Patch 2.1.2 preliminary notes

[Concillian]

Primarily a "here is season 2 arena" patch, but has a few other changes. Especially note the PvP trinket changes, shadowfiend fix (again), and misdirection fix. Small enough that all the notes fit in one post =P

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/...patchnotes.html

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World of Warcraft PTR Patch 2.1.2

The latest patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html

General

    * Arena and Honor Rewards: As part of the inauguration of Season 2, the costs of all Arena items and Honor items has been reduced.
    * Improved Mend Pet, Abolish Disease, and Abolish Poison no longer play sounds when there is nothing to dispel.
    * Players can no longer fail with skinning at maximum skill.
    * Spellcloth: Creating spellcloth will once again only summon one Angered Nether-wraith.
    * Some new cooking recipes are available from Kylene in Shattrath City.
    * A recipe for a superior resilience gem has been added and is rumored to be held by the residents of Halaa.
    * Procs: Most procs are set to trigger only from spells which cost mana, but inadvertently disallowed spells which cost a percentage of base mana. That bug has been fixed and so such spells will now trigger many procs they did not previously trigger.

Druids

    * Druids in Swift Flight form can no longer loot herb nodes.
    * Force of Nature: This spell will no longer causes players it is cast on to enter combat with nearby creatures. All of the treants summoned will now attack a neutral creature they are summoned on.
    * Tree of Life: The bonus healing aura from this talent will reactivate when a Banish effect wears off a Druid in Tree Form.

Hunters

    * Fixed bug with Misdirection where sometimes only two attacks were redirected instead of three.
    * Entrapment: This talent will no longer causes Hunter to stand up or stop eating and drinking when it procs.
    * Improved Mend Pet: This ability will no longer cause Hunters to stand or to interrupt eating and drinking.
    * Poison Spit: These abilities will now appear in the correct order in the pet training menu.
    * Scatter Shot: This ability will now trigger Thrill of the Hunt.
    * Thunderstomp: These abilities will now appear in the correct order in the pet training menu.

Mages

    * Molten Armor: This buff can now proc when the Mage is sitting.

Paladins

    * Corrected the amount of damage done by Seal of Vengeance on a target affected by Judgement of Crusader.
    * Improved Concentration Aura: This ability now correctly reduces the duration of silence and interrupt effects by 30%. In addition, the reduction in duration of silence and interrupt effects from this ability will no longer stack with other such reductions.
    * Judgement of Blood: Effects which increase your damage by a percentage will no longer cause Paladins to take excessive damage from casting this spell.
    * Seal of Blood: Effects which increase your damage by a percentage will no longer cause Paladins to take excessive damage from this spell's procs.

Priests

    * Feedback: This buff can now proc when the Priest is sitting.
    * Shadowfiend: This creature will now reset to full health when it is summoned. It will also automatically attack your current enemy target when it is summoned.
    * Surge of Light: The buff from Surge of Light will no longer prevent Inner Focus's charge from being consumed. In addition, it is no longer possible to get two free Smites when this ability procs.
    * Touch of Weakness: This spell can now trigger Surge of Light when it does critical strikes.

Rogues

    * Sword Specialization: The change to Sword Specialization making its extra attacks appear in yellow has been reverted. Extra attacks will appear in white and act like any auto-attack. They will no longer reset the swing time of your weapon.

Shaman

    * Focused Mind: This ability has been changed to reduce the duration of silence and interrupt effects, rather than increase resistance to them.
    * Frostbrand Weapon Rank 5: The damage on this spell was reduced slightly such that it will never do more damage than Frostbrand Rank 6.
    * Lightning Shield: Procs from this buff will no longer cause neutral town guards to attack the Shaman. In addition, Nightmare Vine will no longer cause charges of this buff to be consumed.

Warriors

    * Overpower dims on the action bar when the player is affected by disarm spells.
    * Sword Specialization: The change to Sword Specialization making its extra attacks appear in yellow has been reverted. Extra attacks will appear in white and act like any auto-attack. They will no longer reset the swing time of your weapon. Rage awarded will be calculated by damage dealt as with any normal auto-attack.

