Patch 12.1: Curse of Ula'tek — Official Patch Notes — August 11, 2026
508 changes · 13 classes · 55 sections
1 of 13 class sections open
GeneralHero Talents — San'layn
- Buff:
Blood Beast — Blood Beast auto-attack damage increased by 1400%.
- Buff:
Blood-Soaked Ground — Blood-Soaked Ground now reduces physical damage taken by 8% (was 5%).
BloodHero Talents — Deathbringer
- Redesign:
Dance of Midnight — Apex Talent: Dance of Midnight (Rank 2) updated — damage taken for each active Dancing Rune Weapon reduced by 6% (was 4%).
- Buff:
Melee damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Heart Strike — Heart Strike damage increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Marrowrend — Marrowrend damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Dancing Rune Weapon — Dancing Rune Weapon now increases Parry by 30% (was 25%).
- Buff:
Permafrost — Permafrost grants a shield equal to 50% of damage dealt (was 40%).
- Buff:
Voracious — Voracious grants 15% Leech (was 12%).
- Buff:
Relish in Blood — Relish in Blood healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Rapid Decomposition — Rapid Decomposition increases Blood Plague healing by 85% (was 50%).
- Buff:
Sanguinary Burst — Sanguinary Burst heals for 18% of damage dealt (was 15%).
- Buff:
Umbilicus Eternus — Umbilicus Eternus absorbs damage equal to 6 times damage dealt by Blood Plague (was 5).
- Buff:
Perseverance of the Ebon Blade — Perseverance of the Ebon Blade now reduces damage taken by 4% when consuming Crimson Scourge; duration increased to 10 seconds (was 6 seconds).
- Buff:
Bloodshot — Bloodshot now also reduces damage taken while Blood Shield is active by 4%.
- Buff:
Reaper's Mark — Reaper's Mark damage to the primary target increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Exterminate — Exterminate damage to the primary target increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Pact of the San'layn — Pact of the San'layn now stores 15% of all Shadow damage dealt (was 10%).
- Buff:
Vampiric Strike — Vampiric Strike damage increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Visceral Strength — Visceral Strength now grants 10% Strength (was 12%).
- Nerf:
Frenzied Bloodthirst — Frenzied Bloodthirst's Death Strike and Death Coil damage bonus reduced to 5% per stack (was 6%).
- Nerf:
Blood is Life — Blood is Life now accumulates 15% of the damage dealt from the Blood Beast (was 25%).
FrostHero Talents — Deathbringer
We're increasing the strength of several rotational abilities that were underperforming in the overall breakdown. Additionally, we're improving Frost Death Knight's consistent damage outside of cooldown windows. Obliteration gameplay and tuning during Pillar of Frost remain strong, allowing us to redistribute some power into the rest of the kit.
- Nerf:
All ability damage reduced by 10%.
- Nerf:
Melee damage reduced by 20%.
- Nerf:
Pillar of Frost — Pillar of Frost now increases Strength by 20% (was 30%).
- Buff:
Howling Blast — Howling Blast damage increased by 100%.
- Buff:
Empower Rune Weapon — Empower Rune Weapon damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Glacial Advance — Glacial Advance damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Icy Death Torrent — Icy Death Torrent damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Frost Fever — Frost Fever damage increased by 100%.
- Buff:
Remorseless Winter — Remorseless Winter damage increased by 40%.
- Buff:
Frostscythe — Frostscythe damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Frost Strike — Frost Strike damage increased by 25%. Does not affect Frostbane.
- Nerf:
Obliterate — Obliterate damage reduced by 12.5%.
- Nerf:
Breath of Sindragosa — Breath of Sindragosa damage reduced by 20%.
- Nerf:
Frostbane — Frostbane damage reduced by 30%.
- Nerf:
Frostwyrm's Fury — Frostwyrm's Fury damage reduced by 20%.
- Buff:
Permafrost — Permafrost grants a shield equal to 35% of damage dealt (was 30%).
- Nerf:
Wither Away — Wither Away now causes Frost Fever to deal its damage 75% faster (was 100%).
- Buff:
Deathly Blows — Deathly Blows now increases Frost Strike damage by 35% (was 15%).
- Nerf:
Reaper's Mark — Reaper's Mark cast and explosion damage reduced by 25%.
- Nerf:
Exterminate — Exterminate damage reduced by 17%.
- Nerf:
Whitemane's Undeath — Whitemane's Undeath damage reduced by 30%.
UnholyHero Talents — Rider of the Apocalypse
With Curse of Ula'tek, we're aiming to smooth the gap between cooldown and non-cooldown throughput. Additionally, we're taking a look at the current summon density of Unholy Death Knight. For its rework in Midnight, Unholy Death Knight was reimagined as a summoner of the Scourge and we're very happy with how it landed. However, combined with the previous summoning powers from the Rider of the Apocalypse Hero Talent tree, the amount of summons are exceeding the numbers we're comfortable with.
- Redesign:
Reanimation — Reanimation renamed to Lord of the Dead and its secondary effect redesigned — when you control 3 Magus of the Dead, sacrifice them to summon their Lord of the Dead for 15 seconds, casting Frostbolts that chain between 2 enemies.
- Redesign:
Forbidden Knowledge — Apex Talent: Forbidden Knowledge (Rank 3) updated — Magus of the Dead no longer grants stacking damage to Necrotic Coil and Graveyard; Putrefy activated by Dread Plague effectiveness increased to 100% (was 60%).
- Nerf:
Forbidden Knowledge — Apex Talent: Forbidden Knowledge — Necrotic Coil damage reduced by 6%; Graveyard damage increased by 17.3%.
- Redesign:
Soul Reaper — Soul Reaper updated — no longer consumes charges of Putrefy to cast; now consumes up to 3 Lesser Ghoul stacks to summon them instantly.
- Redesign:
Unholy Aura — Unholy Aura updated — Magus of the Dead now grant the Haste buff on spawn for 15 seconds.
- Redesign:
Army of the Dead — Army of the Dead updated — summons or empowers Lesser Ghouls to form an unholy army of 8 for 30 seconds, commanded through Scourge Strike (Death Order / Epidemic Order).
- Nerf:
Army of the Dead Lesser Ghoul damage reduced by 25%.
- Buff:
Menacing Magus — Menacing Magus now has an additional effect — Lord of the Dead Frostbolts now chain to 3 additional enemies.
- Nerf:
All damage reduced by 3%.
- Buff:
Auto-attack damage increased by 100%.
- Nerf:
Lesser Ghoul — Lesser Ghoul damage reduced by 6.5%.
- Buff:
Epidemic — Epidemic damage increased by 54%. Does not affect Graveyard.
- Nerf:
Magus of the Dead — Magus of the Dead damage reduced by 15%.
- Nerf:
Putrefy — Putrefy damage reduced by 15%.
- Buff:
Putrefy — Putrefy area-of-effect damage increased by 35%.
- Nerf:
Pestilence — Pestilence damage reduced by 25%.
- Nerf:
Infected Claw — Infected Claw damage reduced by 25%.
- Buff:
Virulent Plague — Virulent Plague damage increased by 2%.
- Nerf:
Commander of the Dead — Commander of the Dead now causes Dark Transformation to increase summoned creature damage by 10%/20% for 30 seconds (was 15%/30%).
- Buff:
Permafrost — Permafrost grants a shield equal to 35% of damage dealt (was 30%).
- Nerf:
Blightburst — Blightburst now causes Putrefy to extend plague duration by 3 seconds (was 4.5 seconds).
- Nerf:
Runic Power spenders now extend plague duration by 1 second (was 1.5 seconds).
