The War Within Beta Updates 10 July 2024: Notes, Mythic+ Affixes, Delves & Healing

Heya! Here are this week’s updates to the War Within Beta:

CLASSES

• DEATH KNIGHT
  • Unholy Strength (Rune of the Fallen Crusader) now heals for 4% maximum health (was 6%).
  • An issue causing Raise Abomination to deal less damage than it should has been fixed.
  • Hero Talents
    • Deathbringer (Blood/Frost)
      • Frost
        • Exterminate first scythe damage increased by 25%.
        • Exterminate second scythe damage increased by 20%.
        • Soul Rupture now deals 30% of the damage dealt to nearby enemies.
        • Reaper’s Mark melee ability damage (not the stacked debuff) increased by 88%.
        • Wave of Souls damage increased by 15%.
    • Rider of the Apocalypse (Frost/Unholy)
      • Whitemane Death Coil cast frequency increased.
      • Whitemane Undeath cast frequency increased.
      • Trollbane’s Icy Fury now correctly deals Shadowfrost damage (was dealing Frost damage).
      • Trollbane’s Icy Fury deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.
      • Unholy
        • Undeath damage now scales with Unholy Death Knight’s Mastery.
        • Trollbane’s Icy Fury now scales correctly with Unholy Death Knight’s Mastery.
        • Vampiric Strike now functions with Reaping.
    • San’layn (Unholy/Blood)
      • Infliction of Sorrow now extends the duration of Virulent Plague/Blood Plague by 3 seconds while Gift of the San’layn is active (was 2 seconds).
• DEMON HUNTER
  • Hero Talents
    • Aldrachi Reaver
      • Thrill of the Fight damage increase reduced to 20% (was 30%).
      • Reaver’s Mark damage increase reduced to 12/24% (was 15/30%).
      • Reaver’s Mark converted to stacks – Now grants 1 stack if cast first, 2 if cast second.
      • Havoc
        • Warblade’s Hunger Felblade now consumes up to 5 nearby Soul Fragments.
  • Havoc
    • Consuming Lesser Soul Fragments now heals for 6% of maximum health (was 10%).
• DRUID
  • Swiftmend healing increased by 15%.
  • Restoration
    • Wild Growth healing increased by 15%.
    • Rejuvenation healing increased by 15%.
    • Regrowth healing increased by 15%.
• EVOKER
  • Hero Talents
    • Scalecommander (Devastation/Augmentation)
      • Bombardments damage increased by 30%.
  • Devastation
    • Eternity Surge damage increased by 15%.
    • Imminent Destruction is no longer the capstone, and has swapped positions with Feed the Flames.
  • Preservation
    • Nerub-ar Palace Class Set
      • (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Reversion’s healing is increased by 10%, and it has a 50% chance to grant 1 additional stack of Temporal Compression.
      • (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Temporal Compression increases the healing of your next empower spell by 10% per stack.
• HUNTER
  • Rejuvenating Wind now heals 12% maximum health over its duration (was 20%).
  • Survival
    • Grenade Juggler has been updated – Casting Explosive Shot reduces the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb by 2 seconds.
    • Grenade Juggler and Sulfur-Lined Pockets procs will no longer grant the cooldown reduction effect. Tooltip will be updated in 11.0.2.
    • Bombardier is no longer consumed by Sulfur-Lined Pockets or Grenade Juggler procs.
• MAGE
  • Reabsorption now heals for 3% maximum health (was 5%).
  • Cryo-Freeze now causes Ice Block to heal for 25/50% of maximum health over its duration (was 40/80%).
  • Hero Talents
    • Spellslinger (Frost/Arcane)
      • Splinterstorm no longer has a chance to grant Clearcasting.
      • Splintering Orbs now generates 2 Splinters per target hit (was 4).
      • Spellfrost Teachings now summons an Arcane Orb at 50% effectiveness and no longer increases Arcane Orb damage dealt for 10 seconds.
      • Frost
        • Controlled Instincts now has a 4 second grace period.
  • Arcane
    • High Voltage base chance decreased to 10% (was 20%).
    • High Voltage proc chance increase per failure increased to 10% (was 5%).
    • Aether Attunement damage bonus decreased to 100% on primary target and 50% on secondary targets (was 150% and 100% respectively).
    • Arcane Blast damage reduced by 5%.
    • Arcane Missiles damage reduced by 5%.
    • Arcane Barrage damage reduced by 10%.
    • Fixed an issue that was allowing procs such as Orb Barrage and Energy Reconstitution to generate Clearcasting.
  • Frost
    • Death’s Chill now stacks up to 12 times.
    • Time Anomaly now grants a temporary Water Elemental when it procs Icy Veins.
    • Refreshing Icy Veins no longer breaks Fractured Frost, Slick Ice, Death’s Chill, or Thermal Void for the duration of the refreshed Icy Veins.
    • Glacial Spike damage increased by 10%.
    • Cryopathy and Splintering Ray are no longer a choice node.
    • The location of nodes in Gate 3 have been adjusted.
• MONK
  • Healing Elixir now heals for 10% of maximum health (was 15%).
  • Mistweaver
    • Overflowing Mist now heals for 0.6%/1.2% maximum health (was 1%/2%).
    • Life Cocoon absorb amount reduced by 40%.
• PALADIN
  • Hero Talents
    • Herald of the Sun (Holy/Retribution)
      • Sun’s Avatar now contributes 50% of its healing to Beacon of Light (was 100%).
      • Sun’s Avatar healing decreased by 20%.
      • Eternal Flame periodic healing decreased by 20%.
