World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies RSS Feed

by Published on 2022-05-05 10:50 PM

Dragonflight Pricing Survey
Blizzard sent out a survey to some players testing different price points for the different versions of the expansion. Keep in mind this is just market research and the final prices may be completely different. The reward tiers seem to be similar to the Shadowlands expansion editions.

  • Base Edition - $29.99, $39.99, or $44.99
    • Includes Game
  • Heroic Edition - $54.99, $59.99, $64.99, or $69.99
    • Includes Game, Character Boost, and Mount
  • Epic Edition - $79.99, $84.99, or $89.99
    • Includes Game, Character Boost, Mount, Pet, Armor Transmog, and 30 Days of Game Time



Shadowlands Patch 9.2.5 - New Social Contract
Shadowlands Patch 9.2.5 brings a new Social Contract to World of Warcraft. Players must agree with the terms listed below in order to enter the game, otherwise they are prompted to exit the game.
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Social Contract

Hail, traveler, and welcome to the World of Warcraft!

Azeroth is a living world full of people like you - other players with different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and histories who have all come together to play World of Warcraft. Every player deserves to have a world that they feel safe in, so please take a minute to read our Social Contract.

While in Azeroth, do your best to:

  • Connect with other players and make friends! Being courteous in group content can help you and your teammates have the best time possible. Sending a friendly hello message can help set your group up for success.
  • Play as a team with your fellow players - whether in dungeons, raids, battlegrounds, arenas, or out questing in the world. Do your best to support your team through your communication and behaviors so that you can all celebrate your success together.
  • Assist other players that you encounter in the world. Maybe they need some help defeating a tough monster, or maybe they could use a little healing!
  • Help answer questions others have in chat channels like General or Trade. We were all newbies once - one person offering some help can go a long way!

We recognize that the Internet is not always a safe haven. With that in mind, please note that the following behaviors are not accepted in Azeroth:

  • Hate speech, including negative comments that target another player's identity, including aspects like race, gender, or ability
  • Harassment, threats, or abusive / derogatory language and behaviors
  • Spamming, advertising, or other disruptive behaviors

If you harm your fellow adventurers with any of the above behaviors, you are subject to punishment up to and including suspension of your account.

It's a big world out there, with all sorts of people in it. So please try to be respectful of each other, and if you ever feel like somebody is acting against this code, please report those behaviors so that our team can look into it. Together, you can help us make the World of Warcraft a safe home away from home for everyone.

Accept / Exit Game
by Published on 2022-05-05 08:16 PM

Blizzard Entertainment Welcomes Jessica Martinez as Vice President Head of Culture
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Blizzard Entertainment is excited to announce Jessica Martinez as our first Vice President, Head of Culture. This comes as part of our ongoing initiative to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture where people at every level can learn, grow, and bring their most creative selves to their work.

Jessica and the Blizzard leadership team will be responsible for growing and implementing our culture strategy, ensuring alignment across all teams and functions, and revamping learning and talent development programs. Excited to champion change within the gaming industry, Jessica says “When you create a people-first environment where teams feel safe, valued, and work together toward a shared purpose, everyone thrives–the employees, the players, and the business.” To help achieve this, Jessica will lead the learning and development team, while working closely with communications, events, and each of the franchise and functional leaders.


“Making the values of our connections show up in what we do is how we bring humanity back to business,” says Jessica, who will also be spearheading vital action plans to ensure our values are reflected in our day-to-day operations and organizational design, as well as help to level-up connections between Blizzard franchises while still celebrating the uniqueness of the teams that support them.

Jessica joins Blizzard after more than 14 years leading strategy, communications, operations and employee experience at the Walt Disney Company, where she served as Chief of Staff and key strategic advisor to both the Chief Security Officer and the Chief Technology & Digital Officer for Disney Parks & Resorts. Beyond spearheading fundamental organizational change including leading the security integration for the 21st Century Fox acquisition, Jessica was best known for creating a values-driven culture that connected global teams and celebrated diversity.

Jessica is also an avid skier, an active supporter of animal rescues, and a Little League Baseball Coach.

Welcome to the team, Jessica!
by Published on 2022-05-05 05:10 PM

Burning Crusade Classic: Face the Fury of the Sunwell on May 12
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Get ready to join the Shattered Sun Offensive and face Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau in the next content phase of Burning Crusade Classic, arriving May 12.

