TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEW ZONE: THE EMERALD DREAM
A special seed, planted by Tyrande, has grown into a new World Tree and is on the verge of crossing over into Azeroth. Fyrakk and his forces, including his new allies—the Druids of the Flame, move beneath the boughs of the World Tree, inflaming the Dream denizens as they attempt to tear into the Emerald Dream to infuse the heart of the World Tree with fire and use it as a conduit to spread eternal flames throughout Azeroth. There is plenty of Renown to be earned with a new faction—The Dream Wardens. Help denizens of the Dream comprised of Keepers, dryads, druids, green dragonflight, and runebears to earn Renown and rewards.
GROW SEEDS TO SAPLINGS IN NEW PUBLIC EVENTS
The Guardians of the Dream update ushers in a new cycle of Public Events. Superbloom is the primary Public Event scenario in the Emerald Dream, alongside the Emerald Bounty, which has a series of micro-events triggered across the zone. Exercise your green thumb and help things grow, beat up baddies, and receive Emerald Dewdrops, event currency, to get rewards!
AMIRDRASSIL, THE DREAM’S HOPE RAID
Having been carefully nurtured within the Emerald Dream, Amirdrassil is preparing to bloom and cross into Azeroth. But the fate of the new world tree cannot be secured until Azeroth’s champions come together to face Fyrakk and his molten allies, before he devours the heart of Amirdrassil and bathes the world in flame. Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope features nine boss encounters: Gnarlroot ; Igira the Cruel ; Volcoross ; Council of Dreams ; Larodar, Keeper of the Flame ; Nymue, Weaver of the Cycle ; Smolderon ; Tindral Sageswift, Seer of the Flame ; and Fyrakk the Blazing.Raid release schedule:
- Week of November 14 – Raid Finder Wing 1: Incarnates Wake (Gnarlroot | Igira the Cruel | Smolderon), Normal, Heroic, Mythic
- Week of November 21 – Raid Finder Wing 2: Molten Incursion (Volcoross | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame)
- Week of November 28 – Raid Finder Wing 3: The Viridian Weave (Council of Dreams | Nymue, Weaver of the Cycle)
- Week of December 12 – Raid Finder Wing 4: Fate of Amirdrassil (Tindral Sageswift, Seer of the Flame | Fyrakk the Blazing)
Notable rewards:
- New legendary weapon: Fyr’alath, the Dream Render: Two-Handed Axe (Death Knights, Paladins, Warriors)
- New dragonriding mounts: Reins of Anu’relos, Flame’s Guidance (Mythic Difficulty) and Renewed Proto-Drake: Embodiment of the Blazing customization (available in all difficulties)
- Reusable helm enchantment: Players will begin a questline to acquire the Incandescent Essence shortly after entering the raid and can expect to acquire it in their second month of raiding. This powerful item grants players a different effect based on their current role and is not consumed on use. These effects will be disabled in PvP. Quest progress is capped on a weekly basis and will be accelerated five weeks after the season begins to allow players to easily catch up if they miss the start of the season.
DREAM’S HOPE CLASS ARMOR SETS DEATH KNIGHT, MONK, DRUID, HUNTER EVOKER, PALADIN, WARRIOR ROGUE, MAGE, PRIEST WARLOCK, SHAMAN, DEMON HUNTER Collect the Dream’s Hope armor set for unique bonuses to your class abilities by conquering Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope raid bosses, through the Great Vault, or by converting armor pieces via the Revival Catalyst.
DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 3
Dragonflight Season 3 begins the week of November 14. Players will be able to gather their allies and enter Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope on all difficulties, including Raid Finder Wing 1: Incarnates Wake.Mythic+Dragonflight Season 3 Mythic+ brings new dungeons to the Mythic+ rotation: Dawn of the Infinite: Galakrond’s Fall, Dawn of the Infinite: Murozond’s Rise, Waycrest Manor (Battle for Azeroth), Atal’Dazar (Battle for Azeroth), Darkheart Thicket (Legion), Black Rook Hold (Legion), The Everbloom (Warlords of Draenor), and Throne of the Tides (Cataclysm).The new seasonal rewards for Mythic+ include the two new titles “the Dreaming” and “the Dreaming Hero”, dungeon teleports, and a new coloration of the Mythic+ Armoredon mount: Verdant Armoredon.PvPThe new season also brings a new PvP Ladder, increased item level gear, and new rewards: Arena title: “Verdant Gladiator”, Rated Solo Shuffle title: “Verdant Legend”, a new weapon illusion, tabard, cloak, pennant, weapon appearances, Verdant Gladiator’s Slitherdrake dragonriding appearance, and new Vicious mounts–Alliance and Horde-themed Moonbeasts.New World Boss: Aurostor the HibernatingAurostor follows a strict regimen of sleep. Fyrakk’s assault on the Emerald Dream has disturbed this cycle, rousing the Furbolg Wild God from his slumber too soon. In a sleep deprived state, this raging Wild God attacks any passersby in an attempt to wear himself out.
BATTLEGROUND BLITZ BRAWL
Players will be able to queue either solo or as a duo (if one player is a healer) for epic 8v8 PvP action in fast and furious action on one of eight initially available maps: Warsong Gulch, Twin Peaks, Temple of Kotmogu, Eye of the Storm, Silvershard Mines, Battle for Gilneas, Arathi Basin, and Deepwind Gorge. The Battleground Blitz will be active as an available brawl every week from the time of its release the week of November 7.
NEW BLOOD ELF AND DRUID CUSTOMIZATIONS
Whether you’re looking for a new hair style for you blood elf or looking for a new form of expression for your Druid, the Guardians of the Dream update has what you need. Blood Elves can update their look with four new shades of hair colors to choose from.
Druids have a menagerie of fantastical forms to choose from when you visit the in-game Barber Shop, including new Moonkin customizations.
Golden Gladehart and Purple and Blue Dreamtalon Moonkin Form
- Moonkin have a variety of new customizations including new feather colors and sizes, beaks, horns, eyebrows, whiskers, decorations, and effects. Visit your local Barber to view all the available options.
Bear Form
- Runebear: Yellow
- Umbraclaw: Brown, White, Black
- Bristlebruin: Green, Ash
Cat Form
- Dreamsaber: Blue, Purple, Green
Travel Form: Ground
- Gladehart: Green, Golden, Ashes
- Dreamtalons: Black/Purple, Blue, Green/Red, Purple/Blue, White/Green
Travel Form: Aquatic
Travel Form: Flight
- Somnowl: Slumbering, Azure, Anu’relos, Flames Guidance
ACHIEVEMENTS
- Flying on the Dragon Isles is now available after earning the new Dragon Isles Pathfinder achievement.
CLASSES
Unholy
- Developers’ note: In Guardians of the Dream we are looking to redistribute Unholy’s damage profile. Unholy has some of the highest burst in the game which means most of their damage profile needs to be tuned around that window. The goal with these changes is to reduce their 3 minute burst while increasing their rotational damage and giving more impact to their 45 second windows which should allow for an overall more healthy damage profile across a fight. We fully expect Unholy will still excel in their Gargoyle windows but they should now also have a little more impact outside of it as well.
- Unholy Assault now increases all damage dealt by 20% (was granting 20% Haste for 20 seconds).
- Soul Reaper damage increased by 20%.
- Death Coil damage increased by 12%.
- Scourge Strike damage increased by 12%.
- Festering Strike damage increased by 20%.
- Festering Wound damage increased by 10%.
- Raise Dead (Main Ghoul) damage increased by 10%.
- Summon Gargoyle damage reduced by 30%.
- Army of the Dead ghoul damage reduced by 25%.
- Ghouls summoned by Apocalypse now have their own scaling from the Death Knight’s stats separate from Army of the Dead.
- Apocalypse Ghoul damage increased by 12%.
DEMON HUNTER
Vengeance
- A few talents have changed locations and/or had new connections added.
- 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.
- Shear damage increased by 21%.
- Fracture damage increased by 21%.
- Soul Cleave damage increased by 23%.
- Throw Glaive damage increased by 30%.
- Chains of Anger now increases duration of Sigil effects by 2 seconds in addition to its previous effect.
- Chains of Anger now correctly increases cast reticle size of Sigils.
- Soul Carver now generates 3 soul fragments on initial strike (was 2).
- Fel Devastation damage increased by 30%.
- Fel Devastation cooldown reduced to 40 seconds (was 1 minutes).
