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Rated Solo Shuffle Update

Quote from: Blizzard

Greetings combatants! Thank you to everyone who has been active in participating and providing feedback on Rated Solo Shuffle throughout the Dragonflight Beta. Going into Dragonflight and Season 1, we want to consolidate and provide information about this game mode, for clarity and to address some of the questions we’ve seen on the forums and social media.

What is Rated Solo Shuffle?

Rated Solo Shuffle is the rated version of the Solo Shuffle Brawl that was introduced in Eternity’s End. Introducing the game mode playable as a Brawl first allowed us to gather valuable data and information to improve and refine the game mode before attaching a rating to it.

The Solo Shuffle Brawl will be rotated out of the unrated tab and put into the normal brawl rotation. You will be able to queue up for Rated Solo Shuffle in the Rated PvP tab in the Group Finder UI. To queue up, you’ll need to meet a minimum required PvP item level, similar to queueing up for Heroic Dungeons.

Additionally, cross-faction is enabled for Rated Solo Shuffle, so Horde and Alliance can match together and play against each other.

Will rating be based on Class specializations?

Yes! Observing data from the Solo Shuffle brawl, rated arena matches, and reading community feedback, we felt it was important to have a player’s rating be tied to a specialization rather than class for this game mode. Unique to this Rated game mode, players will have a rating tracked for each of their character’s specializations.

Players will select which of their specializations to queue with, and participate in specialization-based ladders and end of season rewards. This will allow players to try new class specializations in arena without the pressure of performing as well as they would on their main specialization (e.g. a Discipline Priest wanting to try Shadow).

Also coming in Season 1, players will be able to see where they rank against others of their specialization in Solo Shuffle on the official World of Warcraft website.

What Rewards can I earn?

Just like in Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas, you’ll earn seasonal rewards and achievements, credit towards Vicious mounts, weekly great vault progress, and Conquest with rewards being based on the highest rating amongst all of a player’s specializations. Players will earn all seasonal titles and achievements that they would normally in Rated Arenas, with the exception of Gladiator and its associated reward. We felt it was important to keep it as a unique reward to Rated Arenas.

We recognize that some class specializations may perform better than others in Solo Shuffle, as well as having different total representation within the game mode. Because of this, we’re introducing a new and unique end-of-season title for the top 0.1% of each specialization in Solo Shuffle. For Dragonflight Season 1, this will be Crimson Soloist. We’ve seen community feedback around the title and are evaluating it.

How is rating calculated for each match?

During the Dragonflight Beta, we received feedback on wanting to better understand how rating is calculated. There’s a lot of math and calculation that goes on in the back end, but effectively the Solo Shuffle match is calculating 6 matches of arena into one.

When a player enters a match, we determine the expected performance of players in the match based on player matchmaking rating (MMR). We take all the rounds into account, considering who was on each side and who won, so it matters which specific rounds the player wins, and not just the total number of rounds won, in calculating impact on MMR.

We are discussing ways to improve the transparency of how ratings-change calculations can occur. Compared to the live game, Beta realms have a relatively low population, and consequently a much wider spread of ratings and matchmaking values in each match. We expect matches on live realms to include players with ratings and matchmaking values that are closer together.

What happens if another player in my game leaves before it ends?

A topic we’ve discussed internally and seen feedback on with the Brawl and on Beta is: what happens if a player leaves the match before all the rounds end? We want to disincentivize players from leaving their match, punish them appropriately, and have minimal impact on players who did not leave. The leaver will receive a Deserter debuff that will increase in penalty for each consecutive offense.

Please continue to share your thoughts with us here in our forums or @WarcraftDevs on Twitter. We will schedule a ‘Play with the Blues’ event in the next few weeks, focusing on Solo Shuffle and general PvP on Beta, so keep an eye out for that. Until then, enjoy the Dragonflight pre-patch, and we’ll see you in the arena!

Dragonflight Beta: Halls of Valor Mythic+ Testing, October 21 2022 Class Tuning, Mage Tower Extended Maintenance

A new weekend is upon us and that means there’s another Dragonflight Mythic+ dungeon to test on the beta! Halls of Valor has been enabled! Blizzard has also continued to make changes to the Thundering affix, done more class tuning and has announced that staring with prepatch the Mage Tower will temporarily disabled.

Quote from: Blizzard

Greetings!

We’ve got another round of Dragonflight Mythic+ testing for you this weekend. The test period will begin Friday Oct 21st at 16:00 PDT (19:00 EDT, 01:00 CEST), and end Monday October 24th at 16:00 PDT (19:00 EDT, 01:00 CEST). Please note that the test period may be adjusted in the event of technical difficulties.

Key updates from last week:

  • Halls of Valor is now available on Mythic+
  • The Thundering affix has received adjustments and bug fixes, with a focus on addressing key feedback points from last weekend (ex: players getting unavoidably stunned while running back).
  • We’re also experimenting with a rule change that we hope will allow all 5 players to participate each time Thundering occurs.

During the test period you’ll be able to acquire and customize Mythic Keystones by talking to the Keystone Vendor in Stormwind or Orgrimmar, and the nearby Dungeon Teleports NPC will assist you with transportation.

We look forward to hearing your feedback!

October 21 2022 Class Tuning

Quote from: Blizzard

We’re continuing to make class tuning adjustments based on our observations, the data we’re getting from Beta, recent Beta raid testing, and player feedback.

In addition to new and returning abilities, the new talent trees allow players to choose abilities that were previously exclusive to one another in the talent row system. In many cases, we need to adjust the impact of these abilities to hit our throughput targets for Dragonflight.

The following adjustments are being applied, or have been applied already, to the Dragonflight Beta and PTR via hotfixes, for this week’s Raid Testing.

DEMON HUNTER

  • Sigil of Flame initial damage increased by 24%.
  • Sigil of Flame damage-over-time increased by 42%.
  • Havoc
    • Ragefire damage value stored by Immolation Aura critical strikes reduced to 35% (was 40%).

DEATH KNIGHT

  • Unholy
    • All damage reduced by 5%.
    • Clawing Shadows damage increased by 10%.
    • Epidemic damage reduced by 5%.
    • Unholy Pact damage reduced by 5%.
    • Bursting Sores increased Festering Wound damage reduced to 20% (was 25%), and Bursting Sore damage reduced by 10%.
    • Magus of the Dead Shadowbolt damage reduced by 10%, and Frostbolt damage reduced by 10%.
    • Harbinger of Doom chance to proc Sudden Doom increased to 30% (was 15%).
      • Developers’ notes: We changed how Sudden Doom and Harbinger of Doom were implemented to allow more flexibility to modify Sudden Doom’s proc rate. Datamining may show values being changed a lot, but the net result is that Sudden Doom’s base proc rate is unchanged, and the data now more accurately reflects the values.

