Dragonflight Hotfix Roundup: Major Class Tuning, More Augmentation Nerfs, and Massive PvP Balancing!

JULY 24, 2023

Classes [With weekly maintenance in each region]

• Death Knight
  • Blood
    • All ability damage increased by 10%.
• Druid
  • Guardian
    • Ursoc’s Fury absorb shield reduced to 50% of damage dealt by Thrash and Maul (was 60%).
• Evoker
  • Augmentation
  • Developers’ notes: Augmentation is overperforming in dungeons and is doing less direct damage than intended relative to the power of their buffing effects. These adjustments will increase their personal damage in all situations and moderately reduce the effectiveness of their buffs in dungeon content.
    • Close as Clutchmates now causes Ebon Might and Breath of Eons to be 20% more effective when not in a raid (was 40%).
    • Fixed a bug where Close as Clutchmates would not increase the Evoker’s damage done via Ebon Might for periodic effects such as Fire Breath.
    • Ebon Might now increases the Evoker’s damage done by 20% (was 10%).
    • Eruption damage increased by 40%.
    • Fate Mirror’s chance to occur reduced to 15% (was 20%).
    • Aspects’ Favor amplifies Black Attunement to 7%/10% maximum health (was 10%/16%).
    • The Advanced Combat Log now more accurately attributes support events for Pet/Guardian/Summons damage, accumulator, delayed damage effects (e.g. Execution Sentence, Ignite), and damage against armored targets.
• Hunter
  • Beast Mastery
    • Barbed Shot damage increased by 15%.
    • Cobra Shot damage increased by 15%.
    • Kill Shot damage increased by 15%.
  • Marksmanship
    • Trick Shot, Aimed Shot, and Rapid Fire ricochets now deal 65% of their normal damage (was 55%).
  • Survival
    • Mongoose Bite damage increased by 5%.
    • Raptor Strike damage increased by 5%.
    • Flanking Strike damage increased by 10%.
    • Kill Command damage increased by 10%.
• Monk
  • Brewmaster
    • Damage of Spinning Crane Kick reduced by 20%.
    • Damage of Keg Smash reduced by 5%.
  • Windwalker
    • Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 10%.
    • Fists of Fury damage increased by 10%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Blackout Kick damage increased by 10%.
    • Tiger Palm damage increased by 15%.
• Paladin
  • Protection
    • All ability damage increased by 8%
• Priest
  • Discipline
    • Luminous Barrier absorption increased by 30%.
  • Shadow
    • Psychic Link now causes direct damage spells to inflict 15% of their damage on all targets afflicted by your Vampiric Touch within 40 yards (was 25%).
    • Void Spike damage to enemies within 10 yards of the target reduced by 30%.
    • Devouring Plague damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Mind Blast damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Void Bolt damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Mind Flay damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Mind Flay: Insanity damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Mind Spike damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Mind Spike: Insanity damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Shadow Word: Death damage increased by 12%. Does not apply to PvP Combat.
    • Prayer of Mending now costs 10% of base mana (was 4%).
    • Power Word: Life now costs 10% of base mana (was 4%).
    • Renew now costs 8% of base mana (was 4%).
• Shaman
  • Elemental and Enhancement
    • Fixed an issue where Primordial Wave would not cause Lightning Bolt or Lava Burst to cleave to targets affected by crowd control.
  • Enhancement
    • Healing Surge now costs 8% of base mana (was 10%).
  • Restoration
    • All healing increased by 5%.
    • The range of Restorative Mists heals from Ascendance is now 40 yards (was 20 yards). The initial burst healing from Ascendance remains at 20 yards.
• Warrior
  • Protection
    • All ability damage increased by 7%.

Dungeons and Raids

• Fixed an issue where players’ keystones could fail to upgrade by +3 when completing Neltharus with at least 40% left on the timer.
• Algeth’ar Academy
  • Fixed an issue where Vexamus could sometimes turn unexpectedly while casting Arcane Expulsion.
• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible
  • Scalecommander Sarkareth
    • Increased the sound effect of being near Mind Fragments while a player is in the Emptiness Between Stars.

Events

• Time Rifts
  • Resolved some visual issues in the sky during Time Rifts.

Player versus Player [With weekly maintenance in each region]

