War Within and Classic Hotfixes, November 26th: Big Class Tuning

The class tuning pass is upon us in today’s hotfixes! And it’s not just the announced changes for retail, as Season of Discovery also got class adjustments, in addition to some Chronoboon changes.

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Classes

Death Knight
- Blood
  - Developers’ notes: The tuning updates done to the Deathbringer hero talent tree at the beginning of the patch have notably affected Blood’s output more than Frost. The damage effects of the keystone and the capstone talents are being increased to make Deathbringer a more competitive choice again.
  - Deathbringer: Reaper’s Mark initial and stacking damage increased by 25%.
  - Deathbringer: Exterminate damage increased by 25%.
  - Deathbringer: Wave of Souls damage increased by 25%.
- Frost
  - Developers’ notes: We are looking to increase Frost’s single-target damage while bringing down their AoE damage to help create a healthier damage profile.
  - Obliterate damage increased by 12%.
  - Frost Strike damage increased by 12%.
  - Breath of Sindragosa damage reduced by 10%.
Druid
- Feral
  - Rip, Rake, and Rampant Ferocity damage increased by 10%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Apex Predator’s chance to trigger against multiple targets increased slightly.
  - Druid of the Claw: Strike for the Heart increases the critical strike chance and damage of Shred, Swipe, and Mangle by 15% (was 10%).
- Guardian
  - Druid of the Claw: Strike for the Heart increases the critical strike chance and damage of Shred, Swipe, and Mangle by 15% (was 10%).
- Restoration
  - Swiftmend healing increased by 25%.
Hunter
- Survival
  - Developers’ notes: Survival has found a lot of success with its 11.0.5 update to Merciless Blow in concert with Pack Leader’s bleed synergies. We’re adjusting it slightly to ensure the build is still competitive, but not quite as dominant.
  - Merciless Blow damage reduced by 15%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Pack Leader: Vicious Hunt damage reduced by 20%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
Mage
- Developers’ notes: Frostfire is still underperforming for both Frost and Fire. We’re targeting buffs to Frostfire’s various procs and providing a more substantial throughput buff via Fire Mastery’s Haste value.
- Fire
  - Developers’ notes: Fire has been underperforming in single target and could use some help. Rather than distribute this bonus through a myriad of spells, we’re opting to put most of our budget into Pyroblast to ensure this spell is keeping pace with the rest of Fire’s kit.
  - Frostfire: Fire Mastery now grants 2% Haste (was 1%).
  - Frostfire: Isothermic Core Comet Storm effectiveness increased to 200% (was 150%).
  - Frostfire: Frostfire Burst damage increased by 25%.
  - Frostfire: Frostfire Infusion damage increased by 50%.
  - Frostfire: Excess Frost cooldown reduction increased to 10 seconds (was 5 seconds).
  - Ashen Feather Phoenix Flames damage bonus increased to 50% (was 25%).
  - Pyroblast damage increased by 8%.
  - Meteor direct damage increased by 25%.
- Frost
  - Frostfire: Fire Mastery now grants 2% Haste (was 1%). Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Frostfire: Isothermic Core Meteor effectiveness increased to 150% (was 100%). Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Frostfire: Frostfire Burst damage increased by 25%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Frostfire: Frostfire Infusion damage increased by 50%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
  - Frostfire: Excess Frost cooldown reduction increased to 10 seconds (was 5 seconds). Does not apply to PvP combat.
Monk
- Windwalker
  - Conduit of the Celestials: Strength of the Black Ox damage increased by 100%.
  - Conduit of the Celestials: Flight of the Red Crane damage increased by 100%.
  - Conduit of the Celestials: Courage of the White Tiger damage increased by 35%.
  - Fists of Fury damage increased by 20%.
  - Blackout Kick damage increased by 8%.
  - Flurry of Xuen damage increased by 40%.
  - Courageous Impulse now increases the damage of your next Blackout Kick by 200% (was 125%).
  - Shadowboxing Treads now increases the damage of Blackout Kick by 20% (was 10%) and causes additional Blackout Kicks at 80% effectiveness (was 70%).
  - Developers’ notes: We’re looking to increase Windwalker’s overall performance in AoE and single target through targeted adjustments to a few baseline spells, as well as to push some underrepresented talents for increased build diversity.
- Mistweaver
  - Conduit of the Celestials: Courage of the White Tiger damage increased by 35%.
Paladin
- Protection
  - Lightsmith: Divine Inspiration’s chance to proc an Armament decreased by 50% for Protection specialization.
  - Lightsmith: Divine Guidance damage reduced by 20% for Protection specialization.
  - Lightsmith: Forge’s Reckoning damage reduced by 15% for Protection specialization.
  - Refining Fire damage reduced by 10%.
Priest
- Holy
  - Holy Word: Serenity healing increased by 25%.
  - Holy Word: Sanctify healing increased by 25%.
Rogue
- Developers’ notes: Deathstalker as a hero talent choice has been underserving Subtlety compared to the alternative choice of Trickster, especially in AoE circumstances. Black Powder is used far more frequently as Deathstalker than as Trickster and is receiving a sizable damage increase. Additionally, Deathstalker’s Plague damage effects are being increased (for Subtlety only) to better align the overall contribution of each hero talent choice.
- Subtlety
  - Deathstalker: Plague damage effects increased by 45%.
  - Black Powder damage increased by 20%.
Shaman
- Elemental
  - Farseer: Chain Lightning damage from Ancestors increased by 30%.
  - Farseer: Lava Burst damage from Ancestors increased by 15%.
  - Farseer: Latent Wisdom now increases Ancestor spell damage by 25% (was 20%).
  - Farseer: Routine Communication now has an 8% chance to trigger (was 5%).
  - Farseer: Maelstrom Supremacy now increases the damage Earth Shock, Elemental, Blast, and Earthquake by 15% (was 8%).
- Restoration
  - Farseer: Chain Lightning damage from Ancestors increased by 30%.
  - Farseer: Lava Burst damage from Ancestors increased by 15%.
- Enhancement
  - Developers’ notes: We’re reducing the power of Maelstrom Weapon spenders for Enhancement to lower their overall damage output.
  - All Maelstrom Weapon spender damage reduced by 8%. This does not affect PvP combat.
Warrior
- Developers’ notes: Colossus Warriors are meant to be innately tough and hard to kill, so we’re increasing their overall resilience. This is particularly aimed at helping level the field between Mountain Thane and Colossus for Protection Warriors, more passive resistance for Colossus versus Mountain Thane’s more active mitigation playstyle.
- Arms
  - Colossus: Mountain of Muscle and Scars now reduces damage taken by 5% (was 2.5%).
  - Colossus: Dominance of the Colossus now causes enemies damaged by Demolish to deal up to 10% less damage to you (was 5%).
- Protection
  - Colossus: Mountain of Muscle and Scars now reduces damage taken by 5% (was 2.5%).
  - Colossus: Dominance of the Colossus now causes enemies damaged by Demolish to deal up to 10% less damage to you (was 5%).

