World of Warcraft Headlines
Cataclysm Beta Signups Begin
Earlier this week Blizzard updated it's World of Warcraft luncher and website to direct users to update their Beta Profiles on their Battle.net accounts. Like the ongoing Starcraft 2 beta, participants for the testing program are chosen from a database of user-submitted system specs. For a chance to take part, you must setup or update your system profile using the Windows or Mac-based profiling app.
I should note that you can only submit one system profile per Battle.net account, so I'd recommend using your most recent/capable machine to use the profiling application.
Get those opt-ins ready for the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm closed beta! The sundering of Azeroth is nigh, and you don’t want to be left out in the cold of Northrend when you could be enjoying the sun-drenched beaches on the goblin isle of Kezan. To ensure you’re opted-in and eligible as a potential candidate, you’ll need a World of Warcraft license attached to your Battle.net account, have your current system specifications uploaded to the Battle.net Beta Profile Settings page, and have expressed interest through the franchise-specific check boxes.
So get your opt-ins set up, updated, and ready; we're worgen real hard to get the beta going soon!
Thanks to AKS member Dragonmonk for the heads up.
Icecrown and 3.3 Landing Tomorrow
Shine your battleaxes and stock your reagents, Icecrown Citadel and Patch 3.3 are landing tomorrow. Aside from the highly anticipated new raid content, the patch introduces the cross-server "Looking for Dungeon" system and a plethora of other changes.
To wet your whistles, the current patch notes from the Test Realm can be sampled here.
3.2.2 and Onyxia Land
Warcraft's 3.2.2 patch is finally upon us, and with it comes a redesigned Onyxia encounter- rebuilt and regeared for as a level 80 10 and 25 man raid experience. Patch notes follow...
The Brood Mother Returns
After years of lurking in her lair battling the many brave adventurers who travelled from afar to challenge her, Onyxia returns stronger than before to commemorate World of Warcraft's five-year anniversary.
- Onyxia has been scaled to offer new challenges to level 80 players and is now available for testing in 10- and 25-player modes.
- Adjusted for modern raiding, but with the fundamental experience of fighting the Brood Mother still in effect, including the horrors of her Deep Breaths!
- Onyxia will now drop level 80 item versions of some classic loot items from the level 60 encounter.
- Brood of Onyxia, a very rare 310%-speed mount modeled after Onyxia herself will be available for the luckiest of challengers
General
- Armor Penetration Rating: The amount of armor penetration gained per point of this rating has been reduced by 12%.
PvP
Battlegrounds
- Players level 11 and higher will now always see a daily Battleground quest, as the quest giver will only offer daily quests for a Battleground in which a player is eligible to participate according to level bracket (i.e. players levels 11-20 will always be offered a Warsong Gulch daily quest, while players levels 11-50 will be offered either an Arathi Basin or a Warsong Gulch daily quest, etc.).
Death Knight
- Pets - Gnaw: This death knight ghoul ability now has a 1-minute cooldown.
Blood
- Heart Strike: Secondary targets of Heart Strike now take half as much damage.
- Subversion: Now also increases the critical strike chance of Scourge Strike by 3/6/9%.
- Vampiric Blood: Cooldown reduced to 1 minute and duration reduced to 10 seconds.
Frost
- Threat of Thassarian now also causes Rune Strike to use both weapons when dual-wielding.
- Unbreakable Armor: Cooldown reduced to 1 minute and changed back to granting 25% additional armor while active instead of flat damage reduction based on armor. The amount of strength granted has been reduced to 10%.
- Frost Presence: The damage reduction granted by this ability has been increased from 5% to 8%.
Unholy
- Bone Shield: This ability now has 3 charges instead of 4. Cooldown reduced to 1 minute.
- Dirge: This talent no longer grants additional runic power from using Obliterate.
Druid
Balance
- Moonkin Form: This form now also reduces the damage the druid takes while stunned by 15%.
- Typhoon: The daze duration has been increased from 3 seconds to 6 seconds.
Feral Combat
- Infected Wounds: The debuff generated by this talent no longer stacks and instead causes the full effect with a single application.
