Frost, Feral, Hunter DPS Buffs and More: Class Tuning, September 1st

This week, we’ve continued to examine Mythic+, Raid, and PvP data. Considering last week’s tuning, there are some specs that could benefit from further adjustment, especially underperforming specs in Raiding and Mythic+. For PvP, our goal is to reduce overall defensiveness and healing while also increasing offensive capabilities for low performing specializations.

Classes

• Death Knight
  • Frost
    • Developers’ notes: We’re aiming to increase Frost Death Knight’s performance in single target and two target cleave scenarios.
    • Howling Blast main target damage increased by 15%.
    • Obliterate damage increased by 15%.
    • Frost Strike damage increased by 20%.
    • Melee damage increased by 10%.
• Demon Hunter
  • Havoc
    • All damage increased by 4%. This does not affect PvP combat.
  • Vengeance
    • Developers’ notes: Vengeance is still performing below expectations defensively, so universal mitigation effects are getting a buff. Additionally, Fel Devastation’s effectiveness as a recovery tool has fallen behind as maximum health pools go up, so its healing is being increased.
    • Demonic Wards now reduces damage taken by 15% (was 12%).
    • Void Reaver now causes Frailty to reduce damage taken by 6% (was 5%).
    • Fel Devastation healing increased by 25%.
• Druid
  • Shred damage increased by 10%.
  • Balance
    • All ability damage increased by 4%. Does not affect PvP combat.
  • Feral
    • Developers’ notes: Feral is performing below expectations, particularly in raid encounters, so we’re providing both an overall lift as well as some specific buffs to single-target abilities.
    • All ability damage increased by 5%. Does not apply to PVP combat.
    • Auto-attack damage increased by 10%.
    • Ferocious Bite damage increased by 10%.
  • Restoration
    • All healing increased by 4%.
• Hunter
  • Beast Mastery
    • All damage dealt by you and your pets increased by 7%.
  • Survival
    • All damage dealt by you and your pet increased by 7%. This increase is only 3% while engaged in PvP combat.
• Mage
  • Fire
    • All ability damage increased by 3%.
  • Frost
    • All ability damage increased by 6%.
• Monk
  • Mistweaver
    • Developers’ notes: We’re looking to increase Mistweavers’ healing capabilities while increasing their 4-piece set bonus value.
    • All healing done increased by 5%.
    • The Venomous Abyss 4-piece set bonus chance to activate has been increased from 20% to 25%.
  • Windwalker
    • All ability damage increased by 4%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Paladin
  • Protection
    • Developers’ notes: We’re adjusting Protection Paladin damage to help them keep up with other tanks, especially in dungeons.
    • Blaze of Glory damage increased by 150%.
    • Consecration damage increased by 30%.
    • Divine Guidance damage increased by 30%.
• Priest
  • Discipline
    • Shadow Mend mana cost reduced by 20%.

