World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies

I’d like to share some clarifications of some details of how the set bonuses work as well as some revisions we’ve made. Your feedback has been very valuable, thank you. We’re continuing to work on and tune these bonuses, and we’ll share more updates as we make more changes.

First, a couple functionality clarifications:

• Vengeance Demon Hunter: Fiery Brands applied by the (4) Set Bonus will gain the benefits of Revel in Pain, Charred Flesh, and Fiery Demise. Burning Alive will cause the Fiery Brand it applies to spread just like a directly cast Fiery Brand.
• Arcane Mage: Mana spent on Arcane Surge counts for the (4) Set Bonus. The tooltip has been updated to reflect this.

Updated Bonuses

• Survival Hunter (4) Set Bonus: Every 25 Focus spent reduces the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb by 1.0 sec, and the target of your latest Kill Command takes 100% increased damage from Wildfire Bomb for 8 sec.
• Fire Mage (4) Set Bonus: When your direct damage spells hit an enemy affected by Charring Embers 20 times the damage of your next 2 Phoenix Flames is increased by 200% and they refund a charge on use.
• Frost Mage:
  
  • (2) Set Bonus: Flurry and Ice Lance damage increased by 10%. Flurry causes an explosion on impact, dealing 50% of its damage to nearby enemies, damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
  • (4) Set Bonus: Casting Ice Lance on a frozen target has a 10% chance to trigger Brain Freeze.
• Brewmaster Monk (4) Set Bonus: Rising Sun Kick grants a stack of Elusive Brawler, and when you dodge, the damage and critical strike chance of your next Spinning Crane Kick or Rising Sun Kick is increased by 5%, stacking up to 5 times.
  
  • Developers’ Note: Developer’s Note: This change is not in for this week’s PTR, but will be added in a future PTR build.
• Windwalker Monk (4) Set Bonus: Your melee auto-attacks have a chance to launch a Shadowflame spirit at your enemy that duplicates your abilities at 20% effectiveness for the next 7.5 sec.
• Enhancement Shaman (4) Set Bonus: Sundering increases your Physical and Fire damage dealt by 30% for 15 sec and your next 3 Chain Lightning casts deal 100% increased damage and refund 50% of Maelstrom Weapon stacks consumed.
• Demonology Warlock (4) Set Bonus: Grimoire: Felguard deals 20% additional damage. While Grimoire: Felguard is active, your demons deal 20% additional damage.

Tuning Updates

• Mistweaver Monk (2) Set Bonus: Soulfang Infusion restores 5% of your maximum Mana over 5 sec (down from 6 sec).
• Windwalker Monk (2) Set Bonus: Rising Sun Kick deals 15% increased damage and has a 30% chance to go nova, dealing (300% of Attack Power) Fire damage to all enemies within 8 yds.
• Enhancement Shaman (2) Set Bonus: Sundering increases your Mastery by 24% for 15 sec. (up from 12%)
• Demonology Warlock (4) Set Bonus: Grimoire: Felguard damage bonus reduced to 20% (down from 40%).
• Arms Warrior (2) Set Bonus: Chance to critically strike and critical strike damage reduced to 5% (from 10%).
• Protection Warrior:
  
  • (2) Set Bonus: Shield Slam now reduces the cooldown of Last Stand by 1 sec (up from 0.5).
  • (4) Set Bonus: The wave will deal 45% of Attack Power.

Greetings! The 10.1 PTR has been updated with the following:

Dragonflight Season 2

• Mythic+
  
  • Neltharus
    
    • Warlord Sargha
      
      • Fixed the damage tuning on items found during the encounter.
  • Fixed an issue that gave players inconsistent item levels in Freehold, The Underrot, and Neltharion’s Lair.

