Dragonflight 10.2 PTR Dev Notes: September 20th

Here are this week’s updates to the Guardians of the Dream PTR:

BATTLEGROUND BLITZ BRAWL

Temple of Kotmogu resource acquisition rate increased in the middle areas of the map.

Shadow Sight’s duration increased to 12 seconds (was 8 seconds).

CLASSES

DEATH KNIGHT

Blood

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Now triggers from consuming Runic Power (was previously triggering on consuming Bone Shield charges).

Frost

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Chance to trigger reduced to 30% (was 40%) and reduces the cooldown of Empower Rune Weapon by 6 seconds (was 10 seconds).

Fixed an issue with Chill Streak not decrementing a bounce when it bounced off of the Death Knight.

DEMON HUNTER

Developers’ note: Demon Hunter talent updates will be starting to roll in as they become ready, starting with Havoc tree changes in this week’s PTR build. In some cases, talents may be missing or marked as a work in progress [WIP], but there are enough changes to the Havoc tree and individual talents that we’d like to get it in players’ hands to begin gathering feedback. Vengeance and Class tree changes are coming soon.

Spectral Sight cooldown is now 1 minute 30 seconds (was 1 minute, and 30 seconds with rank 2 talented).

Fodder to the Flame demon now revealed by Spectral Sight.

Fodder to the Flame demon now takes fatal damage from Eye Beam/Fel Devastation in addition to Throw Glaive.

Fodder to the Flame buff is now granted immediately upon killing demon (was upon collecting soul).

Metamorphosis cooldown reduced to 3 minutes (was 4 minutes).

Darkness now has a 15% chance to avoid all damage from an attack. Chance to avoid damage increased by 100% when not in a raid.

First of the Illidari has been removed.

Havoc

Metamorphosis duration reduced to 20 seconds (was 24 seconds).

Demonic Appetite is now baseline for Havoc and causes souls to generate 20 Fury (was 30).

Fel Eruption is now baseline for Havoc.

Glaive Tempest cooldown increased to 25 seconds (was 20 seconds), damage increased by 15%, and damage reduced beyond 8 targets (was 5).

Fel Barrage has been redesigned – No longer channeled, drains 15 Fury per tick, lasts until Fury is depleted. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets (was 8).

Initiative’s effect is no longer triggered or denied by damage over time effects.

Momentum now increases damage by 6% (was 8%), lasts 6 seconds (was 5 seconds), and duration stacks to a max of 30 seconds (was 10 seconds).

New Talent: Inertia – When empowered by Unbound Chaos, Fel Rush increases damage by 20% for 5 seconds.

Fel Rush now enforces a global cooldown of 0.5 seconds (was 0.25 seconds).

Felblade now enforces a global cooldown of 0.5 seconds (was 1.5 seconds).

[WIP] New Talent: Deflecting Dance – Blade Dance deflects incoming attacks, absorbing damage up to 15% of your maximum health.

[WIP] New Talent: A Fire Inside – Immolation Aura has 1 additional charge and 30% chance to refund a charge when activated. You can have multiple Immolation Auras active at a time

Felfire Heart talent has been removed.

Fel Rush damage increased by 60%.

Unbound Chaos is now a 1-point talent (was 2) and increases next Fel Rush damage by 250% (was 200/400%).

Critical Chaos is now a 1-point talent (was 2), and has refund chance 30% of your Critical Strike chance (was 20/40%).

Dancing with Fate is now a 1-point talent (was 2), Blade Dance final slash damage bonus is now 25% (was 20/40%).

Blind Fury now is now a 1-point talent (was 2), Eye Beam generates 40 Fury per second (was 20/40) and has 10% increased damage and duration (was 10/20%).

Serrated Glaives is now a 1-point talent (was 2), and has been adjusted – Enemies hit by Chaos Strike or Throw Glaive (was only Throw Glaive) take 15% (was 10/20%) increased damage from Chaos Strike and Throw Glaive (was Chaos Strike and Eye Beam).