Items

    * PvP Trinkets: Insignia of the Alliance, Insignia of the Horde, Medallion of the Alliance, and Medallion of the Horde have all been redesigned. The trinkets for all classes now have the same effect: Dispels all movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of your character.
    * Many raid items have had their art improved.
    * Clefthoof Mace: This item's name is now spelled correctly.
    * Crystalweave Bracers: This item and its depleted counterpart now have spell critical strike rating as intended.
    * Ebon Mask: This item now has sound when moved in a player's inventory.
    * Eye of Magtheridon: This trinket will now trigger when a Judgement of Vengeance is resisted.
    * Relentless Earthstorm Diamond: The bonus damage to critical strikes from this metagem now applies to all types of damage, not just physical.
    * Skyguard Rations: The stamina and spirit buff from this food has been decreased, as well as its duration.
    * Talisman of the Breaker: The reduction in duration of silence and interrupt effects from this item will no longer stack with other such reductions.
    * Vestments of the Devout Set: The damage absorb set bonus on this set will now absorb only 350 damage, matching its intended design and tooltip.
    * Voidheart Raiment Set: The two-piece set bonus will now trigger from Death Coil.
    * Voidstar Talisman: This item will now give the correct amount of resistance to Warloock pets.

Quests

    * Vim'gol the Vile now has a 30 second respawn cooldown.
    * A problem with interrupting Vim'gol the Vile's Unholy Growth spell has been fixed.
    * Casting bar text was added when gathering a Corrupted Flower during the quest, "Botanical Legwork".
    * A distance-related issue was resolved when attempting to use the Fel Crystalforges at Forge Camp: Terror and Forge Camp: Wrath in the Blade's Edge Mountains to create 5 Unstable Elixirs of the Beast.
    * A problem that could result in Obsidia, Rivendark, Insidion, and Furywing not responding to their respective dragon eggs being used has been resolved.
    * Sky Sergeant Vanderlip at the Skyguard Outpost in the Blade's Edge Mountains will no longer display her Exalted faction gossip to those who have not attained that faction rank.
    * All classes will now properly get credit for siphoning the crystal in the quest "Bloodgem Crystals".
    * Players will no longer fail to summon Insidion and Obsidia if the dragons are in combat when a player summons them.

Dungeons and Raids

    * Auchindoun: Sethekk Halls
          o Time-Lost Controllers no longer remove buffs from players who are charmed.
          o Heroic Mode: Anzu, the Raven God may no longer be pulled far away from the location where he is summoned.
          o Heroic Mode: Anzu's Spell Bomb is now a curse and he will no longer charge.
          o Heroic Mode: The quantity and health of Minions of Anzu that spawn have been reduced.
          o Heroic Mode: The frequency and duration of many of his abilities have been retuned to make the fight more forgiving.
    * Auchindoun: Shadow Labyrinth
          o The Cabal Summoner, Cabal Executioner, and Cabal Spellbinder mobs that interact with Murmur in the Screaming Hall in Auchindoun Shadow Labyrinth will no longer sometimes freeze their animations upon death.
    * Black Temple
          o It is no longer possible to engage the Shade of Akama without completing phase 1 of the encounter.
          o Ashtongue Spiritbinders may now cast heals on Ashtongue Sorcerors, Channelers, and the Shade of Akama.
          o The Illidan Stormrage fight encounter has received additional tuning and improvements.
    * Caverns of Time: Mount Hyjal
          o The number of preliminary waves before each boss in the Caverns of Time: Battle for Mount Hyjal event has been reduced from 12 to 8, and some of the larger waves have fewer creatures than before.
    * Karazhan
          o The door leading to the Celestial Watch in Karazhan now starts open, and Netherspite does not path so close to the door.
          o The damage dealt by Netherspite's Nether Breath has been reduced.
    * Tempest Keep: Mechanar
          o Nethermancer Sepethrea's Raging Flames should now periodically change their targets in Heroic mode.

