Midnight: Curse of Ula’tek 12.1 PTR Development Notes

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NEW CAMPAIGN CHAPTERS

 

 

Continue the story of Zul’jan as the fog lifts from the island off the east coast of Zul’Aman. We’ll join Zul’jarra as she pursues him to bring her brother and others home to Zul’Aman. We’ll delve into a long-buried history of the Coiled Isle, learn more about what is locked away, and who was left behind.

THE COILED ISLE

 

 

Within the mountain on the Coiled Isle, you’ll undertake a variety of new activities as you explore this corrupted eco-system filled with poisonous waters and venomous foes.

• Plunge into the Vaults of Atal’Utek primed for challenging group content and rotating public events. Taking part in these public events will ultimately build up to a boss fight.
• While in the zone players will have access to a custom talent tree that will provide different perks of player power along with quality-of-life perks. Ex: Reduce the potency of the venom in the zone.
• As you adventure through the zone, you’ll come across Curse Surges which will regularly spawn rare elites at five rotating locations throughout the isle. Killing a rare elite unlocks Cursed Fishing in that location.
• You’ll also discover a Local story with a tortollan sea captain named Tokka, gain reputation with his crew, and learn to fish in more cursed waters around the isle.

INTRODUCING LAIRS

 

 

Lairs are an evolution on world bosses located in instanced encounters with scaling difficulty up to flexible Mythic with 15-25 players. These will be found in specific locations similar to Delves and will come complete with a summoning stone outside the lair.

The goal is to make it easier for players to gather and take on these bosses by encountering them at specific locations where you can choose your difficulty and use the summoning stone to bring others to you.

The Lair will be available for testing in a later PTR build.

NEW RAID: THE VENOMOUS ABYSS

 

 

Arriving with the start of Midnight Season 2, players will face Ula’tek herself in the Venomous Abyss. An ancient powerful creature of hatred, corruption, and venom, Ula’tek has been unleashed by Zul’jan’s actions. This new raid dungeon will feature eight new boss encounters and you’ll ultimately face off against Ula’tek as the final boss.

Raid testing schedule can be found here: The Venomous Abyss Raid Testing Schedule

NEW DUNGEON: ALTAR OF FANGS

 

 

This new three boss dungeon will be available up to Heroic difficulty at the launch of the content update and will join the Mythic+ rotation once Midnight Season 2 begins a week after the launch.

The Altar of Fangs dungeon will be available for testing in a later PTR build.

DELVES

 

 

Take on three new Delves with one of these Delves as a new Nemesis Delve. You’ll step into The Ring of Glory, Gnarldor Isle, and the Venomfall Deeps Nemesis Delve for new rewards (and a little glory). With the start of Midnight Season 2, Bountiful Delves will become available and players will be able to push into the upper tiers to challenge themselves beyond Tier 7 and face the new Nemesis boss.

You’ll also begin encountering new snake and venom variants in existing Midnight Delves.

SEASON 2

 

 

One week after the content update goes live the new season will begin, bringing with it a new dungeon rotation for Mythic+, a new raid, new PvP Season, more Prey, and Bountiful Delves and keys become available.

Mythic+ Dungeon Rotation

• New Dungeon: Altar of Fangs
• Murder Row
• Den of Nalorakk
• The Blinding Vale
• Voidscar Arena

Returning Dungeons

• King’s Rest
• Ruby Life Pools
• Temple of Sethraliss

The Season 2 dungeons will be available for testing in a later PTR build.

PREY

 

 

Season 2 brings about new Affixes, new targets, and some new hunts on the Coiled Isle in Prey.

Astalor also has a few new voice lines to deliver to you and new Arcantina Quests are ahead.

The new Prey season will be available for testing in a later PTR build.

HOUSING

 

 

Neighborhoods and player houses will become available in next week’s build.

• BLUEPRINTS
  • Blueprints let players save their housing creations to swap between or share them with other players!
  • Blueprint codes can be shared cross-region (excluding China) with other players for them to import as well.
  • Blueprints operate on the entire house (both inside and out), the interior only, the exterior only, or a single room.
  • When importing, a list of all required rooms and decor will be shown, including the budget needed, what’s missing, and so on so players know what’s about to happen or what they need.
  • Importing will also try to do the “right” thing for dyed items (using correctly dyed items, potentially dyeing items, but NOT replacing already dyed items, etc).
  • Players can have up to 50 “save slots” for their different layouts, as well as 10 additional ones for “auto-saves”.
    • Auto-saves are automatically created when importing a Blueprint so players can easily revert.
  • Players now have an additional house permission called “Export” that defaults to no one. Other players visiting a house where they pass this permission can choose to import into their own save slots.
  • Blueprint codes can be linked in chat and inspected there as well.
  • Blueprints can be reported.
  • A Reset button has also been added that will reset the whole house or just the interior or exterior if someone wants to start over from scratch.
• PETS
  • Pet Beds allow players to show off their pets both in and outside their house.
  • Players can place up to 10 beds inside and up to 5 beds outside. Once a bed is placed, players can select a pet to make its home there.
  • Indoor pets can be set to either Stationary or Roaming while pets placed outdoors are only Stationary for the time being.
  • A small number of pets are unavailable to be placed for a variety of reasons.
• ENDEAVORS
  • There are 4 new Endeavors:
    • Knock-off Amani (this is the featured Endeavor with the release of Curse of Ula’tek)
      • Griftah and his travelling troupe of traders would like to visit the neighborhood to trade their “traditional Amani goods”. It’s fairly obvious that these are not original Amani items, however the neighborhood residents are interested nonetheless.
    • Every Bakar Has Its Day
      • Residents of the neighborhood love their pets, but they could use some help training them. The centaurs of the Ohn’ahran Plains have very strong bonds with their bakar and they may be willing to pass on some training tips.
    • Candle Culture
      • Strange wax deposits have started to appear in the neighborhood. Who better to find a use than the Kobolds of the Ringing Deeps? Seek their counsel on illumination.
    • Vacation Season
      • The Tortollans are a worldly folk. So worldly, in fact, that they need no introduction to your neighborhood–they’ve been vacationing here long before you put down your roots! Share in their recreational wisdom.
  • Players may notice new things in their Neighborhood based on the Endeavors that have been completed, both old and new.
• DYE UPDATES
  • Dye crafting has been streamlined, considerably freeing up bag space taken up by dyes.
  • New dye colors have been added, including those that replicate the darker appearances from before 12.0.5.
  • More information can be found in the I Bet You’re Dyeing to Hear About This thread.
• HOUSES
  • Houses can now reach level 12, unlocking increased limits, large exteriors, and more.
  • Players can now move the entry room anywhere in the house, including other floors! Finally, basement dreams can be realized!
• UI
  • Two new categories have been added for decor:
    • Vines and Hanging Plants
    • Pet Beds
• Removed an extra pop-up when deleting a room with no Decor in it.

DISCORD

 

 

It won’t be long before you’ll be able to speak with your guildmates both in and out of the game by connecting your Battle.net and Discord accounts to chat with your guild no matter where they are. Whether you’re coordinating your next raid run, looking for more to join you in game for PvP, or just hanging out in your neighborhoods together, you’ll be able to send messages between the two quickly and easily.

This new feature will be available to test on the PTR next week. We’ll let you know when the feature is live and ready for testing!

More details can be found in our article.

CONTINUE THE HUNT FOR XAL’ATATH WITH ARATOR

We’ll also get an update on Arator as he deals with the fallout from the Voidspire and we’ll also investigate the resurgence of the Twilight’s Blade with him as we continue the hunt for Xal’atath.

DUMMY DOME ON THE PTR

Season 2’s PTR includes the DUMMY DOME!, a new test zone full of combat dummies and 50,000 pounds of MUD MUD MUD that you can reach by speaking to Nexus-Lord Donjon Rade IX in major cities. In this high-octane training arena, you can initiate fights against 1, 2, 3, or 5 dummies that have the same armor as Season 2 raid bosses and whose health decreases steadily over 5-minute encounters for maximum Execution Accuracy. Adrenaline junkies can also spawn a Hazardous Dummy that deals ramping steady damage that will literally kill you and your friends if you don’t heal through it. So rev your engines and cause some CARNAGE!

