Dragonflight Alpha Phase 2 Development Notes, Hotfixes: July 19, 2022

Hello everyone! Here are this week’s updates to Dragonflight Alpha:

NEW ZONES

• The Forbidden Reach (Dracthyr Starting Zone)
• Removed: The Azure Span

NEW DUNGEONS

• Neltharus
• Uldaman: Legacy of Tyr

CHARACTER LEVEL
Developers’ note: This week we have removed the Azure Span zone to allow alpha testers to focus on the Dracthyr starting experience in the Forbidden Reach, the two new level 60 dungeons, the profession changes, and the talent revamps. With each phase, we encourage players to make a new template character and avoid using their previous characters as they could potentially be in a broken state.

• Level 58 Dracthyr Template (The Forbidden Reach starting experience)
• Level 60 Character Template
• Level 60 Max

CLASSES

• TALENT REVAMP
  • Shaman
    • Developers’ note: With the Shaman talent trees in Dragonflight, we wanted to hone in on some core concepts that are unique to the class. Totems have long been a special thing for Shaman, and we’re giving some new options to manipulate your totems position, radius, duration, cleanse poisons, or even potentially reset the cooldown. We’re bringing back Alpha Wolf for Enhancement Shaman, spreading some Stormkeeper functionality to Restoration Shaman, and trying out a new variation of Elemental Blast for Elemental Shaman, where it replaces Earth Shock as a more expensive Maelstrom Spender. All three of the Shaman specializations have a distinct style of play, and we’re hoping the new talents allow you to focus on your important totems, utility, and style of damage or healing you enjoy.

PROFESSIONS

• Cooking
  • Developers’ note: Firelord Nomi is back and well versed in all of the new Cooking recipes in Dragonflight. He is located next to the other Profession Trainers in the Valley of Strength in Orgrimmar and the Trade District in Stormwind. Players can interact with Firelord Nomi to both train their Cooking skill and obtain reagents for Cooking recipes.
• Specializations
  • Developers’ note: In this Alpha build, Alchemy and Blacksmithing Professions now have their Specializations enabled. Unlocking Specializations requires 25 skill in that Profession. Once unlocked, players can spend Specialization points to unlock various bonuses for their Profession. For the purposes of Alpha we’ve added a consumable, Professor Instructataur’s Top Secret Guide, on the Associate Professor Instructaur vendor that gives players 50 Specialization points. Below are a few Specialization paths for Alchemy and Blacksmithing:
    • Potion Mastery – Improve at crafting potions and related alchemist stones, gaining +1 Crafting Skill per point in this specialization.
      • Batch Production – Master the art of producing potions more efficiently, gaining +1 Multicraft per point in this specialization.
    • Weaponsmithing – Improve at making weapons and large tools, gaining +1 Crafting Skill per point in this Specialization.
      • Long Blades – Improve at making long bladed weapons and tools such as swords, glaives and sickles, gaining +1 Crafting Skill per point in this Specialization.

World Events

• Winds of Wisdom 50% experience buff is now available until Shadowlands Season 4 begins.

Covenants

• Venthyr
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the Obliterate Ember Gnats event in Revendreth’s Ember Court from working as intended.

Dungeons and Raids

• Tazavesh: Streets of Wonder
  • Fixed an issue causing items to sometimes become permanently uninteractible during the Market trading game.

Player versus Player

• Paladin
  • Protection
    • (4) Set Bonus: Judgment cast from Luminous Chevalier’s Gallantry will no longer interrupt Fleshcraft (Necrolord Ability).
  • Retribution
    • Fixed an issue that could cause the additional Templar’s Verdict triggered by Templar’s Vindication (Conduit) to fail to cast against moving targets.
• Warlock
  • Fixed an issue that could cause Grimoire of Sacrifice (Talent) to be removed from the Warlock during the Arena and Battleground preparation period.