Upcoming Character Model Preview, Jan 3 Hotfixes, Blue Tweets, Diablo Themed HS

[chaud]

TCG Toy Contest Day #1: Winners have been PMed.

7th Skill Slot Will Not Happen, The Socarrat of Diablo3-ESP, Diablo III Inspired Hearthstone Fan Art

Beta Season 2 Delayed, Countering ITB Mage, MLG/MG Weekend Tournaments, Blue Tweets

Upcoming Character Model Preview
It looks like we may see another one of the new character models soon! Last time he shared something with us, we saw the new female undead model and some cloak tests.

Patch 5.4.2 Hotfixes -January 3

Creatures

• Trade Prince Donais now has stats befitting of his position in the Bilgewater Cartel.

Raids, Dungeons, and Scenarios

• Siege of Orgrimmar
  
  • Kor'Kron Barracks/Underhold Nexus
    
    • Kor'kron Iron Sentinel, Kor'kron Shredder, and Kor'kron Skullsplitter now deal less damage on Raid Finder difficulty.
      

Blue Tweets

Classes
Thought: cleave dps useless in some fights; cleave healing useful much more often. Will all cleave gear be given to healers?
That's something that we agree is a problem. We're considering solutions, but aren't ready to announce anything quite yet. (Source)

Art
Any chance you guys will add a depth of field effect to WoW's engine?
Gone back and forth for a while now. I usually turn it off in other games in favor of visibility, value vs. investment situation. (Source)

Could Death Knights get options for complexions like Razuvious' and the other DKs in Nax? Pale with dark tattoos?
This falls into the custom skins category, something I'd love to get in. Thanks for the suggestion! (Source)

Hope to have update and new visuals for you all at beginning of new year-new stuff is looking even better than what we've already shown! (Source)
Your work so far is superb. Stoked to see what's in store. Give me Trolls please! Big muscular ones, tired of being skinny!
I hear that Troll Growth Hormone (tgh) can help with that. (Source)
jungle trolls were never muscular,check your facts. Plz dont change the trolls that ppl been playing for years
we won't dramatically change what exists now. Maybe a future option if we're able to add that level of customization (Source)

Character / Items
Reforging makes one less reliant on bis and less gear is sharded.
Remember, you have a significantly wider array of gear available than before. Reforging also made all gear feel more the same. (Source)

DOn't know if this has been asked or not but, when i switch spec and an armor piece has a gem in it will it vanish?
No. It won't change what the gem is. (Source)
Is this by design or technical limitation?
By design. (Source)
Doesn't this favor using secondary gems if not min maxing/not a class that has primary stat=primary sta(int/int)t between specs?
There are no more primary stat gems. Only secondary stat gems. (Source)

Simple question. Yes or No. Will Sockets ONLY exist via Bonus?
Still undecided for sure, but at least the vast majority of sockets will be via bonus. (Source)

I don't think it was ever mentioned - will it be possible to enchant or gem Tertiary stats in WoD?
Gem, no. Enchant... Not sure, but unlikely, other than perhaps continuing to have Speed to Boots, as has been traditional. (Source)
Since the boot speed enchant is mandatory, why not just increase baseline speed and trim boot enchants?
you may be surprised how "mandatory" it is to most people. Personally, I'm pleased that it's as popular as it is. (Source)

Warlords of Draenor Stats
Not really for pala(y for monk). Some stats are poor some are good. Readiness is extremely black or white though.
No, it's not that black and white. We'll put enough on it to tune it. There's room between 'best stat' and 'useless'. (Source)
When it comes to Readiness (if intended for big CD's) not much if any room between "best" and "useless"
Completely false. We can tune its coefficient and what abilities it affects. Very granular. (Source)

900 Readiness required encounter because you need X min DA/BoP. Screw using best gear, gotta use that 40ilvl less trinket. 2/2
There will be certain amounts of readiness that you want for certain situations, but that will be highly situational. (Source)

so cooldown reduction will only effect the same spells said trinkets effect? or could we see rotations affected?
May be different spells than the trinkets. Still generally long CDs. May do rotational abilities where necessary. (Source)

Id like clarification on the Dodge.parry change. Is it still going to exist as a base stat or is it removed 100%.
Still exists as a mechanic, but won't be on gear. (Source)

Although parry as a stat will be gone, will strength continue to increase chance to parry in WoD?
Yes. (Source)

How will the loss of dodge/parry effect monk tanks. We don't rely on armor. Don't want the best tank class to be dumbed down.
It won't. Dodge/Parry are getting removed from gear, not overall. Nothing changes for Monks, who didn't have dodge/parry on gear. (Source)

Any plans to make Armor gems a thing in WoD?
Yes. All of the new secondaries will be gemmable. (Source)