CLASSES

• Player health and creature damage has been increased by 25% at max level. Health consumable values have been adjusted to match new health values.
  • Developers’ notes: In Curse of Ula’tek, we’ve decided to increase player health and enemy damage by 25% for max level players. We’ve made similar adjustments at the start of Midnight and also in early Dragonflight. Our intent is for damage to be less spiky and for healing gameplay to be more satisfying. When healing is too bursty, enemies have to be tuned to deal spiky damage which requires quick reactions to survive, and we feel that leads to unsatisfying and more stressful gameplay. While we are increasing overall creature damage with this change, we are hand tuning encounter abilities to deal appropriate damage alongside these changes to meet our goals. We’re also making adjustments to several healing and absorb spells for DPS and Tank specializations so that they retain their relative impact.
• In Curse of Ula’tek, we’re going to be lowering throughput for major DPS cooldown’s for several specializations and increasing their steady state damage. When damage done during cooldowns is significantly higher than damage outside of cooldowns, the pacing of combat outside of cooldowns can feel sluggish. Our priority is ensuring that cooldowns continue to be high-impact and fun moments, that damage dealt without cooldowns is effective, and that we maintain texture between specs. We’re going to be observing how this plays out on PTR and it’s possible we will need to make further adjustments or pull back on some of our changes.
• All class interrupts (such as Kick, Pummel, Counterspell, etc) will now display a “missed” visual over the target’s head if used while the target was not casting a spell. It will also play a separate sound to represent a missed interrupt. This is intended to help players recognize when enemies or allies have used their interrupt ability even if a spell was not interrupted.
• DEATH KNIGHT
  • Blood
    • Permafrost grants a shield equal to 50% of damage dealt (was 40%).
    • Voracious grants 15% Leech (was 12%).
    • Relish in Blood healing increased by 25%.
    • Rapid Decomposition increases Blood Plague healing by 85% (was 50%).
    • Sanguinary Burst heals you for 18% of damage dealt (was 15%).
    • Umbilicus Eternus absorbs damage equal to 6 times damage dealt by Blood Plague (was 5).
  • Frost
    • Permafrost grants a shield equal to 35% of damage dealt (was 30%).
  • Unholy
    • Developers’ notes: With Curse of Ula’tek, we’re aiming to smooth the gap between cooldown and non-cooldown throughput. Additionally, we’re taking a look at the current summon density of Unholy Death Knight. For its rework in Midnight, Unholy Death Knight was reimagined as a summoner of the Scourge and we’re very happy with how it landed. However, combined with the previous summoning powers from the Rider of the Apocalypse Hero Talent tree, the amount of summons are exceeding the numbers we’re comfortable with. It is paramount for us to provide a clear game space for our players, and we felt there was no design space left for us to give more summoning powers without ignoring this core principle.
    • Reanimation renamed to Lord of the Dead and its secondary effect has been redesigned – When you control 3 Magus of the Dead, sacrifice them to summon their Lord of the Dead for 15 seconds, casting Frostbolts that chain between 2 enemies. Magus with higher remaining duration grant increased power.
    • Apex Talent: Forbidden Knowledge (Rank 3) has been updated – Magus of the Dead no longer grants stacking damage to Necrotic Coil and Graveyard. The effectiveness of Putrefy activated by Dread Plague has been increased to 100% (was 60%).
    • Soul Reaper has been updated – No longer consumes charges of Putrefy to cast. Now consumes up to 3 Lesser Ghoul stacks to summon them instantly.
    • Unholy Aura has been updated – Magus of the Dead now grant the Haste buff on spawn for 15 seconds.
    • Army of the Dead has been updated – Summon or empower Lesser Ghouls to form an unholy army of 8 for 30 seconds. While active, you command your army through Scourge Strike, executing Orders based on nearby enemies instead of summoning Lesser Ghouls.
      • Death Order – Lesser Ghouls strike with you, dealing Shadow damage to your target.
      • Epidemic Order – Lesser Ghouls erupt in viscera, dealing Shadow damage to nearby enemies. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
    • Menacing Magus now has an additional effect – Your Lord of the Dead Frostbolts now chain to 3 additional enemies.
    • Lesser Ghoul damage increased by 10%.
    • Army of the Dead Lesser Ghoul damage reduced by 20%.
    • Necrotic Coil damage increased by 20%.
    • Graveyard damage increased by 20%.
    • Commander of the Dead now causes Dark Transformation to increase the damage of your summoned creatures by 10%/20% for 30 seconds (was 15%/30%).
    • Ruptured Viscera now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
    • Players other than the Death Knight can now only see up to 3 Lesser Ghouls at a time.
    • Permafrost grants a shield equal to 35% of damage dealt (was 30%).
• DEMON HUNTER
  • Demon Hunters can now equip daggers.
    • Developers’ notes: This will allow Devourer Demon Hunters to acquire and use daggers with Intelligence on them.
  • Devourer
    • Developers’ notes: We’re reducing the scaling of Devourer’s Mastery: Monster Within to help other stats to compete and compensating with an overall ability damage buff. Between that and a few more targeted changes, we expect damage during Void Metamorphosis to be slightly reduced while damage outside of Metamorphosis is significantly increased.
    • Mastery: Monster Within has been updated – Bonus damage during Void Metamorphosis reduced by 66%.
    • All ability damage increased by 20%.
    • Void Metamorphosis now increases Void Ray damage by 40% (was 67%).
    • Impending Apocalypse now causes each Collapsing Star to grant 20% increased damage to the next one (was 30%).
    • Consume damage increased by 60% (does not affect Devour).
  • Havoc
    • Demon Blades, Blade Dance, and Chaos Strike now require equipped Warglaives, Axes, Swords, and Fist Weapons.
    • New Talent: Never Say Die – Damage increased by 3% while above 50% Health. Leech increased by 5% while below 50% Health.
    • Dash of Chaos has been removed.
  • Vengeance
    • Fracture and Soul Cleave now require equipped Warglaives, Axes, Swords, and Fist Weapons.
    • Charred Warblades heals you for 5% of Fire damage you deal (was 4%).
    • Soul Cleave healing increased by 25%.
    • Fel Devastation healing increased by 25%.
    • Frailty causes you to heal for 10% of damage dealt to afflicted targets (was 8%).
    • Feast of Souls healing increased by 25%.
    • Revel in Pain causes 6% of your Fire damage to shield you (was 5%).
• DRUID
  • Matted Fur absorb increased by 25%.
  • Heart of the Wild empowered Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
  • Balance
    • Developers’ notes: Our goal for Balance in Curse of Ula’tek is to emphasize its core gameplay of building, spending, and pooling Astral Power. In Midnight, Balance had high Astral Power generation and a lot of free spender procs, which meant there weren’t many GCDs left after casting spenders. In Curse of Ula’tek we’ve reduced Astral Power generation and the number of free spenders but increased the damage each spender does. The intent is to provide more time to react to Astral Power gain and make pooling Astral Power outside Eclipse to spend inside Eclipse more impactful. We’ve also adjusted some talent power to increase build diversity.
    • New passive ability learned at level 42: Stellar Protection – If Moonfire and Sunfire are dispelled, Stellar Flare is applied to the target. Generates 12 Astral Power.
    • Umbral Intensity has been updated – Now increases Wrath and Starfire damage by 10% at all times.
    • Apex Talent: Ascendant Eclipses (Rank 2) – Astral Smolder damage reduced to 10%/20% of critical strike damage (was 12%/24%) and its duration is increased to 8 seconds (was 6 seconds).
    • All damage dealt increased by 4%.
    • Starsurge damage increased by 10%.
    • Starfall damage increased by 10%.
    • Rejuvenation healing increased by 25%.
    • Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
    • Regrowth healing increased by 25%.
    • Celestial Fire increases the damage of Moonfire, Sunfire, and Shooting Stars by 10% (was 8%).
    • Orbit Breaker effectiveness reduced to 50% (was 60%).
    • Touch the Cosmos chance to trigger from Wrath reduced to 12% (was 15%), and chance to trigger from Starfire reduced to 15% (was 20%).
    • Total Eclipse chance to trigger increased to 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
    • Sculpt the Stars and Astral Communion have swapped positions in the talent tree.
    • Sculpt the Stars reduces Eclipse cooldown by 3 seconds (was 2 seconds).
    • A counter aura for Orbit Breaker has been added to show your progress toward casting a Full Moon. This aura can be tracked in the Cooldown Manager and manually cancelled to reset your Orbit Breaker progress.
    • Hero Talents
      • Elune’s Chosen
        • Lunar Calling increases the primary target damage of Starfire by 100% (was 120%).
      • Keeper of the Grove
        • Bounteous Bloom now extends the duration of Force of Nature Treants by 4 seconds instead of adding a fourth Treant.
        • Cenarius’ Might haste increase reduced to 6% (was 8%).
        • Potent Enchantments haste increase reduced to 6% (was 10%).
  • Feral
    • Developers’ notes: Feral updates in Curse of Ula’tek are aimed at talent diversity. We’d like Chomp to be stronger for players who enjoy it, and we’re adjusting some other talents to get their power closer and open up more build options.
    • Saber Jaws damage bonus increased to 60% per point (was 50%).
    • Focused Frenzy damage bonus reduced to 15% (was 20%).
    • Rip and Tear damage bonus increased to 20% (was 15%).
    • Chomp damage increased by 30%.
    • Apex Predator’s Craving base chance to trigger reduced to 4% (was 5%).
    • Rejuvenation healing increased by 25%.
    • Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
    • Regrowth healing increased by 25%.
  • Restoration
    • Developers’ notes: We’re making several quality-of-life adjustments to Restoration Druid in this update with a goal of addressing usability issues with Tranquility, Nature’s Swiftness, and Incarnation: Tree of Life. We’re also making a few adjustments to Swiftmend to bring back some of its power as a punchy single-target heal. Finally, we’d like to address issues with Abundance by redesigning it with a clear threshold of when you should be using Regrowth.
    • New Talent: Overgrowth – Nature’s Swiftness causes your next Regrowth to apply Lifebloom, Rejuvenation, and Wild Growth’s heal over time effect to an ally.
    • New Talent: Flash of Clarity – Omen of Clarity increases Regrowth’s healing by 40%. Now available where Cultivation previously was in the talent tree.
    • Cultivation is now available below Flash of Clarity in the talent tree.
    • Innervate has been redesigned – Now regenerates 25% of the target’s maximum mana over 8 seconds, rather than causing spells to be free for 8 seconds.
    • Abundance has been redesigned – While you have at least 5 Rejuvenations active, Regrowth’s critical strike chance is increased by 50% and its mana cost is reduced by 50%.
    • Tranquility has been updated – Now grows protective roots at your feet, absorbing damage equal to 60% of your health and preventing knockbacks.
    • Incarnation: Tree of Life has been updated – Now casts Regrowth on up to 3 nearby injured allies when you initially shapeshift.
    • Swiftmend has been updated – Healing increased by 40% of the consumed heal over time effect.
