World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies

We have made additional adjustments that are now live on the beta based on the data gathered during the raid testing weekend. Thank you so much for your participation, your feedback, and your assistance in gathering data during the testing period.

A reminder that these changes:

• Are subject to change.
• The changes only affect PvE and have zero impact on Arenas and Battlegrounds.
• The changes under each Spec’s name are only active for that spec even if the ability is available to multiple specs.

We want to set expectations here: In order to let these changes rest - outside of extreme cases - we’re not going to do additional adjustments until after our next Raid test.

Death Knight

• Blood
  
  • Outbreak’s base cooldown for Blood Death Knights has been decreased to 30 seconds (was 60 seconds). [New]
    
    • Developer’s note: Blood Death Knights are strong at the start of the expansion so a buff to them may seem a bit odd, but this has much less to do with raiding performance and more to do with smoothing over the feeling in dungeons where they go between pulls and a player may not be able to drag mobs from the previous pull with them.
• Frost
  
  • Howling Blast’s damage to targets around the primary target has been increased to 65% of the damage dealt (was 50%). [5.2 Revert]

Druid

• Balance
  
  • Force of Nature for Balance Druids has had its damage increased by 9.1% to match the Moonkin Form adjustment last week. [New]
• Guardian:
  
  • Bear Form for Guardian Druids now increases all damage you deal by 5%. [New]

Hunter

• Survival
  
  • Explosive Shot damage decreased by 7%. [5.4 Revert]
    
    • Developer’s Note: Survival Hunters saw multiple buffs to Explosive Shot in the final 5.4 patch and hotfixes afterward. We’re going to test a revert to the final increase to Explosive Shot and see the impact. We expect this to bring damage from Survival Hunters down slightly, but they’ll get a bit of it back when Stampede correctly spawns on the target instead of next to the Hunter.

Monk

• Mistweaver:
  
  • Revival healing decreased by 15% (with our previous buff this takes it to being a 22% increase to its original state). [Partial 5.5.0 Revert]

Paladin

• Holy:
  
  • Seal of Insight now correctly restores base mana (was total mana). [Bugfix]
  • Seal of Insight now correctly only restores base mana for Holy Paladins. [Bugfix]
  • Seal of Insight’s Base Mana restoration increased to 6% of base mana (was 4%). [New]
  • Crusader Strike’s cost for Holy Paladins has been decreased by 20%, bringing it to 12% of base mana (was 15% of base mana). [New]
    
    • Developer’s Note: The Seal of Insight change was restoring an incorrect amount of mana but we overall did like the effect it had on Holy Paladins. So we’re correcting it but also raising it to 6% of base mana, and on top of that we’re also reducing the cost of Crusader Strike for Holy Paladins.

Priest

• Discipline
  
  • Divine Aegis’s healing conversion increased by 12.5% effectiveness, taking it to 90% (was 80%). [Partial 5.5.0 Revert]
• Holy
  
  • Divine Hymn healing decreased by 35%. [New]
  • Chakra: Sanctuary’s increase to area of effect healing increased to 35% (was 25%). [New]
  • Chakra: Serenity’s increase to single-target healing increased to 35% (was 25%). [New]
  • Chakra’s cooldown decreased to 10 seconds (was 30 seconds). [New]
• Shadow
  
  • Shadow Word: Pain’s damage over time increased by 18%. [5.4 Revert]

Warlock

• Affliction
  
  • Corruption’s damage over time increased by 33%. [5.2 Revert]
  • Agony’s damage over time increased by 18%. [5.4 Revert]
  • Haunt’s damage increase to your damage over time effects increased to 40% (was 35%). [5.4 Revert]
• Demonology
  
  • Doom’s damage over time increased by 33%. [5.2 Revert]
    
    • Developer’s note: Demonology is very close to Destruction now near the start of the game, and this should give it an extra push in the situations where it needs a little more help.

Warrior

• Protection
  
  • Shield Barrier’s attack power modifier increased to 2.0 (was 1.8). [5.2 Revert]

We’ll be performing a stress test for Mists of Pandaria Classic on Wednesday, June 18, from 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT. During this time, we ask players to jump in on the public test realm environment to help simulate the launch.

