The War Within's first major patch is now live and the devs have already posted some hotfixes for the game. Given the massive amount of class balancing, the next couple of days should be full of adjustments as the tuning received a predominantly negative reception from the community.
Having said that, we will go over all of the recent additions to World of Warcraft Retail so you can get up to speed with all of the changes and quality-of-life updates.
Table of Contents
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WoW PvE Class Changes
Death Knight
- Blood Boil damage increased by 15%.
- Heart Strike damage increased by 20%.
- Blood Plague damage increased by 10%.
- Death Strike damage increased by 20%.
Developers’ notes: We are looking to increase the effectiveness of the Gift of San’layn window due to the reduced uptime after the patch 11.0.5 changes.
- San’layn: Vampiric Strike proc chance increased to 35% (was 25%).
- San’layn: Essence of the Blood Queen duration increased to 25 seconds (was 20 seconds).
- San’layn: Gift of the San’layn increases the effectiveness of Essence of the Blood Queen by 200% (was 150%).
Druid
Developers’ notes: The goals of these changes are to increase single target damage and to even out the power of talents in Balance’s spec tree to provide as much build flexibility to players as possible. We want Power of Goldrinn to be an effective single target pick, and we’d like talents like Touch the Cosmos and Hail of Stars to be more competitive with other options.
- Celestial Alignment and Incarnation: Chosen of Elune once again reset at the end of raid encounters.
- Starfall damage increased by 6%.
- Starsurge damage increased by 8%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
- Starfire damage increased by 5%.
- Wrath damage increased by 10%.
- Shooting Stars and Crashing Star damage increased by 20%.
- Sunseeker Mushrooms grow 12% less often.
- Touch the Cosmos chance to proc increased to 15% for Wrath and 22% for Starfire.
- Power of Goldrinn’s damage increased by 25%. Does not apply to PvP combat.
- Rattle the Stars increases Starfall and Starsurge damage by 8% (down from 10%).
- New Moon and Half Moon damage reduced by 5%.
- Call of the Elder Druid’s duration increased to 15 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Dream of Cenarius now causes Wrath and Shred to transfer 100% (was 50%) of their damage done into healing and Starfire and Swipe to transfer 50% of their damage done into healing (was 33%).
Developers’ notes: We’re looking to increase the playability of Dream of Cenarius, as the window for Heart of the Wild is a bit too short to be meaningful and the upside of this talent has not yet been worth it.
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Hunter
Developers’ notes: There were some niche situations where players might want to gain Trick Shots or Beast Cleave for more damage from Bleak Powder in single target. Bleak Powder is meant to complement AOE situations, not incentivize the usage of AOE in single target situations.
- Dark Ranger: Bleak Powder no longer damages its primary target.
- Pack Leader: Frenzied Tear proc chance reduced to 10% (was 20%).
- Pack Leader: Vicious Hunt damage reduced by 10%.
Developers’ notes: Beast Mastery is overperforming in single target, and we’d like to reduce its single target while improving its lackluster AOE.
- Barbed Shot damage reduced by 25%.
- Stomp damage increased by 50%.
- Multi-Shot damage increased by 100%.
- Explosive Venom now procs at 3 stacks (was 5) and will appropriately apply Serpent Sting to enemies regardless of their distance to the caster.
Developers’ notes: Dark Ranger is overperforming in single target and we’re looking to reduce it while compensating with some AOE buffs to keep the AOE performance roughly the same.
- Dark Ranger: Black Arrow damage reduced by 10%.
- Dark Ranger: Bleak Powder damage increased by 25%.
- Dark Ranger: Shadow Surge damage increased by 25%.
Developers’ notes: Symphonic Arsenal lost more bite than intended from the removal of Eagletalon’s True Focus.
- Sentinel: Symphonic Arsenal damage increased by 15%.
Monk
- All healing increased by 6%.
- Awakened Jadefire now causes Spinning Crane Kick to transfer 110% of damage done (was 90%).
- Jadefire Teachings now increases Ancient Teachings by an additional 160% (was 140%).
- Rushing Wind Kick’s damage increased by 150% and Rushing Winds now increases Renewing Mist healing by 100% for its duration (was 50%).
- Yu’lon’s Whisper healing increased by 400%.
- Jade Bond now increases Mastery: Gust of Mist’s healing by 20% (was 60%).