DRUID

  • Rejuvenation mana cost increased to 12% of base mana (was 11%).
  • Balance
    • Mastery: Astral Invocation damage increase reduced by 45%.
    • Starfall damage reduced by 15%.
    • Starsurge damage reduced by 15%.
    • Wrath damage reduced by 10%.
    • Denizen of the Fae’s Fey missile damage reduced by 45%.
    • Friend of the Fae now increases the damage of Arcane and Nature spells by 4% (was 6%).
    • Goldrinn’s Fang damage reduced by 35%.
  • Feral
    • Rampant Ferocity damage increased to 25% of Ferocious Bite damage dealt (was 20%).
    • Shred damage increased by 25%.
    • Swipe damage decreased by 20%.
    • Rake instant damage decreased by 40% (damage-over-time unchanged).
  • Restoration
    • Regrowth healing reduced by 15%.
    • Rejuvenation healing reduced by 8%.
    • Cultivation healing reduced by 35%.
    • Soul of the Forest now increases the healing of Wild Growth by 50% (was 60%) and increases the healing of Rejuvenation and Regrowth by 150% (was 200%).
    • Regenesis now increases Tranquility’s healing by up to 15/30% (was 20/40%).
    • Verdant Infusion now extends Heal over Time effects by 12 seconds (was 10 seconds).
    • Natural Wisdom now grants Innervate at 100% effectiveness (was 50%).
    • Embrace of the Dream healing reduced by 10%.

HUNTER

  • Survival
    • Fury of the Eagle damage increased by 50%.
    • Ruthless Marauder now increases the enemy health threshold to gain bonus critical strike chance by 15% per rank (was 5%).
    • Flanking Strike damage increased by 50%.
    • (Survival Only) Kill Shot damage increased by 35%.
    • (Survival Only) Kill Command damage increased by 50%.

MONK

  • Windwalker
    • Blackout Kick damage reduced by 10%.
    • Strike of the Windlord damage increased by 33%.
      • Developers’ notes: The availability and frequency of Blackout Kicks, particularly in conjunction with some recent bugfixes, has pushed them into a larger portion of Windwalker damage share than we’re comfortable with, relative to cooldown-limited abilities like Rising Sun Kick. Accordingly, we’re reducing Blackout Kick damage by 10%, and keeping an eye on some of the more Blackout Kick focused builds. By the same token, Strike of the Windlord should feel like an impactful and powerful button to press, but wasn’t living up to that fantasy, so we’re increasing its damage by 33%.
  • Mistweaver
    • Zen Pulse damage increased by 40%, and healing increased by 20%.
      Refreshing Jade Wind base cooldown increased to 45 seconds, and base duration increased to 15 seconds.
    • Zen Pulse healing increased by 20%, and mana cost raised to 5% of base mana (was 3.5%).
      • Developers’ notes: We felt that Refreshing Jade Wind was too rotationally impactful for its effect. We’re taking steps to adjust its healing profile with the goal of reducing rotational clutter when this spell is talented.
    • Enveloping Mist healing reduced by 15%, and mana cost decreased to 4.8% of base mana (was 5.6%).
    • Essence Font initial heal and heal-over-time healing reduced by 10%.
    • Renewing Mist healing reduced by 8%.
    • Rising Mist healing reduced by 10%.

PALADIN

  • Holy
    • Holy Shock damage and healing reduced by 10%.
    • Word of Glory healing reduced by 8%.
    • Light of Dawn healing reduced by 12%.
    • Judgment of Light healing decreased by 50%.
    • Empyreal Ward now increases Armor by 30% (was 15%).
  • Retribution
    • Sanctifiied Wrath damage reduced by 50%.
    • Radiant Decree damage reduced by 10%.
    • Divine Storm damage reduced by 10%.
    • Tempest of the Lightbringer damage reduced by 10%.
    • Judgment damage reduced by 10%.

PRIEST

  • Power Word: Shield now absorbs 20% more damage for all specializations.
  • Discipline
    • Discipline Priest starter build updated.
    • Make Amends moved from row 10 to row 3.
    • Inescapable Torment and Void Summoner have swapped locations.
    • Inescapeable Torment is now a 2 point node.
    • Void Summoner is now a 1 point node.
    • Divine Aegis creates an absorb shield for 5%/10% (was 8%/15%) of the amount healed, and critical heals with Power Word: Shield now absorb 5%/10% additional damage (was 8%/15%).
    • Rapture now causes Power Word: Shield to absorb an additional 40% damage (was 30%).
    • Exaltation increases the duration of Rapture by 5 seconds (was 3 seconds).
    • Aegis of Wrath causes Power Word: Shield to absorb an additional 30% damage (was 50%).
    • Power Word: Radiance healing increased by 50%.
    • Renew mana cost increased by 50%.
    • Enduring Luminescence increases the duration of Atonement from Power Word: Radiance by an additional 10% (was 15%).
    • Indemnity increases the duration of Atonement from Power Word: Shield casts by 2 seconds (was 3 seconds).
    • Shadowfiend now generates 0.5% Mana each time it attacks (as 1.0%).
    • Mindbender now generates 0.2% Mana each time it attacks (down from 0.5%).
    • Contrition healing reduced by 35%.
    • Weal and Woe now increases the damage of Smite by 12% (was 8%) and Power Word: Shield by 5% (was 3%) per stack.
  • Holy
    • Prayer Circle now reduces the cast time and mana cost of Prayer of Healing by 20% (was 25%).
    • Revitalizing Prayers now has a 25% chance to apply Renew to the target (was 30%).
    • Rapid Recovery now causes Revitalizing Prayers to apply a Renew with a duration of 5 seconds to the target (was 6 seconds).
    • Renew healing reduced by 10%.
    • Mastery: Echo of Light value per mastery reduced by 10%.
    • Benediction now has a 12% chance to apply Renew to the target (was 15%).
    • Renewed Faith increases healing done to allies affected by your Renew by 6% (was 8%).
    • Prayer of Healing mana cost increased by 10%.

ROGUE

  • Rupture damage increased by 10%.
  • Wound Poison damage increased by 16%.
  • Sepsis damage increased by 20%.
  • Assassination
    • Garrote damage increased by 20%.
    • Mutilate damage increased by 10%.
    • Envenom damage increased by 10%.
    • Fan of Knives damage increased by 20%.
    • Deadly Poison damage increased by 10%.
    • Venomous Wounds Energy restore increased to 6 (was 5).
    • Bloody Mess damage bonus increased to 15/30% (was 10/20%).
    • Crimson Tempest initial damage increased by 125%.
    • Crimson Tempest Energy cost reduced to 30 (was 35).
    • Venom Rush Energy restore increased to 7 (was 5).
    • Amplifying Poison damage increased by 18%.
    • Poison Bomb damage reduced by 20%.
    • Serrated Bone Spike damage increased by 10%.
    • Kingsbane damage increased by 10%.
  • Subtlety
    • Backstab damage increased by 10%.
    • Gloomblade damage increased by 10%.
    • Shadowstrike damage increased by 10%.
    • Shuriken Storm damage increased by 30%.
    • Black Powder damage increased by 10%.
    • Shadow Blades additional Shadow damage increased to 50% (was 30%).
    • Secret Technique damage increased by 30%.
    • Secret Technique Cooldown increased to 60 seconds (was 45 seconds).
    • Secret Technique Shadow clone attacks now deal Shadow damage (was Physical).
    • Deepening Shadows cooldown reduction per combo point spent reduced to 0.6 seconds (was 1.0 seconds).

