September 3 Class Tuning: Major Buffs and Nerfs Across All Classes

Blizzard has posted a big batch of class changes for the War Within that will hit live servers on September 3.

With the upcoming class changes slated for September 3, players can expect a mix of buffs and nerfs across several classes.

Buffed Classes

  • Druid (Balance, Feral): Balance received increased damage on Starsurge, Starfall, and improved Eclipse power. Feral sees Bloodtalons and Lion’s Strength boosting Rampant Ferocity.
  • Evoker (Devastation): All spells and abilities get a 6% damage increase; Firestorm and Engulf also receive significant boosts.
  • Hunter (Beast Mastery, Survival): Various buffs to Vicious Hunt and Howl of the Pack for Beast Mastery and Survival specs, among others.
  • Mage (Fire): Damage increases for Living Bomb, Pyroblast, and Flamestrike.
  • Priest (Discipline, Shadow): Discipline’s Power Word: Shield and Atonement healing are buffed. Shadow sees an increase in Void Blast damage.
  • Shaman (Elemental, Stormbringer): Elemental gets a 35% bonus to damage via Mastery, while Tempest and Elemental Blast receive damage boosts.
  • Warlock (Destruction): All ability damage increased by 5%.
  • Shaman (Enhancement PvP Changes): Significant damage increases to Lava Lash, Stormstrike, Windstrike, and Windfury Attack.

Nerfed Classes

The following nerfs will go live on September 3 for Death Knights, Paladins, Shamans, and Warriors:

  • Death Knight (Frost): Frost Strike, Obliterate, Icy Death Torrent, and Glacial Advance are all reduced in damage.
  • Paladin (Retribution): Mastery effectiveness reduced by 10%. All Holy damage buffed by 5%.
  • Shaman (All): Across-the-board 6% damage reduction for Elemental, with Enhancement taking a 4% hit.
  • Warrior (Arms, Fury in PvP): Thunderous Roar and Odyn’s Fury damage reduced in PvP.

For more details, check out the full notes linked below.


We regularly make combat design adjustments based on gameplay data and feedback from players on class performance. With scheduled weekly maintenance in each region (September 3 in this region), we’ll make the following changes to classes that are over- and under-performing in various areas:

Classes

  • Death Knight
    • Frost
      • Frost Strike damage reduced by 6%. Does not apply to PvP.
      • Obliterate damage reduced by 6%. Does not apply to PvP.
      • Icy Death Torrent damage reduced by 10%.
      • Glacial Advance damage reduced by 10%. Does not apply to PvP.
  • Druid
    • Balance
      • Umbral Intensity increases the damage of Wrath by 20/40% (was 25/50%) and Starfire by 15/30% (was 50%).
      • Starsurge damage increased by 12%.
      • Starfall damage increased by 20%.
      • Harmony of the Heavens increases Eclipse power by 2% per proc, max 6% (was 1% per proc, max 5%).
    • Feral
      • Bloodtalons and Lion’s Strength now also increase the damage of Rampant Ferocity.
  • Evoker
    • Devastation
      • Damage of all spells and abilities increased by 6%.
      • Firestorm damage increased by 20%
      • Firestorm duration reduced to 10 seconds (was 12 seconds).
    • Flameshaper
      • Engulf damage increased by 30%.
  • Hunter
    • Pack Leader
      • Vicious Hunt damage increased by 10% for Beast Mastery.
      • Vicious Hunt damage decreased by 10% for Survival.
        • Developers’ notes: When Vicious Hunt’s damage reaches a certain point, it can cause Kill Command to dominate Survival’s rotation. This adjustment and subsequent compensation are meant to ensure Pack Leader Survival Hunters are utilizing the other tools at their disposal.
      • Howl of the Pack critical strike damage bonus increased to 5% for Beast Mastery (was 3%).
      • Howl of the Pack critical strike damage bonus increased to 11% for Survival (was 7%).
      • Furious Assault damage bonus increased to 60% for Survival (was 30%).
      • Cull the Herd damage over time increased to 60% for Survival (was 30%).
  • Mage
    • Fire
      • Living Bomb damage increased by 30%.
      • Pyroblast damage increased by 5%.
      • Flamestrike damage increased by 10%.
    • Frostfire
      • Frostfire Bolt damage increased by 25% for Fire.
    • Sunfury
      • Burden of Power can no longer be double dipped by spell queueing.
      • Arcane Phoenix damage dealt reduced by 10% for Arcane.
      • Arcane Soul base duration reduced to 2 seconds (was 3 seconds).
  • Paladin
    • Retribution
      • Mastery: Highlord’s Judgment reduced by 10%. For example, at level 80, 180 Mastery rating now grants 1.35% Mastery (was 1.5%).
      • All Holy spell damage increased by 5%.
  • Priest
    • Discipline
      • Oracle Discipline priests’ Preventive Measures now increases Power Word: Shield absorption by 40% (was 25%). Does not apply to PvP.
      • Atonement healing increased by 100% outside raid (was 70%). Does not apply to PvP.
      • Fixed an issue where Atonement critical healing was not increased by the correct amount outside of raid.
      • Shadow Word: Pain and Purge the Wicked damage increased by 20%.
    • Shadow
      • Voidweaver Shadow priests’ Void Blast damage increased by 20%.
  • Shaman
    • Elemental
      • Mastery: Elemental Overload’s bonus to all Elemental and Physical damage increased by 35%.
      • All damage reduced by 6%.
      • Stormbringer
        • Tempest now deals 65% of its damage to enemies near its primary target (was 50%).
        • Tempest now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
    • Enhancement
      • All damage reduced by 4%.
      • Elemental Blast damage increased by 12%.
      • Stormbringer
        • Tempest now deals 65% of its damage to enemies near its primary target (was 50%).
        • Tempest now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
      • Totemic
        • Tremor damage increased by 10%.
        • Searing Volley damage increased by 80%.
  • Warlock
    • Destruction
      • All ability damage increased by 5%.

Player versus Player

  • Druid
    • Rip damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
    • Rake damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
    • Balance
      • Lunar Calling now increases Starfire damage by 50% in PvP combat (was 65%).
      • Umbral Embrace now increases the damage of Wrath and Starfire by 40% in PvP combat (was 75%).
    • Feral
      • Taste For Blood’s damage increase to Ferocious Bite during Tiger’s Fury is decreased by 50% in PvP combat.
      • Saber Jaws effectiveness now reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
  • Mage
    • Frost
      • Ice Lance damage increased by 45% in PvP combat (was 75%).
  • Monk
    • Master of Harmony
      • Manifestation is now 50% effective in PvP combat.
    • Brewmaster
      • Chi Burst damage reduced by 30% for Brewmaster Monks in PvP combat.
    • Mistweaver
      • Peaceweaver now reduces the cooldown of Revival by 33% (was 50%).
      • Life Cocoon is now 30% more effective in PvP combat.
      • Enveloping Mist can no longer be dispelled.
  • Priest
    • Holy
      • Prayer of Mending healing increased by 65% in PvP combat.
  • Shaman
    • Enhancement
      • Lava Lash damage increased by 60% in PvP combat.
      • Stormstrike and Windstrike damage increased by 60% in PvP combat.
      • Windfury Attack damage increased by 60% in PvP combat.
  • Warrior
    • Thunderous Roar damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
    • Arms
      • Auto attack damage no longer decreased by an additional 12% in PvP combat.
    • Fury
      • Odyn’s Fury damage reduced by 20% in PvP combat.

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