5.2 PTR: New Mantid Archaeology Solves, Blue Posts on Lei Shen and Class Balance

Live Posted 2013/02/21 at 11:55 AM by perculia

The Seat of KnowledgeRune of Re-OriginationNew Mantid Archaeology SolvesOverviewTownlong SteppesDread Wastes

Townlong Steppes: West Sik'vess, North Sik'vess, The Feeding Pits, East Sra'vess, Sik'vess

Dread Wastes: The Briny Muck, Kor'vess, Lake of Stars, Venemous Ledge, Kypari'ik, Kypari Vor

Mantid Artifact Sonic LocatorRestored Artifactseventeen new achievementsHistory of the MantidThe Seat of KnowledgeMantid SolvesMantid Archaeology FragmentMantid Amber SliverRare Solves

Sonic Pulse Generator: Mantid can generate and hear sounds from a much broader spectrum than those available to the other mortal races. Their innate understanding of extremely high and low frequencies allows mantid to create weapons such as this. The sonic pulses delivered from this apparatus can actually tear muscle and organs apart at the cellular level; direct hits can liquefy one’s innards. Creates an ilvl 463 gun with level 85 requirement.

Mantid Sky Reaver: This ancient “sky reaver” sword is intended for use by airborne mantid: it is extremely light and well-balanced, meant to be swung in wide circular arcs by an attacker dive-bombing from the sky. Most mantid shed their wings as a rite of passage once they grow strong enough to wield heavy armor and weapons – it is rare to find such worksmanship in a mantid light blade. This was likely once wielded by a paragon. Creates an ilvl 463 1H Sword, Mantid Sky Reaver, with level 85 requirement.

Common Solves

Ancient Sap Feeder/Pristine Ancient Sap Feeder: The mantid prefer to age Kypari sap before consumption, and they use devices such as these for the process. You can see from this ancient example that the design has not changed very much over time.

Banner of the Mantid Empire/Pristine Banner of the Mantid Empire: While the mantid do use windwool and imperial silk, their preferred material is a type of "fabric" fashioned from the wings of various insectoid creatures - including themselves. This banner is an example.

Inert Sound Beacon/Pristine Sound Beacon: The technology behind mantid sound beacons is incomprehensible for non-mantid races. They seem to rely on mantid physiology. This ancient beacon, while intact, is completely inert without mantid to interact with it.

Kypari Sap Container/Pristine Kypari Sap Container: This container, though amber in color, is actually made from kunchong secretions. This is true of many of the more mundane pieces of mantid furniture.

Mantid Lamp/Pristine Mantid Lamp: The glow from this lamp is neither from fire nor magic. Inside, you can see many glowing insects preserved in amber.

Pollen Collector/Pristine Pollen Collector: It is difficult to discern the purpose of this object, but it seems to be a pollen collector of some sort.

The Praying Mantid/Pristine Praying Mantid: This Klaxxi'va statue dates back almost to the arrival of the Titans. Inscribed around the base of this statue is a prayer to "the seven headed one". The word "klaxxi" meant "priest" in the old tongue.

Remains of a Paragon/Pristine Remains of a Paragon: Apparently the amber preservation process is not without risk. Only the head of this paragon remains. It appears to predate the pandaren revolution, although pinning down the precise era is impossible.

Click the cut for the blue posts!Ghostcrawler on Class Balance

Ghostcrawler

Rune of Re-Origination

We're going to make some changes to this trinket based on testing and feedback. Our goal was to make it decent if you didn't game it at all but offer some opportunities for enhanced benefits if you did. We're going to try to meet that goal better with these changes:

- 10 sec duration (down from 20 sec) but with double the proc rate.
- Increase your highest secondary stat by 200% of the sum of your two lowest secondary stats. For example: you have 3500 mastery, 5000 crit, 7000 haste. Rune procs, and you get . Same logic as before, just double the size of the buff to your highest stat.
Forgive me for saying this....we are high right now? Locks/mages are topping meters and all I see is + + + + + + for them. If you go to raid-bots (shows what people are actually doing with the classes), click on any fight other than Garalon....look at who is on to....mages and locks (speaking 25 heroic).

We did not ask for a buff to haste.

I work for a software company, so I understand you have tools to see things that we don't. But don't friggin cop out and say things like "you are higher than you should be now"

As someone who's main-specced Beast Mastery through most of his hunter career, these adjustments concern me about the implications for spec balance. Rough estimate, this seems like it's about a 5% adjustment upwards for Survival, and closer to 10% adjustment upwards for Marksman (maybe more if the rotation changes from 5.1 to favour Aimed Shot more).

I believe he's saying the damage buffs for pve will harm pvp, as a lot of ptr feedback was already very worried about very high burst and sustained damage ( people being gibbed in a few globals constantly) in pvp in full tyrannical gear with resil gems.