WARLOCK

  • Destruction
    • Incinerate damage increased by 35%.
    • Chaos Bolt damage increased by 30%.
    • Rain of Fire damage increased by 35%.
    • Conflagrate damage increased by 25%.
    • Immolate damage increased by 35%.
    • Cataclysm damage increased by 20%.
  • Demonology
    • Reign of Tyranny now increases the damage of Demonic Tyrant by 5% per stack of Demonic Servitude (was 3%).
    • Reign of Tyranny now grants 3 stacks of Demonic Servitude per greater demon (was 2 stacks).

Mage Tower Extended Maintenance

Quote from: Blizzard

We have some extra work to do on the Mage Tower Challenge to provide the best experience for those who are pursuing its rewards, so with the pre-expansion patch (10.0.0) next week, we’re going to disable the Mage Tower.

We hope to re-enable the Mage Tower soon after the launch of Dragonflight. We’ll let you know as soon as we can confirm a date for that.

For those of you who are close to completing a spec in the next few days – good luck!

Dragonflight Beta Development Notes 19 October 2022: Class Tuning, Dragonriding Racing Updates, PvP Crafting Recipes

The Beta got a new build last night with a focus on class tuning, updates to dragonriding racing, Dracthyr soaring and a quality of life change for pet battlers. Instanced PvP activities such as random battlegrounds will now reward a strongbox that can include PvP crafting recipes!

Quote from: Blizzard

Here are the update notes to Beta this week. Additional class tuning will be hotfixed throughout the week for raid testing on Friday.

