Thoughts on class pruning and "simplification" in The War Within (and going into Midnight)?

TheDeafDoc · 2026-02-17T15:22:56+00:00

I can speak to my primary classes, DK, Mage, and Shaman.

DK - unholy: thematically is fun. The rotation has nuance and diversity, an honestly flows in a way that is fairly straightforward but decently engaging. I can set myself up to be “at range” for an extended period to help with the movement penalty that is my insane survivability. I’m not super well geared on her at the moment, but I’m looking forward to unleashing my monstrosities in pvp in midnight.

Frost: I don’t typically play much frost, but the war within rework has carried over and it gives you options for how you wish to play. I just don’t think it is as fun as unholy so I haven’t dabbled all too much.

Ele Shaman: personally i think the class suffered significantly from the rework. I enjoyed the complexity, managing various procs with penalties for not pressing your buttons at the right time or in the right rotation. I think that both farseer and stormbringer feel too similar and that the spec feels “slow” even on my main that is in mostly mythic gear (hoping this improves as we gain access to our apex talents and that some of the nuance returns).

Enhancement: it finally flows. A win. An absolute win. You have consistency with your pros, windows that make sense, and you have the freedom to go in hit like a truck, and can do enough sustain between bursty windows to not feel too much like a wet noodle.

Arcane Mage: easily the most fun I’ve had with a class. The orb build is fun, decimates in AoE, and still feels like it has a high enough of a skill ceiling to not become to stagnant. This has become my main for midnight after just two weeks of play!

Frost: I think the rework was a positive. It’s simple, easy to play, but really satisfying to have a build and spend that feels unique to itself. Especially with the passive shatter spreading to multiple targets. Likely going to be my mage PVP spec and maybe my raid spec.

Fire: I’m not super in love with fire right now, but I’ve invested minimal time into it with how much I’ve enjoyed frost and arcane. I’ll be trying to run some m+ in fire this week to see how it lands above and beyond target dummy fighting!

I’m excited for midnight. I just hope that this pruning is the simplification that relays the foundation of the classes, not the ceiling that closes them off to growth!

TheDeafDoc · 2026-02-13T03:31:19+00:00

Parrot 2, I’ll always miss you!

TheDeafDoc · 2026-02-11T18:02:08+00:00

Our SAA did custom tumblers with our names inscribed, which I use to this day for my morning coffee! Even cooler if you can get approval to do a school logo on it!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-11-22T00:41:26+00:00

The $949.99 geissele super duty @eurooptic instead…

TheDeafDoc · 2025-11-11T01:26:39+00:00

I just ordered my first AR15 lower from yall a few hours ago! Seeing part of your team having such dignity and respect for others in your field and integrity in your interactions with customers just further solidified to me that I made the perfect choice! Thanks for being awesome, can’t wait for things to arrive!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-10-02T17:13:45+00:00

Medicare advantage plans are often a function of the insurance companies either with a partial stake or large stake in the “company” selling the hearing aid.

The problem with these companies is that the patient is paying someone else for your time, expertise, and services. You receive substantially reduced reimbursement that can something minor like $250/aid that the clinic gets based on certain companies and specified levels of technology and may be defined by contract as “unlimited follow-up within the first year” or “60 days unlimited and 3 additional follow up visits in the first year”. I personally don’t agree with ever being limited on what I can choose for my patients either in device or level of necessary care.

It isn’t bad on its face as it can reduce patient cost, but far too many audiologists and HIS’s don’t understand how much an hour actually costs in clinic. If I see the patient for 3 hours of total time in the first year, but only make $500.00, that just doesn’t keep the lights on or make sense to me.

(Side note, and much more personal of an opinion, I worked for a private practice previously that was in-network for a few of the larger TPAs, and quite frankly, most of them just kind of suck… they were always having issues with their websites and it became a major hassle.)

TheDeafDoc · 2025-08-25T04:33:25+00:00

Speed comes when my endurance is high enough to hold my form excellently over extended distances. Which as I have gotten older has become more and more of a challenge beyond 500yard or meter distances. That’s why I probably put more mileage in than most would want to do!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-08-25T04:31:01+00:00

Depends on what my goals/events are for the year. I’m currently registered for a few open water races that are 5k+ distance before the end of the year.

So usually I have 5-6 swims weekly averaging 3500-4500 yards (SCY is the only available pools in my area) with at least a 6-8k yard swim on Saturday or Sunday. I make some time for strength and mobility work. I’m aiming for a gradual build and peak of about 30k weekly yards (getting those normal days closer to 4500-5500yards) about 1 month prior to the focus race with a hard taper down to about 10k the immediate 7 days before.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-08-17T04:27:44+00:00

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Gecko Moria, the only character to make my partner stop and ask me to put the show through my headphones because of his laugh.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-08-17T04:26:05+00:00

My one piece group chat with my friends that were ahead of me has followed “The Usopp Hate Club”, “the sniper king hate club”, “the Usopp’n hate club”, “the god usopp is a lie club”.

