Legion - Human Racial Changes, Black Rook Hold Preview, Adventure Map Fix, Tweets

[chaud]

Technical Patch 2.3.0b, Patch 2.4 Transmog Showcase

Designer Insights: Ben Brode on Basic Cards & Power Creep

New Patch Datamined - Recruit a Friend, Rotation for Dec. 8, Patch Notes, Talent Gating Bug

Developer Update - New Maps & Heroes to be Free, Interface Options, End of Game Cards

Legion - Human Racial Changes

In the next version of the Legion Alpha, we’re adjusting the Human racial ‘Every Man for Himself’ to only remove stun effects. The racial will share a 30 second cooldown with other similar effects.

Due to the changes to PvP gear and the introduction of PvP talents in Legion, the Warlords of Draenor implementation of Every Man for Himself no longer makes sense. So instead, we’re trying out an implementation that functions similar to Will of the Forsaken. It will only break Stun effects, but won’t trigger the full 2-minute cooldown on your Gladiator’s Medallion ability (which is the Legion version of the current Medallion trinkets).

As always, this change isn't final, and we’re looking for feedback from testers once they’ve had some time with it. Please feel free to share your initial thoughts on this here, and for Alpha testers, take your feedback to the Alpha general discussion forum.

Legion - Black Rook Hold Preview
Black Rook Hold is a max level dungeon located in Val'sharah.

The Amalgam of Souls
Immense soul energy was released when Gul'dan conducted the ritual to sever Illidan's soul from his body at Black Rook Hold. This energy brought the souls of the Ravencrest clan back to their ancestral home - and residual soul energy has merged them into a massive monstrosity.

• Overview - The Amalgam of Souls battles players until reaching 50% health, at which point it ruptures, splitting into the tortured souls of the Ravencrest ancestors.
  
  • Damage Dealers -
    • Keep moving and avoid other players while afflicted withSoul Echoes.
    • When targeted by Swirling Scythe or Glaive Toss, move to avoid placing it in an inconvenient location.
  • Healer -
    • Keep moving and avoid other players while afflicted withSoul Echoes.
    • When targeted by Swirling Scythe or Glaive Toss, move to avoid placing it in an inconvenient location.
    • Reap Soul will deal high damage to the tank if it hits.
  • Tank -
    • Move out of the way of Reap Soul to avoid heavy damage.
    • After the Amalgam splits, Staellis Rivermoor will need to be tanked.
• Stage 1: The Amalgam of Souls -
  
  • Reap Soul - Cuts targets in front of the Amalgamation to their very soul, inflicting 1,560,000 Shadow damage and increasing damage taken by 20% for 30 sec.
  • Swirling Scythe - Throws a scythe towards a player, inflicting 455,000 Physical damage and knocking back any players it comes into contact with.
  • Soul Echoes - Fragments a players soul, causing them to leave behind soul echoes. These echoes detonate inflicting 286,000 Shadow damage to nearby players.
• Stage 2: The Call of Souls -
  
  • Call Souls - Lures the restless souls in the Ravencrest crypts towards the Amalgamation of Souls. If they reach him, they will grant him Soulgorge.
    
    • Soulgorge - The Amalgam absorbs a soul, destroying it and increasing the damage inflicted by Soul Burst by 50%.
  • Soul Burst - The Amalgam of Souls bursts, inflicting 390,000 Shadow damage to all players and releasing the most powerful spirits of Lord Ravencrest's ancestors.

Illysanna Ravencrest
The daughter of Lord Ravencrest, imprisoned for millinea in the Vault of the Wardens shortly after the War of Ancients, found herself free after Maiev released the demon hunters from their prison. Returning to her ancestral home, she has sacrificed everything - including her very soul - to defend what she could not during the War of the Ancients.

• Overview - Ilyssana fights players on the ground as her Fury bar builds. When it fills, she leaps into the air and unleashes deadly eye beams as she calls her risen guards to dispatch the party. Each eye beam partially depletes her Fury, and when she can no longer use eye beams to attack the party, she lands, re-engaging on the ground.
  
