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Published on 2023-12-19 01:55 AM
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Published on 2023-12-18 06:29 PM
Get an Early Look at Hero Talents in The War Within
The War Within expansion introduces Hero Talents as a new update to World of Warcraft classes. They are an evergreen form of character progression for each class specialization that introduces new powers and class fantasies. Feedback is critical to us as a part of creating an impactful and fun addition to the game, so we are sharing our goals for Hero Talents with the community to get first impressions of them and learn how well we’re meeting those goals.
What Are Hero Talents?
Hero Talents are new, self-contained talent trees that players unlock access at level 71. Hero Talents build on the abilities and talents of current classes and specializations. Players can choose a single Hero Talent tree to activate on a character and these talents can be changed in the same way class talents can be currently changed in the game. There are three Hero Talent trees for each class (excepting druid with four and demon hunter with two). Each specialization has two Hero Talent trees they can choose between, and each of these trees is available as an option for two specializations.
For example, warriors have three Hero Talent tree options: Slayer, Colossus, and Mountain Thane. Fury has access to Mountain Thane and Slayer, Protection has access to Mountain Thane and Colossus, and Arms has access to Colossus and Slayer.
There are 11 nodes in a Hero Talent tree. The first of these unlocks with the system at level 71, and you earn 1 talent point per level from level 71 to 80, so you get every talent in the tree by level 80. Hero Talents will have starter builds available, and your saved builds will save your Hero Talent choices as well.
What to Expect from Hero Talents
Each Hero Talent tree starts with a “keystone” talent that introduces the core mechanic and concept of the tree. This could be a new ability, an enhancement to an existing ability or cooldown, or a new buff you can trigger. The bottom talent of each tree is a “capstone” talent that builds on the core themes of the tree or adds new power to the keystone.
Each tree will offer or modify some class utility and include defensive bonuses that are useful to all specializations. We are aiming for all trees to be about equal in the amount of utility and defensiveness they provide. Trees for characters that can take on a tanking role may have some additional defense bonuses that will be less valuable to healers or damage dealers (DPS), such as bonuses to tank talents or cooldowns. Three or four nodes in each tree will be choice nodes where you can choose between two options.
Hero Talents are meant to add enough damage or healing throughput to be significant without being so important that these new talents overshadow your current class and spec tree talents. Most Hero Talent trees add new visual effects to classes, both to communicate what they’re doing and bring their class fantasies to life. However, these are not complete visual reworks – your class and spec are still the same at their core, and that will continue to come through.
Maintaining Freedom to Choose
We want players to be free to choose the Hero Talent tree that has the gameplay, visuals, or flavor that they prefer. Our goal is for both options to feel similarly effective in raid dungeons, Mythic+, and PvP. We're working to avoid abilities or bonuses in Hero Talents that could make a certain tree feel "required" for activities where we can.
We know that for some players, prioritizing total throughput is the most important thing to them, even if the difference between choices seems small. That’s okay but keeping Hero Talent balance close is one of our priorities so that players can play what they prefer and still be viable in any content.
How We Chose Hero Talent Concepts
Since we announced Hero Talents at BlizzCon, it's been great to see all the conversation and speculation surrounding the 39 Hero Talent titles. We'd like to share some of the thinking that went behind choosing those concepts.
Each Hero Talent concept must be appropriate for both of the specs that can use it. Some concepts build on overlaps in abilities or flavors between the two specs that can use it, like Colossus warriors, which are as mighty as Arms warriors and as imposing as Protection warriors. Others create new themes that are appropriate for both specs, like Fatebound rogues.
Hero Talents also retain your combat role and the gear that you use so that you're not competing for new types of gear. For iconic Warcraft character archetypes, we wanted to be sure that we could deliver on their fantasy with World of Warcraft’s classes. Blademasters just wouldn’t be Blademasters without abilities like Wind Walk and Mirror Image, but those abilities don’t fit in a warrior’s toolkit.
Lastly, there are several iconic character archetypes that are strongly tied to specific races and factions, such as Keeper of the Grove or Mountain Thane. It’s exciting to embody these storied archetypes, but we want to ensure that characters of every race and faction can see themselves as those archetypes. We’re open to feedback on what feels good for your characters versus what is frustrating.
Gameplay and Hero Talents
We have several goals for what it feels like to play World of Warcraft with Hero Talents. Here are some of our guiding principles for how they affect your capabilities, your rotation, what you pay attention to in combat, and your user interface.
We like to say on the team that our goal for Hero Talents gameplay is for them to make you “what you are, but more.” We know that many of you have long histories with your favorite classes, and you play them because you like their gameplay and the spells and abilities that matter in their rotation, whether it’s the spinning plates of Affliction, the cycles of Arcane, or the frenetic reactivity of Fury. Hero Talents don’t override what matters to a class. You should feel like you’re playing your spec with a twist or a boost and not as if the things you care about have become unimportant or been replaced.
A Hero Talent tree might add new behavior or bonuses to an existing ability, like Keeper of the Grove’s bonuses to Force of Nature and Grove Guardian treants. They might occasionally reset the cooldown on abilities or replace spells with more powerful versions. They might make it easier to maintain important buffs or grant additional resources at key moments.