- Fix:
Nazgrim's Conquest — Fixed an issue causing Nazgrim's Conquest to grant additional Strength when Magus of the Dead is sacrificed for Lord of the Dead; it will no longer grant Strength from critters and low-level targets.
- Nerf:
Whitemane — Whitemane Death Coil damage reduced by 25%.
- Nerf:
Whitemane — Whitemane Undeath damage reduced by 25%.
General
- Redesign:
Demon Hunters can now equip daggers, allowing Devourer Demon Hunters to acquire and use daggers with Intelligence on them.
DevourerHero Talents — Annihilator
We're reducing the scaling of Devourer's Mastery: Monster Within to help other stats compete, compensating with an overall ability damage buff. Between that and a few more targeted changes, we expect damage during Void Metamorphosis to be slightly reduced while damage outside of Metamorphosis is significantly increased.
- Redesign:
Mastery: Monster Within updated — bonus damage during Void Metamorphosis reduced by 66%.
- Buff:
All ability damage increased by 32%.
- Buff:
Collapsing Star — Collapsing Star damage increased by 12%.
- Nerf:
Eradicate — Eradicate damage reduced by 6%; secondary target damage reduced by 15%.
- Buff:
Consume — Consume damage increased by 60% (does not affect Devour).
- Nerf:
Void Metamorphosis — Void Metamorphosis now increases Void Ray damage by 40% (was 67%).
- Nerf:
Impending Apocalypse — Impending Apocalypse now causes each Collapsing Star to grant 20% increased damage to the next one (was 30%).
- Nerf:
Otherworldly Focus — Otherworldly Focus now increases Collapsing Star and Voidfall Meteor damage against a single target by 30% (was 35%).
- Nerf:
Final Hour — Final Hour now causes Voidfall bonuses to persist for 6 seconds (was 8 seconds).
- Nerf:
Consume — Consume damage reduced by 40% in PvP combat.
- Nerf:
Devour — Devour damage reduced by 8% in PvP combat.
Havoc
The following changes to Fury generation are a small overall increase, paced more smoothly and relying less heavily on Immolation Aura's talent effects.
- New:
Never Say Die — New Talent: Never Say Die — damage increased by 3% while above 50% Health; Leech increased by 5% while below 50% Health.
- Redesign:
Trail of Ruin — Trail of Ruin updated — damage now applied immediately rather than as a damage-over-time effect over 4 seconds.
- Redesign:
Serrated Glaive — Serrated Glaive updated — effect is now a 12-second buff on the Demon Hunter rather than a 15-second debuff on enemy targets.
- Buff:
Blade Dance — Blade Dance damage increased by 6%.
- Buff:
Death Sweep — Death Sweep damage increased by 6%.
- Buff:
Chaos Strike — Chaos Strike damage increased by 6%.
- Buff:
Annihilation — Annihilation damage increased by 6%.
- Buff:
The Hunt — The Hunt damage increased by 12%.
- Nerf:
Immolation Aura — Immolation Aura damage reduced by 8%.
- Buff:
Essence Break — Essence Break initial damage increased by 49%.
- Nerf:
Blind Fury — Blind Fury now causes Eye Beam to generate 10/20 Fury per second (was 15/30 Fury).
- Nerf:
Inertia — Inertia now increases damage by 12% for 6 seconds (was 18% for 5 seconds).
- Removed:
Dash of Chaos — Dash of Chaos has been removed.
Vengeance
- Redesign:
Sigil of Chains — Sigil of Chains is now learned at level 35 and is no longer a talent. Cooldown reduced to 60 seconds (was 90 seconds); no longer replaces Sigil of Misery.
- Buff:
All damage increased by 5.5%.
- Buff:
Soul Cleave — Soul Cleave healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Fel Devastation — Fel Devastation healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Charred Warblades — Charred Warblades heals for 5% of Fire damage dealt (was 4%).
- Buff:
Frailty — Frailty causes you to heal for 10% of damage dealt to afflicted targets (was 8%).
- Buff:
Feast of Souls — Feast of Souls healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Revel in Pain — Revel in Pain causes 6% of your Fire damage to shield you (was 5%).
General
- Buff:
Matted Fur — Matted Fur absorb increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Heart of the Wild — Heart of the Wild empowered Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Shred — Shred and Cat Form Swipe damage increased by 10%.
BalanceHero Talents — Elune's Chosen
Our goal for Balance in Curse of Ula'tek is to emphasize its core gameplay of building, spending, and pooling Astral Power. In Midnight, Balance had high Astral Power generation and a lot of free spender procs, meaning few GCDs left after casting spenders. We've reduced Astral Power generation and free spenders but increased spender damage.
- New:
Stellar Protection — New passive learned at level 42: Stellar Protection — if Moonfire and Sunfire are dispelled, Stellar Flare is applied to the target, generating 12 Astral Power.
- Redesign:
Umbral Intensity — Umbral Intensity updated — now increases Wrath and Starfire damage by 12% at all times.
- Nerf:
Ascendant Eclipses — Apex Talent: Ascendant Eclipses (Rank 2) — Astral Smolder damage reduced to 10%/20% of critical strike damage (was 12%/24%), duration increased to 8 seconds (was 6 seconds).
- Buff:
Ascendant Eclipses — Apex Talent: Ascendant Eclipses — Solar Bolt increased by 27%, Lunar Bolt damage increased by 10%.
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 8%.
- Buff:
Moonfire — Moonfire damage increased by 5%.
- Buff:
Sunfire — Sunfire damage increased by 5%.
- Buff:
Wrath — Wrath damage increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Starfire — Starfire damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Starsurge — Starsurge damage increased by 71%.
- Buff:
Starfall — Starfall damage increased by 4%.
- Buff:
Shooting Stars — Shooting Stars damage increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Meteorites — Meteorites damage increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Rejuvenation — Rejuvenation healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Wild Growth — Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Regrowth — Regrowth healing increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Orbit Breaker — Orbit Breaker effectiveness reduced to 50% (was 60%).
- Nerf:
Touch the Cosmos — Touch the Cosmos chance to trigger from Wrath reduced to 12% (was 15%); from Starfire reduced to 15% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Total Eclipse — Total Eclipse chance to trigger increased to 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
- Redesign:
Star Cascade — Star Cascade no longer triggers off gaining Astral Power with Wrath; now has a 30% chance to launch a Starsurge at 50% effectiveness (was 40% at 70% effectiveness).
- Nerf:
Bask in Moonlight — Bask in Moonlight increases the damage of Starsurge by 5% (was 10%).
- Redesign:
Bounteous Bloom — Bounteous Bloom now extends Force of Nature Treants' duration by 4 seconds instead of adding a fourth Treant.
- Nerf:
Cenarius' Might — Cenarius' Might haste increase reduced to 6% (was 8%).
- Nerf:
Potent Enchantments — Potent Enchantments haste increase reduced to 6% (was 10%).
- Buff:
Sylvan Beckoning — Sylvan Beckoning Dryad's Starfall damage increased to 250% effectiveness (was 200%).
- Buff:
Spirit of the Thicket — Spirit of the Thicket increases Starfall damage by 18% (was 12%).
- Buff:
Dream Burst — Dream Burst damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Power of Nature — Power of Nature increases treant melee damage by 300% (was 200%).
Feral
Feral updates in Curse of Ula'tek are aimed at talent diversity. We'd like Chomp to be stronger for players who enjoy it, and we're swapping Rampant Ferocity and Merciless Claws in Gate 1 to make Rampant Ferocity easier to take in raid builds, compensating with damage bonuses.
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 3%.
- Buff:
Rampant Ferocity — Rampant Ferocity damage increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Saber Jaws — Saber Jaws damage bonus increased to 60% per point (was 50%).