- Stoke the Flames damage bonus for Fel Devastation reduced to 35% (was 40%).
- Fiery Brand now deals damage every 1 second (was 2 seconds), dealing the same total damage over its duration.
- Fiery Brand duration increased by 2 seconds.
- Burning Alive now causes Fiery Brand to spread every 1 second (was 2 seconds).
- Calcified Spikes now provides its benefit if Demon Spikes is refreshed in addition to when it expires.
- Demon Spikes can no longer be cancelled manually.
- Meteoric Strikes now reduces the cooldown of Infernal Strike by 10 seconds (was 8 seconds).
- Fel Flame Fortification now reduces magic damage taken while Immolation Aura is active by 12% (was 10%).
- Feast of Souls healing value increased by 100% and no longer has an initial tick.
- Bulk Extraction cooldown reduced to 1 minute (was 1 minute 30 seconds).
- Soul Barrier absorb values increased by 60%.
- Fiery Demise now increases your Fire damage dealt to enemies afflicted by Fiery Brand by 25/50% (was 20/40%).
- Focused Cleave now increases Soul Cleave damage to primary target by 50% (was 40%).
- 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).
- Darkglare Boon and Sigil of Chains have swapped talent locations.
- Fel Flame Fortification and Revel in Pain talents have swapped locations.
- Deflecting Spikes is no longer connected to Calcified Spikes and Retaliation in the talent tree.
- Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (4) Set Bonus – Souls required to trigger Recrimination increased to 60 (was 20).
- Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (4) Set Bonus – Duration of Fiery Brand applied by Set Bonus reduced to 3 seconds (was 6 seconds).
DRUID
- Heart of the Wild has been updated – Now additionally reduces the cast time of Balance spells by 30% and increases their damage by 20% (was 30%) and generates 1 combo point per 2 seconds while in Cat Form and increases Physical damage by 20% (was 30%).
- Innervate duration is now 8 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Druid of the Flame Cat Form has been updated.
- Balance
Developers’ note: In Guardians of the Dream we’d like to diversify Balance’s talent builds in different content and provide more viable options. Wild Mushrooms was too expensive to compete with other talent options, so we combined it and Fungal Growth into a single point. We also removed the conflict between maintaining Rattle the Stars and maximizing Starlord – we like the “save resources and spend during Eclipse” gameplay of Balance and feel Starlord epitomizes it better.
- 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.
- All ability damage increased by 2%.
- Starsurge damage increased by 6%. This does not affect PvP combat.
- Shooting Stars damage increased by 15%.
- Nature’s Grace now grants 10% Haste (was 15%).
- Power of Goldrinn damage increased by 20%. Moved to where Starlord was located in Fractures in Time.
- Starlord has moved to where Power of Goldrinn was located in Fractures in Time.
- Rattle the Stars has been redesigned – It is no longer a buff that stacks when you cast Starsurge or Starfall and is now a passive bonus that always reduces the cost of Starsurge and Starfall by 10% and increases their damage by 12%.
- Fungal Growth has been removed. Wild Mushrooms now includes the effects of Fungal Growth.
- Wild Mushrooms damage reduced by 12% and the Fungal Growth damage over time has been reduced to 60% of Wild Mushroom damage (was 70%). Fungal Growth’s damage over time now deals damage over 10 seconds (was 8 seconds).
- Friend of the Fae’s tooltip updated – “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 change. 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.
The positions of the Aethereal Kindling and Lunar Shrapnel talents have been swapped.
Fixed a few issues with Balance’s Mastery. Mastery’s default damage bonuses now correctly increase the damage of Wild Mushroom, Power of Goldrinn, and Orbital Strike.
Feral
- Developers’ note: Apex Predator’s value varies a lot in single target and AOE, so we’re evening that out a little. We’re trying a new version of Ashamane’s Guidance, as we don’t love the randomness of the current version with the updated Berserk design – it’s hard to optimize its damage and resource generation without using external tracking mods. The new version will have more consistent value and rewards you for maintaining your most important bleeds.
- New Talent: Saber Jaws – When you spend extra Energy on Ferocious Bite, the extra damage is increased by 40%/80%. Replaces Cat’s Curiosity.
- Ashamane’s Guidance’s effect for Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane has been redesigned – During Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane and for 30 seconds after it ends, your Rip and Rake each cause affected enemies to take 3% increased damage from your abilities.
- Feral Druids can now cast Innervate in Cat Form.
- Rampant Ferocity damage increased by 10%.
- Relentless Predator now reduces the Energy cost of Ferocious Bite by 10% (was 20%).
- Apex Predator’s chance to trigger is increased against a low number of targets and decreased against a high number of targets. Its chance to trigger is about the same as before against 4 targets.
Guardian
- Developers’ note: Guardian Druid’s Rage generation scales exceptionally well with large numbers of targets, often resulting in resource saturation. This adjustment to Blood Frenzy is meant to tone down Rage income in scenarios with large target counts.
- Thrash’s rage generation from Blood Frenzy now has a target cap (was previously uncapped).
- Blood Frenzy now grants 3 Rage each time Thrash deals damage (was 2).
Restoration
Flourish cooldown is now 60 seconds (was 90 seconds).
- Developers’ note: We’re increasing the availability of Flourish as its peak power level has gone down significantly.
Flourish procs from Convoke the Spirits now extends heal over time effects by 3 seconds (was 4 seconds) and lasts 3 seconds (was 4 seconds).
Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (2) Set Bonus – Now increases the healing of Regrowth’s periodic heal by 35% (was 50%).
Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (4) Set Bonus – Now increases the rate of your heal over time effects by 26% (was 30%).
Fixed an issue that caused Efflorescence to slay Grove Guardians.
Circle of Life and Death has been removed.
EVOKER
- Augmentation
Developers’ note: Our goal with these changes is to reduce the power of stacking as many Augmentation buffs as possible on the same 4 targets in raid scenarios. We want to support having multiple Augmentation Evokers in a raid, but also prevent having 4 of them feel required to do maximum damage. By forcing these buffs to spread themselves out, it should still be viable to have multiple Augmentation Evokers without being overpowered.
- If 2 Ebon Mights are already active on an ally, Ebon Might will now seek a nearby ally with fewer than 2 Ebon Mights.
- Ebon Might’s priority to apply to other Augmentation Evokers has been reduced and will apply to other damage dealing roles first.
- If 2 Presciences are already active on an ally, Prescience will no longer be able to be applied to that ally.
- When casting Prescience with an enemy selected, its priority to apply to other Augmentation Evokers has been reduced and will apply to other damage dealing roles first.
- Prescience now has 2 charges.
- Prescience now clears on raid encounter and Mythic+ start.
- Developers’ note: Augmentation’s contributions to the party, particularly in Mythic+, are too impactful and are making it difficult for other compositions to shine. As a result, we’re doing some targeted nerfs to their group utility by reducing the value of Aspects’ Favor, Molten Blood, and Ebon Might.
- Ebon Might grants 8% of the Evoker’s primary stat (was 10%).
- Ebon Might now clears on raid encounter and Mythic+ start.
- Shifting Sands now prefers to apply to an ally who does not already have Shifting Sands.
- Aspects’ Favor increases maximum health by 2/4% (was 3/6%).
- Molten Blood absorption reduced by 50%. This does not affect PvP combat.
Devastation
- Developers’ note: We are reducing the effectiveness of Mastery: Giantkiller and adding a health floor for the damage bonus. The goal is to bring some damage out of Dragonrage due to the talent Tyranny and make Devastation less reliant on hitting high health targets, while still retaining the flavor and gameplay of the Mastery. This makes them less bursty in PvP and allows them to be more flexible in raid and dungeon content. To compensate for the reduced damage during Dragonrage, we’re increasing Devastation’s overall damage as well.
- Mastery: Giantkiller reduced by 25%. For example at level 70, 180 Mastery rating now grants 1.5% Mastery (was 2%). In addition, damage no longer falls off once the target reaches 30% health.
- All damage increased by 8%.
- Disintegrate damage increased by 15%.
- 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
- Living Flame healing increased by 20%.
- Verdant Embrace healing increased by 35%.
- Resonating Sphere applies Echo to the first 3 allies it hits (was 5).
- Cycle of Life now accumulates 10% (was 15%) of your healing over 8 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Rewind recovers 33% of damage taken in the last 5 seconds (was 40%).
- Fluttering Seedlings no longer occur from Emerald Blossoms that are triggered from Echo.