For the stress test, all races and classes will be available for creation along with level 85 templates and character copy. The starting quests will become active at 2:50pm PDT to allow players time to set-up and get ready.

Jump in, storm Pandaria, and help us make sure that people aren’t getting stuck on the ship. Players who do not have a beta invite are encouraged and welcomed to please help jump in and participate. And who knows, you might encounter some shenanigans along the way…

If you encounter any issues during the test, you can submit them through the bug reporting tool in-game. If there are any aspects you’d like to discuss, feel free to post in the Classic Discussion forum.

The War Effort begins July 10 at 3:00 pm PDT!

Aid your faction in opening the gates of Ahn'Qiraj—granting access to the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj and Temple of Ahn'Qiraj raids for your server. Be the first to ring the Scarab Gong to get the coveted Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal mount.

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Join the War Effort

On July 10 at 3:00 pm PDT, the War Effort will begin, and each faction can turn in an immense amount of resources that, once completed, require five days to be transported to Silithus. Due to the raid requirements in the questline leading up to the "Bang a Gong!" quest, the earliest that the ringing can occur in Silithus on highly-motivated realms could be just over a week later.

Get Out There and Gather

It's up to every champion of the Horde and Alliance to pitch in to ensure their faction completes The War Effort requirements by delivering a multitude of supplies and materials. Head to this guide for a complete list of materials and supplies necessary, along with how much of everything you'll need.

What You Need and Where to Go

Visit Field Marshal Snowfall (Alliance) making the rounds through the Military Ward in Ironforge or Warlord Gorchuk (Horde) pacing the Valley of Spirits in Orgrimmar to turn in your Commendations! If you're curious about the overall progress of your faction, these War Effort Commanders also help keep a tally of the materials and supplies obtained and still needed.

Care to know the opposing faction's progress? Horde Ambassador General Zog in the Ironforge and Alliance Ambassador Commander Stronghammer in Orgrimmar for details.

So Many Supplies, So Little Time

The initial War Effort requires a great deal of supplies to be turned in by your faction on your realm. If this is not complete 15 days after the content is unlocked, small amounts of supplies will begin turning in automatically, as they did in version 1.12 of the original WoW. The gates still require somebody to "Bang a Gong!" but this will help ensure that all realms have the chance to unlock Ahn'Qiraj before Naxxramas is released.

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Bang a Gong!

Once you complete the "The Scepter of the Shifting Sands" questline, be the first to complete the "Bang a Gong!" quest to open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj for everyone on your server, earning you the Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal mount.

Once the gong is rung on a realm, the Ten Hour War begins, giving players 10 hours to finish up their quests and earn their rare mount. Only the first player on a realm to ring the gong will be announced across the zone in Silithus. On realms that have multiple layers, once the gong is rung on one layer, the Ten-Hour War will begin on all layers.

Once the 10 hours have elapsed, "Bang a Gong!" can no longer be turned in, the two Ahn'Qiraj raids will open, and the "Treasures of the Timeless One" quest will become available.

The exact times for the ringing of the gong, and therefore the raids, will differ on every realm.

Ringing the gong can only be done by players who have completed all of the steps of the "Scepter of the Shifting Sands" questline before the end of the 10-hour window. In addition to raid requirements, players can use the Proxy of Nozdormu to deputize other players to help them amass Silithid Carapace Fragments.

All players who complete the questline and turn in "Bang a Gong!" before the 10 hours are up will receive the Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal mount. Any player who completes the questline up through "The Might of Kalimdor" will be eligible for "Treasures of the Timeless One," which rewards an Epic weapon they can choose—Fang of Korialstrasz (MH Dagger), Shadowsong's Sorrow (1H Dagger), Runesword of the Red (MH Sword), or Ravencrest's Legacy (1H Sword)—regardless of whether they were able to complete "Bang a Gong!" in time.

For a more detailed breakdown of how you can prepare for the Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline and get the Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal mount, read this guide.

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Behind the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj

The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj enclose two massive raid dungeons—the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj (20-player) and the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj (40-player).

As you delve deeper into the mysteries of Ahn'Qiraj, discover revelations of the Silithid infestation and their shadowy masters, the Qiraji.

Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj: 20-player Raid	Temple of Ahn'Qiraj: 40-player Raid
Level Requirement: 60 Reputation: Cenarion Circle Where: Silithus Bosses: Kurinnaxx General Rajaxx Moam Buru the Gorger Ayamiss the Hunter Ossirian the Unscarred	Level Requirement: 60 Reputation: Brood of Nozdormu Where: Silithus Bosses: The Prophet Skeram Silithid Royalty Battleguard Sartura Fankriss the Unyielding Viscidus Princess Huhuran The Twin Emperors Ouro C'Thun

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Two New Class Armor Sets

Earn two new class armor sets—from both the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj and the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj—by looting items from powerful bosses and gaining Reputation with the Cenarion Circle and Brood of Nozdormu.

Build your Tier 2.5 Raid Set by reaching specific Reputation levels with the Brood of Nozdormu and collecting Qiraji Tokens, class-specific Idols, and Scarabs from the raid instances.

	Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj	Temple of Ahn'Qiraj
Druid	Symbols of Unending Life Band of Unending Life (Ring) Cloak of Unending Life (Cloak) Mace of Unending Life (1H Mace)	Genesis Raiment Genesis Boots Genesis Helm Genesis Shoulderpads Genesis Trousers Genesis Vest
Hunter	Trappings of the Unseen Path Signet of the Unseen Path (Ring) Cloak of the Unseen Path (Cloak) Scythe of the Unseen Path (1H Axe)	Striker's Guard Striker's Diadem Striker's Footguards Striker's Hauberk Striker's Leggings Striker's Pauldrons
Mage	Trappings of Vaulted Secrets Band of Vaulted Secrets (Ring) Drape of Vaulted Secrets (Cloak) Blade of Vaulted Secrets (1H Sword)	Enigma Vestments Enigma Boots Enigma Circlet Enigma Leggings Enigma Robes Enigma Shoulderpads
Paladin	Battlegear of Eternal Justice Ring of Eternal Justice (Ring) Cape of Eternal Justice (Cloak) Blade of Eternal Justice (1H Sword)	Avenger's Battlegear Avenger's Breastplate Avenger's Crown Avenger's Greaves Avenger's Legguards Avenger's Pauldrons
Priest	Finery of Infinite Wisdom Ring of Infinite Wisdom (Ring) Shroud of Infinite Wisdom (Cloak) Gavel of Infinite Wisdom (1H Mace)	Garments of the Oracle Footwraps of the Oracle Mantle of the Oracle Tiara of the Oracle Trousers of the Oracle Vestments of the Oracle
Rogue	Emblems of Veiled Shadows Band of Veiled Shadows (Ring) Cloak of Veiled Shadows (Cloak) Dagger of Veiled Shadows (Dagger)	Deathdealer's Embrace Deathdealer's Boots Deathdealer's Helm Deathdealer's Spaulders Deathdealer's Leggings Deathdealer's Vest
Shaman	Gift of the Gathering Storm Ring of the Gathering Storm (Ring) Cloak of the Gathering Storm (Cloak) Hammer of the Gathering Storm (1H Mace)	Stormcaller's Attire Stormcaller's Diadem Stormcaller's Footguards Stormcaller's Hauberk Stormcaller's Leggings Stormcaller's Pauldrons
Warlock	Implements of Unspoken Names Ring of Unspoken Names (Ring) Shroud of Unspoken Names (Cloak) Kris of Unspoken Names (Dagger)	Doomcaller's Attire Doomcaller's Circlet Doomcaller's Footwraps Doomcaller's Mantle Doomcaller's Robes Doomcaller's Trousers
Warrior	Battlegear of Unyielding Strength Signet of Unyielding Strength (Ring) Drape of Unyielding Strength (Cloak) Sickle of Unyielding Strength (1H Axe)	Conqueror's Battlegear Conqueror's Breastplate Conqueror's Crown Conqueror's Greaves Conqueror's Legguards Conqueror's Spaulders

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We look forward to following along as events unfold over the next several weeks as you battle your way through the forgotten horrors of Ahn’Qiraj.

Lok'tar Ogar!