Slow... Deep... Breaths (patch day)

It's patch day... But not just _any_ patch day... It's a major upgrade patch day. As in going from 2.4.3 to 3.0.2. There's so much going on. 51 point talents. In game calendars. A new profession. Major changes to some mechanics that I've gotten very accustomed to. Breathe, big fella... Breathe.

This is my second major version change since I started playing WoW. The first one wasn't that big a deal because I'd only been playing for about 9-10 months and because there weren't any major changes in the class that I played. Now I've been playing for almost three years. I have two max level mages, two paladins and a druid (and now a level 64 rogue and a level 60 druid... And a level 52 priest... And that's just the characters I play). I'm set in my ways and there are major, major changes happening:

1) Spell damage and healing are all being rolled up into spell power. This will change some of my tanking gear on my paladins.
2) Spell hit and melee hit are just becoming hit. This can only help my paladins...
3) Druid armor is being reduced considerably. The multiplier is going from 400% to 370% and a lot of gear is being re-itemized to reduce armor and increase stats like stamina and agility. I've read in one place that PvP gear is not having the armor lowered. I use at least 2 pieces of PvP gear already and have lots more I could switch in so I may be good there. But it's still a big change. I may more than make up for that in damage reduction from the Protector of the Pack talent. Time will tell.
4) Druids will be uncrittable with talents. That means I don't need any more +defense gear... Nor do I need +defense gems. I can replace those with agility now I guess. Or +hit I guess.
5) Inscription. I'm going to need to spend some time leveling that... I've got two toons pegged for that and some herbs stored up. It will take a few more runs around lowbie areas to get to respectable levels but at least I should be able to send enchants to alts... Which means I can put +spell power enchants on my paladins' weapons. FINALLY!!!
6) The health of raid mobs is going to drop by 30% or so. That means we're going back into Kara. And the night people are free is... Tonight.
7) 51 point talents. Berserk is looking like a lot of fun (so is Rocket Kitteh...). But I haven't even looked at the 51 point talents for paladins or mages... Or rogues or priests... Gah...
8) Swipe hits an unlimited number of targets. That should be great for holding threat on big pulls... Hello non-elite 8 pulls in Karazhan that kill the mage every time (... that I don't bring my paladin).
9) MASSIVE changes to the paladin seal/judgement/blessing system. I haven't even thought about that one.

There are many, many more changes. Too many to list here. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it. Plus I'm having a little angst. What if Hiahotah suddenly becomes... Less overpowered as a tank. People are counting on me to start tanking things again. What if I start letting them down? What if I stumble with the new talents for the next few days?

And I'm trapped here at work... Not that I could log on yet but... I'm trying to concentrate on remapping user printers to the new print cluster when my head is swimming with new information. I'm nervous and excited at the same time...

At least the patch is installed and ready to go. 2.5 hours to go...