  • Damage Dealers -
    • Players targeted by Dark Rush should gather together together to minimize the amount of Felblazed Ground.
    • Otherwise, players should spread to avoid Brutal Glaive bouncing to them.
    • Interrupt Risen Arcanists' Arcane Blitz.
  • Healer -
    • Players targeted by Dark Rush should gather together together to minimize the amount of Felblazed Ground.
    • Otherwise, players should spread to avoid Brutal Glaive bouncing to them.
    • Vengeful Shear deals heavy damage to tanks.
  • Tank -
    • Use Active Mitigation for Vengeful Shear to reduce damage and avoid the damage taken debuff.
    • Avoid Risen Vanguard's Bonecrushing Spike.
• Stage 1: Vengeance -
  
  • Vengeful Shear - A deadly attack shears the target, inflicting 1,755,000 Physical damage. Additionally, increases damage taken by 100% for 25 sec if the target is not using active mitigation.
    This effect stacks.
  • Dark Rush - Illysanna fixes her gaze on players. After a short time she dashes between them, inflicting 0 Physical damage and leaving a Blazing Trail in her wake.
    
    • Blazing Trail - Inflicts 156,000 Fire damage every 3 sec.
  • Brutal Glaive - Inflicts 195,000 Physical damage immediately, and 91,000 Physical damage every 2 sec. for 30 sec to a targeted player, bouncing to any other nearby players.
• Stage 2: Fury -
  
  • Eye Beams - Fires a beam of fel power that follows a player, leaving behind patches of Felblazed Ground.
    
    • Felblazed Ground - Inflicts 227,000 Fire damage every 1 sec. to any players inside Felblazed Ground.
  • Risen Vanguard -
    
    • Bonecrushing Strike - Inflicts 273,000 Physical damage and stuns all players in a cone in front of the Vanguard for 4 sec.
  • Risen Arcanist -
    
    • Arcane Blitz - Inflicts 260,000 Arcane damage and increases the caster's damage done by 50% for 10 sec.
      This effect stacks.

Smashspite the Hateful
A brutal, imposing Mo'arg Lieutenant, Smashspite the Hateful led the Legion's invasion of Black Rook Hold and commanded defense of the keep from the air via his colony of felbats.

• Overview - Smashspite engages players on the ground with heavy physical attacks, periodically calling in felbats to cover the ground in deadly Fel Vomit.
  
  • Tank -
    • Minimize damage taken by Smashspite's melee attacks to slow the rate at which his Brutality bar fills.
    • When Smashspite's Brutality bar fills, he will use Brutal Haymaker, inflicting heavy damage and increasing damage taken for a short time.
    • Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
  • Healer -
    • Earthshaking Stomp inflicts heavy damage to the party.
    • When Smashspite's Brutality bar fills, he will use Brutal Haymaker on the tank, inflicting heavy damage and increasing damage taken for a short time.
    • Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
  • Damage Dealers -
    • Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
• Earthshaking Stomp - Stomps the ground, inflicting 416,000 Physical damage to all players and knocking them back.
• Hateful Gaze - Smashspite the Hateful focuses his gaze on a target.
  Smashspite performs a Hateful Charge in the direction of the affected player when Hateful Gaze expires.
  
  • Hateful Charge - Impacts the first player he comes into contact with, inflicting 1,041,000 Physical damage, knocking them back, and increasing their damage taken from Hateful Charges by 100% for 60 sec.
• Brutality - Smashspite's damaging melee attacks grant him Brutality in proportion to the damage done.
  When he reaches 100 Brutality, he will unleash a Brutal Haymaker at his current target.
  
  • Brutal Haymaker - Smashspite punches his current target, inflicting 1,690,000 Physical damage and increasing damage taken by 100% for 10 sec.
• Call of the Felbat - Smashspite calls down a Felbat. The frequency of this ability increases as the encounter continues.
  
  • Fel Vomit - A nearby felbat marks a target, who they will vomit foul fel bile in the direction of after a short duration, creating pools of Fel Vomitus.
    
    • Fel Vomitus - Inflicts 358,000 Fire damage to any players who come into contact with a pool of Fel Vomitus.

Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest
Kur'talos Ravencrest, Lord of Black Rook Hold, was the commander of the Kal'dorei Resistance during the War of the Ancients until he was assassinated by Varo'then under the orders of Queen Aszhara. Millenea later, Gul'dan's foul soul magic has awoken Ravencrest's soul, and those of his ancestors, from their eternal repose. The Legion, seeking revenge, gleefully forced his soul into his body and mesmerized him, forcing him to eternally relive the horrors of the War of Ancients.

