8.3 New Essence Guide for Heart of Azeroth

Last updated on Mar 18, 2020 at 10:07 by Seksixeny 1 comment

Welcome to our 8.3 Heart of Azeroth Essence compendium. Here, you will find a description of all of the essences introduced with the 8.3 patch, with an assessment of their usefulness and power, as well as explanations for upgrading them.

1.

Echoes of Ny'alotha

Echoes of Ny'alotha are a new currency in the Visions of N'Zoth content cycle. They provide an alternate route towards the acquisition of Rank 3 Essences on alt characters, often allowing you to skip content you do not wish to engage with on that particular character.

You can learn all about this new system in our specialized guide for Echoes of Ny'alotha below.

2.

Patch 8.3 Essences

In Patch 8.3, the Heart of Azeroth can be slotted with 7 new essences, collected through the new Assaults, Horrific Visions and the Ny'alotha raid.

These essences passively increase your Corruption Resistance by 10, allowing you to use more corrupted gear without downsides, and have very strong powers, which are sure to be changing the meta going forward. Keep reading on to find out the details on each one and our preliminary evaluation for their use cases and relative strengths.

If you need a general overview on essences and how they work with the Heart of Azeroth, please consult our general essence guide.

3.

Summary of 8.3 Essences

Essence Short Description Source
Universal Essences
  • The Formless Void
  • Major: Replica of Knowledge Icon Replica of Knowledge
  • Minor: Symbiotic Presence Icon Symbiotic Presence
Replicate the major essence currently slotted in an ally's Heart of Azeroth. See full description. Ny'alotha
DPS Essences
  • Breath of the Dying
  • Major: Reaping Flames Icon Reaping Flames
  • Minor: Lethal Strikes Icon Lethal Strikes
Deals damage on a 45-second cooldown, which is reduced by 30 seconds depending on the target's health. See full description. Assaults
  • Spark of Inspiration
  • Major: Moment of Glory Icon Moment of Glory
  • Minor: Unified Strength Icon Unified Strength
Increases the damage dealt by essences of allies within 15 yards by 45% for 10 seconds, on a 60-second cooldown. See full description. Horrific Visions
Healer Essences
  • Spirit of Preservation
  • Major: Spirit of Preservation Icon Spirit of Preservation
  • Minor: Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit
Heals a target over 3 seconds on a 60-second cooldown and also all allies between you and the target at higher ranks. See full description. Assaults
  • Unwavering Ward
  • Major: Guardian Shell Icon Guardian Shell
  • Minor: Unwavering Ward Icon Unwavering Ward
Grants you an extra raid cooldown, channeled over 4 seconds, mostly through absorb shields but also with a healing component at higher ranks. See full description. Horrific Visions
Tank Essences
  • Touch of the Everlasting
  • Major: Touch of the Everlasting Icon Touch of the Everlasting
  • Minor: Will to Survive Icon Will to Survive
The next time you would die, you heal to 20 / 40% of maximum health instead and gain 85% damage reduction for 3 seconds. Also resets the cooldown on your major defensive cooldown at higher ranks. Only activates once every 10 minutes. See full description. Assaults
  • Strength of the Warden
  • Major: Vigilant Protector Icon Vigilant Protector
  • Minor: Endurance Icon Endurance
Taunts all nearby enemies, forcing them to attack you for 6 seconds on a 2-minute cooldown. See full description. Horrific Visions
4.

Universal Essences

4.1.

The Formless Void: Ny'alotha, the Waking City Raid

The Formless Void's powers are as follows.

Its major power allows you to copy your target's currently slotted Major Essence for 15 seconds, but incurring a longer cooldown when its ability is used. As ranks go up, this cooldown is decreased and the rank of the copied essence increases.

Rank Power
1 Replica of Knowledge Icon Replica of Knowledge
2 Replica of Knowledge Icon Replica of Knowledge
3 Replica of Knowledge Icon Replica of Knowledge

Its minor power causes you to gain a moderate amount of primary stat for 20 seconds whenever an ally within 40 yards uses an Azerite Essence. At higher ranks it also grants Haste to you and to the ally who used the essence.

Rank Power
1 Symbiotic Presence Icon Symbiotic Presence
2 Symbiotic Presence Icon Symbiotic Presence
3 Symbiotic Presence Icon Symbiotic Presence

This essence has a lot of potential, as it allows players to bypass the usual role restrictions on essences. You could have everyone in a M+ group using the DPS Essence of the Focusing Iris for insane beam burst damage potential on huge pulls, for example. Its specific usage will come down to the meta that develops in each content type, but make sure to stay on top of our Class Essence Guides for details!

