Patch 10.2 PTR Development Notes 27 September 2023

Hiya! Here’s what you can find in this week’s Guardians of the Dream PTR update:

DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 3

• MYTHIC+
  • The Everbloom will be available for this week’s Mythic+ test.

BATTLEGROUND BLITZ BRAWL

• EYE OF THE STORM
  • Slightly increased resource rate from bases.
  • Added a timer widget that will display during the 15 second period when bases are inactive until the next set are active.
• All rune buff respawn rates (including Shadow sight) decreased to 60 seconds (was 90 seconds). This includes already existing power runes in addition to the new ones introduced in the brawl.
• Various Power Runes have been added to Eye of the Storm, Battle for Gilneas, Arathi Basin, and Deepwind Gorge.

CLASSES

• DEATH KNIGHT
  • Frost
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Set bonus buff duration increased to 12 seconds (was 10 seconds) and self bounces now also grant the damage increase.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue with Chill Streak not bouncing to the Death Knight when used against enemies with a large hit box.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue with self bounces not granting the bonus Rune or cooldown reduction.
• DEMON HUNTER
  • Spectral Sight cooldown is now 1 minute 30 seconds (was 1 minute, and 30 seconds with rank 2 talented).
  • Spectral Sight cooldown reduced to 30 seconds (was 1 minute/30 seconds), and Haste now affects its global cooldown.
  • Demonic’s duration for Demon form reduced to 5 seconds (was 6 seconds).
  • Elysian Decree has been moved to the Demon Hunter class tree.
  • Fodder to the Flame has been moved to the Demon Hunter class tree.
  • Fodder to the Flame now increases Spectral Sight cooldown by 30 seconds in addition to previous effect.
  • The Hunt initial damage increased by 22% and damage over time damage increased by 30%.
  • Sigil of Flame now moved to Demon Hunter baseline.
  • Sigil of Flame initial damage increased by 200%.
  • New Talent: Live by the Glaive – When you parry an attack or have one of your attacks parried, restore 2% of max health and 10 Fury. This effect may occur once every 5 seconds.
  • Unnatural Malice, Relentless Pursuit, Extended Sigils, and Misery in Defeat have been removed.
  • Unrestrained Fury is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases max Fury by 20 (was 10/20).
  • Shattered Restoration is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases Shattered Soul healing by 10% (was 5/10%).
  • Illidari Knowledge is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and reduces magic damage taken by 5% (was 3/6%).
  • Will of the Illidari is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases max health by 5% (was 3/6%).
  • Rush of Chaos is now a 2-rank talent (was 1) and reduces Metamorphosis cooldown by 30/60 seconds (was 60 seconds).
  • Quickened Sigils no longer reduces cooldowns of Sigil skills.
  • Erratic Felheart now reduces cooldown of Fel Rush/Infernal Strike by 8/15% (was 10/20%)
  • Flames of Fury has been adjusted – Now a 2-rank talent (was 1). Sigil of Flame deals 35/70% increased damage and generates 1/2 Fury per target (was 2).
  • Havoc
    • Dancing with Fate is now a 1-rank talent (was 2), Blade Dance final slash damage bonus is now 25% (was 20/40%).
    • Blind Fury now increases Blade Dance’s final slash damage bonus by 25/50% (was 20/40%).
    • Blind Fury now is now a 1-rank talent (was 2), Eye Beam generates 40 Fury per second (was 20/40) and has 10% increased damage and duration (was 10/20%).
      • This change has been reverted.
    • New Talent: Demon Hide – Increases magical damage dealt by 5%, and reduces physical damage taken by 5%.
    • New Talent: Dash of Chaos – For 2 seconds after using Fel Rush, activating it again will dash back towards your initial location.
    • New Talent: Scars of Suffering– Increases Versatility by 4% and reduces threat generated by 8%.
    • New Talent: Chaotic Disposition – Each time you deal Chaos damage, there is a 7.77% chance to duplicate 33% of the damage, up to 3/7 total times. 2-rank talent.
    • Eye Beam damage increased by 15%.
    • Fel Barrage damage increased by 100%.
