It’s time to look back on this past week and all the changes Blizzard added to the game!
The bulk of the hotfixes is the big class tuning pass with all classes getting adjusted, as well as plenty of additional fixes to them on other days. Then there’s the major Mythic+ crest and affix shakeup. That comes along with the usual dungeon-specific changes, with quite a few Dawnbreaker improvements. Delves also got a nerf as Zekvir no longer counts for GV slots. Even timewalking took a hit, with alts getting fewer badges on the first quest completion.
And finally we have Season of Discovery and Cataclysm classic improvements, from classes to battlegrounds and more.
Classes
- Death Knight
- Blood
- San’layn: Vampiric Strike damage increased by 30%.
- San’layn: Infliction of Sorrow now deals 20% of the remaining disease damage to the enemy when it extends its duration (was 15%).
- San’layn: Infliction of Sorrow now deals 130% of the remaining disease damage to the enemy when it consumes it (was 100%).
- San’layn: Visceral Strength now grants 12% Strength for 12 seconds (was 8% Strength for 8 seconds).
- San’layn: Frenzied Bloodthirst now increases the damage of Death Strike by 6% per stack (was 5%).
- Blood
- Demon Hunter
- Havoc
- Aldrachi Reaver: Wounded Quarry damage increased by 100%.
- Aldrachi Reaver: Warblade’s Hunger damage increased by 100%.
- Aldrachi Reaver: Reaver’s Glaive damage increased by 15%.
- Vengeance
- Mastery: Fel Blood effectiveness increased by 20%.
- Shattered Souls healing per soul increased to 7% of recent damage taken (was 6%).
- Soul Barrier base absorb value increased by 50% and absorb value per soul increased by 100%.
- Havoc
- Druid
- Feral
- Wildstalker: Chance for Bloodseeker Vines to grow on a single target is unchanged, but slightly increased when Rip and Rake are on multiple targets.
- Wildstalker: Bursting Growth damage increased by 10%.
- Restoration
- All healing increased by 5%. Does not affect PvP combat.
- Cenarion Ward healing increased by 40%.
- Feral
- Evoker
- Augmentation
- Blistering Scales grants allies 20% of your armor (was 30%).
- Devastation
- Flameshaper: Consume Flame damage increased by 25%.
- Flameshaper: Engulf damage reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
- Preservation
- Flameshaper: Engulf healing increased by 20%.
- Flameshaper: Consume Flame healing reduced by 50%.
- Augmentation
- Hunter
- Beast Mastery
- Basilisk Collar damage bonus per damage over time effect reduced to 2%/4% (was 5%/10%).
- Kill Command damage increased by 18%.
- All damage dealt by you and your pet’s abilities increased by 8%.
- Developers’ notes: We’ve adjusted the values for the baseline buff up, to better reach our target goals. Our intended tuning change for Beast Mastery is intended to be relatively neutral for single target, while increasing AoE performance, which was behind where it should be.
- Survival
- Nerub-ar Palace 2-Set Bonus: Now increases Wildfire Bomb damage by 8% (was 5%).
- Nerub-ar Palace 4-Set Bonus: Now increases Raptor Strike/Mongoose Bite damage by 20% on targets affected by Wildfire Bomb (was 10%).
- Beast Mastery
- Mage
- Hero Talents
- Frostfire: Frostfire Bolt damage increased by 15%.
- Frostfire: Frostfire Infusion damage increased by 50%.
- Frostfire: Frostfire Empowerment damage bonus increased to 60% (was 50%).
- Frostfire: Frost Mastery now grants 2% Mastery (was 1% Mastery).
- Hero Talents
- Monk
- Hero Talents
- Master of Harmony: Stored Vitality causes an additional 40% healing and damage (was 25%).
- Brewmaster
- Mastery of Harmony: Coalescence now causes Aspect of Harmony to increase damage and healing taken by 20%.
- Master of Harmony: Chi Wave and Chi Burst deals 100% increased damage (was 50%).
