Cataclysm Class Masteries
The latest beta build reintroduced class masteries in-game! Masteries are affected by the Mastery Rating on your gear.

For example, a level 82 player will get 1 Mastery point for each 93 Mastery Rating he has. This mastery point will increase the mastery bonus differently depending on the class, +1 Mastery Point doesn't necessarily means a +1% increase to the bonus. (e.g. A Beast Mastery hunter with +2 Mastery gets +4% increased pet damage)
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Death Knight (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Blood - Each time you heal yourself via Death Strike, you gain 50% of the amount healed as a damage absorption shield. Absorb increased further by mastery rating.
  • Frost - Increases all frost damage done by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Unholy - Increases the damage done by your diseases by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.

Druid (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Restoration - Increases the potency of your heal over time spells by up to 20% based on the current health level of your target (lower health targets are healed for more). Healing increased further by mastery rating.
  • Feral - Increases the damage absorbed by your Savage Defense ability by 32% and increases the damage done by your Cat Form bleed abilities by 20%. Absorb and damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Balance - Increases the bonus damage from Eclipse by 12%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.

Hunter (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Beast Mastery - Increases the damage done by your pets by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Marksmanship - Grants a 16% chance for your ranged attacks to also instantly fire an additional ranged shot for 80% normal damage. Chance increased further by mastery rating.
  • Survival - Increases all elemental damage you deal by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.

Mage (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Arcane - Increases all spell damage done by up to 12% based on the amount of mana the Mage has unspent. Damage increased further with mastery rating.
  • Fire - Causes your non-periodic fire spells to deal 10% additional damage over 4 sec. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Frost - Your Frostbolt spell causes its victim to take a 12% increased damage from all other spells you attack the victim with. Damage increased further with mastery rating.

Paladin (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Protection - Increases your chance to block melee attacks by 16%. Block chance increased further by mastery rating.
  • Retribution - Increases all holy damage done by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Holy - Your healing spells also place an absorb shield on your target for 8% of the amount healed lasting 6 sec. Absorb increased further by mastery rating.

Priest (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Shadow - You have a 10% chance for your Shadow Word: Pain and Mind Flay spells to gran you a Shadow Orb each time they deal damage. The Shadow Orb Increases the damage done by your Mind Blast and Mind Spike spells by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Holy - Your direct healing spells heal for an additional 10% over 6 sec. Healing increased further by mastery rating.
  • Discipline - Increases the potency of all your damage absorption spells by 20%. Absorption increased further by mastery rating.

Rogue (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Assassination - Increases the damage done by your poisons by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Combat - Your main hand attacks have a 10% chance to grant you an extra off hand attack. Chance increased further by mastery rating.
  • Subtlety - Increases the damage done by all your finishing moves by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.

Shaman (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Elemental - Grants a 20% chance for Elemental Overload to occur. Elemental Overload causes a Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, or Lava Burst spell you cast to trigger a second, similar spell on the same target at no additional cost that causes 60% of normal damage and no threat. Chance to trigger increased further by mastery rating.
  • Enhancement - Increases all elemental damage done by 20%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Restoration - Increases the potency of your direct healing spells by up to 20%, based on the current health level of your target (lower health targets are healed for more). Healing increased further by mastery rating.

Warlock (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Demonology - Increases the damage done by your demon servants and damage you deal while transformed into a demon by 12%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Destruction - Increases all fire damage you deal by 10%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.
  • Affliction - Increases all periodic shadow damage you deal by 13%. Damage increased further by mastery rating.

Warrior (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
  • Fury - Increases the benefit of abilities that cause you to be enraged or consume an enrage effect by 80%. Enrage abilities improved further by mastery rating.
  • Protection - Increases your chance to block by 10% and your chance to critically block by 10%. Chances increased further by mastery rating.
  • Arms - Grants a 16% chance for your melee attack to instantly trigger an additional melee attack for 50% normal damage. Chance increased further by mastery rating.

Cataclysm Screenshot of the Day - The Tol'vir
The Screenshot of the Day Gallery has been updated with a new screenshot of Uldum featuring the Tol'vir race. This is the first time we see them without their armor!



Undead on a Raptor on a Shark with frickin' laser beams!
I know I already posted it on Facebook and Twitter but ... damn, it's a Undead on a Raptor on a Shark with frickin' laser beams!


Originally Posted by Valnoth (Blue Tracker)
Maybe I missed the memo on levels of "epicosity" or something, but I'm pretty sure the Maelstrom is a CLASS 10 epic zone. Though I guess it is missing sharks with laser beams patrolling the waters and Arthur Fonzarelli jumping across it with water skis. And dinosaurs.