    • Isolated Prey now causes Immolation Aura to always critically strike (was 30% increased damage).
    • Throw Glaive now triggers Cycle of Hatred’s effect when Furious Throws is selected.
    • Soulrend is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and causes 100% of damage to be dealt over time as Chaos (was 60/120%).
    • Shattered Destiny now increases Demon form duration per 10 Fury spend (was 8).
  • Vengeance
    • New Talent: Ascending Flame – Sigil of Flame initial damage is increased by 50%. Multiple applications of Sigil of Flame may overlap.
    • New Talent: Illuminated Sigils – Sigil skills have 1 additional charge. You have 20% increased chance to parry attacks from enemies afflicted by Sigil of Flame.
    • Agonizing Flames is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases movement speed by 10% (was 10/20%) and Immolation Aura duration by 50% (was 25/50%).
    • Extended Spikes is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases duration of Demon Spikes by 2 seconds (was 1/2 seconds).
    • Burning Blood is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and increases Fire damage by 10% (was 5/10%).
    • Darkglare Boon is now a 1-rank talent (was 2) and Fel Devastation refreshes 20-40% of cooldown (was 10-20/20-40%) and refunds 20-40 Fury (was 10-20/20-40 Fury).
    • Chains of Anger now increases duration of Sigil effects by 2 seconds in addition to its previous effect.
    • Soul Carver now generates 3 soul fragments on initial strike (was 2).
• DRUID
  • Balance
    • Orbital Strike has been redesigned – Call down a bombardment of celestial energy over the target area, blasting all enemies for Astral damage and applying Stellar Flare to them for 16 seconds. Generates 30 Astral Power. Orbital Strike still hits enemies in a 40 yard line and has a 90 second cooldown. Now a choice node with Wild Mushroom.
    • Mastery: Astral Invocation has been updated – Your Nature spells deal increased damage and additional damage to targets affected by Sunfire. Your Arcane spells deal increased damage and additional damage to targets affected by Moonfire.
    • Friend of the Fae’s tooltip changed to “When a Faerie Dragon is summoned, your spells deal 10% increased damage for 20 seconds.”
      • Developers’ note: This is a tooltip consistency change, not a functional changes. Balance spells whose tooltips say they modify your Arcane and Nature spell damage, like when you get the benefit of both Eclipses during Celestial Alignment, provide double their bonus to Astral spells. Friend of the Fae does not.
    • Orbital Strike is reverted to its original design and location in the talent tree.
    • Wild Mushrooms damage increased by 10%.
    • The positions of the Aethereal Kindling and Lunar Shrapnel talents have been swapped.
  • Feral
    • Rampant Ferocity damage increased by 10%.
    • Feral Druids can cast Innervate in Cat Form.
    • Relentless Predator now reduces the Energy cost of Ferocious Bite by 10% (was 20%).
    • Apex Predator’s chance to activate against a single target is reduced to 7.2% (was 9%), but the rate it activates against additional targets is increased.
  • Restoration
    • Fixed an issue that caused Efflorescence to slay Grove Guardians.
    • Wild Growth now costs 4% base mana (was 4.4%).
    • Regrowth now costs 3.2% base mana (was 3.4%).
• EVOKER
  • Augmentation
    • Prescience now clears on raid encounter and Mythic+ start.
    • Prescience now has 2 charges.
  • Devastation
    • Inherent Resistance reduces magic damage taken by 4/8% (was 2/4%).
    • Attuned to the Dream increases healing done and healing received by 3/6% (was 2/4%).
  • Preservation
    • Fluttering Seedlings no longer occur from Emerald Blossoms that are triggered from Echo.
    • Fluttering Seedlings healing has been increased by 20%.
• HUNTER
  • Hunter’s Mark now increases all damage taken by the target by 5% while the target is above 80% maximum health.
    • Developers’ note: We like the idea of Hunter’s Mark highlighting specific targets on the battlefield, so we have made an adjustment to Hunter’s Mark to cause it to increase all damage taken by 5% on targets above 80% health. A few quick notes about this change:
