9.1.5 PTR Sept. 21st Update: Path of Ascension Changes, Maw Intro Skip

Author: Baed
Date: September 22, 2021
Updated: September 22, 2021
Expansion: World of Warcraft

Path of Ascension Changes

The Kyrian Covenant activity, Path of Ascension, is receiving several changes to make it more friendly for players to get into. The cost to enter your Path of Ascension is removed, with the items used now only used in the crafting system, and the drop rates of items needed for the activity have been increased. Additionally, players will have the option to use a 20% Buff to the Soulbinds within Path of Ascension to make the fights easier.

New Cosmetic Boots

Trial of Style will now have six new cosmetic boot options, complete with unique appearances for races that normally cannot wear them, and will be purchasable with Trial of Style tokens.

Maw Intro Skip

Players who have already completed the Maw Intro questline for Shadowlands will now be able to skip the questline on any new characters by talking to High Inquisitor Whitemane or General Nazgrim. If the character has already started it, then they can talk to Jaina at Forlorn Respite within the Maw to skip the rest.

Class Changes

A few different Healer abilities have had their method of AOE Capping changed: Priest’s Divine Star, Halo, and Monk’s Chi Burst. They previously had a complicated way of AOE Capping, and 9.1.5 is changing this to a soft cap of six, with reduced healing after the sixth. Halo is also receiving a 20% Reduction in healing, but Blizzard notes the net change to be an increase of healing on large amounts of targets, due to the new method of calculating the healing.

The Night Fae Rogue Legendary, Toxic Onslaught has been redesigned. Now it will grant the Rogue the two of the three major Rogue cooldowns (Adrenaline Rush, Shadow Blades, or marking the target with Vendetta) for 10 seconds upon expiration of Sepsis. The two chosen are the ones not available to your current spec.

Linxy – (Source)

Hello everyone! Here are the PTR notes for this week:

Classes

Druid
- Restoration
  - Efflorescence now has a new visual. For those who enjoy the previous visual, Glyph of the Wild Mushroom is available to return the spell to its fungi appearance.
Monk
- Chi Burst (Talent) now deals reduced healing beyond 6 targets.
  - Developers’ note: This spell previously used a complicated, invisible AoE-capping scheme for healing. This is being replaced with a clearer one where the amount of healing decays on each target after the 6th target is healed.
Priest
- Divine Star (Talent) and Halo (Talent) now deal reduced healing beyond 6 targets.
  - Developers’ note: These spells previously used a complicated, invisible AoE-capping scheme for healing. This is being replaced with a clearer one where the amount of healing decays on each target after the 6th target is healed.
- Divine Star’s heal cap is now independent on the outgoing and return trips.
- Halo (Talent) healing reduced by 20%.
  - Developers’ note: Combined with the above change, this is still a net healing increase on large numbers of targets.
Rogue
- Toxic Onslaught (Runecarving Power) has been slightly redesigned – When Sepsis expires on your target, you are granted two of the following effects for 10 seconds: Shadow Blades, Adrenaline Rush, or Vendetta is applied to your current target. Bonuses granted are those that are not available to your spec, eg. An Assassination Rogue will gain Adrenaline Rush and Shadow Blades.

Covenants

Sanctums
- Kyrian: Path of Ascension
  - There is no longer a cost to enter the Path of Ascension. Medallions of Service are now only used in Ascension Crafting.
  - A baseline 20% buff, Progressive Power, has been activated for all soulbinds in Path of Ascension. This buff is active by default, but can be turned off via the Brazier of Progressive Power in the arena.
  - Drop rates for all Path of Ascension crafting components have been increased by 10%.
  - Soul Mirror Shards now have a chance to drop from Mawsworn Kyrian in the Maw.

Items and Rewards

6 new cosmetic boots are available in the Trial of Style world event. These new boots have a unique look for races that don’t normally wear shoes and can be purchased with Trial of Style Tokens. (The boots are available at city Transmogrifiers during the PTR)

Player versus Player

Covenants
- Fleshcraft (Necrolord Ability) now absorbs up to 30% of max Health while in PvP combat (was 40%).
- When a Battleground or Arena match begins, any Fleshcraft absorb value exceeding 30% of max Health is reduced to equal 30% of max Health.
Druid
- Feral
  - Strength of the Wild (PvP Talent) now increases Regrowth’s initial heal critical chance on allies by 30% (was 100%).
- Guardian
  - Grove Protection (PvP Talent) radius significantly increased.
- Restoration
  - Keeper of the Grove (PvP Talent) now protects the Druid from all harm while Tranquility is channeled (was prevents Tranquility from being interrupted).
Monk
- Windwalker
  - Dance of Chi’ji (Talent) procs now cause your next Spinning Crane Kick to deal 150% damage in PvP combat (was 200%).
Shaman
- Unleash Shield’s (PvP Talent) Earth Shield effect now roots targets for 4 seconds (was 3 seconds) and the Lightning Shield effect now knocks back enemies 33% farther.

Quests

Alternate characters on an account can now choose to skip the introductory Shadowlands questline that takes place in the Maw by speaking to High Inquisitor Whitemane or Nazgrim after accepting the quest “Shadowlands: A Chilling Summons”. Please note that to enable the skip, you will need to have logged into a level 60 character who has completed the Maw introduction.
- For those who have already begun the introductory Shadowlands questline, Jaina Proudmoore in the Forlorn Respite cave will offer to skip the rest of the introduction after the quest “A Flight From Darkness” is completed and before leaving the cave.

User Interface and Accessibility