- Predatory Strikes: This talent now also causes the druid's finishing moves to provide a 7/13/20% chance per combo point to make the next Nature spell with a cast time below 10 seconds instant cast.
Hunter
Beast Mastery
- The Beast Within: The duration of this talent has been reduced to 10 seconds. In addition, hunters with this talent will do 10% additional damage at all times.
- Bestial Wrath: The duration of this talent has been reduced to 10 seconds.
Mage
Arcane
- Arcane Blast: The buff from using this ability now stacks up to 4 times instead of 3, and each application increases mana cost by 175% instead of 200%. In addition, the duration of the buff has been reduced to 6 seconds.
- Arcane Missiles: Casting this spell while both Missile Barrage and Clearcasting are active will cause only Missile Barrage to be consumed.
- Missile Barrage: The effect from triggering this talent now removes the mana cost of Arcane Missiles. In addition, the chance for Arcane Blast to trigger this talent is now 8/16/24/32/40%. All other listed spells continue to have a 4/8/12/16/20% chance to trigger it. This talent no longer has a chance to be triggered when spells miss.
Fire
- Combustion: This talent now also increases the critical strike damage bonus of Fire spells by 50% while it is active. In addition, Living Bomb periodic ticks will no longer interact with the count or the charges on the talent.
Paladin
Protection
- Righteous Fury: The bonus threat from Holy spells caused by this talent has been reduced from 90% to 80%.
- Ardent Defender: This talent now reduces damage taken below 35% health by 7/13/20% instead of 10/20/30%.
- Blessing of Sanctuary: This blessing now grants 10% strength in addition to its current effects. Also, the strength and stamina bonuses from this blessing will no longer be lost when Blessing of Kings is removed.
- Judgements of the Just: The reduction in cooldown to Hammer of Justice provided by this talent has been reduced to 5/10 seconds instead of 10/20 seconds.
- Touched by the Light: This talent now provides 20/40/60% of the paladin's strength as spell power instead of 10/20/30% of the paladin's stamina.
Retribution
- Seal of Command: This ability now chains to strike up to 2 additional targets when it is triggered by an attack that can only strike a single target.
- Seal of Corruption and Seal of Vengeance: These seals will now only use the debuff stacks generated by the attacking paladin to determine the damage done by the seal and by the judgement.
Priest
Shadow
- Improved Spirit Tap: Mind Flay periodic critical strikes now have a 50% chance to trigger this talent.
- Twisted Faith now grants spell power equal to 4/8/12/16/20% of spirit, up from 2/4/6/8/10%.
Rogue
- Envenom's scaling has been increased from 7% to 9% of attack power per combo point.
- Fan of Knives: The damage done by this ability has been reduced by 30%.
Assassination
- Master Poisoner: No longer increases the Deadly Poison application rate following a successful Envenom and instead now provides a 33/66/100% chance of preventing Envenom from consuming Deadly Poison.
Combat
- Throwing Specialization: This talent no longer causes Fan of Knives to interrupt spellcasting.
Subtlety
- Honor Among Thieves: A 1-second cooldown is now enforced on how often a rogue can gain combo points from his party via this talent.
Shaman
- Cleansing Totem: No longer pulses instantly when dropped.
- Flame Shock: The duration of all ranks has been increased by 6 seconds.
- Lava Burst: This ability no longer ever consumes a Flame Shock debuff off of the target.
Elemental Combat
- Shamanism: Your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells gain an additional 3/6/9/12/15% and your Lava Burst gains an additional 4/8/12/16/20% of your bonus damage effects.
Enhancement
- Earthen Power: No longer causes Earthbind to pulse a persistent snare immunity aura. It does still remove snares from allies as an instant pulse, but there is no lingering immunity. Earthen Power now also brings Earth Shock's melee attack speed reduction up to -15%/-20% (with 1 or 2 points in it, respectively).
Warrior
Arms
- Sword Specialization: Now has a 2/4/6/8/10% chance to proc an extra attack, up from 1/2/3/4/5%.
Protection
- Critical Block: This talent now grants a 20/40/60% chance to block double the normal amount instead of 10/20/30%.
Dungeons & Raids
Shadowfang Keep
- Wailing Guardsman: Screams of the Past will no longer have multiple applications on a target. Recast time has been increased.