      • Dawnlight now contributes 50% of its healing to Beacon of Light (was 100%).
      • Luminosity now increases the critical strike rate of Holy Shock and Light of Dawn by 5% (was 10%).
      • Gleaming Rays now increases the healing of your Holy Power spenders by 6% (was 10%).
    • Templar (Retribution/Protection)
      • Undisputed Ruling now grants 12% Haste for 6 seconds after casting Hammer of Light (was 15% Haste).
      • Empyrean Hammer damage reduced by 5%.
      • Cries of Redemption now deals 80% of the damage to nearby enemies on Empyrean Hammer critical strikes (was 60%).
      • Retribution
        • Sacrosanct Crusade effectiveness reduced by 25%.
  • Holy
    • Holy Light’s healing decreased by 20%.
    • Imbued Infusions now reduces the cooldown of Holy Shock by 1 second (was 2 seconds).
  • Retribution
    • Crusader Aura talent is no longer granted by default in the Class tree for Retribution.
    • Greater Judgment talent is now granted by default in the Class tree for Retribution.
    • Consecrated Blade is no longer a talent and now learned at level 11.
    • New Talent: Holy Flames – Divine Storm deals 10% increased damage and when it hits an enemy affected by your Expurgation, it spreads the effect to up to 4 targets hit. You deal 3% increased Holy damage to targets burning from your Expurgation.
    • Justicar’s Vengeance now heals for 3% of maximum health (was 5%).
    • Blessed Champion is now a 1-point talent (was 2).
    • The following talents are now 2 points (was 1):
      • Heart of the Crusader
      • Zealot’s Fervor
    • Holy Flames is now in a choice node with Blade of Vengeance.
    • Empyrean Legacy moved to where Vanguard of Justice was on the talent tree.
    • Vanguard of Justice has been removed.
• PRIEST
  • Hero Talents
    • Voidweaver (Discipline/Shadow)
      • Shadow
        • Collapsing Void damage reduced by 20%.
  • Discipline
    • Pain Transformation now heals for 15% of maximum health (was 25%).
• ROGUE
  • Cloaked in Shadows now creates an absorb for 18% of maximum health (was 30%).
  • Soothing Darkness now heals for 15% maximum health over its duration (was 24%).
• SHAMAN
  • Hero Talents
    • Stormbringer (Elemental/Enhancement)
      • Tempest damage increased by 50%.
  • Elemental
    • Echo of the Elemental’s Lesser Elementals now deal 65% of the main Elemental’s damage.
  • Enhancement
    • Elemental Blast damage reduced by 25%.
      • This change has been reverted.
    • Nerub-ar Palace Class Set
      • (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Now grants +1 Feral Spirit when activating Feral Spirits.
  • Restoration
    • Earthen Wall Totem’s health reduced by 40%.
    • Torrent now increases Riptide’s initial healing by 20% and its critical strike rate by 10%.
• WARLOCK
  • Demon Skin now creates an absorb for 0.12/0.24% maximum health (was 0.2/0.4%) and may stack up to 5/10% of your maximum health (was 8/15%).
  • Hero Talents
    • Hellcaller (Destruction/Affliction)
      • Seeds of Their Demise has been redesigned – After Wither reaches 8 stacks or when its host reaches 20% health, Wither deals Shadowflame damage to its host every 1 second until 1 stack remains. When Blackened Soul deals damage, you have a chance to gain Tormented Crescendo/2 stacks of Flashpoint.
      • Blackened Soul damage increased by 30%.
      • Blackened Soul has been redesigned – Spending Soul Shards on damaging spells will further corrupt enemies affected by your Wither, increasing its stack count by 1. Each time Wither gains a stack it has a chance to deal Shadowflame to its host every 1 second until 1 stack remains.
      • Malevolence has been redesigned – Dark magic erupts from you and corrupts your soul for 20 seconds, causing enemies suffering from your Wither to take Shadowflame damage and increase its stack count by 6. While corrupted your Haste is increased by 8% and spending Soul Shards on damaging spells grants 1 additional stack of Wither.
    • Soul Harvester (Demonology/Affliction)
      • Succulent Soul has been redesigned – A Succulent Soul empowers your next Malefic Rapture/Hand of Gul’dan, increasing its damage by 20%, and unleashing your demonic soul to deal Shadow damage.
      • Shadow of Death has been redesigned – Your Soul Rot/Summon Demonic Tyrant is empowered by the demonic entity within you, causing it to grant 3 Soul Shards that each contain a Succulent Soul.
  • Affliction
    • Soul Conduit now has a 10% chance to refund a Soul Shard (was 5%).
      • Developer’s note: We are increasing the effect of Soul Conduit for Affliction and Destruction due to the lower Soul Shard generation and spending rates these two specializations share compared to Demonology.
  • Destruction
    • Soul Conduit now has a 10% chance to refund a Soul Shard (was 5%).
      • Developer’s note: We are increasing the effect of Soul Conduit for Affliction and Destruction due to the lower Soul Shard generation and spending rates these two specializations share compared to Demonology.
• WARRIOR
  • Arms
    • Storm Wall now heals for 5% of maximum health (was 8%).
    • Pain and Gain now heals for 2.1% maximum health (was 3.5%).
  • Fury
    • Invigorating Fury now heals for 10% of maximum health (was 15%).
    • Pain and Gain now heals for 2.1% maximum health (was 3.5%).