Classes

• Druid
  
  • Feral
    
    • Bloodtalons now enhances your next 3 Rips or Ferocious Bites per activation (was 2).
    • Thrashing Claws bonus to Shred damage reduced to 8% (was 20%).
    • Wild Slashes bonus to Swipe and Thrash damage increased to 25% (was 20%).
    • Swipe damage increased by 20%.
    • Brutal Slash damage increased by 15%.
    • Moonfire damage with Lunar Inspiration increased by 8%.
• Evoker
  
  • Preservation
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – After casting 3 empower spells, gain Essence Burst immediately and another 3 seconds later.
• Hunter
  
  • Survival
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Every 25 Focus spent reduces the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb by 1 second, and the target of your latest Kill Command takes 100% increased damage from Wildfire Bomb for 8 seconds.
• Mage
  
  • Arcane
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus tooltip has been updated – For every 20,000 mana spent on and during Arcane Surge, your spell damage is increased by 1% for 12 seconds after Arcane Surge fades, stacking up to 30 times.
  • Fire
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – When your direct damage spells hit an enemy affected by Charring Embers 20 times the damage of your next 2 Phoenix Flames is increased by 200% and they refund a charge on use.
  • Frost
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Flurry and Ice Lance damage increased by 10%. Flurry causes an explosion on impact, dealing 50% of its damage to nearby enemies, damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
• Monk
  
  • Brewmaster
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Rising Sun Kick grants a stack of Elusive Brawler, and when you dodge, the damage and critical strike chance of your next Spinning Crane Kick or Rising Sun Kick is increased by 5%, stacking up to 5 times.
      
      • Developers’ note: This change is not in for this week’s PTR, but will be added in a future PTR build.
  • Mistweaver
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus – Soulfang Infusion restores 5% of your maximum mana over 5 seconds (was 6 seconds).
  • Windwalker
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus tuning values have been added – Rising Sun Kick deals 15% increased damage and has a 30% chance to go nova, dealing Fire damage to all enemies within 8 yards.
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Your melee auto-attacks have a chance to launch a Shadowflame spirit at your enemy that duplicates your abilities at 20% effectiveness for the next 7.5 seconds.
• Priest
  
  • Improved Mass Dispel reduces the cast time of Mass Dispel by 0.5 seconds (was 1 second).
  • Psychic Scream now hits all enemies within 8 yards (was a maximum of 5 enemies).
  • Void Tendrils now hits all nearby enemies within 8 yards (was a maximum of 5 enemies).
  • Holy
    
    • Divine Image now spawns 1 Naaru that is empowered and grows with further Holy Word casts.
      
      • Developers’ note: This is intended to have the same effectiveness as the current design while reducing clutter on the battlefield.
    • Divine Image now teleports near the Priest when the Priest casts a Holy Word spell if the Image is further than 15 yards away.
    • Divine Favor: Chastise and Divine Favor: Serenity have been added to the Personal Resource Display.
  • Shadow
    
    • Shadow Word: Death damage reduced by 38%.
    • Shadow Word: Death deals 250% increased damage below 20% health (was 150%).
    • Mastermind increases the critical strike chance of the affected spells by 4%/8% (was 2%/4%)
    • Maddening Touch increases Vampiric Touch damage by 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
    • Whispering Shadows no longer causes Shadow Crash to generate additional Insanity.
    • Mind Spike damage reduced by 6%.
    • Mind Spike: Insanity damage reduced by 11%.
    • Mind Spike: Insanity generates 6 Insanity (was 8)
    • Mental Decay now also increases the damage of Mind Flay and Mind Spike by 10%.
    • Unfurling Darkness and Mental Decay have swapped positions on the talent tree.
    • Mind Devourer has a 5%/10% chance (was 4%/8%) to trigger and increases the damage of Devouring Plague by 20% (was 15%).
    • Mind Flay damage from Idol of C’Thun reduced by 25%.
    • Inescapable Torment damage reduced by 40%.
    • Inescapable Torment increases the duration of Mindbender by 0.7 seconds (was 1 second).
    • Void Bolt generates 10 Insanity (was 12).
    • Void Bolt now updates the maximum duration of Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch so that the remaining durations are more easily understood.
    • Mindbender and Shadowfiend generates 2 Insanity per attack (was 3).
    • Distorted Reality increases Devouring Plague damage by 8% (was 20%) and increases Insanity cost by 10 (was 25).
    • Devouring Plague extends the duration of Voidform by 2.5 seconds (was 2 seconds).
    • Void Torrent now has a 45 second cooldown (was 60 seconds).
    • Unfurling Darkness damage increased by 75%.
    • Mind Melt is now a 1-point talent.
    • Malediction is now a 1-point talent.
    • Inescapable Torment is now a 1-point talent for Shadow.
    • Casting Void Torrent now always triggers Idol of C’Thun.
    • Vampiric Embrace no longer triggers from Psychic Link damage.
    • Vampiric Embrace no longer triggers Hallucinations.
• Shaman
  
