World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies

The next build to alpha will have some pretty substantial changes for the hunter talent trees. Many talent nodes have had their position shuffled around, as well as connections, so this won’t be an exact list of what specific talent node moved to what new position and what it connects to. Some of this may be redundant information with previous posts:

Baseline Changes:

• Mend Pet has been bumped up from 35% of Pet’s HP over its duration, to 50% of pet’s HP.

Class Tree:

• The placeholder Agility % node has been replaced with an Avoidance node.
• Improved Exhilaration (the pet healing) is now part of the baseline Exhilaration ability. This has been replaced with Rejuvenating Winds.
• Viper’s Venom in the choice node after Serpent Sting has been replaced with Hydra’s Bite.
• Binding Shackles is planned to work with any combination of Scatter Shot, Explosive Trap, Binding Shot, and Intimidation. This should make sense with the new tree layout.

Beast Mastery

• Dire Pack has been redesigned. Every X Dire Beasts summoned now resets the cooldown of Kill Command, and reduces the cooldown and Focus Cost of Kill Command for a duration.
• New talent added that increases the duration and damage of any Dire Beast summon.

Marksmanship:

• Steady Focus values lowered to 4/8%, rather than 7/15%.
• Hunter’s Knowledge and Focused Aim now boost Rapid Fire damage and crit chance in addition to Aimed Shot.
• Salvo has been renamed to Bombardment and redesigned - Arcane Shots increases the damage of your next Multi-Shot by X%, stacking up to 4 times.
• Explosive Ricochet renamed to Salvo, and design adjusted. Multi-Shot now also shoots Explosive Shot at up to 2 targets hit. This can only occur once every 45 sec.
• Killer Ricochet renamed and redesigned, is now Razor Fragments - When Trick Shots fades or is consumed, your next Kill Shot does X% more damage, and causes up to 5 targets to bleed for Y% of the damage dealt over 6 sec. This node comes right after Deathblow , which may be in a different position in the tree now.
• Bursting Shot and Quick Load are no longer a dependency for any talent node on the tree.

Survival

• Terms of Engagement and Improved Harpoon talents have been combined and now only requires 1 talent point total.
• Several abilities reduced to 1 or 2 total points, down from 2 or 3 total points.
• Precision Removed
• Frenzy Strikes now also applies its cooldown reduction to Flanking Strike.
  
  • Note: there’s an issue where this talent will incorrectly be able to be obtained by a prior node without the Butchery/Carve node, this connection will be removed in a future update.
• Wildfire Infusions - Volatile Bomb has been adjusted because Serpent Sting is no longer a baseline, guaranteed to have ability. This bomb will continue to deal bonus damage to a target affected by Serpent Sting, and will also apply Serpent Sting to some number of targets it hits.
• Viper’s Venom is now in the survival talent tree with a redesign. Raptor Strike and Mongoose Bite have a chance to apply Serpent Sting to your target.
• New Talent - Ranger - Increases the damage of Steady Shot, Kill Shot, Explosive Shot, and Serpent Sting.
• New Talent - Intense Focus - increases focus generated by Kill Command
• New Talent - Ruthless Marauder - Fury of the Eagle has a 15% increased critical strike chance against targets below 20% health, and Fury of the Eagle critical strikes reduce the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb and Flanking Strike by 0.5 sec.
  
  • The critical strike chance and cooldown reduction values go up per rank, the 20% HP threshold does not change.

This is a lot to parse, and things above are not final. Thanks for the discussions so far, we appreciate it.

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we’re trying to give the option of a more ranged focused or melee focused Survival.

Before expectations might get out of hand, we don’t have any intention of making a ranged Survival “subspec” of the sorts. The Ranger talent is not intended to divert your gameplay into using Steady Shot instead of Raptor Strike/Mongoose Bite. Hunters as a whole have some ranged attacks, and Survival hunters, while primarily melee, do still shoot things.

The intent of the Ranger talent is to bump your ranged damage up a bit for encounters or PvP or whatever gameplay where that is important, not turn Survival into a full ranged DPS spec. We still intend Survival to be in melee, with a melee weapon, doing melee things. Sometimes they also shoot.

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higher Steady Focus values

The 7/15% that is on the alpha right now is just a data error on our end, there was not a goal of doubling the value of the talent from Shadowlands to Dragonflight.

Steady Focus also should hopefully feel less mandatory as a path towards Trueshot with the upcoming layout changes.

An iconic part of the original Wrath of the Lich King, the WoW Classic team shares some insights on the Battle for Wintergrasp development in Wrath Classic.

As a part of our ongoing development for Wrath of the Lich King Classic, we’ve been hard at work on the Battle for Wintergrasp and wanted to take some time to go over our plans for this content. We have a lot to talk about in this article, but we wanted to start off by sharing that the Battle for Wintergrasp will be available in Wrath Classic as an instanced battleground, similar to Alterac Valley. This was not a deliberate design choice so much as a necessary change due to the nature of WoW Classic and the way that our realms function.