Growing Inferno is now a 1-point talent (was 2), and increases damage by 10% per tick (was 5/10%).

Isolated Prey has been adjusted – No longer causes Fel Rush to grant Fury; now causes Immolation Aura to deal 30% increased damage.

Vengeance

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Chance to trigger reduced for each target beyond the first.

DRUID

Guardian

Developers’ note: Guardian Druid’s Rage generation scales exceptionally well with large numbers of targets, often resulting in resource saturation. This adjustment to Blood Frenzy is meant to tone down Rage income in scenarios with large target counts.

Thrash’s rage generation from Blood Frenzy now has a target cap (was previously uncapped).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Dream Thorns now absorbs 25% of the damage dealt to you while active (was 10%). Dream Thorns duration increased to 45 seconds.

Restoration

Cenarius’ Guidance no longer spawns an additional Grove Guardian at the beginning of Incarnation: Tree of Life.

Cenarius’ Guidance now reduces the cooldown of Incarnation of Tree of Life by 5 seconds when a Grove Guardian fades (was 4 seconds).

Grove Guardians are now present on the totem bar.

EVOKER

Augmentation

Developer note: Augmentation’s contributions to the party, particularly in Mythic+, are too impactful and are making it difficult for other compositions to shine. As a result, we’re doing some targeted nerfs to their group utility by reducing the value of Aspects’ Favor, Molten Blood, and Ebon Might.

Aspects’ Favor increases maximum health by 2/4% (was 3/6%).

Molten Blood absorption reduced by 50%. This remains unchanged in PvP combat.

Ebon Might grants 8% of the Evoker’s primary stat (was 10%).

The above changes will be applied over the course of PTR via hotfix.

Preservation

Spiritbloom healing increased by 25%.

Spiritbloom healing increase has been reverted (was increased by 25%).

Rewind recovers 33% of damage taken in the last 5 seconds (was 40%).

MAGE

Arcane

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – The duration of the Forethought has been increased to 20 seconds (was 15 seconds).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Now requires consuming 3 Clearcasting stacks to empower your next Arcane Missiles (was 6). After consuming 3 Clearcasting Arcane Missiles, your next Arcane Missiles will deal 150% increased damage to the primary target and 100% increased damage to the secondary targets hit.

Fixed an issue with the Arcane Missile Volley reach extending far further than intended.

Fire

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Now increases Critical Strike damage by 4% per stack (was 3%).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Now increases the Critical Strike damage bonus of Searing Rage by 150% (was 100%).

Developer’s note: We’re aware of an issue with the following Crit Damage bonuses not attributing the correct amount of damage to Ignite when an ability critically strikes: Overflowing Energy, Wildfire, and Searing Rage (10.2 Class Set Bonus). This issue will be resolved in next week’s PTR build.

MONK

Jade Serpent Statue’s Soothing Mist healing increased by 40%.

Mistweaver

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Chi Harmony now stores 20% of all healing (was 15%).

Healing Elixir has been redesigned as a passive effect – You consume a healing elixir when you drop below 35% health and are not in a loss of control effect, instantly healing you for 15% of your maximum health. You generate 1 healing elixir every 30 seconds, stacking up to 2 times.

Unison’s range increased to 40 yards (was 15 yards).

Windwalker

Developers’ note: We are continuing to monitor the set bonus and the feedback around it. As the auto-attack trigger was not accomplishing the intended goal of providing Windfoot only during lulls and quiet points in the rotation, we’ve updated the bonus to trigger off all melee ability damage and normalized trigger frequency.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Blackout Kick damage increase is now 150% (was 100%).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Cooldown reduction increased to 2 seconds (was 1 second).

Fixed an issue that prevented Windfoot from being correctly consumed when Spinning Crane Kick was used.

Fixed an issue that caused Windfoot to be consumed when Dance of Chi-Ji empowers a Spinning Crane Kick.

Fixed an issue that prevented Dance of Chi-Ji from granting Blackout Reinforcement.

