Greetings,
As we have been reviewing the class design in the original Mists of Pandaria, we recognize that classes changed, sometimes substantially, over the course of the expansion from phase to phase. For our Classic expansions, we start with the class design of the final patch of the original expansion, and for Mists of Pandaria Classic, that is patch 5.4.8. Unfortunately, classes in 5.4.8 were not designed with each phase’s content (such as the first raid tier) in mind, and with no changes to classes, this would leave some in an odd state in each phase. To address this, we have gone class by class, spec by spec, and made changes.
Many of these changes are simply reverting updates to classes that were made throughout the original Mists of Pandaria. In some cases, we also brought forward fixes to classes that were not made until the Warlords of Draenor expansion pre-patch. We have indicated the source of each adjustment at the end of each class change, noted below.
Some classes have also received an early buff, despite being expected to scale well as the Mists of Pandaria Classic expansion progresses. Our intent here is to give certain specs more power to balance them early in the expansion,
but we already plan to revert many of the buffs made to these specs as the expansion progresses, and these specs naturally scale back up to their expected levels.
We have also made changes to the functionality of certain abilities, glyphs, and talents for specific specs within a class. To be clear, this means that if other specs within a class also have access to the same abilities, glyphs, or talents, they will only function in a changed manner for the spec specified.
Specifically regarding PvP: All of the following changes will have no impact on instanced PvP. These class changes, including changes to Masteries and Glyphs, will revert back to their 5.4.8 functionality when characters enter PvP instances, such as Arenas and Battlegrounds.
- The only exception to these changes reverting to their 5.4.8 state are changes that include items and set bonuses. Those changes will not revert upon entering PvP instances.
Finally, although we feel all classes will benefit from these changes throughout the expansion, we will continue to monitor the classes and update them further if necessary. We are particularly eager to see how they perform in the Beta, and most importantly, we are very much looking forward to your feedback.
Druid
- Balance
Moonkin Form’s increase to Nature and Arcane damage has been raised to 20% (was 10%). New - Shooting Stars will no longer split its chance to activate across multiple targets. 5.4 Revert
Feral - Ferals once again learn Nature’s Swiftness, but it cannot be used in Arenas or Battlegrounds (previously, Ferals did not learn or have access to Nature’s Swiftness). 5.4 Revert
Guardian - Maul’s Rage cost has been lowered to 20 (was 30). 6.0.2 Change
Restoration - Naturalist’s increase to healing has been raised to 15% (was 10%). New
Hunter
- General
The Sporebat pet’s Energizing Spores can now only be activated while inside of a Battleground or Arena. Sporebat’s now additionally know a new spell called Frenzying Spores. This is an active ability that grants the same effect as Serpent’s Swiftness but can only be activated outside of Battlegrounds and Arenas. New
Developers’ notes: Hunters perform well, but rather than nerfing them, we felt allowing them to cover less buffs was a better approach to opening up group compositions.
Mage
- Fire
Combustion % of Ignite’s tick damage per second raised to 50% (was 20%). 5.4 Revert
Monk
- Mistweaver
Teachings of the Monastery’s Crackling Jade Lightning damage bonus lowered to 25% (was 100%). New - Mana Tea’s mana return per charge increased to 5% (was 4%). New
- Surging Mists cost lowered by 13%, moving its cost to 7.65% of base mana (was 8.8%). New
- Rushing Jade Wind will now be canceled on the Mistweaver Monk when they enter Stance of the Wise Serpent. New
Developers’ notes: Players could enter Stance of the Fierce Tiger to activate Rushing Jade Wind for 40 Energy and then go back into Stance of the Wise Serpent without having to spend the mana cost of Rushing Jade Wind. We want to alleviate the Mistweaver mana concerns, but we don’t want the optimal way to play to be going into Tiger, casting Rushing Jade Wind, and going back into Serpent. This was considered optimal because of high mana costs and subpar mana return for Mistweaver. If those issues are solved, this should feel fine. If they aren’t, we’d rather revisit and reduce the cost of RJW/SCK for Mistweavers than perpetuate stance dancing. So no matter which way we sliced it, we didn’t want this work around to be the most efficient way to play.
Jab cost lowered by 25%, to 6% of base mana (was 8%). Partial 5.2 Revert
Enveloping Mists healing raised by 48%. 5.1 Revert
Eminence healing raised by 68%, moving it to a 42% conversion of damage to healing (was 25%). 5.2 Revert and 6.0.2 Change
- Developers’ notes: Eminence benefits from the healing bonus granted by Stance of the Wise Serpent, so this translates to ~50% of damage dealt to healing.