Interface

    * Fixed an issue with some AddOns where dropdown menus go away after showing the world map.
    * Fixed some Lua errors on /castsequence macros with conditionals.

World Environment

    * Chief Overseer Mudlump, Dragonmaw Pitfighter, Forgus, Goblin Merc, Gug, Horus, Lost Torranche, Officer Jaxon, Overlord Mor'ghor, Rumbpus, Telaari Jailor and Uriku: These creatures are no longer lootable.
    * Darbel Montrose: This creature now always drops at least a good quality item.
    * Lost Torranche: This creature is now skinnable.
    * Rallying Cry of the Dragonslayer: This buff will no longer give excessive critical strike rating to low-level characters.
    * The Twilight Ridge: Burning Legion creatures in this region will now drop Marks of Kil'jaeden, Fel Armaments, and Oshu'gun Crystal Powder Samples.

[Xame]

OMG. A patch trying to fix bugs instead of adding a ton of new content. Also interesting is the BT re-tuning to give the elite guilds more work. I'm sure it won't take them long but I wonder if it will take some of the T6 gear to get the job done this time.

[swirly]

Skyguard Rations: The stamina and spirit buff from this food has been decreased, as well as its duration.

Nooooo! Don't take my beautiful purchasable stamina food!

[Quark]

* Arena and Honor Rewards: As part of the inauguration of Season 2, the costs of all Arena items and Honor items has been reduced.

Yay! Or so I thought, until I read further ...

* Sword Specialization: The change to Sword Specialization making its extra attacks appear in yellow has been reverted. Extra attacks will appear in white and act like any auto-attack. They will no longer reset the swing time of your weapon.

Good change, as otherwise Sword Spec was vastly superior to any other weapon spec for dual wielders - an offhand procing a mainhand, non-dual-wield miss penalty, non-glancable attack is a little ridiculous. Now it just procs a mainhand attack.

* PvP Trinkets: Insignia of the Alliance, Insignia of the Horde, Medallion of the Alliance, and Medallion of the Horde have all been redesigned. The trinkets for all classes now have the same effect: Dispels all movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of your character.

Wondering if this was truly all abilities or just those that were previously dispellable, I wasn't sure what to think. Seeing this:

Yes, the trinkets will remove all "movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of your character." That includes Cyclone as you lose control of your character. The phrasing in quotes can be taken quite literally.

I hate this change. No, let me rephrase that. I absolutely despise this change and will be completely unsatisfied with this arena patch, which I was hoping would address the real imbalances in Arena play (hello Warrior/Paladin).

Sap, Blind, and Gouge. One is extremely hard to pull off and easily counterable (just enter combat), one is on a long cooldown and already dispellable, and one takes an exorbitant amount of energy and a decent cooldown considering it's removed on any damage. All just received a huge nerf. Even my stuns are now screwed.

I thought I hated Warrior/Paladin before. Now I won't even win versus a bad team, only completely a moronic Warrior/Paladin team will lose. I can't believe Blizzard thought this change would be beneficial without a complete rebalance of classes that absolutely depend on their limited CC.

[Tal]

Sap, Blind, and Gouge. One is extremely hard to pull off and easily counterable (just enter combat), one is on a long cooldown and already dispellable, and one takes an exorbitant amount of energy and a decent cooldown considering it's removed on any damage.

I thought I hated Warrior/Paladin before. Now I won't even win versus a bad team, only completely a moronic Warrior/Paladin team will lose.

Other side of the coin and keep in mind I don't run with an arena team on Sharanna.

I HATE being sapped in a battleground. Sure I could blow my shield to remove it so I can keep healing my team mates but that usually just signals a rogue to go nuts and stun lock me down to zero. I will admit that I haven't had a rogue blind me but between all the other stuns and interrupts a rogue has the only survival tools I have against a rogue is to blow my shield and if I'm very lucky on my timing - Blessing of protection one being on a five minute cooldown the other on a talented 3 minute cooldown.