    • Everbloom (Rank 3) has been updated – Its heal effect now triggers when you press Swiftmend (was Soul of the Forest).
    • Verdant Infusion has been updated – No longer extends heal over time effects.
    • Germination has been updated – No longer increases Rejuvenation’s duration by 2 seconds.
    • Ysera’s Gift has been updated – If its healing would overheal the Druid, the overhealing amount is instead transferred to a nearby ally.
    • All spell and ability healing increased by 6%.
    • Wild Growth healing increased by 20%.
    • Wild Growth mana cost increased by 15%.
    • Verdancy healing increased by 40%.
    • Rejuvenation mana cost reduced by 10%.
    • Regrowth mana cost reduced by 10%.
    • Lifebloom mana cost reduced by 20%.
    • Passing Seasons reduces Nature’s Swiftness cooldown by 15 seconds (was 12 seconds).
    • Symbiotic Relationship now highlights itself on the action bar while it is not active.
    • Germination and Verdancy have swapped positions in the talent tree.
    • Nature’s Splendor has been removed.
  • Guardian
    • Developers’ notes: Our goals with these Guardian Druid updates are largely to address issues with the specialization’s damage composition and ability breakdown. In particular, we’re reworking Lunation in order to resolve its adverse rotational pressure, and our adjustments to Gory Fur and Wild Guardian are intended to incentivize more balance between Rage spenders as well as distribute the impact of the Apex talent across a longer duration and a broader portion of the kit.
    • Gory Fur has been redesigned – Ironfur has a chance to make your next Maul, Raze, or Ravage free. Maul, Raze, or Ravage have a chance to make your next Ironfur free.
    • Apex Talent: Wild Guardian has been redesigned (not yet implemented) –
      • Rank 1: Spending Rage has a chance to awaken a Guardian Spirit for 8 seconds, which attacks a nearby enemy and generates 3 Rage when you cast Thrash or Mangle.
      • Rank 2: Mangle and Maul deal 20%/40% additional Nature damage over 12 seconds. Your Mastery is increased by 3%/6%.
      • Rank 3: When a spirit is awakened, the cooldowns of Thrash and Mangle are reset. After casting Berserk or Incarnation: Guardian of Ursoc, gain 2 charges of Wild Guardian.
        • Wild Guardian: Your next cast of Maul is guaranteed to awaken a spirit.
    • Brambles absorb increased by 25%.
    • After the Wildfire healing increased by 25%.
    • Ursoc’s Fury grants an absorb for 35% of Thrash and Maul damage (was 30%).
    • Elune’s Favored heals you for 18% of Arcane damage dealt (was 15%).
    • Lunar Beam healing increased by 25%.
    • Lunation reduces Lunar Beam’s cooldown by 20 seconds (was 3 seconds per Arcane ability).
    • Hero Talents
      • Elune’s Chosen
        • Boundless Moonlight – Lunar Beam now causes you to Leech 12% of damage dealt to affected enemies (was 10%).
• EVOKER
  • Augmentation
    • Developers’ notes: The additional stopping power created by Duplicate-cast Upheavals was more warping to dungeon gameplay than desired, and could be frustrating in some situations due to its uncontrolled timing.
    • Apex Talent: Duplicate – Upheaval casts by your Duplicate no longer knock enemies into the air.
    • Living Flame healing increased by 25%.
    • Verdant Embrace healing increased by 25%.
    • Emerald Blossom healing increased by 25%.
    • Hero Talents
      • Chronowarden
        • Double-time has been updated – The additional stats granted when Ebon Might critically strikes now last 15 seconds (modified by Mastery: Timewalker). Double-time’s functionality with Prescience is unchanged.
          • Developers’ notes: The behavior of an Ebon Might critical strike’s stat bonus lasting for the full duration of the Ebon Might put more emphasis on tracking Ebon Might’s critical state than desired, and created an unintuitive decision space regarding whether re-casting Ebon Might was correct.
  • Devastation
    • Developers’ notes: Devastation’s Apex talent, while powerful, hasn’t been as gameplay-affecting as we had hoped. We’ve redesigned the Rank 3 effect to override Dragonrage with a limited number of uses of a new, powerful spell, Unbound Flame, once Dragonrage is over. Additionally, Rising Fury and Risen Fury have been streamlined into one buff effect. Please give Unbound Flame a try on the PTR, and let us know how this new spell feels!
    • Rising Fury (Rank 3) has been redesigned – When Dragonrage ends, Rising Fury persists for 4 seconds per stack, and Dragonrage becomes Unbound Flame. Unbound Flame may be cast 4 times before Dragonrage finishes its cooldown.
      • Unbound Flame – Exhale destructive flame, critically striking for Fire damage to your target and nearby enemies. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets. Causes 1 Essence Burst. Instant cast and 25-yard range.
    • Tyranny has been updated – Now interacts with Unbound Flame, causing Unbound Flame to always gain the maximum benefit of Mastery: Giantkiller regardless of the targets’ health.
    • Living Flame healing increased by 25%.
    • Verdant Embrace healing increased by 25%.
    • Emerald Blossom healing increased by 25%.
    • Risen Fury has been removed.
  • Preservation
    • Developers’ notes: The goal of this change is to make Dream Breath a flexible heal that can once again serve as a powerful heal over time effect or a burst heal when charged. This also further differentiates it from spells like Verdant Embrace and Merithra’s Blessing, which have filled a similar role as an on-demand burst heal.
    • Merithra’s Blessing has been updated – Now increases all healing of Dream Breath by 60% (was 250%, and previously applied only to its instant healing).
    • Font of Magic has been updated – Now also reduces the empower time of Dream Breath and Fire Breath by 20%.
    • Dream Breath instant healing reduced by 50%.
    • Dream Breath periodic healing increased by 118%.
    • Temporal Barrier absorption increased by 30%.
• HUNTER
  • Ranged auto-shot damage increased by 600%.
  • Hunter’s Mark can now be applied to up to 5 targets (was 1).
    • Developers’ notes: This change should allow Hunters to more reliably apply the Hunter’s Mark debuff in raid or dungeon boss encounters when there are multiple bosses without the need to bring multiple Hunters.
  • Hero Talents
    • Dark Ranger
      • Bleak Arrows damage increased by 300%.
      • Withering Fire’s Black Arrow damage reduced by 40%.
  • Beast Mastery
    • Developers’ notes: Beast Mastery Hunters felt a bit weak outside of Bestial Wrath damage windows, so we’re increasing their steady-state damage by boosting Kill Command, Cobra Shot, and Barbed Shot. We’re increasing the duration of Beast Cleave to 10 seconds, so you should be able to maintain 100% uptime in area damage situations as long as you are using Wild Thrash when it is available.
    • Heart of the Pack renamed to Razor Sharp and has been redesigned – Increases the damage of your pet’s Bite, Claw, and Smack by 100%.
    • Piercing Fangs has been redesigned – Kill Command critical damage increased by 15%.
    • Bloody Frenzy has been updated – Now reduces Barbed Shot’s periodic rate increase by 33% (was 50%).
    • Kill Cleave has been updated – Kill Command now only cleaves 20% of its damage during Beast Cleave (was 40%).
    • Barbed Shot damage increased by 25%.
    • Kill Command damage increased by 20%.
    • Cobra Shot damage increased by 20%.
    • Beast Cleave duration increased to 10 seconds (was 8 seconds).
    • Dire Beast summons can now be tracked on the Cooldown Manager.
    • Wild Instincts has been removed.
    • Hero Talents
      • Dark Ranger
        • Dark Hound summons can now be tracked on the Cooldown Manager.
  • Marksmanship
    • Developers’ notes: Marksmanship Hunter’s last round of changes reintroduced Explosive Shot as a button players can opt into, but it didn’t flow well with how the spec was playing. In Midnight Season 2, we’re making changes to Explosive Shot’s design and some of its supporting talents. The Headshot talent has also been a source of frustration, so we’re removing it and adjusting how Deathblow works to make it more predictable when you should follow up an Aimed Shot cast with a Kill Shot or Black Arrow. Finally, we’re adjusting Markmanship’s Apex Talent nodes to no longer make Aimed Shot a guaranteed critical strike to reduce the emphasis on Aimed Shot modifiers.
    • New Talent: Unstable Trigger – Explosive Shot can be used a second time if used within 3 seconds. Explosive Shot incorporates any remaining damage from previous Explosive Shots on your target.
    • Explosive Shot has been redesigned – Fire an explosive shot at your target. Every 1 second for 3 seconds, the target explodes, dealing Fire damage to all enemies within 8 yards. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets. Recasting Explosive Shot incorporates any remaining damage from previous Explosive Shots on your target.
      • Developers’ notes: We are pivoting the design of Explosive Shot quite a bit to attempt to find a stronger identity. The changes to the core Explosive Shot as well as the Explosive Shot related talents should give it a distinct feel to play with compared to your other main abilities.
    • Explosive Shot’s visual has been updated.
    • Explosive Shot’s tooltip has been updated and now includes contextual notes when Unstable Trigger is talented.
    • Precision Detonation has been redesigned – Explosive Shot lasts for 1 additional second.
    • Shrapnel Shot renamed to Incendiary Ammunition and has been redesigned – Explosive Shot’s cooldown is reduced by 10 seconds.
    • Incendiary Ammunition and Unstable Trigger are now a choice node.
    • Apex Talent: Take Aim (Rank 2) has been redesigned – Your critical strike damage is increased by 5%/10%. Your ranged abilities deal 3%/6% increased damage.
    • Apex Talent: Take Aim (Rank 3) has been updated – Spotter’s Mark now increases the damage of your next Aimed Shot and Rapid Fire against the target (was Aimed Shot only).
      • Developer’s notes: The previous version of Marksmanship’s Apex Talents put too much emphasis on Aimed Shot and its critical damage modifiers. This new version should better interact with more of your specialization’s abilities.
    • Bulletstorm has been redesigned – Rapid Fire now increases the damage of your next Aimed Shot by 20%.
    • Incendiary Ammunition renamed to Accuracy by Volume and has been redesigned – Bulletstorm now affects your next 2 Aimed Shots.
    • Deathblow has been updated – Aimed Shot now has a chance to cause your next Aimed Shot to grant the Deathblow effect.
      • Developers’ notes: Our goal with our Deathblow updates for Marksmanship Hunters is to make it clear to you when you should follow up an Aimed Shot with a Kill Shot or Black Arrow cast rather than having the uncertainty of which button to press. Rapid Fire’s 100% chance to get the Deathblow effect is unchanged, you should always be able to follow-up a Rapid Fire with a Kill Shot or Black Arrow.
    • Aspect of the Hydra has been updated – Arcane Shot no longer cleaves.
    • Aimed Shot damage increased by 20%.
    • Rapid Fire damage increased by 20%.
    • Arcane Shot damage increased by 20%.
    • Multi-Shot damage increased by 20%.
    • Kill Shot damage increased by 20%.
    • Eagle’s Accuracy is now a 1-point talent that increases the damage of Aimed Shot by 5% (was 10%) and Rapid Fire by 10% (was 20%).
    • Focused Aim now reduces the cooldown of Aimed Shot by 1 second (was 2 seconds).
    • Fixed an issue that caused Deathblow to not trigger at the expected rates when casting Aimed Shot.
    • Aimed Shot has a new icon.
    • Some talents have changed locations in the second gate of the talent tree to make Explosive Shot more easily obtained.
    • The Tenacious/Cunning talent node has been moved and is no longer required pathing to reach Trueshot.