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

• CLASSES
  • HUNTER
    • Survival of the Fittest no longer reduces damage taken by an additional 10% in PvP combat.
    • Exhilaration no longer heals for an additional 10% of max health in in PvP combat.
    • Kill Shot damage is no longer increased by 10% in PvP combat.
    • Beast Mastery
      • Cobra Shot damage is no longer reduced by 33% in PvP combat.
      • Bestial Wrath damage bonus is no longer reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
      • Barbed Shot is no longer reduced by 7% in PvP combat.
    • Marksmanship
      • Razor Fragments damage bonus to Kill Shot is longer reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
      • Explosive Shot damage is no longer increased by 10% in PvP combat.
    • Survival
      • Serpent Sting is no longer reduced by 17% in PvP combat.
      • Raptor Strike is no longer reduced by 5% in PvP combat.
      • Mongoose Bite is no longer increased by 3% in PvP combat.
  • PRIEST
    • Greater Heal (PvP Talent) now heals for 40% of maximum health (was 65%).
• REWARDS
  • Raid Rewards
    • Treacherous Transmitter cooldown increased to 1.5 minutes (was 1 minute). Primary stat buff increased accordingly.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

• On the world map, zooming in on Hub icons will allow you to see available quests in the area in more detail.

Greetings, dungeoneers!

Thank you all for your feedback on our new Mythic+ affix system. As we continue to review community responses for future adjustments, we’ve made updates in this week’s Beta.