      • When applying Hunter’s Mark out of combat or before a pull, it continues to have no cooldown. If you apply Hunter’s Mark while in combat, Hunter’s Mark receives a 20 second cooldown. We don’t intend for you to move this damage bonus around frequently.
      • Hunter’s Mark is still on the global cooldown with this change.
      • Multiple Hunters can not stack this damage bonus on the same target.
  • Survival
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that prevented the set bonus from affecting your pet’s critical strike chance and critical strike damage.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that prevented the set bonus from affecting the first periodic event of Fury of the Eagle.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Now causes your next Wildfire Bomb to not consume a charge (previously generated 1 charge).
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: The set bonus Contained Explosion buff now refreshes per tick of Fury of the Eagle.
• MAGE
  • Arcane
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope Set Bonus: Forethought and Arcane Artillery now clear on encounter start.
  • Fire
    • Fixed an issue with the following critical damage bonuses not attributing the correct amount of damage to Ignite when an ability crit: Overflowing Energy, Wildfire, and Searing Rage (Amirdrassil, the Dreams Hope set bonus effect).
• MONK
  • Mistweaver
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that caused some healing spells to not properly contribute to Chi Harmony.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that caused some healing spells to double dip contribution to Chi Harmony.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Now accumulates up to 15% of healing done (was 20%).
    • Healing Elixir now additionally heals if excess healing elixirs are generated.
    • Healing Elixir now restores 20% of maximum health (was 15%).
    • Healing Elixir now automatically triggers at 40% health (was 35%).
    • Expel Harm now costs 1.4% base mana (was 3%).
    • Expel Harm healing increased by 550%.
    • Expel Harm now deals damage equal to 25% of the amount healed (was 10%).
    • Expel Harm’s damage range increased to 20 yards (was 8 yards).
    • Strength of Spirit now increases the healing of Expel Harm by up to 30% (was 100%).
    • Profound Rebuttal now increases the critical healing of Expel Harm by 15% (was 50%).
    • Expel Harm can no longer be cast on allies during Soothing Mist.
    • Unison now duplicates 75% of Soothing Mist healing done (was 100%).
    • Enveloping Breath healing decreased by 20%.
    • Invigorating Mist’s healing visual is now only visible to the caster.
    • Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 20%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
    • Calming Presence now reduces damage taken by 6% (was 3%). Does not apply in PvP combat.
  • Windwalker
    • Developers’ note: We heard community feedback that the additional Spinning Crane Kicks granted by Windfoot were difficult to fit into the rotation and Blackout Reinforcement alone was not an impactful enough payoff. Windfoot has been removed and the set will now directly grant Blackout Reinforcement. Additionally, free Spinning Crane Kicks should now more reliably and consistently grant Blackout Reinforcement. As always, we will continue to monitor feedback around this bonus and appreciate the testing the community has put forth.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned: Free Spinning Crane Kicks grant Blackout Reinforcement, increasing the damage of your next Blackout Kick by 150%. Melee abilities have a chance to grant Blackout Reinforcement.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned: Blackout Reinforcement empowered Blackout Kicks reduce the cooldown of Fists of Fury, Rising Sun Kick, Strike of the Windlord, and Whirling Dragon Punch by 3 seconds.
    • Spinning Crane Kicks cast during Serenity now correctly grant Blackout Reinforcement.
    • Blackout Reinforcement is correctly removed at the start of Mythic+ dungeons and raid encounters.
    • Blackout Reinforcement can no longer be canceled. Usage of Cancelaura macros on Dance of Chi-Ji without casting a Spinning Crane Kick will no longer grant Blackout Reinforcement.
• PALADIN
  • Holy
    • Sanctified Plates is now 40% less effective.