- Fluttering Seedlings healing has been increased by 20%.
HUNTER
- 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.
- Hunter’s Mark now increases all damage taken by the target by 5% while the target is above 80% maximum health.
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.
Fixed an issue where Entrapment didn’t share diminishing returns with other root abilities.
Fixed an issue where several talents or set bonus effects that modified damage dealt or critical damage dealt did not properly affect the damage of Poison Injection.
Beast Mastery
- Developers’ note: Aspect of the Wild and Call of the Wild have struggled to be compelling choices during Dragonflight. Both of these cooldowns were competing for similar design space to make you and your pets feel stronger in a way that feels different than Bestial Wrath. After evaluating these abilities, we have decided to replace Aspect of the Wild entirely and convert it into passive options on the talent tree. The removal of Aspect of the Wild allows us to double down on Call of the Wild being a strong pet summoning cooldown for the Beast Mastery spec. We’re also lowering the number of talent points in the Thrill of the Hunt and Dire Command talent nodes from 3 to 2, which should give you some extra flexibility in your talent choices.
- New Talent: Savagery (Passive) – Kill Command damage is increased by 10%. Barbed Shot lasts 2 seconds longer. Replaces Aspect of the Wild.
- Master Handler has been redesigned – Each time Barbed Shot deals damage, the cooldown of Kill Command is reduced by 0.5 seconds.
- Call of the Wild has been slightly redesigned – Cooldown reduced to 2 minutes (was 3 minutes) and the base ability now also has the added functionality: Whenever Call of the Wild summons a pet, the cooldown of Kill Command and Barbed Shot are reduced by 50%.
- Wild Instincts has been redesigned – While Call of the Wild is active, each time you Kill Command, your Kill Command target takes 3% increased damage from all of your pets, stacking up to 10 times.
- Bloody Frenzy has been redesigned – While Call of the Wild is active, your pets have the effects of Beast Cleave, and each time Call of the Wild summons a pet, all of your pets Stomp.
- Thrill of the Hunt is now a 2-rank talent (was 3). Each rank grants 2% critical strike chance, stacking up to 2/4 times (was 3%, stacking 1/2/3 times).
- Dire Command is now a 2-rank talent (was 3). Each rank grants 15/30% chance to trigger (was 10/20/30%).
- Bonus pets from Call of the Wild now spawn on top of your target rather than by your side.
- Aspect of the Wild and Snake Bite have been removed.
Marksmanship
- Developers’ note: Windrunner’s Guidance being unreliable has added too much variance to a hunter’s performance on each dungeon or raid attempt. This should keep the Wind Arrow theme strong and useful, while being predictable and reliable for how it interacts with your other abilities and the Trueshot cooldown.
- Windrunner’s Guidance has been redesigned – Each Wind Arrow fired reduces the cooldown of Rapid Fire by 0.5 seconds, and every 8 wind arrows increases the duration of your next Trueshot by 1 second, up to a maximum of 10 seconds.
Survival
Wildfire Bombs now deal 40% increased damage to your primary target.
- Developers’ note: The Aberrus Survival set bonus increases the value of Wildfire Bomb while in single target encounters in a way that has worked out well. We want to keep this interaction going forward for Survival, so we are removing it from the set bonus and just making all variants of Wildfire Bomb, including any periodic damage effects, deal 40% increased damage to your primary target when using Wildfire Bomb.
The empowerment buff from Coordinated Assault now lasts for 5 seconds (was 3 seconds).
Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (4) Set Bonus – No longer causes Kill Command to increase damage taken from Wildfire Bombs.
Fixed an issue where the Coordinated Assault empowerment buff had the wrong spell description.
MAGE
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, and Wildfire.
MONK
- Jade Serpent Statue’s Soothing Mist healing increased by 40%.
- Escape from Reality is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
- Mistweaver
Starter Build has been updated.
- Rising Sun Kick is now granted by default.
- Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 20%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
- Healing Elixir has been redesigned as a passive effect – You consume a healing elixir when you drop below 35% health and are not in a loss of control effect, instantly healing you for 15% of your maximum health. You generate 1 healing elixir every 30 seconds, stacking up to 2 times.
- 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%).
- Life Cocoon healing increased by 33%.
- Life Cocoon can no longer be canceled.
Developers’ note: Canceling Life Cocoon early was sometimes optimal in order to trigger Nourishing Chi.
Soothing Mist healing increased by 40%.
Enveloping Mist healing increased by 25%.
Vivify healing increased by 40%.
Misty Peaks chance to trigger reduced to 2.5/5% (was 5/10%).
Enveloping Breath now heals up to 5 nearby targets (was 6).
Enveloping Breath healing decreased by 20%.
Invigorating Mist healing increased by 40%.
Invigorating Mist’s healing is now reduced beyond 5 targets.
Invigorating Mist’s healing visual is now only visible to the caster.
Burst of Life healing increased by 100%.
Essence Font now heals 5 targets (was 6).
Essence Font healing increased by 40%.
- Developers’ note: We aren’t looking to heavily push Essence Font rotationally in Guardians of the Dream, but it’s total healing output has fallen further behind than is comfortable and this may help Faeline Stomp’s initial heal feel more impactful.
Clouded Focus now increases the healing and decreases the mana cost of Vivify and Enveloping Mist by 15% per stack (was 20%).
Ancient Teachings’ range increased to 40 yards (was 30 yards).
Ancient Concordance is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
Unison’s range increased to 40 yards (was 15 yards).
Unison now duplicates 50% of Soothing Mist’s healing done (was 100%).
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).
Expel Harm can no longer be cast on allies during Soothing Mist.
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%).
Faeline Stomp initial heal and damage increased by 150%.
- Developers’ note: We felt Faeline Stomp was not impactful enough on its own for how often it is pressed to activate other effects.
Calming Presence now reduces damage taken by 6% (was 3%). Does not apply in PvP combat.
Bounce Back now reduces damage by 20/40% (was 10/20%), triggers when you receive 12% of your maximum health in damage (was 20%), and lasts and additional 2 seconds. Does not apply in PvP combat.
Blackout Kick damage increased by 15%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
Tiger Palm damage increased by 50%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
Spinning Crane Kick damage increased by 5%.
Ancient Teachings of the Monastery may now stack up to 4 times (was 3).
Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Now increases the healing of Renewing Mist, Soothing Mist, and Enveloping Mist by 12%.
Healing Elixir and Zen Pulse have swapped locations on the talent tree.
Fixed an issue that caused Tear of Morning and Thunder Focus Tea’s Enveloping Mist effects to not be properly increased by 25%.
Windwalker
- Developers’ note: We liked the positive effect that Fangs of the Vermillion Forge had on Windwalker single target damage, and are transferring some of that power from the class set into the base specialization as players adventure into Amirdrassil and replace their existing gear. The net effect of these changes is an overall increase in character power. Additionally, we heard player concerns that the effort required to play Whirling Dragon Punch wasn’t worth the resulting increase in power. We agree, and have increased the damage it deals as a result.
- Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 10%.
- Fists of Fury damage increased by 5% and additional damage to primary target increased by 10%.
- Whirling Dragon Punch damage increased by 10%.
- Fixed an issue that prevented Dance of Chi-Ji from granting Blackout Reinforcement.
- 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.
- Blackout Reinforcement’s tooltip updated to reflect the updated cooldown reduction value.
- Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (2) Set Bonus: Rising Sun Kick bonus damage reduced to 5% (was 10%).
- Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (4) Set Bonus: Fists of Fury primary target damage reduced to 20% (was 30%).
PALADIN
Protection
- Fixed an issue causing misalignment between Consecration and Mastery: Divine Bulwark.
Retribution
- Blade of Vengeance now functions as an addition to your single target Blade of Justice rather than replacing it.
- Fixed a few targeting issues that caused Wrathful Sanction to trigger multiple times on one Judgment cast.
- Fixed an issue causing unintentional Divine Purpose and Empyrean Power proc consumption.
PRIEST
- Developers’ note: Power Infusion has proved to be too impactful due to how it stacks with cooldowns on specializations that excel at dealing damage in a short window. We’re reducing it’s duration and amplitude to balance our burst classes and keep them more in line with steady-state damage dealers.
- Power Infusion Haste reduced to 20% (was 25%) and duration reduced to 15 seconds (was 20 seconds).
- New Talent: Mental Agility – Reduces the mana cost of Purify, Purify Disease, and Mass Dispel by 50% and Dispel Magic by 10%.
