One Overpowered WoW Class Just Defied Years Of MMO Design, So Of Course Blizzard Nerfed It

"Five Guardian Druids earlier this week were able to clear a +20 Mythic dungeon, among the hardest content in the entire game currently. They did this without a single healer or DPS, and did it without resorting to bugs or other exploits. Not only did the group clear the dungeon, they also timed it with six minutes to spare and only three deaths."

"A completed +20 key isn't the highest we've seen as part of Midnight Season 1 (that would be a +23). However, the fact that such a high key was able to be done with so much extra time on the clock and minimal deaths is still an incredibly impressive achievement, even if this current Mythic+ season is considered the easiest in the game's history."

"Conventional MMO wisdom says it shouldn't be possible. While tanks in WoW usually have some self healing and damage-mitigation abilities, in theory, they shouldn't be able to put out enough damage fast enough to clear content efficiently. That, after all, is the job of DPS players, a group that usually makes up three of the five players in a dungeon group and is the role the overwhelming majority of the playerbase plays as."

"What to do about overpowered tanks has been an issue that has reared its head multiple times over the years, with developer Blizzard often playing whack-a-mole when it comes to balance changes. Tanks can't be strong enough to replace DPS, but they also can't be so weak that they aren't able to meaningfully contribute damage and survive on their own. Blizzard's balancing once again looks to be the culprit here, having adjusted Guardian Druid as part of the game's now infamously buggy 12.0.5 patch."

Five Guardian Druids cleared a +20 Mythic+ dungeon without any healer or DPS. The run avoided bugs or other exploits and still finished with six minutes remaining. The group recorded only three deaths while completing the key. The achievement occurred during Midnight Season 1, where higher keys exist, including a +23. Even so, the extra time and low deaths make the result notable. Conventional expectations say tanks should not deal enough damage quickly enough to clear efficiently, since DPS typically handles most damage. Balance changes in patch 12.0.5 adjusted Guardian Druid, and the tank specialization was reported as overperforming, contributing to the outcome.

Read at GameSpot