’m loving the vibe so far. The custom content and community creativity are seriously refreshing.

I’ve been toying around with a few hybrid class ideas lately (like Balance Druid with some Shadow weaving, or melee Warlock via Demonic Sacrifice + daggers… yeah, I know, sounds cursed), and it got me wondering:

Are hybrid or off-meta builds actually viable in PvE or PvP here, or is it more for the memes and fun factor?

I’m not looking to top meters or push hardcore raids, but I’d love to create something playable that feels different from the usual cookie-cutter specs.

[Voodoochile]

Hybrid builds are, ironically, worse here then they are in classic in terms of viability

[Drubarrymooer]

Its completely possible. My buddy does counter/meme/hybrid specs on purpose. He always finds a way to make them work. Some hybrid builds are a bit more straight forward like druid tanking/dps'ing or healing/boomkin. Overall, it just depends on what you're trying to do and what class you're trying to play. If you have fun doing it, there's no wrong spec unless you're a major sweat.

[Erhog]

Hybrids(tank+heal or dps+heal specs) are bad but non-meta specs(elem sham, ench sham, retri pal, any hunter, arcane mage, etc etc) are viable and some even turned to be meta now.

[Zulnam]

pve hybrid was never viable, depending your interpretation (i wouldn't call putting 30 points into a tree "hybrid"). but it works without issues while leveling, even in dungeons. even if you will tank/heal.

pvp wise i think hybrid builds can still work with enough gear, but the same can be said for almost any spec in pvp. even so a fresh 60 pom/pyro mage will struggle more than a pure frost mage.

that said the specs you suggest sound beyond hybrid.

[FrankFankledank]

Turtle WoW did this funny thing where they added gear that made you think they were going to allow alternative playstyles like spellret or on-hit effect build melee then they killed key aspects of those builds to ensure they stay dead. So there's just a bunch of trashy gear that supports specs that don't work but you can sell some of it for way too much if you can muscle past the botfarms on the exclusive rare world spawns (groan) that drop them.

[Voodoochile]

pve hybrid was never viable, depending your interpretation (i wouldn't call putting 30 points into a tree "hybrid"). but it works without issues while leveling, even in dungeons. even if you will tank/heal.

pvp wise i think hybrid builds can still work with enough gear, but the same can be said for almost any spec in pvp. even so a fresh 60 pom/pyro mage will struggle more than a pure frost mage.

that said the specs you suggest sound beyond hybrid.

Shaman Resto/Enh (0/20/31) and Ele/Resto (30/0/21) where both viable, ele/resto less so as it kinda relied on your raid not NEEDING and dedicaated resto shaman, but Resto/Enh was VERY good because of the extra utility you brought while also still being a healer, especially if you had Nightfall for melee weaving between heals and totem twisting.

But Turtle Wow took a 12 gauge to Resto/Enh's shins and now you cant take enhanced totems without severely gimping your healing, they nerfed Flurry so you cant prob Nightfall as often, they removed Totem Twisting as a mechanic, AND they removed Mana Tide Totem.

They systematically gutted and taxidermied one of the few hybrid builds that worked in vanilla, but Fury/Prot still exists and I wouldn't be surprised if Paladins got another buff while I was typing this up

[Wolf of Rage]

Longtime WoW player here, but pretty new to Turtle WoW, and I have to say, I’m loving the vibe so far. The custom content and community creativity are seriously refreshing.

I’ve been toying around with a few hybrid class ideas lately (like Balance Druid with some Shadow weaving, or melee Warlock via Demonic Sacrifice + daggers… yeah, I know, sounds cursed), and it got me wondering:

Are hybrid or off-meta builds actually viable in PvE or PvP here, or is it more for the memes and fun factor?

I’m not looking to top meters or push hardcore raids, but I’d love to create something playable that feels different from the usual cookie-cutter specs.

So, here's the kicker:

Everything is viable. At base.

Proper hybrid builds? As pointed out above... not quite (unless you're looking at hyper-specific PvP builds like Tank-Healer Shaman hybrid Specs).

It's a weird result, honestly. It's kind of like how Cataclysm added more flexibility to Holy Paladin... but they essentially integrated the Shockadin playstyle into it... just, innately. Here... they... uhhh... they made Holy busted. But they killed off... Shockadins. Yeah. Like literally you cannot even be a Shockadin.