    • Small Game Hunter is now a 2-point talent. Values unchanged.
    • The following talents have been removed:
      • Double Tap
      • Headshot
    • Hero Talents
      • Dark Ranger
        • Through the Eyes has been redesigned – Increases the damage of Kill Shot and Black Arrow by 10%.
        • Black Arrow no longer highlights itself whenever it is able to be used against the target.
        • Black Arrow direct damage reduced by 40%.
        • Ebon Bowstring now causes Black Arrow to have a chance to cause your next Aimed Shot to grant the Deathblow effect.
        • Dark Minion summons can now be tracked on the Cooldown Manager.
      • Sentinel
        • Moon’s Blessing now only causes 1 second of cooldown reduction to Aimed Shot (was 2 seconds).
  • Survival
    • New Talent: Razor Edge – Raptor Strike, Raptor Swipe, and Kill Command gain 10% increased critical strike chance and 10% increased critical damage dealt.
    • Primal Surge has been moved up to an easier to access location in the talent tree.
      • Developers’ notes: We’re hoping that making this talent easier to obtain should open up more talent build variety.
    • Shower of Blood has been removed.
    • Hero Talents
      • Sentinel
        • Lethal Barbs has been updated – Auto-attacks now have a very high chance to generate 3 Focus, rather than granting 1 Focus per auto-attack.
          • Developers’ notes: The previous version of the Lethal Barbs talent favored dual wielding the fastest attack speed weapons. We’re changing it to be a very high chance to generate 3 Focus, which should normalize the Focus gain and allow you to wield your preferred weapon types.
        • Scout’s Vigil no longer increases stealth detection radius while using Camouflage.
• MAGE
  • Developers’ notes: We’re making some adjustments to Mage defensives with the goal of improving Mage survivability as a whole and slightly reducing the power of Glacial Bulwark.
  • New Talent: Improved Warding – Damage taken from area of effect attacks reduced by 4%.
  • Improved Prismatic Barrier has been updated – Now grants an additional charge of Prismatic Barrier, in addition to its previous bonuses.
  • Temporal Realignment has been updated – Now immediately heals 20% of your health and heals an additional 30% over 6 seconds.
  • Hero Talents
    • Spellslinger
      • Spellfrost Teachings’s tooltip has been adjusted for clarity. Functionality unchanged.
    • Sunfury
      • Developers’ notes: We’re redesigning Rondurmancy to lean into making your 3 orbs better, rather than giving you 5 orbs, to align more closely with the inspirations for Sunfury and reduce visual clutter on your character. We’re also uncapping Mana Cascade to match other “applications may overlap” effects.
      • Rondurmancy has been redesigned – Your chance to generate a Spellfire Sphere is increased by 6%/12%. Spellfire Spheres grant an additional 1% spell damage.
      • Ashes of Inspiration has been redesigned – Each time your Phoenix casts a spell, gain 1 stack of Mana Cascade. Exceptional Spells grant 1 additional stack.
      • Memory of Al’ar has been updated – Combustion and Arcane Surge no longer cause the Mage to gain twice as many stacks of Mana Cascade.
      • Spellfire Spheres orb generation chance reduced to 6% for Arcane Mages and 12% for Fire Mages (was 12% and 25%).
      • Mana Cascade no longer has a stack cap.
      • Mana Cascade is now also gained when the Mage casts Arcane Pulse or Prismatic Bolt.
      • Fixed an issue for Arcane that caused Mana Cascade to be gained from some unintended spells.
  • Arcane
    • Developers’ notes: We’re redesigning Arcane Mage’s Apex Talent to provide a more exciting visual moment and a greater impact on your talent build and rotation. Arcane Pulse has also been redesigned to focus its identity as a significant area damage event and a way to quickly regain charges in AOE.
    • New Apex Talent: Prismatic Bolt
      • Rank 1: Arcane Barrage has a 1% chance per Arcane Salvo stack consumed to trigger Prismatic Bolt. Prismatic Bolt devastates the target with overwhelming energy, dealing Arcane damage to your target and reduced Arcane damage to nearby enemies. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets. Generates 4 Arcane Charges. Not affected by Arcane Blast talents or effects and does not scale its damage or mana cost with Arcane Charges.
      • Rank 2: Prismatic Bolt has a 50%/100% chance to grant Clearcasting. Arcane Missiles damage increased by 15%/30%.
      • Rank 3: Arcane Salvo grants an additional 1% chance to trigger Prismatic Bolt. Arcane Barrage damage increased by 15%.
    • Arcane Pulse has been redesigned – Cast time reduced to 2 seconds (was 2.25 seconds). Radius increased to 8 yards (was 2 yards). Now has a 15-second cooldown, generates 1 Arcane Charge for each enemy struck, and costs 10% of base mana. No longer has its cast time, radius, mana cost, or cast speed affected by Arcane Charges.
    • Expanded Mind has been updated – Casting Prismatic Bolt now grants 4 stacks of Arcane Salvo.
    • Impetus no longer affects Arcane Pulse.
    • Prodigious Savant no longer affects Arcane Pulse.
    • Touch of the Archmage has been removed.
  • Fire
    • Developers’ notes: Our goal with these changes is to shift the relative value of Fire’s steady-state damage versus Combustion window burst. It is important that time spent outside of Combustion remains meaningful and impactful to your overall performance.
    • Pyroblast damage increased by 15%.
    • Flamestrike damage increased by 15%.
    • Apex Talent: Fired Up (Rank 1) now grants 2% increased Fire damage for 8 seconds (was 4% for 12 seconds).
    • Apex Talent: Fired Up (Rank 2) now increases Fire damage by 5%/10% (was 3%/6%).
    • Apex Talent: Fired Up (Rank 3) chance to occur during Combustion has been slightly reduced.
  • Frost
    • Glacial Bulwark has been updated – No longer grants an additional charge of Ice Barrier.
    • All damage dealt increased by 4%.
    • Apex Talent: Hand of Frost (Rank 2) now grants 0.5%/1% increased spell damage (was 1%/2%).
      • Developers’ notes: Hand of Frost in combination with Frost’s Hero Talents was providing more burst than we’d like.
• MONK
  • Chi Transfer now causes Touch of Death to heal you for 60% of damage it deals (was 50%).
  • Vigorous Expulsion increases Expel Harm’s healing by 6% (was 5%).
  • Brewmaster
    • Stagger reduction from Staggering Strikes increased by 25%.
    • Spirit of the Ox chance to generate a healing sphere increased by 20%.
    • Celestial Brew and Celestial Infusion absorb increased by 25%.
    • Awakening Spirit’s maximum absorb value increased by 25%.
    • Vital Flame heals for 50% of Fire or Nature damage dealt (was 40%).
    • The following buffs are now tracked in the Cooldown Manager: Fuel on the Fire, Hot Potato, Scorched, Crackling Jade Lightning, and August Blessing.
  • Mistweaver
    • Developers’ notes: We’re making a few adjustments to Mistweaver Monk with the intent of incentivizing Mastery as a more viable secondary stat and shifting some throughput out of Spinning Crane Kick and into Ancient Teachings.
    • New Talent: Vital Expenditure – Soothing Mist’s healing is increased by 300%, but its mana cost is increased by 200%. Choice node with Dancing Mists.
    • All healing reduced by 3%.
    • Mastery: Gust of Mist healing increased by 50%.
    • Spinning Crane Kick damage decreased by 15%.
    • Way of the Crane now transfers 280% of damage done (was 340%).
    • Jadefire Teachings now increases Ancient Teaching’s transfer amount by 320% (was 270%).
  • Windwalker
    • Developers’ notes: We are making a few adjustments to Windwalker’s damage profile to reduce the gap between their steady-state damage and high-end burst capabilities.
    • Melee auto-attack damage increased by 30%.
    • Zenith Stomp damage reduced by 30%.
    • Blackout Kick damage increased by 50%.
    • Tiger Palm damage increased by 200%.
    • Dual Threat damage increased by 30%.
    • Weapon of Wind now increases damage during Zenith by 5% (was 10%).
    • Tigereye Brew now increases Critical Strike damage by 5%/10% (was 10%/20%).
    • Vivify healing increased by 25%.
    • Hero Talents
      • Conduit of the Celestials
        • Celestial Conduit damage reduced by 25%.
        • Temple Training increases the damage of Fists of Fury and Spinning Crane Kick by 30% (was 10%).
• PALADIN
  • Golden Path healing increased by 25%.
  • Lightforged Blessing healing increased by 25%.
  • Brought to Light healing increased by 25%.
  • Hero Talents
    • Lightsmith
      • Rite of Adjuration healing increased by 25%.
  • Protection
    • Developers’ notes: With these changes we’re intending to reduce the opportunity cost associated with taking Sentinel and broadening the suite of defensive talent options. We’re also transferring some power out of strong cooldown windows and into baseline throughput, with the goal of reducing associated threat pain points and improving the feel of combat outside of cooldowns.
    • New Talent: Blessed Word – Word of Glory can no longer critically strike, but its healing is increased by your critical strike chance and 80% of its overhealing done to you instead shrouds you in Light, granting an absorb shield.
    • Improved Ardent Defender has been redesigned – Now increases maximum HP by 20% while active and no longer cancels remaining duration if fatal damage is sustained.
    • Seal of Reprisal has been redesigned – Blessed Hammer reduces enemy damage dealt to you by 10% for 8 seconds.
    • Masterwork has been updated – After casting a Holy Armament, your next 3 casts of Hammer of the Righteous/Blessed Hammer/Crusader Strike bestow a Lesser Armament of the same kind on a nearby ally.
    • Judgment damage increased by 100%.
    • Consecration damage increased by 100%.
    • Shield of the Righteous damage increased by 150%.
    • Hammer of the Righteous primary damage increased by 50%.
    • Avenging Wrath increases damage and healing done by 10%, and critical strike by 10%.
    • Avenger’s Shield damage increased by 30%.
    • Lesser Weapon damage increased by 50%.
    • Hammer of Light damage reduced by 33%.
    • Empyrean Hammer damage reduced by 33%.
    • Divine Exaction’s Divine Toll effectiveness reduced to 80% (was 150%).
    • Sentinel duration increased to 20 seconds.
    • Undying Embers heals you for 125% of damage dealt by Refining Fire (was 100%).
    • Bulwark of Order absorb increased to 75% of Avenger’s Shield damage (was 60%).
    • Solace causes Consecration to heal you for 375% of damage it deals (was 300%).
    • Sacred Weapon and Holy Bulwark extend their duration when reapplied by the same caster.
    • Glory of the Vanguard now deals damage as a percentage of Avenger’s Shield’s initial damage.
    • Sentinel has been moved, and now inherits Avenging Wrath’s critical strike bonus.
    • Sanctified Wrath has been removed.
  • Retribution
    • Developers’ notes: In addition to addressing the throughput spikes during cooldown windows, with Curse of Ula’tek we are aiming to smooth out the rotation by reducing the pressure on consuming Art of War/Righteous Cause effects. Alongside these changes, we are also removing some interactions with the Skyfury buff that deeply impacts the rotation and Holy Power economy. We believe this is a healthier direction for Retribution Paladin that will allow for more choice and player agency.
    • Apex Talent: Light Within (Rank 1) now has an additional effect – Art of War and Righteous Cause can now each accumulate an additional time.
    • Art of War has been updated – Now increases Blade of Justice damage by 80% (was 150%).
    • Blade of Justice damage increased by 40%.
    • Final Verdict damage increased by 15%.
    • Divine Storm damage increased by 15%.