The next content update for Burning Crusade Classic, Fury of the Sunwell, will be available on the week of May 10. The Sunwell Plateau raid will unlock on May 12 at 3:00 p.m. PDT. Read on for more information on what is coming,

Join the Shattered Sun Offensive and more on May 10:
Fresh from his defeat in Outland, Kael'thas Sunstrider returned to the blood elf city of Silvermoon. Rather than lead his people to glory as he had promised, the disgraced prince betrayed them. Kael'thas plots to use the legendary Sunwell, source of the blood elves' magical power, to summon the demon lord Kil'jaeden into Azeroth. It is up to you to stop him.

The combined forces of Shattrath have launched an attack on the Isle of Quel'Danas, to confront Kael'thas and the Legion at the Sunwell and surrounding areas. You're now able to gain reputation with the Shattered Sun Offensive and participate in a new set of daily quests.

At first, the Shattered Sun’s forces will be limited as you help them resist the Legion’s unrelenting assault. The Isle of Quel’Danas effort advancement depends on your whole realm completing quests and aiding the efforts—so be sure to do your part! As your realm continues to assist the Shattered Sun Offensive, fresh reinforcements will arrive, offering goods and services, in addition to new daily quests.

Once the staging area is fully reinforced, you’ll gain access to many helpful allies. Recruit the services of blacksmiths for repairs, innkeepers, alchemists, vendors for profession patterns, and gain access to new Badge of Justice vendors—whose goods include epic gear and epic gems.

Conquer the Arena in Burning Crusade Classic Season 4
After the regional weekly maintenance starting on May 10, a new Arena Season will begin. Defeat your enemies in glorious combat to earn fabulous rewards. At the end of Season 4, qualifying players will receive a unique title (Brutal Gladiator) as well as a unique mount (the fearsome Brutal Nether Drake). As with the original release of The Burning Crusade, some items in Season 4 will have a personal rating requirement you must attain before you can purchase them. These are:

  • Brutal Gladiator Shoulders (requires 2000 personal rating)
  • Brutal Gladiator Weapons (require 1850 personal rating)
  • Guardian’s Boots (requires 1700 personal rating)
  • Guardian’s Rings (requires 1650 personal rating)
  • Guardian’s” Bracers (requires 1575 personal rating)

Note that there’s no continued rating requirement to equip these items, only to purchase them. Also note that items from previous Seasons (Vengeful Gladiator, Merciless Gladiator, Gladiator, and Vindicator’s Honor gear) do not have any rating requirements and can be purchased as soon as you accrue enough currency to obtain them.

Enter the Sunwell Plateau on May 12:
The glorious fount of arcane energy known as the Sunwell empowered the high elves for millennia, until the death knight Arthas laid siege to the elven kingdom and corrupted its sacred energies. Seeing no other alternative, a band of survivors led by Prince Kael'thas destroyed the ancient fount. Over time the surviving elves fell prey to a crippling magical withdrawal.

Now, promising salvation for his people, Kael'thas has returned. Soon the Sunwell will shine once again, but whether the sacred fount will usher in deliverance or destruction remains to be seen.

New 25-player raid: Sunwell Plateau
Kil’jaden, one of the leader of the demonic Burning Legion, has been summoned to Azeroth by the returned blood elf prince Kael’thas. Gather your allies to stop Kael’thas mad scheme and restore the Sunwell to its former glory.

Raid bosses: 6 (Kalecgos, Brutallus, Felmyst, The Eredar Twins, M'uru, Kil'jaeden)
Level: 70
Location: Isle of Quel’Danas, Eastern Kingdoms

There is no attunement required to enter the instance. Unlike its original release, Sunwell Plateau will have all bosses available from the start.

The Burning Legion is poised to strike upon Azeroth itself, aided by the disgraced former leader of the blood elves. Only you can restore the Sunwell, hero. We’ll see you in Azeroth!