[amanagor]

pve hybrid was never viable, depending your interpretation (i wouldn't call putting 30 points into a tree "hybrid"). but it works without issues while leveling, even in dungeons. even if you will tank/heal.

pvp wise i think hybrid builds can still work with enough gear, but the same can be said for almost any spec in pvp. even so a fresh 60 pom/pyro mage will struggle more than a pure frost mage.

that said the specs you suggest sound beyond hybrid.

Shaman Resto/Enh (0/20/31) and Ele/Resto (30/0/21) where both viable, ele/resto less so as it kinda relied on your raid not NEEDING and dedicaated resto shaman, but Resto/Enh was VERY good because of the extra utility you brought while also still being a healer, especially if you had Nightfall for melee weaving between heals and totem twisting.

But Turtle Wow took a 12 gauge to Resto/Enh's shins and now you cant take enhanced totems without severely gimping your healing, they nerfed Flurry so you cant prob Nightfall as often, they removed Totem Twisting as a mechanic, AND they removed Mana Tide Totem.

They systematically gutted and taxidermied one of the few hybrid builds that worked in vanilla, but Fury/Prot still exists and I wouldn't be surprised if Paladins got another buff while I was typing this up

they didn't do this because they dislike hybrid. This has been done because the turtle devs HATE shamans.

[Voodoochile]

pve hybrid was never viable, depending your interpretation (i wouldn't call putting 30 points into a tree "hybrid"). but it works without issues while leveling, even in dungeons. even if you will tank/heal.

pvp wise i think hybrid builds can still work with enough gear, but the same can be said for almost any spec in pvp. even so a fresh 60 pom/pyro mage will struggle more than a pure frost mage.

that said the specs you suggest sound beyond hybrid.

Shaman Resto/Enh (0/20/31) and Ele/Resto (30/0/21) where both viable, ele/resto less so as it kinda relied on your raid not NEEDING and dedicaated resto shaman, but Resto/Enh was VERY good because of the extra utility you brought while also still being a healer, especially if you had Nightfall for melee weaving between heals and totem twisting.

But Turtle Wow took a 12 gauge to Resto/Enh's shins and now you cant take enhanced totems without severely gimping your healing, they nerfed Flurry so you cant prob Nightfall as often, they removed Totem Twisting as a mechanic, AND they removed Mana Tide Totem.

They systematically gutted and taxidermied one of the few hybrid builds that worked in vanilla, but Fury/Prot still exists and I wouldn't be surprised if Paladins got another buff while I was typing this up

they didn't do this because they dislike hybrid. This has been done because the turtle devs HATE shamans.

It's true, but seeing as Druids also got hit in their ability to cross spec as hybrids, I'd say it was also a deliberate attempt to kill hybrid builds regardless of viability. It may have even been that Twow devs just straight up didn't think about hybrids. Which makes me wonder if this server is even as RP as they claim they are

[Sleeplust]

That private server called Project Ascension, based on 3.xx version of WOW, involves heavily modifiable skill-race combinations that may match your concept. However, that is nothing but a gimmick for temporary novelty-hunting because it only ruins the original flavour that classic mechanism brings. A warlock casting holy light to heal others while summoning demons could attract some veteran players who are bored with their game but the appeal wouldn't last long.

[Drubarrymooer]

That private server called Project Ascension, based on 3.xx version of WOW, involves heavily modifiable skill-race combinations that may match your concept. However, that is nothing but a gimmick for temporary novelty-hunting because it only ruin the original flavour that classic mechanism brings. A warlock casting holy light to heal others while summoning demons could attract some veteran players who are bored with their game but the appeal wouldn't last long.

Just a heads up, I'm pretty sure discussing other pservers is against the rules. Iirc, someone got some heat about it recently on here.

[Turbosaxophonic]

It's true, but seeing as Druids also got hit in their ability to cross spec as hybrids, I'd say it was also a deliberate attempt to kill hybrid builds regardless of viability. It may have even been that Twow devs just straight up didn't think about hybrids. Which makes me wonder if this server is even as RP as they claim they are

I don’t think they have a specific bone to pick with hybrids, I think they’re just ignorant to details in the game’s design and see spec crossover as a mistake to be corrected instead of the deliberate decision it was, with hybrid builds just being collateral damage to the turtle devs’ “modern design philosophies”

[Springboards]

hybrids are way overtuned here, especially in pvp

go shaman or paladin,maybe priest if you want to dominate