One thing that we’re keeping a close eye on is complexity. Classes in WoW have a lot of abilities and talents, and there’s a lot to learn about each one. We want Hero Talents to add new fun without creating new burdens, either in customizing or playing a character. Most Hero Talent trees do not add new buttons that players will need to add to their action bar or find a new keybind for. There will be additional opportunities for players to express their skill, but we’re trying not to add things like complex maintenance buffs that increase the cognitive load for everyone playing a class. Most of the choices a player will make about how complex they want their rotation to be will continue to be made in their class and spec talent trees.
Some Hero Talents do require you to take certain talents in your class or spec trees to access their powers. This is often because those talents fit the flavor and theme of that specific Hero Talent tree. The Mountain Thane warrior tree enhances Avatar and Thunder Clap, Templar paladin gives extra power to Wake of Ashes, and Elune’s Chosen druids can cast a particularly strong Fury of Elune. However, a Hero Talent tree will only ever require or enhance a small number of class or spec talents. It's important to us that there still is freedom in customizing your class build.
Show Us the Hero Talent Trees!
Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing full designs for Hero Talent trees from The War Within. We’re excited to hear what you think of them.
We’re starting things off by sharing the first set of trees here. Below, you’ll find the Hero Talents for San’Layn Death Knights, Chronowarden Evokers, Lightsmith Paladins , and Mountain Thane Warriors.
San'Layn Death Knight
Specializations: Blood and Unholy
San’layn are death knights who have mastered the vampiric arts of the darkfallen. They consume the vitality of their enemies to protect and restore themselves. Their endless hunger only strengthens them.
SAN'LAYN KEYSTONE
Vampiric Strike: Your Death Coil and Death Strike have a 10% chance to make your next Heart Strike or Scourge Strike become Vampiric Strike. Vampiric Strike heals you for 3% of your maximum health and grants you Essence of the Blood Queen, increasing your Haste by 1.5%, up to 7.5% for 20 seconds.
SAN’LAYN ROW 1
Choice Node: Newly Turned & Vampiric Speed
Blood-Soaked Ground: While you are within your Death and Decay, your physical damage taken is reduced by 5% and your chance to gain Vampiric Strike is increased by 5%.
Choice Node: Vampiric Aura & Bloody Fortitude
SAN’LAYN ROW 2
Infliction of Sorrow: When Vampiric Strike damages an enemy affected by Blood Plague or Virulent Plague it consumes the disease dealing 200% of the remaining damage. While Gift of the San’layn is active, Vampiric Strike no longer consumes your disease and instead extends the duration of your disease by 3 sec and deals 20% of the remaining damage to the enemy.
Frenzied Bloodthirst: Essence of the Blood Queen stacks 2 additional times and increases the damage of your Death Coil and Death Strike by 5% per stack.
The Blood is Life: Vampiric Strike has a chance to summon a Blood Beast to attack your enemy for 10 sec. Each time the Blood Beast attacks it stores a portion of the damage dealt and when the Blood Beast dies it explodes dealing 50% of the damage accumulated to nearby enemies and healing the death knight for the same amount.
SAN’LAYN ROW 3
Visceral Regeneration: Your Heart Strike and Scourge Strike have a 3% per stack of Essence of the Blood Queen to refund a Rune. Vampiric Strike doubles the chance to refund a Rune.
Incite Terror: Heart Strike and Scourge Strike extend the duration of Essence of the Blood Queen by 0.5 seconds. Vampiric Strike increases the extension by 100%.
Choice Node: Sanguine Scent & Pact of the San’layn
SAN’LAYN CAPSTONE
Gift of the San’layn: While Vampiric Blood or Dark Transformation is active you gain Gift of the San’layn. Gift of the San’layn increases the effectiveness of your Essence of the Blood Queen by 100% and replaces your Heart Strike and Scourge Strike with Vampiric Strike for the duration.
Chronowarden Evoker
Specializations: Augmentation and Preservation
Chronowardens can manipulate time and see into the future. By specializing in Bronze magic, they are slightly unstable due to the vast amount of knowledge available to them. They are precise, erudite, and organized individuals who seek to understand the world through careful study.
CHRONOWARDEN KEYSTONE
Chrono Flame: Living Flame is enhanced with Bronze magic, repeating 15% of the damage or healing you dealt to the target in the last 5 seconds as Arcane, up to a fixed amount.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 1
Warp: Hover now warps you through time and space and its cooldown is reduced by 5 seconds. Hover continues to allow Evoker spells to be cast while moving.
Temporal Burst: Tip the Scales overloads you with temporal energy, increasing your Haste, movement speed and cooldown recovery rate by 2%, ramping up to 40% over 20 seconds.
Reverberations: Spiritbloom heals for an additional 30% over 8 seconds. Upheaval deals 30% additional damage over 8 seconds.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 2
Choice Node: Interdimensional Phase & Motes of Acceleration
Threads of Fate: Casting an Essence ability during Temporal Burst causes a nearby ally to gain a Thread of Fate for 15 seconds, granting them a chance to echo their damage or healing spells, dealing 15% of the amount again.