New Affix

Continuing with the theme of Xal’atath’s Bargain, where players can harness powerful boons granted to dungeon enemies by the Harbinger, we’re adding a new affix to our Beta testing this week.

Xal’atath’s Bargain: Voidbound

• While in combat, Xal’atath summons Void Emissary to empower nearby enemies, gradually increasing their damage. Upon defeating the Void Emissary, players harness the void energy for themselves, increasing their critical chance by 20% for 20 seconds.

Affix Adjustments

Xal’atath’s Bargain: Ascendant

• We’ve seen a lot of feedback regarding the visual noise caused by the number of orbs being created. To address this issue, we’re reducing the total number of Orb of Ascendance from 20 to 10.

Xal’atath’s Bargain: Frenzied

• We’ve heard feedback that this affix feels less visible compared to Ascendant, and is more punishing due to its passive nature without too much counterplay. It’s also less thematic compared to Ascendant where Xal’atath is present throughout the dungeon. With these considerations, we’re removing this affix from Beta testing.

With the Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes, we want to create varied challenges that highlight different class skills and utilities in ways that do not feel exclusionary. We look forward to your feedback and discussions on these changes.

We’ll see you in dungeons!

Hello everyone! We’d like to share some updates for you on Delves.

Tuning and Experience

Across the board we’ve increased the XP rewards from delves during level up as they felt a bit too low.

We’ve also done a general tuning pass across all tiers and will continue to monitor difficulty for all specs and classes. From your feedback and from our testing we saw that delves became particularly punishing throughout level up, and that many specs felt like they had to be several item levels higher than the recommended item level to survive.

We’re continuing to review the tuning for classes that are struggling in delves. We’ve seen your feedback on which classes are having a hard time. We also have our own data that shows performance in each delve by class and spec. We’ll be using your feedback and our data points to help improve the experience for players that are struggling. Keep it coming and we’ll keep you updated!

Bountiful Delves

We are in the middle of reviewing how we want bountiful delves to work at max level. Here’s what we’ll be rolling out:

• Bountiful Delves will be consumed upon completion.
• Bountiful Delves base chests are upgraded in quality.
• Locked chests are still there, but will go away if you lose all of your lives.

Our goal with Bountiful Delves being consumed is to encourage players to see more delves and their variants. We’re modifying how many keys players can get per week while also increasing the base rewards from Bountiful Delves so they’re still worth running even without any keys.

We’re still working on balancing these numbers so please give us feedback as these new systems come online!

Brann Bronzebeard

We’re continuing to do work to tweak Brann and improve the experience with him and understanding what he’s doing from the moment to moment gameplay. These will be rolled out throughout upcoming patches.

• Moved several of Brann’s “big” abilities to be unlocked at earlier levels.
• Modified the number of abilities Brann has to be more readable
• Brann’s “ultimate” abilities will now go on a rotation with each other to ensure he consistently uses them throughout combat. This means Brann’s use of his bigger abilities will be more focused and spread out to avoid a situation where it feels like Brann isn’t doing anything.
• Dwarven Medicine will now heal player pets.
• We’re aware of an issue of curios and Brann’s levels being reset and are looking into the root cause of this.

General

• Player class cooldowns will now reset after wiping to a boss encounter.

Tak-Rethan Abyss and The Sinkhole

• The Aquatic Hex will no longer apply slowfall.

The Dread Pit

• The Skardyn Lure for one of the variants will now pull skardyn even if they’re in combat. Other parts of this mechanic have also been tweaked.
• Removed the nerubian web spreaders from the skardyn variant.

Skittering Breach

• Moved the web spreaders to be within the cave system of the delve to give our other mechanics some breathing room.

Hello, healers of Azeroth.

In today’s new Beta build, we’re making some significant changes to healing that we’ve outlined in the development notes. Health pools are increasing (relative to their Dragonflight values), which has changed how it feels to heal other players in a variety of content.

Most notably, we’re reducing the strength of percentage-based healing spells to keep them in-line with their intended power, and we’re increasing the effectiveness of hybrid healing and single target heals to ensure they remain an effective means of defensive power.

We hope with these adjustments that healing doesn’t become any easier or harder. We intend to shift some of the challenging moments from overwhelming bursty damage to a more sustained healing profile.