CLASSES

  • NEW TALENT SYSTEM
    • DEATH KNIGHT
      • Unholy
        • Fixed an issue with Magus of the Dead, Army of the Dead, and Gargoyle’s damage not scaling with Mastery: Dreadblade.
        • Morbidity now affects ranged caster summons (ex: Army of the Dead, Magus of the Dead) in addition to caster pets (ex: Risen Ghoul).
    • DEMON HUNTER
      • General
        • Immolation Aura damage increased by 8%.
      • Class Tree
        • Eye Beam damage reduced by 8%.
        • The Hunt damage reduced by 10%.
        • Illidari Knowledge damage reduction increased to 3/6% (was 2/4%).
        • Will of the Illidari – Max Health bonus increased to 3/6% (was 2/4%).
      • Havoc
        • Chaos Strike/Annihilation damage reduced by 10%.
        • Blade Dance/Death Sweep damage increased by 18%.
        • Immolation Aura (Rank upgrade) duration bonus reduced to 4 seconds (was 6 seconds).
        • First Blood damage bonus value reduced to 85% of base (was 135%).
        • Unbound Chaos damage bonus reduced to 200/400% (was 250/500%).
        • Isolated Prey – Eye Beam damage bonus reduced to 25% (was 30%).
        • Inner Demon damage reduced by 15%.
        • Elysian Decree damage reduced by 10%.
      • Vengeance
        • Elysian Decree no longer deals 10% reduced damage when specced into Vengeance.
        • Focused Cleave damage bonus reduced to 30% (was 40%).
        • Fel Flame Fortification damage reduction increased to 10% (was 6%).
        • Revel in Pain – Maximum absorb value increased by 50%.
        • Cycle of Binding – Cooldown Reduction per applied Sigil increased to 3 seconds (was 2 seconds).
    • DRUID
      • Class Tree
        • Fixed an issue where Killer Instinct was not affecting melee damage or Guardian bleed damage.
      • Balance
        • Astral spells are now affected by both Eclipses while active.
        • Denizen of the Dream is now affected by Eclipses and Mastery.
        • Denizen of the Dream now scales with Spell Power.
        • Goldrinn’s Fang is now affected by Eclipses and Mastery.
        • Goldrinn’s Fang is now affected by Moonkin Form.
        • Syzygy has been renamed to Orbital Strike.
        • Wild Mushroom and Orbital Strike are now affected by Balance of All Things.
        • Astral Smolder, Fungal Growth, and Lunar Shrapnel can no longer critically strike.
        • Astral Smolder, Fungal Growth, and Lunar Shrapnel no longer benefit twice from player stats.
        • Fixed an issue where Wild Mushroom damage was not being modified by talents.
        • Mastery: Astral Invocation’s damage increase has been reduced by 45%.
        • Starfall damage has been reduced by 35%.
        • Developer note: Balance Druids will see that several other spells have been reduced in power on the beta. We’re still working on these changes, so expect a few to be reverted over the course of the week. Thank you for your patience!
      • Feral
        • Moved Lunar Inspiration to the left side of the tree.
        • Moved Infected Wounds to the center of the tree, below Berserk.
          • Developers’ Note: Lunar Inspiration and Infected Wounds are talents that are valuable to a broad variety of Feral Druid builds, but their previous positions were behind talents with more niche benefits. Their new positions should make them more accessible to play with different builds.
      • Restoration
        • Cenarius’ Guidance now grants Clearcasting every 5 seconds during Incarnation: Tree of Life (was 6 seconds). Lifebloom blooms now reduce the cooldown of Incarnation: Tree of Life by 2 sec (was 1.5 seconds).
    • EVOKER
      • General
        • Deep Breath and Dream Flight now remove all roots when activated.
      • Devastation
        • Snapfire duration increased to 15 seconds (was 10 seconds).
      • Preservation
        • Dream Breath has been redesigned to match Fire Breath’s redesign – Healing is now the same at all empower ranks.
          • Rank 1: Applies a 16 second duration heal over time that heals 32% spell power every 2 seconds, and instantly heals for 64% spell power.
          • Rank 2: Applies a 12 second duration heal over time and instantly heals for 112% spell power.
          • Rank 3: Applies a 8 second duration heal over time and instantly heals for 176% spell power.
          • Rank 4: Applies a 4 second duration heal over time and instantly heals for 240% spell power.
          • Cooldown decreased to 30 seconds (was 35 seconds).
        • Renewing Breath increases overall healing of Dream Breath by 30% (was: Dream Breath applies a heal over time at 30% value).
        • Dream Breath heal over time snapshots Call of Ysera and healing increased by 20%.
        • Temporal Anomaly no longer has a delay before slowing down when reaching an ally.
        • Emerald Communion heals immediately when pressed.
        • Lifebind replicates healing to all Lifebound partners when the Evoker receives healing.
    • HUNTER
      • Class Tree
        • Arctic Bola’s damage and chance to activate have both been doubled.
      • Beast Mastery
        • Beast Cleave will no longer be improperly activated by Kill Command or Stomp damage.
        • Dire Frenzy talent damage bonus increased to 30/60% for ranks 1 and 2.
        • Dire Beast damage increased by 50%.
        • Call of the Wild has received several bug fixes:
          • Wild Instincts should no longer incorrectly grant charges of Barbed Shot while Call of the Wild is no longer active.
          • Bloody Frenzy and Wild Instincts should no longer give their effects without knowing the appropriate talent.
          • When multiple pets are summoned from Call of the Wild, it should no longer be possible to get multiple stacks of Predator’s Thirst, Endurance Training, or Pathfinding.
          • Wild Instincts now properly checks for Focus to be spent before causing a Barbed Shot reset.
          • Call of the Wild should properly be reset upon encounter end.
        • Brutal Companion has received several bug fixes:
          • Brutal Companion longer causes your pets to consume Focus when doing their extra pet special attack when your pet is above 50 Focus.
          • Brutal Companion damage bonus lowered to 50% (was 100%).
          • Brutal Companion now properly works with pets that use Claw.
          • Brutal Companion’s damage bonus no longer incorrectly applies to all special attacks from your active pet.
          • Brutal Companion no longer causes the special attack to deal bonus damage if your pet is above 50 Focus.
          • Developers’ notes: Pet focus management is not intended to be part of the Brutal Companion talent; it should provide some extra special attacks from your pet. If this interacts with the above-50-Focus threshold damage bonus, you might feel compelled to manually handle the casting of your pet’s ability to always get maximum damage benefit while at 3 stacks of Barbed Shot.
    • MAGE
      • Fire
        • Pyroblast damage reduced by 10%.
        • Feel the Burn Mastery per stack reduced to 2/4% (was 3/6%).
        • Tempered Flames Pyroblast cast time reduced by 30% (was 40%).
          • Pyroblast critical strike chance reduced to 10% (was 15%).
          • The duration of Combustion reduced by 50% (was 40%).
        • Pyroclasm now increases damage of your next instant Pyroblast by 230% (was 240%).
        • Master of Flame’s Ignite deals 18% more damage while combustion is not active (was 25%).
        • Controlled Destruction now increases Pyroblast damage by 4% per rank (was 5%).
        • Wildfire’s Ignite damage reduced to 3/6% (was 5/10%).
        • Fire Blast now properly spreads Ignite to 4 targets.
        • Fire Blast modified by Master of Flame with Combustion active now properly spreads Ignite to 8 targets.
    • MONK
      • Mistweaver
        • Fixed an issue causing Overflowing Mist to be applied by Tear of the Morning’s area of effect Enveloping Mist healing.
        • Zen Pulse damage increased by 20%.
        • Echoing Reverberation effectiveness increased to 80% of Zen Pulse’s values (was 70%).
        • Accumulating Mist effect increased to 25% per stack (was 20% per stack).
        • Spinning Crane Kick damage reduced by 10% for Mistweaver.
        • Fixed an issue that caused the Enveloping Mist and Renewing Mist from Mists of Life to cost mana.
        • Fixed an issue that caused the Enveloping Mist and Renewing Mist from Mists of Life to trigger Gust of Mist.
        • Fixed an issue that caused Secret Infusion to grant the Critical Strike buff instead of the Haste buff from Mists of Life.
        • Fixed an issue that caused Mists of Life to consume Tea of Serenity’s Enveloping Mist buff despite buffing Renewing Mist.
      • Windwalker
        • Storm, Earth, and Fire spirits now correctly cast Strike of the Windlord.
        • Resolved an issue that could prevent Storm, Earth, and Fire spirits from copying your abilities.
        • Storm, Earth, and Fire now has 2 charges.
        • Thunderfist damage reduced by 30%.
        • Fury of Xuen now grants 10% Haste instead of a stat value.
        • Xuen spawned by Fury of Xuen will now correctly deal Empowered Tiger Lightning damage.
    • PALADIN
      • Holy
        • Resplendent Light now has a 12 yard range (was 8 yards).
        • Moment of Compassion now increases Flash of Light healing by 15%.
        • Tyr’s Deliverance’s periodic healing increased by 20%. Heal effect icon now matches cast icon.
        • Boundless Salvation’s Holy Light now extends Tyr’s Deliverance by 4 seconds (was 3 seconds). Flash of Light now extends Tyr’s Deliverance by 2 seconds (was 1.5 seconds).
        • Boundless Salvation’s extension is now capped at 40 seconds.
    • PRIEST
      • Shadow
        • Shadow Crash applies Vampiric Touch to 8 targets (was 4).
        • Idol of N’Zoth no longer triggers from Devouring Plague damage.
        • Damage dealt by Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch has a 30% chance to apply Echoing Void (was 20%).
        • Echoing Void’s debuff can apply to up to 4 targets.
        • Echoing Void deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
        • Enemies that die with the Echoing Void trigger the remaining stacks immediately.
        • Echoing Void damage reduced by 60%.
        • Shadowy Apparitions can no longer be seen by allies in dungeons and raids (was raids only).
        • Critical strikes with Devouring Plague, Mind Blast, and Void Bolt cause Shadowy Apparitions to deal 100% additional damage instead of spawning two Apparitions.
        • Mind Sear now has a 50% chance per tick to create Shadowy Apparitions that floats towards all targets afflicted by your Vampiric Touch for Shadow damage.
        • Idol of Yogg-Saron has been redesigned: Each time you spawn a set of Shadowy Apparitions, gain a stack of Idol of Yogg-Saron. At 25 stacks, you summon a Thing from Beyond that serves you for 20 seconds. The Thing from Beyond blasts enemies for Shadow damage and deals 30% of that damage to all enemies within 10 yards. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
        • Thing From Beyond’s Void Spike damage reduced by 60%.
        • Void Spike is now affected by Shadow Weaving.
        • Void Spike’s cast time increased to 2 seconds (was 1.5 seconds).
    • ROGUE
      • General
        • Rupture damage increased by 35%.
        • Ambush damage increased by 20%.
        • Instant Poison damage increased by 13%.
        • Wound Poison damage increased by 13%.
      • Class Tree
        • Shiv damage increased by 20%.
        • Sepsis damage increased by 20%.
        • Echoing Reprimand damage increased by 20%.
      • Assassination
        • Garrote damage increased by 35%.
        • Envenom damage increased by 25%.
        • Mutilate damage increased by 20%.
        • Fan of Knives damage increased by 15%.
        • Deadly Poison damage increased by 13%.
        • Deathmark damage increased by 20%.
        • Internal Bleeding damage increased by 20%.
        • Serrated Bone Spike damage increased by 20%.
        • Crimson Tempest damage increased by 15%.
        • Amplifying Poison damage increased by 13%.
        • Kingsbane damage growth per poison increased to 20% (was 15%).
        • Indiscriminate Carnage cooldown reduced to 60 seconds (was 90 seconds).
        • When Deathmark is applied, it now also duplicates existing eligible debuffs on the target
        • Deathmark duration reduced to 16 seconds (was 20 seconds).
      • Outlaw
        • Dispatch damage reduced by 14%.
        • Pistol Shot damage reduced by 5%.
        • Roll the Bones:
          • Broadside damage bonus reduced to 15% (was 20%).
          • True Bearing cooldown reduction reduced to 0.5 seconds (was 1 second).
          • Ruthless Precision crit bonus reduced to 15% (was 20%).
          • Skull and Crossbones bonus Sinister Strike chance reduced to 25% (was 30%).
          • Buried Treasure Energy regen increased to 5 per seconds (was 4 per second).
        • Opportunity’s Bonus Sinister Strike chance increased to 35% (was 30%).
        • Combat Potency Energy regeneration increased to 25% (was 20%).
        • Fatal Flourish chance to generate Energy increased to 65% (was 60%).
        • Summarily Dispatched max stacks reduced to 5 (was 7).
      • Subtlety
        • Eviscerate damage reduced by 4%.
        • Relentless Strikes Energy restore reduced to 5 (was 6).
        • Improved Shadow Techniques Energy generated reduced to 3 (was 4).
        • Replicating Shadows damage bonus reduced to 20% (was 30%).
        • Veiltouched damage bonus reduced to 5% (was 8%).
        • Deeper Daggers damage bonus reduced to 8/16% (was 10%/20%).
    • SHAMAN
      • Elemental
        • Lightning Bolt (Elemental) damage increased by 17%.
        • Elemental Blast (Elemental) damage increased by 20%. Increases Haste or Crit by 6% (was 3%), or Mastery by 11% (was 6%).
        • Windspeaker’s Lava Resurgence’s Lava Burst damage increased by 10% (was 20%). Now also triggers from Earthquake.
        • Earth Shock damage increased by 5%.
        • When Lava Surge triggers from Heat Wave, the damage of your next Lava Burst is increased by 20%.
        • Liquid Magma Totem damage increased by 125%.
      • Enhancement
        • Maelstrom Weapon trigger chance lowered to 16% (was 20%).
        • Damage of all Maelstrom Weapon consuming abilities reduced by 10%.
        • Focused Lightning (Conduit) values halved for all ranks.
        • Stormstrike damage increased by 20%.
        • Windstrike damage increased by 20%.
        • Lava lash damage increased by 92%.
        • Hot Hand rank 1 Lava Lash damage bonus lowered to 20% (was 50%). Rank 2 lowered to 40% (was 100%).
        • Ice Strike damage increased by 20%.
        • Sundering damage increased by 75%.
        • Storm’s Wrath values increase changed to +150% (was +100%).
        • Gathering Storms value increased to 25% (was 15%). Maximum stacks lowered to 6 (was 10).
        • Fire Nova damage increased by 25%.
        • Feral Spirit and Elemental Spirits buff effects changed to +20% (was +15%).
        • Doom Winds active Windfury Weapon bonus damage lowered to 10% (was 25%).
        • Doom Winds cooldown increased to 90 seconds (was 60 seconds).
        • Forceful Winds bonus lowered to 40% per stack (was 45%).
    • WARLOCK
      • Demonology
        • Dreadlash now increases the damage of Dreadbite by 10% (was 25%).
        • Fel and Steel now increases the damage of Felstorm and Dreadbite by 10% (was 20%).
        • Infernal Command now increases the damage of Wild Imps and Dreadstalkers by 5/10% (was 10/20%).
        • Fel Sunder now increases the damage an enemy takes from you and your pets by 1%, up to 5% (was 2%, up to 10%).
        • Demonic Tyrant’s Demonfire damage increased by 50%.
        • Fixed an issue where the damage from the Pit Lord was not scaling correctly.
        • Fixed an issue where Guillotine was dealing damage twice to enemies.
    • WARRIOR
      • Class Tree
        • Blood and Thunder has been slightly redesigned – Thunder clap costs 10 more Rage and deals 10% increased damage. If you have Rend, Thunder Clap affects 5 nearby targets with Rend.
      • Arms
        • Auto attack damage reduced by 25% (was 10%.)
        • In for the Kill now increases haste by 20% (was 25%) when enemy is under 35% health.
        • Skullsplitter now generates 20 Rage (was 30).
        • Skullsplitter damage reduced by 22%.
        • Mortal Strike damage reduced by 3%.
        • Execute damage reduced by 5%.
        • Juggernaut’s maximum stacks reduced to 12 (was 15).
        • Deep Wounds periodic damage reduced by 6%.
        • Rend periodic damage reduced by 7%.
        • Bloodsurge should again cause periodic damage triggers to generate Rage correctly.
        • Bladestorm now generates 20 Rage.
        • Exhilarating Blows now triggers correctly per cast of Cleave rather than per target hit.
      • Fury
        • Bloodthirst damage increased by 7%.
        • Bloodcraze now increases critical strike chance of Bloodthirst by 15% per stack (was 10%).
        • Bloodborne damage bonus granted increased to 20% (was 15%).
        • Cruelty’s Annihilator damage increased during enrage by 10% (was 5%).
        • Raging Blow Damage increased by 3% for each strike.
        • Crushing Blow damage increased by 3% for each strike.
        • Annihilator damage increased by 1.5%.
        • Wrath and Fury’s Raging Blow Damage bonus granted increased to 15% (was 10%).
        • Slaughtering Strikes Raging Blow now increases the damage of each strike of Rampage by 20% per stack (was 10%).
        • Dancing Blades now also increases auto attack damage by 30%.
        • Onslaught now triggers Enrage before damage is dealt.
        • Titanic Rage now triggers Enrage before damage is dealt.
      • Protection
        • Unbreakable Will now lasts 4 seconds when triggered by Avatar.
        • Unbreakable Will now correctly reduces damage taken for allies by 20% (was 25%).
        • Bloodsurge should again cause periodic damage triggers to generate Rage correctly.
        • Juggernaut now correctly links to the Protection version of Juggernaut rather than the Arms version and maximum stacks increased to 15.
        • Battering Ram now also increases auto-attack damage by 20%.
        • Violent Outburst’s Thunder Clap no longer triggers and invalidates Violent Outburst at 7 stacks.