Player versus Player

• Developers’ notes: Healers are able to top off targets too quickly in PvP, resulting in very long combat times. We’re reducing the primary stat from the PvP trinket set bonus for all healer specializations to increase the pace of combat.
• Gladiator’s Distinction set bonus grants 5% primary stat for all healing specializations (was 10%).
• Demon Hunter
  • Devourer
    • All ability damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.
  • Havoc
    • Rain from Above now deals damage equal to 6% of max health per bolt (was 8%).
• Druid
  • Innervate grants 20% mana in PvP combat (was 25%).
  • Feral
    • Developers’ notes: We’re increasing Feral’s general damage, especially for Druid of the Claw, and nudging down their defensiveness to speed up the pace of combat for Feral.
    • Ravage (Druid of the Claw) damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
    • Survival Instincts reduces damage taken by 40% in PvP combat (was 50%).
  • Restoration
    • Developers’ notes: We’re increasing Restoration’s overall healing while at the same time reducing the power of Swiftmend and some of their mana regeneration talents. The goal is to better balance Restoration’s healing kit to not be so reliant on Swiftmend to top up allies.
    • Potent Enchantments increases the duration of Incarnation: Tree of Life by 4 seconds in PvP combat (was 6 seconds).
    • Reforestation grants Incarnation: Tree of Life for 8 seconds in PvP combat (was 10 seconds).
    • Swiftmend healing reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
    • Blossom Burst (Ancient of Lore PvP talent) costs 1.89% base mana (was free).
    • Blossom Burst (Ancient of Lore PvP talent) now prioritizes applying Rejuvenation over Lifebloom.
    • Mass Blooming (Ancient of Lore PvP talent) costs 3.5% base mana (was free).
• Evoker
  • Devastation
    • Developers’ notes: The Devastation Flameshaper build is not being utilized much compared to Scalecommander. We’re increasing the power of some Flameshaper focused spells to open up more options for them.
    • Disintegrate triggers Consume Flame at 200% effectiveness in PvP combat (was 150%).
    • Enkindle damage increased to 30% in PvP combat (was 20%).
    • Expanded Lungs increases damage of Fire Breath’s periodic by 40% in PvP combat (was 30%).
  • Preservation
    • Mana regeneration is now reduced by 35% in PvP combat (was 30%).
• Hunter
  • Beast Mastery
    • Developers’ notes: Beast Mastery’s damage during burst windows is higher than we’d like in PvP, reducing some of the abilities that can contribute to this situation.
    • Bloodshed damage reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
    • Bestial Wrath initial damage reduced by 10% in PvP combat.
    • Pack Leader: Stampede! damage reduced by 10% in PvP combat.
• Mage
  • Developers’ notes: Mages have been extending the duration of PvP matches with frequent access to strong defensive abilities, so we’re reducing the effectiveness of their barriers and the cooldown of Ice Block. Fire damage is also being reduced to bring them in line with other specializations.
  • Improved Conjuration reduces the cooldown of Mirror Image by 15 sec in PvP combat.
  • Winter’s Protection reduces Ice Block cooldown by 15/30 sec in PvP combat. Tooltip in PvP will be updated in a later patch.
  • Arcane
    • Prismatic Barrier absorb reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
  • Fire
    • Blazing Barrier absorb reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
    • All damage reduced by 3% in PvP combat.
  • Frost
    • Ice Barrier absorb reduced by 25% in PvP combat.
• Priest
  • Discipline
    • Developers’ notes: Discipline could use some help, particularly Voidweaver, so we’re increasing some of its absorption and Atonement healing capabilities to bring them on par with other healers.
    • Void Shield absorption increased by 10% in PvP combat.
    • Power Word: Shield absorption increased by 10% in PvP combat.
    • Atonement healing increased by 5% in PvP combat.
• Rogue
  • Developers’ notes: Rogues’ defensive potential improves in coordinated play and as ratings increase, with the predictive effect of Preemptive Maneuver standing out as being too rewarding, so it’s being brought down to be more appropriate.
  • Preemptive Maneuver now reduces damage taken by 25% while its effect is active (was 40%)
  • Assassination
    • All ability damage reduced by 4% in PvP combat.
• Shaman
  • Elemental
    • Developers’ notes: Elemental’s Farseer hero talent tree is performing better than expected defensively, and its Stormbringer hero talent tree is performing below expectations offensively. As a result we’re targeting key effects of each type to adjust: Natural Harmony’s improvements for the Nature’s Guardian effect are being diminished, while multiple key Stormbringer effects (including Tempest itself) are receiving buffs intended to improve overall damage and burst potential.
    • Farseer**:** Natural Harmony now reduces the cooldown of Nature’s Guardian by 10 seconds (was 15 seconds) and increases its healing by 5% of max health (was 10%) in PvP combat.
    • Stormbringer: Tempest damage increased by 20% in PvP combat.
    • Stormbringer: Natural Gift now increases Nature damage by 4% (was 2%) in PvP combat.
    • Stormbringer: Stormcaller now increases Nature spell critical strike damage by 10% (was 5%) in PvP combat.
  • Enhancement
    • Developers’ notes: Enhancement is on the weaker side offensively, so we’re increasing some of its sustained damage while also reducing its healing capabilities slightly.
    • Healing Surge healing reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
    • Stromstrike damage increased by15% in PvP combat.
    • Lava Lash damage increased by 15% in PvP combat.
• Warrior
  • Developers’ notes: Arms and Fury Warriors provide strong group defensive utility through the Safeguard PvP talent, but the frequency of damage reduction prevented enemy teams from having a window of time to strike.
  • Arms
    • Safeguard (PvP Talent) now increases the cooldown of Intervene by 20 seconds.
  • Fury
    • Safeguard (PvP Talent) now increases the cooldown of Intervene by 20 seconds.