  • Enhancement
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus – Sundering increases your Mastery by 24% for 15 seconds (was 12%).
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Sundering increases your Physical and Fire damage dealt by 30% for 15 seconds and your next 3 Chain Lightning casts deal 100% increased damage and refund 50% of Maelstrom Weapon stacks consumed.
• Warlock
  
  • Demonology
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus – Grimoire: Felguard damage reduced to 20% (was 40%).
• Warrior
  
  • Arms
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus – Chance to critically strike and critical strike damage reduced to 5% (was 10%).
  • Protection
    
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus – Shield Slam now reduces the cooldown of Last Stand by 1 second (was 0.5 seconds).
    • Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus – The wave of force generated by the 4-set bonus deals 45% of Attack Power.

Player Versus Player

• Hardiness (Orc Racial) stun reduction has been reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
  
  • Developers’ note: In conjunction with the crowd control changes we are making, we are adjusting the value of Hardiness to put the ability’s power level more in line with other racial abilities in PvP scenarios, while still being able to feel the impact of the racial.
• Classes
  
  • Death Knight
    
    • Spellwarden (PvP Talent) has been removed.
  • Druid
    
    • Balance
      
      • Reactive Resin (PvP Talent) has been removed.
    • Feral
      
      • Reactive Resin (PvP Talent) has been removed.
    • Guardian
      
      • Reactive Resin (PvP Talent) has been removed.
      • Raging Frenzy (PvP Talent) has been removed.
    • Restoration
      
      • Reactive Resin (PvP Talent) has been redesigned – Reduces the movement speed of enemies who remove your Restoration heal over time effects by 30% for 3 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. At 3 stacks the movement speed reduction is removed, and the target is rooted and silenced for 3 seconds.
  • Mage
    
    • Fire
      
      • Flamecannon (PvP Talent) has been redesigned – Every 2 seconds in combat with no enemies within 20 yards, you gain 3% maximum health, 3% increased damage, and a 3 yard range increase to Fire spells. This effect stacks up to 5 times and lasts for 3 seconds.
  • Monk
    
    • Brewmaster
      
      • Wind Waker (PvP Talent) has been removed.
      • Guided Meditation (PvP Talent) reduces the cooldown of Zen Meditation by 50% (was 75%).
    • Mistweaver
      
      • New PvP Talent: Fae Accord – Faeline Stomp’s cooldown is reduced by 20 seconds. Enemies struck by Faeline Stomp are snared by 50% for 8 seconds (was 70%).
    • Windwalker
      
      • Turbo Fists (PvP Talent) no longer causes Fists of Fury to deal its full damage to all targets hit.
      • Fists of Fury now deals 90% of its damage to secondary target players.
  • Paladin
    
    • Retribution
      
      • Ultimate Retribution now marks the enemy target for 12 seconds (was 8 seconds).
  • Priest
    
    • New PvP Talent: Absolute Faith – Leap of Faith also pulls the spirit of the 3 furthest allies within 40 yards and distributes health between you and the affected allies. shields all allies affected.
    • Shadow
      
      • Mind Spike damage is now increased by 25% in PvP combat (was reduced by 25%).
      • Mind Spike and Mind Spike: Insanity damage is now increased by 30% in PvP combat (was 25%).
      • Mind Flay and Mind Flay: Insanity damage is now increased by 30% in PvP combat.
      • Deathspeaker increases the damage of Shadow Word: Death by 10% in PvP combat (was 25%).
  • Shaman
    
    • New PvP Talent: Burrow – Burrow beneath the ground, becoming unattackable, removing movement impairing effects, and increasing your movement speed by 50% for 5 seconds. When the effect ends, enemies within 6 yards are knocked in the air and take Physical damage.
    • Elemental
      