• Overview - Ravencrest will engage the player while his advisor, Latosius, teleports around the area, attacking wih dark magic. Once Ravencrest has been reduced to 20% health, Latosius will reveal his true form - that of the dreadlord Dantallionax, and will rip Ravencrest's soul from his body. As Ravencrest calls on the souls of his ancestors to empower the party, they must defeat Dantallionax and cleanse the Legion from Black Rook Hold.
  
  • Tank -
    • Unerring Shear will deal heavy damage and reduce your maximum health.
    • Kill Stinging Swarm to stop taking damage and being stunned by Itchy!.
    • Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantallionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
  • Healer -
    • Unerring Shear will deal heavy damage to the tank and reduce their maximum health.
    • Dispel Cloud of Hypnosis.
    • Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantallionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
  • Damage Dealers -
    • Kill Stinging Swarm on yourself or your party members to stop damage and being stunned by Itchy!.
    • Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantallionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
• Stage 1: Lord of the Keep -
  
  • Unerring Shear - A deadly attack shears the target, inflicting 2,015,000 Physical damage and reducing their maximum health by 20%.
  • Whirling Blade - Throws a glaive at a targeted player, traveling back and forth from the position it was thrown. The glaive inflicts 487,500 Physical damage and knocks back any targets it touches.
  • Lightning Strike - Lightning periodically strikes the tower, inflicting 1,850,000 Nature damage to any targets caught in the blast. This damage affects both players and enemies.
  • Latosius -
    
    • Dark Blast - Inflicts 1,105,000 Shadow damage to all enemies in a line in front of the caster and knocks them back.
    • Shadow Bolt - Inflicts 162,500 Shadow damage.
• Stage 2: Vengeance of the Ancients -
  
  • Legacy of the Ravencrest - Lord Ravencrest calls on the power of his ancestors to grant the party strength, increasing damage done, healing done, and health by 300%.
  • Dantalionax -
    
    • Stinging Swarm - Envelops the target in a swarm of stinging insects, inflicting 400,000 Physical damage every 1 sec.
      $[2
      In Heroic difficulty, this effect has a chance to also stun the target for 0.5 sec when dealing damage, players can attack the swarm and must kill it to remove the effect.]
    • Cloud of Hypnosis - Creates a cloud of hypnotic gas, causing anyone who enters it to be put to sleep. Taking damage or leaving the cloud will remove the effect.
    • Dreadlord's Guile - Splits into several images, who each cast Dark Obliteration in sequence.
    • Shadow Bolt Volley - Launches a volley of shadow energy towards all players, inflicting 987,192 Shadow damage.

Legion Alpha - Adventure Map Fix

With a final data hotfix, code hotfix, and binary build deployed out, we've gotten this issue resolved and in as good of a state as we can with this server build.

That said, if you were able to bypass the map and manually went to the zones, it's possible that certain NPCs are in a different phase than your own. We're looking into this, but that's likely a problem we can't solve today. It's still worth entering bug reports for since it's a legitimate way players could get broken on live retail servers when the expansion launches.

Thanks for being patient as we go through this, we tracked down some problems with how certain files are committed to public data containers vs internal local files. This is why your Alpha/Beta/PTR testing is so important - you're playing through the game in a public client, which hits a lot of different areas that we don't see internally (ideally this is the same content, but in terms of installation/updating/streaming it's a different beast.)

Testing is terrific!

Ghostcrawler Tweets
Ghostcrawler talks about game design and occasionally WoW. Remember that he no longer works for or speaks for Blizzard.

1.) If you are a hardcore gamer, how do you know how to design a game for a casual audience? Or even a broad audience?
1. You need a ton of empathy and probably a lot of playtesting with casual players. (OccupyGStreet)

4.) Arent factions in mmorpgs contrary to best gameplay? As like building bgs out of mercenaries and not tauren versus gnomes
4. But factions add a lot of emotional investment. The "us vs them" drive is strong in humans. (OccupyGStreet)

5.) Why so many skinner boxes? In special in MMORPGs. Sometimes i feel like a pigeon pushing the bacon button..
5. Games are ultimately about using tools to overcome obstacles to earn rewards. The best games don't make it so obvious though. (OccupyGStreet)