    • Blessing of Winter now restores 10% mana over 30 seconds (was 15%).
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Holy Reverberation healing reduced by 25%.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Holy Reverberation now correctly functions with Mastery: Lightbringer.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Now increases Haste by 25% for 5 seconds, in addition to its current effect.
  • Retribution
    • Blade of Vengeance now functions as an addition to your single target Blade of Justice rather than replacing it.
• PRIEST
  • Discipline
    • Rhapsody now increases the damage of Holy Nova by 10% per stack (was 20%).
    • Harsh Discipline has been redesigned – Power Word: Radiance causes your next Penance to fire 1 (or 2) additional bolts, stacking up to 2 times.
    • Ultimate Penitence’s damaging bolts deal 80% spell power (was 57.5%) and healing bolts heal for 330% spell power (was 206%).
  • Holy
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that caused the set bonus to activate Sacred Reverence less often than intended.
  • Shadow
    • Inescapable Torment now triggers at 35% reduced effectiveness from additional Shadow Word: Deaths caused by the Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope Set Bonus.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Now triggers additional Shadow Word: Deaths at 35% effectiveness (was 50%).
• ROGUE
  • Assassination
    • Exsanguinate (Active) has been removed.
    • Exsanguinate (Passive) – Energy threshold changed to 50% of max Energy (was flat 150), Energy consumed reduced to 3 (was 4) and damage duplicated reduced to 20% (was 25%)
    • Sudden Demise’s Bleed damage trigger value reduced to 150% of remaining health (was 200%) and now benefits correctly from Zoldyck Recipe bonus.
    • Indiscriminate Carnage now prioritizes targets without Rupture and Garrote.
  • Outlaw
    • New Talent: Precision Shot – Increases the range of Between the Eyes and Pistol Shot by 10 yards, and Pistol Shot reduces damage you take from the target by 5%.
    • Killing Spree base delay (before Haste) between strikes reduced to 0.3 seconds per combo point (was 0.4 seconds).
  • Subtlety
    • New Talent: Terrifying Pace – Gain 30% increased movement speed for 3 seconds when Shuriken Storm strikes 3 or more targets.
    • New Talent: Exhilarating Execution – Finishing moves heal you for 3% of damage done. Overhealing is converted to shielding, absorbing up to 10% of your maximum health.
    • Shadow Techniques’ Energy generated increased to 4 (was 3)
    • Shadow Techniques tooltip has been updated, no functional changes.
    • Shadowcraft now allows finishing moves to use Shadow Technique stacks only when it will refresh combo points to full.
    • Shadowcraft’s tooltip has been updated, no functional changes.
    • Ephemeral Bond’s bonus for healing received reduced to 8% (was 12%).
• SHAMAN
  • Elemental
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue where Chain Lightning and Lightning Bolt were incorrectly highlighted after casting Primordial Wave.
    • Splintered Elements now grants you 20% Haste plus an additional 4% Haste per extra target hit by Primordial Wave, rather than 10% Haste per target hit.
    • Further Beyond can now only increase the duration of Further Beyond by up to 150% of the original duration of Ascendance.
    • Primordial Wave can no longer be used to heal a friendly ally, it is now only an offensive spell for Elemental Shaman.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Lava Burst burns your target for 15% additional damage over 4 seconds, and after consuming Primordial Wave, your next 3 casts of Lava Burst also hit up to 3 additional targets affected by your Flame Shock for 100% of normal damage.
  • Enhancement
    • Developers’ note: We have shuffled a few talents around the Enhancement Shaman tree to increase some available talent choices. We’re also adjusting the functionality of a few talents to work with more melee abilities or elemental damage types to make them more attractive to a wider variety of builds. A new passive talent is available to choose rather than Elemental Blast to allow you to opt out of an extra keybind and Maelstrom Weapon spender to keep track of with Elemental Blast. We hope these changes give you some extra flexibility with your talent points and make some lesser used talents more impactful.