Primacy: For each damage over time effect from Upheaveal or Spiritbloom, gain 3% Haste, up to 9%.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 3
Choice Node: Careful Contemplation & Time Convergence
Choice Node: Master of Destiny & Golden Opportunity
Instability Matrix: Each time you cast an empower spell, unstable time magic reduces its cooldown by up to 15 seconds. Echo has a 25% chance to not cost Essence.
CHRONOWARDEN CAPSTONE
Afterimage: Empower spells send up to 3 Chrono Flames to your targets. Chrono Flames have a small chance to grant you Essence Burst.
Lightsmith Paladin
Specializations: Holy and Protection
Lightsmiths are paladins who have developed such masterful control over the Light that they are able to wield it tangibly, employing constructs to empower their weapons and defenses and to protect their allies.
LIGHTSMITH KEYSTONE
Holy Armaments: Will the Light to coalesce and become manifest at a target location as a Holy Armament, which may be wielded by you or your allies. Alternates between Holy Bulwark and Sacred Weapon. Lats 20 sc after being cast. Max 2 charges.
Holy Bulwark: While wielding a Holy Bulwark, gain an absorption shield for 15% of your maximum health and an additional 5% every 2 seconds, stacking up to 30%.
Sacred Weapon: While wielding a Sacred Weapon, your spells and abilities have a chance to deal additional Holy damage or healing.
LIGHTSMITH ROW 1
Choice Node: Rite of Sanctification & Rite of Adjuration
Solidarity: If an ally picks up an Armament, you also gain its benefits. If you pick up an Armament, a nearby ally also gains its benefits.
Choice Node: Divine Guidance & Blessed Assurance
LIGHTSMITH ROW 2
Laying Down Arms: When an Armament fades from you, the cooldown of Lay on Hands is reduced by 15 seconds, and you gain Shining Light or Infusion of Light.
Choice Node: Divine Inspiration & Forewarning
Choice Node: Fear No Evil & Excoriation
LIGHTSMITH ROW 3
Shared Resolve: The effect of your active Aura is increased by 33% on targets with your Armaments.
Valiance: Consuming Shining Light or Infusion of Light extends the duration of any active Armaments by 3.0 seconds, or reduces the cooldown by 3 seconds if none exist.
Hammer and Anvil: Judgment critical strikes cause a shockwave around the target, dealing additional Holy damage or healing at the target's location.
LIGHTSMITH CAPSTONE
Blessing of the Forge: Avenging Wrath summons an additional Sacred Weapon, and during Avenging Wrath your Sacred Weapon casts spells on your target and echoes the effects of your Holy Power abilities.
Mountain Thane Warrior
Specializations: Fury and Protection
Mountain Thanes embody the strength of the mountains and the power of the storm. They channel thunder and lightning through their reinforced bodies to make them an unstoppable force.
MOUNTAIN THANE KEYSTONE
Lightning Strikes: Damaging enemies with Thunder Clap, Revenge, Raging Blow, or Execute has a 10% chance to also strike one with a lightning bolt, dealing moderate Nature damage. Lightning Strikes occur 50% more often during Avatar.
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 1
Call of Thunder: The Stormstrike damage or Nature damage your abilities deal is increased by 5%. Stormstrike damage ignores Armor. Thunder Clap damage increased by 50%. For Fury only, Thunder Clap generates 5 Rage and Improved Whirlwind and Meat Cleaver now improve Thunder Clap as well as Whirlwind.
Ground Current: Lightning Strikes also deal low amounts of Nature damage to enemies near their target. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
Strength of the Mountain: Shield Slam damage increased by 20%. Bloodthirst and Rampage damage increased by 10%.
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 2
Thunder Blast: Shield Slam and Bloodthirst have a 20% chance to grant you Thunder Blast, stacking up to 2 charges. Thunder Blast causes your next Thunder Clap to become a Thunder Blast that deals Stormstrike damage.
Choice Node: Storm Bolts & Storm Shield
Choice Node: Flashing Skies & Valarjar Training
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 3
Choice Node: Steadfast as the Peaks & Keep Your Feet on the Ground
Choice Node: Gathering Clouds & Thorim’s Might
Burst of Power: Lightning Strikes have a 20% chance to make your next 2 Shield Slams or Bloodthirsts have no cooldown.
MOUNTAIN THANE CAPSTONE
Avatar of the Storm: Casting Avatar grants you 2 charges of Thunder Blast and resets the cooldown of Thunder Clap. While Avatar is not active, Lightning Strikes have a 10% chance to grant you Avatar for 4 seconds.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing more as we progress in development.
What Are Hero Talents?
Hero Talents are new, self-contained talent trees that players unlock access at level 71. Hero Talents build on the abilities and talents of current classes and specializations. Players can choose a single Hero Talent tree to activate on a character and these talents can be changed in the same way class talents can be currently changed in the game. There are three Hero Talent trees for each class (excepting druid with four and demon hunter with two). Each specialization has two Hero Talent trees they can choose between, and each of these trees is available as an option for two specializations.
For example, warriors have three Hero Talent tree options: Slayer, Colossus, and Mountain Thane. Fury has access to Mountain Thane and Slayer, Protection has access to Mountain Thane and Colossus, and Arms has access to Colossus and Slayer.