I realize that this has no bearing on your specific issues when it comes to 2 vs 2 arenas but I'm cheering this change. The only thing I can offer in battlegrounds is to heal the dps (usually warriors, rogues and warlocks) long enough for them to take down the opposition and maybe I'm just a n00b but any competent rogue can lock me down for as long as he wants...

[Legedi]

While you may hate a warrior/paladin combo in 2vs2 I hate a two rogue team in anything. Not that one tinket use will change that much. But when you have more than one rogue throwing around blinds, stuns, possibly sap at the start it's really REALLY annoying.

"limited CC" I don't think applies to rogues. Classes that this will hurt the most will probably be hunters with one freeze trap every 30 seconds. or Warlocks and DC.

Of course this is a hug buff to warriors. But mostly in 1vs1 situations. A well supported warrior can already get out of most CC.

[Taelas]

I hate this change. No, let me rephrase that. I absolutely despise this change and will be completely unsatisfied with this arena patch, which I was hoping would address the real imbalances in Arena play (hello Warrior/Paladin).

Sap, Blind, and Gouge. One is extremely hard to pull off and easily counterable (just enter combat), one is on a long cooldown and already dispellable, and one takes an exorbitant amount of energy and a decent cooldown considering it's removed on any damage. All just received a huge nerf. Even my stuns are now screwed.

I thought I hated Warrior/Paladin before. Now I won't even win versus a bad team, only completely a moronic Warrior/Paladin team will lose. I can't believe Blizzard thought this change would be beneficial without a complete rebalance of classes that absolutely depend on their limited CC.

It's a trinket. It's not as if it can be spammed. If they use it to remove one of your limited CCs, they can't use it for the rest.

[Quark]

It's a trinket. It's not as if it can be spammed. If they use it to remove one of your limited CCs, they can't use it for the rest.

It's easy for all the classes that have repeatable CC to keep saying this. Nothing a Rogue does is repeatable.

[Legedi]

It's easy for all the classes that have repeatable CC to keep saying this. Nothing a Rogue does is repeatable.

But a rogue has a backup for everything. Just off the top of my head abilities that can be used to control enemies: sap, cheap shot, kidney shot, gouge, blind. Even if one or two can be countered at once it doesn't mean others won't work.

I think the points of the change is it is harder to either chain the same CC ability, or chain different CC abilities.

I'm hoping the trinket will work with MC. Nothing is more frustrating than watching myself run off a cliff :angry:.

[lemekim]

While you may hate a warrior/paladin combo in 2vs2 I hate a two rogue team in anything. Not that one tinket use will change that much. But when you have more than one rogue throwing around blinds, stuns, possibly sap at the start it's really REALLY annoying.

"limited CC" I don't think applies to rogues. Classes that this will hurt the most will probably be hunters with one freeze trap every 30 seconds. or Warlocks and DC.

Of course this is a hug buff to warriors. But mostly in 1vs1 situations. A well supported warrior can already get out of most CC.

It might actually be a nerf to Warriors in group PvP since now every class can break Intimidating Shout, which is on 3 minute cooldown. And don't forget that this now becomes an alternative way to break Hamstring, and the much maligned Mace/Intercept stuns as well.

The only class that gets strictly positive benefit from this change is the Shaman class, which previously suffered not only from complete lack of CC, but also from bad counter choices on their PvP trinket. And really, they needed this change.

[Quark]

[quote name='lemekim' date='Jun 7 2007, 10:50 AM' post='131047']
It might actually be a nerf to Warriors in group PvP since now every class can break Intimidating Shout, which is on 3 minute cooldown. And don't forget that this now becomes an alternative way to break Hamstring, and the much maligned Mace/Intercept stuns as well. [/quote]
[/quote]

Color me impressed, a warrior now has to spend 30 Rage (Trinket + Improved Sprint) instead of 20 (Improved Sprint) to permanently keep me away from the Paladin.

[Quark]

But a rogue has a backup for everything. Just off the top of my head abilities that can be used to control enemies: sap, cheap shot, kidney shot, gouge, blind. Even if one or two can be countered at once it doesn't mean others won't work.