[...] After reading this post I called for a meeting with TOP TOP MEN (that's two tops) in order to figure out a solution to the problem at hand. Frankly, I think we hit a home run. The next 4.0 build (or the one after) should have a Maelstrom that's between 10 - 50x more epic than what currently exists.
Originally Posted by Ghostcrawler (Blue Tracker)
I'm on a shark.

Fire Mage Talent Preview
Originally Posted by Kalgan (Blue Tracker)
Quick preview of upcoming fire changes (talents are from left to right, *denotes a change to the talent):

Tier 1:
  • Master of Elements: now 2 ranks at 15/30%
  • Burning Soul
  • Incineration: removed
  • Improved Fire Blast: moved from tier 2

Tier 2:
  • Ignite
  • Fire Power: Increases the damage of your Fire spells by 1/2/3% and gives your Flame Orb a 33/66/100% chance to explode at the end of its duration.
  • Blazing Speed
  • Impact (no useful raid utility yet... awesome ideas welcome)

Tier 3:
  • Cauterize (new, 2 ranks): You have a 50/100%% chance that an attack which would otherwise kill you will instead bring you to 40% of your maximum health. However, you will burn for 12% of your maximum health every second for the next 4 sec. This effect cannot occur more than once per minute.
  • Blast Wave: A wave of flame radiates outward from the target location, damaging all enemies caught within the blast for X Fire damage and are slowed by 75% for 3 sec.
  • Molten Shields (new 1 rank, Blazing Speed is a prereq): Reduces the global cooldown of your Mage Ward spell by 1.5 sec and your Mage Ward triggers the Blazing Speed effect when it dissipates from absorbing damage.
  • Improved Scorch: Reduces the mana cost of your Scorch spell by 50/100%

Tier 4:
  • Pyromaniac
  • Combustion
  • Hot Streak (the instant Pyroblast no longer costs mana)
  • Firestarter (new, 1 rank): Your Molten Armor allows you to cast the Scorch spell while moving instead of reducing the chance you are critically hit.

Tier 5:
  • Improved Flamestrike
  • Dragon's Breath
  • Molten Fury

Tier 6:
  • Critical Mass: Your Pyroblast and Scorch spells have a 33/66/100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to spell damage, increasing spell critical strike chance against that target by 5% and lasts 30 sec.

Tier 7:
  • Living Bomb

Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

End of Arena Season
The only information that we have to share with you right now is that we will announce the end of the arena season when it is almost over, just like in every previous season. We don't provide date estimates on anything and this is no exception. Several other people understood what I was saying and the end result is that you will have to wait. (Source)

Hunter (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Survival "Melee Attack Speed" buff in Raid Buffs List
The "20% melee attack speed" is in fact melee and ranged attack speed. That was just developer shorthand on my part.

The effect for Survival will probably get tied into Hunting Party since Replenishment alone doesn't do anything for hunters and longer. (Source)

Mage (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Water Elemental Cooldown
The post-death cooldown will definitely be lowered to around 2 min, the intent is definitely that after it dies you're waiting a somewhat similar amount of time before it's up again as you would have under the old scheme. (Source)

Shattered Barrier proc while silenced, stunned, etc
...worth noting that the same is true of Reactive Barrier. (Source)

Reactive Barrier
There's a reasonable chance a talent like this ends up being better in practical use than in theorycraft. It could end up needing a little something extra, or a redesign, but I'm willing to let it ride for a while to see how it actually plays out. (Source)

Paladin (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Spell hit
We'd like to give Prot paladins (Ret too) passive spell hit somewhere. (Source)

Protection
We'd also like to find a way to bring Shield of Righteousness back, but only if we can find an actual niche for it -- not just "here's another attack." Something like it consuming Holy Power but refreshing Holy Shield. (Source)

Priest (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Shadow
We haven't worked on the Shadow tree much after out initial pass (that brought Shadowy Apparition et al.). We're working on it now. Please don't expect a total overhaul where every talent is redesigned, but we are taking a hard look at all of the damage talents and trying to make the talent choices more compelling (which often means harder). (Source)

Rogue (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Elusiveness / Dirty Tricks
Elusiveness being too deep was considered a grave injustice. So we moved it up and switched it with Dirty Tricks, causing a new injustice. We'll try and find room in tier 2 for both. (Source)

Shaman (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Totems
We're fine with totem health given how easy totems are to replace. We also think it's fine to have to (sometimes) choose between a buff totem and a non-buff totem given how many different things a shaman can do.