Ulduar
- Increased the cooldown on Immortal Guardians' Drain Life ability in the Yogg-Saron encounter.
Achievements
- The Achievement "Iron, Dwarf Medium Rare (25 player)" now requires 25 kills, down from 50.
- The Frostwolf Howler and Stormpike Battle Charger Achievements will now be awarded when a player learns the respective mount spells.
Professions
- The blacksmiths of Orgrimmar grew tired of running to the rear of the city to craft items and have installed a new anvil & forge at the General Store in the Valley of Strength.
Engineering
- The Mind Amplification Dish no longer changes the appearance of your helmet.
Inscription
- Added a recipe for Runescroll of Fortitude. This item grants a stamina buff equal to the highest rank of Power Word: Fortitude (untalented) to all players in the raid. The effect of this runescroll is exclusive with other stamina scrolls and Power Word: Fortitude.
Leatherworking
- Added a recipe for Drums of Forgotten Kings. These drums increase all stats by 8% for all players in a raid. The effect of these drums is exclusive with Blessing of Kings.
- Added a recipe for Drums of the Wild. These drums grant a buff equal to the highest rank of Mark of the Wild (untalented) to all players in a raid. The effect of these drums is exclusive with Mark of the Wild.
Items
- The Black Heart: This item's animation has been changed and no longer resembles Hand of Protection.
- Death Knight Tier-9 Tanking 4-Piece Set Bonus: Now decreases the cooldown on Vampiric Blood, Unbreakable Armor, and Bone Shield by 10 seconds instead of 20.
- Druid Tier-8 Healer 4-Piece Set Bonus: The amount of healing this set bonus grants on the initial cast of Rejuvenation has been reduced by 50%. In addition, this set bonus no longer has strange interactions with Harold's Rejuvenating Broach.
- Libram of Obstruction: The buff to block value from this relic is now exclusive with the buff to block value from Libram of the Sacred Shield; it is impossible to have both buffs at once.
- Libram of the Sacred Shield: The block value buff from this relic has been increased to match its item level.
- Relics: All buffs provided by relics (idols, librams, totems and sigils) now share an exclusive category such that gaining a buff from one of these items will remove all other buffs gained from items in this category.
- Totem of Quaking Earth: Attack power value increased to 400
Glyphs
- Glyph of Bone Shield: This glyph now grants 1 additional charge instead of 2.
- Glyph of Flame Shock: Redesigned. This glyph now makes Flame Shock periodic damage able to be critical strikes.
- Glyph of Mind Flay: This glyph no longer reduces the magnitude of the movement reduction on the Mind Flay victim.
- Glyph of Scourge Strike: Redesigned. This glyph now causes Scourge Strike to extend the duration of Frost Fever and Blood Plague by 3 seconds each time Scourge Strike is used on a target, up to a maximum of 9 seconds.
- Glyph of Typhoon: This glyph now increases the range on Typhoon by 10 yards in addition to its current effects.
- Glyph of Unbreakable Armor: Now increases the armor gained from Unbreakable Armor by 20%.
- Glyph of Vampiric Blood: The glyph now increases the duration of Vampiric Blood by 5 seconds instead of 10.
User Interface
Battleground Queuing
- Players may now only queue for no more than two Battlegrounds at a time.
- The dialog box for entering a Battleground match has been changed to reflect the following options: "Enter Battle," "Leave Queue," and "Minimize."
- The time a player has to enter a battle when selected has been reduced to 40 seconds when not already in a Battleground and 20 seconds when in a Battleground.
- Players already in a Battleground can now choose "Enter Battle" for a new Battleground under any circumstance (i.e. while dead, in combat, falling, etc.).
- A new Battleground will not launch until the maximum number of players on each side are in the queue (i.e. 40 players per side for Alterac Valley).
- The size of the Focus Frame can now be adjusted via the Interface Options menu.
Mail System Auto-Complete Feature
- The inline auto-complete feature for the mail system has been added back into the game. The mail system will now have both the pre- and post-3.2.0 auto-complete features available.
- Added a label to notify players that the Tab key will allow players to navigate through the character names listed via the auto-complete feature.