Revival’s healing raised by 43%. 5.4 Revert
Glyph of Targeted Expulsion retains its original effects in PvP, but morphs to have the old effects from the previously removed Glyph of Uplift while outside of PvP instances. While not in a PvP instance: Glyph of Targeted Expulsion changes Uplift to no longer cost Chi, but instead cost 10% of base mana. 5.4 Revert and 5.2 Partial Revert
Windwalker - Mastery: Bottled Fury changed to increasing the damage of your Tigereye Brew by 0.2% per Mastery (was Mastery gives a chance to gain an additional charge of Tigereye Brew when you gain a charge of Tigereye Brew). 5.4 Revert
- Tigereye Brew starts with 3.5% damage per stack, plus 1.6% from base Mastery (was 6% damage per stack unaffected by Mastery). 5.4 Revert and New
- Tigereye Brew gains a charge after spending 3 Chi (was 4 Chi). 5.4 Revert
- T15 Windwalker Monk 4 set bonus reverted to “You have a 10% chance to gain an additional charge of Tigereye Brew every time you gain a charge of Tigereye Brew while not inside an Arena or Battleground” (was “Increases the damage of your Tigereye Brew by 0.5% per stack consumed”). 5.4 Revert
Paladin
- Holy
Eternal Flame’s periodic healing lowered by 28%. 5.4 Revert - Eternal Flame’s Periodic can activate Illuminated Healing. 5.4 Revert
- Illuminated Healing’s base value has been raised to 12% (was 10%). 5.3 Revert
Protection - The damage reduction from Sanctuary has been raised to 20% (was 15%). New
- The shielding on Sacred Shield has been raised by 43%. 5.4 Revert
Retribution - Divine Storm, Crusader Strike, Judgment, Hammer of the Righteous, Hammer of Wrath, and Exorcism have all had their damage raised by 10%. New
- Templar’s Verdict damage raised by 20%. 6.0.2 Change
Priest
- Talents
Divine Star and Halo now obey AoE cap rules (20 targets for damage, 6 targets for Healing before they start splitting the effect’s total numbers). 5.4 Revert and Issue Originally Moved to 6.0 Pre-Patch` - The maximum times Cascade can bounce has been lowered to 3 (was 4). 5.4 Revert
Discipline - Divine Aegis lowered to 80% of the Heal’s value (was 100%). New
- T14 set bonus Penance cooldown lowered to 1 second (was 3). New
Developers’ notes: This bonus brings Penance to 8 seconds, like in the original 5.0.
Atonement healing from damage lowered to 70% (was 90%). 6.0.2 Change
Divine Star for Discipline Priests has had its healing lowered by 25%. 6.0.2 Change and 5.1 Partial Revert
Spirit Shell’s active duration raised by 50% to 15 seconds (was 10). 5.4 Revert
Shadow - Generates Shadow Orbs passively while outside of combat, arenas, and battlegrounds. New
- Shadow Form’s damage increase has been raised to 30% (was 25%). New
Rogue
- General
Sinister Strike’s Energy cost lowered to 40 (was 50). 5.4 Revert, Buff - Sinister Strike’s weapon damage lowered to 192% (was 240%). Partial 5.4 Revert, Nerf
Developers’ notes: This overall is Sinister Strike’s cost and damage both lowered by 20%. This allows for more fluid gameplay with cycling Insight, and an overall buff.
Assassination - The damage increase from Assassin’s Resolve raised to 25% (was 20%). 5.4 Revert
Combat - Added a counter for Bandit’s Guile that will track your sinister strikes and revealing strikes, showing how close you are to gaining Insight. New
Shaman
- General
Healing Rain healing lowered by 25%. New
Talents - Healing Rain’s maximum duration through Conductivity lowered to 30 seconds (was 40). New
- Ancestral Guidance’s healing and damage conversion lowered to 20% (was 60% for healing and 40% for damage). 6.0.2 Change
Elemental - Lightning Bolt damage raised by 10%. New
Enhancement - Stormstrike weapon damage raised to 450% (was 380%) 5.4 Revert
Restoration - Chain Heal’s fall off per target lowered to 20% (was 0%). 5.4 Partial Revert
- Riptide mana cost raised by 15%. 5.4 Partial Revert
Warlock
- Affliction
Malefic Grasp damage raised by 50%. 5.4 Revert - The damage your Malefic Grasp causes your other DoTs to deal raised to 50% (was 30%). 5.4 Revert
- Drain Soul damage raised by 50%. 5.4 Revert
- The damage your Drain Soul causes your other DoTs to deal raised to 100% (was 60%). 5.4 Revert
Demonolgy - Wild Imp damage raised by 43%. 5.4 Revert
- The number of Imps summoned by Glyph of Imp Swarm raised to 5 (was 4). 5.4 Revert
- Hellfire and Immolation Aura damage raised by 25%. 5.4 Revert
- Chaos Wave damage raised by 50%. 5.4 Revert
Glyphs - Glyph of Eternal Resolve retains its original effects in PvP, but morphs to have the old effects from the previously removed Glyph of Everlasting Affliction while outside of PvP instances. While not in a PvP instance: Glyph of Eternal Resolve now increases the duration of the damage over time spells associated with the old Glyph of Everlasting Affliction by 50%, but decreases their damage by 20%. 5.4 Revert
Warrior
- General
Absorbing damage or taking damage while in Berserker Stance now grants the Warrior Rage (previously, only taking damage to your health bar granted Rage). New
Fury - Crazed Berserker auto attack damage increase has been raised to 15% (was 10%). New
- Crazed Berserker offhand damage increase has been raised to 30% (was 25%). New
- The Duration of Berserker Rage and Enrage have been raised by 33%, to 8 seconds (was 6). New
