Legion Pre-Expansion Patch: Major Class, Character Visuals, and Gear Updates

Posted 2016/07/17 at 11:54 AM by perculia

Guide to What's Coming in the Patch | Guide to What is Removed | Transmog Resources | Legion Talents

Character UpdatesMajor Specialization ChangesClass Guides

Tanking by Sunnier | Healing by Zosyn | Ranged DPS by Anshlun | Melee DPS by Rebdul | Legion Class Overviews

TradeChatYouTube channelLegion Class OverviewsHunters

Gnomes can now be Hunters! Start planning your Gnome Hunter's appearance in our Dressing Room

As covered below, Survival Hunters are now a melee specialization, and Marksmanship Hunters are competitive as a petless class via choosing the talent Lone Wolf

Hunters have a variety of new tames, including Mechanical ones. Read more about them in Mechanical Hunter Pet Guide guide by Bendak.

There are new pet classes to tame, including Oxen and Scalehide.

Learn more about general changes in the Legion Hunter Overview.

Combat Rogues Replaced with Outlaw

The Combat specialization has been replaced by the Outlaw specialization.

Some abilities are familiar from Combat, but the spec has more of a brawler/pirate feel.

Browse the new abilities and talents in the Talent Calculator.

Fistweaving and Gladiator Unsupported

Fistweaving as we know it for Mistweaver Monks and Gladiator for Protectior Warriors are not supported in the Legion pre-expansion patch.

Fistweaving is making somewhat of a return via the Monk PvP talent .

There are also some talent builds reminiscent of Fistweaving which is covered on the Mistweaver Monk Talent page by Monkioh.

Survival Hunters Melee

Survival Hunters have a major revamp, placing them as a melee spec with a pet.

New abilities include , , Raptor Strike, Wing Clip

You'll want to look for a suitable melee weapon to use in the pre-patch. Survival Hunters favor two-handed weapons such as polearms, 2H axeand swords.

We also have a guide to Polearm Transmog if you want your new Survival Hunter to look fabulous!

Our Legion Survival Hunter guide by Pottm is complete for Legion; you can read more about them here.

Demonology Warlocks

Demonology is now a completely pet-based specialization with a handful of new abilities.

Demonology Warlocks no longer turn into demons, Metamorphosis is removed.

During combat, you concentrate on summoning pets and increasing their damage with Demonic Empowerment.

The cosmetic effects of Grimoire of Supremacy have been replaced by special Warlock glyphs.

Our Demonology Warlock guide by Serenity Deepshades is complete for Legion; you can read more about them here.

Shadow Priest Void Form

Shadowform is now permanent for Shadow Priests.

Abilities generate Insanity; when 100 Insanity is reached, Shadowform can transform into Voidform.

This enhanced form has special graphics, increases damage done by 20%, and adds 1% haste per second.

Your Insanity will drain quickly and Voidform will be removed when it hits 0, but the haste bonus will persist for a minute after.

Learn more in the Legion Shadow Priest Guide by djriff.

Petless Options for Marksmanship Hunters and Frost Mages

Marksmanship Hunters can take the talent Lone Wolf to be a competitive petless class.

Frost Mages also have the option to be petless with the talent Lonely Winter.

Resource Changes

Enhancement and Elemental Shaman have the new resource Maelstrom instead of mana. See how this affects your playstyle in the Legion Enhancement Shaman guide by Wordup and Elemental Shaman guide by Binkenstein.

Shadow Priests no longer use Shadow Orbs; they instead build Insanity to reach Void Form.

All Warlocks now use Soul Shards; Demonic Fury and Burning Embers have been removed.

Holy and Protection Paladins no longer use Holy Power. See how this affects your playstyle in the Legion Holy Paladin guide by DreamguardSW and the Protection Paladin guide by Liminara.

Brewmaster and Mistweaver Monks no longer use Chi. See how this affects your playstyle in the Legion Brewmaster Monk guide by BrewingScribe and Mistweaver Monk guide by Monkioh.