For additional notes on Lua and XML changes please visit the UI & Macros Forum: [url]http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?sid=1&forumId=11114[/URL]
Bug Fixes
- Coliseum Trinkets: Some spells that should have triggered these trinkets will now trigger them (such as Holy Nova and Fel Armor).
- Death Knight Tier-9 DPS 4-Piece Set Bonus: Now grants the correct chance for disease damage ticks to be critical strikes.
- Hunter Tier-9 2-Piece Set Bonus: Critical damage from Serpent Sting will now work properly with the Mortal Shots and Expose Weakness talents.
- Lightweave Embroidery: This tailoring item enhancement will no longer trigger from the periodic healing granted by the warlock spell Fel Armor.
- Mote of Flame: Corrected a typo in the tooltip.
- Paladin Tier-9 DPS 2-Piece Set Bonus: Now grants the correct chance for Righteous Vengeance ticks to be critical strikes.
- Shard of Flame: Corrected a typo in the tooltip.
- Val'anyr, Hammer of The Ancient Kings: Healing from Prayer of Mending now triggers the shield from this item. In addition, a bug was corrected which would cause the shield points to be overwritten rather than stack up as intended.
Death Knight
- Rune of Razorice: The frost vulnerability granted by this enchantment will now increase the damage done by Frost Fever as intended.
Druid
- Balance of Power: Misleading tooltip reworded. The tooltip previously reported an incorrect value for the increased chance to hit with spells. The actual benefit of the talent is unchanged.
Hunter
- Master's Call: This ability now correctly removes the snaring component of Infected Wounds, Frostfire Bolt, and Slow.
- Trap Mastery's (Survival) tooltip now states the correct amount of snakes summoned.
Mage
- Arcane Missiles: Ranks 12 and 13 will now properly cause players to enter combat.
Paladin
- Hand of Freedom: This ability now correctly removes the snaring component of Infected Wounds and Frostfire Bolt.
Priest
- Divine Aegis: Ranks 1 and 2 will now work with Holy Nova.
- Glyph of Power Word: Shield now correctly uses the Priest's spell critical chance instead of the target's.
Rogue
- Vanish: This ability now correctly removes the snaring component of Frostfire Bolt.
- Honor Among Thieves: This talent will now work properly again if two rogues with different ranks of the talent are in the same party.
Shaman
- Grounding Totem will now properly protect against the Death Grip spell.
- Lava Burst can no longer deal critical damage to targets who are immune to critical strikes (due to, e.g. Roar of Sacrifice, Blessed Resilience).
- Lightning Shield: This spell will no longer set off some trinkets when it is cast.
- Stoneclaw Totem's pulses will no longer break stealth on nearby hostile units.
- Thunderstorm and Shamanistic Rage can no longer be used while Frozen, Cycloned, Sapped, or Incapacitated.
Warlock
- Demonic Circle: This ability now correctly removes the snaring component of Frostfire Bolt.
- Fel Armor: This spell was unable to set off trinkets and other effects. That has been corrected.
- When using Shadowbolt or Incinerate while having Backlash and Backdraft active, only Backlash will now be properly consumed.
Blizzard completes Warcraft infrastructure upgrades in North America
Blizzard CM Crygil posted on the Warcraft forums this evening, informing players that the long-awaited server infrastructure upgrades to fix the "Unable to launch instance" errors has finally been completed on all North American servers.
As mentioned in previous updates, we have been working diligently to address recent instance capacity issues through a number of reconfigurations and optimizations. These modifications have been an ongoing effort, and we’re pleased to announce that the process is now complete on all North American realms. Since the optimizations, all realms have shown an improvement in instance performance as well as a noticeable reduction in the amount of players hitting the instance limit. Please be assured that we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will make further changes as necessary. As always, thank you for your patience and understanding regarding this issue.
During BlizzCon, several World of Warcraft developers mentioned that this infrastructure upgrade was also necessary to support the upcoming cross-realm LFG in 3.3.
WoW's Faction Change Service Launches
Blizzard has finally launched the much anticipated Faction Change service to users in the United States, with other regions expected to soon follow. The service costs $30, and allows characters to switch from Alliance to Horde and vice versa. Mounts, achievements, factions, spells- the whole nine yards are switched when you make the change.