    • Avenging Wrath now increases damage done and critical strike chance by 15% (was 20%).
    • Templar Strike damage increased by 50%.
    • Templar Slash damage increased by 50%.
    • Judgment damage increased by 50%.
    • Hammer of Wrath damage increased by 50%.
    • Divine Toll’s Judgment now deals 50% increased damage (was 100%).
    • Apex Talent: Light Within (Rank 3) damage reduced by 25%.
    • Flash of Light healing increased by 25%.
    • Word of Glory healing increased by 25%.
    • Eternal Flame healing increased by 25%.
    • Art of War no longer activates from additional Skyfury attacks.
    • Additional Skyfury attacks no longer generate Holy Power when talented into Crusading Strikes.
    • Crusading Strikes now increases auto-attack speed by 15% (was decreasing by 20%).
    • Execution Sentence area of effect radius increased to 10 yards and now includes the bounding radius of the target (was 8 yards).
    • Hero Talents
      • Templar
        • Hammer of Light damage reduced by 30%. Does not affect PvP combat.
        • Hammer of Light now costs 3 Holy Power (was 5).
• PRIEST
  • Discipline
    • Developers’ notes: For Discipline in Curse of Ula’tek, our changes are aimed at reducing the spec’s reliance on procs for effective healing, improving sources of consistent damage, and improving Hero talent balance. We felt the spec was too reliant on Shadow Mend and Void Shield procs for effective healing, so we’re updating Shadow Mend to be a passive upgrade to Flash Heal and adding a deterministic way to gain access to Void Shield. Additionally, Smite contributes a low amount of damage despite being frequently cast, so we’re increasing its damage and updating the talent tree for easier access to Greater Smite.
    • New Talent: Grim Deliverance – Shadow Mend heals for 30% more and applies Atonement for an additional 4 seconds, but its cast time is increased by 0.5 seconds.
    • Shadow Mend’s chance to trigger is no longer based on Shadow Word: Pain damage and has been redesigned to a passive upgrade – Flash Heal is upgraded to Shadow Mend, a stronger heal with a higher mana cost.
    • Apex Talent: Master the Darkness (Rank 3) has been updated – Mind Blast now upgrades your next Power Word: Shield to Void Shield. Void Shield’s chance to trigger from Penance reduced to 25% (was 33%).
    • Apex Talent: Master the Darkness (Rank 3) has been updated – Void Shield now reflects 15% of damage taken (was 25%).
    • Apex Talent: Master the Darkness can now accumulate up to 2 charges.
    • Flash Heal healing increased by 25%.
    • Smite damage increased by 40%.
    • Inescapable Torment damage reduced by 30%.
    • Penance no longer applies Atonement when cast on an ally.
      • Developers’ notes: We updated Penance to apply Atonement going into Midnight but have felt this has not been playing well as it causes too much friction between casting Penance on allies that need healing, allies that need Atonement applied, and enemies you want to deal damage to.
    • Greater Smite is now a 1-point talent.
    • Hero Talents
      • Oracle
        • Unfolding Vision has been redesigned – When Power Word: Shield or Void Shield expires with absorption remaining, it jumps to a nearby injured ally instead. Can only happen once per shield.
      • Voidweaver
        • Void Blast damage increased by 25%.
        • Voidwraith damage increased by 30%.
        • Void Infusion now increases Atonement healing from Void Blast and Penance by 75% while Entropic Rift is active (was 50%).
  • Holy
    • Hero Talents
      • Archon
        • Resonant Energy has been slightly redesigned – Creating a Halo increases healing done by 2% for 10 seconds, stacking up to 4 times.
    • Divine Hymn has been updated – Now additionally grants Guardian Spirit while channeled.
      • Developers’ notes: We are adding a benefit to channeling Divine Hymn to make it easier to use. If you already have Guardian Spirit active on yourself, Divine Hymn will add 5 seconds to its duration. If Divine Hymn’s channeling is ended early, it will remove whatever time is remaining from the amount that it added.
  • Shadow
    • Developers’ notes: For Shadow in Curses of Ula’tek, we’re intending to improve Voidform gameplay and are adding an additional source of multi-target damage to reduce the spec’s reliance on Psychic Link in AoE situations. For Voidform, we’re updating Void Volley to be a limited use ability that can be used a set number of times during Voidform which leaves more room in the rotation while giving you the chance to use it at its most opportune moment. We’ve also updated Voidform support talents to have more noticeable effects to align with our goals.
    • New Talent: Shadeburst – Shadowy Apparitions that float towards your primary target explode, dealing Shadow damage to all enemies within 8 yards. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
    • Improved Voidform has been redesigned – Voidform increases your spell damage by an additional 5% and grants 2 additional uses of Void Volley.
    • Ancient Madness has been redesigned – Shadow Word: Madness increases your Haste during Voidform by 2% and increases its duration by 1.5 seconds, stacking up to 5 times. When Voidform ends, the Haste lingers and decays over 10 seconds.
    • Voidform now grants 3 uses of Void Volley instead of Void Volley having a cooldown during Voidform.
    • Power Word: Shield absorb increased by 25%.
    • Phantom Menace has been removed.
    • Hero Talents
      • Archon
        • Focused Outburst has been redesigned – Void Volley deals 15% increased damage and Shadow Word: Madness casts during Voidform unleash a Void Volley at your target.
        • Resonant Energy has been slightly redesigned – Creating a Halo increases your spell damage by 2% for 10 seconds, stacking up to 4 times.
• ROGUE
  • Class
    • Thistle Tea is now a choice talent – Players may now choose between the existing version, which casts automatically at low Energy in addition to being usable actively, and a new version that must be cast actively.
    • Atrophic Poison now reduces damage dealt by 4% (was 3%).
    • Atrophic Poison duration increased to 60 seconds (was 10 seconds). Duration remains unchanged in PvP combat.
  • Hero Talents
    • Fatebound
      • Deal Fate now has a 60% chance to grant an extra combo point when you Seal Fate (was 100%).
  • Assassination
    • Developers’ notes We’re making some updates to Assassination’s Energy economy in Curse of Ula’tek. We aren’t happy with how the Rank 1 Implacable apex talent is playing – it’s unintuitive for optimal play to intentionally let Envenom drop. We’re updating its design so refreshing Envenom late is consistently the best way to play and giving it consistent Energy recovery value. We’re also making some changes aimed at increasing talent build options.
    • New Talent: Unstable Toxin – Envenom damage increased by 18%, but its duration is reduced by 2 seconds.
    • Apex Talent: Implacable (Rank 1) has been updated – Envenom damage increased by 10%. Envenom now restores 2 Energy per combo point spent.
    • Internal Bleeding has been updated – Now triggers from casting Kidney Shot and Rupture, rather than also being applied when copying Ruptures with Crimson Tempest. Damage increased by 10%.
    • Iron Wire has been updated – Garrotes applied from stealth or during the Improved Garrote window now silence the target for 5 seconds. Damage reduction behavior unchanged.
    • Dashing Scoundrel has been updated – Envenom’s effect now also increases the critical strike chance of your weapon poisons by 10% (was 5%). Your Energy generation is increased by 4% for each lethal poison on your weapons.
    • All damage dealt increased by 3%.
    • Deathmark increases the damage of your Rupture, Garrote, and Lethal Poisons by 75% (was 100%).
    • Kingsbane damage reduced by 15%.
    • Shrouded Suffocation increases Garrote damage by 30% (was 20%).
    • Avulsion increases Rupture damage by 25% (was 20%).
    • Motivated Murderer Energy increased to 30% (was 20%).
    • Rapid Injection damage bonus increased to 20%/40% (was 15%/30%).
    • Venomous Wounds generates more Energy when multiple targets are affected by your bleeds.
    • Blindside’s chance to trigger reduced to 10% (was 15%), and 20% when the target is at low health (was 30%).
    • Poison Bomb’s visual has been adjusted to make other important visuals on top of it easier to see.
    • Several talents have changed positions in the talent tree.
    • Deadly Momentum has been removed.
  • Outlaw
    • Developers’ notes: The changes to Outlaw in Curse of Ula’tek are intended to improve talent build diversity and flexibility. We’ve increased the power of some underperforming talents and pulled back some that could feel “locked in”. Killing Spree’s damage has been increased significantly because the damage it did wasn’t sufficiently stronger than using other abilities during its channel would have been. The talent should now increase your overall damage about as much as other comparable talents.
    • Improved Between the Eyes has been updated – Causes Between the Eyes critical strikes to deal 2.5 times normal damage (was 3 times).
    • Fast Action has been updated – Now reduces the cooldown of Between the Eyes by 8 seconds (was 5 seconds) and increases the damage bonus from each Between the Eyes stack by 1%.
    • Killing Spree damage increased by 60%.
    • Heavy Hitter increases the damage of attacks that generate combo points by 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
    • Zero In value per stack reduced to 2% (was 3%).
      • Developers’ notes: We don’t want players to feel obligated to use off-hand daggers to maximize the value of this talent. Zero In now has a 30% chance to not proc if triggered by a weapon with 1.8 Speed, giving it the same proc rate when attacking with daggers vs. other one-handed weapons.
    • Hidden Opportunity’s chance for Ambush to grant Opportunity increased to 100% (was 80%) of the chance for Sinister Strike to grant Opportunity.
    • New connectors have been added between Ruthlessness and Find an Opening, and between the Flickering Steel choice node and Grand Melee.
  • Subtlety
    • Relentless Strikes now generates 4 Energy per combo point spent on finishing moves (was 5 Energy).
    • Shadowcraft no longer stores 1 additional combo point. Frequency bonus from auto-attacks increased to 75% (was 40%).
      • Developers’ notes: Energy and Combo Point generation during cooldown windows has often been overflowing. These reductions aim to reduce circumstances of over-capping resources while maintaining potent relative generation in those windows.
    • Lingering Shadow now also applies to Shuriken Storm.
    • Shadow Dance’s tooltip has been updated to include its threat reduction effect.
    • Apex Talent: Ancient Arts now considers the total damage of Secret Technique when creating a shadow clone, instead of only its initial hit.
    • Fixed an issue that caused Secret Technique damage from secondary hits to be attributed to summoned pets instead of the attacking Rogue.
• SHAMAN
  • Ascendance has a new icon for all three specializations.
  • Hero Talents
    • Farseer
      • Developers’ notes: In a previous tuning hotfix for Elemental Shaman, Farseer Spirits received a small change so they scale with the Elemental Fury talent. We are changing several other places where they weren’t scaling the same as the Shaman’s abilities.
      • Chain Lightning now hits up to 5 targets (was 3).
      • Lava Burst now also increases damage by a percent equal to your critical strike chance.
  • Elemental
    • Developers’ notes: Elemental Shaman have higher burst during their Ascendance window with the changes in Midnight than we would like. We don’t want Ascendance to stop being a noticeable damage amplifier, but the combination of effects that boosted your Elemental Overload damage from both Ascendance and Apex talents all compounded with each other. We’re spreading a lot more damage into your spells to deal consistently higher damage while still getting a nice spike during Ascendance.
