WoW Classic SOD Phase 4 PTR: Exciting Class Changes
The Public Test Realm (PTR) for Phase 4 of WoW Classic's Season of Discovery has unveiled a plethora of class changes. These changes are extensive, and while it's challenging to cover them all, I've picked out some of the most exciting and interesting ones. These changes are still on the PTR and subject to further adjustment, but they offer a glimpse into the dynamic shifts that players can look forward to. Let's dive into three standout changes for a few key classes.
1. Priest: Shadow, Discipline, and Holy Changes
Shadow Priests
One of the new runes for Shadow Priests is Vampiric Touch, which functions similarly to its TBC version. It's a damage-over-time (DoT) effect that restores mana to your party based on your damage dealt. Although the mana restoration is lower than in TBC, Shadow Priests are expected to deal more damage, making it competitive. An exciting side effect is that Vampiric Touch will automatically apply Vampiric Embrace when talented, saving a global cooldown and ensuring this powerful debuff is always active. Additionally, the Pain and Suffering rune has been reworked. It now makes Mind Spike refresh the DoT with the shortest duration, simplifying the rotation and potentially boosting Shadow Priests' damage output.
Discipline Priests
Discipline Priests get Soul Warding, which makes Power Word: Shield spam a more viable healing option in PvE. This could be crucial for handling mechanics that can nearly one-shot players or in clutch moments requiring instant healing. This change encourages priests to delve deeper into the Discipline tree, offering utility such as Power Infusion for Warlocks.
2. Warlocks: Affliction and Destruction Enhancements
Affliction Warlocks
Blizzard is trying again to make Affliction viable. Soul Siphon now increases Drain Soul damage by up to 300% on targets below 20% health. The effectiveness of this change depends on how much health bosses have during the execute phase, but it promises a potential DPS boost for Affliction Warlocks.
Destruction Warlocks
Destruction Warlocks receive several notable changes. Backdraft now has a 15-second duration, up from 10 seconds, allowing a permanent 30% haste buff if Conflagrate is used on cooldown. Additionally, a new rune, Desimnation, reduces the cast time of Soul Fire on targets below 35% health by 40% and removes its shard cost, making it a potent execute ability. The Lake of Fire rework makes Rain of Fire instant cast and non-channeled, with an 8-second cooldown, providing an optional AoE talent that pairs well with Hellfire.
3. Mages: Fire, Frost, and Utility Upgrades
Fire Mages
Fire Mages receive the Overheat rune, which smooths out Hot Streak gameplay by making Fire Blast always crit and castable during another spell. This allows for continuous casting and potentially multiple Hot Streaks in quick succession. It's a significant quality-of-life improvement for Fire Mages.
Frost Mages
Frost Mages get Frozen Orb, a new rune that sends a damaging and slowing orb forward. It's currently dealing high damage on the PTR and procs Frost talents like Frostbite and improved slowing effects, enhancing Frost Mages' AoE and gold farming capabilities. Additionally, Advanced Warding has been buffed, doubling the damage absorption of Frost and Fire Wards and reducing Mana Shield's mana drain by 50%. These spells can now be cast on allies, and Remove Curse has been upgraded to Remove Greater Curse, providing mages with incredible utility in both PvE and PvP.
4. Rogues: Addressing AoE Deficiency
Rogues have struggled with AoE throughout the season, but Phase 4 aims to rectify this. Shuriken Toss has been reworked to generate one combo point per target hit on a 30-second cooldown. This guarantees five combo points if hitting five targets, significantly enhancing AoE capabilities. New poisons have been introduced, such as Occult Poison, which increases magical damage against the target by 10%, and Fan of Knives, which hits all nearby targets and applies poisons, albeit at a low rate. This AoE improvement brings Rogues in line with other classes' AoE abilities.
5. Druids: Boomkin, Feral, and Restoration Buffs
Balance Druids
Balance Druids see substantial changes with Al Loons Fire, which refreshes Moonfire and Sunfire to their full duration when Starfire is cast. This simplifies the rotation and maintains DoTs without constant reapplication. Moonkin Form now provides two spell power per level and allows Insect Swarm, Moonfire, and Sunfire to crit, boosting Balance Druids' overall damage.
Feral Druids
Feral Druids gain improved AoE capabilities with the new rune Improved Swipe, allowing Swipe in Bear Form to hit up to 10 targets. This change is consistent across all tanks, including Warlock's Shadowflame and Warrior's Thunderclap. Cat Form Swipe hits all nearby targets, replicating its Wrath version for high damage.
Restoration Druids
Restoration Druids welcome back Tree of Life, which offers bonus healing, spirit, and mana cost reductions. This form will be essential, much like it was in TBC and Wrath of the Lich King, making Restoration Druids powerful healers in Phase 4.
6. Shaman: Elemental and Enhancement Tweaks
Elemental Shamans
Elemental Shamans receive the Storm, Earth, and Lightning rune, which reduces Chain Lightning's cooldown, adds a root effect to Earthbind Totem, and increases Flame Shock's DoT by 60%. This rune synergizes well with existing runes like Overload Burn and Power Surge, enhancing Flame Shock damage and Lava Burst procs.
Enhancement Shamans
Enhancement Shamans see a buff to two-handed spec, now granting a 50% attack speed increase, up from 30%, and generating more Maelstrom Weapon stacks. While it may not surpass dual-wielding, it offers a viable alternative. Additionally, all max-rank weapon imbues now last 60 minutes, though this change only applies to max-rank spells.
7. Hunters: Enhancing Melee Weaving
Hunters no longer need to use a rune slot for Heart of the Lion, as it becomes a baseline ability. The Kill Command rune is replaced with Kill Shot, an instant attack usable on any target with a cooldown reset below 20% health. Blizzard also explores a melee weave spec in the Survival tree, with Wyvern Strike replacing Invigoration. This spec involves alternating between melee and ranged attacks, adding a unique playstyle. Additionally, TNT now makes Fire Trap scale with melee attack power, enhancing melee weaving's viability.
8. Paladins: Extensive Overhaul
Paladins see the most changes in Phase 4, with several abilities becoming baseline, including Exorcism, Seal of Martyrdom, and Avenging Wrath. Holy Paladins receive a significant buff with the Infusion of Light rune, making Holy Shock heal and damage more effectively, reducing its cooldown, and resetting it on critical hits. Vindication grants a substantial bonus to attack power, agility, and strength when it procs, offering a massive stat boost.
9. Warriors: Sudden Death and More
Warriors get the Sudden Death rune, giving attacks a 10% chance to make the next Execute usable regardless of the target's health and retaining 10 rage. This change promises significant extra damage, especially during high-crit situations. Recklessness now has a 5-minute cooldown and grants 50% bonus crit, making it more frequently available in raids. An experimental ability, Valor of Azeroth, learned through a skillbook, allows Warriors to apply a weaker version of Rallying Cry of the Dragonslayer to the raid, offering a unique utility.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the exciting changes coming in Phase 4 of WoW Classic's Season of Discovery. Each class sees significant adjustments, promising a dynamic and engaging experience. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a returning player, these changes offer something new and intriguing to explore. Let me know your thoughts and which class changes you're most excited about in the comments below. As always, thanks for reading, and I'll see you in Azeroth!
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