Developers’ note: The Windwalker changes above were applied to the PTR environment late last week.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Windfoot now triggers off melee abilities in addition to auto-attacks and has been shifted to a normalized proc model.

Blackout Reinforcement’s tooltip updated to reflect the updated cooldown reduction value.

PALADIN

Holy

All healing reduced by 5% (was 3%).

Hand of Divinity now increases the healing of Holy Light by 40% (was 80%).

Saved by the Light’s absorb shield increased by 50%.

Blessed Focus now increases the healing of Glimmer of Light by 40% (was 25%).

Merciful Aura healing is now increased by 20% (was 50%) while Aura Mastery is active.

Merciful Aura healing increased by 15%.

Touch of Light healing now increased by 500% (was 700%).

Word of Glory healing increased by 10%.

Barrier of Faith now creates an absorb based on 25% of healing done (was 50%).

Aura Mastery now increases the effectiveness of Devotion Aura to 12% (was 15%).

Protection

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Now grants damage reduction instead of Armor. Maximum stacks reduced to 5, each granting 2% damage reduction (was 10 stacks, each granting 1% Armor).

Retribution

Developers’ note: Due to previous bugs with targeting issues on Wrathful Sanction, the ability was a bit undertuned. Following these bug fixes, we’re retuning the set bonus to better hit our tuning targets for the set bonus. Additionally, with the amount of uptime that the 4-set bonus provides, it was overperfoming in tandem with a few of the Retribution talents located deeper in the tree. We appreciate everyone’s feedback and playtesting and we’ll keep making adjustments to this sets power as necessary over the course of PTR.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus – Expurgation now deals 30% increased damage (was 50%). Wrathful Sanction now deals 50% of the main Holy damage to up to 4 nearby enemies (was 20%).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Echoes of Wrath now causes your next Templar’s Verdict and Divine Storm to deal damage a second time for 25% effectiveness (was 50%).

PRIEST

Power Word: Life now costs 2.5% mana (was 0.5%).

Power Word: Life cooldown decreased to 15 seconds (was 30 seconds), but its cooldown is no longer decreased when cast on targets below 35% health.

Power Word: Life is now only usable on targets below 35% health.

Power Word: Life’s healing increased by 500% and no longer increases its healing on targets below 35% health.

Discipline

Developers’ note: We heard feedback that Shadow Covenant and the talent tree in general would be more flexible and interesting if Shadowfiend were a more viable option, so Shadow Covenant now grants a higher damage increase with Shadowfiend. We’ve also tied in the duration with the duration of Shadowfiend or Mindbender to make using Inescapable Torment more enjoyable. Finally, we’ve reduced the overall value of Shadow Covenant (particularly with Mindbender) and distributed some of the power into Penance, to nudge Discipline a bit closer towards consistent damage instead of heavy burst windows.

Ultimate Penitence now takes into account your primary target and will prioritize healing bolts if an ally is selected, or damaging bolts if an enemy is selected. Damage and healing increased by 25%, and an initial tick has been added to the start of the channel.

Embrace Shadow has been removed. Twilight Corruption remains in its location, and continues to increase Shadow Covenant’s effectiveness by an additional 10%.

Shadow Covenant duration now matches the duration of Mindbender at 12 seconds (was 7 seconds with Mindbender).

Shadow Covenant now grants 10% Shadow damage and healing increase with Mindbender, or 25% with Shadowfiend (was 25% with either one).

Shadow Covenant’s visuals have been improved.

Penance damage and healing increased by 15%.

Mindbender and Void Summoner have swapped locations in the talent tree.

Void Summoner reduces the cooldown of Shadowfiend by 4 seconds or Mindbender by 2 seconds (was 2 seconds for both).

Fixed an issue causing Mindbender to sometimes return to your side immediately upon being summoned.

Expiation increases Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death damage by 15/30% (was 10/20%).

Weal and Woe increases Smite’s damage by 20% per stack (was 12%) and Power Word: Shield by 10% per stack (was 5%).

