Dragonflight Embers of Neltharion PTR Development Notes

This week’s Embers of Neltharion PTR update:

CLASSES

Leech rating now gives 25% less Leech stat.
- Developers’ note: Leech is proving to be a very strong sustain stat in Dragonflight. To keep it at an appropriate level of power, and avoid marginalizing the importance of the Healer role to a group’s survival, we are reducing the value of Leech rating by 25%. Leech percent granted by talents remains unchanged.
DRUID
- Feral
  - Increased the damage of Ferocious Bites cast by Convoke the Spirits to be as if 5 combo points were spent (was 4).
  - Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus has been adjusted – When a Shadows of the Predator application resets stacks, you gain 5% increased Agility and you generate 1 combo point every 2 seconds for 8 seconds (was every 1.5 seconds for 6 seconds).
- Restoration
  - Fixed an issue that caused Overgrowth to cast the incorrect version of Lifebloom if using the Undergrowth talent.
HUNTER
- Beast Mastery
  - Fixed an issue where the Animal Companion Pet talent was not working as intended when using a Pterrodax family pet as your second pet.
MAGE
- Fire
  - Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Charring Embers now increases damage on affected targets by 5%.
- Frost
  - Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus has been adjusted – Flurry and Ice Lance damage increased by 15%. Flurry causes an explosion on impact, dealing 35% of its damage to nearby enemies, damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
MONK
- Mistweaver
  - Faeline Stomp cooldown reduced by 10 seconds.
    - Developers’ note: Mistweavers rely heavily on Faeline Stomp and we feel in some situations not resetting Faeline Stomp could feel too punishing. Our goal is for it still to be optimal to reset Faeline if possible, but not impact the flow of the spec too much if you miss one.
  - Calming Coalescence has moved to a choice node with Nourishing Chi.
  - Chrysalis icon has changed.
- Windwalker
  - Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set Bonus now only modifies the damage dealt by Shadowflame Nova.
PALADIN
- Holy
  - Avenging Crusader now transfers 575% of damage done (was 750%).
  - Avenging Crusader healing is now increased by Mastery: Lightbringer.
PRIEST
- Discipline
  - Fixed an issue causing Divine Aegis to double dip into absorption increase or reduction mechanics.
  - Divine Aegis once again creates an absorb shield for 5%/10% of the amount healed (was 3%/6%).
SHAMAN
- Bloodlust and Heroism now cost 2% of base mana (was 21%).
- Spiritwalker’s Grace now has a grace period, allowing you to continue to cast while moving for a short period if the ability expires while casting.
WARLOCK
- Destruction
  - Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set Bonus has been redesigned – Channel Demonfire bolts, Immolate, and Incinerate have a chance to fire an additional Demonfire bolt. These bolts deal 50% increased damage to their main target.

DUNGEONS AND RAIDS

MYTHIC+
- AFFIXES
  - Developers’ note: We have been evaluating our affix tiers and their impact on keystones. While we feel the change to bring affixes online at 7 and 14 is healthy, we wanted to also ensure that the right level of challenge is coming online at keystone levels 7 and 14. With that said, we feel our current level 7 affixes have a larger impact on the moment to moment gameplay for groups and have decided to switch the levels that our keystone affixes come online.
    - Periodic affixes are now added to keystones at level 7 (was 14).
      - Afflicted
      - Incorporeal
      - Volcanic
      - Entangling
      - Storming
    - Affixes that trigger on death or health ranges have been moved to level 14 (was 7).
      - Spiteful
      - Raging
      - Bursting
      - Bolstering
      - Sanguine
  - Developers’ note: In addition to the change above, we’ve also reviewed the impact of our affixes and made tuning adjustments with the goal of lessening their overall impact on dungeon gameplay.
  - Incorporeal
    - Incorporeal Beings now fade away when combat with non-Incorporeal Beings has ended.
  - Entangling
    - Entangling’s snare effect has been reduced to 30% (was 50%).
    - Entangling now has a visual indicating the maximum range of the vine.
    - Entangling now has a distinct sound cue when applied to players.
  - Afflicted
    - Afflicted Souls health no longer scales after keystone level 20.
  - Explosive
    - Explosive will be retired for Dragonflight Season 2 and replaced by Volcanic.
  - Spiteful
    - Spiteful Shades melee damage reduced by 10%.
    - Spiteful Shades health and damage no longer scale after keystone level 20.
  - Raging
    - Raging now grants enemies immunity to crowd control effects for 20 seconds upon reaching 30% health remaining (was 50% increased damage done until defeated).
  - Bolstering
    - Bolster no longer increases the health of affected enemies (was health and damage).
  - Sanguine
    - Sanguine Ichor puddles now last for 12 seconds (was 20 seconds).