- Nerf:
Focused Frenzy — Focused Frenzy damage bonus reduced to 15% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Rip and Tear — Rip and Tear damage bonus increased to 20% (was 15%).
- Buff:
Chomp — Chomp damage increased by 30%.
- Nerf:
Apex Predator's Craving — Apex Predator's Craving base chance to trigger reduced to 4% (was 5%).
- Buff:
Merciless Claws — Merciless Claws increases Shred and Swipe damage by 25% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Blood Spattered — Blood Spattered increases Ferocious Bite damage by 8% (was 2%), maxes out at 6 stacks (was 10).
- Buff:
Taste for Blood — Taste for Blood increases Ferocious Bite damage by 16% (was 12%) and another 8% during Tiger's Fury (was 12%).
- Buff:
Rejuvenation — Rejuvenation healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Wild Growth — Wild Growth healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Regrowth — Regrowth healing increased by 25%.
GuardianHero Talents — Elune's Chosen
Our goals with these Guardian Druid updates are largely to address issues with the specialization's damage composition and ability breakdown, and to distribute the impact of the Apex talent across a longer duration and a broader portion of the kit.
- Redesign:
Gory Fur — Gory Fur redesigned — Ironfur has a chance to make your next Maul, Raze, or Ravage free; those in turn have a chance to make your next Ironfur free.
- Redesign:
Wild Guardian — Apex Talent: Wild Guardian redesigned across all 3 ranks, culminating in guaranteed spirit-awakening casts.
- Buff:
All damage increased by 8%.
- Buff:
Brambles — Brambles absorb increased by 25%.
- Buff:
After the Wildfire — After the Wildfire healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Lunar Beam — Lunar Beam healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Lunation — Lunation reduces Lunar Beam's cooldown by 20 seconds (was 3 seconds per Arcane ability).
- Buff:
Ursoc's Fury — Ursoc's Fury grants an absorb for 35% of Thrash and Maul damage (was 30%).
- Buff:
Elune's Favored — Elune's Favored heals for 18% of Arcane damage dealt (was 15%).
- Buff:
Boundless Moonlight — Boundless Moonlight — Lunar Beam now causes you to Leech 12% of damage dealt to affected enemies (was 10%).
RestorationRestoration (PvP)
We're making several quality-of-life adjustments with a goal of addressing usability issues with Tranquility, Nature's Swiftness, and Incarnation: Tree of Life, plus bringing back some of Swiftmend's power and redesigning Abundance with a clear threshold for when to use Regrowth.
- New:
Overgrowth — New Talent: Overgrowth — Nature's Swiftness causes your next Regrowth to also apply Lifebloom, Rejuvenation, and Wild Growth's heal-over-time effect.
- New:
Flash of Clarity — New Talent: Flash of Clarity — Omen of Clarity increases Regrowth's healing by 40%.
- Redesign:
Innervate — Innervate redesigned — now regenerates 25% of the target's maximum mana over 8 seconds rather than making spells free for 8 seconds.
- Redesign:
Abundance — Abundance redesigned — while you have at least 5 Rejuvenations active, Regrowth's critical strike chance is increased by 50% and its mana cost reduced by 50%.
- Redesign:
Tranquility — Tranquility updated — now grows protective roots at your feet, absorbing damage equal to 60% of your health and preventing knockbacks.
- Redesign:
Incarnation: Tree of Life — Incarnation: Tree of Life updated — now casts Regrowth on up to 3 nearby injured allies when you initially shapeshift.
- Buff:
Swiftmend — Swiftmend healing increased by 40% of the consumed heal-over-time effect.
- Buff:
Mastery: Harmony healing bonus increased by 15%.
- Buff:
All spell and ability healing increased by 6%.
- Buff:
Wild Growth — Wild Growth healing increased by 20%; mana cost increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Verdancy — Verdancy healing increased by 40%.
- Buff:
Rejuvenation — Rejuvenation mana cost reduced by 10%.
- Nerf:
Regrowth — Regrowth healing reduced by 20%; mana cost reduced by 10%.
- Buff:
Lifebloom — Lifebloom mana cost reduced by 20%.
- Removed:
Nature's Splendor — Nature's Splendor has been removed.
- Nerf:
All healing reduced by 10% in PvP combat.
GeneralHero Talents — Scalecommander
- Buff:
Panacea — Panacea healing increased by 25%.
- Redesign:
Wingleader — Wingleader redesigned — Mass Disintegrate/Mass Eruption reduces the remaining cooldown of Deep Breath/Breath of Eons by 0.5/1 second for each target struck.
- Buff:
Command Squadron's Pyre — Command Squadron's Pyre damage increased by 40%.
- Buff:
Maneuverability — Maneuverability's damage over time increased by 40%.
AugmentationHero Talents — Chronowarden
The additional stopping power created by Duplicate-cast Upheavals was more warping to dungeon gameplay than desired, and could be frustrating due to its uncontrolled timing.
- Redesign:
Duplicate — Apex Talent: Duplicate — Upheaval casts by your Duplicate no longer knock enemies into the air.
- Buff:
All ability and pet damage increased by 3%.
- Buff:
Living Flame — Living Flame healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Verdant Embrace — Verdant Embrace healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Emerald Blossom — Emerald Blossom healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Defy Fate — Defy Fate healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Molten Blood — Molten Blood healing increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
The Midnight Season 1 2-set bonus no longer increases the duration that Eruption extends Ebon Might.
- Redesign:
Double-time — Double-time updated — bonus stats from Ebon Might critical strikes now last 15 seconds and refresh on reapplication.
- Buff:
Wingleader — Wingleader now reduces the cooldown of Breath of Eons by 1.5 seconds per target struck (was 1 second).
DevastationHero Talents — Flameshaper
Devastation's Apex talent, while powerful, hasn't been as gameplay-affecting as we had hoped. We've redesigned the Rank 3 effect to override Dragonrage with a limited number of uses of a new, powerful spell, Unbound Flame.
- Redesign:
Rising Fury — Apex Talent: Rising Fury (Rank 3) redesigned — when Dragonrage ends, Rising Fury persists and Dragonrage becomes Unbound Flame, castable 4 times before Dragonrage finishes its cooldown.
- Buff:
Deep Breath — Deep Breath damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Pyre — Pyre damage increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Disintegrate — Disintegrate damage increased by 40%.
- Buff:
Living Flame — Living Flame damage increased by 50%; healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Verdant Embrace — Verdant Embrace healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Emerald Blossom — Emerald Blossom healing increased by 25%.
- Removed:
Risen Fury — Risen Fury has been removed (streamlined into Rising Fury).
- Nerf:
Twin Flame — Twin Flame damage and healing reduced by 20%.
- Buff:
Wingleader — Wingleader now reduces the cooldown of Deep Breath by 1 second per target struck (was 0.5 seconds).
PreservationHero Talents — Flameshaper
The goal of this change is to make Dream Breath a flexible heal that can once again serve as either a powerful heal-over-time effect or a burst heal when charged, while updating Consume Flame to be much more relevant as Flameshaper's capstone talent.
- Redesign:
Merithra's Blessing — Apex Talent: Merithra's Blessing updated — now increases all healing of Dream Breath by 60% (was 250%, and previously applied only to its instant healing).
- Nerf:
Dream Breath — Dream Breath instant healing reduced by 50%.
- Buff:
Dream Breath — Dream Breath periodic healing increased by 118%.
- Buff:
Temporal Barrier — Temporal Barrier absorption increased by 30%.
- Nerf:
Inner Flame — Inner Flame increases periodic healing by 50% (was 60%).