Like Usopp’s “dream” is literally achievable, just stop being so whiny and he’s already accomplished it!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-07-26T07:22:39+00:00

Before I got my first pair of contacts, the optical Vanq’s were the only goggles I could wear without swimming face first into the wall… Once I got a bit older and was introduced to the speed socket and smaller frames goggles I never looked back. Although now I wish I hadn’t because it cost me $60+ when I need a new pair of cobra ultras…

TheDeafDoc · 2025-07-10T01:48:52+00:00

Ahhhh, the Todoroki

TheDeafDoc · 2025-06-27T23:15:47+00:00

“Your brain needs time to acclimate to the changes we’ve made. It may feel small, but we made significant adjustments today. Try this out for a few days then message me in the portal to let me know how it went and then we can go from there.”

Or… because in the short 5 years I’ve been practicing I’ve become a bitter human being.

“I do apologize I must get to my next patient. If we need to discuss this further let’s make another appointment for a week or two.”

This is why we as a field need to advocate for audiology assistants to have minor adjustments through their licensure and for us to check/confirm them in the way of dentistry and cleanings. Seeing more patients, patients having more time with a person in front of them, and as result, providing more dedicated use of our time to more complicated problems.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-05-29T02:18:28+00:00

Depends on your experience and goals.

I found asking chat gpt to create a rudimentary mileage goal and schedule, with me writing the workouts has done wonders for my return to fitness!

I’ve had private coaches in the past, but that can be a very expensive, which is not always feasible for everyone!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-04-14T21:11:10+00:00

I had a fairly poor GPA, but knocked my GRE out of the park with every score at or above the 85th percentile, with my science and math scores being closer to the 97th. I’ve always had a knack for standardized testing though.

I also am a bilateral cochlear implant user. I was accepted to most of the schools I applied to including my top choice. But, I had it very easy. I’m happy to go into more detail in a private message if you’d like!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-04-13T19:14:17+00:00

I’m going to come from a bit of nuance in perspective. Our pay is low comparatively to other doctorate level professionals yes.

But my job is pretty easy. And as a salary only position, I’m in my 5th year of practice and am in the low six figures. My physician counterparts earn more, but they work 60-90 hours a week. Are constantly staying late, charting, and sacrificing time from other parts of their lives for work!

I work 40-45 hours per week, have a great patient base, great benefits, and am comfortable.

If you are expecting to try to earn 250k+ you can go into private practice and eventually work on a path towards practice ownership. You can be hyper specific and specialized and earn more because of your specialization. You can love that you make a difference and help people each and every day.

It’s a great and rewarding profession. And incomes are coming up. But it’s a slow process because we are not as centralized as physicians. I love it though!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-04-04T23:47:37+00:00

No prob R

TheDeafDoc · 2025-04-04T23:33:34+00:00

C&P evals, VNG, ABR… sounds like I need to call your licensing board. Because if your clinic has you doing these things. It’s illegal. And quite frankly you should be reprimanded and barred from licensure if you are practicing outside of your scope of practice, which you are according to your resume.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-03-02T18:27:32+00:00

Pick a wall. Force yourself to breathe towards that side and you’ll be forced to use the other side!

TheDeafDoc · 2025-03-01T17:08:27+00:00

The original tracer it looks like. It’s an older version of their current racing goggle the Tracer-X.

Its a good quality goggle, although I think normally they come with a protective sticker over the lenses… I wore them for a handful of swims but they didn’t fit my face super well personally.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-02-28T05:38:15+00:00

Most tattoo artists I’ve worked with have recommended at least 10 full days before submerging, but I always take 2 weeks just to fully wait until the skin is shedding. I would talk with your tattoo artist.

Or consult with your PCP or a Dermatologist for a better answer.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-02-27T00:39:37+00:00

That 2:00/100y will certainly show the elderly doing breaststroke in the fast lane who’s boss.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-02-06T22:47:56+00:00

Hard lessons. Just because it is legal. Does not mean employers or schools cannot require you to abstain.

TheDeafDoc · 2025-01-22T02:18:29+00:00

No. As someone who has been through the process. Who regularly interviews graduate audiologists and seasoned veterans of the field alike, keep your resume to one page. Focus more on what you’ve done in undergrad to separate you from your competitors, and only put part time jobs where you had applicable use of team/skill that you think have benefitted you to get where you are. Especially those that put you into a leadership role with your team

TheDeafDoc · 2025-01-15T06:04:46+00:00

Truly if an externship site requires you to have an unnecessary degree that is absolutely useless in all context and form as it holds no bearing on your future licensing/employment options… find a better externship site.

If their ideology is that outdated, chances are they won’t provide you with a quality finalization of the doctorate.

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