Everything dropping with a guaranteed socket is definitely a better solution than the current implementation of RG. The issue here is that its use is counter-intuitive, regardless of whether or not you can see that. I don't understand how you perceive this as complaining. If the goal is 5 affixes and a socket there's several good ways to achieve that:
1. All weapons drop with 5 affixes, user can roll one into a socket
2. All weapons drop with 4 non-socket affixes, RG is used to add socket
3. All weapons drop with 4 affixes, RG can be used to add a 5th, user can roll any of the 5 into a socket if there isn't one
ALL of these are better ways to handle it than:
4. Weapons drop with 4 affixes, RG can be used to add a socket IF there isn't one
This isn't a complaint and I have no idea how you are construing it as that. The issue is that the use of RG in its current form is counter-intuitive. If the goal is to get a socket on your weapon, rolling the existing socket off your weapon should not be a part of that process. It's just illogical.
As for you salvaging items with awesome stats and no sockets, Reaper of Souls features a Mystic NPC that can be used to enchant your gear. She is very useful for just such a situation, and can transform your "almost awesome" socket-less item into an awesome socketed one. You can find more information here: http://www.diablowiki.net/Mystic
This change is very disheartening. Yesterday I was enjoying the debate in the other thread about using Firebird vs. non-set items, and what situations each would be superior in. That's the kind of decision making I enjoy; several viable options, each superior in some ways and weaker in others. I was looking forward to using the host of interesting non-set items like the new Depth Diggers, Cindercoat, Magefist, etc. Others were looking forward to adding Hydras to their build or perhaps even dumping MM/Conflag all together for Hydra/ET or something else unique.
Today I look at the patch notes and Conflag has been neutered, Depth Diggers now has some illogical caveat, Hydra doesn't proc the new Firebird bonus, and despite that Firebird seems like it may be the only viable option for a fire spec (though it's still a bit early to say). I honestly feel quite gutted.
Before we even address the question of why these changes in particular were chosen, I'd really like to know why any of this was necessary in the first place. I'd particularly like to echo the sentiment of the others in this thread that have reminded us it's not sufficient to look at the Wizard class in a vacuum; it must be looked at in comparison to the other classes as well. With that said, does it really matter if the new changes allowed us to farm t6.. like every other class can do as well? Our numbers on the PTR were not in any way out of line in comparison to the other classes, nor were wizards seeing any particular success in greater rifts compared to anyone else. Honestly though, that is all beside the point. Even if MM/Conflag was completely out of hand, what made it so destructive that the only option was to completely gut it?
If the combination of conflag + the firebird bonus was problematic why not simply change that interaction (e.g. disallow them from proccing each other)? That type of change isn't exactly elegant but it is a simple fix that likely will not alienate anyone. If Magic Missile itself was too powerful why not simply revert the damage buff they gave it in the prior build? Why did the changes have to be some that will in all likelihood remove the build as a viable option? I cannot imagine this was the only way to address whatever the perceived problem was.
To summarize, my issue is not the changes themselves but the logic Blizzard has taken in making changes. This is not a subtle effort at increasing the number of viable builds. This is a strong message that they do not want MM/Conflag to be a viable build. Whether you liked the build or not, I do not see any harm in leaving it as an option. If it was too close to feeling like the "mandatory build" then address it as such and bring it more in line with other options (or more better yet, bring the other options in line with MM/Conflag). This brings me to my next point.
Our other options still suck.
Hydra is clunky and its inability to proc the new Firebird bonus is likely the nail in the coffin for the build if it's not a bug. Energy Twister is too situationally dependent to be a reliable primary source of damage. Lightning and Cold are still just awful. WoW builds were buffed, but already face significant issues in harder content. Channeling spells were buffed, but face the same issue and being encouraged to stand still for 3+ seconds to take advantage of the new mechanics will certainly not help that.
What does that leave us?
To be clear, I do not mean that rhetorically. I really just feel like our class is running out of options. I would love to hear what people are finding success with in this new build.
1
1. All weapons drop with 5 affixes, user can roll one into a socket
2. All weapons drop with 4 non-socket affixes, RG is used to add socket
3. All weapons drop with 4 affixes, RG can be used to add a 5th, user can roll any of the 5 into a socket if there isn't one
ALL of these are better ways to handle it than:
4. Weapons drop with 4 affixes, RG can be used to add a socket IF there isn't one
This isn't a complaint and I have no idea how you are construing it as that. The issue is that the use of RG in its current form is counter-intuitive. If the goal is to get a socket on your weapon, rolling the existing socket off your weapon should not be a part of that process. It's just illogical.
As for you salvaging items with awesome stats and no sockets, Reaper of Souls features a Mystic NPC that can be used to enchant your gear. She is very useful for just such a situation, and can transform your "almost awesome" socket-less item into an awesome socketed one. You can find more information here: http://www.diablowiki.net/Mystic
1
Today I look at the patch notes and Conflag has been neutered, Depth Diggers now has some illogical caveat, Hydra doesn't proc the new Firebird bonus, and despite that Firebird seems like it may be the only viable option for a fire spec (though it's still a bit early to say). I honestly feel quite gutted.
Before we even address the question of why these changes in particular were chosen, I'd really like to know why any of this was necessary in the first place. I'd particularly like to echo the sentiment of the others in this thread that have reminded us it's not sufficient to look at the Wizard class in a vacuum; it must be looked at in comparison to the other classes as well. With that said, does it really matter if the new changes allowed us to farm t6.. like every other class can do as well? Our numbers on the PTR were not in any way out of line in comparison to the other classes, nor were wizards seeing any particular success in greater rifts compared to anyone else. Honestly though, that is all beside the point. Even if MM/Conflag was completely out of hand, what made it so destructive that the only option was to completely gut it?
If the combination of conflag + the firebird bonus was problematic why not simply change that interaction (e.g. disallow them from proccing each other)? That type of change isn't exactly elegant but it is a simple fix that likely will not alienate anyone. If Magic Missile itself was too powerful why not simply revert the damage buff they gave it in the prior build? Why did the changes have to be some that will in all likelihood remove the build as a viable option? I cannot imagine this was the only way to address whatever the perceived problem was.
To summarize, my issue is not the changes themselves but the logic Blizzard has taken in making changes. This is not a subtle effort at increasing the number of viable builds. This is a strong message that they do not want MM/Conflag to be a viable build. Whether you liked the build or not, I do not see any harm in leaving it as an option. If it was too close to feeling like the "mandatory build" then address it as such and bring it more in line with other options (or more better yet, bring the other options in line with MM/Conflag). This brings me to my next point.
Our other options still suck.
Hydra is clunky and its inability to proc the new Firebird bonus is likely the nail in the coffin for the build if it's not a bug. Energy Twister is too situationally dependent to be a reliable primary source of damage. Lightning and Cold are still just awful. WoW builds were buffed, but already face significant issues in harder content. Channeling spells were buffed, but face the same issue and being encouraged to stand still for 3+ seconds to take advantage of the new mechanics will certainly not help that.
What does that leave us?
To be clear, I do not mean that rhetorically. I really just feel like our class is running out of options. I would love to hear what people are finding success with in this new build.