    • Power of the Maelstrom has been redesigned – Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning have a 15% chance to cause your next Lava Burst to deal 20% increased damage, stacking up to 2 times. Lava Burst consumes one stack at a time.
      • Developes’ notes: Supercharge and Power of the Maelstrom both were extra, random Elemental Overloads. We feel that the other changes will make your damage more consistent, while still allowing other parts of your talent tree to still increase the quantity or power of Elemental Overload spells.
    • Stormkeeper has been redesigned – Your next 2 Lightning Bolts become instant cast and deal 150% increased damage, or your next 2 Chain Lightnings become instant and cause an Elemental Overload on all targets hit.
    • Lava Burst damage increased by 30%. This does not apply to PvP combat.
    • Lightning Bolt damage increased by 30%. This does not apply to PvP combat.
    • Chain Lightning damage increased by 60%.
    • Flame Shock damage increased by 60%.
    • Tempest direct damage reduced by 20%.
    • Healing Surge healing increased by 25%.
    • Earth Shield healing increased by 25%.
    • Healing Stream Totem healing increased by 25%.
    • Ascendance now increases the damage of Elemental Overload by 30% (was 75%).
    • Bonus Lava Bursts when activating Ascendance are now 50% of their normal value (was 100%).
    • Molten Wrath now increases the damage of Lava Burst by 10% (was 15%).
    • Apex Talent: Feedback Loop (Rank 1) now increases Elemental Overload damage by 10% (was 35%) and also increases Elemental damage done by 10%.
    • Apex Talent: Feedback Loop (Rank 2) now grants 15%/30% critical damage bonus (was 25%/50%).
    • Elemental Blast casts from Fusion of the Elements now only grant 40% of the normal duration of the Elemental Blast stat buffs (was 100%).
    • Fixed an issue that caused Voltaic Blaze to not be properly affected by Elemental Fury’s critical damage bonus.
    • Fixed an issue that caused Elemental Resonance to not affect periodic Elemental damage.
    • Fixed an issue where Apex Talent: Feedback Loop (Rank 2) did not properly increase the critical damage of several Elemental Shaman spells.
    • Hero Talents
      • Stormbringer
        • Supercharge has been redesigned – Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Tempest overloads deal 10% additional damage.
  • Enhancement
    • Healing Surge healing increased by 25%.
    • Earth Shield healing increased by 25%.
    • Healing Stream Totem healing increased by 25%.
  • Restoration
    • Healing Rain now has a 12 second cooldown and an 18 second duration. Recasting Healing Rain while one is already active will despawn the previous one. This cooldown change does not affect the Surging Totem’s Healing Rain from the Totemic Hero Talents.
      • Developers’ notes: This change should allow more flexibility for the player to move Healing Rain around when that is desirable.
• WARLOCK
  • Summon Demonic Gateway is now a Utility spell by default in the Cooldown Manager.
  • Hero Talents
    • Hellcaller
      • Developers’ notes: We’re updating Blackened Soul to give Hellcaller a better tool for focusing damage into a priority target, increasing the overall flexibility of the hero talent tree rather than have it only excel in situations where multiple targets are present. However, we are keeping the functionality of Malevolence the same, so it remains a cool and impactful tool in Hellcaller’s toolkit.
      • Blackened Soul has been redesigned – If the target is afflicted with your Wither, your Chaos Bolt and Shadowburn increase its stack count by 1. Each time Wither gains a stack it has a chance to collapse, consuming a stack every 1 second to deal Shadowflame damage to its host until 1 stack remains.
      • Mark of Peroth’arn has been redesigned – Damaging critical strikes dealt by Wither deal 215% damage instead of the usual 200%. Damaging critical strikes dealt by Blackened Soul deal 225% damage instead of the usual 200%.
  • Destruction
    • Conflagration of Chaos has been redesigned – Conflagrate and Shadowburn have a 100% chance to critically strike, and their damage is increased by your critical strike chance.
    • Conflagration of Chaos has been removed from the Cooldown Manager.
    • Apex Talent: Embers of Nihilam (Rank 1) tooltip has been updated to show players the percent chance of Incinerate evoking an Echo of Sargeras.
• WARRIOR
  • Developers’ notes: Rend is an iconic and core Warrior ability with a different relationship to each spec. Our approach to Rend in Midnight hasn’t worked out as we hoped, so we’re making changes to how each spec applies and interacts with Rend in Curse of Ula’tek.
  • The Rend ability is now exclusive to Arms, has returned to being a single-target ability, and its Rage cost is reduced to 10. Cleave will apply Rend to all targets if the Warrior knows Rend.
  • New Talent (Fury): Storm of Blood – Whirlwind applies Rend to all targets. Crashing Thunder causes Storm of Blood to also apply to Thunder Clap for Mountain Thane.
  • New Talent (Protection): Blood and Thunder – Thunder Clap applies Rend to all targets.
  • Thunder Clap no longer innately applies Rend if known.
  • Javelineer has a new icon.
  • Arms
    • Ravager has been updated:
      • Developers’ notes: Ravager is a unique ability and we want Ravager itself and its positioning to be important, but the current design puts more emphasis on its value as an AOE damage amp rather than Ravager itself. We’re redesigning Ravager slightly to address this, as well as to increase Ravager’s value in all combat situations.
      • Ravager damage increased by 50%.
      • Ravager no longer increases Cleave and Whirlwind damage while active. Ravager now causes all enemies it damages to take 25% increased damage from your Bleeds for 12 seconds.
      • Ravager’s duration is no longer reduced by Haste.
    • Bloodletting has been updated – Your abilities have a 5% increased chance to critically strike targets affected by Rend. If you know Rend, Mortal Strike inflicts Rend on targets below 35% health. Deep Wounds lasts 33% longer.
    • Broad Strokes has been updated – Colossus Smash now grants 6 stacks of Sweeping Strikes on use.
      • Stacks of Sweeping Strikes from the Sweeping Strikes ability and Broad Strokes will stack normally, regardless of the order in which they were used.
    • Sweeping Strikes now displays the number of active Sweeping Strikes charges.
    • Improved Sweeping Strikes has been removed.
    • Mass Execution and Overpowering Finish are now on a choice node with each other.
    • Battlelord and Master Tactician have swapped positions in the tree.
    • Hero Talents
      • Colossus
        • Developers’ notes: Demolish’s variable cooldown has proven to be more frustrating than interesting, so we’re changing it to align closely with Colossus Smash, enabling Arms Colossus Warriors to coordinate their use for maximum devastation.
        • Tide of Battle increases the damage of Overpower and Execute (was Overpower only).
        • Demolish’s cooldown reduced to 30 seconds (was 45 seconds).
        • Dominance of the Colossus no longer reduces the cooldown of Demolish.
  • Fury
    • Whirlwind has been updated:
      • Developers’ notes: Whirlwind has historically been a core part of Fury gameplay, even in single-target situations. We’d like to open the door for Whirlwind to be a useful ability in single target again.
      • Whirlwind now generates 3 Rage innately.
      • Improved Whirlwind has been updated – No longer causes Whirlwind to generate 3 Rage innately, but still increases Rage generated by Whirlwind by 1 per target hit, up to 8 total Rage.
      • New Talent: Carving Blades – Whirlwind deals 50% additional damage when it strikes only a single target. Talent is on a choice node with Meat Cleaver.
    • Rampaging Ruin has been redesigned – While Improved Whirlwind is active, Rampage’s final strike slams the ground, dealing Physical damage to all enemies within 8 yards of your target. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
      • Developers’ notes: Rampaging Ruin is intended to help alleviate the AOE target cap on Fury’s rotational AOE abilities. The current design ended up being very difficult to figure out when it was best to use Rampaging Ruin, the new design should make the choice much more intuitive.
    • Hack and Slash has been updated – Rampage now has a 75% chance to refund a charge of Raging Blow and increase the damage of your next Raging Blow by 20%.
      • Developer’s notes: We feel that Fury plays best when there is a degree of uncertainty about which ability you’ll use after the one you’re currently pressing. Previous iterations of Hack and Slash provided extremely regular and consistent Raging Blow resets, causing Raging Blow to almost always be available. We believe this change will help keep Fury rotations variable and allow for more difference in rotational feel between builds that emphasize Raging Blow and those that do not.
    • Hero Talents
      • Mountain Thane
        • Developers’ notes: Thunder Clap’s base damage increased significantly in Midnight, causing overall Thunder Clap damage to rise significantly for Mountain Thane, which in turn devalued Thunder Blast. We’re moving the Crashing Thunder damage bonus into Thunder Blast itself to keep Thunder Blast feeling special and powerful.
        • Thunder Blast damage increased by 40%.
        • Crashing Thunder increases Thunder Clap damage by 10% (was 30%).
  • Protection
    • Devastating Focus has been updated – Now increases Revenge and Execute damage dealt to the target (was Revenge only).
    • Bloodborne has been updated – Now increases all Bleed damage (was only Rend and Deep Wounds).
    • Fueled by Violence heals you for 125% of Bleed damage dealt (was 110%).
    • Ignore Pain absorb amount increased by 25%.
    • Brutal Vitality adds 10% of damage dealt to Ignore Pain (was 8%).
    • Ravager has been updated:
      • Developers’ notes: Ravager is a unique ability and we want the Ravager itself and its positioning to be important, but the current design puts more emphasis on its value as an AOE damage amp rather than the Ravager itself. We’re redesigning Ravager slightly to address this, as well as to increase Ravager’s value in all combat situations.
      • Ravager damage increased by 50%.
      • Ravager no longer increases Revenge and Thunder Clap damage while active. Ravager now causes all enemies it damages to take 25% increased damage from your Bleeds for 12 seconds. Duration reduced to 4 seconds with Whirling Blade.
      • Ravager’s duration is no longer reduced by Haste.
    • Hero Talents
      • Colossus
        • Developers’ notes: Demolish’s variable cooldown is difficult to integrate smoothly into Protection’s rotation, so we’re changing the cooldown to be consistent so Demolish can be available more reliably for burst damage or additional damage mitigation.
        • Demolish cooldown reduced to 30 seconds (was 45 seconds).
        • Dominance of the Colossus no longer reduces the cooldown of Demolish.
        • Tide of Battle increases the damage of Revenge and Execute (was Revenge only).
      • Mountain Thane
        • Developers’ notes: Thunder Clap’s base damage increased significantly in Midnight, causing overall Thunder Clap damage to rise significantly for Mountain Thane, which in turn devalued Thunder Blast. We’re moving the Crashing Thunder damage bonus into Thunder Blast itself to keep Thunder Blast feeling special and powerful.
        • Thunder Blast damage increased by 40%.
        • Crashing Thunder increases Thunder Clap damage by 10% (was 30%).