- Shadow Word: Death now deals 8% of the Priest’s maximum health in damage when it fails to kill a target instead of the backlash damage being based on damage dealt.
- Tithe Evasion now reduces Shadow Word: Death damage dealt to the Priest by 50% (was 75%).
- Shadow Word: Death backlash damage is now reduced by damage reduction effects.
- Mass Dispel cooldown is now 2 minutes (was 45 seconds).
Developers’ note: We’re reducing the frequency that Priests have access to Mass Dispel as the value of the spell is exceeding the value of other utility at its current power level and cooldown. We’re looking to allow for more situations where magic debuffs are applied to multiple players without having a Priest trivializing the intended difficulty of the mechanics.
Improved Mass Dispel is now a PvP talent and reduces the cooldown of Mass Dispel by 60 seconds (was 20 seconds).
Improved Mass Dispel no longer reduces the cast time of Mass Dispel.
Improved Mass Dispel has been replaced with Mental Agility in the Priest talent tree.
Power Word: Life healing increased by 500% and no longer increases its healing on targets below 35% health.
Power Word: Life now costs 2.5% mana (was 0.5%).
Power Word: Life cooldown decreased to 15 seconds (was 30 seconds), but its cooldown is no longer decreased when cast on targets below 35% health.
Power Word: Life is now only usable on targets below 35% health.
Rhapsody now only highlights Holy Nova at max stacks while in combat.
Discipline
- Developers’ note: The goal of these changes is to simplify Discipline’s damage rotation as well as the number of stacking modifiers used when ramping up for burst healing. This should make it smoother to play by reducing the number of abilities pressed in sequence, allowing players to focus on managing Atonement and triaging their allies instead.
- New Talent: Sanctuary – Smite prevents the next 80% damage dealt by the enemy.
- New Talent: Ultimate Penitence – Ascend into the air and unleash a massive barrage of Penance bolts, causing Holy damage to enemies or healing to allies over 6 seconds. While ascended, gain a shield for 50% of your health. In addition, you are unaffected by knockbacks or crowd control effects.
- New Talent: Heaven’s Wrath – Each Penance bolt you fire reduces the cooldown of Ultimate Penitence by 2 seconds.
- New Talent: Overloaded with Light – Ultimate Penitence emits an explosion of light, healing up to 10 allies around you and applying Atonement at 50% of normal duration.
- Schism has been redesigned to be a passive talent – Now causes Mind Blast to fracture the enemy’s mind, increasing your spell damage to the target by 10% for 9 seconds.
- Harsh Discipline has been redesigned – Power Word: Radiance causes your next Penance to fire 1 (or 2) additional bolts, stacking up to 2 times.
- Shadow Covenant has been redesigned to be a passive talent – Shadowfiend enters you into a shadowy pact, transforming Halo, Divine Star, and Penance into Shadow spells and increasing the damage and healing of your Shadow spells by 25% while active (10% with Mindbender).
Developers’ note: Shadow Covenant is another ability that must be sequenced correctly and is usually stacked with other damage modifiers. By merging this effect with Shadowfiend, we can streamline the damage rotation and make Shadowfiend a more exciting cooldown at the same time.
Shadow Covenant’s visuals have been improved.
Penance damage increased by 32%.
Penance healing increased by 50%.
Power Word: Barrier now reduces 20% of all damage taken (was 25%).
Atonement healing is now increased by 50% when not in a raid.
Flash Heal healing increased by 40%.
Power Word: Shield absorption increased by 10%.
Divine Aegis is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
All damage done reduced by 9%.
Purge the Wicked damage increased by 5%.
Shadow Word: Pain damage increased by 10%.
Sins of the Many increases damage by 20% (was 40%).
Mind Blast now has a 24 second cooldown (was 9 seconds).
Mind Blast damage has been increased by 30%.
Dark Indulgence no longer grants an additional charge of Mind Blast. Instead, Mind Blast has a 100% chance to grant Power of the Dark Side.
Inescapable Torment damage increased by 60%.
Inescapable Torment now triggers from Penance in addition to Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death.
Inescapable Torment is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
Void Summoner reduces the cooldown of Shadowfiend by 4 seconds or Mindbender by 2 seconds (was 2 seconds for both).
Expiation increases Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death damage by 15/30% (was 10/20%).
Weal and Woe increases Smite’s damage by 20% per stack (was 12%) and Power Word: Shield by 10% per stack (was 5%).
Rhapsody now increases the damage of Holy Nova by 10% per stack (was 20%).
Mindbender and Void Summoner have swapped locations in the talent tree.
Fixed an issue causing Mindbender to sometimes return to your side immediately upon being summoned.
Power Word: Solace, Light’s Wrath, Resplendent Light, Wrath Unleashed, Embrace Shadow, and Make Amends have been removed.
- Developers’ note: Power Word: Solace has a long history, but it was another example of a short cooldown damage button that cramped the rotation, so we’re removing it.
Holy
- Developers’ note: With the Flash Heal and Heal buffs, Trail of Light was overperforming, so we’re reducing its value to match its previous power level. We’re also increasing the value of Pontifex since it was an unpopular talent. Finally, we’re making Echo of Light’s period faster so that it is more responsive to damage.
- Flash Heal healing increased by 40%.
- Divine Star healing decreased by 25%.
- Heal healing increased by 40%.
- Holy Word: Serenity healing increased by 30%.
- Holy Word: Salvation’s cooldown is now reduced by 15 seconds (was 30 seconds) by Holy Word: Serenity and Holy Word: Sanctify.
- Holy Word: Sanctify now heals up to 5 allies (was 6).
- Symbol of Hope now restores 10% of missing mana (was 15%).
- Symbol of Hope recovers 30 seconds of cooldown for a major defensive ability (was 60 seconds).
- Prismatic Echoes now increases the healing of Echo of Light by 4/8% (was 6/12%).
- Prayer of Mending healing decreased by 5%.
- Halo healing decreased by 15%.
- Echo of Light healing decreased by 15%.
- Echo of Light heals every 2 seconds and lasts 4 seconds (was heals every 3 seconds and lasts 6 seconds).
- Divine Image’s Dazzling Light healing decreased by 35%.
- Divine Image’s Blessed Light healing decreased by 20%.
- Trail of Light replicates Heal or Flash Heal for 13/25% value (was 18/35%).
- Pontifex increases healing done by Holy Words by 20%, stacking 2 times (was 10%).
Shadow
- Shadow Crash damage is now reduced beyond 5 targets.
- Surge of Insanity now triggers from every 2 casts of Devouring Plague (was every cast of Devouring Plague).
Developers’ note: The rotation has a lot going on and much of that is due to the frequency that Mind Flay: Insanity and Mind Spike: Insanity are available, so we’re adjusting the frequency of the effect.
Mind Flay damage increased by 10%.
Mind Flay: Insanity damage increased by 30%.
Mind Flay: Insanity now generates 16 Insanity over its duration (was 12).
Mind Spike: Insanity damage increased by 20%.
Mind Spike: Insanity now generates 8 Insanity (was 6).
Shadow Word: Pain damage increased by 17%. Not applied to PvP combat.
Shadow Apparition damage increased by 17%. Not applied to PvP combat.
Vampiric Touch damage increased by 25%. Not applied to PvP combat.
Fixed an issue causing Deathspeaker to reset the cooldown of Shadow Word: Death to 10 seconds.
Fixed an issue causing Deathspeaker to trigger the cooldown lockout for Death and Madness.
ROGUE
- Developer’s note: In Guardians of the Dream we are updating all 4 Rogue talent trees to bring them up to current standards. A sweeping pass was needed to make significant adjustments to address notable concerns, like: moving the first gate from row 3 to row 4 to match all other classes; improving pathing and increasing interconnectedness on every tree; removing 3-point nodes; and reducing the percentage of minor DPS talents taken in the Class tree to make room for more flavorful and robust utility options. We also wanted to use the opportunity where so many things are changing to rework or redesign some talents that needed the update, and also to add new talents to experience.
- Many changes have been made to Class talent positions and connections.
- Sap is now a baseline ability.
- New Talent: Featherfoot (Passive) – Sprint increases movement speed by an additional 30%, and duration increased by 4 seconds.
- New Talent: Superior Mixture (Passive) – Crippling Poison reduced movement speed by an additional 10%.
- New Talent: Graceful Guile (Passive) – Feint has 1 additional charge.