Player versus Player

Death Knight
- Blood
  - Death Strike damage reduced by 35% in PvP combat.
- Unholy
  - Festering Wound damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
  - Festermight is now 65% effective in PvP combat (was 50%).
Demon Hunter
- Developers’ notes: Havoc’s sustained damage outside of cooldowns has been notably low, so a few related skills are getting damage increases.
- Havoc
  - Immolation Aura damage increased by 20%
  - Demon’s Bite damage increased by 18%
  - Demon Blades damage increased by 18%
  - Felblade damage increased by 20%
Druid
- Restoration
  - Wildstalker: Symbiotic Blooms healing increased by 25% in PvP combat.
Hunter
- Marksmanship
  - Developers’ notes: Marksmanship damage has been lower than we’d like in general, and in particular their effectiveness against casters has not been shining, so we’re putting more power into their physical based abilities.
  - Dark Ranger: Black Arrow damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
  - Aimed Shot damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
  - Rapid Fire damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
Mage
- Arcane
  - Developers’ notes: We’re shifting Arcane’s damage profile a bit away from burst damage and into their consistent damage and increasing the effectiveness of Sunfury to increase hero talent diversity.
  - Sunfury: Spellfire Spheres grant 2% increased spell damage in PvP combat (was 1%).
  - Sunfury: Lingering Embers grant 2% increased spell damage in PvP combat (was 1%).
  - Sunfury: All Arcane Phoenix damage increased by 20% in PvP combat (Greater Pyroblast and Arcane Surge are not increased).
  - Arcanosphere damage increased by 40%.
  - Arcane Surge now increases damage by 20% in PvP combat (was 25%).
  - Arcane Missiles damage increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Arcane Blast damage increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Arcane Barrage damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
  - Arcane Bombardment now increases Arcane Barrage’s damage by 20% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
- Fire
  - Sunfury: Spellfire Spheres grant 2% increased spell damage in PvP combat (was 1%).
  - Sunfury: Lingering Embers grant 2% increased spell damage in PvP combat (was 1%).
  - Sunfury: All Arcane Pheonix damage increased by 20% in PvP combat besides Greater Pyroblast and Arcane Surge.
Monk
- Windwalker
  - Dance of the Wind now increases dodge chance by 2% per stack in PvP combat (was 10%).
  - Developers’ notes: This change moves Dance of the Wind below the base hit chance threshold even at max stacks.
Paladin
- Retribution
  - Eye for an Eye damage increased by 50% in PvP combat.
Priest
- Mindgames damage and healing reversal increased by 40%.
- Holy
  - Flash Heal healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Heal healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Power Word: Life healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
Shaman
- Elemental
  - Additional Lava Bursts from Primordial Wave now deal 25% of normal damage in PvP combat (was 50%).
  - Chain Lightning damage increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Lightning Bolt damage increased by 10% in PvP combat.
  - Earth Shock damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
  - Lava Burst damage increased b 15% in PvP combat.
  - Charged Conduit now increases the damage bonus of Lightning Rod by 50% in PvP combat (was 25%).
  - Storm Elemental’s haste bonus is now 50% more effective in PvP combat.
- Restoration
  - Lava Burst damage increased by 30% in PvP combat.
  - Flame Shock damage increased by 30% in PvP combat.
Warlock
- Affliction
  - Hellcaller: Blackened Soul damage increased by 15%.
  - Hellcaller: Mark of Peroth’arn now increases the critical strike damage of Wither by 25% in PvP combat (was 10%).
  - Hellcaller: Zevrim’s Resilience is now 60% more effective in PvP combat.
- Destruction
  - Hellcaller: Zevrim’s Resilience is now 60% more effective in PvP combat.
Warrior
- Fury
  - Mountain Thane: Lightning Strike damage increased by 50% in PvP combat.