A Little Background
To understand more on how we got here, we thought it might be helpful to give a refresher on how WoW Classic was built. From the start, we very much wanted the game to feel like it did in 2004, with a single contiguous world where all players could interact with as few immersion-breaking or awkward moments as possible. In modern World of Warcraft, each zone can be “sharded” to allow thousands of players to congregate in a single zone but spread over several different copies of the zone. These “shards” are self-balancing, and when a certain shard gets too full, players can find themselves transferred to another shard. For WoW Classic, we didn’t feel like it was a great solution for population management due to how antithetical it is to the idea of a single shared world. However, we knew going into it that there would be a large demand to play the game when it was released, but we weren’t sure at the time how that would play out as the game matured. If we configured the servers to allow even double the number of players allowed in-world at once, we would have needed hundreds and hundreds more realms than we had at launch, and we had some serious concerns about what would happen when realms started to mature, and populations shifted. Would we have hundreds of realms with low populations a few months in?

As a result, we created the layer system. Layers allowed us to effectively create “copies” of the entire game world. When certain conditions are met, instead of creating a zone-specific shard to balance player populations, an entire copy of Azeroth is spun up. There are also additional rules and protections in place around when you are moved from one layer to another to minimize occurrences when experiencing the effects of the world changing around when you are shifted from one layer to another. This allows you to run past another player in Westfall and then run into that same player later on in Stranglethorn Vale.

Decisions Made
Put simply, the Battle for Wintergrasp as it existed in 2008 is fundamentally incompatible with layers (or the modern sharding system, for that matter). Behind the scenes mechanisms, events, and scripts that control how the battle is initiated, how it’s resolved, and how the rewards are given out cannot function properly across layers. We discovered this fact early on in during Wrath Classic development and spent a significant amount of time trying to find a workable solution to allow it to function as it did originally, but ultimately, we weren’t able to land on a solution that we felt would allow the battleground to function in a satisfying way on any realm with layers. We wish there were a way to recreate the original vision of Wintergrasp, but that simply is impossible with the community sizes that Classic has grown to support. So, we had to compromise, and ultimately when weighing alternatives like unacceptable performance vs. a limited-access experience that excluded the overwhelming majority of players vs. instancing the experience vs. somehow entirely redesigning Wintergrasp, we felt that instancing was the change that would cause the least harm and allow the largest number of players who wanted to participate to do so.

As a result, we’ve had to make a tough choice to rebuild the Battle for Wintergrasp as an epic, large-scale battleground experience instead. As we set about designing what an instanced version would look like, we took note of some of the unique and iconic features of the original Battle for Wintergrasp. We decided to take this opportunity to draw inspiration from some of those features and create something unique in terms of how battlegrounds typically operate.

Joining the Battle for Wintergrasp
Every three hours, players in the outdoor Wintergrasp zone or in Dalaran will receive a notification that the Battle for Wintergrasp is about to begin. Players within the outdoor Wintergrasp zone will receive a queue prompt, and players in Dalaran may speak to an NPC within their faction’s area to enter the queue during a short window of time. Once queued, players will be placed into a Wintergrasp battleground, and shortly thereafter, the battle will begin. However, unlike Alterac Valley, the threshold and the minimum number of players on either faction needed to start the battle is significantly lower. This means that you could enter a battle with 40 players on the Horde side and 5 players on the Alliance side. At first glance, this doesn’t seem very fair, but the Battle for Wintergrasp had an important and (what could often be for both sides) incredibly fun mechanic that we are bringing forward into the battleground version: Tenacity.

Tenacity is a stacking buff that *vastly* increases the power level of players on the underrepresented side. This can stack so high that players could conceivably become raid bosses unto themselves. This was a challenging and fun part of the original version of the Battle for Wintergrasp, and we felt that it was important that we brought this back in some way. We know that it can be frustrating for one faction to have long queues for battlegrounds, such as with Alterac Valley— and with the design of the Battle for Wintergrasp available only during select periods of time— we felt that it was more important to get players in the battle than for the matchmaker to be too picky about the balance of players on each side before starting the battle.

Embracing the Essence of Wintergrasp
Another important element of the Battle for Wintergrasp was the buff conveyed to the winning faction– Essence of Wintergrasp. This buff allows you access to additional content, such as being able to fight the Elemental enemies in the Wintergrasp zone after the battle, as well as access to Stone Keeper Shards; a special currency that players could use to purchase powerful items such as mounts, item enchantments, and recipes. Lastly and perhaps most important, this buff also conveys access to the raid zone— the Vault of Archavon.