6.) How could a mythic raider create a engaging LFR implementation? If he never plays it.
6. I was a mythic raider and I was largely the LFR designer. I just tried to put myself in that mind set. (OccupyGStreet)
6. You might not like LFR (and I am pretty honest about its shortcomings) but I don't think they stem from my being too hardcore (OccupyGStreet)

8.) Is the balancing concept in WoW something like "Perfect imbalance" or was the intend rock-paper-scissors-spock-lizard?
8) When I was there, it was intended to be that you have strengths and weaknesses and so does everyone else. (OccupyGStreet)
8) I can't speak to their philosophy today obviously. (OccupyGStreet)

Heroes of the Storm - Recruit a Friend
Today's Heroes patch added the Recruit a Friend system! It rewards you with a Heroes mount when you recruit 4 players that reach level 10. The friends you recruit get a 5 day stimpack and 2 free heroes. The patch brought some other updates as well, such as more free hero slots and the removal of talent gating.

[Eleccybubb]

Hmmm dungeon looks meh at best. As for Overwatch seems fair since more than likely sprays/skins will be cash or ingame currency. As for the human racial about damn time but with the new medallion talent or w/e it is it'll probably put everyone a bit more on par now.

[Zandalarian Paladin]

Hmmm dungeon looks meh at best. As for Overwatch seems fair since more than likely sprays/skins will be cash or ingame currency. As for the human racial about damn time but with the new medallion talent or w/e it is it'll probably put everyone a bit more on par now.

I love the dungeon, visually. For everything else, we'll see after beta.

LFR when Greg Street was on the game was fairly great. When he left, the design changed and that's when I stopped running them.

Before someone say I'm nostalgic or anything, I didn't even know he managed LFR until today, and I ran every LFR in the game. But I didn't farm any in Warlords, because the mechanics are tedious and the raids are unrewarding.

[Krom]

the Warlords of Draenor implementation of Every Man for Himself no longer makes sense.

The only way it made sense in WoD was to generate lots of money from race changes!

[Deleted]

The only way it made sense in WoD was to generate lots of money from race changes!

Totally. Why wouldnt they just move it to another race then? Because your argument makes no sense.

[Deleted]

the only way to fix human racial is to make a new one...

[Alayea]

I love the dungeon, visually. For everything else, we'll see after beta.

LFR when Greg Street was on the game was fairly great. When he left, the design changed and that's when I stopped running them.

Before someone say I'm nostalgic or anything, I didn't even know he managed LFR until today, and I ran every LFR in the game. But I didn't farm any in Warlords, because the mechanics are tedious and the raids are unrewarding.

You can lay the blame for "unrewarding" squarely at the feet of those who complained that LFR was (somehow) mandatory.

[Deleted]

and why forsaken dont have only 30sec cd? its only sleep and mind control

[Eleccybubb]

You can lay the blame for "unrewarding" squarely at the feet of those who complained that LFR was (somehow) mandatory.

Funny thing is it never was. the 378s from Firelands was plenty for Dragon soul, the 463s from MoP heroics were enough to get 489s from MSV and some people had crafted/rep stuff as well and the 630/636 dungeon gear and 640 crafted/cm gear was enough for normal progression in WoD. Factored on in MoP and WoD that LFR didn't open until a while after then it was in no way mandatory by then. Anyone saying LFR is mandatory is a fool plain and simple. As for later tiers your normal/hc gear is enough for the next content by the time it's out. Only reason they feel LFR is mandatory now is because of Valor and upgrades.

[Deleted]

Human racial is still going to be better than every other racial in pvp. Forsaken racial works against fear and charm which can only be applied by few classes on the other hand every class except priest can stun.

[Dartz1979]

Human racial is still going to be better than every other racial in pvp. Forsaken racial works against fear and charm which can only be applied by few classes on the other hand every class except priest can stun.

keep in mind though of pver places we have mobs casting horrofy on us fear and other different spells thats all the same as the spell fear that shit needs to all be classified as one damn school of spells if every man for himself is being changed,

[Kaeth]

You can lay the blame for "unrewarding" squarely at the feet of those who complained that LFR was (somehow) mandatory.

And it's come with noticeable side effects. If the balance/resto druid 4-piece T18 set bonus was bugged to the point of being effectively nonfunctional, the mythic progression guilds would ensure that Blizzard knows and releases a hotfix ASAP.