CLASS SETS

Post any feedback on class sets in the thread: Feedback: Midnight Season 2 Class Sets.

• DEATH KNIGHT
  • Blood
    • 2-Set Bonus: Your attack speed is increased by 15%, and Crimson Scourge’s chance to occur is increased by an additional 5%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Crimson Scourge increases the damage of your next Death and Decay by 100%, and grants 5% critical strike chance for 8 seconds when consumed.
  • Frost
    • 2-Set Bonus: Each time Remorseless Winter damages at least 1 enemy, gain Freezing Tempest which grants 2% attack speed and 4% increased Icy Death Torrent damage for 5 sec, stacking.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Remorseless Winter deals damage 25% more frequently, and Freezing Tempest lasts 5 seconds longer.
  • Unholy
    • 2-Set Bonus: Your Magus of the Dead and Lord of the Dead cast a more powerful Necrotic Bolt instead of Frostbolt, and Withering Grasp instead of Shadow Bolt.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Necrotic Bolt’s damage is increased by 130%, and Withering Grasp’s damage is increased by 130%, against enemies below 35% health.
• DEMON HUNTER
  • Devourer
    • 2-Set Bonus: Harvesting 4 or more Soul Fragments with Reap has a 20% chance to cause your next Consume to be instant cast and explode in a Soulburst, dealing Cosmic damage to nearby enemies.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Soulburst generates 8 Soul Fragments and grants Moment of Craving. Reap deals 20% increased damage.
  • Havoc
    • 2-Set Bonus: Blade Dance, Chaos Strike, and Essence Break deal 12% increased damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Essence Break now applies and benefits from the effects of Cycle of Hatred, has 25% increased initial strike damage, and has 2 seconds of increased duration.
  • Vengeance
    • 2-Set Bonus: Sigil of Flame’s damage over time is increased by 50%. Soul Cleave increases the duration of Sigil of Flame on your primary target by 2 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Immolation Aura and Sigil of Spite deal 100% increased damage against targets affected by your Sigil of Flame.
• DRUID
  • Balance
    • 2-Set Bonus: Starsurge damage increased by 20%. Starfall also deals Astral damage instantly to all valid enemies in range when cast.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Your damage is increased by 10% while in any Eclipse. This bonus wanes to 2% at the midpoint of the Eclipse, then waxes back to 10% at the end.
  • Feral
    • 2-Set Bonus: When Berserk or Incarnation ends, you deal 10% increased damage for 1 second for each combo point spent during Berserk or Incarnation.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Berserk and Incarnation last 10 seconds longer.
  • Guardian
    • 2-Set Bonus: Thrash has a 20% chance to make your next Mangle deal 100% increased damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Thrash calls up 3 thorns, each impaling a target for Nature damage and dealing additional Nature damage to up to 5 nearby enemies, and extends the duration of Berserk by 0.5 seconds, up to 5 seconds.
  • Restoration
    • 2-Set Bonus: Rejuvenation has a 15% chance and Nature’s Swiftness has a 100% chance to grant Genesis, causing all your heal over time effects to heal for 25% more for 8 seconds. Multiple applications may overlap.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Genesis duration is increased by 4 seconds, and gaining Genesis grants Clearcasting.
• EVOKER
  • Augmentation
    • 2-Set Bonus: Upheaval’s cooldown is reduced by 10 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Upheaval magnifies your Fate Mirror effects for 8 seconds, increasing the amount of damage echoed to 45%.
  • Devastation
    • 2-Set Bonus: Shattering Star’s damage is increased by 150%, and it always casts as if you had reached maximum empower level.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Causality reduces the remaining cooldown of your empower spells by an additional 0.1 seconds each time the effect occurs. Eternity Surge deals 10% increased damage.
  • Preservation
    • 2-Set Bonus: Consuming Essence Burst sends forth a Living Flame at your target at 150% effectiveness, or at a nearby injured target if your primary target is at full health.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Green spells restore 5% more health, and Verdant Embrace has a 100% chance to grant Essence Burst.
• HUNTER
  • Beast Mastery
    • 2-Set Bonus: Barbed Shot causes your pets to stomp 1 additional time at 50% effectiveness.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Stomp causes your next Cobra Shot to either benefit from Beast Cleave at 20% effectiveness, or strike your primary target for 30% additional damage, stacking up to 4 times.
  • Marksmanship
    • 2-Set Bonus: Explosive Shot lasts 1 second longer and deals 20% increased damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Aimed Shot and Rapid Fire damage increased by 5%. Each time Explosive Shot causes a burst of damage, the cooldown of Aimed Shot and Rapid Fire is reduced by 0.5 seconds.
  • Survival
    • 2-Set Bonus: Raptor Strike damage increased by 15%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Mongoose Fury also increases the damage of Wildfire Bomb by 10%.
• MAGE
  • Arcane
    • 2-Set Bonus: Arcane Missiles fires 1 additional missile and deals 20% increased damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Each wave of Arcane Missiles increases the damage of your next Arcane Blast, Arcane Pulse, or Prismatic Bolt by 5%, up to 40%.
  • Fire
    • 2-Set Bonus: Pyroclasm causes Flamestrike and Pyroblast to always critically strike.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Pyroclasm reduces the cast time of Flamestrike and Pyroblast by 20% and its damage bonus is increased by 20%.
  • Frost
    • 2-Set Bonus: Each stack of Freezing Shattered has a 5% chance to generate an Icicle. Glacial Spike damage increased by 25%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Consuming Glacial Spike has a small chance to grant Glacial Spike. Shatter damage increased by 15%.
• MONK
  • Brewmaster
    • 2-Set Bonus: Breath of Fire ignites your next Keg Smash, causing it to explode on contact, dealing additional Flamestrike damage to its primary target and reduced damage to additional targets.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Ignited Keg Smashes cause enemies struck to take 8% increased damage from your Physical abilities, and leave a patch of flames on the ground, dealing Fire damage each second for 5 seconds.
  • Mistweaver
    • 2-Set Bonus: Rising Sun Kick deals 30% increased damage and Rushing Wind Kick’s healing is increased by 100%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Rising Sun Kick and Rushing Wind Kick have a chance to cause their next cast to ignore their cooldown and have their mana cost reduced by 100%.
  • Windwalker
    • 2-Set Bonus: Fists of Fury strikes an additional time at the start of its channel at 50% effectiveness.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Fists of Fury increases the damage of your next Rising Sun Kick by 10% or Spinning Crane Kick by 20% each time it strikes, stacking up to 6 times.
• PALADIN
  • Holy
    • 2-Set Bonus: Infusion of Light increases the healing of Flash of Light by an additional 75% and the absorb from Greater Judgment by an additional 75%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Judgment now has a 20% chance to grant Infusion of Light. Holy Light now has a 50% chance to grant Infusion of Light.
  • Protection
    • 2-Set Bonus: Consecration is 30% larger and enemies within your Consecration are illuminated, increasing the chance for your abilities to critically strike them by 5%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Enemies struck by Judgment or Crusader Strike take 20% additional Holy damage. If they are struck by a critical strike, the additional damage is increased by 200%.
  • Retribution
    • 2-Set Bonus: Divine Purpose has an additional 10% chance to activate and consuming it grants Divine Power, increasing Holy damage done by 10% for 12 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Consuming Divine Purpose with Divine Storm causes your next Final Verdict to be free and unleash Divine Arbiter at its target, dealing Holy damage and Holy damage to enemies within 8 yards.
• PRIEST
  • Discipline
    • 2-Set Bonus: Penance damage and healing increased by 20%. Casting Penance reduces the cooldown of Mind Blast by 2 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: After casting Mind Blast, your next Power Word: Shield or Void Shield absorbs 25% more damage.
  • Holy
    • 2-Set Bonus: Each target affected by your Renew increases your Haste by 2%, up to 6%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Renew healing increased by 10%. Light’s Resurgence now has a 100% chance to leave a Renew on the first target Prayer of Mending heals.
  • Shadow
    • Developers’ notes: The Shadow Priest set will be available PTR week 2.
    • 2-Set Bonus: Tentacle Slam’s cooldown is reduced by 3 seconds and its damage is increased by 100%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: After casting Tentacle Slam, your next Vampiric Touch is instant, generates 4 additional Insanity, and conjures Shadowy Apparitions that deal 200% of normal damage.
• ROGUE
  • Assassination
    • 2-Set Bonus: Envenom damage increased by 10% and it increases your damage dealt by 3%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Deadly Poison increases your bleed damage on the target by 10%. Auto-attacks against targets with your Amplifying Poison deal 2% increased damage per stack. Wound Poison hits a second time.
  • Outlaw
    • 2-Set Bonus: Dispatch damage increased by 15%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Sinister Strike and Ambush have a 12% chance to cause your next Dispatch to be free and deal damage as if you spent the maximum combo points.
  • Subtlety
    • 2-Set Bonus: Backstab costs 10 less Energy and deals 100% increased damage. Shuriken Storm costs 5 less Energy and deals 60% increased damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Lingering Darkness now also benefits Eviscerate and Black Powder at 100% effectiveness.
• SHAMAN
  • Elemental
    • 2-Set Bonus: Earth Shock, Elemental Blast, and Earthquake damage increased by 25%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: When Stormkeeper or Ascendance fade, your next 2 Lightning Bolts, Chain Lightnings, or Lava Bursts deal 25% increased damage and cause your next Earthquake, Earth Shock, or Elemental Blast to cost 100% less Maelstrom.
  • Enhancement
    • 2-Set Bonus: Voltaic Blaze causes your primary target to erupt in a Fire Nova every 2 seconds for 6 seconds. Fire Nova damage is increased by 200% if it only strikes a single target.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Fire Nova reduces the cooldown of Crash Lightning by 2 seconds and increases the damage of your next Crash Lightning by 8%, stacking up to 5 times.
  • Restoration
    • 2-Set Bonus: Healing Wave and Chain Heal have a chance to create a Healing Rain at the target’s location for 10 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Every 1 second, 1 ally inside of Healing Rain gains a watery shield that absorbs X damage for 10 seconds.
• WARLOCK
  • Affliction
    • 2-Set Bonus: You have a 20% chance to refund a Soul Shard after spending a Soul Shard.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Each active Unstable Affliction increases your damage dealt by your spells and abilities by 2%, up to 6%. Seed of Corruption applies Unstable Affliction at 50% effectiveness to your target.
  • Demonology
    • 2-Set Bonus: Wild Imp damage increased by 10%. Implosion damage increased by 20%.
    • 4-Set Bonus: When their energy depletes, Wild Imps have a 20% chance to fling themselves at their target and Implode at 150% effectiveness to their main target and 125% effectiveness to other targets.
  • Destruction
    • 2-Set Bonus: Incinerate damage increased by 25% and Incinerate has a 10% increased chance to evoke an Echo of Sargeras.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Targets damaged by Echo of Sargeras take 6% increased damage from Echo of Sargeras for 6 seconds.
• WARRIOR
  • Arms
    • 2-Set Bonus: Mortal Strike damage increased by 10% and when you Slam a target, Slam also deals damage to enemies within 8 yards of it. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Overpower damage increased by 15%. Mortal Strike and Overpower increase the damage of your next Slam by 10%, stacking up to 3 times.
  • Fury
    • 2-Set Bonus: Raging Blow damage increased by 15% and during Recklessness, Raging Blow extends the Duration of Recklessness by 2 seconds, up to 6 seconds.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Bloodthirst damage increased by 10% and during Recklessness, Bloodthirst increases the critical strike bonus of Recklessness by 5%, up to 10%.
  • Protection
    • 2-Set Bonus: Free revenges deal 15% additional damage and cause your next Shield Slam to deal 20% additional damage.
    • 4-Set Bonus: Ravager and your free Revenges cause all targets to bleed for X damage over 12 sec. Ravager’s cooldown is reduced by 30 seconds.

