2.3 Arena, items, and battleground changes.

[Boubouille]

More blue posts today, brewfest should be working pretty much everywhere now (with Dark Irons attacks removed for the moment) and we're getting more informations about 2.3 items and battlegrounds changes.

(2.3) Arena season 3 : Titles wiping, weapon arts, mount
3 Blue posts about the arena today.

• You will lose your old arena titles at the end of Season 2, if you had one during the season 1 but couldn't reach the same level during season 2, bye bye.
• Season 3 weapons will have new arts but they won't have new models, they're just recolored raid weapons.
• The Season 2 Armored Netherdrake will have a different color than the one from Season 1.

[blizzquote author=Drysc]We plan to use the same titles of Challenger, Rival, Duelist and Gladiator to give to players when season 2 completes. The players with titles from season 1 will have them removed and the titles will be redistributed to the people who win them at the completion of season 2. (Source)

They won't be "released" until 2.3 goes up on the PTRs. No sneak peeks for you. I can however tell you that they do in fact have new art. It's different colored raid weapons. So the weapons exist as raid weapons, but they'll have new colors. (Source)

Yes, it will be a different color Armored Nether Drake. (Source)[/blizzquote]

(2.3) Warrior changes
Less threat in berserk stance.

(2.3) Druid itemization changes
Two great news for our druids friends, there is a new feral set coming with the Season 3, and attack power on PvE (Zul'aman) and PvP items will be increased.
[blizzquote author=Bornakk]We are currently planning to make a Feral-focused set available in season 3. The idea is to make this set have no plus to healing on it and be focused on Feral statistics. Things could still change though. (Source)

On a related note, for items that grant attack power in Cat, Bear, Dire Bear, and Moonkin forms, in general we are planning to increase the amount of attack power they give. (Source)

(WotLK) Neutral Dalaran
Dalaran might be like Shattrath... or not.
[blizzquote author=Drysc & Nethaera] It's a bit too early to say if it's going to be like Shattrath. I wouldn't get too upset about it until it's actually designed and we can tell you what it's going to be like. Source


I think it's a bit too early to be worried or upset about what is and isn't going to be in Dalaran. When we are further along and have information on it, we'll share it with you all.

In the meantime, remember, Dalaran is filled with the world's most powerful magic users. While they work together, they are also filled with many different personalities and more importantly, have a bit of a crisis on their hands by the name of Malygos. I am going to hazard a guess that the Kirin Tor are going to be using all the available resources they can to survive the onslaught. Source[/blizzquote]

(2.3) Preparation buff in battlegrounds
If you were afraid about people camping graveyards with the help of the free buff ... buff, well, it seems it will be very short in BGs.

(2.3) Alterac Valley Changes
A short answer about group queues, and a short explanations of the changes.
[blizzquote author=Nethaera]Q: Group queue?
A: This is something that is in consideration and MAY be tested on the Test Realm. We have some concerns about what this could do to affect the Queue times to get into battle. Currently, the matching system is relatively lenient. Even though it is lenient though, we could end up with longer wait times as a Pre-Made waits to get matched up. At the same time, we are also concerned about what affect this could have on PUGs that find themselves matched up against Pre-Mades. This is another, "let's test and see" sort of thing. (Source)

At that point, you need to coordinate with the Raid group to send a group to go retake a graveyard.

A lot of strategies are going to change and people are going to need to decide what locations are essential keys to defeating the opponent. Sometimes you'll have to sacrifice one graveyard to protect a tower. Sometimes, you'll have to leave one target to shore up another.

While it seems like it could be overwhelming right now, I've been in AV many times before and with each change, I've seen people adjust. Those that have been around awhile go into autopilot. They know they need to get to X spot and secure it before going to Y and wiping it out etc. People will adjust to what needs to be done and coordinate or they will lose.

The same goes for losing resources. There are always those kamikaze types of players, but overall, forces will need to learn to not leave people behind, healers will need to keep on top of healing and those that want heals will need to protect their healers. It's one resource per player death currently, you lose far more though if you lose a Tower or a major NPC. Kill the General and it's a guaranteed win. So, what will you do? Just PvP the other side down hoping that you can whittle them down? Or will it be a series of strategic captures that get played out with the end result being the death of the General?

The game display will show the resources that you have so perhaps that will also dictate just how slow and cautiously the game is played or how much sacrificing can be done. Source

New Brewfest mounts next year ?
That's probably the most anticipated news I ever did, but we might get new mounts next year because rams are an alliance mount, and it makes horde roleplayers (and alliance players who already own a ram) unhappy.
[blizzquote="Kisirani;http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=2215473700&postId=22152851610&sid=1#15]Because it is a Dwarven holiday, and Dwarves? They ride rams. We're not unaware of the community's reaction to this, and you never know what next year might bring.[/blizzquote"]

(PTR) Fix to your sound problems
I don't know how much it works, but it's probably worth trying if you're experiencing sound problems (and don't forget to feedback on the original post if it works). If it doesn't work, it would be a good idea to go on the 2.2.3 PTR and test things !

Re crackle, popping, or other unsteadiness in sound output, try raising the Sound_DSPBufferSize parameter to 8, 9 or 10 (the max value).

/console Sound_DSPBufferSize 10 and then re-launch. See if you notice a difference.

[Mitko_A]

"We plan to use the same titles of Challenger, Rival, and Gladiator to give to players when season 2 completes."

There was a duelist as well. Does that mean it has been removed or he just forgot to mention it.

[Boubouille]

He forgot, fixed it, and I forgot the fix he forgot.

Hope it's clear, anyway it's fixed now. ^^

[overneathe]

So erm... why did the site just tell me I'm banned? :>

[Mitko_A]

He forgot, fixed it, and I forgot the fix he forgot.

Hope it's clear, anyway it's fixed now. ^^

Yup thank you. Any speculations on when 2.3 will be on PTRs and for how long?

[Boubouille]

So erm... why did the site just tell me I'm banned? :>

Don't know, screenshot next time ?

[flammable]

Give 2.3 PTR!

[pasco]

Once again a netherdrake... I am disappointed by this. Everybody rides a netherdrake and the difference between the colors or between an armored and a normal is very small.

[gore]

i break rules /b/.

[Meldras]

Yay, I can finally post after about 3 weeks of trying to get registered! I love the site btw.

Somewhat back on topic. I have been grinding to get exalted with the bg factions to get the conquerer title on my blood elf and man does it suck. Does anyone have any idea if they will ever bring back turning in the marks for rep gain or why it was removed?

[Rhune]

Not a lot is finalized right now, but we are currently planning to make Improved Berserker Stance provide threat reduction by 2/4/6/8/10% while in Berserker Stance.

This is great for fury warriors, but what about slam warriors? I swear, there is never any love for 2 hander dps warriors. Its starting to really get to me. I hit 1039 dps yesterday. Thats very high for a 2 hander build. BUT NOOOO, lets continue to screw our 2 hander warriors in the a$$.