There are 11 nodes in a Hero Talent tree. The first of these unlocks with the system at level 71, and you earn 1 talent point per level from level 71 to 80, so you get every talent in the tree by level 80. Hero Talents will have starter builds available, and your saved builds will save your Hero Talent choices as well.
What to Expect from Hero Talents
Each Hero Talent tree starts with a “keystone” talent that introduces the core mechanic and concept of the tree. This could be a new ability, an enhancement to an existing ability or cooldown, or a new buff you can trigger. The bottom talent of each tree is a “capstone” talent that builds on the core themes of the tree or adds new power to the keystone.
Each tree will offer or modify some class utility and include defensive bonuses that are useful to all specializations. We are aiming for all trees to be about equal in the amount of utility and defensiveness they provide. Trees for characters that can take on a tanking role may have some additional defense bonuses that will be less valuable to healers or damage dealers (DPS), such as bonuses to tank talents or cooldowns. Three or four nodes in each tree will be choice nodes where you can choose between two options.
Hero Talents are meant to add enough damage or healing throughput to be significant without being so important that these new talents overshadow your current class and spec tree talents. Most Hero Talent trees add new visual effects to classes, both to communicate what they’re doing and bring their class fantasies to life. However, these are not complete visual reworks – your class and spec are still the same at their core, and that will continue to come through.
Maintaining Freedom to Choose
We want players to be free to choose the Hero Talent tree that has the gameplay, visuals, or flavor that they prefer. Our goal is for both options to feel similarly effective in raid dungeons, Mythic+, and PvP. We're working to avoid abilities or bonuses in Hero Talents that could make a certain tree feel "required" for activities where we can.
We know that for some players, prioritizing total throughput is the most important thing to them, even if the difference between choices seems small. That’s okay but keeping Hero Talent balance close is one of our priorities so that players can play what they prefer and still be viable in any content.
How We Chose Hero Talent Concepts
Since we announced Hero Talents at BlizzCon, it's been great to see all the conversation and speculation surrounding the 39 Hero Talent titles. We'd like to share some of the thinking that went behind choosing those concepts.
Each Hero Talent concept must be appropriate for both of the specs that can use it. Some concepts build on overlaps in abilities or flavors between the two specs that can use it, like Colossus warriors, which are as mighty as Arms warriors and as imposing as Protection warriors. Others create new themes that are appropriate for both specs, like Fatebound rogues.
Hero Talents also retain your combat role and the gear that you use so that you're not competing for new types of gear. For iconic Warcraft character archetypes, we wanted to be sure that we could deliver on their fantasy with World of Warcraft’s classes. Blademasters just wouldn’t be Blademasters without abilities like Wind Walk and Mirror Image, but those abilities don’t fit in a warrior’s toolkit.
Lastly, there are several iconic character archetypes that are strongly tied to specific races and factions, such as Keeper of the Grove or Mountain Thane. It’s exciting to embody these storied archetypes, but we want to ensure that characters of every race and faction can see themselves as those archetypes. We’re open to feedback on what feels good for your characters versus what is frustrating.
Gameplay and Hero Talents
We have several goals for what it feels like to play World of Warcraft with Hero Talents. Here are some of our guiding principles for how they affect your capabilities, your rotation, what you pay attention to in combat, and your user interface.
We like to say on the team that our goal for Hero Talents gameplay is for them to make you “what you are, but more.” We know that many of you have long histories with your favorite classes, and you play them because you like their gameplay and the spells and abilities that matter in their rotation, whether it’s the spinning plates of Affliction, the cycles of Arcane, or the frenetic reactivity of Fury. Hero Talents don’t override what matters to a class. You should feel like you’re playing your spec with a twist or a boost and not as if the things you care about have become unimportant or been replaced.
A Hero Talent tree might add new behavior or bonuses to an existing ability, like Keeper of the Grove’s bonuses to Force of Nature and Grove Guardian treants. They might occasionally reset the cooldown on abilities or replace spells with more powerful versions. They might make it easier to maintain important buffs or grant additional resources at key moments.
One thing that we’re keeping a close eye on is complexity. Classes in WoW have a lot of abilities and talents, and there’s a lot to learn about each one. We want Hero Talents to add new fun without creating new burdens, either in customizing or playing a character. Most Hero Talent trees do not add new buttons that players will need to add to their action bar or find a new keybind for. There will be additional opportunities for players to express their skill, but we’re trying not to add things like complex maintenance buffs that increase the cognitive load for everyone playing a class. Most of the choices a player will make about how complex they want their rotation to be will continue to be made in their class and spec talent trees.
Some Hero Talents do require you to take certain talents in your class or spec trees to access their powers. This is often because those talents fit the flavor and theme of that specific Hero Talent tree. The Mountain Thane warrior tree enhances Avatar and Thunder Clap, Templar paladin gives extra power to Wake of Ashes, and Elune’s Chosen druids can cast a particularly strong Fury of Elune. However, a Hero Talent tree will only ever require or enhance a small number of class or spec talents. It's important to us that there still is freedom in customizing your class build.