Developers’ notes: We’re excited that the Chi-Ji Mastery build exists and is powerful in the right conditions, but numerically, its output has been above where we’re comfortable. We’re decreasing the effectiveness of this build without breaking the cooldown reduction gameplay to keep the feel the same and compensating baseline to shrink the difference between this high-end output and regular play.
Paladin
Developers’ notes: Holy Paladins’ mana has been plentiful enough to use Beacon of Virtue more often than we would like throughout a raid encounter. We would like the use of Beacon of Virtue to influence mana decisions more heavily.
- Beacon of Virtue now costs 5% base mana (was 4%).
- Holy Shock now costs 2.8% base mana (was 2.6%).
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Priest
Developers’ notes: We’re increasing Discipline’s direct healing throughput to help in situations where no enemy target is present to trigger Atonement. We would also like to nudge Discipline’s performance up in raid, particularly for Oracle.
- Power Word: Radiance healing increased by 20%.
- Flash Heal healing increased by 15%.
- Premonition of Piety increases healing done by 20% (was 15%).
- Preemptive Care increases Atonement duration by 4 seconds (was 3 seconds).
- Psychic Link now causes direct damage to inflict 30% of damage dealt to targets afflicted by Vampiric Touch (was 25%).
Rogue
Assassination
- Master Assassin - Critical Strike Chance granted during effect reduced to 20% (was 25%).
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Shaman
Developers’ notes: With all of the changes to Elemental and Enhancement Shaman in patch 11.0.5, some changes were performing beyond our tuning goals. We’re adjusting several talents and abilities to reduce their overall power.
- Farseer: Ancestor Chain Lightning damage increased by 40%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Farseer: Ancestor Lava Burst damage increased by 15%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Farseer: Ancestor Elemental Blast damage increased by 15%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Stormbringer: Arc Discharge now grants 1 instant cast Chain Lightning or Lightning Bolt (was 2).
- Stormbringer: Voltaic Surge now increases Earthquake and Chain Lightning damage by 5% (was 15%).
- Preeminence now increases haste by 20% while Ascendance is active (was 25%).
- Icefury now increases Frost Shock damage by 200% (was 150%).
- Voltaic Blaze damage now scales with Mastery: Enhanced Elements.
- Stormblast damage now scales with Mastery: Enhanced Elements.
- Doom Winds damage now scales with Mastery: Enhanced Elements.
- Voltaic Blaze damage now scales with Elemental Weapons.
- Stormblast damage now scales with Elemental Weapons.
- Doom Winds damage now scales with Elemental Weapons.
- An issue causing Stormblast to ignore damage reduction effects has been resolved.
- An issue causing Arc Discharge to not be consumed by Thorim’s Invocation has been resolved.
Developers’ notes: With all of the changes to Elemental and Enhancement Shaman in patch 11.0.5, some changes were performing beyond our tuning goals. We’re adjusting several talents and abilities to reduce their overall power.
- Lightning Bolt damage reduced by 10%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Chain Lightning damage reduced by 10%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Stormbringer: Tempest damage reduced by 15%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Farseer: Ancestor Chain Lightning damage increased by 40%. Not applied to PvP combat.
- Farseer: Ancestor Lava Burst damage increased by 15%. Not applied to PvP combat.
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Warlock
Developers’ notes: We’re increasing the throughput of all Warlock specializations to make each more competitive with other classes in both single-target and multi-target situations. For Demonology, this means reverting the reduction in Demonic Core generation to help with their overall mobility. We will continue to monitor the performance of each specialization and make further adjustments where needed.
- Hellcaller: Wither damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Agony damage increased by 15%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
Corruption damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
Unstable Affliction damage increased by 20%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Dreadstalkers now have a 100% chance to generate a Demonic Core (was 50%).
- Grimoire: Felguard damage is now increased by 125% (was 60%).
- Hand of Gul’dan damage increased by 25%.
- Call Dreadstalkers damage increased by 20%.
- Hellcaller: Wither damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Chaos Bolt damage increased by 10%.
- Immolate damage increased by 25%.
- Incinerate damage increased by 20%.
- Conflagrate damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Rain of Fire damage increased by 20%.
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Warrior
- Execute damage increased by 10%.
- Colossus: Demolish single-target damage increased by 15%.