Balance Druids no longer have Eclipse; instead they use Astral Power on some abilities.

Death Knights have one rune type.

Changed Abilities and Glyphs

Raid buff spells that grant your party a stat increase have been removed.

The Mass Resurrection guild perk has been removed. Only healers will be able to mass-rez: Revitalize, Reawaken, Absolution, Mass Resurrection, Ancestral Vision

Attunement spells, which granted a 5% boost to a certain stat, have been removed.

Draenor Perks, which added benefits to some spells over level 90, have been removed and their effects have generally been added to the base spell.

Major Glyphs have been removed, and much of their functionality has been added to existing spells.

Cosmetic glyphs are remaining, and some vanity effects have been converted to toys.

In the Legion pre-patch, you are playing versions of classes that are balanced for Legion content without the Legion Artifact, so you are not getting a full picture of the spec.

New Talent System

Currently in Warlords of Draenor you need a cheap reagent to swap between talents, and you must pay to dual-spec.

In the pre-expansion patch, you need a crafted reagent to swap between talents when not in a rested area, and you can respec freely.

Tome of the Clear MindSamantha ScarletNicholas MitrikCerulean PigmentTechnique: Codex of the Clear MindVisual UpdatesNew Modelsvideos of all of the modelsBearCatMoonkinSpell AnimationsLegion Spell Animation PlaylistNew 2H Idle Animation for MonksGear UpdatesHellfire Citadel Loot

Anything up to +15 over the base ilvl has the "Warforged" description.

Any loot over +15 of the base ilvl has the "Titanforged" descirption.

DemoralizedRemoved Stats

Multistrike, Spirit, and Bonus Armor are no longer found on gear.

Consumable Changes

Mark of Blackrock grants Versatility instead of Bonus Armor.

Mark of Shadowmoon grants Versatility instead of Spirit.

Mark of the Frostwolf grants Critical Strike instead of Multistrike.

Multistrike Ring Enchants grant Mastery instead.

Multistrike Neck Enchants grant Haste instead.

Multistrike Cloak Enchants grant Critical Strike instead.

Multistrike Gems grant Haste instead.

Multistrike Food grants Critical Strike instead.

Enchant IllusionsIllusions guide

Tome of Illusions: Azeroth crafted from Tome of Illusions: Azeroth, taught by Trainer at 275
Teaches: Fiery Weapon, Unholy Weapon, and Coldlight (new).

Materials: Large Brilliant Shard (10), Essence of Fire (5), Essence of Water (5), Essence of Undeath (5), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: OutlandTome of Illusions: Outland

Teaches: Battlemaster, Spellsurge, and Netherflame (new).

Materials: Void Crystal (10), Large Prismatic Shard (5), Primal Fire (5), Primal Mana (5), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: NorthrendTome of Illusions: Northrend

Teaches: Berserking, Greater Spellpower, and Icy Chill.

Materials: Abyss Crystal (10), Dream Shard (5), Greater Cosmic Essence (8), Eternal Water (4), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: CataclysmTome of Illusions: Cataclysm

Teaches: Windwalk, Heartsong, and Light of the Earth-Warder (new).

Materials: Maelstrom Crystal (10), Heavenly Shard (10), Volatile Air (5), Volatile Earth (5), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: Elemental LordsTome of Illusions: Elemental LordsControlling the ElementsTherazane

Teaches: Avalanche, Landslide, and Elemental Slayer.

Materials: Maelstrom Crystal (10), Volatile Air (3), Volatile Earth (3), Volatile Fire (3),Volatile Life (3), Volatile Water (3), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: PandariaTome of Illusions: Pandaria

Teaches: Windsong, Elemental Force, and Breath of Yu'lon (new)

Materials: Sha Crystal (10), Imperial Amethyst (2), Wild Jade (2), Vermilion Onyx (2), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: Secrets of the Shado-PanTome of Illusions: Secrets of the Shado-PanShado-Pan

Teaches: River's Song and Dancing Steel.

