Guardian- Initial 6.1 ptr notes out, some superfluous buffs, some nerfs.

[lsmf5]

Pulverize A devastating blow that consumes 3 stacks of your Lacerate on the target to deal (400% 420% of weapon damage) Physical damage, and reduce damage taken by 15% for 12 sec. Requires Bear Form. Druid - LvL 0 Talent. Melee range. Instant.

A minor damage buff to what is already the clear winner in the level 100. The remaining level 100 talents are still terrible in comparison. Admittedly GoE is still decent for CMs.

Feral & Guardian
Survival Instincts Reduces all damage taken by 50% for 6 sec. Max 2 charges. Druid - Feral & Guardian Spec. Instant. 12 sec cooldown. 6 sec cooldown.

A fairly large nerf to our major damage reduction cooldown. Considering that bears are one of the squishier tanks, I'm not sure why this change was needed.

Guardian
Lacerate Lacerates the enemy target, dealing [ 1 + 115.15% 120.9% of AP ] bleed damage and an additional [ 15 + 9.74% 10.2% of AP ] over 15 sec. Stacks up to 3 times. Generates 2 Rage and has a 25% chance to reset the cooldown on Mangle. Requires Bear Form. Druid - Guardian Spec. Melee range. Instant.

A minor buff to our filler spell, can't complain, but not needed.

Maul (Feral, Guardian) Maul the target for (120% 125% of weapon damage) Physical damage.

Minor buff to a regularly used spell, once again no complaints.

The concern however is that Blizzard appears to have taken little notice to the complaints made by the bear community. From the threads I have read on here, the Blizzard official forums and Inc bear, that these changes made were even required. Specifically:

Initial rage generation on single targets
Lack of damage reduction cooldowns in comparison to other tanks. In addition now our main damage reduction cooldown has been cut in half for it's time effect.
Lack of balance in the level 100 talents. Pulverise is still the go to talent for raiding.

[ReD-EyeD]

I'm pretty sure most of these "changes" are just tooltip wording fixes. Don't rush yet.
But Survival Instincts is really good.

[uzumati]

Those are TT updates for hotfixes already in the game the balancing issues with come with a later ptr patch

[Deleted]

I really don't get the change you are talking about with our survival instinct? I'm tanking Highmaul Mythic right now! and my SI is lasting for 6 sec and is 50% damage reduction. So where is the change? compared to what you wrote?

[Amazering]

The SI change here is tool tip only. But to explain it a bit, it isn't a nerf. Currently the tool tip says that SI can be used once every 12 seconds, making you wait 6 seconds between when your SI wears off and the next one you can cast your next charge. They have changed the tool tip to reflect how you can now use SI back to back, allowing for 12 consecutive seconds of 50% damage reduction.

[Jinchu]

Pretty sure it specifically says in red print "many of these are likely tooltip fixes." The balancing notes will come with a later ptr patch.
Close this thread please