Show Us the Hero Talent Trees!
Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing full designs for Hero Talent trees from The War Within. We’re excited to hear what you think of them.
We’re starting things off by sharing the first set of trees here. Below, you’ll find the Hero Talents for San’Layn Death Knights, Chronowarden Evokers, Lightsmith Paladins , and Mountain Thane Warriors.
San'Layn Death Knight
Specializations: Blood and Unholy
San’layn are death knights who have mastered the vampiric arts of the darkfallen. They consume the vitality of their enemies to protect and restore themselves. Their endless hunger only strengthens them.
SAN'LAYN KEYSTONE
Vampiric Strike: Your Death Coil and Death Strike have a 10% chance to make your next Heart Strike or Scourge Strike become Vampiric Strike. Vampiric Strike heals you for 3% of your maximum health and grants you Essence of the Blood Queen, increasing your Haste by 1.5%, up to 7.5% for 20 seconds.
SAN’LAYN ROW 1
Choice Node: Newly Turned & Vampiric Speed
- Newly Turned: Raise Ally revives players at full health and grants you an absorption shield equal to 20% of your maximum health.
- Vampiric Speed: Death’s Advance and Wraith Walk movement speed bonuses are increased by 10%. Activating Death’s Advance or Wraith Walk increases 4 nearby allies movement speed by 20% for 5 sec.
Blood-Soaked Ground: While you are within your Death and Decay, your physical damage taken is reduced by 5% and your chance to gain Vampiric Strike is increased by 5%.
Choice Node: Vampiric Aura & Bloody Fortitude
- Vampiric Aura: Your Leech is increased by 3%. While Lichborne is active the Leech amount is increased by 100% and affects 4 nearby allies.
- Bloody Fortitude: Icebound Fortitude reduces all damage you take by up to an additional 30% based on your missing health. Killing enemies that grant honor or experience reduces the cooldown of Icebound Fortitude by 3 sec.
SAN’LAYN ROW 2
Infliction of Sorrow: When Vampiric Strike damages an enemy affected by Blood Plague or Virulent Plague it consumes the disease dealing 200% of the remaining damage. While Gift of the San’layn is active, Vampiric Strike no longer consumes your disease and instead extends the duration of your disease by 3 sec and deals 20% of the remaining damage to the enemy.
Frenzied Bloodthirst: Essence of the Blood Queen stacks 2 additional times and increases the damage of your Death Coil and Death Strike by 5% per stack.
The Blood is Life: Vampiric Strike has a chance to summon a Blood Beast to attack your enemy for 10 sec. Each time the Blood Beast attacks it stores a portion of the damage dealt and when the Blood Beast dies it explodes dealing 50% of the damage accumulated to nearby enemies and healing the death knight for the same amount.
SAN’LAYN ROW 3
Visceral Regeneration: Your Heart Strike and Scourge Strike have a 3% per stack of Essence of the Blood Queen to refund a Rune. Vampiric Strike doubles the chance to refund a Rune.
Incite Terror: Heart Strike and Scourge Strike extend the duration of Essence of the Blood Queen by 0.5 seconds. Vampiric Strike increases the extension by 100%.
Choice Node: Sanguine Scent & Pact of the San’layn
- Sanguine Scent: Your Death Coil and Death Strike have a 15% chance to trigger Vampiric Strike when damage enemies below 35% health and it is guaranteed to critically strike.
- Pact of the San’layn: Your store 50% of all Shadow damage dealt into your Blood Beast to explode for additional damage when it expires.
SAN’LAYN CAPSTONE
Gift of the San’layn: While Vampiric Blood or Dark Transformation is active you gain Gift of the San’layn. Gift of the San’layn increases the effectiveness of your Essence of the Blood Queen by 100% and replaces your Heart Strike and Scourge Strike with Vampiric Strike for the duration.
Chronowarden Evoker
Specializations: Augmentation and Preservation
Chronowardens can manipulate time and see into the future. By specializing in Bronze magic, they are slightly unstable due to the vast amount of knowledge available to them. They are precise, erudite, and organized individuals who seek to understand the world through careful study.
CHRONOWARDEN KEYSTONE
Chrono Flame: Living Flame is enhanced with Bronze magic, repeating 15% of the damage or healing you dealt to the target in the last 5 seconds as Arcane, up to a fixed amount.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 1
Warp: Hover now warps you through time and space and its cooldown is reduced by 5 seconds. Hover continues to allow Evoker spells to be cast while moving.
Temporal Burst: Tip the Scales overloads you with temporal energy, increasing your Haste, movement speed and cooldown recovery rate by 2%, ramping up to 40% over 20 seconds.
Reverberations: Spiritbloom heals for an additional 30% over 8 seconds. Upheaval deals 30% additional damage over 8 seconds.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 2
Choice Node: Interdimensional Phase & Motes of Acceleration
- Interdimensional Phase: Warp reduces damage taken by 30%, starting high and reducing over 2 seconds.
- Motes of Acceleration: Warp leaves a trail of Motes of Acceleration. Allies who come in contact with a mote gain 20% increased movement speed for 30 seconds.