- Slayer: Reap the Storm damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Slayer: Slayer’s Strike damage increased by 15%.
- Mortal Strike damage increased by 15%.
- Overpower damage increased by 15%.
- Dreadnaught damage increased by 15%.
- Cleave damage increased by 20%.
Fury
- Execute damage increased by 7%.
- Slayer: Reap the Storm damage increased by 25%. This change does not affect PvP combat.
- Slayer: Slayer’s Strike damage increased by 15%.
- Mountain Thane: Lightning Strike damage increased by 30%.
- Bloodthirst damage increased by 20%.
- Bloodbath damage increased by 20%.
- Rampage damage increased by 10%.
Protection
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WoW PvP Class Changes
Druid
- Fixed an issue where Frenzied Regeneration was being reduced more than intended. It should now correctly heal for 5% health every second (was 3% health every second).
- Rejuvenation and Wild Growth healing increased by 20%.
- Berserk and Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane now increase damage by 10% in PvP combat (was 15%).
- King of the Jungle increases healing received and movement speed by 3% per stack (was 5%). Stacks up to 3 times (was 4 times).
Hunter
- Dark Ranger: Bleak Powder’s damage reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Dark Ranger: Withering Fire’s additional Black Arrows are now cast at 25% effectiveness (was 50%).
- Dark Ranger: Bleak Powder’s damage reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Dark Ranger: Withering Fire’s additional Black Arrows are now cast at 25% effectiveness (was 50%).
Monk
- Rushing Wind Kick’s damage increase does not apply to PvP combat.
- Jade Empowerment now causes Crackling Jade Lightning to chain to 2 additional enemies (was 4) in PvP combat.
Paladin
- Lightsmith: Divine Guidance now deals 60% less damage in PvP combat.
- Herald of the Sun: Blessing of An’she now increases the healing of Holy Shock by 150% (was 200%).
- Herald of the Sun: Eternal Flame healing decreased by 10% in PvP combat.
- Lightsmith: Blessed Assurance now increases Crusader Strike’s damage by 40% in PvP combat (was 120%).
- Word of Glory healing decreased by 10% in PvP combat.
- Mana regeneration decreased by 25% in PvP combat (was 20%).
- Blessing of Summer now transfers 12% of healing into damage in PvP combat (was 18%).
- Hammer of Wrath damage increased 30%. Judgment damage increased 30%.
- Crusader Strike damage increased 30%.
- Avenging Crusader now transfers 200% of damage into healing (was 260%) in PvP combat.
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Priest
We would like to make some adjustments to Discipline’s hero talents to make Voidweaver slightly more rewarding since it requires a lot of cast time spells to dish out healing. Oracle’s single target healing is also being slightly reduced.
- Voidheart increases Atonement healing by 30% (was 20%) in PvP combat.
- Premonition of Solace reduces damage taken by 10% in PvP combat (was 15%).
- Premonition of Solace absorption decreased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Renew healing increased by 20% in PvP combat.
- Prayer of Mending healing increased by 10% in PvP combat.
Developers’ notes: The following changes result in Void Leech healing for a significantly reduced amount in PvP, but for a similar amount as before outside of PvP.
- Void Leech heals every 3 seconds (was 2 seconds). Healing increased to 4% of max health (was 3%).
- Void Leech healing reduced to 2% of max health in PvP combat.
- Collapsing Void damage reduced by 10% in PvP combat.
Rogue
Subtlety
- Flagellation’s mastery bonus decreased by 50% in PvP combat.
Shaman
- Ascendance now increases the damage of Elemental Overloads by 25% while active in PvP combat (was 75%).
- Lightning Bolt damage increased by 10% in PvP combat.
- Totemic: Whirling Earth now increases Flame Shock direct damage by 150% in PvP combat (was 300%).
- Healing Wave healing increased by 15% in PvP combat.
- Healing Surge healing increased by 15% in PvP combat.
Warrior
- Slayer: Culling Cyclone now increases Bladestorm’s damage done by 20% (was 10%) per stack in PvP combat.
- Slam damage increased by 40% in PvP combat.
- Colossus Smash damage increased by 60% in PvP combat.
Fury
- Slayer: Culling Cyclone now increases Bladestorm’s damage done by 20% (was 10%) per stack in PvP combat.