In Wrath of the Lich King Classic, this works in a fairly simple way, if anyone on your faction participates in and wins a Battle for Wintergrasp, your entire faction is granted the Essence of Wintergrasp and the buff will last until the next time the battle is initiated.

While this isn’t a perfect solution, one silver lining of this approach to the Battle for Wintergrasp is that this will allow more people to participate when the battle begins. As of patch 3.2 in the original release of Wrath of the Lich King, the battle was capped to a certain number of participants, and many servers in WoW Classic have populations much higher than the average realm in the original Wrath of the Lich King, which means it could be difficult to be selected for the battle if you wanted to participate. Conversely, if you are on a smaller realm, you may have issues spinning up a meaningful battle at all. With the Battle for Wintergrasp being an epic battleground in Wrath Classic, it enables anyone who wants to participate to do so and consistently have the battle experience they want out of it.

Wintergrasp as an Outdoor Zone
Wintergrasp will still exist as an outdoor PvP zone in Wrath of the Lich King Classic and will largely function just as it did outside of the times when battles were underway. Players with the Essence of Wintergrasp gain access to the Elemental Revenant Enemies in the zone, and faction NPCs will still be present. Of course, PvP flagging is always enabled too.

We know you may have questions about this, but we are pleased to say that the new version of the Battle for Wintergrasp should be available on the Wrath of the Lich King Classic Beta sometime in the next few weeks, and more information will be available when we get to that point. We want to express our sincere regret for not being able to find a solution to allow the original version of the Battle for Wintergrasp to function in WoW Classic as it was. While we are disappointed ourselves, we feel it is more important to deliver an experience that is as close as it can be to the look and feel of the original Battle for Wintergrasp. We also want to allow as many people to participate in this content as possible while avoiding any delays on getting Wrath of the Lich King Classic in your hands. We hope that we are successful in bringing the best experience possible to you, and we’d love to hear from you once you get a chance to play it in Beta in the coming weeks.

Thank you, and we’ll see you in Northrend!

Scribes live and die by the pen, weaving words of power into parchment through sheer magic. Those who choose this path learn to craft the following:

• Scrolls: consumed on use to increase various attributes and other effects.
  
• Tomes: powerful off-hand equipped items favored by spellcasters.
  
• Darkmoon Cards: can be combined into complete decks offering wondrous abilities.
  
• Glyphs: powerful inscriptions for your Spellbook that enhance class skills and spells.
  
• Master Inscriptions: The most powerful enhancements for shoulder-slot items available.

Getting Started

Once the Wrath of the Lich King Classic pre-expansion patch launches, you’ll be able to get started on your journey to become a scribe. You can find Inscription trainers in any capital city (ask a guard for directions) and in Honor Hold or Thrallmar in Outland.



Inscription Materials

Most Inscription recipes require two types of materials: inks and parchments. Inks are crafted by combining specific pigments, and pigments are obtained from various plants and herbs by making use of the Inscription-learned Milling ability. In a nutshell:

• Gather herbs
  
• Mill herbs to get pigments
  
• Turn pigments into inks
  
• Use inks and parchments to craft Inscription recipes

Pigments are primarily obtained through plants and herbs. It is highly recommended that you pair Inscription with the Herbalism profession—or be ready to spend some time in the Auction House shopping for materials.

Learning New Glyphs

While you can learn some Glyphs from profession trainers, you’ll also need to research new Glyphs (by using Inscription-learned research skills) to expand your collection. Be sure to hit the books whenever you can. Researching nearly always results in you learning a new Glyph; you’ll also receive a few scrolls and other goodies—doing your homework pays off!

How do Glyphs Work?

In Wrath of the Lich King Classic, Glyphs work quite differently than the modern version of World of Warcraft. When you open your Talents pane (default hotkey: N), you’ll notice a new tab labeled “Glyphs”. A character has access to up to six Glyph slots, unlocked as you level. Glyphs are divided between Minor and Major Glyphs. You may have up to three Major and three Minor Glyphs active at any time. To activate a Glyph, simply right-click it in your inventory and then click on a corresponding Glyph slot. Like gems, you can overwrite an existing Glyph by applying a different one to the same slot.



Inscription Perk: Master’s Inscriptions

Each profession in Wrath of the Lich King Classic confers the artisan a unique bonus. For scribes, that bonus comes in the form of Master’s Inscriptions. These powerful shoulder enchantments are better than the shoulder inscriptions available to non-scribes through NPCs. However, you won’t be able to craft them until you get to Northrend.

Making the Most of Inscription

Glyphs represent a significant addition to a character's power. Since they can be bought and sold at Auction House, there's going to be a strong demand for these words of power. Scribes who keep up with their research to ensure they have the largest variety of Glyphs will have the most to gain. If you are a non-scribe herbalist, it is a good idea to supply a friendly scribe with your raw materials in exchange for cheaper Glyphs. Whether you choose to become your realm's Glyph and Darkmoon Card baron, or to simply recruit the services of a scribe, there's plenty of fun ways to enjoy this returning profession.