Threads of Fate: Casting an Essence ability during Temporal Burst causes a nearby ally to gain a Thread of Fate for 15 seconds, granting them a chance to echo their damage or healing spells, dealing 15% of the amount again.
Primacy: For each damage over time effect from Upheaveal or Spiritbloom, gain 3% Haste, up to 9%.
CHRONOWARDEN ROW 3
Choice Node: Careful Contemplation & Time Convergence
- Careful Contemplation: Your Intellect and Stamina are increased by 10%, but your cooldowns are increased by 10%.
- Time Convergence: Abilities with a 45 second or longer cooldown grant 10% Intellect for 15 seconds. Defensive abilities grant 10% Stamina for 15 seconds. Essence spells extend the duration by 1 second.
Choice Node: Master of Destiny & Golden Opportunity
- Mastery of Destiny: Empower spells amplify all your active Threads of Fate, increasing their power by 100% for 8 seconds, stacking up to 2 times.
- Golden Opportunity: Echo & Prescience have a 25% chance to not incur a cooldown. Echo has a 25% chance to not cost Essence.
Instability Matrix: Each time you cast an empower spell, unstable time magic reduces its cooldown by up to 15 seconds. Echo has a 25% chance to not cost Essence.
CHRONOWARDEN CAPSTONE
Afterimage: Empower spells send up to 3 Chrono Flames to your targets. Chrono Flames have a small chance to grant you Essence Burst.
Lightsmith Paladin
Specializations: Holy and Protection
Lightsmiths are paladins who have developed such masterful control over the Light that they are able to wield it tangibly, employing constructs to empower their weapons and defenses and to protect their allies.
LIGHTSMITH KEYSTONE
Holy Armaments: Will the Light to coalesce and become manifest at a target location as a Holy Armament, which may be wielded by you or your allies. Alternates between Holy Bulwark and Sacred Weapon. Lats 20 sc after being cast. Max 2 charges.
Holy Bulwark: While wielding a Holy Bulwark, gain an absorption shield for 15% of your maximum health and an additional 5% every 2 seconds, stacking up to 30%.
Sacred Weapon: While wielding a Sacred Weapon, your spells and abilities have a chance to deal additional Holy damage or healing.
LIGHTSMITH ROW 1
Choice Node: Rite of Sanctification & Rite of Adjuration
- Rite of Sanctification: Imbue your weapon with the power of the Light, increasing your armor by 5% and your primary stat by 1%. Lasts 1 hour. Weapon imbue.
- Rite of Adjuration: Imbue your weapon with the power of the Light, increasing your Stamina by 3% and causing your Holy Power spenders to sometimes unleash a burst of healing around a target. Weapon imbue.
Solidarity: If an ally picks up an Armament, you also gain its benefits. If you pick up an Armament, a nearby ally also gains its benefits.
Choice Node: Divine Guidance & Blessed Assurance
- Divine Guidance: For each Holy Power ability cast, your next Consecration does additional Holy damage or healing split across all enemies, up to a fixed total.
- Blessed Assurance: Casting a Holy Power spender increases the damage and healing of your next Crusader Strike by 100%.
LIGHTSMITH ROW 2
Laying Down Arms: When an Armament fades from you, the cooldown of Lay on Hands is reduced by 15 seconds, and you gain Shining Light or Infusion of Light.
Choice Node: Divine Inspiration & Forewarning
- Divine Inspiration: Your spells and abilities have a chance to manifest a Holy Armament nearby.
- Forewarning: The cooldown of Holy Armaments is reduced by 20%.
Choice Node: Fear No Evil & Excoriation
- Fear No Evil: While wielding an Armament the duration of Fear effects is reduced by 50%.
- Excoriation: Enemies within 5 yards of Hammer of Justice’s target are slowed by 15%.
LIGHTSMITH ROW 3
Shared Resolve: The effect of your active Aura is increased by 33% on targets with your Armaments.
Valiance: Consuming Shining Light or Infusion of Light extends the duration of any active Armaments by 3.0 seconds, or reduces the cooldown by 3 seconds if none exist.
Hammer and Anvil: Judgment critical strikes cause a shockwave around the target, dealing additional Holy damage or healing at the target's location.
LIGHTSMITH CAPSTONE
Blessing of the Forge: Avenging Wrath summons an additional Sacred Weapon, and during Avenging Wrath your Sacred Weapon casts spells on your target and echoes the effects of your Holy Power abilities.
Mountain Thane Warrior
Specializations: Fury and Protection
Mountain Thanes embody the strength of the mountains and the power of the storm. They channel thunder and lightning through their reinforced bodies to make them an unstoppable force.
MOUNTAIN THANE KEYSTONE
Lightning Strikes: Damaging enemies with Thunder Clap, Revenge, Raging Blow, or Execute has a 10% chance to also strike one with a lightning bolt, dealing moderate Nature damage. Lightning Strikes occur 50% more often during Avatar.
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 1
Call of Thunder: The Stormstrike damage or Nature damage your abilities deal is increased by 5%. Stormstrike damage ignores Armor. Thunder Clap damage increased by 50%. For Fury only, Thunder Clap generates 5 Rage and Improved Whirlwind and Meat Cleaver now improve Thunder Clap as well as Whirlwind.