- New Talent: Stillshroud (Passive) – Shroud of Concealment has 50% reduced cooldown.
- New Talent: Airborne Irritant (Passive) – Blind has 50% reduced cooldown, 40% reduced duration, and applies to all nearby enemies.
- Shiv damage increased by 20%.
- Shiv now costs 30 Energy (was 20) and has a 30 second cooldown (was 25 seconds).
- Vigor’s location has changed and is now a 2-rank talent (was 1), increasing max Energy by 50/100 and increasing Energy regeneration by 5/10%.
- Deadly Precision is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Nightstalker’s location has changed and now increases damage while Stealth is active by 5/10% (was 4/8%).
- Echoing Reprimand now charges a combo point from 3/4/5 (was 2/3/4).
- Reverberation now increases Echoing Reprimand damage by 100% (was 75%).
- Deadened Nerves now reduces physical damage taken by 5% (was 3%).
- Elusiveness now causes Evasion to reduce damage taken by 20% (was 10%).
- Subterfuge refreshes duration correctly when broken out of Vanish while another Subterfuge is active.
- Lethality now interacts with Blade Flurry when talented into Deft Maneuvers.
- Heavy Hitter now interacts with Blade Flurry when talented into Deft Maneuvers.
- Grand Melee now increases damage dealt correctly.
- Improved Wound Poison, Superior Mixture, and Atrophic/Numbing Poisons have shuffled talent locations.
- Seal Fate has moved to Assassination’s talent tree.
- Thief’s Versatility has moved to Outlaw’s talent tree.
- Find Weakness has moved to Subtlety’s talent tree.
- Marked for Death has been removed.
- Assassination
Developers’ note: Assassination is known for having strong single target damage, but has two areas of concern we hope to address in Guardians of the Dream. First and foremost, their AoE has been notably weak and left them far behind the pack for dungeons and certain raid encounter types. Secondly, Assassination’s damage performance does not improve at a similar rate compared to most specs when players improve their play and coordination to take on bigger challenges, like when moving from Heroic to Mythic level raiding. For the first concern, we hope the changes here will raise the floor of Assassination’s AoE and that it will feel like a distinct Assassination-like way to deliver AoE damage. As for the second concern, it’s very important to us that we not completely rewrite the book and threaten to undermine what makes Assassination appealing for so many players from both fantasy and gameplay perspectives. With that in mind, the changes aimed at addressing this issue are more subtle. We hope to have created more room for players tackling high-end content to use their resources and encounter knowledge to get improved performance outcomes, while not increasing the number of hoops players at all levels need to jump through to get results similar to the past.
- Many changes have been made to Assassination talent positions and connections.
- Shadowstep is now a baseline ability.
- New Talent: Sudden Demise (Passive) – Bleed damage increased by 10%. Targets below 35% health instantly bleed out and take fatal damage when the remaining Bleed damage you would deal to them exceeds 150% of their remaining health.
- New Talent: Caustic Spatter (Passive) – Using Mutilate on a target afflicted by your Rupture and Lethal Poison applies Caustic Spatter for 10 seconds. Caustic Spatter causes 35% of Poison damage dealt to splash onto other nearby enemies, reduced beyond 5 targets. Limit 1.
- New Talent: Path of Blood (Passive) – Increases max Energy by 100.
- Exsanguinate renamed to Sanguine Blades and has been redesigned – While above 50% of maximum Energy your Garrote, Rupture, and Crimson Tempest consume 2 Energy to duplicate 25% of any damage dealt. Passive talent.
- Indiscriminate Carnage has been redesigned – Garrote and Rupture apply to 2 additional nearby enemies when used from Stealth and for 10 seconds after breaking Stealth. Passive talent.
- Envenom damage increased by 8% and duration reduced by 1 second.
- Kingsbane damage reduced by 15%.
- Kingsbane initial damage now critically strikes when used with Cold Blood.
- Improved Shiv now increases Nature damage by 30% (was 20%).
- Venomous Wounds’ effect now restores 8 Energy (was 6).
- Thrown Precision no longer increases Fan of Knives damage by 15%.
- Thrown Precision now increases Fan of Knives critical strike chance by 10% (was 5%).
- Thrown Precision now causes Fan of Knives critical strikes to always apply your weapon poisons.
- Seal Fate has moved from the Class talent tree to Assassination and is now a 1-rank talent.
- Seal Fate’s effect now always triggers from critical strikes (was 50/100% chance).
- Internal Bleeding damage reduced by 20%
- Internal Bleeding’s effect is now also applied by Rupture.
- Internal Bleeding applies to mouseover target if used from a mouseover macro.
- Crimson Tempest no longer has an instant damage component.
- Crimson Tempest now has an initial damage over time tick on application.
- Crimson Tempest damage per tick reduced by 29%.
- Crimson Tempest duration increased by 2 seconds.
- Crimson Tempest now deals bonus damage when multiple enemies are afflicted, increased by 20% per target, up to 100%.
- Crimson Tempest now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets (was 8).
- Lightweight Shiv now also increases Shiv damage by 100%.
- Flying Daggers now also increases Fan of Knives damage by 15%.
- Venom Rush’s effect now refunds 5 Energy (was 7).
- Vicious Venoms bonus damage effect increased to 35/70% (was 10/20%).
- Vicious Venoms now increases Ambush and Mutilate energy costs by 5/10.
- Leeching Poison now grants 10% Leech (was 5%). Does not apply in PvP combat.
- Poison Bomb now affects an area within 8 yards (was 6 yards).
- Arterial Precision’s effect now increases Bleed damage by 30% (was 20%).
- Dragon-Tempered Blades now also causes your weapon poisons to apply 30% less frequently.
- Blindside now causes Ambush to replace Mutilate when the effect is triggered.
- Dragon Tempered Blades now correctly applies to Numbing Poison.
- Zoldyck Recipe is now a 2-rank talent (was 3). Per rank values have not changed.
- Scent of Blood is now a 2-rank talent (was 3), and its effect now increases Agility by 2/4% (was 1/2/3%) to a max of 20% (was 24%).
- Improved Poisons is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Bloody Mess is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Dashing Scoundrel is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
- Elaborate Planning has been removed.
Outlaw
- Developers’ note: Outlaw’s talent tree has produced some fun gameplay so far in Dragonflight, but it has significant issues with rigidity, lack of pathing options, high tension between early tree DPS and utility nodes, and far above average number of unskippable core skills. Some of those skills have returned to Outlaw baseline, creating room for improved pathing and interconnectedness. We have also reworked or redesigned some existing talents and introduced some new options, with the hope that it will expand the gameplay space and options available to popular Outlaw builds.
- Many changes have been made to Outlaw talent positions and connections.
- Grappling Hook, Blade Flurry, Roll the Bones, and Restless Blades are now baseline abilities.
- New Talent: Crackshot (Passive) – Between the Eyes has no cooldown and also Dispatches the target for 75% of normal damage when used from Stealth.
- New Talent: Underhanded Upper Hand (Passive) – Slice and Dice does not lose duration during Blade Flurry. Blade Flurry does not lose duration during Adrenaline Rush. Adrenaline Rush does not lose duration during Stealth. Stealth abilities can be used for an additional 3 seconds after Stealth breaks.
- 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%.
- Deft Maneuvers has been redesigned – Blade Flurry’s initial damage is increased by 100% and generates 1 combo point per target struck.
- Swift Slasher has been slightly redesigned – Now causes Slice and Dice to grant additional attack speed equal to 100% of your Haste (was based on combo points spent).
- Grand Melee (Roll the Bones buff) has been slightly redesigned – Now increases damage by 5%, and Blade Flurry deals 10% additional to nearby targets.
- Prey on the Weak has moved from the Class talent tree to Outlaw, and has been renamed Sting Like a Bee.
- Thief’s Versatility has moved from the Class talent tree to Outlaw and is now a 1-rank talent.
- Thief’s Versatility now increases Versatility by 4% (was 2/4%).
- All ability damage reduced by 6%.
- Sinister Strike damage increased by 10%.
- Audacity now causes Ambush to replace Sinister Strike when the effect is triggered.
- Between the Eyes’ critical bonus effect is now a buff on the Rogue (was a debuff on the target).
- Fatal Flourish effect now has a 50% chance to trigger (was 60%).
- Ace Up Your Sleeve now grants 5 combo points (was 4) and has 5% chance per combo point to trigger (was 4%).