Additional Dragonflight Professions Feedback
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
We definitely have world PvP in mind with our crafting plans, both with interesting recipes, and with regards to gathering reagents, but nothing we are ready to talk about in detail yet!
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
One thing I want to talk about that we haven’t mentioned yet is the concept of recrafting. It’s still in the works so is likely to change some, but the basic idea is as follows:

Recrafting will allow you to take any piece of Dragonflight crafted gear and bring it back into the crafting screen as a crafter. You can then spend a special reagent, plus a small subset of the original reagents from the recipe to “recraft the item”.

During this process, you can completely change out optional reagents if you want. The new quality of the item will be determined based on the new setup of reagents, plus your current skill. This means you can have an item crafted at a low quality, then later recraft it when you are higher skill to a higher quality.

For non-crafters, we are planning to support recrafting orders as well. In this case, you can send you item to get recrafted to have its optional reagents changed out, or to potentially have its quality increased.

All of this should help players feel comfortable having a high end item crafted early, when it might not be at max quality, secure in the knowledge that they can always have it recrafted to be better later.
by Published on 2022-05-05 02:32 AM

Patch 9.2.5 PTR - Build 43519
Build 43519 is now live on the PTR!

Achievement Changes
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Covenant Sanctums
Expansion Features

Dungeons
Feats of Strength



Spell Changes
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Mounts

Hunter (Forums, Talent Calculator)
  • Bestial Wrath Sends you and your pet into a rage, instantly dealing [ 67% [ 69.6% of Attack Power + 1.3% of Spell Power ] Physical damage to its target, and increasing all damage you both deal by 25% for 15 sec. Removes all crowd control effects from your pet. Bestial Wrath's remaining cooldown is reduced by 12 sec each time you use Barbed Shot. 10 yd range. Instant.

Beast Mastery
  • Beast Mastery Hunter Increases damage/healing by 3% 7%: A Murder of Crows, Arcane Shot, Barbed Shot, Barrage, Bloodshed, Chakrams, Chimaera Shot, Cobra Shot, Death Chakram, Dire Beast: Hawk, Kill Command, Kill Shot, Multi-Shot, Stampede, Steady Shot, Steel Trap, Stomp, Volley, Wailing Arrow Increases periodic damage/healing by 3% 7%: A Murder of Crows, Arcane Shot, Barbed Shot, Barrage, Bloodshed, Chakrams, Chimaera Shot, Cobra Shot, Death Chakram, Dire Beast: Hawk, Kill Command, Kill Shot, Multi-Shot, Stampede, Steady Shot, Steel Trap, Stomp, Volley, Wailing Arrow Increases damage/healing by 50%: Volley Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec. Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec.
  • Bestial Wrath Sends you and your pet into a rage, instantly dealing [ 67% [ 69.6% of Attack Power + 1.3% of Spell Power ] Physical damage to its target, and increasing all damage you both deal by 25% for 15 sec. Removes all crowd control effects from your pet. Bestial Wrath's remaining cooldown is reduced by 12 sec each time you use Barbed Shot. Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec. Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec. 100 yd range. Instant. 1.5 min cooldown.
  • Bloodshed Command your pet to tear into your target, causing your target to bleed for [ 154.5% of Attack Power + 2.9% [ 160.5% of Attack Power + 3% of Spell Power ] over 18 sec and increase all damage taken from your pet by 15% for 18 sec. Beast Mastery Hunter - Level 50 Talent. Beast Mastery Hunter - Level 50 Talent. 50 yd range. Instant. 60 sec cooldown.
  • Kill Command Give the command to kill, causing your pet to savagely deal [ 132.9% of Attack Power + 2.5% [ 138% of Attack Power + 2.6% of Spell Power ] Physical damage to the enemy. Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec. Hunter - Beast Mastery Spec. 30 Focus. 50 yd range. Instant. 7.5 sec cooldown.