- Buff:
Spiritual Clarity — Spiritual Clarity reduces the cooldown of Dream Breath by 6 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Nerf:
Expanded Lungs — Expanded Lungs increases the healing of Dream Breath by 20% (was 30%).
- Nerf:
Conduit of Flame — Conduit of Flame increases critical chance by 10% (was 15%). Does not affect Devastation Evoker.
- Buff:
Consume Flame — Consume Flame heals for 240% of the amount consumed (was 200%).
GeneralHero Talents — Dark Ranger
- Buff:
Bleak Arrows — Bleak Arrows damage increased by 300%.
- Nerf:
Withering Fire — Withering Fire's Black Arrow damage reduced by 40%.
- Fix:
Through The Eyes — Fixed an issue where Through The Eyes was not properly increasing Withering Fire's damage.
Beast MasteryHero Talents — Pack Leader
Beast Mastery Hunters felt a bit weak outside of Bestial Wrath damage windows, so we're increasing steady-state damage by boosting Kill Command, Cobra Shot, and Barbed Shot, and extending Beast Cleave uptime.
- Redesign:
Heart of the Pack — Heart of the Pack renamed to Razor Sharp and redesigned — increases the damage of your pet's Bite, Claw, and Smack by 100%.
- Buff:
Auto Shot damage increased by 720%.
- Buff:
Barbed Shot — Barbed Shot damage increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Kill Command — Kill Command damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Cobra Shot — Cobra Shot damage increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Beast Cleave — Beast Cleave now causes pets to strike nearby enemies for 55% of the damage dealt (was 40%); duration increased to 10 seconds (was 8 seconds) and can no longer be cancelled.
- Nerf:
Serpentine Strikes — Serpentine Strikes now increases Cobra Shot's critical strike damage by 20% (was 50%).
- Nerf:
Cobra Senses — Cobra Senses now increases Cobra Shot's damage by 10% (was 35%).
- Removed:
Wild Instincts — Wild Instincts has been removed.
- Nerf:
Hogstrider — Hogstrider now increases the damage of your next Cobra Shot by 100% (was 200%).
MarksmanshipHero Talents — Dark Ranger
In Midnight Season 2, we're changing Explosive Shot's design and its supporting talents, removing Headshot, and adjusting how Deathblow works. We're also adjusting Marksmanship's Apex Talent nodes to no longer make Aimed Shot a guaranteed critical strike.
- New:
Unstable Trigger — New Talent: Unstable Trigger — Explosive Shot can be used a second time if used within 3 seconds, incorporating remaining damage from previous casts.
- Redesign:
Explosive Shot — Explosive Shot redesigned — explodes every 1 second for 3 seconds, dealing Fire damage within 8 yards (reduced beyond 5 targets).
- Redesign:
Windrunner Quiver — Windrunner Quiver redesigned — Rapid Fire damage increased by 10%, with a 30% chance to grant Lock and Load.
- Buff:
All damage dealt by your abilities increased by 5%.
- Buff:
Auto Shot damage increased by 756%.
- Buff:
Aimed Shot — Aimed Shot damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Rapid Fire — Rapid Fire damage increased by 44%.
- Buff:
Arcane Shot — Arcane Shot damage increased by 38%.
- Buff:
Steady Shot — Steady Shot damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Multi-Shot — Multi-Shot damage increased by 73%.
- Buff:
Volley — Volley damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Kill Shot — Kill Shot damage increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Eagle's Accuracy — Eagle's Accuracy now a 1-point talent increasing Aimed Shot damage by 5% (was 10%) and Rapid Fire by 10% (was 20%).
- Removed:
Double Tap — Double Tap has been removed.
- Removed:
Headshot — Headshot has been removed.
- Redesign:
Through the Eyes — Through the Eyes redesigned — increases the damage of Kill Shot and Black Arrow by 10%.
- Buff:
Black Arrow — Black Arrow damage increased by 25%; direct damage reduced by 40%.
- Nerf:
Moon's Blessing — Moon's Blessing now only causes 1 second of cooldown reduction to Aimed Shot (was 2 seconds).
SurvivalHero Talents — Pack Leader
- New:
Razor Edge — New Talent: Razor Edge — Raptor Strike, Raptor Swipe, and Kill Command gain 10% increased critical strike chance and 10% increased critical damage dealt.
- New:
Bombardier — New Talent: Bombardier — Wildfire Bomb damage, critical strike chance, and critical damage dealt increased by 15%.
- Redesign:
Wildfire Imbuement — Wildfire Imbuement redesigned — Wildfire Bomb has a chance to imbue your weapon with flames, adding Fire damage to auto-attacks for 10 seconds.
- Redesign:
Grenade Juggler — Grenade Juggler redesigned — Boomstick increases the cooldown recovery rate of Wildfire Bomb by 60% for 8 seconds.
- Buff:
Lunge — Lunge now increases Agility by 3% (was 2%), plus 1% (was 2%) while dual-wielding.
- Buff:
Wildfire Shells — Wildfire Shells now grants 3 seconds of cooldown reduction to Wildfire Bombs (was 2 seconds).
- Removed:
Flamefang Pitch — Flamefang Pitch has been removed.
- Removed:
Shower of Blood — Shower of Blood has been removed.
- Buff:
Hogstrider — Hogstrider now lasts for 1 minute (was 20 seconds); now cancelled when starting a raid encounter or Mythic+ dungeon.
- Redesign:
Open Fire — Open Fire redesigned — Fire damage dealt increased by 5%.
- Redesign:
Lethal Barbs — Lethal Barbs updated — auto-attacks now have a very high chance to generate 3 Focus, rather than granting 1 Focus per auto-attack.
- Buff:
Sentinel's Mark — Sentinel's Mark duration increased to 16 seconds (was 12 seconds).
GeneralHero Talents — Sunfury
We've made adjustments to Mage defensives with the goal of improving Mage survivability as a whole, unifying Improved Barrier to give all specs an additional charge of their Barrier spell plus a spec-specific "rider" effect.
- New:
Improved Warding — New Talent: Improved Warding — damage taken from area-of-effect attacks reduced by 4%.
- Redesign:
Improved Prismatic Barrier — Improved Prismatic Barrier redesigned — Prismatic Barrier gains an additional charge and further reduces magic damage taken by 5%.
- Redesign:
Improved Blazing Barrier — Improved Blazing Barrier redesigned — Blazing Barrier gains an additional charge and heals for 15% of the damage it absorbs.
- Redesign:
Improved Ice Barrier — Improved Ice Barrier redesigned — Ice Barrier gains an additional charge and reduces physical damage taken by 10%.
- Buff:
Temporal Realignment — Temporal Realignment updated — now immediately heals 20% of your health and heals an additional 30% over 6 seconds.
- Redesign:
Rondurmancy — Rondurmancy redesigned — chance to generate a Spellfire Sphere increased by 6%/12%; Spellfire Spheres grant an additional 1% spell damage.
- Redesign:
Ashes of Inspiration — Ashes of Inspiration redesigned — each time your Phoenix casts a spell, gain 1 stack of Mana Cascade (2 for Exceptional Spells).
- Nerf:
Spellfire Spheres — Spellfire Spheres orb generation chance reduced to 6% for Arcane Mages and 12% for Fire Mages (was 12% and 25%).
ArcaneHero Talents — Spellslinger
We love the orb-slingin' playstyle of Spellslinger Mage and want to preserve the distinct feel versus Sunfury. These changes keep Arcane Orb a highlight of Spellslinger while letting Arcane Missiles remain integral to Arcane Mage's identity. We're also redesigning Arcane Mage's Apex Talent for a bigger visual moment and reworking Arcane Pulse as an area-damage/charge-regain tool.