This essence is obtained through the Ny'alotha raid.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Replicating Void Droplets Icon Replicating Void Droplets 15x Encrypted Ny'alothan Text Icon Encrypted Ny'alothan Text
2 Burgeoning Void Droplet Icon Burgeoning Void Droplet 30x Encrypted Ny'alothan Text Icon Encrypted Ny'alothan Text
3 Volatile Void Droplet Icon Volatile Void Droplet 60x Encrypted Ny'alothan Text Icon Encrypted Ny'alothan Text
4 Bursting Void Droplet Icon Bursting Void Droplet Kill N'Zoth the Corruptor on Mythic difficulty
5.

DPS Essences

5.1.

Breath of the Dying: Assaults

Breath of the Dying's powers are as follows.

Its major power causes damage to an enemy, on a 45-second cooldown. This cooldown is reduced by 30 seconds if the enemy has under 20% health remaining. Higher ranks cause it to also have a lowered cooldown when used on enemies above 80% health, and the final rank supercharges it whenever it kills an enemy, lowering cooldown to 5 seconds and causing it to deal double damage on the next cast.

Rank Power
1 Reaping Flames Icon Reaping Flames
2 Reaping Flames Icon Reaping Flames
3 Reaping Flames Icon Reaping Flames

This major power looks to be a simple, practical ability for solo activities, where enemies die quickly and you can reliably activate the essence on cooldown. Add fights, if those are slowly trickling in, could also be a good place to use it, but Essence of the Focusing Iris should still prove superior whenever mass area of effect damage is required.

Its minor power causes your spells and abilities to have a high chance to hit enemies for a small amount of damage and, at higher essence ranks, heal you for 50% of the damage dealt and have a chance of doing 400% damage against targets under 20% health.

Rank Power
1 Lethal Strikes Icon Lethal Strikes
2 Lethal Strikes Icon Lethal Strikes
3 Lethal Strikes Icon Lethal Strikes

This minor power, while very basic, contributes to the simplicity and direct damage abilities that make this essence great for solo content.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from 8.3's Assaults.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Token of Death's Door Icon Token of Death's Door Gained during the initial 8.3 quest line
2 Token of Death's Mark Icon Token of Death's Mark Combine x3 Breath of Everlasting Spirit Icon Breath of Everlasting Spirit, obtained from Lesser Visions
3 Token of Death's Glee Icon Token of Death's Glee 50 Corrupted Mementos Icon Corrupted Mementos once Revered with the Uldum Accord faction
4 Token of a Brilliant Death Icon Token of a Brilliant Death Open Uldum Accord Supplies Icon Uldum Accord Supplies, Uldum's reputation supply caches
5.2.

Spark of Inspiration: Horrific Visions

Spark of Inspiration's powers are as follows.

Its major power increase the damage allies within 15 yards deal with their Azerite Essences by 45% for the next 10 seconds. At higher ranks, the duration of this effect is increased to 20 seconds, and it also grants speed.

Rank Power
1 Moment of Glory Icon Moment of Glory
2 Moment of Glory Icon Moment of Glory
3 Moment of Glory Icon Moment of Glory

This major power is clearly meant for large group gameplay, as it goes from useless when used in solo gameplay to a potentially large raid damage increase that can be activated by only one to three players in the raid, depending on how much uptime you wish to have. In order to get the most of it, you will require most, if not all players to be using damage dealing Azerite Majors, however, so leave its usage at the criteria of your raid leader.

Its minor power causes your spells and abilities to have a chance to increase your Haste for 8 seconds and reduce the cooldown of your Major Essence by 1 second. At higher ranks, these effects activate more often, and are extended to 1 (at rank 2) and 2 (at rank 3) nearby allies.

