Blizzard shares details on the next World of Warcraft patch notes, including the WoW Dragonflight update on December 6. This patch will include the weekly maintenance patch. The MMORPG’s changes include big enhancements to the threat generation of tanks and buffs for fire Mage, Paladin, resto Shaman, Paladin and Warrior. Death Knight will be receiving some PvP nerfs during the first weekly reset after the WoW Dragonflight release date.
WoW community manager ‘Kaivax’ shares the “slate of tuning adjustments to classes in Dragonflight,” which are scheduled to roll out as part of the regular weekly WoW maintenance on December 6. Chief among these is a hefty threat generation buffs – tank spec characters will now generate 650% additional threat, up from 550%. Blizzard claims this is to combat DPS players pulling enemies in their opening bursts in dungeons. However, tanks must still engage enemies to maintain threat over time.
Fire Mage sees a wide range of buffs to their abilities, while arms and prot Warriors will benefit from additional healing from their Fueled by Violence ability, though Brutal Vitality’s bonus to Ignore Pain has been halved, which is a notable nerf. Also hit hard is assassination Rogue’s Exsanguinate, which has had its cooldown increased from 45 seconds to a whopping three minutes, as Blizzard notes that the ability is “drastically overperforming its intended power level” and says it is considering how to adjust it in future patches.
We also have many WoW Dragonflight balance changes in PvP that will be made. These are also included in the patch notes. Chief among these are hefty nerfs to the survivability of Death Knights, tweaks to Evoker to lower its burst from Fire Breath slightly and even out its consistent damage, and a reversion of the change to Rogue’s Echoing Reprimand damage from the previous update. Frost Mage also gets hit with a reduction to the effectiveness of Piercing Cold’s critical strike modifier to help reduce the impact of Glacial Spike crits.
WoW Dragonflight patch notes – December 6, 2022
Tank Specializations
- Now, tank-specialized characters pose 650% more threat than 550%.
Demon Hunter
- Hunt damage was reduced by 10%
- Haste and Fodder-to-the Flame proc rates no longer work together.
Druid
Restoration
- Regrowth healing was reduced by 6%
Hunter
- The steel trap damage has been decreased by 20%
- 15% increase in explosive shot damage
- Barrage damage was increased by 15%
Marksmanship
- All damages increased by 10%
- Trick Shot ricochets with heavy ammunition now do 25% additional damage to Trick Shot (previously it was 10%).
Survival
- All damage increased by 5%
Mage
Fire
- Increased flamestrike damage by 8%
- Pyroblast damage has increased by 5%
- Increased fireball damage by 10%
- Scorch damage rose by 10%
- Increased damage to ignite by 5%
Rogue
Assassination
- Exsanguinate cooldown increased from 45 seconds to 3 minutes and bleed effect magnitude decreased to 80% from 100%.
Monk
Brewmaster
- Brewmaster’s Balance now grants 45% increased stamina (was 30%).
Mistweaver
- For 60% (was 50%), the Awakened Faeline Spinning Crane Kick heals 3 close allies.
- Vivify heal has been extended to the primary target by 20%
- Peaceful Mending now increases the healing received by Renewing Mist, Enveloping Mist, and Enveloping Mist by 15/30% (was 10%/20%)
- Yu’lon’s Whisper now heals 5 targets (was 6), and healing increased by 15%.
Paladin
Protection
- Aegis of Light now grants half the stamina (was 45%) and 30% armor (was 15%)
Shaman
Restoration
- All healing spells were increased by 5%
- Acid Rain damage rose by 50%
Warlock
- Soul Leech now converts 33% of damage to an absorption shield (was 6%)
Warrior
Arms
- The damage done by Deep Wounds is now 85%, while it heals with Fueled by Violence (which was 65%).
Protection
- The damage done by Deep Wounds is now 85%, while it heals with Fueled by Violence (65%).
- Brutal Vitality now accounts for 15% of the damage that you do to your active Ignore Pain (previously 30%).
WoW Dragonflight PvP balance – December 6
Death Knight
- The amount of Anti-Magic Shell absorption is reduced by 25% during PvP combat.
- Damage reduction by Will of the Necropolis reduced to 50% in combat PvP.
- In PvP combat, 50% of Anti-Magic Barrier has been increased to Anti-Magic Shell duration.
- The Abomination Limb won’t pull any enemy players more than once during its duration (which was every 4 seconds).
- Improved Death Strike increase to Death Strike’s healing has been reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
Frost
- Death Strike’s healing increased based on recent damage is reduced by 50% if the damage was dealt by players or their pets.
Unholy
- Death Strike’s healing increased based on recent damage is reduced by 50% if the damage was dealt by players or their pets.
Druid
Restoration
- Budding Leaves now has a 70% success rate in PvP combat.
- Fixed an issue that caused Focused Growth’s buff to only apply to one Lifebloom at a time while using the Undergrowth talent.
Evoker
- Scarlet Adaptation’s cap is reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Fire Breath’s initial damage is reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Pyre and disintegrate do 15% more damage in PvP combat.
Preservation
- In PvP combat, mana regeneration is decreased by 10%
Mage
Arcane
- Nether Precision has a 75% success rate in PvP combat.
- Prodigious Savant now has 80% effectiveness in PvP combat.
- Arcane Bombardment now works at 65% in PvP combat
Frost
- The effectiveness of Piercing Ice in PvP combat is now at half off
- Increased Ice Lance damage in PvP combat by 20%
- (PvP Talent Snowdrift) Snowdrift has lost its casting time of 1.5 seconds
- (PvP Talent) Snowdrift’s cooldown reduced to 45 seconds (was 60 seconds).
Monk
Mistweaver
- The Ancient Teachings of Monastery can now heal for 37.55% of damage (was 240%) during PvP combat.
Rogue
- Echoing Reprimand damage in PvP combat is reduced by 30%
Shaman
Enhancement
- An improved Maelstrom Weapon can increase the damage and healing of all spells by 8%/15% per stack (previously, it was 10%/20%).
- Raging Maelstrom (previously 5%) increases the effectiveness and efficiency of Maelstrom Weapons stacks in PvP Combat by 3%
- Stormstrike, Windstrike damage was increased by 30% during PvP combat.
Elemental
- Magma Chamber effectiveness in PvP combat has fallen by 50%
Warlock
- Curse of Tongues reduces casttime by 10% in PvP (was 15%).
- Curse of Tongues, which is applied via Amplify Curse, reduces cast time in PvP combat by 20% (was 35%)
Warrior
Arms
- Mortal Strike’s damage is no longer reduced by 30% in PvP combat.
- Sharpened Blades increases critical strike damage by 5% in PvP combat (it was 10%).
- Martial Prowess now increases Mortal Strike’s damage by 15% per stack (was 30%) in PvP combat.
- Execute damage is increased by 20% during PvP combat (Arms only).
- Reduced Rend Damage by 15% in PvP Combat (Arms Only).
Blizzar says it will “continue to keep an eye on class balance over the next week,” with additional adjustments planned for the following weekly maintenance patch ahead of PvP season one.
If you haven’t yet soared over to the Dragon Isles, check out our WoW Dragonflight review in progress to find out how the expansion breathes new life into World of Warcraft’s ever-ageing settings and systems. On that note, make sure you’re rocking the best WoW addons to maximise your gameplay and take a quick glance at our explainer for the WoW Dragonflights talents system to make sure you know what you’re doing. Or you could watch David Harbour play WoW Dragonflight, if that’s more your speed.