- New:
Prismatic Bolt — New Apex Talent: Prismatic Bolt — Arcane Barrage has a chance per Arcane Salvo stack consumed to trigger Prismatic Bolt, dealing Arcane damage and generating 4 Arcane Charges.
- New:
Refractive Images — New Talent: Refractive Images — 10% of damage you would take is instead dealt over 8 seconds; Mirror Image increases this to 30% for 15 seconds.
- Redesign:
Arcane Pulse — Arcane Pulse redesigned — cast time reduced to 2 seconds (was 2.25 seconds), radius increased to 8 yards (was 2 yards), now on a 15-second cooldown generating 1 Arcane Charge per enemy struck.
- Redesign:
Orb Mastery — Orb Mastery redesigned — casting Arcane Orb fires 2 additional orbs at 50% effectiveness.
- Buff:
Arcane Blast — Arcane Blast damage increased by 20%.
- Removed:
Touch of the Archmage — Touch of the Archmage has been removed.
- Nerf:
Polished Focus — Polished Focus updated — Arcane Barrage at 20+ Arcane Salvo stacks refunds 3 stacks (was 5).
- Buff:
Splintering Orbs — Splintering Orbs damage bonus to Arcane Orb increased to 50% (was 10%).
- Nerf:
Glorious Incandescence — Glorious Incandescence now summons a Meteorite for every 5 stacks of Arcane Salvo consumed (was 6 stacks).
- Fix:
Fixed an issue that prevented Meteorites from granting Clearcasting.
Fire
Our goal with these changes is to shift the relative value of Fire's steady-state damage versus Combustion window burst, so time spent outside of Combustion remains meaningful.
- Buff:
All damage increased by 19%.
- Buff:
Pyroblast — Pyroblast damage increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Flamestrike — Flamestrike damage increased by 15%.
- Nerf:
Fired Up — Apex Talent: Fired Up (Rank 1) now grants 2% increased Fire damage for 8 seconds (was 4% for 12 seconds).
- Buff:
Fired Up — Apex Talent: Fired Up (Rank 2) now increases Fire damage by 5%/10% (was 3%/6%).
- Buff:
Pyroclasm — Pyroclasm duration increased to 20 seconds (was 15 seconds).
Frost
- Nerf:
Glacial Bulwark — Glacial Bulwark updated — no longer grants an additional charge of Ice Barrier.
- Nerf:
Splitting Ice — Splitting Ice updated — Flurry and Frostbolt effectiveness against the second target reduced to 50% (was 80%).
- Nerf:
Fractured Frost — Fractured Frost updated — Ice Lance effectiveness against the second target reduced to 50% (was 100%).
- Buff:
All ability and pet damage increased by 7%.
- Nerf:
Hand of Frost — Apex Talent: Hand of Frost (Rank 2) now grants 0.5%/1% increased spell damage (was 1%/2%).
General
- Buff:
Chi Transfer — Chi Transfer now causes Touch of Death to heal you for 60% of damage it deals (was 50%).
- Buff:
Vigorous Expulsion — Vigorous Expulsion increases Expel Harm's healing by 6% (was 5%).
- Buff:
Silent Sanctuary — Silent Sanctuary healing increased by 25%.
Brewmaster
- Buff:
Staggering Strikes — Stagger reduction from Staggering Strikes increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Spirit of the Ox — Spirit of the Ox chance to generate a healing sphere increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Celestial Brew — Celestial Brew and Celestial Infusion absorb increased by 150%; cooldown increased by 100%.
- Buff:
Awakening Spirit — Awakening Spirit's maximum absorb value increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Vital Flame — Vital Flame heals for 50% of Fire or Nature damage dealt (was 40%).
MistweaverMistweaver (PvP)
We're making a few adjustments with the intent of incentivizing Mastery as a more viable secondary stat and shifting some throughput out of Spinning Crane Kick and into Ancient Teachings.
- New:
Vital Expenditure — New Talent: Vital Expenditure — Soothing Mist's healing increased by 300%, mana cost increased by 200%.
- Redesign:
Dance of the Wind — Dance of the Wind updated — physical damage taken reduced by 10%, plus an additional 10% every 4 seconds until hit, stacking up to 4.
- Nerf:
All healing reduced by 3%.
- Buff:
Mastery: Gust of Mist healing increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Spinning Crane Kick — Spinning Crane Kick damage decreased by 7%.
- Nerf:
Way of the Crane — Way of the Crane now transfers 280% of damage done (was 340%).
- Buff:
Jadefire Teachings — Jadefire Teachings now increases Ancient Teaching's transfer amount by 320% (was 270%).
- Nerf:
Morning Breeze — Morning Breeze effectiveness reduced by 60%.
- Nerf:
Vital Expenditure — Vital Expenditure increases Soothing Mist's healing by 100% (was 300%) and mana cost by 33% (was 200%) in PvP combat.
WindwalkerHero Talents — Conduit of the Celestials
We are making adjustments to Windwalker's damage profile to reduce the gap between steady-state damage and high-end burst capability.
- Buff:
Melee auto-attack damage increased by 30%.
- Nerf:
Zenith Stomp — Zenith Stomp damage reduced by 30%.
- Buff:
Blackout Kick — Blackout Kick damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Tiger Palm — Tiger Palm damage increased by 200%.
- Buff:
Dual Threat — Dual Threat damage increased by 30%.
- Nerf:
Spinning Crane Kick — Spinning Crane Kick damage decreased by 12%.
- Buff:
Whirling Dragon Punch — Whirling Dragon Punch area-of-effect damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Jade Ignition — Jade Ignition damage increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Weapon of Wind — Weapon of Wind now increases damage during Zenith by 5% (was 10%).
- Nerf:
Tigereye Brew — Apex Talent: Tigereye Brew (Rank 2) now increases Critical Strike damage by 5%/10% (was 10%/20%).
- Buff:
Vivify — Vivify healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Expel Harm — Expel Harm healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Calming Presence — Calming Presence now reduces damage taken by 10% (was 6%).
- Nerf:
Celestial Conduit — Celestial Conduit damage reduced by 25%.
- Buff:
Temple Training — Temple Training increases the damage of Fists of Fury and Spinning Crane Kick by 30% (was 10%).
GeneralHero Talents — Lightsmith
- Buff:
Golden Path — Golden Path healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Lightforged Blessing — Lightforged Blessing healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Brought to Light — Brought to Light healing increased by 25%.
- Redesign:
Divine Guidance — Divine Guidance updated — for each Holy Power ability cast, your next Consecration deals Holy damage immediately, split across enemies, healing up to 3 nearby allies.
- Buff:
Rite of Adjuration — Rite of Adjuration healing increased by 25%.
HolyHoly (PvP)
We're making updates with the intent of increasing talent diversity, shrinking the performance gap between Light of Dawn and their other spenders, increasing overall damage output, and increasing the viability of Beacon of Virtue within dungeon content.
- Buff:
All healing increased by 19%.
- Buff:
Eternal Flame — Eternal Flame healing increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Word of Glory — Word of Glory healing increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Holy Shock — Holy Shock healing increased by 10%.
- Buff:
All damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Judgment — Judgment damage increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Hammer of Wrath — Hammer of Wrath damage increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Avenging Crusader — Avenging Crusader now transfers 55% of healing done (was 80%).
- Buff:
Pillar of Light — Pillar of Light's Beacon of Virtue healing increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Shield of the Righteous — Shield of the Righteous mana return increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Ringing of the Heavens — Ringing of the Heavens now casts Divine Toll at 200% effectiveness (was 100%).