However, we are going to increase buff totem range (and possibly other totem range) and we have figured out a way to make Searing Totem attack your target, instead of a random and probably inappropriate target. (Source)

Warrior (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Slam usable while moving
It is. (Source)

Protection changes in Build 12664
We buffed Thunder Clap to make up for the loss of the Imp TClap talent. We buffed Shockwave just because it got caught up in the big AE nerf, but it's really not an AE on the level of Hurricane / Blizzard. We buffed Devastate because we realized we had forgotten to compensate it for reducing the number of Sunder stacks.

All of those changes should bring Prot warrior abilities back to something that feels more normal to a current warrior.

Currently we are looking really hard at AE damage abilities by all tanks. We tried Thunder Clap with no cooldown and didn't like it. We also tried Thunder Clap with a Consecrate-like talent, but I'm not sure we like that either. At the moment we are thinking of nerfing any of the really passive AEs, including Swipe, Death and Decay, Damage Shield and Consecrate. All of those abilities (well, maybe not Damage Shield) would still be usable, but they would be more situational.

The bottom line is that we think all tanks need to be able to trivially handle the massive adds or straggling adds situations easily, or none of them should be able to. (Source)

Starcraft 2 Added to 2010 MLG Pro Circuit Starting in Raleigh
MLG just added Starcraft 2 to their PC Circuit. That means you'll have a chance to follow both games during the next tournament in Raleigh on August 27-29.

From MLGPro.com
Major League Gaming is thrilled to announce the addition of Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty to the 2010 MLG Pro Circuit. Starting with our Raleigh Pro Circuit Competition, August 27-29, the highly anticipated sequel to Blizzard Entertainment's real-time strategy game will join the MLG Pro Circuit as an open registration title. Blizzard has selected MLG as its Official North American Partner for Starcraft 2, and we’re tremendously excited to extend our relationship with them and foster a competitive tournament experience in this game as well as in World of Warcraft.

The First Live North American Starcraft 2 Event Kicks Off at MLG Raleigh:

  • 1v1 format
  • 32 players, open registration
  • Double-elimination format
  • Over $5,000 in cash prizes
  • Passes are $60 per player
  • Registration opens Tuesday, August 3rd, at 7pm ET on MLGPro.com
  • Culminates in National Championship in Dallas, November 5-7

Join us in Raleigh and Be a Part of Starcraft 2’s First Live Tournament!

  • August 27-29
  • Raleigh Marriott City Center (more info)
  • Open Competitions in Halo 3, Tekken 6, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, World of Warcraft, and Starcraft 2 (more info)
  • Spectator passes are $25 for the weekend
  • Get a free spectator pass by wearing an MLG UMAD? Hot Topic t-shirt (more info)

The inaugural Starcraft 2 Pro Circuit Season will surely boast an unbelievable array of epic matches and historic events. More information regarding Starcraft 2 will be released in the coming weeks. Get your build orders ready and your hotkeys set, and we’ll see you in Raleigh.
This article was originally published in forum thread: Cataclysm Masteries, Tol'vir, Blue Posts started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 117 Comments
  1. Doomspirit's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Unferth View Post
    STOP!! LOOK!!

    So mastery was taken out, and now its back in? (in beta)

    Something that was suppose to be a big planned change to the game, Mastery. Was taken out in the first place from the beta?!?!?! And now its back in?!?!?! wtf is going on?
    Because making the big class overhaul (31 points talent btrees) was necessary before having to take care of the amsteries.

    PS : DEVILSAUR !!!
  1. Bucky Mclachlan's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Grouchi View Post
    Am I the only Disc priest tired of this being slapped around?

    Absorption is such a crippling mechanism, that increasing it is the equivalent of giving your uncle Joey a 20% strength increase everytime he has sex with his wife.

    The problem?

    Uncle Joey only has sex with his wife once every two years... So yeah, stop giving us bullshit boost to something that is like 0.00000001% of our effective healing. Make it a more centralized boost ya lazy gnomes!
    Or how about you stop looking at recount to decide how good you're doing and realize that damage which is mitigated results in LESS healing required.
  1. Doomspirit's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by A J Rimmer View Post
    I think it's an undead *playing a guitar* on a dinosaur on a shark etc =D
    OMG it's so true, there is a freakin' guitar!
  1. mmoc6af618f320's Avatar
    Only thing I am actually wondering is how well will blizzard balance damage in the end. Now there is no recount/skada in beta so only thing people may notice is that they get zerged somewhat fast in PvP but when addons will come I am thinking that some of those masteries are very, very nice while others are pretty crappy and people will notice it on their output.
  1. mmoc15f1b6e63d's Avatar
    The new Tol'vir looks really nice, Anyone know what the shark is actually for?
  1. Kain52's Avatar
    Glad to see combat rogues are still auto attack machines. Looks like some things will never change.
  1. Simca's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by reve View Post
    Only thing I am actually wondering is how well will blizzard balance damage in the end. Now there is no recount/skada in beta so only thing people may notice is that they get zerged somewhat fast in PvP but when addons will come I am thinking that some of those masteries are very, very nice while others are pretty crappy and people will notice it on their output.
    Yeah, they've said many times not to worry about PvP or PvE balance yet. They're just in the ideas/first implementation phase. No numbers have really been tweaked, with the exception of a few warrior numbers in the last build.
  1. togun's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Droes View Post
    Love the enhancement mastery, to take fire damage in account as well!
    i cant believe they nerfed a buncha stuff cause they couldnt figure out to make warrior ae tanks
  1. GravityDK's Avatar
    The death knight masteries are not live in-game. I tested blood dk with mastery gear on and got zero death strike barrier. Video.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GcL6OsOzBQ