ITEMS AND REWARDS

Shadowed Razing Annihilator initial hit reduced by 30% and Residual Shadowflame area-of-effect damage reduced by 5%.
The following embellishments have been adjusted:
- Allied Wristguard of Companionship Versatility per nearby ally increased by 1%.
- Venom-Steeped Stompers stat increase bonus increased by 1.4%.
- Acidic Hailstone Treads damage increased by 1%.
- Horizon Strider set Haste per stack increased by 5%.
- Flaring Cowl damage increased by 2%.
- Slimy Expulsion Boots damage dealt increased by 3%.
- Toxic Thorn Footwraps damage and healing increased by 2%.
- Playful Spirit’s Fur set damage and healing increased by 3%.
- Weathered Explorer’s Stave Haste bonus increased by 4%.
- Fang Adornments damage bonus increased by 2%.
- Bronzed Grip Wrappings damage and healing bonus increased by 0.5%.
- Blue Silken Lining Mastery while active increased by 1%.
- Magazine of Healing Darts healing increased by 40%.

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

Honor and Conquest rewarded through different rated content has been redistributed for better balance of acquisition between them.
- Developers’ note: Going into Season 2, we took a look at honor and conquest distribution to have a better balance between acquisition for the currencies in different rated content. In today’s PTR build, you may notice that redistribution, with honor and conquest gains being slightly less for Rated Solo Shuffle and higher in grouped Rated PvP content (2v2, 3v3, and Rated Battlegrounds.
CLASSES
- Developers’ note: We are confident in moving forward with reducing critical strike damage in PvP combat in Embers of Neltharion to 150% (was 175%). Some specializations rely on critical strikes more than others, so we’re increasing the effectiveness of select spells that have a higher-than-average critical strike chance to even the playing field.
- DEATH KNIGHT
  - Frost
    - Obliterate damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
- DEMON HUNTER
  - Havoc
    - Eye Beam damage increased by 16% in PvP combat.
- DRUID
  - Balance
    - Dying Stars (PvP Talent) has been redesigned – Targets that remove your Sunfire or Moonfire are vulnerable to their effects for 12 seconds, increasing damage taken by 15%. If already vulnerable, they gain half the remaining duration of the removed effect.
  - Restoration
    - Regrowth’s initial heal increased by 5% in PvP combat.
- EVOKER
  - Dream Catcher increases the cast time of Sleep Walk by 0.2 seconds (was 0.5 seconds).
- HUNTER
  - Beast Mastery
    - Beast Within (PvP Talent) no longer grants attack speed to the Hunter, only pets are affected.
- MAGE
  - Frostbolt damage increased by 116% in PvP combat (was 100%).
  - Ice Nova damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
  - Dragon’s Breath damage increased by 16% in PvP combat.
  - Fire
    - Glass Cannon’s (PvP Talent) maximum health decreased to 15% (was 20%).
    - Fireball damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
    - Flamestrike damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
    - Pyroblast damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
    - Fire Blast now deals 8% reduced damage in PvP Combat (was 21%).
    - Phoenix Flames damage increased by 16% in PvP combat.
    - Scorch damage increased by 45% in PvP combat (was 25%).
  - Frost
    - Comet Storm damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
    - Flurry damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
    - Ebonbolt damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
    - Frost Bomb damage increased by 12%.
    - Ice Lance damage increased by 34% in PvP combat (was 20%).
    - Glacial Spike damage reduced by 5% in PvP combat (was 15%).
- MONK
  - Brewmaster
    - Rodeo (PvP Talent) now gains a stack every 3 seconds (was 7 seconds). Rodeo now has a maximum stack count of 4 (was 3).
  - Mistweaver
    - Fae Accord (PvP Talent) now snares targets hit by 60% (was 50%) and reduces the cooldown of Faeline Stomp by 10 seconds.
    - Dome of Mist (PvP Talent) now creates a shield based on 120% of the remaining periodic healing from Enveloping Mist.