- Buff:
Truth Prevails — Truth Prevails healing increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Saved by the Light — Saved by the Light absorb increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
All healing reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
ProtectionHero Talents — Lightsmith
We're intending to reduce the opportunity cost associated with taking Sentinel and broaden the suite of defensive talent options, while transferring power out of cooldown windows into baseline throughput.
- New:
Blessed Word — New Talent: Blessed Word — Word of Glory can no longer critically strike, but its healing is increased by your critical strike chance and 80% of overhealing grants an absorb shield.
- Redesign:
Improved Ardent Defender — Improved Ardent Defender redesigned — now increases maximum HP by 20% while active and no longer cancels remaining duration if fatal damage is sustained.
- Redesign:
Seal of Reprisal — Seal of Reprisal redesigned — Blessed Hammer reduces enemy damage dealt to you by 10% for 8 seconds.
- Buff:
Judgment — Judgment damage increased by 51%.
- Buff:
Consecration — Consecration damage increased by 100%.
- Buff:
Shield of the Righteous — Shield of the Righteous damage increased by 150%.
- Buff:
Hammer of the Righteous — Hammer of the Righteous primary damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Avenger's Shield — Avenger's Shield damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Lesser Weapon — Lesser Weapon damage increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Hammer of Light — Hammer of Light damage reduced by 33%.
- Nerf:
Empyrean Hammer — Empyrean Hammer damage reduced by 33%.
- Nerf:
Hammer and Anvil — Hammer and Anvil damage reduced by 20%.
- Nerf:
Divine Exaction — Divine Exaction's Divine Toll effectiveness reduced to 80% (was 150%).
- Buff:
Sentinel — Sentinel duration increased to 20 seconds.
- Buff:
Bulwark of Order — Bulwark of Order absorb increased to 75% of Avenger's Shield damage (was 60%).
- Buff:
Solace — Solace causes Consecration to heal you for 375% of damage it deals (was 300%).
- Nerf:
Bulwark of Righteous Fury — Bulwark of Righteous Fury increases the damage of your next Shield of the Righteous by 10% per stack (was 20%).
- Removed:
Sanctified Wrath — Sanctified Wrath has been removed.
- Nerf:
Blessed Assurance — Blessed Assurance now increases the damage and healing of your next Blessed Hammer or Hammer of the Righteous by 100% (was 200%).
- Nerf:
Divine Exaction — Hero Talents — Templar: Divine Exaction causes Divine Toll to strike at 45% effectiveness in PvP combat.
RetributionHero Talents — Templar
In addition to addressing throughput spikes during cooldown windows, we're aiming to smooth out the rotation by reducing pressure on consuming Art of War/Righteous Cause effects, and removing some interactions with Skyfury that deeply impact the rotation and Holy Power economy.
- Redesign:
Light Within — Apex Talent: Light Within (Rank 1) — Art of War and Righteous Cause can now each accumulate an additional time.
- Nerf:
Light Within — Apex Talent: Light Within (Rank 3) damage reduced by 25%.
- Nerf:
Art of War — Art of War updated — now increases Blade of Justice damage by 80% (was 150%); no longer activates from additional Skyfury attacks.
- Nerf:
All damage reduced by 6%.
- Buff:
Blade of Justice — Blade of Justice damage increased by 40%.
- Buff:
Final Verdict — Final Verdict damage increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Divine Storm — Divine Storm damage increased by 26%.
- Nerf:
Avenging Wrath — Avenging Wrath now increases damage done and critical strike chance by 15% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Templar Strike — Templar Strike damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Templar Slash — Templar Slash damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Judgment — Judgment damage increased by 50%.
- Buff:
Hammer of Wrath — Hammer of Wrath damage increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Divine Toll — Divine Toll's Judgment now deals 50% increased damage (was 100%).
- Buff:
Flash of Light — Flash of Light healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Word of Glory — Word of Glory healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Eternal Flame — Eternal Flame healing increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Hammer of Light — Hammer of Light damage reduced by 30% (does not affect PvP combat); now costs 3 Holy Power (was 5).
- Nerf:
Eternal Flame — Eternal Flame healing reduced by 20% in PvP combat.
DisciplineHero Talents — Oracle
Our changes are aimed at reducing reliance on procs for effective healing, improving sources of consistent damage, and improving Hero talent balance — updating Shadow Mend to a passive upgrade to Flash Heal and giving Smite more impact.
- New:
Grim Deliverance — New Talent: Grim Deliverance — Shadow Mend heals for 30% more and applies Atonement for an additional 4 seconds, at the cost of a 0.5-second longer cast time.
- Redesign:
Shadow Mend — Shadow Mend redesigned to a passive upgrade — Flash Heal is upgraded to Shadow Mend, a stronger heal with a higher mana cost.
- Redesign:
Master the Darkness — Apex Talent: Master the Darkness (Rank 3) updated — Mind Blast now upgrades your next Power Word: Shield to Void Shield; Void Shield's chance to trigger from Penance reduced to 15% (was 33%), absorption reduced by 28%.
- Buff:
All healing and absorption increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Atonement — Atonement heals for 32% of damage done (was 30%).
- Buff:
Flash Heal — Flash Heal healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Smite — Smite damage increased by 40%.
- Nerf:
Inescapable Torment — Inescapable Torment damage reduced by 30%.
- Nerf:
Penance — Penance no longer applies Atonement when cast on an ally.
- Buff:
Ultimate Penitence — Ultimate Penitence damage and healing increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Greater Smite — Greater Smite duration increased to 4 seconds (was 2 seconds) and is now a 1-point talent.
- Redesign:
Unfolding Vision — Unfolding Vision redesigned — when Power Word: Shield or Void Shield expires with absorption remaining, it jumps to a nearby injured ally instead.
- Buff:
Void Blast — Void Blast damage increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Voidwraith — Voidwraith damage increased by 30%.
- Buff:
Void Infusion — Void Infusion now increases Atonement healing from Void Blast and Penance by 75% while Entropic Rift is active (was 50%).
- Nerf:
Quickened Pulse — Hero Talents — Voidweaver: Quickened Pulse causes Entropic Rift and Shadow Word: Pain to deal damage 15% more often in PvP combat (was 25%).
HolyHero Talents — Archon
We are adding a benefit to channeling Divine Hymn to make it easier to use, and want to address Benediction's performance by spreading its availability beyond Apotheosis and Prayer of Mending.
- Redesign:
Divine Hymn — Divine Hymn updated — now additionally grants Guardian Spirit while channeled.
- Redesign:
Benediction — Apex Talent: Benediction (Rank 3) updated — Holy Word: Serenity now has a 100% chance to upgrade your next Flash Heal to Benediction.
- Buff:
Benediction — Apex Talent: Benediction mana cost reduced by 30%; healing increased by 15%.
- Buff:
All healing increased by 16%.
- Buff:
Flash Heal — Flash Heal mana cost reduced by 10%.
- Buff:
Prayer of Healing — Prayer of Healing mana cost reduced by 10%.
- Buff:
Apotheosis — Apotheosis now reduces the mana cost of Holy Words by 70% (was 50%).
- Redesign:
Resonant Energy — Resonant Energy redesigned — creating a Halo increases healing done by 2% for 10 seconds, stacking up to 4 times.
ShadowHero Talents — Archon
We're intending to improve Voidform gameplay and adding an additional source of multi-target damage to reduce reliance on Psychic Link in AoE, updating Void Volley to a limited-use ability during Voidform.
- New:
Shadeburst — New Talent: Shadeburst — Shadowy Apparitions that float toward your primary target explode, dealing Shadow damage within 8 yards (reduced beyond 5 targets).
- Redesign:
Improved Voidform — Improved Voidform redesigned — Voidform increases spell damage by an additional 5% and grants 2 additional uses of Void Volley.