Mind SpikeObliterate

GC we've still yet to get a clear cut answer on whether or not Lava Burst will scale (i know you hate that word, sorry) with crit rating (IE More crit chance = higher damage like Soul Fire/Chaos Bolt). Also, Bombay or Tanka Rey?

Lava Burst

I also bet you did not test both Titan's Grip and SMF, since both do substantially different in Raids.

Execute

Yeah, that's whining, STOP MESSING UP OUR CLASS!!!

The fact that the reason behind the nerf was totally false.

Blizzard seems to be unable to admit that having as baseline for Paladins was a mistake.

Grand Crusader

There are numerous, serious issues with multiple different healer specs/classes. All of them are essentially being brushed under the rug so 5.2 can go live on schedule.

with buffs to warriors/dks/rogues I only see the gap between us and other melee getting even larger.

If they make our cooldowns lower, damage without cooldowns becomes less of a concern

Even including the 4-piece T15 bonus and boosted stats, I'm simming that 2/2 upgraded T14 gear is outperforming T15 gear of equivalent difficulty levels because of the reduced CD on an incredibly buffed Penance. This is an issue.

PenancePenance

Tiriél is also correct that partially it's just a comparison between upgraded heroic 5.0 gear and normal 5.2 gear ilevels.

Know Thy Enemy: Portrait of a Thunder King

Nethaera

Pandaria is a land rife with both a tragic and inspiring history. Its denizens have overcome many trials and tribulations rising beyond it to become masters of their own destiny. But, destiny has a way of changing and history is always in the making. As Pandaria emerges into a changed Azeroth, the surviving mogu stir and begin their plans anew. They crave the domain they once held, and, to regain it, they will sweep usurpers and invaders alike into the dust.

In the upcoming patch, a threat the pandaren had thought long buried will reemerge in the form of the once powerful mogu leader, Lei Shen. Joined with the power of the Zandalari, the mogu seek to once more exert their dominance over Pandaria. It falls to the heroes of the Alliance and the Horde to lend their aid in stopping the newly resurrected tyrant and his Zandalari allies.

It’s been a long journey since we first stepped foot in Pandaria. We’ve met the formidable and resourceful pandaren, made friends (or enemies) with the hozen and jinyu; we’ve faced the threat of the mantid, and unleashed long buried horrors upon the land in the form of the sha. But, amidst all of this, there was an even more insidious threat to take notice of. Layers upon layers of conflict can be found on the continent, including the situation involving the mogu and their once and perhaps (more frighteningly) future emperor, Lei Shen.

THE FIRST EMPEROR: LEI SHEN

There is much to be said of the ways of the mogu. They are a race that covets power and their history is written in the blood of their enemies. In the past, warring clans and kingdoms fought for dominion over parcels of land, each looking to gain the upper hand against their neighbors. At least, this was the way of the mogu until Lei Shen, who through his own power and cunning became the greatest of the mogu. Born during the Age of a Hundred Kings, Lei Shen was the son of a warlord and possessed a strength that commanded respect from the other mogu. He went on to do what many thought impossible; he united the mogu kings beneath him and declared himself emperor.

Once united, the mogu swept across Pandaria, conquering and subjugating all of the other races—until he encountered the mantid. Knowing the mantid would never bow to his authority, it was Lei Shen who ordered the building of the Serpent Spine to span the length of the empire. The Lorewalkers have been diligent in chronicling the history of Pandaria and have this text on record:

THE THUNDER KING

It has been written that when the great Lei Shen first looked upon the lands of the mantid, he did not feel fear, but inspiration.

As he began to unify his people under a single banner and subjugate the other races of Pandaria, he knew that the mantid would never succumb to his authority. They spoke his language, the language of strength. He commanded his slaves to construct the Serpent's Spine, a magnificent wall that spanned the length of the empire.

It would take many generations to build. But Lei Shen knew how to motivate his subjects. Fear. Fear of the mantid moved mountains, raised armies, secured his empire, and built his wall.

THE FUTURE THREAT FOUND IN THE PASTGolden LotusVale of Eternal BlossomsValley of EmperorsKun-Lai SummitMogu’shan VaultsLorewalkersBreaking the Emperor’s ShieldWoWpediaKnow Your Lore: Who is the Thunder KingWoW InsiderPTR Raid Testing

Watcher

On Thursday, February 21, through Monday, February 25, we will be testing the 25-player Normal raid encounters in the Throne of Thunder.

Each encounter should be available at approximately the listed times below for all Public Test Realms.