• Fixed an issue allowing Turnip Punching Bag to be usable in battlegrounds.
• Druid
  • Balance
    • New Moon, Half Moon, Full Moon no longer deal increased damage in PvP (was 20%).
    • Owlkin Adept (PvP Talent) now reduces cast time by 10% (was 15%).
    • High Winds (PvP Talent) now reduces the targets healing and damage by 15% for 3 seconds (was 30% for 6 seconds).
    • Umbral Embrace now increases damage of Wrath or Starfire by 15% in PvP (was 20%).
    • Eclipse (Solar) gained from Celestial Alignment and Incarnation: Chosen of Elune increases Nature damage dealt in PvP by 10% (was 15%).
    • Eclipse (Lunar) gained from Celestial Alignment and Incarnation: Chosen of Elune increases Arcane damage dealt in PvP by 10% (was 15%).
    • Balance of All Things grants 50% reduced Critical Strike chance in PvP.
• Evoker
  • Augmentation
    • Ebon Might’s increase to the Evoker’s damage is no longer 40% more effective in PvP Combat.
    • Eruption damage is now increased by 25% in PvP Combat (was 50%).
    • Upheaval damage is now increased by 25% in PvP Combat (was 15%)
    • The damage bonus from Tectonic Locus is now reduced by 70% in PvP Combat.
    • All healing done is now reduced by 10% in PvP Combat.
    • Dream Projection healing is now reduced by 25% in PvP Combat.
    • The absorption effect from Molten Blood is now reduced by 30% in PvP Combat.
    • Born in Flame now lasts 3 seconds (was 6 seconds).
    • Burnout from Born in Flame is no longer dispellable.
    • Fate Mirror now triggers 67% more often in PvP combat.
  • Devastation
    • Fire Breath’s damage over time damage increased by 20% in PvP combat (was reduced by 10%).
• Mage
  • Master Shepherd increases Versatility by 12% (was 6%).
  • Arcane
  • Developers’ notes: The high-end burst damage of Arcane Mage was reduced with the release of Fractures in Time, so we’re increasing the damage of Arcanosphere, as we’d like it to be a more threatening piece of Arcane’s toolkit. We’re also increasing the baseline damage of a few rotational spells, as Arcane’s overall damage has been lower than we would like, and Nether Tempest has not felt like a competitive spell in PvP.
    • Arcanosphere damage increased by 25%.
    • Arcane Missiles damage increased by 12% in PvP Combat (was 5%).
    • Arcane Orb damage increased by 30% in PvP Combat.
    • Nether Tempest damage increased by 150% in PvP Combat.
  • Fire
  • Developers’ notes: We’re offsetting a few recent damage reduction adjustments and greatly increasing the damage of Living Bomb, with the goal of making it a viable talent option in PvP.
    • Pyroblast damage increased by 18% in PvP Combat (was 12%).
    • Fire Blast damage reduced by 3% in PvP Combat (was 8%).
    • Phoenix Flames damage increased by 22% in PvP Combat (was 16%).
    • Living Bomb damage increased by 300% in PvP Combat.
  • Frost
  • Developers’ notes: We would like Ray of Frost to remain a threatening cast, but still feel it’s slightly more lethal than we’d like. Frostbolt’s damage has fallen behind other options, so we’re increasing its damage to reward casting. Snowdrift’s activation has felt a little too difficult for the amount of risk involved, so we’re reducing the time to trigger the stun effect.
    • Cryopathy is now 50% effective in PvP Combat (was 60%).
    • Frostbolt damage increased by 150% in PvP Combat (was 100%).
    • Snowdrift now has a 2 second activation time (was 3 seconds).
• Priest
  • Angel’s Mercy’s cooldown reduction is now 25% effective in PvP Combat.
  • Discipline
    • Penance damage and healing increased by 15% in PvP combat.
  • Shadow
    • Mind Trauma now steals 2% haste (was 4%) and stacks up to 9 times (was 6).
    • From Darkness Comes Light now stacks up to 25 times in PvP Combat (was 50).
• Monk
  • Yu’lon’s Grace effectiveness reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
  • Windwalker
  • Developers’ notes: Windwalker Monk’s damage profile is more bursty than we would like, so we are moving more of its damage into base rotational spells.
    • Rising Star critical strike damage bonus is now 50% effective in PvP Combat.
    • Serenity now increases damage and healing by 10% in PvP Combat (was 15%).
    • Whirling Dragon Punch damage is now increased by 120% in PvP Combat (was 80%).
• Shaman
  • Elemental
  • Developers’ notes: We feel the backlash damage from Flame Shock has not been sufficiently high as to make the decision to dispel it compelling.
    • Control of Lava damage increased by 40%.
    • When gaining the Ascendance effect, Lava Burst will no longer automatically be cast on a player target affected by crowd control that breaks from damage.
  • Enhancement
  • Developers’ notes: We feel the backlash damage from Flame Shock has not been sufficiently high as to make the decision to dispel it compelling.
    • Control of Lava damage increased by 40%.
  • Restoration
    • Now regenerates 700 mana per second at max level in PvP Combat (was 800).
• Warlock
  • Abyss Walker is now 100% more effective in PvP combat.
  • Impish Instincts now reduces the cooldown of Demonic Circle by 3 seconds when triggered (was 2 seconds).
  • Affliction
    • Haunt now deals 230% increased damage in PvP combat.
• Warrior
  • Slam damage is now increased by 85% in PvP Combat (was 48%).
  • Arms
  • Developers’ notes: We’re increasing the damage of Bladestorm baseline and removing some power from the Unhinged talent, as its damage could be unpredictable for both the Warrior and their enemies. We’re also increasing the damage of Overpower to increase Arm Warrior’s consistent pressure.
    • Overpower damage is now increased by 30% in PvP Combat (was 20%).
    • Bladestorm damage increased by 40% in PvP Combat.
    • Mortal Strike damage increased by 10% in PvP Combat.
    • Mortal Strikes from the Unhinged talent are now cast at 60% effectiveness.
  • Fury
  • Developers’ notes: We’re increasing the damage of a few Fury Warrior spells we feel are not impactful enough in PvP.
    • Execute damage is now increased by 25% in PvP Combat (was 10%).
    • Onslaught damage increased by 15% in PvP Combat.
    • Ravager damage increased by 30% in PvP Combat.

Quests

• Fixed an issue that could cause a player in the New Player Experience to become permanently, unintentionally unable to resume the tutorials.