Here's blue post in this thread talking about the upcoming range item for hybrids:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=6999532&p=#post6999532

Since this thread will probably only last a few days, I've copied in the relevant post and replies.

Poster: Lark at 2/6/2006 3:48:32 PM PST
Subject: Ranged Slot Rant! ./flame devs!!

ok, wth havent we gotten a guram ranged slot item yet! I've had this POS egan's blaster equipped for 14 months now!! The hybrid classes, Druids Shamans and pallies all suffer from a lack of being able to equip ANYTHING useful in one of our paper doll slots. To add insult to injury, hybrid classes generally require MORE stats as we have to budget points across more stats than the average archetype given your blase, unimaginative, whatever the opposite of innovate is item valuation system.

The developers have been promising to do something about this SINCE BETA, but NOTHING visible to the WoW community has been done.

UNNACCEPTABLE

I don't need wands so i can pewpew the bad guys. I don't even need a crossbow so I can shoot rats in the deeprun tram while waiting for my car (although that would make me smile.. what can i say im a ebil ringwraith pallie) I just want what like 75% of the rest of the players have, the ability to fill that one stupid slot.

You guys have been great about adding new content (6 new, free dungeons in a little over a year aint bad) and working on future content too, but for pete's sake, RANGED SLOT FOR HYBRIDS POR FAVOR! oh yeah, update my Malistar's Defender gfx. <3 that thing so much, just tired of looking like i got a big squeezed nipple growing outta my back :p

Poster: Eyonix at 2/6/2006 3:54:08 PM PST
Subject: Re: Ranged Slot Rant! ./flame devs!!

We're in the process of implementing a relic slot for the Paladin, Shaman and Druid. Ideally, this will be live upon the release of patch 1.10. Basically, this slot will allow these three classes to equip a relic item, since currently these classes are unable to reap the statistical benefits associated with equiping a ranged weapon...and we're tired of seeing you run around with Egan's Blaster. ;)

Wow, that Lark guy sounds like an idiot. :]

Another blue post in this thread:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7025805&p=#post7025805


Below I've listed the description of three different relics (one for each applicable class). Idols are the Druid relics, Totems are for Shamans, and Librams are for Paladins. These relic items will be live in patch 1.10.

Druid

Idol of Rejuvination
Relic
Requires level 57
Equip: Increases the healing per 3 seconds on your Rejuvenation by up to 10

Shaman

Totem of Rebirth
Relic
Requires level 57
Equip: Reduces the cooldown of your Reincarnation ability by 10 minutes.

Paladin

Libram of Hope
Relic
Requires level 57
Equip: Reduces the mana cost of your Seal spells by 20

Umm, where are the stats???

Hopefully those are just a sample and there will be others with some decent stats.

Other then the clumsy blizard wording that's not so bad. It's like +40 healing for rejuv' only... which would make it about equivalent to 1 talent point into improved rejuv. Which is loads better then Egan's Blaster... altho I will miss running around with a gun out.

w00t!? :D

Any word on how we get it?

So from what I am seeing there is no need for me to look for a relic until I am lvl 57?

Just run BRD and Strat and some of the higher end 5mans and you should run into one.

Idol of Ferocity (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53231) - BRD Roccor - Soloable [check]

Idol of Rejuvination (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53313) - Grayhoof (LBRS - summoned w/ .5 questline device) - Stealth Group, 5-man, or Raid [check]

Idol of Brutality (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53608)- Magistrate Barthilas (Strat - however, some reporting this being found in lock boxes) - 5-man [check]

Idol of the Moon (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53931) - World BoE (check your AH)

Idol of Health (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53367) - Vicidious (AQ40 optional boss)

Idol of Longevity (http://www.thottbot.com/?i=53784) - Instructor Razuvious (Naxxramas)

It is possible to do a solo run of Magistrate Barthilas for Idol of Brutality?

Nope, the undead see right through stealth

The only problem I have with the idols is that, while casters/melee classes can get extra stats (i.e. +dmg/healing, stamina, int, agi, str, mana/5) all in one item, druids have to choose which one they want to use.

Thus far, i have 3 of the idols. That means, two slots are taken up in my bags for something I use very situationally. Kinda sucks IMO. Wand of Whispering Dead? Awesome for priests. Crossbow of Imminent Doom? Awesome for melee dps. Idol of Longevity? Awesome for spamming HT. Too bad druids use two other types of heals that will never benefit from the idol.