    • Several talents have been moved to a different place in the talent tree.
    • Starter build updated due to the pathing changes above.
    • Elemental Assault can now also generate Maelstrom Weapon charges from Ice Strike and Lava Lash rather than only Stormstrike.
      • Developers’ note: This change will be added in next week’s PTR update.
    • Legacy of the Frost Witch now also increases Frost damage when consuming 10 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon rather than only Physical damage.
    • Primordial Wave can no longer be used to heal a friendly ally, it is now only an offensive spell for Enhancement Shaman.
    • Splintered Elements now grants you 20% Haste plus an additional 4% Haste per extra target hit by Primordial Wave, rather than 10% Haste per target hit.
    • New Talent: Tempest Strikes (Passive) – Your Stormstrike, Lava Lash, and Ice Strike have a chance to cause bonus Nature damage to your target. Choice node with Elemental Blast.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that prevented the set bonus Feral Spirit from granting the player Maelstrom Weapon generation.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue that prevented the set bonus from changing your Feral Spirit into a Spirit Raptor if glyphed for that effect.
  • Restoration
    • Primordial Wave can no longer be used to damage an enemy target, it is now only a healing spell for Restoration Shaman.
• WARLOCK
  • Affliction
    • Umbrafire Kindling now lasts 20 seconds (was 12 seconds).
  • Demonology
    • Soul Strike has been redesigned – Your primary Felguard learns Soul Strike: Strikes the soul of the target, dealing Shadow damage.
    • New Talent: Shadow Invocation – Bilescourge Bombers deal 20% increased damage, and your spells now have a chance to summon a Bilescourge Bomber.
    • New Talent: Fel Invocation – Soul Strike deals 20% increased damage and generates 1 Soul Shard. The cast time of Summon Vilefiend is reduced by 0.5 seconds and your Vilefiend now deals Fire damage to nearby enemies every 1 second while active.
    • New Talent: Spiteful Reconstitution – Implosion deals 10% increased damage. Consuming a Demonic Core has a chance to summon a Wild Imp.
    • Imp-erator is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
    • Malefic Impact is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
    • Pit Lord’s Felseeker damage increased 40%.
    • Volatile Fiends has been removed.
    • Power Siphon now prioritizes Wild Imps that are not Imp Gang Bosses or empowered by Summon Demonic Tyrant.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Demonbolt applies a Doom Brand that explodes after 20 seconds, dealing Shadow damage to nearby enemies or Shadow damage to a single enemy. Hand of Gul’dan reduces the duration of your Doom Brands by 1 second per Soul Shard spent.
    • Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – When Doom Brand explodes, you have a chance to summon a Doomfiend that casts Doom Bolt Volleys before departing. Each Doom Bolt Volley deals Shadow damage to up to 4 enemies or Shadow damage to a single enemy.
• WARRIOR
  • Fury
    • Developers’ note: Bloodbath’s cooldown was not correctly synced with Bloodthirst during the redesign of Reckless Abandon for the Dragonflight talent system. This has led to unintended outcomes where certain builds can allow Bloodbath and Bloodthirst to dominate a rotation due to extremely short, unlinked cooldowns. We are correcting this oversight to allow other builds and rotation options room to breathe in Guardians of the Dream.
    • Reckless Abandon’s Bloodbath now shares its cooldown with Bloodthirst.

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

• DRUID
  • Balance
    • Fixed an issue that prevented Mastery: Astral Invocation from increasing Star Burst damage.
    • Star Burst damage reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
• MONK
  • Expel Harm damage is now reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
  • Mistweaver
    • Refreshing Breeze has been removed.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

• Action bar spell swipe animation has been updated.