Monk (Forums, Talent Calculator)
Windwalker
  • Windwalker Monk Decreases damage/healing by 11% 7%: Blackout Kick, Breath of Fire, Chi Burst, Chi Wave, Crackling Jade Lightning, Eye of the Tiger, Fist of the White Tiger, Fists of Fury, Flying Serpent Kick, Rising Sun Kick, Rushing Jade Wind, Spinning Crane Kick, Tiger Palm, Whirling Dragon Punch Decreases periodic damage/healing by 11% 7%: Blackout Kick, Breath of Fire, Chi Burst, Chi Wave, Crackling Jade Lightning, Eye of the Tiger, Fist of the White Tiger, Fists of Fury, Flying Serpent Kick, Rising Sun Kick, Rushing Jade Wind, Spinning Crane Kick, Tiger Palm, Whirling Dragon Punch Increases damage/healing by 26%: Blackout Kick, Rising Sun Kick, Tiger Palm Increases damage/healing by 22%: Chi Wave and Rushing Jade Wind Increases periodic damage/healing by 22%: Eye of the Tiger Increases damage/healing by 140%: Spinning Crane Kick Increases damage/healing by 10%: Blackout Kick Increases damage/healing by 10%: Blackout Kick, Fist of the White Tiger, Tiger Palm Increases damage/healing by 10%: Rising Sun Kick Monk - Windwalker Spec. Monk - Windwalker Spec.

Rogue (Forums, Talent Calculator)
Outlaw
  • Outlaw Rogue Increases damage/healing by 13% 17%: Ambush, Between the Eyes, Blade Flurry, Blade Rush, Deadly Poison, Death from Above, Dispatch, Eviscerate, Ghostly Strike, Instant Poison, Killing Spree, Main Gauche, Mastery: Main Gauche, Mutilate, Pistol Shot, Shiv, Sinister Strike, Wound Poison Increases periodic damage/healing by 13% 17%: Ambush, Between the Eyes, Blade Flurry, Blade Rush, Deadly Poison, Death from Above, Dispatch, Eviscerate, Ghostly Strike, Instant Poison, Killing Spree, Main Gauche, Mastery: Main Gauche, Mutilate, Pistol Shot, Shiv, Sinister Strike, Wound Poison Rogue - Outlaw Spec. Rogue - Outlaw Spec.

Warlock (Forums, Talent Calculator)
Affliction
  • Affliction Warlock Increases damage/healing by 5% 9%: Agony, Corruption, Drain Life, Drain Soul, Grimoire of Sacrifice, Haunt, Malefic Rapture, Phantom Singularity, Rain of Fire, Seed of Corruption, Shadow Bolt, Siphon Life, Unstable Affliction, Vile Taint Increases periodic damage/healing by 5% 9%: Agony, Corruption, Drain Life, Drain Soul, Grimoire of Sacrifice, Haunt, Malefic Rapture, Phantom Singularity, Rain of Fire, Seed of Corruption, Shadow Bolt, Siphon Life, Unstable Affliction, Vile Taint Warlock - Affliction Spec. Warlock - Affliction Spec.

Warrior (Forums, Talent Calculator)
Arms
  • Arms Warrior Increases damage/healing by 9% 13%: Bladestorm, Bladestorm Off-Hand, Bloodthirst Heal, Charge, Cleave, Colossus Smash, Deep Wounds, Demolition, Dreadnaught, Execute, Hamstring, Heroic Leap, Heroic Throw, Impending Victory, Mastery: Deep Wounds, Mortal Strike, Overpower, Raging Blow, Ravager, Rend, Shattering Throw, Shield Slam, Skullsplitter, Slam, Storm Bolt, Victory Rush, Warbreaker, Warbringer, Whirlwind, Whirlwind Off-Hand Increases periodic damage/healing by 9% 13%: Bladestorm, Bladestorm Off-Hand, Bloodthirst Heal, Charge, Cleave, Colossus Smash, Deep Wounds, Demolition, Dreadnaught, Execute, Hamstring, Heroic Leap, Heroic Throw, Impending Victory, Mastery: Deep Wounds, Mortal Strike, Overpower, Raging Blow, Ravager, Rend, Shattering Throw, Shield Slam, Skullsplitter, Slam, Storm Bolt, Victory Rush, Warbreaker, Warbringer, Whirlwind, Whirlwind Off-Hand Increases damage/healing by 40%: Bladestorm and Bladestorm Off-Hand Increases damage/healing by 20%: Slam Warrior - Arms Spec. Warrior - Arms Spec.