- Master of Harmony: Overwhelming Force increased to 20% (was 15%).
- Master of Harmony: Balanced Stratagem increases damage to 5% (was 3%).
- Mistweaver
- Mastery of Harmony: Fixed an issue that caused Coalescence to not increase the healing taken during Aspect of Harmony.
- Master of Harmony: Coalescence now causes Aspect of Harmony to increase damage and healing taken by 20% (was 30%).
- Developer’s note: After fixing a bug that prevented Coalescence healing taken effect from functioning, we found that we needed to reduce its effectiveness a bit.
- Aspect of Harmony now stores 30% of healing done (was 20%).
- Windwalker
- Conduit of the Celestials: Celestial Conduit now scales its damage with Mastery: Combo Strikes.
- Hero Talents
- Paladin
- Holy
- Lightsmith: Awakening now causes Blessing of the Forge to spawn a Sacred Weapon when extending the duration of Avenging Wrath.
- Lightsmith: Hammer and Anvil’s healing effect radius increased to 20 yards (was 5 yards).
- Lightsmith: Hammer and Anvil’s healing increased by 150%.
- Lightsmith: Divine Guidance effect increased by 50%.
- Fixed a bug causing Dawnlight to not have its healing reduced beyond 5 targets.
- Dawnlight healing increased by 30%.
- Developers’ notes: We’re correcting the bug with Dawnlight and compensating with a buff to its healing to keep its value in raid close to its current performance, while giving it increased performance in 5 party group content.
- Protection
- All ability damage increased by 6%.
- Word of Glory healing increased by 20%.
- Light of the Titans now heals over 10 seconds (was 15 seconds).
- Faith in the Light duration increased to 6 seconds (was 5 seconds).
- Lightsmith: Sacred Weapon damage and healing increased by 30%.
- Lightsmith: Forge’s Reckoning damage increased by 30%.
- Lightsmith: Blessed Assurance increases the damage of your next Crusader Strike/Hammer of the Righteous/Blessed Hammer by 200% (was 100%).
- Lightsmith: Divine Guidance damage and healing increased by 50%.
- Lightsmith: Hammer and Anvil damage increased by 40%.
- Lightsmith: Sanctification grants 2% increased primary stat (was 1%).
- Retribution
- Templar: Shake the Heavens lasts for 10 seconds (was 8 seconds).
- Templar: Sanctification duration increased to 12 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Templar: Final Reckoning now increases the damage of Hammer of Light by 30% (was 15%).
- Templar: Hammer of Light main target damage increased by 25%.
- Templar: Hammer of Light secondary target damage increased by 75%.
- Templar: Light’s Deliverance now triggers at 50 stacks (was 60).
- Templar: Undisputed Ruling grants 15% Haste for 8 seconds (was 12% Haste for 6 seconds).
- Templar: Wrathful Descent now deals 125% of the Empyrean Hammer damage to nearby enemies (was 100%).
- Templar: Empyrean Hammer now benefits from Penitence and Burn to Ash.
- Holy
- Priest
- Shadow
- Mind Blast damage increased by 10%.
- Shadow Word: Death damage increased by 10%.
- Void Bolt damage increased by 10%.
- Shadowy Apparition damage increased by 10%.
- Voidweaver: Entropic Rift damage increased by 10%.
- Voidweaver: Void Blast damage increased by 20%.
- Voidweaver: Collapsing Void damage increased by 10%.
- Voidweaver: Void Flay damage increased by 10%.
- Voidweaver: Inner Quietus now increases Vampiric Touch and Shadow Word: Pain damage by 25% (was 20%).
- Shadow
- Rogue
- Hero Talents
- Deathstalker: Follow the Blood effect now requires 2 targets afflicted with Rupture (was 3 targets).
- Assassination
- Caustic Spatter poison damage dealt to nearby targets reduced to 40% (was 45%).
- Nerub-ar Palace 2-Set Bonus: Chance to trigger Vile Tincture increased.