Rank Power
1 Unified Strength Icon Unified Strength
2 Unified Strength Icon Unified Strength
3 Unified Strength Icon Unified Strength

This minor power is a great complement to the main ability, allowing you to use it more often to boost your raid, and also for your allies to use their damage essence abilities more often.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from Horrific Visions.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Overflowing Azerite Geode Icon Overflowing Azerite Geode Looted from your first successful Horrific Vision
2 Pulsing Azerite Geode Icon Pulsing Azerite Geode Looted from a successful Horrific Vision where you completed at least one Lost Area
3 Quickening Azerite Geode Icon Quickening Azerite Geode 45x Sparks of Unwavering Strength Icon Sparks of Unwavering Strength looted from Horrific Visions with Lost / Corrupted Area completions
4 Luminous Azerite Geode Icon Luminous Azerite Geode Through the Depths of Visions Icon Through the Depths of Visions achievement
6.

Healer Essences

6.1.

Spirit of Preservation: Assaults

Spirit of Preservation's powers are as follows.

Its major power heals a targeted ally over 3 seconds, on a 60-second cooldown. At higher ranks, it also heals up to 6 allies between you and the target, and grants Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit stacks.

Rank Power
1 Spirit of Preservation Icon Spirit of Preservation
2 Spirit of Preservation Icon Spirit of Preservation
3 Spirit of Preservation Icon Spirit of Preservation

This major power, at rank 2, provides an area of effect healing burst, as long as the targets are properly aligned, and also supercharges your next quick heal spell at rank 3, which could help stabilize your group during emergencies.

Its minor power grants you Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit every 5 seconds. These initially stack to 3, going up to 5 at higher ranks, where you also get 20% extra critical strike on your quick heal spell per stack, easily hitting the 100% cap.

Rank Power
1 Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit
2 Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit
3 Devout Spirit Icon Devout Spirit

This minor power makes your quick heal spell significantly stronger as long as you save it for emergencies, thus contributing to your spot healing capability in groups.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from 8.3's Assaults.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Focused Star Point Icon Focused Star Point Gained during the initial 8.3 quest line
2 Swirling Star Dust Icon Swirling Star Dust Combine x3 Breath of Everlasting Spirit Icon Breath of Everlasting Spirit, obtained from Lesser Visions
3 Gleaming Star Shard Icon Gleaming Star Shard 50 Corrupted Mementos Icon Corrupted Mementos once Revered with the Rajani faction
4 Pulsing Star Heart Icon Pulsing Star Heart Open Rajani Supplies Icon Rajani Supplies, Vale of Eternal Blossoms reputation supply caches
6.2.

Unwavering Ward: Horrific Visions

Unwavering Ward's powers are as follows.

Its major power channels for 4 seconds to release 12 spheres which grant allies who touch them absorb shields. At higher ranks, you also get an absorb while channeling, and also self heal yourself and allies who pick the spheres. It has a 3 minute cooldown.

Rank Power
1 Guardian Shell Icon Guardian Shell
2 Guardian Shell Icon Guardian Shell
3 Guardian Shell Icon Guardian Shell

This major power is an additional raid cooldown, with the potential to do massive healing, balanced by a large 3 minute cooldown. This makes it very useful for healers in just about any situation, as countering burst damage is the most difficult thing to do in most encounters.

Its minor power causes allies within 15 yards to gain a small shield every 10 seconds, with the shield applied being larger at higher ranks and also reducing damage taken by 3% at rank 3.

Rank Power
1 Unwavering Ward Icon Unwavering Ward
2 Unwavering Ward Icon Unwavering Ward
3 Unwavering Ward Icon Unwavering Ward

While it looks good on paper, this minor power will tend to quickly destroyed by any sort of raid damage, but it still scales well with raid size on stacked fights and should contribute a good chunk of healing towards your group. Overall, this looks to be a great healing essence in stacked situations.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from Horrific Visions.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Ward of Unwavering Hope Icon Ward of Unwavering Hope Looted from your first successful Horrific Vision
2 Ward of Reciprocation Icon Ward of Reciprocation Looted from a successful Horrific Vision where you completed at least one Lost Area
3 Ward of Mutual Aid Icon Ward of Mutual Aid 45x Sparks of Unwavering Strength Icon Sparks of Unwavering Strength looted from Horrific Visions with Lost / Corrupted Area completions
4 Ward of Unimaginable Brilliance Icon Ward of Unimaginable Brilliance Through the Depths of Visions Icon Through the Depths of Visions achievement
7.

Tank Essences

7.1.

Touch of the Everlasting: Assaults

Touch of the Everlasting's powers are as follows.