- Triple Threat is now a 1-rank talent, granting 15% chance to trigger its effect (was 5/10%).
- Improved Main Gauche is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Improved Adrenaline Rush now grants full Energy when Adrenaline Rush ends (was full combo points).
- Ghostly Strike is no longer affected by global cooldown.
- Ghostly Strike cooldown increased to 1.5 minutes (was 35 seconds).
- Ghostly Strike Energy cost increased to 35 (was 30).
- Ghostly Strike damage increased by 33%.
- Ghostly Strike now increases damage to the target by 15% (was 10%).
- Ghostly Strike duration increased to 12 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Killing Spree has moved to the capstone location on the tree.
- Killing Spree is now a finishing move, increasing number of total strikes per combo point (1 strike + 1 per combo point spent).
- Killing Spree damage increased by 66%.
- Killing Spree no longer reduces damage taken during effect.
- Killing Spree now causes 100% of damage taken during effect to be delayed, instead taken over 8 seconds.
- Haste now affects Killing Spree’s duration, reducing the time between strikes.
- Killing Spree base delay (before Haste) between strikes reduced to 0.3 seconds per combo point (was 0.4 seconds).
- Killing Spree self damage is now reduced during Cheat Death.
- Marked for Death no longer benefits from the cooldown reduction effect of Restless Blades.
- Count the Odds chance to trigger reduced to 8% (was 10%) and can now also be triggered by Sinister Strike.
- Hidden Opportunity effectiveness of chance to strike twice reduced to 80% (was 100%).
- Refreshed duration of Roll the Bones combat enhancements now matches other enhancements.
- Take ’em by Surprise duration adjusts correctly with different stealth interactions.
- Weaponmaster and Dreadblades have been removed.
Subtlety
- Developers’ note: Subtlety and its talent tree have been in a position similar to Outlaw. Talent gameplay outcomes have been mostly good during Dragonflight, but many talents are underused, and rigid pathing with insufficient connections have restricted talent options. We have changed, redesigned, and added new talents alongside improvements to pathing and interconnectedness that we hope will add up to feeling like there is more gameplay diversity and flexibility in the tree. We also recognize there have been some negative trends which we hope to address. To start, Subtlety’s Energy and combo point resource economies have been overflowing, which creates a cascade of issues. Uptime for key cooldowns (predominantly Shadow Dance) has also been higher than expected, reducing the relative impact of those effects, which is troublesome for a spec that is known for having moments of increased intensity and burst within those cooldown windows. So, in addition to the more general improvements and additions for talents, Subtlety has received changes that affect Energy and combo point flow to increase the relative value of effects that temporarily offer more resources.
- Many changes have been made to Subtlety talent positions and connections.
- Shadowstep and Black Powder are now baseline abilities.
- New Talent: Ephemeral Bond (Passive) – Increases healing received by 8%.
- New Talent: Shadowcraft (Passive) – While Symbols of Death is active, your Shadow Techniques triggers 40% more frequently, stores 1 additional combo point, and finishing moves can use those stored when there are enough to refresh full combo points.
- New Talent: Goremaw’s Bite – Lashes out at the target, inflicting Shadow damage and causing your next 3 finishing moves to cost no Energy. Awards 3 combo points. Costs 25 Energy. 45 seconds cooldown.
- New Talent: Warning Signs (Passive) – Symbols of Death increases your Haste by 6%.
- 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 5% of damage done. Overhealing is converted to shielding, absorbing up to 10% of your maximum health.
- Perforated Veins has been redesigned as a 1-rank talent – After striking 4 times with Gloomblade/Backstab, your next attack that generates combo points deals 50% increased damage.
- Eviscerate damage increased by 19%.
- Secret Technique damage increased by 12%.
- Secret Technique’s shadow clone attacks no longer double-dip from the bonuses of Deeper Daggers, Veiltouched, and Dark Brew.
- Backstab Energy cost increased to 40 (was 35).
- Gloomblade Energy cost increased to 40 (was 35).
- Shuriken Storm Energy cost increased to 45 (was 40).
- Shadowstrike damage increased by 7%.
- Shadowstrike Energy cost increased to 45 (was 40) and damage increased by 16%.
- Shadow Focus now reduces Energy costs by 10% (was 15%).
- Shadow Techniques no longer grants a combo point immediately when its effect is triggered.
- Shadow Techniques now stores combo points with a stacking buff, up to double your max combo points. Additionally, abilities that generate combo points can expend any stored combo points to generate extra, up to your maximum combo points.
- Shadow Techniques takes Premeditation into account when used 2 extra combo points are generated from having Slice and Dice active.
- Find Weakness has moved from the Class talent tree to Subtlety and is now a 1-rank talent.
- Find Weakness now causes attacks to bypass 30% of armor (was 15/30%).
- Shadow Blades now causes all attacks (was combo point generating abilities) to deal 20% additional damage as Shadow (was 50%).
- Shadow Blades now causes abilities that generate combo points to generate full combo points (was 1 additional).
- Shuriken Storms triggered by Shuriken Tornado no longer generate bonus combo points from Shadow Blades.
- Shrouded in Darkness now also causes Shroud of Concealment to persist after leaving its area.
- Planned Execution is now a 1-rank talent and increases critical strike chance by 6% (was 5/10%).
- Improved Shadow Dance is now a 1-rank talent and increases Shadow Dance duration by 2 seconds (was 1/2 seconds).
- Deepening Shadows now reduces Shadow Dance cooldown by 0.5 seconds per combo point spent (was 0.7).
- Shadowed Finishers is now a 1-rank talent and its effect causes 30% additional damage as Shadow (was 20/40%).
- Lingering Shadow is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Deeper Daggers is now a 1-rank talent (was 2). Per rank value has not changed.
- Finality buffs no longer have a duration.
- The Rotten’s bonus to damage and critical strike now applies to any attack that generates combo points (was Backstab, Gloomblade, and Shadowstrike).
- The Rotten’s effect no longer generates combo points.
- The Rotten now causes your next 2 attacks that generate combo points (was 1 attack) after activating Symbols of Death to deal 35% increased damage (was 50%).
- Replicating Shadows’ secondary targets now prioritize enemies that are not afflicted by Rupture.
- Replicating Shadows distance to nearby targets is now calculated from the player, rather than the target.
- Dark Brew now correctly increases damage of Instant and Wound poison.
- Sepsis now grants full combo points with Shadow Blades.
- Stilleto Staccato and Stunning Secret have been removed.
SHAMAN
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 has been updated.
- 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.
- Primordial Wave can no longer be used to heal a friendly ally, it is now only an offensive spell for Enhancement Shaman.
- Primordial Wave spell damage increased by 500%.
- Elemental Assault can now also generate Maelstrom Weapon charges from Ice Strike and Lava Lash rather than only Stormstrike.
- 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.
- Legacy of the Frost Witch now also increases Frost damage when consuming 10 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon rather than only Physical damage.
Restoration
- All healing increased by 3%.
- Chain Heal healing increased by 20%.
- Chain Heal now costs 5.6% of base mana (was 6%).
- Healing Stream healing increased by 20%.
- Healing Surge healing increased by 30%.
- Healing Wave healing increased by 30%.
- Riptide initial heal increased by 30%.
- Unleash Life healing increased by 40%.
- Primordial Wave replicates Healing Wave at 40% effectiveness (was 60%).
- Primordial Wave can no longer be used to damage an enemy target, it is now only a healing spell for Restoration Shaman.
- Cloudburst Totem now accumulates 20% of your healing done (was 30%).
- Ascendance now duplicates 80% of all healing done (was 100%).
- Mana Tide Totem now increases mana regeneration by 80% (was 100%).
- Resurgence now restores 20% less mana.
- Developers’ note: With Riptide, Healing Surge, and Healing Wave doing a lot more healing, Ancestral Awakening’s power was increased beyond intended levels.
- Ancestral Awakening heals for 10/20% of healing done (was 15/30%).
- Ancestral Awakening now prefers to heal injured players instead of always healing the lowest health player.
WARLOCK
Demonology
- Developers’ note: Demonology’s damage profile is currently too reliant on Nether Portal and Tyrant windows. In Guardians of the Dream, we’re redistributing this power to other parts of Demonology’s rotation and decoupling the synergy between these two cooldowns so that they can stand on their own rather than being dependent on one another. We still want Nether Portal and Demonic Tyrant to be impactful, powerful cooldowns – just not the only source of meaningful output for a Demonology Warlock.