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WoW General Changes
Dungeons and Raids
Mythic+ Dungeons
- There is now a small chance when completing a Mythic+ dungeon to acquire a Forgotten Folio, which can contain any of the dungeon-sourced recipes from The War Within.
- Challenger’s Peril now adds an additional 90 seconds to the timer of Mythic Keystones in addition to the 15 second death penalty.
Developers’ notes: We wish for Challenger’s Peril to emphasize precise play and place a greater risk on players’ decisions as they progress through higher Keystone levels. With this goal in mind, we want to give players a bit more breathing room for these decisions by adding a bonus to Challenger’s Peril, while maintaining the penalty aspect of the affix.
Nerub-ar Palace
Queen Ansurek
- Reduced the number of players targeted by Web Blades to 3 on Heroic difficulty (was 4).
Phase 1
- The first cast of Silken Tomb in the final cycle has been removed on Heroic difficulty.
- The timing of the first Web Blades cast has been adjusted to accommodate the removal of the preceding Silken Tomb in the final cycle on Heroic difficulty.
- Grasping Silk periodic damage reduced by 25% on Heroic difficulty.
Phase 2
- Gloom Blast damage reduced by 15% on Heroic difficulty.
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Professions
Alchemy
- Corrected the tooltip for Transmutation 30 perk to reflect the actual number of additional charges it provides (functionality unchanged).
- Thaumaturgy’s Recipe Difficulty has been reduced to 745 (was 750).
- Fixed a bug that sometimes caused unexpected Thaumaturgy outputs when changing between input categories in a short amount of time.
- Fixed a bug that caused the Thaumaturgy 55 perk to activate a few points early.
- The 5- and 15-point perks for Gleaming Transmutagen is now correctly a chance to trigger.
- The 10- and 20-point perks for Ominous, Volatile, and Mercurial Materials and the 10-point perk for Thaumaturgy is now correctly a chance to trigger.
- The 25-point perk for Ominous, Volatile, and Mercurial Materials is now correctly guaranteed to trigger.
Developers’ notes: To minimize disruption, we want to give players ample opportunity to experiment and document their Thaumaturgy findings before making any adjustments or bug fixes that would have a high impact. The result of these changes is a more consistent experience, but less transmutagen overall. We will continue to monitor Thaumaturgy’s performance and may make additional changes if necessary.
World
- Players are now dismounted when near the Crystal Lake memorial area.
- Players in the vicinity of the Crystal Lake memorial should no longer hear the Headless Horseman.
WoW’s 20th Anniversary
- Many event activities now contribute more progress towards the “Celebrate Good Fun” quest.
- Increased the amount of Bronze Celebration Tokens from activities:
- Dornogal Weekly Quests (Worldsoul, Archive, Delve)– 10 Bronze Celebration Tokens
- Bonus Holiday Quests (Timewalking, World Quests, Arena, Battleground, Dungeon, Delve)– 10 Bronze Celebration Tokens
- Zone Activity Weeklies (Awakening the Machine, Spread the Light, Snuffling, Azj’Kahet Pacts, Theater Troupe)– 8 Bronze Celebration Tokens each
- Special Assignment World Quests – 8 Bronze Celebration Tokens each/2 per week
- 0 World Boss – 8 Bronze Celebration Tokens
- Queen Ansurek – 15 Bronze Celebration Tokens
- Conquest/Rated PvP Weekly – 15 Bronze Celebration Tokens
- Honor, War Mode, and Brawl Weeklies – 8 Bronze Celebration Tokens each
Developers’ notes: Our goal has been that players should and can get all the tokens they need during the event by playing content they enjoy. We hope that this increase will help some players get more tokens naturally by engaging with their regular content and the activities that interest them the most. This should open repeat tokens faster and allow players to continue with their preferred content type be it PvP (Korrak’s Revenge), raiding (Blackrock Depths), dungeons (Classic Timewalking), or outdoor style content (World Bosses or Codex of Chromie).
Blackrock Depths
- All enemy health reduced by 11% and damage reduced by 9% on Normal difficulty.
- All enemy health and damage reduced by 11% on Heroic difficulty.
And that covers all of the hotfixes added to World of Warcraft The War Within. Best of luck on your adventures and happy grinding! In the meantime, you can check out the official notes, here.
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