Just around San'layn and the how to possibly fix it conversation, to expand I will likely do a video about this if we see no action. Switching it off VB to LB or IBF will help if they aren't willing to change anything around essence behaviour. Speaking with Mandl around this, at the moment he thinks the best thing we could see regarding balance would to be reducing essence stacks, think how they change the tier set in shadowlands from 75 to 40 stacks etc so hopefully we see something like this, Deathbringer is so good to play with, really want to see it have just more than a "chance" to maybe be seen in a raid environment.

Thanks for this overview!! Here's hoping Blizz gives us a reason to be able to choose Deathbringer over San'layn in at least some circumstances - seeing some of the animations in this video as well, Deathbringer also just looks so visually pleasing but, like you said, you can't really say no to functionally permalust. Hopefully whenever Blizz gets to these DK revamps we see some movement happening here.

I wonder why they would force a certain type of game play rotation when everything else they seem to be driving at is freedom and self expression? I hope they change it so we can feel good about playing how we want and not punished for it.

Dayum. Can you do a video for Prot Pally? Ive always been VDH main / BDK alt, but for TWW I just dont know which classes to roll- some Hero talents look awesome

I wasn't all that wowed at first glance when I first saw Deathbringer. Maybe it wasn't hitting the "class fantasy" vibes too well for me. However seeing it laid out like this, AND seeing the visuals. I do like it. I love the Argus-esque big sweeping scythe that seems to cover 70% of the pack when triggered. Now, the Elephant in the room. San'layn vs. Deathbringer. In its current state Deathbringer is gonna struggle to find its place. Honestly, I think there needs to be more "outward facing" discussion on a topic such as this. Feels better to have open discussion and get DK's views, ideas with merit to them. Because, direct feedback is one thing, but feels way too quiet. Especially after the "fuss" started with the initial incarnation of Oracle Priest, though I guess they knew going in that tree would be divisive. Anyway, back on topic. I can see why it's attached to VB, not LB or IBF. Thematically, it makes sense.. Vampires, Vampiric Blood is the Logical path. I'm even fine with Hero Talents pushing you to take certain talents, HOWEVER I'm against it when it's this rigid. Push me to take certain things, fine.. but allow some flexibility. You mentioned tying it to Lichborne, thematically that's totally illogical. However, could be fixed with one easy trick. Essence of the Blood Queen (Replaces Lichborne) Some of the hero tree could still have flavorful ties within VB, but turbo-loading it with everything just feels unhealthy for the spec. In a similar vein, you mentioned Bonestorm. I'd love to see it get some use again. I do wonder if it'd find more use if it were moved up the tree, or just straight up baseline. Because, for as much as I love the ability it is functionally a dead talent. Its so rarely if ever taken. Thematically it'd be the perfect fit for Deathbringer if the tree had some kind of interaction. Bones and death are pretty intrinsically linked. Heck, I'm pretty sure Marrowgar itself has a big ol' Death Scythe Similarly, make Blooddrinker baseline.. give us a short-ish range ability that lets us heal when we can't touch the boss. (Thinking Painsmith in SL, Nymue even, in recent memory) Our whole shtick is taking damage and healing it back, we're heavily punished for being away from something we can't Death Strike. Not to mention being out of D&D. Blooddrinker, even Consumption with a little retooling for Vampiric animation and maybe mechanics are perfect tie-ins for San'layn. Much like Tombstone and by extension Shattering Bone, alongside Bonestorm are for Deathbringer. I don't think they really need to reinvent the wheel where adjustments for San'layn are concerned, but outside of my previously stated favour for San'layn class fantasy.. As it stands I don't see myself playing much Deathbringer, as fun as it seems it could be. I just REALLY hope their solution isn't to just take a giant sledgehammer to it.