- Redesign:
Ancient Madness — Ancient Madness redesigned — Shadow Word: Madness increases Haste during Voidform by 2% and increases its duration by 1.5 seconds, stacking up to 5 times.
- Buff:
All ability damage done increased by 8%.
- Nerf:
Void Volley — Void Volley damage reduced by 10%.
- Buff:
Power Word: Shield — Power Word: Shield absorb increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Idol of N'Zoth — Idol of N'Zoth now generates 2 Insanity (was 4) at 50 stacks and 6 Insanity (was 12) at 100 stacks.
- Removed:
Phantom Menace — Phantom Menace has been removed.
- Redesign:
Focused Outburst — Focused Outburst redesigned — Void Volley deals 5% increased damage; Shadow Word: Madness casts during Voidform unleash a Void Volley at 25% effectiveness.
- Redesign:
Resonant Energy — Resonant Energy redesigned — creating a Halo increases spell damage by 2% for 10 seconds, stacking up to 4 times.
- Nerf:
Void Volley — Void Volley damage reduced by 10% in PvP combat, alongside a reduced Venomous Abyss 4-set bonus effectiveness.
- Nerf:
Focused Outburst — Hero Talents — Archon: Focused Outburst now increases Void Volley damage by 5% (was 15%) in PvP combat.
GeneralHero Talents — Fatebound
- Redesign:
Thistle Tea — Thistle Tea is now a choice talent — choose between the existing auto-cast-at-low-Energy version or a new actively-cast-only version.
- Buff:
Atrophic Poison — Atrophic Poison now reduces damage dealt by 4% (was 3%); duration increased to 60 seconds (was 10 seconds). Duration unchanged in PvP.
- Nerf:
Deal Fate — Deal Fate now has a 60% chance to grant an extra combo point when you Seal Fate (was 100%).
AssassinationAssassination (PvP)
We aren't happy with how the Rank 1 Implacable apex talent plays — it's unintuitive for optimal play to intentionally let Envenom drop. We're updating it so refreshing Envenom late is consistently the best play, and giving consistent Energy recovery value.
- New:
Unstable Toxin — New Talent: Unstable Toxin — Envenom damage increased by 18%, but its duration is reduced by 2 seconds.
- Redesign:
Implacable — Apex Talent: Implacable (Rank 1) updated — Envenom damage increased by 10%; now restores 2 Energy per combo point spent.
- Buff:
Implacable — Apex Talent: Implacable (Rank 3) — Implacable Strike damage increased by 15%.
- Redesign:
Internal Bleeding — Internal Bleeding updated — now triggers from casting Kidney Shot and Rupture; damage increased by 10%.
- Redesign:
Iron Wire — Iron Wire updated — Garrotes applied from stealth or during the Improved Garrote window now silence the target for 5 seconds.
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 20%.
- Nerf:
Deathmark — Deathmark increases the damage of your Rupture, Garrote, and Lethal Poisons by 75% (was 100%).
- Nerf:
Kingsbane — Kingsbane damage reduced by 15%.
- Buff:
Shrouded Suffocation — Shrouded Suffocation increases Garrote damage by 30% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Avulsion — Avulsion increases Rupture damage by 25% (was 20%).
- Buff:
Motivated Murderer — Motivated Murderer Energy increased to 30% (was 20%).
- Nerf:
Blindside — Blindside's chance to trigger reduced to 10% (was 15%); 20% at low target health (was 30%).
- Removed:
Deadly Momentum — Deadly Momentum has been removed.
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 10%.
OutlawOutlaw (PvP)
Killing Spree's damage has been increased significantly because the damage it did wasn't sufficiently stronger than using other abilities during its channel. It should now increase your overall damage about as much as other comparable talents.
- Redesign:
Killing Spree — Killing Spree updated — duration no longer increases from spending combo points beyond your maximum; each excess combo point spent increases damage by 15% instead.
- Buff:
Killing Spree — Killing Spree damage increased by 60% (does not affect PvP combat).
- Redesign:
Improved Between the Eyes — Improved Between the Eyes updated — critical strikes deal 2.5 times normal damage (was 3 times).
- Buff:
Fast Action — Fast Action updated — now reduces the cooldown of Between the Eyes by 8 seconds (was 5 seconds) and increases the damage bonus from each stack by 1%.
- Buff:
All damage increased by 9% (does not affect PvP combat).
- Buff:
Heavy Hitter — Heavy Hitter increases the damage of attacks that generate combo points by 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
- Nerf:
Zero In — Zero In value per stack reduced to 2% (was 3%).
- Buff:
Audacity — Audacity now also increases Ambush damage by 80%.
- Buff:
Summarily Dispatched — Summarily Dispatched increases Dispatch damage by 15%/30% (was 10%/20%).
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 6% (does not apply to PvP combat).
SubtletySubtlety (PvP)
We've updated Subtlety's resource economy, removing a double-generation bug and increasing Shadow Techniques' base rate and Energy generation to make moments outside of Shadow Dance feel less starved, while preserving proc rate and combo point generation within Shadow Dance.
- Redesign:
Goremaw's Bite — Goremaw's Bite redesigned — lash out at your target and 2 additional nearby enemies, inflicting Shadow damage and a Bleed over 14 seconds; 20% of Finishing Move damage repeats as Shadow, split among affected enemies.
- Buff:
Shadowcraft — Shadowcraft updated — while Shadow Dance is active, Shadow Techniques triggers 25% more frequently and generates 1 additional combo point.
- Buff:
All damage dealt increased by 2% (does not apply to PvP combat).
- Buff:
The First Dance — The First Dance now increases Shadow Dance duration by 4 seconds (was 3 seconds).
- Nerf:
Relentless Strikes — Relentless Strikes now generates 4 Energy per combo point spent on finishing moves (was 5 Energy).
- Buff:
Shadow Techniques — Shadow Techniques' base effect frequency increased by 40%; Energy generation increased to 5 (was 4).
- Buff:
Goremaw's Bite — All damage dealt increased by 10% (does not apply to PvP combat); Goremaw's Bite repeats 10% damage of Finishing Moves in PvP combat.
GeneralHero Talents — Farseer
- Buff:
Reactive Warding — Reactive Warding healing increased by 25%.
- Redesign:
Ascendance — Ascendance has a new icon for all three specializations.
- Buff:
Chain Lightning — Chain Lightning now hits up to 5 targets (was 3).
- Buff:
Lava Burst — Lava Burst now also increases damage by a percent equal to your critical strike chance.
ElementalHero Talents — Farseer
Elemental Shaman have higher burst during their Ascendance window than we'd like. We're spreading damage into spells more evenly for higher consistent damage while still getting a spike during Ascendance.
- Redesign:
Power of the Maelstrom — Power of the Maelstrom redesigned — Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning have a 15% chance to cause your next Lava Burst to deal 20% increased damage, stacking up to 2 times.
- Nerf:
Stormkeeper — Stormkeeper updated — no longer causes Lightning Bolt to generate an additional Elemental Overload.
- Buff:
Lava Burst — Lava Burst damage increased by 30% (does not apply to PvP combat).
- Buff:
Lightning Bolt — Lightning Bolt damage increased by 30% (does not apply to PvP combat).
- Buff:
Chain Lightning — Chain Lightning damage increased by 60%.
- Buff:
Flame Shock — Flame Shock damage increased by 60%.
- Nerf:
Tempest — Tempest direct damage reduced by 20%.
- Buff:
Healing Surge — Healing Surge healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Earth Shield — Earth Shield healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Healing Stream Totem — Healing Stream Totem healing increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Ascendance — Ascendance now increases the damage of Elemental Overload by 30% (was 75%).