Warlords of Draenor
quick toy box question: are toy items going to work cross faction like mounts? (e.g. Darkspear>Gnomeregan pride if they're in)
Not involved w/ that design, but plenty of spells & pets already work that way, so it's likely! (Source)

Class Balance
The reactions to tweets in the MMO-C DK community are making me giggle.
Referring to my tweet about them misusing "Scaling"? Yeah.. Such a misunderstood word. (Source)
Pro Tip: If you argue that you need buffs, and say that it's because of "scaling" issues, your argument loses credibility. (Source)
There are a few exceptions to this, such as deep analysis such as Theck's. But most people use it as an "I feel weak" fallback (Source)
Is "I feel weak" necessarily useless? I mean it's not a reason to buff since feeling != actuality and some ppl are bad but...?
No. I'm just saying that "I feel weak" and "I'm weak because scaling" are the same thing. "Scaling" isn't helping your argument. (Source)
So, if you do not want us to call that an issue with "scaling", what word would you like us to use to convey that issue?
Trust me, I totally understand how EXACTLY what you describe is the impression you get. Missing piece is all the buffs/nerfs... (Source)
...that happened in between. Those likely had as much to do with power changes as the change in ilvl. (Source)
I think it's important to remember that I am not, AT ALL, disagreeing with your feeling of weakness. Suggesting feedback types. (Source)
So if we don't have a PhD in math we shouldn't post our concerns/opinions. Wow you lost all credibility right there.
Didn't say that at all. Said that you aren't using scaling properly. Feedback still useful. (Source)
So key points for using scaling are: Do you provide context? Is it a quantifiable issue? Do you have evidence to support that?
Yep! (Source)

It's hard and frustrating to understand them, but we should try and not dismiss them just b/c "scaling"
Not dismissing the feedback, just pointing out that people use "scaling" to make their argument sound credible. Actually opposite. (Source)

Fan Concept Art - Diablo Themed Hearthstone
Dexistor posted a very nice mockup of what a Diablo themed Hearthstone could look like!

[moveth]

Model updates YES!

[Pandamists]

le first face

[Deleted]

Can't wait female troll pl0x? <3

[Deleted]

someone suggest brown orcs

[jinreeko]

would love if hearthstone eventually became a whole-blizzard-ip thing.

[Spazzer]

I don't really play Hearthstone even though I have 2 accounts; however, I love the Diablo themed Hearthstone +1

~Spazzer

[Sam the Wiser]

Please show humans!

[Ovaldo]

I'm glad Blizzard is publicly saying they're looking at customization with player skins, I really hope it happens, some people would love a breath of fresh air with their character that isn't a new haircut, piercings, horns, tusks, ears, beard, etc. etc.

That Diablo themed Hearthstone looks cool too, if that was a thing, even if it's a skin/theme (read DLC) for Hearthstone they'd make a bunch of money off that, but I feel that Heroes of the Storm is going to be their cross-universe game. Who knows really.

[Whidbey]

Human Female puhleeze or Female Dwarf

[Balir]

Hoping for Both sexes of Humans and Night elves to be revealed *fingers crossed*

[Wishblade]

Gonna hope for some male troll goodness, but whatever is shown is gonna be exciting still. =)

[Derkenstein]

I honestly want to see some updated Humans........anyone else?

[Granyala]

Any chance you guys will add a depth of field effect to WoW's engine?
Gone back and forth for a while now. I usually turn it off in other games in favor of visibility, value vs. investment situation.

Eeew... lets hope that IF they ever implement that crap, that it will be an option.
I really REALLY hate that effect in games.

While it is how our eyes work and thus realistic, It doesn't feel right when using a monitor because I always have to turn my characters head to get stuff to sharpen.
I tried various effects in Skyrim ENBs and they all sucked, esp when you started moving fast while looking around and stuff blurs totally randomly.

[Deleted]

Female characters, please!

[Deleted]

The smartest move at this moment would be to reveal the human model, I suppose.

[snuzzle]

Just let me see my female tauren and get it over with! The suspense is killing me! I know you were working on male tauren. Let's see some more ladies, please!!

[Zathrendar]

jungle trolls were never muscular,check your facts. Plz dont change the trolls that ppl been playing for years
we won't dramatically change what exists now. Maybe a future option if we're able to add that level of customization

I wonder if they mean differing body sizes by this, or are they referring to the potential for subraces (i.e. forest trolls for trolls)? More likely it sounds like the second.

Also, although jungle trolls aren't as beefed as forest trolls or orcs, the concept art has always portrayed them as beefy, with a lean, streamlined look. The game models have never really captured this.

Same goes for BE, the males have also been portrayed as pretty muscular but trim in the concept art, certainly very close to human concept art, yet the models lack in definition and still look like a tacked on modification of the alpha model.

[Chocobofou]

The HS skin is beautiful :d

[Starcaller Gargon]

Would love to see Night elf or human male