Sub-scribe for More

We hope you enjoyed this refresher course on Inscription for Wrath of the Lich King Classic. We look forward to starting the journey to the frozen wastes of Northrend soon. Keep an eye on https://worldofwarcraft.com/news for all the latest news and updates. We’ll see you in Azeroth, champion!

Your awakening was unprecedented, but the time has come to claim your place in the world of Azeroth. The Dragon Isles are waiting for you to discover your purpose and awaken your wing mates in your new adventures. You will not be so easily contained.

Created by Neltharion the Earth-Warder the essence of dragons was combined with the adaptability of the mortal races to create an elite soldier capable of switching from a draconic form to humanoid form. Long in a magical stasis, they are now awakening to a new threat within the Dragon Isles. It is in the Forbidden Reach that the dracthyr will start their journey to reclaim their fractured memories and face a new reality.

Dracthyr Evoker Quick Facts:

• Class: Evoker
  
• Two Forms: Dracthyr and Visage
  
• Armor Type: Mail
  
• Weapon Types: Intellect Daggers, Fist Weapons, Axes, Maces, Swords, Staves
  
• Specializations: Devastation (DPS) and Preservation (Healing)
  
• Alignment: Horde or Alliance (chosen at character creation)
  
• Starting Level: 58

Creating Your Dracthyr Evoker

Dracthyr Evokers are a new Hero class and begin their adventures at level 58. Creating your first dracthyr has no restrictions other than it requires Dragonflight and you are only able to have one dracthyr per realm. Subsequent dracthyr can only be created once there is a level 50 (non-dracthyr) character on the realm you wish to create it.

You will also choose your faction on character creation along with all the various elements that make your dracthyr uniquely— you. There are a multitude of options and combinations you can choose. (We wish you luck in your endeavor. You’re going to need it.)

The Color of Magic

Dracthyr Evokers were created to wield the magic of all five dragonflights providing a very distinctive style of spell casting. You will be able to see the coalescence of these powers each time you cast. Evokers also have two distinctive specializations which take advantage of these magic types: Devastation and Preservation.

Devastation is a ranged DPS specialization that uses the power of the red and blue dragonflights to do devastating damage to their foes.

Blue Spells: Focused and overwhelming power
Red Spells: Fast explosive power

Preservation is a healing specialization that uses the power of the green and bronze dragonflights to heal their allies in battle.

Green Spells: Nurture and heal
Bronze Magic: Bend and manipulate time

Each ability associated with a dragonflight will have the name listed both in the spellbook and in the tooltip.

Becoming Empowered


Dracthyr Evokers have special Empowered abilities that they can use to change the strength of the spell or ability they are casting. By holding down a button on your keyboard or mouse, you will power up a spell. The longer you charge the spell, the more damage it could do or the more targets the spell could hit.

For example, one Empowered spell first learned is called Fire Breath. Fire Breath can be powered up as a Level I, Level II, or Level III spell. An indicator bar will appear when casting to display the level of the spell that will be cast. Releasing the button or moving before completing a cast will stop the spell from going off provided it hasn’t reached one of those levels. Releasing the spell when the indicator is within the range of the level indicated will cast at that level.

At each level, the amount of damage done when using Fire Breath is increased. Not all Empowered abilities are alike, and over time, you will learn how to make the most of them.

Embracing your Draconic Nature

Dracthyr have two racial abilities that truly embrace the nature of this race: Wing Buffet and Tail Sweep.

Wing Buffet: With a powerful flap of your wings, knock away your enemies in front of you.
Tail Sweep: Lash out with your tail, knocking enemies within 6 yards into the air.

You will also learn to Glide which you can activate by using the jump key while falling to slow your descent.

Better than simply gliding slowly to the ground beneath you, you will also learn how to Soar for a time to move around the land. To get the most lift to your loft and go the distance, you’ll want to hone your timing and start from a higher elevation such as the edge of a cliff.

Soar: Muster your strength and launch into the air.

There are several other base abilities that will enhance your time spent as an elite dracthyr Evoker including the Living Flame spell which you can use to either damage enemies or heal yourself.

Living Flame (Red): Send a flickering flame toward your target, dealing Fire damage to an enemy or healing an ally.

In Essence

Select spells and abilities require a resource known as Essence. This is displayed under your character portrait as five small opalescent globes and will automatically refill over time. One such spell that uses Essence is Disintegrate, which is the first spell you will learn as you progress through the starting area for the dracthyr.

Disintegrate (Blue): Tear into the enemy with a blast of blue magic, inflicting Spellfrost damage, and slowing their movement speed.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and there is more to explore during testing. We look forward to reading your feedback and we will see you in the Dragon Isles.