      • New PvP Talent: Volcanic Surge – Increases the damage of Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst by 20%. Lava Surge instead reduces the cast time of your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, or Lava Burst by 25%, stacking up to 2 times. Volcanic Surge now also increases the chance for Lava Surge to trigger by 100%.
  • Warlock
    
    • Bonds of Fel (PvP Talent) explosion damage increased by 33%.
    • New PvP Talent: Impish Instincts – Taking direct Physical damage reduces the cooldown of Demonic Circle by 2 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 5 seconds.
    • Demonology
      
      • Master Summoner (PvP Talent) has been redesigned – Reduces the cast time of your Call Dreadstalkers, Summon Vilefiend, and Summon Demonic Tyrant by 20% and reduces the cooldown of Call Dreadstalkers by 5 seconds.
      • Call Fel Lord (PvP Talent) no longer costs Soul Shards. Fel Cleave’s damage increased by 30% and is now cast 50% more frequently.

Quests

• Researchers Under Fire Scenario
  
  • Assist researchers Rannan Korren, Greta Herzig, and Thaelin Darkanvil as they investigate a Titan mining lockdown with their new niffen guides in the Zaralek Cavern.
  • The scenario should begin every hour at the half-hour.
  • Please submit your feedback in this thread.
• Public Objectives
  
  • A public objective is a 5-10 minute, publicly credited bonus objective. Players will all make progress towards it’s completion together for rewards.
  • Public objectives appear as stars on the Zaralek Cavern map. Stars appear 30 seconds before public objectives become active.
• Several new side questlines are now available:
  
  • “Cause Without a Rebel” from Captain Drine in The Seat of the Aspects, Valdrakken.
  • “A Race To The Finish” from Grogul in Glimmerogg, Zaralek Cavern.

User Interface and Accessibility

• Clicking on a quest icon on the map will now open the quest details in the Quest Log.
• Mousing over a quest icon on the map will highlight the corresponding entry in the Quest Log, and vice versa.
• Mousing over a quest icon in the Quest Log or map will temporarily show any blobs for that quest.
• In cross-faction guilds, the Guild Roster will now display a faction icon next to members of the other faction with a tooltip listing activities you can and cannot do together.
• Player Versus Player
  
  • Color contrast has been improved in PvP scoreboards.
  • Scoreboard table headers now have more descriptive tooltips.
  • “Match Average Matchmaking Value” on the Solo Shuffle scoreboard has been changed to “Role Average Matchmaking Value” to more accurately reflect Rating calculation.
  • The player’s end-of-match Matchmaking Value has been added to the Solo Shuffle scoreboard.
• Edit Mode
  
  • The Raid Frame menu now has a shortcut button that opens Raid Frame settings in Interface Options.
  • You can now snap frames to the corners of other frames.

We’re now testing a new scenario coming in Embers of Neltharion, in which you’ll assist researchers Rannan Korren, Greta Herzig, and Thaelin Darkanvil as they investigate a Titan mining lockdown with their new niffen guides in the Zaralek Cavern.

The adventurer Rannan Koren, a member of the Dragonscale Expedition, often heads into the fray before his colleagues are ready. You’ll get to know Rannan and his new Niffen friends Tuberros and Perisimona during the Embers of Neltharion campaign, and you’ll then assist Rannan and his small group of researchers through a new public event located in the heart of the Zaralek Cavern. His group, with the players help, will try to lift a hostile titan lockdown of a mining operation in the Sulfur Wastes, or investigate an abandoned Zaqali Djaradin ruins in the Molten Overflow.

It should require many players to defeat the powerful foes that will resist Rannan and his company as they seek to complete their objectives. The area is dangerous and the time the researchers have is limited. Players will be rewarded each week based on the highest number of objectives they complete. Completing more objectives in later scenarios will garner higher item level and greater currency rewards, but helping each time will provide some compensation and a chance for more rewards.

The scenario should begin every hour at the half-hour.

Thank you!

Hello everyone.

Here’s this week’s PTR raid testing schedule:

Friday, March 24

• Heroic
  
  • The Forgotten Experiments – 13:00 PDT (16:00 EDT, 22:00 CEST)
  • Magmorax – 14:00 PDT (17:00 EDT, 23:00 CEST)
  • Echo of Neltharion – 15:00 PDT (18:00 EDT, 00:00 CEST)