- Demonic Core is no longer a baseline ability. Demonbolt now grants the passive Demonic Core when learned.
- 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.
- Gul’dan’s Ambition has been redesigned – When Nether Portal ends, you summon a Pit Lord that blasts your target for Fire damage every 1 second for 10 seconds.
- Grand Warlock’s Design has been redesigned – Summon Demonic Tyrant cooldown is reduced by 30 seconds.
- Ner’zhul’s Volition has been redesigned – Demons summoned from your Nether Portal deal 15/30% increased damage.
- Summon Demonic Tyrant has been redesigned – Summon a Demonic Tyrant to increase the duration of your Dreadstalkers, Vilefiend, Felguard, and up to 10 of your Wild Imps for 15 seconds. Your Demonic Tyrant increases the damage of affected demons by 15% while damaging your target.
- Reign of Tyranny has been redesigned – Summon Demonic Tyrant empowers 5 additional Wild Imps and deals 10% additional damage for each demon he empowers.
- Imp Gang Boss has been redesigned – Summoning a Wild Imp has a 15/30% chance to summon a Imp Gang Boss instead. An Imp Gang Boss deals 50% additional damage and Implosions from Imp Gang Boss deal 50% increased damage.
- Immutable Hatred has been redesigned – When you consume a Demonic Core, your primary Felguard carves your target, dealing Physical damage.
- Soul Strike has been redesigned – Your primary Felguard learns Soul Strike: Strikes the soul of the target, dealing Shadow damage.
- Shadow Bolt damage increased by 60%.
- Demonbolt damage increased by 50%.
- Doomfiend’s Doom Bolt Volley damage increased by 150%.
- Vilefiend damage increased by 15%.
- Hand of Gul’dan damage increased 25%.
- Wild Imp damage increased 25%.
- Implosion damage increased 25%.
- Call Dreadstalkers damage increased 25%.
- Grimoire: Felguard damage increased 30%.
- All Nether Portal demons’ damage increased 30%.
- Demonic Tyrant’s Demonfire damage increased 30%.
- Eye of Gul’dan now benefits from Haste and Critical Strike Chance.
- Pit Lord now benefits from Haste and Critical Strike Chance.
- Vilefiend’s Caustic Presence damage reduced by 50%.
- Demonic Knowledge now has a 10% chance of causing Hand of Gul’dan to generate a Demonic Core (was 15%).
- Inner Demons no longer has a chance to summon an additional demon during combat.
- Power Siphon now prioritizes Wild Imps that are not Imp Gang Bosses or empowered by Summon Demonic Tyrant.
- Imp-erator is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
- Malefic Impact is now a 1-rank talent (was 2).
- Fixed an issue where your permanently summoned Felguard would not benefit from Summon Demonic Tyrant.
- Bloodbound Imps has been removed.
Destruction
- Developers’ note: We’re removing Madness of the Azj’Aqir and introducing a new talent, Chaosbringer, that increases the output of Chaos Bolt, Shadowburn, and Rain of Fire. Additionally we are adding damage to Chaos Bolt baseline. We are doing this specifically to decrease how penalizing movement can feel as a Destruction Warlock while also making these spells feel more impactful.
- New Talent: Chaosbringer – Chaos Bolt damage increased by 8/15%. Rain of Fire damage increased by 5/10%. Shadowburn damage increased by 5/10%.
- Grand Warlock’s Design has been redesigned – Summon Infernal cooldown is reduced by 60 seconds.
- Summon Infernal damage increased by 50%.
- Chaos Bolt damage increased by 15%.
- Rain of Fire damage increased 15%.
- Shadowburn damage increased by 15%.
- Fixed an issue where Dimensional Cinders would benefit twice from Critical Strikes.
- Madness of the Azj’Aqir has been removed.
WARRIOR
Fury
- Developers’ note: The previous design of Reckless Abandon was influencing builds and rotations too heavily, encouraging players to focus entirely on either Bloodthirst or Raging Blow at the expense of the other. We want Fury Warriors to use both abilities regularly, so we are changing the design slightly so it only affects your rotation choice immediately after using Rampage to open up more build options.
- Reckless Abandon’s Bloodbath now correctly shares its cooldown with Bloodthirst.
- Reckless Abandon now only empowers your next 1 Bloodthirst or Raging Blow (was 2).
- Reckless Abandon’s Bloodbath and Crushing Blow bonus damage has been doubled.
- Storm of Swords now gives Slam a 9 second cooldown (was 12 seconds).
DRAGONRIDING
New dragonriding races and world quests in the Emerald Dream.
New dragonriding mount: Flourishing Whimsydrake
New Grotto Netherwing Drake appearances to collect.
ITEMS
- Developers’ note: As players prepare to delve into Amirdrassil, we are adjusting several Aberrus trinkets to account for changes to tuning targets and philosophy as well as to mitigate effects which have proven simply too synergistic with class power. As with Vault of the Incarnates, we want to avoid scenarios where item power could drive players to continue running old content that they otherwise would leave behind.
Rashok’s Molten Heart mana restore reduced by 70%, healing reduced by 50%, and Versatility reduced by 20%.
- Beacon to the Beyond damage reduced by 11%.
- Ominous Chromatic Essence secondary stat granted reduced by 5%.
- Neltharion’s Call to Dominance duration increased to 20 seconds (was 10 seconds), but primary stat granted reduced by 50%.
The Revival Catalyst will be available during the first week of Season 3. However, players will only gain a charge every two weeks instead of every week.
Fixed Glyph of Stars and Reflecting Prism affected characters displaying incorrectly in the Character Sheet.
AMIRDRASSIL, THE DREAMS HOPE RAID REWARDS
- In conjunction with the earlier opening of the Revival Catalyst, tier armor tokens will continue to drop at the current 1:3 rate relative to non-tier loot.
Developers’ note: By shifting more of tier acquisition to the Revival Catalyst and away from tier token drops, we expect that players will complete their set bonuses at the same rate or faster than Season 2. While raiders will still enjoy an edge as the season begins, players who prefer not to raid will be far closer behind them than previously.
Very Rare item drop rates have been further adjusted, and these now have a chance to drop in addition to a boss’s typical quantity of loot; for example, a 20-player group could receive one tier token, three non-tier items, and Dreambinder, Loom of the Great Cycle.
- Developers’ note: As we continue to iterate on Very Rare items, we hope that elevating them to drop independently as bonus loot will feel less frustrating than knowing that Icewrath’s Channeling Conduit could have been a Whispering Incarnate Icon. This also ensures that drop rates are consistent across all Very Rare items.
GREAT VAULT
- The “Mythic Dungeons” row has been renamed to “Dungeons”.
- Heroic, Mythic 0, and Timewalking dungeon runs now unlock rewards in the Dungeons row. These draw from the same rewards pool as Mythic+, with lower item levels. Timewalking dungeon runs count as Heroic.
UPGRADE SYSTEM
- Hero upgrade track length increased to 6 (was 5).
- Myth upgrade track length increased to 4 (was 3).
- Crests are now currencies and will no longer take up inventory space.
- Fragments have been removed. Sources that previously awarded fragments will now award crests.
- Once a player has purchased all possible upgrades with a type of crest, they can visit Vaskarn in Amirdrassil to exchange those crests for higher level crests.
For example: Using Season 2 item level numbers, players would become eligible to trade their Whelpling Crests up to Drake Crests when every gear slot had reached item level 411 or higher. Trading up to Wyrm Crests would become available at 424 (again, in every gear slot, using the same rules as crest redundancy), and trading up to Aspect Crests would open at 437.
PvP gear can now have its PVE item level upgraded with flightstones and crests (was Honor). The PvP item level will remain unchanged.
- All PvP activities will reward flightstones, and crests can be earned from rated activities.
Players can earn 90 crests of each type per week, which is enough to afford 6 upgrades of each crest type per week (was 10 upgrades).