First off, if any character dies because they were simply stunned by a rogue (cheap shot and/or kidney shot), either they don't have enough stamina/resilience or they're not getting the support they need. Everyone forgets these all cost energy, they're all on cooldown, and as of this patch they're all easily counterable.

Sap hard to get out of? Don't get sapped. It's easier than people think: get in combat. Congratulations, you're immune to sap. Blind? It's a poison, treat it as such. It also costs a reagent. Gouge? The only time I can effectively use gouge as a CC, and not simply as an interrupt, is versus Warrior/Healer. It slows down DPS on both sides for a short while.

So I have all these supposed great options at my disposal if one is countered in some way. Here's how the match goes down, though. If I'm lucky, or waste my Sprint, I get one Sap off a match. Either my healer's getting beat badly or I'm trying to prevent support, so my Blind gets spent. My stuns are always on cooldown, and versus a warrior my Gouge always is too. I take a spike of damage so I Vanish to get a small chance to recover. Evasion gets burned in all but pure caster fights, while Cloak of Shadows gets burned in all but pure melee fights.

I end a night of 10 matches down 10 Blinding Powder and 8 or 9 Flash Powder. I'm already using all my tricks in the vast majority of matches, and now you're taking my most reliable one, the one that costs a reagent, and guaranteeing that everyone can remove it.

I think the points of the change is it is harder to either chain the same CC ability, or chain different CC abilities.

Yes, that's the point. Psychologically, losing control of your character, even for half a second, is more annoying than most events. I'd be glad they're finally giving players the option to choose one source to remove, but they introduced no other balance changes in this patch. Some classes (rogue, druid) are much more reliant on control than others (warrior, paladin), and it's not a coincidence that those happened to be among the weakest classes in the higher rungs.

The strongest just got stronger.

[Lissa]

It's easy for all the classes that have repeatable CC to keep saying this. Nothing a Rogue does is repeatable.

A rogue also has the largest repetoire of CCs, you have stun, disorient, and incapcitate. What other class has this variety of CC? Also, your DR on your stuns is very short, a rogue that has their timing down and spec'd into subtlety can lock down another a non-plate wearer from full health to death if the other person gets no help just by using your variety of different CCs at the right times to get rid of your DR on those abilities.

[Lissa]

"limited CC" I don't think applies to rogues. Classes that this will hurt the most will probably be hunters with one freeze trap every 30 seconds. or Warlocks and DC.

No, the class this hurts the most is Priest. 30 second cooldown on an instant fear. As if Priests weren't already sitting ducks...

[Taelas]

It's easy for all the classes that have repeatable CC to keep saying this. Nothing a Rogue does is repeatable.

Diminishing returns.

[Monkey]

* PvP Trinkets: Insignia of the Alliance, Insignia of the Horde, Medallion of the Alliance, and Medallion of the Horde have all been redesigned. The trinkets for all classes now have the same effect: Dispels all movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of your character.

I gotta say, it's pretty annoying that it applies to cyclone; that takes my max CC time from 10 seconds to 5. But if it lets me out of hunter traps, then it's a fair deal.

[Legedi]

No, the class this hurts the most is Priest. 30 second cooldown on an instant fear. As if Priests weren't already sitting ducks...

The reason I didn't say priests is because their CC already doesn't work very well. worthless again warriors, undead, shamans. When ever I see a priest fear in PvP I'd guess that fear gets broken within a second or two 75% of the time.

[lemekim]

First off, if any character dies because they were simply stunned by a rogue (cheap shot and/or kidney shot), either they don't have enough stamina/resilience or they're not getting the support they need. Everyone forgets these all cost energy, they're all on cooldown, and as of this patch they're all easily counterable.

Sap hard to get out of? Don't get sapped. It's easier than people think: get in combat. Congratulations, you're immune to sap. Blind? It's a poison, treat it as such. It also costs a reagent. Gouge? The only time I can effectively use gouge as a CC, and not simply as an interrupt, is versus Warrior/Healer. It slows down DPS on both sides for a short while.