Season of Discovery

Chronoboon Displacer
- Items that share exclusivity with world buffs (Horn of the Dawn, Songflower Seed, Shimmering Globe, Overseer’s Anvil, “Defective” Magic 8-Ball, Firewater Cauldron (stacking change only), and Spirit Conch):
  - Will no longer be removed if the person with the consumable leaves raid.
  - Will extend the duration of the appropriate world buff instead of replacing it.
  - Now stack up to 5.
  - Known issue: these consumable items list their duration as Until Cancelled instead of 1 or 2 hours. That will be corrected in another hotfix.
Druid
- Improved Moonfire now correctly increases the damage of Starfall.
- Improved Moonfire and Moonfury no longer affect base damage of their associated spells.
- Improved Moonfire and Moonfury now affect the entire damage of their associated spells.
Hunter
- Tranquilizing Shot no longer has a minimum range.
- Trueshot Aura will now grant the Marksmanship Hunter using it 100/150/200 additional ranged attack power (was 50/75/100).
- Melee T2.5 set 2-piece bonus now increases Wyvern Strike damage over time by 50%, and increases the maximum focus of your pet by 50 (was Increases Wyvern Strike damage over time by 50%).
- Melee T2.5 set 4-piece bonus now increases the impact damage of Mongoose Bite and all Strikes by 15% (was 10%).
- Beast Mastery rune now increases your pet’s damage and health by 15% (was 10%).
Priest
- Shadow Priest T2.5 set -piece bonus now increases the damage of Mind Spike by 20% (was 30%).
Rogue
- 5 damage set 2-piece bonus will now only affect Saber Slash and Mutilate (was Sinister Strike and Saber Slash).
- 5 tank set 2-piece bonus will now persist for 10 seconds after using Main Gauche (was tied to having the Parry buff active, and fell off when an attack was parried).
- The Attack Power ratio on Instant Poison with Deadly Brew has been increased to 5% (was 3%).
- Slaughter from the Shadows Ambush and Backstab increased against non-players increased to 60% (was 50%).
Shaman
- 5 Enhancement 2-piece bonus that increases the damage of Stormstrike and Lava Lash by 50%, is now twice as effective for 2-handed weapons.
- 5 Enhancement 4-piece bonus now causes your Stormstrike, Lava Lash, and Lava Burst critical strikes to burn your target for 30% of the damage done over 4 seconds (was only Stormstrike and Lava Lash).
- Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj 3-piece set will now correctly increase the damage of Lava Burst from Overload.
- 5 Enhancement 4-piece bonus will now correctly work with Off-hand Stormstrike.
Warlock
- Haunt’s increase to Shadow damage over time effects increased to 40% (was 20%).
- Haunt now correctly has a return animation.