PROFESSIONS
BLACKSMITHING
- Flourishing Dream Helm
- Verdant Combatant set
COOKING
- Slumbering Peacebloom Tea
ENCHANTING
- Enchant Weapon: Dreaming Devotion
- Illusory Adornment: Dreams
- Enchanted Whelpling’s Dreaming Crest
- Enchanted Wyrm’s Dreaming Crest
- Enchanted Aspect’s Dreaming Crest
ENGINEERING
- Portable Party Platter
- Verdant Combatant goggles
HERBALISM
INSCRIPTION
- Vantus Rune: Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope
- Glyph of the Lunar Chameleon
- Mark of the Auric Dreamstag
- Grotto Netherwing Drake: Chin Tendrils
- Grotto Netherwing Drake: Spiked Jaw
- Winding Slitherdrake: Hairy Chin
- Verdant Combatant trinkets
- Contract: Dream Wardens
JEWELCRAFTING
LEATHERWORKING
- Verdant Conduit
- Verdant Combatant sets
MINING
TAILORING
- Verdant Tether
- Verdant Combatant set
The following embellishments’ damage and healing values have been reduced by 35%:
- Frostfire Belt
- Fang Adornments
- Slimy Expulsion Boots
- Toxic Thorn Footwraps
- Acidic Hailstone Treads
- Magazine of Healing Darts
- Playful Spirit’s Fur set
- Shadowflame-Tempered Armor Patch
- Spore Colony Shoulderguards
Haste no longer affects the chance to trigger the following embellishments:
- Allied Chestplate of Generosity
- Allied Legguards of Sansok Khan
- Allied Heartwarming Fur Coat
- Allied Wristguards of Time Dilation
- Azureweave Vestments (2) Set Bonus
- Spore Keeper’s Baton
Undulating Sporecloak shield reduced by 50%. Now provides Versatility while above 70% health.
Amice of the Blue damage reduced by 30%.
Shadowflame-Tempered Armor Patch self-damage has been increased by 33%.
DUNGEONS
- Several items from Season 3 Mythic+ dungeons have had their stats and effects updated.
Equipment that drops in the following activities have had their item levels increased:
- Dragonbane Keep
- World Quests
- Centaur Hunts
- Fyrakk Assaults
- Researchers Under Fire
- Time Rifts
- Dreamsurge
- Repeatable activities will reward Season 3 Explorer Gear and weekly activities will reward Season 3 Adventurer Gear.
Dilated Time Capsule (Time Rifts weekly currency) has been discontinued and can be sold to vendors for gold. The new weekly currency is Dilated Time Pod.
Dreamsurge Chrysalis (Dreamsurge weekly currency) has been discontinued and can be sold to vendors for gold. The new weekly currency is Dreamsurge Cocoon.
PET BATTLES
- New wild pets to collect in the Emerald Dream.
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER
Bloodlust, Heroism, Time Warp, Primal Rage, and Fury of the Aspects can now be used in Rated Battlegrounds.
Fixed an issue causing Precognition to trigger if the player is immune to an interrupt while casting.
ITEMS
Item appearances for previous seasons’ Scalewarden and Drakebreaker gear can now be purchased for Bloody Tokens off of Warkeeper Gresh, located in Gladiator’s Refuge in Valdrakken.
Trophies of Strife are now available to purchase off of Malicia, located in Gladiator’s Refuge for 3500 Honor each. These can only be purchased if you have fallen behind the rising seasonal cap.
The cooldown of Gladiator’s Medallion is now 90 seconds for all healer specializations (was 120 seconds).
Fang Adornments (Embellishment) damage reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Prophetic Stonescales health restored, Haste gained, and damage reduction reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Iridal, the Earth’s Master damage (on use effect) reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Tainted Rageheart absorb reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Nimue’s Vengeful Loom on-use effect reduced by 70% in PvP combat.
Augury of the Primal Flame’s effectiveness of Annhilating Flame proc reduced by 60% in PvP combat.
Belor’relos, the Sunstone on-use effect reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Bandolier of Twisted Blades on-use effect damage reduced by 60% in PvP combat.
Flourishing Dream Helm absorption effects reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Rashon, the Immortal Blaze damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Gholak, the Final Conflagration damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Thorncaller Claw damage over time effect reduced by 60% in PvP combat.
Dreambinder, Loom of the Great Cycle damage and slow amount reduced by 50% in PvP combat. Immobilization does not work against enemy players.
Ouroboreal Necklet absorption reduced by 70% in PvP combat.
Incandescent Essence enchantment effects reduced by 70% in PvP combat.
Leaf of the Ancient Protectors absorption reduced by 60% in PvP combat.
Ember of Nullification silence duration reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Caged Horror damage reduced by 60% in PvP combat.
Corrupted Starlight damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
Oakheart’s Gnarled Root damage and slow reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
My’das Talisman damage reduced by 55% in PvP combat.
Revitalizing Voodoo Totem heal reduced by 55% in PvP combat.
Vessel of Skittering Shadows damage reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Balefire Branch intelligence gain reduced by 70% in PvP combat.
The following items have been added to Seltherex, located in Gladiator’s Refuge in Valdrakken:
- Glorious Medal of Honor – Bind on account token that grants 1500 Honor on use. Costs 2500 Honor.
- Honorable Satchel of Fabrics – Provides random low quality profession fabrics. Costs 3000 Honor.
- Honorable Satchel of Ore – Provides random low quality profession ore. Costs 3000 Honor.
- Honorable Satchel of Herbs – Provides random low quality profession herbs. Costs 3000 Honor.
DRUID
Restoration
- New PvP Talent: Call of the Elder Druid – When you shift into a combat shapeshift form, you gain Heart of the Wild for 15 seconds, once every 1 minute.
- Disentanglement now reduces the mana cost of Efflorescence by 40% (was 25%).
EVOKER
HUNTER
- Survival Tactics has been redesigned – Feign Death reduces damage taken by 90% for 3 seconds.
MONK
PALADIN
PRIEST
Holy
- Heal is no longer increased by 57% in PvP combat.
Shadow
- Focused Will now reduces physical damage taken by 15% and magic damage taken by 5% (was all damage by 10%).
ROGUE
SHAMAN
WARLOCK
WARRIOR
Storm of Destruction has been redesigned – Reduces the cooldown of Ravager and Bladestorm by 30%, and Ravager and Bladestorm now also snare all targets you hit by 70% for 8 seconds.
QUESTS
Druids of the Flame
- Tyrande Whisperwind hunts the leader of the Druids of the Flame in order to discover why they have allied themselves with Fyrakk.
The Claws of Vyranoth
- Join Vyranoth as she seeks to find why Fyrakk wants control of Amirdrassil, and uncovers what became of the Primalists she was once close to.
REFORGING TYR PART 4
- Beginning the week of November 21, journey to the Nighthold with the Tyr’s Guard in hope of retrieving Tyr’s disc and restoring him. Rewards Dragon Isles Drakes: White Scales.
MISFIT DRAGONS
- Join Wrathion and Vyranoth as they conduct some draconic diplomacy and try to obtain the help of the Netherwing and the Thorignir dragons. The misfit dragons questline begins the week of November 14.
USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY
- TALENTS UI
We’ve reworked the user experience to make reallocating talent points easier. You can now remove a point and spend it elsewhere without a large part of your build disappearing. Disconnected talents are simply marked in red, and can be reconnected to make the build valid again.
- To perform the old behavior of mass unlearning all dependent talents, press Shift + Right Click.
PING SYSTEM
- Added a option to add shortcut to Chat Settings so you can more easily control which chat windows display pings.
TRADING POST
- You can now click the frozen item slot to select and purchase it, instead of having to locate it in the list.
- A refund icon has been added to indicate items that are refundable. Hover over the icon to view the time remaining for a refund.
EDIT MODE
- The Micromenu can now be resized to be smaller than default (previously it could only be made larger).
OPTIONS
Added a tooltip to the magnifying glass on the World Map.
Updated the art on Zoom In and Out buttons in various model viewer windows.
Action bar spell swipe animation has been updated.
Added new class resource bars for several classes:
- Demon Hunter
- Balance Druid
- Brewmaster Monk
- Shadow Priest
- Elemental Shaman
In the Auction House, items with long names will always have their crafted quality icon shown instead of being cut off.
A new celebratory popup will appear when you unlock a Great Vault slot or upgrade the reward of a slot.
In the Reputation pane, Major Factions are now grouped together at the top of the list.
Players can now enter the Barber Shop while shapeshifted or transformed by a toy.
The Premade Group Finder now shows the applicant’s specialization in the tooltip.
The “Remove Recruit” option has been removed from the right click menu in the Recruit a Friend pane.
MACROS
- The macro options that check party state will not change during combat, even if actual party state changes.
- Macros can no longer change equipment using /script, /run, or the Lua API. Equipment can still be changed using regular macro commands such as /equip.
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.Back to Top