Materials: Sha Crystal (10), River's Heart (2), Primordial Ruby (2), Sun's Radiance (2), Light Parchment (3)

Tome of Illusions: DraenorTome of Illusions: DraenorSecret of Draenor Enchanting

Teaches: Mark of the Frostwolf and Mark of the Thunderlord.

Materials: Temporal Crystal (20), Sorcerous Air (10), Sorcerous Water (10), Savage Blood (15), Light Parchment (3)

Transmog Illusions GuidePvP Gear: Mark of HonorMark of HonorMark of Honor

1 Mark of Honor: pre-Warlords Belts, Bracers, Cloaks, PvP gems, tabards, battle standards.

2 Mark of Honor: pre-Warlords shoulders, gloves, feet, off-hand, and shields

3 Mark of Honor: pre-Warlords helms, chests, legs, and shoulder enchants like Greater Inscription of Vicious Intellect

4 Mark of Honor: Inherited Insignia of the Horde, Inherited Insignia of the Alliance, Inherited Mark of Tyranny

5 Mark of Honor: pre-Warlords weapons

8 Mark of Honor: Heirloom Armor

10 Mark of Honor: Heirlom Weapons

12 Mark of Honor: Armor Ensemble, all armor slots for a specific clas PvP set.

14 Mark of Honor: Ancient Heirloom Scabbard

15 Mark of Honor: PvP Honor Mounts (not Vicious Saddles)

80 Mark of Honor: Weapon Aresenals, all weapons from a Warlords Combatant or Gladiator season

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Comments

Comment by GatesVengeance

I have never been so excited for a Tuesday! See you all on the battlefield!

Comment by Gulver

Bye Bye Howl Bomb.

Comment by Jouninz

Really nice, gonna farm those Illusions like crazy :)

The source for Tome of Illusions: Draenor is btw in your Illusion Guide ("sold for 1 Secret of Draenor Enchanting").

Comment by Finalflashx1

Awesome! :D

Comment by IronforgeSenator

WAY too awesome, CAN'T WAIT!

Comment by Nickname93

"Death Knights have one rune."
This is a little bit incorrect :) I think it should be like "Death Knights have one rune TYPE."

Comment by justgeekingby

Thanks for this guide, it's a great overview of graphic and physical changes coming :)

Comment by 914769

In the "Major specialization changes" section for Demonology Warlocks, it's linking the wrong spell, Demonic Empowerment is the spell you will be using to increase your demons' damage.

Comment by Altonis

Also they slightly edited the Worgen models, did nobody notice that 0.0

Comment by RedDraenei

Sad that the Power Torrent enchantment isn't part of the transmog illusion guide, hopefully they add it later.

Comment by 1616680

The source for Tome of Illusions: Draenor is btw in your Illusion Guide ("sold for 1 Secret of Draenor Enchanting").

in fact, the NPC sells the recipe and do not tome

Comment by Wowhead

Power Torrent is coming, it's a drop and we just highlighted what Enchanters can craft. Full list in: https://www.wowhead.com/guides/transmogrification/weapons/illusions

Comment by RedDraenei

Cool, need to work on that then.

Comment by Ghostile

Christ... out of all 2 handed weapons, they think monks and their staves deserve an animation that holds it on the shoulder?

Comment by Kemya

no deathknight guide to level from 1 - 20 ?

Comment by Quasla

Did you know there is one that is only obtained from killing one of legions raid bosses on mythic xDDD

Comment by Quasla

Illusion that is

Comment by jesy

Don't forget the world visuals. I think there are 2 extra notches above current "ultra" and the greatly improved view distance!

Comment by perculia

Don't forget the world visuals. I think there are 2 extra notches above current "ultra" and the greatly improved view distance!

We're specifically focusing on players for this guide--big ability changes either mechanically or visually, and gear they can equip. We do have a general What's coming in the pre patch guide and then another post devoted to UI improvements. I've added your suggestion to the UI post, thanks!

Comment by Grortraugh

That's a pretty huge nerf to Hellfire Citadel

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