    So I guess it is in the client but not activated.
  1. Sensa's Avatar
    [quote]

    The bottom line is that we think all tanks need to be able to trivially handle the massive adds or straggling adds situations easily, or none of them should be able to.

    [quote]

    homogenization ftw - but seriously, if they end up going with none of them should be (which I doubt) that would require them to review already designed raid/dungeon encounters as well as require dps to actually pay attention to threat again and single target every pull...while I personally think that would be a good thing there is no way blizzard would have the balls to upset so many of their customer base whom consider the requirement to use their brains and/or situational talents to defeat mobs, while sacrificing dps in the process, heresy.

    So any thoughts on what the new warrior AoE talent will be?
  1. togun's Avatar
    well there better be some ae warrior tanking of some type cause nerf every other class cause they cant figure out how to make warrior ae tank is absurd

    i wanna say the warrior ae tanking will be a whirlwind type of bleed effect
  1. Vasz's Avatar
    "Undead on a Raptor on a Shark with frickin' laser beams" One of the funniest things i have ever seen on here!

    Not sure how much mastery you will need at 85 though. Stats have sky rocketed.
  1. Typhron's Avatar
    HOLY SHIT.

    Also the Tol'vir are rather...interesting looking. An actual race tied to a Titan instance is going to be amusing.

    Addendum:...Iron Dwarves, Earthen, and Protectors of Titan lore aside...
  1. Firebyrd's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Grouchi View Post
    Am I the only Disc priest tired of this being slapped around?

    Absorption is such a crippling mechanism, that increasing it is the equivalent of giving your uncle Joey a 20% strength increase everytime he has sex with his wife.

    The problem?

    Uncle Joey only has sex with his wife once every two years... So yeah, stop giving us bullshit boost to something that is like 0.00000001% of our effective healing. Make it a more centralized boost ya lazy gnomes!
    Yes, you're the only disc priest tired of it being slapped around, because apparently you're the only disc priest who doesn't understand that the thing that makes us different is absorbs and they're freaking awesome. The additional module for recount that guesses absorbs has mine with a minimum of half of my "healing" to be through absorbs. If you're not putting up shields and you're disc? You're doing it wrong.
  1. Entalpia's Avatar
    Why I'm not surprised that Shamans got another filler in blue post just to say something not even important ? Where are the new offensive totems that they promised...
  1. Cire27's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kekbur View Post
    Whats the lore-wise justification for rocket shark with lasers ?
    They were all out of bubblegum.
  1. mmoc50cfc41000's Avatar
    I seriously hope this is an intentional reference to Austin Powers.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh5Lh-tTSZQ
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw
  1. MissMousie's Avatar
    I can't believe no one's noticed.
    That isn't just any Undead on a raptor on a shark with frickin' laser beams.
    That's freaking Bergrisst. You know, lead guitarist of The Tauren Chieftains? Where have you dweebs been the last seven years? PSHHH.

    Man, do your research, dudes.
  1. Ymeltje's Avatar
    Lol the Shark raptor undeath laser picture looks cool!!
  1. wanax's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by togun View Post
    well there better be some ae warrior tanking of some type cause nerf every other class cause they cant figure out how to make warrior ae tank is absurd

    i wanna say the warrior ae tanking will be a whirlwind type of bleed effect
    Have you looked at the warrior talent trees at all???

    Blood and Thunder
    Rank 1-2 When you Thunder Clap a target affected by your Rend, you have a [50%/100%] chance to affect every target with Rend.

    Thunderstruck
    Rank 1-2 Your Thunder Clap leaves a zone of energy on the ground for [5/10] sec, dealing 0 damage every 0 seconds to enemies that cross it.

    Warriors are getting consecrate and aoe bleeds. I think saying they aren't viable aoe tanks is pretty absurd. Also, you need to remember that aoe tank should be less necessary come cataclysm as CCing mobs will be back.

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