There's a few conditions, of course; you can only switch to an opposing faction's race that offers the same class, for example. You'll still have to wait till Cataclysm for those Tauren priests and Gnome paladins, you crafty gamers you.
More details available at Blizzard's FAQ on the new service. You can access the new service as well as the existing re-customization and transfer services from the accounts manager.
BlizzCon 2009 Coverage
BlizzCon 2009 is here! I'll be updating this post as Blizzard drops new details on Cataclysm, StarCraft 2, Diablo 3 and anything else they might have up their sleeves.
World of Warcraft
- World of Warcraft: Cataclysm officially confirmed as the next expansion.
- Cataclysm site (with trailer) is live
- Horde Goblin and Alliance Worgen races confirmed.
- New class combinations confirmed.
- Deathwing is back; he awakens and literally erupts from the world, causing the CATACLYSM the expansion is named after.
- Azeroth ripped apart; the Barrens, Ashenvale and the Wetlands are dramatically altered; no zone untouched by the cataclysm. Barrens split in half. Redesign level flow for all zones; a level 20 zone now might turn into a 40-45 zone. Radically changed 1-60 experience.
- Flying mounts anywhere in Azeroth!
- Greymane Wall is shattered.
- New instances; "Bastions of Antiquity", Heroic Shadowfang Keep, ...
- New 'Archaeology' secondary profession; discovering and analyzing ancient artifacts. Plays into the new character enhancement system, "Path of the Titans."
- New guild leveling system; anything players do contribute to the advancement. Access to new guild perks, with a guild talent tree (things like cheaper repairs, a mass resurrections.)
- 2 new beginning zones that "rival the Death Knight starting experience."
- Goblin mounts look CRAZY
- Much of the new, high level content involves "elemental planes".
- Home cities (Undercity, Orgrimmar, etc.) redesigned
- Level cap increased to 85.
- Seven new zones. "Sunken City of Vashj'ir" will be entirely underwater (Blizz promises "won't be annoying to play there.") 5 new adventure zones for level 78-85.
- "Phased terrain"; the phasing system introduced in WotLK is expanded. Blizzard can now change whole chunks of the world for you during a quest line, not just the NPCs/mobs/buildings/objects there. This should lead to some seriously epic questing.
- "Path of the Titans"; completely new type of enhancement. No new talents. Can unlock new Glyph spots. Archaeology profession ties into this.
- "Mastery System"; as you spend points in a talent tree you'll get special bonuses specific to that tree (like critical strike bonuses, etc.)
StarCraft 2
- StarCraft 2 and Battle.net will have a fully interwoven, unified experience.
- You'll start the game much like you start World of Warcraft; by logging into your Battle.net account. You'll have all your characters, achievements, etc. no matter where you login from.
- Will be able to play in "guest" mode when there's no Internet connection.
- Replay/rewind gameplay mode.
- Character profiles, much like World of Warcraft's Armory site. Integrated into the game.
- Unlock new service avatars by earning achievements.
- Can also unlock new unit decals by earning achievements. Nice customization.
- "Party" system inspired by MMOs; groups players together. Friends can move between matches as one. Slick!
- New ladder system that isn't just for hard-core gamers.
- Powerful new map editing system.
- "Map publishing"- mod author's can publish their creations to the Battle.net servers. Players can download maps without leaving the game. Maps are always up to date. All mods available to all players, no installation hassle. Just click, download and play.
- "StarCraft 2 Marketplace" planned for post-launch. Browse, comment, and rate maps/mods. Free and premium maps- with portion of revenue going to map creators. They compared it to the iPhone App Store.
- Blizzard will support mod authors; popular maps will have player achievements added, higher level of integration into the matchmaking experience, etc.
Diablo 3
- New class announced: Monk.
Battle.net
- "Always Connected Experience"; closer integration with the games.
- Persistent characters attached to Battle.net account system.
- Delivery of news, new content.
- Integrated friends lists in Battle.net games (like StarCraft 2.)