Holy

Developers’ note: With the Flash Heal and Heal buffs, Trail of Light was overperforming, so we’re reducing its value to match its previous power level. We’re also increasing the value of Pontifex since it was an unpopular talent. Finally, we’re making Echo of Light’s period faster so that it is more responsive to damage.

Prayer of Mending healing decreased by 5%.

Prismatic Echoes now increases the healing of Echo of Light by 4/8% (was 6/12%).

Echo of Light healing decreased by 15%.

Divine Image’s Dazzling Light healing decreased by 35%.

Divine Image’s Blessed Light healing decreased by 20%.

Trail of Light replicates Heal or Flash Heal for 13/25% value (was 18/35%).

Pontifex increases healing done by Holy Words by 20%, stacking 2 times (was 10%).

Echo of Light heals every 2 seconds and lasts 4 seconds (was heals every 3 seconds and lasts 6 seconds).

ROGUE

Airborne Irritant has been moved to the class tree (was in Outlaw) and has been adjusted – Blind has 50% reduced cooldown, 40% reduced duration, and applies to all enemies near the target.

Marked for Death has been removed.

Assassination

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Envenomous Explosion damage has been increased by 230%.

Caustic Spatter damage increased to 35% (was 30%).

Dashing Scoundrel is now a 1-point talent (was 2).

Indiscriminate Carnage duration is now 10 seconds (was 3 seconds).

Scent of Blood now increases Agility by 2/4% per target Ruptured (was 1.5/3%), to a max of 20% (was 24%).

Outlaw

Grand Melee (Roll the Bones buff) has been adjusted – Now increases damage by 5%, and Blade Flurry deals 10% additional to nearby targets.

Crackshot damage with Dispatch reduced to 75% of normal damage (was 100%).

Dreadblades has been removed.

Subtlety

Stilleto Staccato and Stunning Secret have been removed.

Goremaw’s Bite cooldown reduced to 45 seconds (was 1 minute).

Secret Technique damage increased by 12%.

SHAMAN

Elemental

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – When consuming Primordial Wave and for 10 seconds afterwards, Lava Burst burns your target for 25% additional damage over 4 seconds, and for 10 seconds each cast of Chain Lightning causes your next Lava Burst to hit up to 3 additional targets affected by your Flame Shock for 100% of normal damage.

Restoration

Developers’ note: With Riptide, Healing Surge, and Healing Wave doing a lot more healing, Ancestral Awakening’s power was increased beyond intended levels.

Ancestral Awakening heals for 10/20% of healing done (was 15/30%).

Ancestral Awakening now prefers to heal injured players instead of always healing the lowest health player.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been adjusted – Tidal Resorvoir now heals for 15% of all Riptide healing done (was 20%) and now lasts for 15 sec (was 10 sec).

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been adjusted – chance to create a new Riptide has been reduced to 5% (was 10%).

WARLOCK

Affliction

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Soul Rot grants 3 Umbrafire Kindling which increase the damage of your next Malefic Rapture by 50% or your next Seed of Corruption by 60%. Additionally, Umbrafire Kindling causes Malefic Rapture to extend the duration of your damage over time effects and Haunt by 2 seconds.

Demonology

All Nether Portal demons’ damage increased 30%.

Gul’dan’s Ambition has been redesigned – When Nether Portal ends, you summon a Pit Lord that blasts your target for Fire damage every 1 second for 10 seconds.

Demonic Tyrant’s Demonfire damage increased 30%.

Reign of Tyranny has been redesigned – Summon Demonic Tyrant empowers 5 additional Wild Imps and deals 10% additional damage for each demon he empowers.

Fixed an issue where your permanently summoned Felguard would not benefit from Summon Demonic Tyrant.

Demonbolt damage increased 30%.

Hand of Gul’dan damage increased 25%.

Wild Imp damage increased 25%.

Implosion damage increased 25%.

Shadow Bolt damage increased 30%.

Call Dreadstalkers damage increased 25%.

Grimoire: Felguard damage increased 30%.