- Nerub-ar Palace 2-Set Bonus: Vile Tincture’s poison damage buff now correctly affects Envenom, Kingsbane, and appropriate Hero Talent effects.
- Nerub-ar Palace 4-Set Bonus: Thrombotic Tincture now correctly applies upon gaining 5 stacks of Vile Tincture (was 6 stacks).
- Developer’s note: We expect these changes to result in a net increase in overall damage, weighted heavily towards single target.
- Outlaw
- All ability damage increased by 4%.
- Dispatch damage increased by 6%.
- Precise Cuts bonus to Blade Flurry damage per missing target increased to 4% (was 2%).
- Subtlety
- Black Powder damage increased by 35%.
- Hero Talents
- Shaman
- Restoration
- Earthen Harmony now causes Earth Shield to reduce damage taken by 3% (was 5%). Does not affect PvP combat.
- Acid Raid damage reduced by 20%.
- Restoration
- Warlock
- Demonology
- Fixed an issue where summoning Vilefiend, Charhound, or Gloomhound would break opposing players stealth.
- Pact of the Ered’ruin Doomguards deal 20% increased damage.
- Grimoire: Felguard now increases the damage of the summoned Felguard by 60% (was 45%).
- Felguard damage increased by 10%.
- Gloomhound’s Gloom Slash damage increased by 20%.
- Fixed an issue where Empowered Legion Strike would be consumed by other abilities.
- Demonology
- Warrior
- Hero Talents
- Colossus: Arterial Bleed causes Colossal Might to increase the damage dealt by Deep Wounds and Rend by 3% per stack (was 2%).
- Colossus: No Stranger to Pain increases total damage ignored by Ignore Pain by 20% (was 15%).
- Mountain Thane: Lightning Strikes damage increased by 25%.
- Mountain Thane: Ground Current damage increased by 25%.
- Mountain Thane: Thorim’s Might causes Lightning Strikes to generate 3 Rage (was 5).
- Mountain Thane: Thorim’s Might increases Revenge, Raging Blow, and Execute damage by 25% (was 15%).
- Slayer: Culling Cyclone bonus Bladestorm damage reduced to 10% (was 20%).
- Slayer: Opportunist now increases the damage and critical strike damage of your next Overpower or Raging Blow by 20% (was 30%).
- Fury
- Mountain Thane: Fixed a bug that could cause Bloodthirst to fail to proc Thunder Blast in some cases if the player had swapped from the Protection specialization.
- Nerub-ar Palace 2-Set Bonus: Bloodthirst increases the damage of your next Rampage by 15% (was 10%). Does not affect PvP combat.
- Nerub-ar Palace 4-Set Bonus: When Raging Blow resets its own cooldown, the damage of your next Bloodthirst is increased by 20%, stacking up to 2 times (was 10%). Does not affect PvP combat.
- Mountain Thane: Crashing Thunder causes Thunder Clap to generate 8 Rage (was 5).
- Mountain Thane: Strength of the Mountain increases Bloodthirst and Rampage damage by 30% (was 20%).
- Protection
- Mountain Thane: Thunder Blast generates 8 Rage (was 10).
- Hero Talents
Dungeons and Raids
- Runed Crests are now awarded up to Mythic+7.
- Gilded Crests are now awarded beginning at Mythic+8.
- Increased the duration of the buffs granted by Xal’atath’s Bargain Affixes to 30 seconds (was 20 seconds).
- Developers’ notes: We’ve been closely monitoring the impact of the bonuses provided by Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes, and we’re increasing their overall power level on players. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these buffs as well as the challenges these affixes present.
- Xal’atath’s Guile now increases enemy health and damage by 10% (was 20%).
- Developers’ notes: With the increase to the buffs granted to players by Xal’atath’s Bargain we’re reducing the effectiveness of of Xal’atath’s Guile, to allow players to push deeper into the Keystone system with current item levels.
- City of Threads
- Void puddles will no longer spawn if the boss is immediately reset during the Coaglamation fight.