Ground Current: Lightning Strikes also deal low amounts of Nature damage to enemies near their target. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
Strength of the Mountain: Shield Slam damage increased by 20%. Bloodthirst and Rampage damage increased by 10%.
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 2
Thunder Blast: Shield Slam and Bloodthirst have a 20% chance to grant you Thunder Blast, stacking up to 2 charges. Thunder Blast causes your next Thunder Clap to become a Thunder Blast that deals Stormstrike damage.
Choice Node: Storm Bolts & Storm Shield
- Storm Bolts: Storm Bolt also hits 1 additional nearby target, stunning them for 2 seconds.
- Storm Shield: Intervening a target grants them a shield for 5 seconds that absorbs magic damage equal to 3 times your Armor.
Choice Node: Flashing Skies & Valarjar Training
- Flashing Skies: Chance for Lightning Strikes to critically strike is increased by 5% and their critical strike damage is increased by 10%.
- Valarjar Training: Lightning Strikes reduce the cooldown of Ravager by 0.5 second.
MOUNTAIN THANE ROW 3
Choice Node: Steadfast as the Peaks & Keep Your Feet on the Ground
- Steadfast as the Peaks: Victory Rush increases your maximum health by 10% for 5 seconds.
- Keep Your Feet on the Ground: Thunder Blast reduces damage you take by 4% for 5 seconds.
Choice Node: Gathering Clouds & Thorim’s Might
- Gathering Clouds: Your attacks trigger Lightning Strikes 15% more often.
- Thorim’s Might: Lightning Strikes generate 3 Rage. Revenge, Raging Blow, and Execute damage increased by 15%.
Burst of Power: Lightning Strikes have a 20% chance to make your next 2 Shield Slams or Bloodthirsts have no cooldown.
MOUNTAIN THANE CAPSTONE
Avatar of the Storm: Casting Avatar grants you 2 charges of Thunder Blast and resets the cooldown of Thunder Clap. While Avatar is not active, Lightning Strikes have a 10% chance to grant you Avatar for 4 seconds.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing more as we progress in development.
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Published on 2023-12-18 06:06 PM
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Published on 2023-12-18 05:54 PM
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Published on 2023-12-18 05:01 PM
Arena World Championship and Mythic Dungeon International Return in 2024
The Arena World Championship (AWC) and Mythic Dungeon International (MDI) return in 2024 to culminate the final champions of Dragonflight and usher in a new age with The War Within™.
2024 is a massive year for Warcraft. With WoW celebrating its 20th anniversary, Arena World Championship (AWC) and Mythic Dungeon International (MDI) will celebrate the culmination of Dragonflight before diving into The War Within with a full year of scheduled programming, including three seasons of competition and additional bonus events throughout the year.
For all competitions in the upcoming year, we’ve partnered with Raider.IO to provide open registration for anyone to sign up to participate. With $2 Million (USD) of prizes on the line, new in-game rewards to earn, and an increased breadth of competitions during the year—it’s bound to be another great year of action. Registration is now open for the first events, which will broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube, in addition to competitors streaming their perspectives!
ARENA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
With the launch of Dragonflight, we moved the Arena World Championship (AWC) to a Seasonal Cup model to allow players more opportunities to compete and create phenomenal moments. In 2024, we’re building upon this and adding a new layer to what will now be a combined Season of Cups between the remainder of Dragonflight’s chapters.
To culminate Dragonflight, we will host a combined season of AWC split between in-game Seasons 3 and 4. After the first two AWC Cups in Season 3, teams will compete in a new ‘Mid-Season Clash’ featuring qualified teams from Europe and North America and add a $100,000 USD bounty to the previous Seasonal model. After this event, AWC Cups will resume in Season 4 with AWC Points from all four Cups contributing toward the AWC Dragonflight Finals, where teams will have the chance to be crowned the Champions of Dragonflight and secure their share of the $300,000 USD Prize Pool.
Both the Mid-Season Clash and AWC Dragonflight Finals will have an associated AWC Gauntlet event to decide the final spots. Each set of AWC Cups in Season 3 and Season 4 will have unique in-game banners that participants can earn. Beginning today, teams can sign up on Raider.IO for the Dragonflight Season 3 Cups to achieve the “Dreaming Banner of the Aspects” banner.
MYTHIC DUNGEON INTERNATIONAL
Across Mythic Dungeon International (MDI) and The Great Push (TGP), we’re continuing to expand with three total seasons planned in 2024. To round out Dragonflight, MDI and TGP will have events across Season 3 and Season 4, respectively—before launching into The War Within with an entire season of MDI matches to celebrate the new expansion. Across the year, more than $900,000 USD in prizing will be available between MDI and TGP programs.
DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 3 – MYTHIC DUNGEON INTERNATIONAL
Starting today, registration for MDI Season 3 is now open for the first season of 2024. Season 3 and Season 4 will feature condensed schedules as we gear up for The War Within, meaning each weekend will be even more competitive before crowning a champion. Dragonflight Season 3 will kick off with Time Trials beginning January 31. From there, the top 16 teams will be split into two groups, each with a $30,000 USD prize pool and four qualifying spots to the MDI Global Finals. The MDI Global Finals will be an eight-team bracket with a $200,000 prize pool and the final chance to be crowned MDI Global Champions in Dragonflight.
