I find it very curious that the developers have, for all intents and purposes, decided to keep the same clunky and ill-conceived gap closing model for Paladins that is on any noteworthy inspection a bandaid model that falls far short of what other gap closers are capable of in terms of functionality and efficiency.
But it is not this clearly inefficient model that truely concerns me, it is the decision to give a brand new class a clearly homogenized and effective method of closing gaps when this same argument has ever been leveled against Paladins when they have questioned why they must continue to make do with such an inferior method of gap closing in comparison to most other melee.
The new Monk class is slated to be given the Flying Serpent Kick gap closer, and from all indications this will be implemented baseline. Now call the mechanics by which it accomplishes this what you will, but in the end it is still at it's heart a Charge mechanic, the very same mechanic that the developers have shied away from giving Paladins because 'it is not unique.' And yet, there were apparently no compunctions about giving such a non unique mechanic to a brand new class.
Not only that, but Paladin gap closing has by all indications gotten even worse. The removal of the deadzone and increased duration of LaotL still fails to compensate for the passive 15% speed boost they have lost (while most others have kept theirs interestingly). Furthermore, LAotL as ever remains utterly dependent upon the Acts of Sacrifice talent to even work, as any simple snare will counter the sprint effect.
So in effect, if Ret Paladins wish to have any gap closing capability whatsoever, they MUST take not one but TWO talents to first have access to it and the second just to make it function. And even then, it's effectiveness is still far outstripped by instant gap closer mechanics like Death Grip and the new Flying Serpent Kick, which I should point out need no such talent expenditure to function properly, much less be given access to.
From all the Paladin posts I've read pertaining to this subject, spamming Cleanse just to keep moving is widely despised by the Retribution community as a woefully inefficient and wasteful method of closing gaps and I have to agree. This method of closing gaps is without doubt the most inefficient and ineffectual in the game, and the fact that this bandaid status is still to the developers eyes acceptable when a brand new class is given baseline access to a tried and true mechanic for closing gaps that was too homogenized for Paladins smacks to me of double standards.
I understand a true gap closer could not be implemented for Paladins as long as Cleanse was in place, but have any actual alternatives been considered beyond this woefully ineffectual method? Have you considered giving the class a method of closing gaps that does not keep it utterly dependent on a spam mechanic that the Paladin playerbase largely despises? Cleanse continues to be necessary because the developers have MADE it necessary, how about making it unnecessary?
Finally, Paladins should absolutely NOT be forced to waste almost a quarter of their total talent pool to have a means to close gaps that is still inferior to others. This unfairly penalizes the class in a way that is not shared by any other and sets a standard by which the developers are willingly ignoring their own words on this matter.
I implore the developers to consider this and the example they will be setting by leaving such an inferior tool to Paladins while giving that which they decried as homogenization to the new class without compunction. It will be telling the WoW community that homogenization in fact applies only to Paladins and that active discrimination is taking place against a specific class. I don't make that accusation lightly, but I manifestly do not want to see one class in particular held to such unfair standards when others flourish by the developers direct contradiction. Please consider this.
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