Immutable Hatred has been redesigned – Your primary Felguard’s Legion Strike deals 100% increased damage to its primary target. Your primary Felguard deals Physical damage after auto-attacking the same enemy 3 consecutive times.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Demonbolt now applies a Doom Brand that explodes after 20 seconds, dealing Shadow damage to nearby enemies. Hand of Gul’dan reduces the duration of your active Doom Brands by 1 second per Soul Shard spent.

Doom Brand damage increased 35%.

The chance for Doom Brand to summon a Doomfiend has been increased.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – When Doom Brand explodes, you have a chance to summon a Doomfiend that casts 5 Doombolt Volleys before departing. Each Doombolt Volley deals Shadow damage to up to 4 nearby enemies.

Destruction

Rain of Fire damage increased 15%.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Bolts from Dimensional Rifts now deal 25% of damage dealt to nearby enemies. Immolate periodic damage has a chance to grant a charge of Dimensional Rift.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus has been redesigned – Dimensional Rift can now summon a powerful Flame Rift which blasts 20 Searing Bolts that deal Fire damage and an additional Fire damage over 10 seconds.

WARRIOR

Rallying Cry now increases current and maximum health by 10% (was 15%).

Inspiring Presence has been removed.

Arms

Slam damage increased by 25%.

Improved Slam’s Critical Strike damage increase reduced to 10% (was 30%).

Protection

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (2) Set Bonus has been slightly redesigned – Consuming bleeds now grants a damage taken reduction to the Warrior instead of applying a damage dealt reduction to the target. Now consumes 40% of the remaining Bleed damage (was 100%) when casting Shield Slam.

Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope (4) Set Bonus – Thunderous Roar cooldown reduction increased to 3 seconds (was 1).

ITEMS

Equipment that drops in the following activities have had their item levels increased:

Dragonbane Keep

World Quests

Centaur Hunts

Fyrakk Assaults

Researchers Under Fire

Time Rifts

Dreamsurge

Repeatable activities will reward Season 3 Explorer Gear and weekly activities will reward Season 3 Adventurer Gear.

Dilated Time Capsule (Time Rifts weekly currency) has been discontinued and can be sold to vendors for gold. The new weekly currency is Dilated Time Pod.

Dreamsurge Chrysalis (Dreamsurge weekly currency) has been discontinued and can be sold to vendors for gold. The new weekly currency is Dreamsurge Cocoon.

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

Developers’ note: We are expanding the maximum number of Arena maps within each map pool to 10 (was ? with the goal of increasing map diversity slightly week to week.

All Arena map pools now have an additional 2 maps.

Pool A: Added Black Rook Hold and Ruins of Lordaeron.

Pool B: Added Hook Point and The Robodrome.

Pool ? Added Tol’viron Arena and Dalaran Sewers.

PALADIN

Holy

Barrier of Faith is now 100% more effective in PvP combat.

Aura Mastery now increases the effectiveness of Devotion Aura to 24% in PvP combat (was 30%).

PRIEST

The backlash effects of Vampiric Touch, Stellar Flare, Unstable Affliction, Glimmer of Light, and Flame Shock will now land on Priests during Phase Shift.

Fixed an issue that caused Howl of Terror and Psychic Scream to not break from Shadow Word: Death’s damage.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

PING SYSTEM

You can now right click a ping chat message to report spam.

TRADING POST

You can now click the frozen item slot to select and purchase it, instead of having to locate it in the list.

A refund icon has been added to indicate items that are refundable. Hover over the icon to view the time remaining for a refund.

EDIT MODE

The Micromenu can now be resized to be smaller than default (previously it could only be made larger).

Accessibility Options now has a new Mounts section, which includes settings to better control dragonriding using the keyboard.

Pitch Control – Players can now set their Move Forward and Move Backward keys to control pitch while dragonriding.

Set the sensitivity of these keybinds and their debouncing behavior when transitioning between dragonriding and grounded.

Existing dragonriding accessibility options have been moved to the Mounts section.

Added new class resource bars for several classes:

Demon Hunter

Balance Druid

Brewmaster Monk

Shadow Priest

Elemental Shaman