CLASS SETS

  • Death Knight
    • Unholy
      • (2) Set Bonus: Damage gained by your ghoul increased to 25% (was 10%).
      • (4) Set Bonus: Ghoul attacks have a chance to increase your damage and Haste by 8% (was 10%).
      • (4) Set Bonus: Your primary ghoul attacks have a 8% chance to grant Ghoulish Infusion (was 15%). This chance is increased to 15% while your ghoul has Vile Infusion.
  • Demon Hunter
    • Vengeance
      • (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue causing this effect to only apply to one target in the area of effect.
  • Druid
    • Balance
      • (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue preventing this bonus from applying to your next Starfall.
    • Guardian
      • (4) Set Bonus: Increased power of healing effect. It now heals for 2.5 times as much as before.
  • Paladin
    • Holy
      • (2) Set Bonus: Updated description to be correct if Radiant Decree is known.
      • (4) Set Bonus: Added Word of the Glory to the list of spells affected in the description of the effect.
  • Rogue
    • Assassination
      • (2) Set Bonus: Envenom now increases weapon poison damage by 20% (was 10%).
      • (4) Set Bonus: Septic Wounds now increases Bleed damage by 4% per stack (was 2%).
    • Outlaw
      • (2) Set Bonus: Fixed a bug that was not giving credit for spending 6 combo points.
      • (2) Set Bonus: Dispatch increases the damage of Sinister Strike or Ambush by 8% per combo point spent (down from 20%).
      • (4) Set Bonus: Half-cost uses of Pistol Shot increase Dispatch damage by 25% (down from 50%).
    • Subtlety
      • Fixed a bug causing the set to not work with Gloomblade as well as Backstab.
      • (2) Set Bonus: Fixed a bug that was not giving credit for spending 6 combo points.
      • An incorrect version of the Subtlety (4) Set Bonus was released. The correct bonus is “Backstab, Shadowstrike, and Shuriken Storm critical strikes increase the damage of Eviscerate and Rupture by 12% and the damage of Black Powder by 8% for 3 seconds.”
      • (4) Set Bonus: Reduced damage bonus to Eviscerate and Rupture to 12% (was 15%) and duration of bonus to 3 seconds (was 6 seconds).
  • Shaman
    • Elemental
      • (4) Set Bonus: Fixed an issue causing this bonus to give less than the intended amount of Mastery.