ITEMS

• Developers’ notes: With the Curse of Ula’tek content update on the horizon, we wanted to share a few thoughts on endgame rewards and additional context on some upcoming changes. Learn more in our forum thread: Curse of Ula’tek Endgame Reward Changes
• RAID REWARDS
  • LFR, Normal, and Heroic raid Great Vault rewards are now awarded at the first step of the next harder difficulty’s upgrade track; for example, all Heroic raid vault rewards will be Myth 1/6.
  • Mythic raid Great Vault rewards are now awarded at Myth 6/6 apart from Very Rare items and loot from the penultimate and final bosses.
  • Mythic raid Very Rare items and loot from the penultimate and final bosses will be acquired at the equivalent of Myth 9 regardless of whether acquired directly from a boss drop or the Great Vault.
• NEBULOUS VOIDCORES
  • Nebulous Voidcores acquired in Season 1 will be converted to gold upon the end of Season 1, and they may no longer be used in Season 1 content.
  • Nebulous Voidcores will be available as a Great Vault reward from the start of Season 2.
  • Orin Straylight has begun learning the basics of weaving Nebulous Voidcores from void energy and has relocated to near the Catalyst in Silvermoon. He will be able to provide one additional Nebulous Voidcore per week starting in the eighth week of Season 2.
  • The cost to roll for a raid item is reduced from two Nebulous Voidcores to one.
  • As in Season 1, items acquired using Nebulous Voidcores will continue to be equivalent to a Great Vault reward in terms of item level.
• THE CATALYST
  • Class set armor now inherits the secondary and tertiary stats as well as certain special cantrip effects of items converted with the Catalyst.
  • Midnight Season 1 Mythic+ 1% mount: Umbral Ashes

    

    Umbral Ashes1920×1080 272 KB

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

• ARENA TRAINING GROUNDS
  • Training Grounds has now been expanded to include combat against computer controlled players in Arenas. Use the Training Grounds section of the Player vs. Player tab in the Group Finder to queue for ‘Random Arenas’ with up to 2 other players for the activity.
• Developers’ notes: In Curse of Ula’tek, we’ve decided to reduce the effectiveness of a large number of movement speed reductions in PvP. We have found in the past that when players have access to strong snares with a high uptime, there are less opportunities for enemies to use positioning and escape tactics. Our primary target has been strong snares that are auto applied during normal combat rotations, with some of the activated reductions retaining their strength. In general we’ve reduced movement speed reductions ‘a tier’ down, with 70% reduced to 50%, 50% to 30%, and so on.
• DEATH KNIGHT
  • Chains of Ice movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Enfeeble movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
  • Grip of the Dead movement slow reduced to 60% (was 90%) in PvP combat.
  • Hero Talents
    • Rider of the Apocalypse
      • Chains of Ice movement slow reduced to 20% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
      • Trollbane’s Icy Fury movement slow reduced to 20% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
  • Frost
    • Blinding Sleet movement slow reduced to 50% (was 60%) in PvP combat.
    • Blinding Sleet secondary slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Unholy
    • Magus of the Dead Frostbolt movement slow reduced to 30% (was 60%) in PvP combat.
• DEMON HUNTER
  • Hero Talents
    • Fel-Scarred
      • Wave of Debilitation movement slow reduced to 40% (was 60%) in PvP combat.
  • Havoc
    • Master of the Glaive movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Metamorphosis daze slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
    • Vengeful Retreat movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Vengeance
    • Sigil of Chains movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
• DRUID
  • Typhoon movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Ursol’s Vortex movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Wild Charge daze slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Thorns movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Balance
    • Developers’ notes: We are adding a new dispel protection passive for Balance Druids so they don’t need to commit a PvP talent to protecting their Moonfire and Sunfire. This is similar to what has been done for other specializations like Elemental Shaman, and should increase their viability in arenas and battlegrounds.
    • New baseline passive, learned at level 42: Stellar Protection – If Moonfire and Sunfire are dispelled, Stellar Flare is applied to the target. Burns the target for 36% Spell Power Astral damage, and then an additional 210% Spell Power damage over 24 seconds. If dispelled, causes 212% Spell Power damage to the dispeller and blasts them upwards. Generates 12 Astral Power.
    • Fungal Growth movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Faerie Swarm movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
    • The following PvP talents have been removed:
      • Crescent Burn
      • Dying Stars
  • Guardian
    • Infected Wounds movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Restoration
    • Ancient of (Lore PvP Talent) has returned – Shapeshift into an Ancient of Lore, preventing all crowd control effects, reducing damage taken by 20%, and granting you access to Blossom Burst and Mass Blooming. Reduces movement speed.
      • Blossoming Burst: Heals an ally for (910% of Spell power) and applies 1 missing heal over time effect. If all of them are present, Blossom Burst critically heals.
      • Mass Blooming: Heals 5 allies for (585% of Spell power) and applies 1 missing heal over time effect.
• EVOKER
  • Developers’ notes: Unburdened Flight was frustrating for other players to deal with, particularly on capture the flag battlegrounds. With this new design, slowing an Evoker with Hover active will still have the effect of canceling out the Evoker’s speed bonuses. The goal is to balance Evoker’s kiting capabilities while still keeping them mobile and slippery.
  • Unburdened Flight now causes Hover to prevent movement speed from being reduced below 100%, rather than granting immunity to movement-impairing effects.
  • Permeating Chill movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Augmentation
    • Perilous Fate movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
    • Dreamwalker’s Embrace movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• HUNTER
  • Tar Trap movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Cold Feet movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Concussive Shot movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Scorpid Venom movement slow reduced to 70% (was 90%) in PvP combat.
  • Hero Talents
    • Dark Ranger
      • Dark Chains movement slow reduced to 30% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
      • Shadow Dagger movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
  • Pet Abilities
    • Tendon Rip movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Talon Rend movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Blood Bolt movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Prowl movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Frost Breath movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Pin movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Ankle Crack movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Lock Jaw movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Trample movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Web Spray movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Spirit Walk movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Dust Cloud movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Warp Time movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Furious Bite movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
    • Acid Spit movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• MAGE
  • Overpowered Barrier movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Blast Wave movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Freezing Cold movement slow reduced to 70% (was 80%) in PvP combat.
  • Ring of Frost movement slow reduced to 50% (was 65%) in PvP combat.
  • Frost
    • Snowdrift movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
• MONK
  • Crashing Momentum movement slow reduced to 30% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
  • Spirit’s Essence movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Brewmaster
    • Special Delivery movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Windwalker
    • Flying Serpent Kick movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
    • Strike of the Windlord movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• PALADIN
  • Hero Talents
    • Lightsmith
      • Dawnlight movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Retribution
    • Divine Hammer movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
    • Judgment of Justice movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
    • Truth’s Wake movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• PRIEST
  • Shadow
    • Mind Flay: Insanity movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
    • Idol of C’Thun Mind Flay movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
    • Psyfiend Psyflay movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• ROGUE
  • Crippling Poison movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Crippling Poison (Shiv) movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Assassination
    • System Shock movement slow reduced to 70% (was 90%) in PvP combat.
  • Outlaw
    • Pistol Shot movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
  • Subtlety
    • Distracting Mirage movement slow reduced to 50% (was 60%) in PvP combat.
• SHAMAN
  • Arctic Snowstorm movement slow reduced to 20% (was 30%) in PvP combat.
  • Enfeeblement movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Earthbind Totem movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Thunderstorm movement slow reduced to 30% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
• WARLOCK
  • Dampening now causes Dark Pact to decrease the amount of health it sacrifices.
  • Curse of Exhaustion movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Whiplash movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
  • Destruction
    • Fel Fissure movement slow reduced to 30% (was 50%) in PvP combat.
• WARRIOR
  • Piercing Howl movement slow reduced to 50% (was 70%) in PvP combat.
  • Hero Talents
    • Colossus
      • Boneshaker movement slow reduced to 30% (was 40%) in PvP combat.
  • Arms
    • Storm of Destruction movement slow reduced to 50% (was 60%) in PvP combat.

QUESTS

• New Arcantina quests.
  • Developers’ notes: The new quests will be available for testing in a later PTR build.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

• COOLDOWN MANAGER
  • Now tracks trinkets and potions.
  • Buff and debuff icons displayed on raid and party frames can now have independent sizes and border scales.
  • Healers can now assign visual alerts to specific group buff spells through the Group Buff Filter UI.
  • Added a new category of “Short” sounds to use for Cooldown Manager.
  • Sounds from the Cooldown Manager are now available to be used for the Combat Audio Assist accessibility feature.
• PING SYSTEM
  • You can now ping the action bar and spells on the Cooldown Manager.
  • You can now ping certain items.
  • You can now ping your player resources (such as health bars) to communicate that info as a chat bubble.
  • Ping icons will now show on certain unit frames (target, focus, and raid) when that unit is pinged.
  • Ping System now has a new option to target the environment only, units only, or both.
  • Updated ping macros to support pinging spells or items. Added the following slash commands: /pingspell:1234 (or spell name) and /pingitem:1234 (or item name)
  • Adding the ability to use the [@cursor] target for ping macros. Using this will have the ping ignore all UI and units, and explicitly attempt to ping the environment wherever the cursor currently is.
• NAMEPLATES
  • New options added in Friendly Nameplates settings to show only the name, use class color for names, and hide realm name.
  • For the “Enemy Player Buffs/Debuffs” nameplates option, “Big Debuff” is now enabled by default.
• EDIT MODE
  • Raid Warnings can now be moved.
  • Raid and party frames now support the Frame Size setting that has been available for other unit frames. These frames can now be scaled up by 100%.
• Auction House filters now persist across sessions.
• In Group Finder, the refresh button no longer overlaps with the filter reset button.
• ADDONS
  • Added new APIs that allow addons to display filtered sets of auras in customized ways, without exposing the underlying aura information that could be used for automation. Read more information in the Addons and Auras in Curse of Ula’tek thread.
  • New UI texture filenames will no longer be published to the ManifestInterfaceData DB. Existing filenames will remain available, and this change will not affect players. Addons will still be able to use these textures, and we’re informing addon developers so we can work with them to adopt these changes.

WORLD

• The Amani Pass between Eversong Woods and Zul’Aman should no longer dismount players that pass through it.
• Fixed several creature spawns across the entire game that could cause players to get stuck in combat.

KNOWN ISSUES

• Curse of Ula’tek rares do not have their loot yet.
• Lumber nodes are not placed in the new zone.