So I have all these supposed great options at my disposal if one is countered in some way. Here's how the match goes down, though. If I'm lucky, or waste my Sprint, I get one Sap off a match. Either my healer's getting beat badly or I'm trying to prevent support, so my Blind gets spent. My stuns are always on cooldown, and versus a warrior my Gouge always is too. I take a spike of damage so I Vanish to get a small chance to recover. Evasion gets burned in all but pure caster fights, while Cloak of Shadows gets burned in all but pure melee fights.

I end a night of 10 matches down 10 Blinding Powder and 8 or 9 Flash Powder. I'm already using all my tricks in the vast majority of matches, and now you're taking my most reliable one, the one that costs a reagent, and guaranteeing that everyone can remove it.
Yes, that's the point. Psychologically, losing control of your character, even for half a second, is more annoying than most events. I'd be glad they're finally giving players the option to choose one source to remove, but they introduced no other balance changes in this patch. Some classes (rogue, druid) are much more reliant on control than others (warrior, paladin), and it's not a coincidence that those happened to be among the weakest classes in the higher rungs.

The strongest just got stronger.

Maybe if you actually specced for PvP, like the Warrior who you are complaining about, you would have more success.

Congratulations, you have discovered that Rogues are impossible to balance properly because of the variety of the cooldowns they have available - they make far too much difference in 2v2, but not nearly enough in 5v5. Now, with the change to the trinket, this advantage is slightly diminished in 2v2, which means you can look forward to a buff, which should improve your predicament in in all areas, including 5v5.

[Concillian]

Maybe if you actually specced for PvP, like the Warrior who you are complaining about, you would have more success.

Congratulations, you have discovered that Rogues are impossible to balance properly because of the variety of the cooldowns they have available - they make far too much difference in 2v2, but not nearly enough in 5v5. Now, with the change to the trinket, this advantage is slightly diminished in 2v2, which means you can look forward to a buff, which should improve your predicament in in all areas, including 5v5.

Exactly. I saw Quarks responses initially, and for a second I thought I was back on the WoW boards. I know he is more knowledgeable than that.

One thing I discovered in my arena ventures is that warriors absolutely, positively suck in arenas without Mortal Strike.

Based on my PvP experience with rogues at 60 (my rogue is still 60, but I took her very close to rank 12, so I have some experience with it) I'd venture to guess the exact same thing is true of rogues without Prep. Except you can still do major amounts of disruption without prep. They trink out of Sap... that trinket is no longer available if he gets feared or cycloned or blinded.

Rogues have one of THE power combinations in 2v2, so I'm not sad to see this affect rogues and druids more than anyone else. Both are still incredibly valueable. Even if someone trinkets out of it, other forms of CC are then applicable.

In fact I just looked at all the 2v2 teams rated >2350 that also have more than 200 wins in my in my battlegroup and 6 have rogues in them, 6 don't. Yeah, warrior paladin is up there, but rogues are way up there in terms of 2v2 importance. Rogues don't realistically have all that much to complain about in 2v2 and 3v3 areanas (5v5 is another story). They still have lots of power in arenas.

2v2, and to some extent 3v3 is all about getting in a power combination anyway. sucks to be a hunter, he has no power combinations in 2v2 or 3v3 or 5v5.

I feel it si the right thing for the game as a whole for the trinkets to be changed in this manner.
The only think I see being imbalanced by this is the AoE fear ---> shaman trinket out --> drop tremor totem which insta pulses a fear dispel. I think this was the main reason that shaman never had a fear removal on their trinket. Aside from that it's a very good move to let the classes choose what kind of control removal they wish to remove.

[Delc]

2v2, and to some extent 3v3 is all about getting in a power combination anyway. sucks to be a hunter, he has no power combinations in 2v2 or 3v3 or 5v5.

BM hunters destroy cloth in 2v2.

Personally I find my rogue does pretty well in the 2v2 arena. I'm combat maces, and my partner is a fire mage. Loladin/warrior teams are actually one of the easiest matchups for us. When you aren't relying on heals MS is a lot less important, and AR >> warriors when their pocket healer is being shut down. The hardest fights for us are rogue/BM hunter, and double rogue.