PET BATTLES

  • Upgrade stones can now be applied to pets directly through the Pet Journal (was use upgrade stone on a summoned pet).

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

  • Instanced PvP activities should now be rewarding strongboxes that contain a variety of consumables, profession reagents, and most importantly PvP recipes. You also get more Primal Chaos and a chance at Infusions at high ratings.
Quote from: Blizzard

Hello Dragonriders AND Dracthyr!

We’ve been hearing lots of feedback from players that Soar feels never worth using, especially as they progress through the Dragonriding Skill Track. While we don’t want them to feel identical, we do want to bring them closer together. We want players to feel like Soaring in the Dragon Isles is a powerful option that embodies the fantasy of flying as a Dracthyr. All the while, we also want Dragonriding to have unique benefits. We’re making some changes with the next build that are aimed toward these goals.

The Dragonriding Skill Track will now confer some benefits to Dracthyr Soar while the Dracthyr player is inside the Dragon Isles

  • Drake and Rider Training has been renamed to Take to the Skies and also increases Soar’s max speed to match that of Dragon Isles Drakes
  • Dynamic Stretching, Restorative Travels, Yearning for the Sky each reduce the cooldown of Soar by 40 sec, reducing it to 2 min with all of these traits
    • Together with Dracthyr’s Familiar Skies, this results in a possible 1 minute cooldown
  • Winds of the Isles, once unlocked, also affects Soar

Thank you all for soaring with us on this journey!

Also, in Dragonriding racing updates, we have the following callouts:

  • Gold and silver times have been updated for advanced courses
  • You can now change mounts during race start countdowns and not fail the race
  • Being a passenger and jumping quickly between different riders using Ride along should no longer remove your whelp visual
  • You can now use all your dragonriding abilities during races

Dragonflight Pre-Expansion Update Notes

The patch notes for next week’s prepatch have been posted!

NEW TALENT SYSTEM MAGE, PRIEST, AND ROGUE AVAILABLE TO ALL RACES
CUSTOMIZE YOUR USER INTERFACE ACHIEVEMENTS
CHARACTERS DUNGEONS AND RAIDS
ITEMS AND REWARDS PET BATTLES
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY
Quote from: Blizzard

The journey to the Dragon Isles is nearly here! Take a look at the first of two pre-expansion updates that go live with the completion of regional realm maintenance beginning 26 October.

NEW TALENT SYSTEM

The Dragonflight pre-expansion patch contains major updates to World of Warcraft classes, centering on the re-introduction of talent trees. The new talent system empowers players to make creative and meaningful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level. Gain talent points with each level-up and spend them in two distinct talent trees – Class talent trees featuring utility skills for your class, and Specialization talent trees that boost your offensive, defensive, or healing powers.

Take a look at some of the features the new talent system brings:

  • Change your talents anywhere, for free. Switching talents no longer requires being in a rested area or using tomes. However, you can’t change talents during combat, Mythic+ runs, and active PvP matches.
  • Starter Build – The Starter Build is a preset talent build available for players who prefer not to choose their own talents, but want a decent build that is suitable for most content.
  • Loadouts – Save and switch between multiple talent builds with ease.
    • Import Loadouts – Easily import talent builds from outside sources.
    • Export Loadouts – Copy a loadout code you can share with friends or online communities.
    • Saved Action Bars – By default, each loadout has its own saved set of action bars. However, you can set specific loadouts to share action bars by enabling the loadout option “Use shared action bars.”
  • Unlearned Talent History – Unlearning a talent high up in the tree may automatically unlearn lots of talents below it. To make it easier to reconstruct your build, these unlearned talents are clearly marked, and you can mass relearn them by using shift click.
  • Search Bar
    • Locate specific talents, keywords, and even related talents for spotting synergies. For example, searching for “Tidal Waves” will also highlight Riptide, Healing Wave, and Healing Surge since they are mentioned in Tidal Waves’ description.
    • The search bar also has a preset search to help you easily locate abilities missing from your action bars.

 

MAGE, PRIEST, AND ROGUE AVAILABLE TO ALL RACES

All playable races can now join the fray as scholarly Mages, cunning Rogues, or devout Priests in the upcoming Dragonflight pre-expansion patch.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR USER INTERFACE

Get ready for a fresh-looking Heads-Up Display (HUD), and User Interface (UI) revamp designed to be adjustable, effective, attractive, and easily accessible. [LEARN MORE]

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • New mount collection achievement: Thanks for the Carry! – Obtain 500 mounts (useable by a single character). Mount Reward: Otterworldly Ottuk Carrier
  • New pet collection achievements have been added:
    • Many More Mini Minions – Collect 1250 unique pets. Pet Reward: Crystalline Mini-Monster
    • Proven Pet Parent – Collect 1500 unique pets. Pet Reward: Secretive Frogduck
    • What Can I Say? They Love Me. – Collect 1750 unique pets. Pet Reward: Violet Violence
    • Good Things Come in Small Packages – Collect 2000 unique pets. Pet Reward: Mister Muskoxeles

CHARACTERS

  • Resurrection Sickness now lasts 1 minute (was 10 minutes). Characters that resurrect at a Spirit Healer below level 10 now suffer 10% durability loss, and characters that resurrect at a Spirit Healer at level 10 and above now suffer 50% durability loss (was all levels suffer 25% durability loss).
  • Up to 5 players of any faction can tag an enemy to earn quest credit and drops (was faction specific). War Mode is unchanged.
  • Resolved an issue that caused Da Voodoo Shuffle (Troll Racial) to reduce the duration of roots by less than intended. Duration reduced by 20%, matching current Snare reduction amount.

DUNGEONS AND RAIDS

  • Castle Nathria, Sanctum of Domination, and Sepulcher of the First Ones now use Group Loot.

ITEMS AND REWARDS

  • New Toy: Seed of Renewed Souls – Embrace the spirits of the weald, transforming into your Soulshape. 5 minute cooldown. Available from Lady Muunn in Heart of the Forest.
  • Eternity’s End class set bonuses are now legacy and disabled in combat.
    • Developers’ note: While it’s routine for us to mark older set bonuses as Legacy, we do not normally take this step so soon after they were acquired. Unfortunately, the extent of class changes coming in the pre-patch is an exceptional circumstance that has led to this decision. In the future, it is not our intention to repeat this timing when marking class sets as Legacy.
      To account for the removal of set bonuses and addition of the new talent trees, game content will be re-tuned so that difficulty remains relatively the same.

PET BATTLES

  • Upgrade stones can now be applied to pets directly through the Pet Journal (was use upgrade stone on a summoned pet).