Starting today, registration for MDI Season 3 is now open in partnership with Raider.IO. Any player who completes the Season 3 Time Trials will also earn the new “Dreaming Banner of the Aspects,” so register your team today!
DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 4 – THE GREAT PUSH
The Great Push ended 2023 with incredible competition and returns in Season 4 with some of the best hits of Dragonflight’s Dungeons and its own $260,000 USD prize pool. More information, including Format, Registration, and new in-game rewards, will be shared after Season 4 is announced—watch this space!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
LOOKING AHEAD
The War Within is soon upon us, and both Arena World Championship and Mythic Dungeon International will celebrate the launch, distributing a combined $800,000 USD between the programs in Season 1 of the new expansion. We’re very excited for all the action throughout all three seasons in a monumental year that marks 20 years of World of Warcraft.
We can’t wait to get the 2024 competitions underway, so sign up on Raider.IO. Stay on top of the latest news by subscribing to our Twitch and YouTube channels and following the WoW Esports Twitter.
Good luck, and have fun!
2024 is a massive year for Warcraft. With WoW celebrating its 20th anniversary, Arena World Championship (AWC) and Mythic Dungeon International (MDI) will celebrate the culmination of Dragonflight before diving into The War Within with a full year of scheduled programming, including three seasons of competition and additional bonus events throughout the year.
For all competitions in the upcoming year, we’ve partnered with Raider.IO to provide open registration for anyone to sign up to participate. With $2 Million (USD) of prizes on the line, new in-game rewards to earn, and an increased breadth of competitions during the year—it’s bound to be another great year of action. Registration is now open for the first events, which will broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube, in addition to competitors streaming their perspectives!
ARENA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
With the launch of Dragonflight, we moved the Arena World Championship (AWC) to a Seasonal Cup model to allow players more opportunities to compete and create phenomenal moments. In 2024, we’re building upon this and adding a new layer to what will now be a combined Season of Cups between the remainder of Dragonflight’s chapters.
To culminate Dragonflight, we will host a combined season of AWC split between in-game Seasons 3 and 4. After the first two AWC Cups in Season 3, teams will compete in a new ‘Mid-Season Clash’ featuring qualified teams from Europe and North America and add a $100,000 USD bounty to the previous Seasonal model. After this event, AWC Cups will resume in Season 4 with AWC Points from all four Cups contributing toward the AWC Dragonflight Finals, where teams will have the chance to be crowned the Champions of Dragonflight and secure their share of the $300,000 USD Prize Pool.
Both the Mid-Season Clash and AWC Dragonflight Finals will have an associated AWC Gauntlet event to decide the final spots. Each set of AWC Cups in Season 3 and Season 4 will have unique in-game banners that participants can earn. Beginning today, teams can sign up on Raider.IO for the Dragonflight Season 3 Cups to achieve the “Dreaming Banner of the Aspects” banner.
MYTHIC DUNGEON INTERNATIONAL
Across Mythic Dungeon International (MDI) and The Great Push (TGP), we’re continuing to expand with three total seasons planned in 2024. To round out Dragonflight, MDI and TGP will have events across Season 3 and Season 4, respectively—before launching into The War Within with an entire season of MDI matches to celebrate the new expansion. Across the year, more than $900,000 USD in prizing will be available between MDI and TGP programs.
DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 3 – MYTHIC DUNGEON INTERNATIONAL
Starting today, registration for MDI Season 3 is now open for the first season of 2024. Season 3 and Season 4 will feature condensed schedules as we gear up for The War Within, meaning each weekend will be even more competitive before crowning a champion. Dragonflight Season 3 will kick off with Time Trials beginning January 31. From there, the top 16 teams will be split into two groups, each with a $30,000 USD prize pool and four qualifying spots to the MDI Global Finals. The MDI Global Finals will be an eight-team bracket with a $200,000 prize pool and the final chance to be crowned MDI Global Champions in Dragonflight.
Starting today, registration for MDI Season 3 is now open in partnership with Raider.IO. Any player who completes the Season 3 Time Trials will also earn the new “Dreaming Banner of the Aspects,” so register your team today!
DRAGONFLIGHT SEASON 4 – THE GREAT PUSH
The Great Push ended 2023 with incredible competition and returns in Season 4 with some of the best hits of Dragonflight’s Dungeons and its own $260,000 USD prize pool. More information, including Format, Registration, and new in-game rewards, will be shared after Season 4 is announced—watch this space!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
LOOKING AHEAD
The War Within is soon upon us, and both Arena World Championship and Mythic Dungeon International will celebrate the launch, distributing a combined $800,000 USD between the programs in Season 1 of the new expansion. We’re very excited for all the action throughout all three seasons in a monumental year that marks 20 years of World of Warcraft.
We can’t wait to get the 2024 competitions underway, so sign up on Raider.IO. Stay on top of the latest news by subscribing to our Twitch and YouTube channels and following the WoW Esports Twitter.
Good luck, and have fun!
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