But it's a different story with the LFR "tier" sets we've had this expansion: the leather LFR set's 4-piece has been broken for balance and resto druids for over four months. But it's a problem unique to LFR gear, so it'll still be broken when the 7.0 patch hits live servers. Because not enough (vocal) people care -- and that includes Blizzard employees.

And that's a problem that will continue with Legion if LFR continues to have its own unique gear. Just like LFR also continues to give not just lower-item-level gear, but in the case of trinkets, also dramatically under-budget lower-item-level gear.

[Eleccybubb]

And it's come with noticeable side effects. If the balance/resto druid 4-piece T18 set bonus was bugged to the point of being effectively nonfunctional, the mythic progression guilds would ensure that Blizzard knows and releases a hotfix ASAP.

But thanks to the LFR "tier" sets we've had this expansion, the leather LFR set's 4-piece has been broken for balance and resto druids for over four months. But it's a problem unique to LFR gear, so it'll still be broken when the 7.0 patch hits live servers. Because not enough (vocal) people care -- and that includes Blizzard employees.

And that's a problem that will continue with Legion if LFR continues to have its own unique gear. Just like LFR also continues to give not just lower-item-level gear, but in the case of trinkets, also dramatically under-budget lower-item-level gear.

Tbh I'll admit that the WoD LFR trinkets were just appalling. Infact any trinket with just pure stats like that can go to hell. Problem with LFR is they don't really care since the content is there now for the casual or time restricted player.

[Friendlyimmolation]

uh that doesnt look like a nerf to EmFH at all

[Super Kami Dende]

You can lay the blame for "unrewarding" squarely at the feet of those who complained that LFR was (somehow) mandatory.

Indeed, same can be said for Professions and old Rep dailies that reward any kind of epic reward.

The "OMFG MANDATORY!!" crowd is very much partly to blame for how WoD turned out with very few ways of Item Progression outside of Raiding.

- - - Updated - - -

uh that doesnt look like a nerf to EmFH at all

Making it only affect 1 of 6 CC's classes instead of all of them? Seems like a Nerf to me.

I'm actually quite sad since I loved the Fear breaking of EMFH in PvE. I gave zero shits about the PvP side of it. Since PvP "balance" in this game is what has removed a lot of the fun of this game.

[Durgtok]

Hey look, another snippet from that loser who USED TO work for Blizzard. Who cares? Not me!

[Eleccybubb]

Hey look, another snippet from that loser who USED TO work for Blizzard. Who cares? Not me!

Don't read it then. I don't really care for his comments either but at the end of the day it's not up to me or you what gets put on this site. Oh and as for RAF kinda wish it hadn't come along just AFTER my friends started playing

- - - Updated - - -

uh that doesnt look like a nerf to EmFH at all

Because it only breaks one type of CC now over all of them. A damn huge change.

[Alayea]

And it's come with noticeable side effects. If the balance/resto druid 4-piece T18 set bonus was bugged to the point of being effectively nonfunctional, the mythic progression guilds would ensure that Blizzard knows and releases a hotfix ASAP.

But it's a different story with the LFR "tier" sets we've had this expansion: the leather LFR set's 4-piece has been broken for balance and resto druids for over four months. But it's a problem unique to LFR gear, so it'll still be broken when the 7.0 patch hits live servers. Because not enough (vocal) people care -- and that includes Blizzard employees.

And that's a problem that will continue with Legion if LFR continues to have its own unique gear. Just like LFR also continues to give not just lower-item-level gear, but in the case of trinkets, also dramatically under-budget lower-item-level gear.

I honestly didn't know about that issue. In fairness though, the LFR tier bonuses are so bad beyond the flat 2pc-bonus stat increase that I've never even tried for the 4-pc bonus. (And there are better secondary stats from off-tier in general, too.)

LFR had it right in MoP.

[teidden]

Hmmm dungeon looks meh at best. As for Overwatch seems fair since more than likely sprays/skins will be cash or ingame currency. As for the human racial about damn time but with the new medallion talent or w/e it is it'll probably put everyone a bit more on par now.

That dungeon is AWESOME well done blizz

[Schmilblick]

we’re adjusting the Human racial ‘Every Man for Himself’ to only remove stun effects. The racial will share a 30 second cooldown with other similar effects.

One of the best news for faction balance and PvP Players

As always, this change isn't final

I'm sure it will be final, good riddance.