Item Effects
  • Encrypted Banner of the Opportune Name changed from "PH - Banner of the Opportune" to "Encrypted Banner of the Opportune". Plant a banner representing your successes against the Tormented. Instant. 10 min cooldown. Encrypted. Instant. 10 min cooldown.
  • Gladiator's Echoing Resolve Duration of incoming crowd control effects increased by 20% 25%. Does not stack with similar effects. When affected, protects from the next spell interruption and crowd control effect, persisting for 15 12 sec. PvP Talent. PvP Talent.
  • Gladiator's Fastidious Resolve Activate the Broker defenses, protecting yourself from spell interruption and crowd control effects. The defenses withstand up to 2 effects and persist for 15 12 sec. Instant. 3 min cooldown.
  • Lion's Hope Your spells have a chance to grant Hope, increasing your Intellect by 0 for 12 seconds. You have a greater chance to gain Hope when targeting allies or enemies at lower health. Instant. Approximately 20 procs per minute.
  • Remnant's Despair Your damaging spells have a chance to inflict Despair upon your enemies, increasing the effect of your Diseases against them by 0 for 12 seconds. You have a greater chance to inflict Despair against enemies who are at higher health. Instant. Approximately 20 procs per minute.

Raid & Dungeon Abilities
  • Aftershock (New) The impact area reverberates shortly afterwards, inflicting 40 Physical damage to nearby players. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Aftershock The impact area reverberates after 3 sec shortly afterwards, inflicting 40 Physical damage to players within 7 yds. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Aftershock The impact area reverberates after 3 sec shortly afterwards, inflicting 40 Physical damage to players within 8 yds. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Aftershock The impact area reverberates after 3 sec shortly afterwards, inflicting 40 Physical damage to players within 6 yds. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Creation Spark Charges a player, inflicting 3 Cosmic damage every 1 sec. for 30 sec. This effect stacks. Upon removal this charge jettisons Creation Sparks to nearby locations, infusing players within 0 yards of the impact location, increasing the flow of time by 15%, increasing casting, attack speed, cooldown recharge rate, and periodic tick rates and additionally increasing movement speed by 25% for 30 sec. Unlimited range. Instant. 45% for 25 sec. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Detonation The Acquisitions Automa catastrophically explodes upon death, inflicting 30 Cosmic damage to all players within 40 20 yards and launching them away. 2 sec cast. 2.5 sec cast.
  • Earthbreaker Missiles Halondrus unleashes a barrage of missiles that detonate for inflict 45 Cosmic damage to players within 6 yds of the impact locations and cause an Aftershock. Unlimited range. Instant. nearby the impact locations and create Aftershocks. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Earthbreaker Missiles Halondrus unleashes a barrage of missiles that detonate for inflict 45 Cosmic damage to players within 6 yds of the impact locations and cause an Aftershock. Unlimited range. Instant. nearby the impact locations and create Aftershocks. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Earthbreaker Missiles Halondrus unleashes a barrage of missiles that detonate for inflict 45 Cosmic damage to players within 6 yds of the impact locations and cause an Aftershock. Unlimited range. Instant. nearby the impact locations and create Aftershocks. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Fated Infusion: Creation Spark Charges a player, inflicting 3 Cosmic damage every 1 sec. for 30 sec. This effect stacks. Upon removal this charge jettisons Creation Sparks to nearby locations, infusing players within 0 yards of the impact location, increasing the flow of time by 15%, increasing casting, attack speed, cooldown recharge rate, and periodic tick rates and additionally increasing movement speed by 25% for 30 sec. Unlimited range. Instant. 45% for 25 sec. Unlimited range. Instant.
  • Lightshatter Beam (New) Halondrus inflicts 84 Cosmic damage to its current target and any players caught in the beam. Inflicts an additional 6 Cosmic damage every 1 sec and increases damage taken from Lightshatter Beam by 50% for 6 sec. This effect stacks. 200 yd range. Instant.



Strings Changes
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
  • PFC_CUSTOMIZE_DIALOG_TEXT - You will now choose your new race and customize your charaction character. Your faction change will be permanently applied once you finish this process.
by Published on 2022-05-05 02:17 AM

Patch 9.2 Hotfixes - May 4, 2022
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Dungeons and Raids

  • Sepulcher of the First Ones
    • Anduin Wrynn
      • Increased the time it takes for players to be susceptible to Blasphemy after returning to their body.
  • Theater of Pain
    • Non-boss enemies
      • Corrected an issue that caused Ancient Captain's Demoralizing Shout and Commanding Presence to increase damage taken when charmed by players.

Achievements


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