Thursday, February 21

Jin'rokh the Breaker - 25 Player Normal
11:00 PST (14:00 EST, 20:00 CET)

Tortos - 25 Player Normal
13:30 PST (16:30 EST, 22:30 CET)

Ji-Kun - 25 Player Normal
15:00 PST (18:00 EST, 00:00 CET)

Durumu the Forgotten - 25 Player Normal
16:30 PST (19:30 EST, 01:30 CET)

Friday, February 22

Council of Elders - 25 Player Normal
11:00 PST (14:00 EST, 20:00 CET)

Megaera - 25 Player Normal
13:30 PST (16:30 EST, 22:30 CET)

Primordius - 25 Player Normal
15:00 PST (18:00 EST, 00:00 CET)

Dark Animus - 25 Player Normal
17:00 PST (20:00 EST, 02:00 CET)

Monday, February 25

Horridon - 25 Player Normal
11:00 PST (14:00 EST, 20:00 CET)

Iron Qon - 25 Player Normal
13:30 PST (16:30 EST, 22:30 CET)

Twin Consorts - 25 Player Normal
15:00 PST (18:00 EST, 00:00 CET)

Lei Shen - 25 Player Normal
16:30 PST (19:30 EST, 01:30 CET)

As always, this testing schedule is very fluid and subject to the realities of a beta environment. We might have to change the time of a testing session, change the boss being tested, or cancel a test entirely, due to bugs, server hardware issues, etc. Keep an eye on this forum for the latest information, and thank you in advance for testing and providing feedback.

Important Testing Notes

Q: How do I get into the raid zone?

A: At the northeastern edge of the swamp on the Thunder King's island, there is a Shado-Pan camp in a small cave. A sewer grate in this cave will take you directly to the zone-in point for the raid zone. (As more of the island unlocks, players will be able to access the main gate directly.)

Q: What gear do I use to test the raid?

A: As we did for Beta raid testing, we will be scaling players' gear inside the raid in order to facilitate testing. Gear will be scaled (up or down, as appropriate) for the purposes of testing the encounters, depending on difficulty and their location within the zone.

Comment by 1069282Been waiting nerf to BM since Cata. They are little too powerful in PvP saying this as DK,Mage,Hunter,Rogue.

They are always buffing the wrong specs.... Always. Mages Rune of Power needs nerf not Invecation and Arcane spec...

You are only thinking of cap lvl not lower lvls. Buff is bigger at low lvl then in cap lvl.Comment by 434395Of particular note is History of the Mantid, a Mantid-only version of The Seat of Knowledge, but without a title.Comment by AdamsmOf particular note is History of the Mantid, a Mantid-only version of The Seat of Knowledge, but without a title.It's like you didn't click on the link at all....first comment.Comment by 434395It's like you didn't click on the link at all....first comment.Comment by IceveiledIt blows my mind that people get this upset over class balancing in a video game. I wonder how they handle real-life conflict? Maybe they just haven't been through some of the things I have, but man.....unreal.Comment by MaizouInteresting way to shoehorn the level 85 BoA Str DPS Sword into the game. I know they left it out in Dread Wastes (the ilvl450 ones), but didn't expect them to make one from Archaeology.Comment by Tsahil2clargOh boy! I love Archaeology! Those weapons are badass, but are they going to be BoA or BoP? BoA would be sweet, like the Quilen Statuette.Comment by NulgarIt's like you assumed my comments were ordered by highest rating... usually they are but at the time, they weren't. Thank you though.Comment by 1065974This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by AdamsmSo THAT'S what goes in the mysterious greyed-out spot in the Archaeology screen? Mystery (finally) solved!Comment by 934188Still no fun archaeology items in pandaria :(Comment by MurlocinataorYay, I am really looking forward to this Mantid archaeology mainly because I loved the nerubian stuff and I love it when blizz give us hints about old gods. I hope that these items can give us some more detail about the origins of the mantid. The only shame is that there isn't some awesome mount/pet/vanity item to go with it.Comment by InterestIt blows my mind that people get this upset over class balancing in a video game. I wonder how they handle real-life conflict? Maybe they just haven't been through some of the things I have, but man.....unreal.Comment by Adamsm I hope that these items can give us some more detail about the origins of the mantid.The third race that was originally the Aqir.Comment by 1091180This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by TuckletutsAnyone else feel that a 463 weapon is basically useless once 5.2 comes out? Considering how insanely easy it is to get into heroics to get one, it seems like a lot of time and effort for the chance to make a rare item that is kinda bad.Comment by scook999Anyone else feel that a 463 weapon is basically useless once 5.2 comes out? Considering how insanely easy it is to get into heroics to get one, it seems like a lot of time and effort for the chance to make a rare item that is kinda bad.Comment by 1094430This post was from a user who has deleted their account.Comment by ValkyriestarMantid Archeology.. This should be interesting. I wonder what are the things we will be able to discover. I always get a laugh out of some of the items. I'm sure the weapon would come in handy.Comment by SalimanThe only nice thing about the archaeology weapons is if you have a lot of alts, you can upgrade it to 471 for all of them.