    - New PvP Talent: Zen Spheres – Place a sphere of Hope or Despair on a friendly or enemy target. Only one sphere of each type can be active at a time:
      - Sphere of Hope – Friendly target receives 15% additional healing from the Monk.
      - Sphere of Despair – Enemy target deals 10% less damage to the Monk, and suffers 10% additional damage from all sources.
  - Windwalker
    - New PvP Talent: Stormspirit Strikes – Damaging more than one target with Fists of Fury summons a Storm Spirit to focus your secondary target for 30 seconds, which will mimic any of your attacks that do not also strike the target for 30% of normal damage.
    - Tigereye Brew (PvP Talent) has been removed.
    - Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
- PALADIN
  - Holy
    - Bedazzle has been renamed to Searing Glare.
    - Searing Glare (PvP Talent) cast time reduced to 1.25 seconds, cooldown reduced to 60 seconds, and duration increased to 4 seconds.
  - Retribution
    - Hammer of Wrath damage increased by 16% in PvP combat.
- ROGUE
  - Outlaw
    - Ambush damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Sinister Strike damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Killing Spree damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Blade Rush damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Ghostly Strike damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Dreadblades damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Mastery: Main Gauche damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
    - Dispatch damage increased by 20% in PvP combat (was 15%).
  - Subtlety
    - Backstab damage increased by 30% in PvP combat (was 20%).
    - Gloomblade damage increased by 30% in PvP combat (was 20%).
    - Shadowstrike damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
    - Eviscerate damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
    - Secret Technique damage reduced by 25% in PvP combat (was reduced by 30%).
- SHAMAN
  - Lava Burst damage increased by 20% in PvP combat.
  - Enhancement
    - Bloodlust and Heroism are no longer on the global cooldown when affected by Shamanism.
  - Restoration
    - Healing Surge healing increased by 6% in PvP combat.
- WARLOCK
  - Casting Circle (PvP Talent) has been removed.
  - Destruction
    - Chaos Bolt damage increased by 60% in PvP combat (was 40%).
    - Shadowburn damage increased by 65% in PvP combat (was 50%).
    - Conflagrate damage is no longer reduced by 9% in PvP combat.
    - Essence Drain (PvP Talent) has been removed.
  - Demonology
    - Essence Drain (PvP Talent) has been removed.
- WARRIOR
  - Arms
    - Slam damage increased by 48% in PvP combat (was 40%).
  - Fury
    - Bloodthirst damage increased by 6% in PvP combat.
    - Slaughterhouse (PvP Talent) duration is now 20 seconds (was 16 seconds).
    - Enduring Rage (PvP Talent) has been redesigned – Movement impairing effects have a chance to grant you Enrage each second while active. While Enraged, loss of control effects have a chance to grant you Recklessness for 4 seconds when they fade.

PROFESSIONS

To support the new Spark of Shadowflame, recipes that require a Spark now let you choose which Spark to use in the required reagents section.
Sockets added through the Season 1 Great Vault will be removed when recrafting an item to Season 2 levels (with a warning prompt).
To make it clear who is providing which materials, crafting orders now show icons representing the crafter and customer next to each reagent. A message also appears above the Start Order button if the customer didn’t provide some or all reagents.
Player Name column widened to make more room for realm names in the crafting orders list.
The undo button for adding optional reagents moved inside the optional reagent flyout.
Adjusted the alignment of prices in the Crafting Orders UI.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

In-game mail font has been changed to improve legibility.
The New Niffen No-Sniffin’ Tonic toy has been added to various Innkeepers and Food and Drink vendors in Loamm. While the toy is activated, sounds from enemies’ noses will not be heard. Effect lasts for 1 week.

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