How hard is it to just give us an idol with stats? I'll take some sta/int or +healing plz. Ugh.

Agreed. Even if you look at the Shammie and Pallie relics ours are way gimped. It seems they have a far greater brushstroke of effect where ours are pinpoint specific. If we had 1 stat relic it would make up for a lot of inconsistencies in the "ranged/stat" department other classes enjoy...i.e shields/guns/wands..of which we are the ONLY class that cannot carry!!!! I know each relic is an equivelant to like 1 1/2 talen points but realistically the times you will use it will not even scratch the times other classes rely on their available items.

Well, I for one like the way the relics work. Instead of just tossing a few stats our way, they're more or less giving us extra talent points. Less rage used, less energy used, faster heals, more powerful rejuv, etc.

Yes, they may be situational, and some of them outright suck (idol of the moon, for example), but some of them are really good. Idol of brutality is bloody imba, imo. Idol of ferocity is nice when grinding, but not of much use anywhere else.

Idol of health makes your HT spam even faster, increasing your HT healing output by 6.4% for HT4, and 5.3% for HT5+ when spamming it (which is what I usually do at least -- I'm feral, so I leave most of the hots and "oh ****" handling to the restos and priests). That's the same increase as 60-70 +heal for me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that yes, some of these idols are bad (or outright suck). Yes, all of them are situational. However, the boost they give is so significant that I'm happy bliz gave them to us instead of just some stuff with +int/spi/mp5/heal. These things are all built on talents we've got, so they're essentially giving us situational items we can use for some "bonus talents".

The only change I want with idols, is a greater number of them. (And preferably some epic feral/nuking ones -- all the epic idols now are for healing.)

If they want to give us 1.5 talent points, make them from HotW, an Idol increasing int 6% etc...would seem to solve both the use in more than one role problem, the stat comparison to other classes problem and still fit in their current development scheme.

Exactly gwmort. I don't want an uber idol, there are too many things that already constitute that in this game. I was simply looking at the available idols and wondering...hmm I gotta carry all these things around along with my 4!! sets of gear and every "situation" swap out. Even then I felt those designated for the druid were nef'd compared to what I could carry as another class. I love the vesatility of the druid, but blizz makes us spread ourselves so thin it almost feels like they are TRYING to weed the versatility out of us. Just think...in the new expansion what makes us unique (our ability to be a filler for most roles) will be stretched even further, requiring us to spec deeper and deeper into a "single" role.
Now this might just be my take since I am a casual player and in order to fill all roles effectively you need the tiptop gear...which I will probably never see:sad:

I was afraid of the same thing until the new talents came out.

While deep speccing may be very popular w/ the min/max crowd, there are A LOT of possibilities for really good hybrid specs. Way more than the 24/0/27 and 30/21 of today. I think there will be a good bit of variety and for those that really like it, role switching.

Do you believe that even with a toon that cannot (do to playing time limitations) gain access to high level gear. My fear is that while I COULD spec for a hybrid mix, blizz has made the talent trees so damn specific that I would be completely useless in doing so with out +1000 int/sta/str/agi/spi gear. Don't get me wrong, I understand what they are trying to do, but I think the druid needs to be looked at completely different than any other class, because we our total existence is based on filling those multiple roles. Maybe a more dynamic type of tree system needs to be developed that allows cross-pollination of the trees at certain levels in order to acheive that "hybrid" feel. I.E. once you spend 40 points in feral it opens other options in the balance tree that would not be available if you had not spent the 40 all in balance...like access to a tier 4 talent without all the point in that tree. Just a suggestion to help facilitate our "unique" status. It would also help out those of use who cannot locate prime gear but need the extra boost to stay needed at the upper levels.

It would also help out those of use who cannot locate prime gear but need the extra boost to stay needed at the upper levels.

The only problem with this is that it would have to apply to people who can access this gear as well, and that would just make the whole situation that much more imbalanced.

Actually I think more cross talent builds favor casual players more, since you will likely be doing more of a mixed role while solo and small grouping it, and flexibility is key for adapting to whatever new task you are asked to do.

I only started raiding recently, and spent a great deal of time as a "casual" end gamer. There is gear out there for you that will adapt to multiple roles (like PvP or feralheart), but you won't just bump into it. You need to know what you need and take steps to progress to it, whether that is grinding honor or rep or training PuGs to get you through the upgrade quests.