- Fixed an issue that caused Echoing Shade and Nx’s Duskbringer to instantly deal damage instead of fading at the end of the Fangs of the Queen encounter
- The Dawnbreaker
- Resolved an issue causing the previsual for Dark Orb on Anub’ikkaj to scale with player size.
- When modified by Xal’atath’s Bargain: Devour, the amount of healing Rasha’nan can receive has been adjusted to be more appropriate for the encounter.
- Addressed an issue where Void Emissary can cause Speaker Shadowcrown to reset.
- Mists of Tirna Scithe
- Dodgeball will no longer inflict damage to illusions or adds created by Xal’atath.
- Siege of Boralus
- Resolved an issue allowing Chopper Redhook to be pulled by spells such as Halo, and Starfall.
- Nerub-ar Palace
- Silken Court
- Corrected issues causing Anub’arash to not burrow during the first intermission and failing to cast Spike Storm in the second intermission.
- Silken Court
Items and Rewards
- Zekvir’s Lair no longer rewards Great Vault credit.
- Addressed an issue with “Special Assignment” World Quests rewarding additional Great Vault credit.
- In Mythic+ dungeons, Mace of Transformed Bone now provides a consistent amount of Strength.
- Gear purchased from Renown quartermasters can no longer be disenchanted.
- The Wrath of the Lich King Timewalking quest “Disturbance Detected: Ulduar” will now reward 300 badges for repeat completions. As before, it rewards 500 badges the first time on your account.
- The Wrath of the Lich King Timewalking quest “The Unstable Prism” will now reward 200 badges for repeat completions. As before, it rewards 500 badges the first time on your account.
- Developers’ notes: Now that Timewarped Badges are Warbound, we want the activity of playing alts to provide a modest bonus. Some players are holding a great many badges, and we hope the upcoming Timewalking vendor updates will provide an outlet for them. We will continue to watch how this economy goes in a Warbound world. Future Timewalking weeks will also have their version of this quest updated.
Player versus Player
- Fixed an issue causing the Rated PvP tab to be unintentionally grayed-out.
- Crests now drop from Rated PvP activities. Weathered Harbinger Crests are now rewarded by Combatant 1 activities. Carved Harbinger Crests are now rewarded by Combatant 2, Challenger 1, and Challenger 2 activities. Runed Harbinger Crests are now rewarded by Rival 1 and Rival 2 activities. Gilded Harbinger Crests are now rewarded by Duelist and Elite activities.
- Fixed an issue where the flag in Eye of the Storm could be picked up while immune after being dropped.
- Battleground Blitz
- In Eye of the Storm, the first bases will spawn 20 seconds after the match starts (was 15 seconds), and after a flag is turned in, active bases will alternate after 20 seconds (was 15 seconds).
- Death Knight
- Unholy
- Death Coil damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
- Virulent Plague damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
- Frost Fever damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
- Blood Plague damage reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
- Unholy
- Demon Hunter
- Havoc
- All ability damage increased by 4% in PvP combat.
- Immolation Aura damage increased by 13.6% in PvP combat.
- Havoc
- Druid
- Feral
- Ferocious Wound (PvP Talent) now decreases maximum health by 3% per stack (was 5%).
- Restoration
- Tranquility healing increased by 30% in PvP combat.
- Mana regeneration now reduced by 40% in PvP combat (was 50%).
- Feral
- Hunter
- Survival of the Fittest now provides 25% damage reduction in PvP combat (was 30%).
- Survival Tactics (PvP Talent) now has a 2 second duration (was 3 seconds).
- Hero Talents
- Dark Ranger: Smoke Screen now applies Survival of the Fittest at 50% effectiveness in PvP combat.
- Sentinel: Don’t Look Back effectiveness reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
- Mage
- Frigid Winds is now 50% effective in PvP combat.
- Arcane
- Arcane Missiles damage increased by 35% in PvP combat (was 20%).