- Nerf:
Bonus Lava Bursts when activating Ascendance are now 50% of their normal value (was 100%).
- Nerf:
Molten Wrath — Molten Wrath now increases the damage of Lava Burst by 10% (was 15%).
- Nerf:
Feedback Loop — Apex Talent: Feedback Loop (Rank 1) now increases Elemental Overload damage by 10% (was 35%) and Elemental damage done by 10%.
- Nerf:
Feedback Loop — Apex Talent: Feedback Loop (Rank 2) now grants 15%/30% critical damage bonus (was 25%/50%).
- Nerf:
Ancestors — Ancestors' Lava Burst damage reduced by 20%.
- Nerf:
Ancestors — Ancestors' Chain Lightning damage reduced by 20%.
- Redesign:
Supercharge — Supercharge redesigned — Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Tempest overloads deal 10% additional damage.
EnhancementHero Talents — Stormbringer
We're happy with Enhancement Shaman's gameplay going into Curse of Ula'tek and are aiming to preserve it while improving performance outside of cooldown windows, where damage can feel weak.
- Buff:
Melee damage increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Lightning Bolt — Lightning Bolt damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Chain Lightning — Chain Lightning damage increased by 20%.
- Buff:
Lava Lash — Lava Lash damage increased by 15%.
- Buff:
Stormstrike — Stormstrike damage increased by 15%.
- Nerf:
Doom Winds — Doom Winds now increases the chance of Windfury Weapon activating by 50% (was 100%).
- Buff:
Healing Surge — Healing Surge healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Earth Shield — Earth Shield healing increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Healing Stream Totem — Healing Stream Totem healing increased by 25%.
- Nerf:
Tempest — Tempest main target damage reduced by 10%; secondary target damage reduced by 30%.
- Nerf:
Tremor — Surging Totem Tremor damage reduced by 15%.
- Nerf:
Surging Bolt — Surging Totem Surging Bolt damage reduced by 10%.
RestorationHero Talents — Farseer
We're adjusting several talents and tuning to improve underperforming interactions, and improving Chain Heal from the Farseer Ancestors.
- New:
Swelling Tides — New Talent: Swelling Tides — Healing Stream Totem and Stormstream Totem extend the duration of active Riptides by 3 seconds when cast.
- Buff:
Healing Wave — Healing Wave healing increased by 10%.
- Buff:
Unleash Life — Unleash Life healing increased by 100%.
- Buff:
Healing Rain — Healing Rain healing increased by 20% and now heals up to 6 targets in its area (was 5); cooldown changed to 12 seconds with an 18-second duration.
- Buff:
Riptide — Riptide direct healing increased by 25%; periodic healing increased by 100%.
- Nerf:
Acid Rain — Acid Rain damage increased by 50%, but now deals damage every 2 seconds (was 1 second).
- Nerf:
Midnight Season 1 2-set bonus updated — Unleash Life's direct healing is increased by 50% (was 100%).
- Removed:
Calm Waters — Calm Waters has been removed.
- Buff:
Chain Heal from Ancestors now bounces to up to 5 targets (was 3), loses 10% healing per jump (was 30%), jump distance increased to 20 yards (was 15 yards).
- Buff:
Chain Heal from Ancestors healing increased by 50%.
- Nerf:
Pulse Capacitor — Pulse Capacitor now increases the healing done by Surging Totem by 10% (was 25%).
- Nerf:
Surging Totem — Surging Totem now increases the effectiveness of Healing Rain by 10% (was 20%).
General
- Buff:
Drain Life — Drain Life health drain increased by 25%.
- Buff:
Zevrim's Resilience — Zevrim's Resilience healing increased by 25%.
- Redesign:
Summon Demonic Gateway — Summon Demonic Gateway is now a Utility spell by default in the Cooldown Manager.
- Fix:
Wither — Fixed an issue where several abilities would not grant Soul Leech, including Wither, Blackened Soul, Infernal Bolt, Soul Anathema, Wicked Reaping, Avatar of Destruction's Chaos Bolt, Unstable Affliction, Malefic Grasp, and Vilefiend's Headbutt and Bile Spit.
Arms
- Redesign:
Rend — Rend is now exclusive to Arms, has returned to being a single-target ability, and its Rage cost has been reduced to 10. Cleave will apply Rend to all targets if the Warrior knows Rend.
Fury
- New:
Storm of Blood — New Talent: Storm of Blood — makes Whirlwind apply Rend to all targets. (No exact damage figure for this talent was published in the sources retrieved.)
Protection
- Redesign:
Revenge — Protection Warriors have returned to their counter-attack mechanic, triggering free Revenge casts through dodges and parries. (No exact proc rate was published in the sources retrieved.)
- New:
Blood and Thunder — New Talent: Blood and Thunder — makes Thunder Clap apply Rend to all targets; Thunder Clap no longer innately applies Rend if known.
New Content Overview
- New:
Midnight Season 2 begins one week after launch (August 18) with a new Mythic+ dungeon rotation: Altar of Fangs, Murder Row, Den of Nalorakk, The Blinding Vale, and Voidscar Arena, plus returning dungeons Kings' Rest, Ruby Life Pools, and Temple of Sethraliss with design/QoL updates.
- New:
Season 2's "A Slithering Threat" questline brings Nightmare Mode back with four new serpent-themed Prey targets across the Coiled Isle, plus a new permanent toggleable Nightmare Mode ("The Curse of the Isle") for extra challenge.
Classes — System-Wide
- Buff:
Player health and creature damage increased by 25% at max level. Health consumable values have been adjusted to match new health values.
- New:
All class interrupts (Kick, Pummel, Counterspell, etc.) now display a "missed" visual and play a distinct sound if used while the target was not casting a spell.
- Nerf:
Diminishing return categories will reset after 20 seconds (was 16 seconds), continuing Season 1's reduction of repeat crowd-control exposure in PvP.
- Redesign:
Several specializations are having major DPS cooldown throughput lowered while steady-state damage is increased, to smooth out combat pacing outside of cooldown windows.
Characters — Earthen
- Nerf:
Baseline experience gained from exploring zones reduced by 60%. Experience gained from exploring low-level zones is no longer reduced from baseline.
- Buff:
Effectiveness of Well Fed gained from Ingest Minerals increased by 30%.
Housing
- New:
Blueprints — Blueprints let players save, export, and import complete houses — interior, exterior, or a single room — with cross-region sharable codes (excluding China). Up to 50 save slots plus 10 auto-save slots are available.
- New:
Pet Beds — Pet Beds let players place up to 10 companion pets indoors and 5 outdoors; indoor pets can roam using new navigation tech, outdoor pets remain stationary for now.
- New:
Four new neighborhood Endeavors added for the Amani trolls, kobolds, Ohn'ahran centaur, and tortollan.
- Buff:
Houses can now reach level 12, unlocking increased limits and large exteriors. New Artisanal Rooms are purchasable from General Contractor NPCs for Community Coupons.
- Redesign:
Dye crafting has been streamlined, freeing up bag space; new dye colors added, including darker pre-12.0.5 appearances.
Cooldown Manager & User Interface
- New:
Cooldown Manager can now track trinkets, potions, and racial ability cooldowns/durations.
- New:
Ping system updated — players can ping their action bar or Cooldown Manager directly to convey spell status to the group.
- New:
Unit frames can be pinged to convey health status; healers automatically share mana status.
- New:
Healers can now configure or hide the buffs shown on Raid Frames.
Player versus Player
- New:
Training Grounds — Training Grounds expands to the Arena — 3v3 versus bots is now available from the Player vs. Player tab in Group Finder, alongside the existing Battlegrounds-versus-bots mode.
Social
- New:
Battle.net accounts can now link to Discord to chat with guildmates across platforms.