We just talked about part 1 of the class changes coming in patch 3.1 and then suddenly part two is here! This time around, druids, warriors and warlocks are getting their changes announced.
WARLOCK
# Improved Shadow Bolt this talent now provides a 5% spell critical strike buff (similar to Improved Scorch).
# Improved Soul Leech this talent now provides Replenishment (similar to shadow priests)
# Drain Soul now has a chance to produce Soul Shards even if the target doesnt die.
# Siphon Life no longer as an active ability but the talent grants the old Siphon Life effect to Corruption.
# Curse of Recklessness and Curse of Weakness have been combined into one spell
# Consume Shadows this Voidwalker ability is no longer channeled but has a cooldown.
# Several other warlock talents have had their ranks reduced, their effects changed or removed. This list includes but is not limited to Demonic Empathy, Shadow Embrace, Eradication, Suppression, and Pandemic.
# Additional new talents have been added.DRUID
# Savage Defense this is a new passive ability. When a druid in Dire Bear form deals a melee critical strike, the druid gains a damage shield equal to 25% of their attack power. The next hit completely removes the shield regardless of how much damage was done.
# Survival of the Fittest has had its bonus armor reduced to compensate for the above increase in damage mitigation.
# Faerie Fire (and similar debuffs) now reduces armor by 5%. See Sunder Armor in the warrior update below for additional details.
# Thorns and Natures Grasp can be cast in Tree of Life form.
# Survival Instincts now works in Moonkin form.
# Replenish to avoid confusion, this talent has been renamed Revitalize. It now also works with Wild Growth.
# We are also looking at increasing the sustained (not burst) damage of feral druids in cat form.WARRIOR
# Changing stances now has a much reduced cost: you lose a maximum of 20 rage (10 with Tactical Mastery). For example, if you have 100 rage and change stances, you will have 80 rage remaining. If you have 10 rage and change stances, all of your rage is lost. In addition, we may change the penalties associated with some stances.
# You now gain rage when damage done to you is absorbed, such as through a Power Word: Shield.
# Blood Frenzy now causes 2/4% physical damage done.
# Sunder Armor (and similar debuffs) now reduces armor by 4% per application, and is now a single rank. Creature armor has been globally reduced so that debuffed targets should take about the same damage from physical attacks that they did before this change. The net effect should be that this debuff is slightly less mandatory in PvE and is not disproportionately more powerful against cloth targets in PvP.
# We are also adding increased damage to Arms, possibly through Overpower or Slam.
# We are also looking at granting rage when the warrior blocks, dodges or parries. source
Just like the changes for priests, rogues and shamans in the part one changes, it seems like the changes listed here are pretty much all buffs. There's a lot of interesting changes announced that will make the three classes here very happy. The change to Improved shadowbolt for locks has been a long time coming and it's actually really good now. Drain life having a chance to grant a shard even if the mob didn't die is quite an interesting change. I'm wondering how making destruction warlocks a replenishment spec just like survival hunters, shadow priests ad ret pallies will change things. I'm thinking that shadow priests don't have much of a niche going now that the other shadow damage class can be a mana battery.
Feral druids are looking stronger with the new savage defense passive ability for bears and the note that sustained kitty dps will be increased. For warriors, the most interesting change is that stance dancing is going to be easier to do now that you'll only lose a maximum of 20 rage (untalented) doing it. This will benefit warriors of all specs as they will be able tank and dps better with more rage at their disposal. Another cool change is the one about absorbed damage giving the warrior rage, making things like power word shield a more viable option when healing warriors. Strangely enough, there's no mention about this same mechanic for bear druids.
Now that part two is out so soon after part 1 came out, I think we can expect to see the final part out in a few hours or at least soon enough. I'm crossing my fingers that the last installment will see a lot of interesting changes as well.
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