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

  • RATED SOLO SHUFFLE
    • New Rated game mode: Rated Solo Shuffle. This mode is a Rated version of our Solo Shuffle Brawl that was introduced in Shadowlands. Unique to this Rated game mode, players will have a rating tracked for each of their character’s specializations. Just like in Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas, you’ll be able to earn seasonal rewards and achievements, credit towards Vicious mounts, weekly great vault progress, and Conquest. Additionally, cross-faction is enabled for Rated Solo Shuffle so Horde and Alliance can match together and play against each other.
  • Gladiator’s Distinction (Trinket Set Bonus) now provides 10% reduction to incoming crowd control effects in addition to existing effects.
  • Trinkets with the Relentless effect are now capped at level 60. There are no plans for a Dragonflight Season 1 version of this trinket.
  • CLASSES
    • All ranged spell casting and healing specializations have a new PvP Talent: Precognition – If an interrupt is used on you while you are not casting, gain 15% Haste and become immune to control effects for 4 seconds.
    • DEATH KNIGHT
      • Rot and Wither – Now available for all Death Knight specializations (was Blood only).
      • Necrotic Aura – Now available for all Death Knight specializations (was Unholy only).
      • Chill Streak – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
    • DEMON HUNTER
      • Cover of Darkness – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
      • Rain from Above – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
      • Glimpse – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
      • Sigil Mastery – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Vengeance only).
    • DRUID
      • Malorne’s Swiftness – Now available for all Druid specializations (was Feral and Guardian only).
      • Reactive Resin – Now available for all Druid specializations (was Restoration only).
      • Reactive Resin’s triggered heal is at 75% effectiveness for Guardian, Feral, and Balance.
    • HUNTER
      • Interlope – Now available for all Hunter specializations (was Beast Mastery only).
      • Diamond Ice – Now available for all Hunter specializations (was Survival only).
      • Beast Mastery
        • Kindred Beasts redesigned to work with Tenacity Pet’s new ability, Fortitude of the Bear – While using a Tenacity pet: Command Pet’s unique ability cooldown reduced by 50% and allies within 20 yards of your pet gain 10% increased maximum health for 10 seconds.
    • MAGE
      • Ice Wall – Now available for all specializations (was Frost only).
      • Ring of Fire – Now available for all specializations (was Fire only).
      • Torment the Weak has been removed.
      • Burst of Cold has been removed.
      • Fire
        • New PvP Talent: Glass Cannon – Increase Fireball and Scorch damage by 40%, but reduces your maximum health by 15%.
      • Frost
        • New PvP Talent: Snowdrift – Summon a strong Blizzard that surrounds you for 6 seconds that slows enemies by 70% and deals Frost damage every 1 second. Enemies that are caught in Snowdrift for 3 seconds consecutively become Frozen in ice, stunned for 4 seconds.
        • New Talent: Frost Bomb – Places a Frost Bomb on the target. After a 5 seconds the bomb explodes, dealing Frost damage to the target and Frost damage to all other targets within 10 yards. All affected targets are slowed by 70% for 4 seconds.
    • MONK
      • Grapple Weapon – Now available for Brewmaster (was Mistweaver and Windwalker only).
      • Mighty Ox Kick – Now available for all Monk specializations (was Brewmaster only).
      • Dematerialize – Now available for Brewmaster (was was Mistweaver only).
      • Alpha Tiger – Now grants 20% Haste (was 30%) after using Tiger Palm. Available for all Monk specializations (was Windwalker only).
      • Wind Waker – Now available for Brewmaster (was Windwalker only).
    • PALADIN
      • Hallowed Ground – Now available for Retribution (Holy and Protection only).
      • Aura of Reckoning – Now available for all Paladin specializations (was Retribution only). For Holy Paladins: The spells empowers your next Judgement once you get to 50 stacks.
      • Vengeance Aura – Now available for all Paladin specializations (was Retribution only).
      • Divine Favor – Removed from PvP talents and moved into the talent tree.
    • PRIEST
      • New PvP Talent: Eternal Rest – Reduces the cooldown of Shadow Word: Death by 12 seconds.
      • New PvP Talent: Catharsis – 20% of all damage that you take is stored. The stored amount cannot exceed 15% of your maximum health. The initial damage of your next Shadow Word: Pain or Purge the Wicked deals this stored damage to your target.
      • Delivered from Evil – Now available for all Priest specializations (was Holy only).
      • Cardinal Mending – Now available for all Priest specializations (was Holy only).
      • Purification – Now available for Holy (was Discipline only).
      • Purified Resolve – Now available for Holy (was Discipline only).
      • Strength of Soul – Now available for all Priest specializations
      • Driven to Madness – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
      • Void Origins – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
      • Void Volley – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
      • Improved Mass Dispel – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
      • Void Shift – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
      • Void Shield – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
      • Great Fade – has been removed.
    • ROGUE
      • Dagger in the Dark – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Subtlety only).
        • Each second while Stealth is active, nearby enemies within 10 yards (was 12 yards) take an additional 5% damage from your next Shadowstrike or Ambush for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 8 times (was 10 times).
      • Dagger in the Dark increases Shadowstrike damage for Subtlety, and Ambush damage for Assassination and Outlaw.
      • Veil of Midnight – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Subtlety only).
      • Control is King – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Outlaw only).
      • Flying Daggers – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
      • Intent to Kill – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
      • Float Like a Butterfly – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
    • SHAMAN
      • Traveling Storms – Now available for all Shaman specializations (was Elemental only).
      • Traveling Storms has been redesigned – Thunderstorm now can be cast on allies within 40 yards, reducing enemies movement speed by 60% and knocks enemies 25% further. Thundershock knocks enemies 100% higher.
      • Tidebringer – Now available for all Shaman specializations (was Restoration only).
      • Lightning Lasso – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
    • WARLOCK
      • Call Observer – Now available for all Warlock specializations (was Demonology only).
      • Bonds of Fel – Now available for all Warlock specializations (was Destruction only).
    • WARRIOR
      • Rebound – Reflected spells now cause 50% extra damage back to the attacker (was 33%). Now available for all Warrior specializations (was Protection only).
      • Battle Trance has been redesigned – You go into a trance causing you to regenerate 3% of your health and generate 3 Rage every 3 seconds for 18 seconds after using Raging Blow twice in a row on a target or striking a target with Annihilator 8 times. Striking a new target with Raging Blow or Annihilator will cancel this effect.
      • Enduring Rage redesigned to also work with Annihilator:
        • Raging Blow functionality – Increases the duration of your Enrage effect by 1 second, and your Raging Blows extend the duration of your Enrage by 1.5 seconds.
        • Annihilator functionality – Increases the duration of your Enrage effect by 1 second, and your Annihilator damage extends the duration of your Enrage by 0.5 seconds.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