- "Cloud storage"; saves your mission progress, characters, achievements, etc. Great for people that play at work (*ahem*) and want to finish a mission when they get home.
- Improved matchmaking experience. Private/public game swapping. Easier team configuration.
- Cross-game notifications, friends lists, etc. Expect integration between StarCraft 2, Diablo 3 and World of Warcraft. See what friends are playing, chat, etc. Think Steam ingame, or Xfire.
- Blizzard openly looking at Xbox Live, Google Talk and social networking websites for inspiration going forward. Wants to be the best community gaming experience out there.
- Battle.net Real ID: see and communicate with friends based on how you know them. Inspired by Facebook and Twitter.
- Talk to friends cross-game, cross-realm.
- Cross-game, cross-character achievements. Account-wide achievements (unlock on one character, unlock on all, for example) and achievement scores.
- Friends list differentiates between real life (cross-game) friends and character-specific friends.
- Privacy and parental controls.
- Planning to open up game-wide, player and character-specific data outside of Blizzard.com; XML/RSS feeds, web APIs, etc. Next step after launching StarCraft 2 marketplace (post-launch.)
Updating as it comes to us...
Races in upcoming Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion leaked
Wow.com has reportedly discovered two playable races premiering in the upcoming World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion; the Worgen (Alliance) and Goblins (Horde). Both races have been present within the World of Warcraft universe since launch, and a step towards making them a choice for players is definitely plausible given Blizzard's last race additions back in The Burning Crusade.
Faction Change System Coming
Breaking news out of the World of Warcraft forums . Blizzard is looking in to a way of adding the ability to change factions from Alliance to Horde and vice versa...
The deets:
We wanted to give everyone a very early heads-up that, in response to player requests, we're developing a new service for World of Warcraft that will allow players to change their faction from Alliance to Horde or Horde to Alliance. There's still much work to do and many details to iron out, but the basic idea is that players will be able to use the service to transform an existing character into a roughly equivalent character of the opposing faction on the same realm. Players who ended up creating and leveling up characters on the opposite factions from their friends have been asking for this type of functionality for some time, and we're pleased to be getting closer to being able to deliver it.
As with all of the features and services we offer, we intend to incorporate the faction-change service in a way that won't disrupt the gameplay experience on the realms, and there will be some rules involved with when and how the service can be used. The number of variables involved increases the complexity of implementing this service, but we plan to take the time needed to ensure that it lives up to expectations before officially rolling it out. We'll go into much more detail on all of this here at [url]http://www.WorldofWarcraft.com[/url] as development progresses. In the meantime, we wanted to let you know that because this type of functionality requires extensive internal testing well in advance of release, you may be seeing bits and pieces of the service in the test builds we use for the public test realms moving forward.
This type of decision is a big reason why I dislike World of Warcraft but I know others will LOVE this. So there it is.
World of Warcraft Mount Changes
Blizzard's Zarhym dropped by the official forums yesterday to share some upcoming (as of the next full update) changes to the mount system in WoW
Details:
In the next major content patch, we intend to adjust mount requirements to further improve the leveling experience in World of Warcraft. In addition, cast times for summoning all mounts will be reduced to 1.5 seconds, down from 3 seconds. The following is a breakdown of the upcoming cost and level requirement changes we are making for each riding skill.
* Apprentice Riding (Skill 75)
o 60% land mount speed
o Requires level 20
o Cost: 4 gold
o Mount cost: 1 gold
o Mail will be sent to players at level 20 guiding them to the riding trainer* Journeyman Riding (Skill 150)
o 100% land mount speed
o Requires level 40
o Cost: 50 gold
o Mount cost: 10 gold
o Mail will be sent to players at level 40 guiding them back to the riding trainer* Expert Riding (Skill 225)
o 150% flying mount speed; 60% land mount speed
o Requires level 60
o Cost: 600 gold (faction discounts now apply)
o Mount Cost: 50 gold
o Can now be learned in Honor Hold (Alliance) or Thrallmar (Horde)* Artisan Riding (Skill 300)
o 280% flying mount speed; 100% land mount speed
o Requires level 70
o Cost: 5,000 gold (faction discounts now apply)
o Mount Cost: 100 gold
Hmm... mountie goodness