- Arcane Orb damage increased by 40% in PvP combat (was 30%).
- Fire
- Pyroblast damage increased by 20% in PvP combat.
- Fireball damage increased by 150% in PvP combat (was 100%).
- Scorch damage increased by 300% in PvP combat (was 200%).
- Ignite damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- World in Flames (PvP Talent) now increases Flamestrike damage by up to 50% (was 100%).
- Glass Cannon (PvP Talent) now decreases health by 30% (was 15%) and increases the damage done by Scorch, Fireball, and Ignite by 20% (was 30%).
- Frost
- Fixed an issue where Mages could stand inside their Ice Wall to avoid line of sight.
- Paladin
- Retribution
- Templar: Fixed a bug preventing recent PvP tuning from taking effect.
- Retribution
- Shaman
- Healing Stream Totem healing increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Elemental
- Lightning Bolt damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Chain Lightning damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Tempest damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Restoration
- Healing Wave healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
- Healing Surge healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
- Warlock
- The effectiveness of Demon Skin’s armor bonus is no longer reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
- Demonic Resilience now reduces the damage taken by your primary pet by an additional 67% in PvP combat.
- Affliction
- Malevolent Visionary damage reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Shadowbolt Volley damage reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
- Soul Harvester: Wicked Reaping damage reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
- Soul Harvester: Soul Anathema damage reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
- Soul Harvester: Demonic Soul damage reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
- Demonology
- Demonbolt damage increased by 40% in PvP combat.
- Warrior
- Defensive Stance now reduces damage taken by 15% in PvP combat (was 10%).
- Arms
- Execute damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Mortal Strike damage increased by 55% in PvP combat (was 35%).
- Master and Commander now reduces the cooldown of Rallying Cry by 120 seconds (was 90 seconds) and increases its effect by an additional 10% (was 15%).
- Protection
- Execute damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
Professions
- Delver’s Pouch of Reagents sold by Sir Finley Mrrgglton at the Delver’s Headquarters in Dornogal now costs 500 Undercoin (was 1500) and contains 3 random Delve reagents (was 2).
- Profaned Tinderbox can now be purchased from Blacksmithing Supplies vendors Borgos and Sofee Batalsworn in exchange for 3 Ringing Deeps Ingots, or 3 Vial of Kaheti Oils, or 3 Viridian Charmcaps, or 3 Gloomfathom Hides.
Season of Discovery
- Fixed an issue where Envenom was not increasing Instant Poison’s frequency unless the Rogue was also using Deadly Brew. It will now always increase the chance properly.
- Prince Thunderaan’s Squall now increases in damage every cast, his Chain Lightning should no longer fail to cast, the damage of his Lightning Cloud and Cyclonic Winds has been increased, and Lightning Cloud now afflicts damage more frequently.
- Players may now learn both Armorsmithing and Weaponsmithing at the same time.
- The Blackwing Lair Trials can no longer be disabled once Nefarian has been defeated.
- Battlegrounds
- Arathi Basin and Warsong Gulch now award more Marks of Honor to the losing team when the match ends, based on the performance of the losing team.
- The losing team will always get 1 Mark of Honor, plus 1 extra for each flag capture in Warsong Gulch, or for each 600 resources earned in Arathi Basin.
- The winning team will now always receive 4 Marks of Honor.
- Mage
- Fixed a problem with the Tier 2 Mage 6-piece damage set bonus that caused Fireball damage to not be increased unless the Mage was within 24 yards of the target. It will now work properly at any range.
- Priest
- Mind Spike now properly consumes charges from the Zandalarian Hero Charm.
- Rogue
- The Venomous Totem will now properly increase the chance for Instant Poison to trigger from Deadly Brew (when no poison is applied).
Cataclysm Classic
- It is no longer possible for a Paladin to have Beacon of Light active while not talented into it. If the talent is lost, Beacon of Light will cancel itself within a few seconds.
- Priest
- Fixed an issue with the range on Atonement’s healing.