Its major power prevents your next death and heals you for 20% health (40% at higher ranks), instead. It also grants 85% damage reduction for 3 seconds afterwards. At Rank 3 your main survivability cooldown is also reset when the essence activates:

Class / Specialization Cooldown Affected
Blood Death Knight Icebound Fortitude Icon Icebound Fortitude
Vengeance Demon Hunter Metamorphosis Icon Metamorphosis
Guardian Druid Survival Instincts Icon Survival Instincts
Brewmaster Monk Fortifying Brew Icon Fortifying Brew
Protection Paladin Guardian of Ancient Kings Icon Guardian of Ancient Kings
Protection Warrior Shield Wall Icon Shield Wall

These effects cannot occur more than once every 10 minutes.

Rank Power
1 Touch of the Everlasting Icon Touch of the Everlasting
2 Touch of the Everlasting Icon Touch of the Everlasting
3 Touch of the Everlasting Icon Touch of the Everlasting

Its minor power grants you avoidance and 30% longer duration on your next active mitigation skill when you drop under 35% health. This effect can only activate once every 90 seconds at rank 1, but higher ranks allow it to activate every 60 seconds instead. At rank 3 your next active mitigation skill lasts for 50% longer, instead.

Rank Power
1 Will to Survive Icon Will to Survive
2 Will to Survive Icon Will to Survive
3 Will to Survive Icon Will to Survive

This essence grants tanks a second life, allowing for mistakes to happen without causing a wipe. This can easily be invaluable during progress and, even though the minor effect is relatively weak, most tanks should consider using this essence when tackling difficult content.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from 8.3's Assaults.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Death-Resistant Leaf Icon Death-Resistant Leaf Gained during the initial 8.3 quest line
2 Petrified Living Bark Icon Petrified Living Bark Combine x3 Breath of Everlasting Spirit Icon Breath of Everlasting Spirit, obtained from Lesser Visions
3 Branch of Rejuvenating Rings Icon Branch of Rejuvenating Rings 50 Corrupted Mementos Icon Corrupted Mementos once Revered with the Rajani faction
4 Roots of Magnificent Revival Icon Roots of Magnificent Revival Open Rajani Supplies Icon Rajani Supplies, Vale of Eternal Blossoms reputation supply caches
7.2.

Strength of the Warden: Horrific Visions

Strength of the Warden's powers are as follows.

Its major power taunts all nearby enemies for 6 seconds on a 2-minute cooldown. At rank 2, you also gain 15% dodge for 6 seconds after using this essence and at rank 3 you also deal 50% extra damage to those enemies for 6 seconds.

Rank Power
1 Vigilant Protector Icon Vigilant Protector
2 Vigilant Protector Icon Vigilant Protector
3 Vigilant Protector Icon Vigilant Protector

This major power allows you to AoE taunt whenever needed, keeping enemies glued to you for 6 seconds. While this is usually not needed, this could be an interesting essence to use in Skittish M+ weeks, or in order to kite particularly dangerous enemies in the right raid encounter.

Its minor power stores a small amount of healing every 2 seconds, up to 10% of your maximum health, which is activated whenever you parry or dodge an attack. More healing is stored at rank 2, and at rank 3 tanks in your group gain 3% extra health, which stacks for each player with this essence.

Rank Power
1 Endurance Icon Endurance
2 Endurance Icon Endurance
3 Endurance Icon Endurance

Besides the meme usage of having everyone in your mythic group take this essence (with the help of The Formless Void) for a whooping 60% maximum tank health increase, this essence looks like one of the weakest in the 8.3 patch. Save it for niche kiting scenarios.

This essence and its upgrades are obtained from Horrific Visions.

Rank Item How to Obtain?
1 Mark of Boistrous Duty Icon Mark of Boistrous Duty Looted from your first successful Horrific Vision
2 Water Dancer's Technique Icon Water Dancer's Technique Looted from a successful Horrific Vision where you completed at least one Lost Area
3 Manual of Unbalanced Tactics Icon Manual of Unbalanced Tactics 45x Sparks of Unwavering Strength Icon Sparks of Unwavering Strength looted from Horrific Visions with Lost / Corrupted Area completions
4 Resplendent Warden's Badge Icon Resplendent Warden's Badge Through the Depths of Visions Icon Through the Depths of Visions achievement

If after reading all of this you still want to learn more about essences, please consult our general essence guide.

8.

Changelog

  • 18 Mar. 2020: Added a section on the new Echoes of Ny'alotha.
  • 09 Feb. 2020: Updated Essence reputation requirements.
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