  • Added an option to combine all bags into a single bag window. Enable this option under Options > Controls > Combine Bags into a Single Backpack.
  • The login screen has been updated.
  • Barbershop services are now free of cost.
  • Icon selection for macros, equipment sets, and guild banks now supports drag-and-drop from certain sources (items, spells, mounts, battle pets, macros).
  • Added a new mouseover cursor for NPCs offering a Campaign Quest.
  • Horde characters now have wyvern icons surrounding their action bars instead of gryphons.
  • Implemented additional Gamepad support.
  • OPTIONS MENU
    • You can now search for options using the newly added search bar.
    • Added tooltips to various options.
    • Some options from the previous Raid Profile page have been moved under Interface, while others have been moved to Edit Mode.
    • You can now right click a keybind to unbind it.
    • NEW FEATURE: INTERACT KEY
      • Press the Interact Key to interact with NPCs and objects with a keypress instead of your mouse.
      • Interactive NPCs and objects will highlight as you enter interact range. An icon will appear above NPCs.
      • The default Interact Key is F. If F is not working or is bound to something else, go to the Keybindings menu and make sure “Interact With Target” is bound to a key.
      • Enable this option under Options > Controls > Enable Interact Key.
    • NEW FEATURE: PRESS AND HOLD CASTING
      • Allows the player to continually cast a spell by holding down the hotkey instead of having to repeatedly press the button.
      • Only keyboard hotkeys are supported; holding down a mouse click will still only cast the spell a single time.
      • Doesn’t work with macros and items.
      • Enable this option under Options > Combat > Press and Hold Casting.
    • NEW FEATURE: ACTION TARGETING
      • Automatically targets enemies as you approach them, allowing you to start casting abilities immediately.
      • Dynamically switches targets based on where you’re looking.
      • Works alongside the standard targeting system. If you need to lock on to a target, simply press Tab to enter Tab Target Combat.
      • Enable this option under Options > Combat > Enable Action Targeting.
    • NEW FEATURE: DISPLAY NAME SIZE ADJUSTMENT
      • Players can now set a minimum text size to keep in-world names legible.
      • Enabling this option will make names fade with distance instead of shrinking in size.
      • Enable this option under Options > Accessibility > Minimum Character Name Size.

 

 

 

To view all content update notes, click here.

For World of Warcraft customer support, please visit our Support Site or our Customer Support discussion forum. If you’ve found a bug, please let us know about it in our Bug Report Forum.

Shadowlands Season 4 Ends Soon and a Look at Post-Season

Quote from: Blizzard

As we continue to move toward the launch of Dragonflight, the last season of Shadowlands is coming to an end. While some rewards are being retired, others will still be obtainable throughout the Dragonflight pre-expansion period until the Dragon Isles officially become available for play.

What is Going Away?

When Season 4 ends, the following rewards will no longer be available:

  • Mythic+ Dungeons
    • The “Shrouded Hero” title awarded by the “Shrouded Hero: Shadowlands Season 4” achievement. Titles will be awarded to eligible players after the Season ends.
  • Arenas and Rated Battlegrounds
    • The “Eternal Gladiator”, “Hero of the Horde: Eternal”,  and “Hero of the Alliance: Eternal” titles. Titles will be awarded based on rating cutoffs that you check on our PvP Leaderboards.
    • Rank achievements (such as Duelist: Shadowlands Season 4) and their respective titles.
    • Rank awarded Elite Transmogrification (transmog) appearances (Armor, Weapon Illusion, Cloak, Tabard).
    • Progress towards the Gladiator: Shadowlands Season 4 achievement (and associated mount reward).

Note: If you are eligible to receive one of the rewards listed above, we recommend you refrain from using any character services like Race Change, Faction Change, or Character Transfer until you receive your rewards, to avoid any issues.

For specific timing of the end of the season for your region, read this forum post.

What Happens During the Post-Season Period?

Once Shadowlands Season 4 has ended, the following rewards will continue to be available until Dragonflight launches:

  • Mythic+ Dungeons
    • The Shadowlands Keystone Master: Season 4 achievement and the Restoration Deathwalker mount.
    • Keystone Hero achievements, along with their dungeon-specific teleport rewards.
    • Mythic+ rating can be earned and increased as you complete higher Keystones.
    • Valor Points can be earned and used to upgrade gear based on your rating.
    • Great Vault progress can be accrued for weekly rewards.
  • PvP
    • You can continue to queue for rated Arena and rated Battleground matches.
    • PvP rating can still be earned and increased as you win rated matches.
    • Vicious Mount progress will continue.
    • Vicious Saddle progress (if Vicious Mount is finished) can continue.
    • Honor and Conquest can be obtained and used to upgrade gear based on your rating.
    • Great Vault progress can be accrued for weekly rewards.
  • Fated Raids
    • After Season 4 ends, all Shadowlands Raids will become Fated permanently until Dragonflight launches.
    • The achievement “Fates of the Shadowlands Raids” along with Jigglesworth Sr. can be obtained, along with the “Hero of Fate” and raid teleports for completing Fated Shadowlands raids on Heroic and Mythic difficulties, respectively.
    • Puzzling Cartel Dinars will continue to be available.
    • Confounding Antique Cypher (Heroic) and Confounding Ancient Cypher (Mythic) can still be obtained to upgrade items.
    • Great Vault progress can be accrued for weekly rewards.

‘Tis the Season

The time is drawing near to give Shadowlands Season 4 its proper sendoff, but there’s still many adventures to be had before we set on the road to the Dragon Isles. We’ll see you in Azeroth!

The Dragonflight Pre-Expansion Patches Go Live Beginning 26 Oct

We finally have an official date for the prepatch! The 10.0 prepatch goes live next week! We’ll have to wait longer for the event though, it won’t start until November 16th. Additionally there will be twitch drops for WoW, though we don’t have any details from Blizzard on what those will be yet! Check out all the details below:

Quote from: Blizzard

Every new adventure begins with a single step, and the journey to the Dragon Isles is nearly here when the first of two pre-expansion patches go live with the completion of regional realm maintenance beginning 26 October.

Phase One: 26 October

  • Talent System Revamp: Dragonflight contains major updates to World of Warcraft classes, centering on the re-introduction of talent trees. The new talent system empowers players to make creative and meaningful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level.
  • Heads-up Display User Interface (HUD UI) Changes: Players will experience an updated User Interface (UI) and Heads-Up Display (HUD), allowing customization of the base UI and providing a modernized appearance to the layout and view while maintaining the original design’s charm and personality.
  • Accessibility Features: A variety of new features that will include “press and hold” spellcasting, interact keys, gamepad support, and more.
  • Rated Solo Shuffle: First introduced as a PvP Brawl, we up the stakes by adding the ability for players to earn (or lose!) rating with the introduction of Rated Solo Shuffle. Players will be able to earn seasonal rewards and achievements, credit toward Vicious Mounts, weekly great vault progress, and Conquest similar to Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas. Cross-faction play will also be enabled.
  • New Class and Race Combinations: The rogue, priest, and mage classes will become available to all races to create and play.

Phase Two: 16 November

  • New Race/Class: Dracthyr Evoker Available: Players will menace their foes (or empower their allies) as the new dracthyr Evoker, World of Warcraft’s first-ever race and class combination. Able to switch between a humanoid visage and a fearsome draconic form, the dracthyr are highly mobile, and their unique Evoker class can specialize in ranged damage-dealing or in aiding their allies as a healer by harnessing the mystical gifts of dragonkind.
  • New Zone: The Forbidden Reach: Play through the starting zone for WoW’s newest hero class, the Dracthyr Evoker
  • New Dungeon: Uldaman: Legacy of Tyr: Located in the Badlands within the Eastern Kingdoms, players will venture into Uldaman to lay claim to a legacy of knowledge left behind by the titans. This ancient titan facility is where, long ago, allies of the heroic Keeper Tyr hid the Discs of Norgannon.
  • In-Game Events: Primal Storms: Ward off attacks from the Primalists with new quests and world events, setting the stage for Dragonflight’s launch.