We have just wrapped up the first stress test for WoW Classic and while we understand the concerns that a number of you have mentioned, it helped us in many ways. Testing the login process is certainly an aspect that is very important for us to explore and we did gather some valuable data yesterday, so we appreciate everybody who logged in or even attempted to do so during the testing window – you have helped us prepare WoW Classic for release.

That said, because of some of the issues that were encountered, we were not able to test other aspects that we’d planned for. As a result, we will be doing another stress test on Wednesday, May 29 from 2-4pm PDT. The stress test realm will become available at 2pm PDT and the level cap will be increased to 10. For access, we will be including everybody who was invited to the test on May 22. Similar to last time, the stress test realm will continue to be available until 4pm PDT on Thursday, May 30 so there is additional ...

Over in the Items & Classes forum, we’ve opened four new threads for focused feedback on Essences. As you consider your experience with a particular Essence in the Rise of Aszhara PTR, please tell us what you think in the appropriate thread:

Feedback - Tank Essences
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In this thread, please focus feedback and discussion on the multi-role Essences currently being tested in the Rise of Azshara PTR:

• Conflict and Strife
• The Crucible of Flame
• Memory of Lucid Dreams
• Ripple in Space
• Vision of Perfection
• Worldvein Resonance

In this thread, please focus feedback and discussion on the damage dealer Essences currently being tested in the Rise of Azshara PTR:

• Blood of the Enemy
• Condensed Life-Force
• Essence of the Focusing Iris
• Purification Protocol
• The Unbound Force

In this thread, please focus feedback and discussion on the healing Essences currently being tested in the Rise of Azshara PTR:

• Artifice of Time
• The Ever-Rising Tide
• Life-Binder’s Invocation
• The Well of Existence
• Vitality Conduit

In this thread, please focus feedback and discussion on the tanking Essences currently being tested in the Rise of Azshara PTR:

• Aegis of the Deep
• Anima of Life and Death
• Azeroth’s Undying Gift
• Nullification Dynamo
• Sphere of Suppression

It’s important to know – this is a preliminary look at this Essence. We’ll have changes to it in future PTR builds.

At this time, not all choices have been replaced or modified as needed to be acceptable in PvE.

At this time, we have wrapped up our active testing period. The stress test realm will still be available for play until Thursday, May 23 at 6:00pm PDT. If you were selected for just the stress test, there will be no realm to login to at that time tomorrow.

The closed beta realms will soon be available again for those testers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the WoW Classic stress test!

At this time, we have wrapped up our active testing period. The stress test realm will still be available for play until Thursday, May 23 at 6:00pm PDT. If you were selected for just the stress test, there will be no realm to login to at that time tomorrow.

The closed beta realms will soon be available again for those testers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the WoW Classic stress test!

We applied a hotfix to the PTR a few minutes ago that should allow you to change talents and Essences in the Proving Grounds.

Additionally, Tome of the Quiet Mind & Codex of the Quiet Mind should let you swap Essences around.

We applied a hotfix to the PTR a few minutes ago that should allow you to change talents and Essences in the Proving Grounds.

Additionally, Tome of the Quiet Mind & Codex of the Quiet Mind should let you swap Essences around.

With today’s PTR update, you might notice mount size changes for gnome and tauren player characters. For a very long time, we’ve had issues that stem from gnomes and tauren riding on mounts that appear larger than intended. We’re adjusting their sizing down on normal* mounts.

This allows us to correct many art and animation bugs with these specific races when mounted, and they look better. Gnomes and tauren now look more like they should, gnomes can actually reach their reins, and tauren can fit through more doorways when mounted.

Here’s an example of how a gnome character looks when mounted-
Before the change-

WJQJE7MXSBF81558566499093.jpg1594×1594

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The Jaina change is now live.

First off all, we want to thank all of you who have shown interest in testing WoW Classic. Having extra eyes on so many aspects of the game is a huge help as we prepare for the upcoming release.

At this time, we’ve finished sending out all of the invites for the first stress test. This large invite wave took a number of hours to process, so please check that thread for details about it and we’ll see many of you there when the test begins later today. Also, don’t forget that we have a couple more stress tests ...

A new build with new testable content has been published to the Public Test Realms (PTR) for our upcoming content update, Rise of Azshara. This build retains progress made since test characters were deleted on May 14.

Now Available

• Test characters are now granted access to all Rank 3 Essences within the class Proving Grounds. Players can access the Proving Grounds by speaking to their respective class trainer in a capital city.

Continuing Testing

• Heart of Azeroth system update-- Essences
• New Zone-- Mechagon
• New Zone-- Nazjatar
• New Raid-- Azshara’s Eternal Palace
• New Dungeon-- Operation: Mechagon
• New Arena-- The Robodrome
• Mount Equipment
• Crestfall and Snowblossom Island Expeditions
• Ashran Epic Battleground
• New Missions
• Gnome and Tauren Heritage Armors
• New Profession Recipes
• Pet Battle Dungeon-- Str...

The Grong and Mekkatorque changes are now live. The change to the Jaina encounter is not yet live.

If you got it today then it should be just the stress test.

The 4-6pm window is when we need as many people on as possible to do the active testing. The realm will remain playable for those in the stress test until the following day (time listed in the OP) so they play around a bit more.

Eek! Poison!!

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Up a little bit… WoW Classic Stress Test 1

It’s the same client so the closed beta folk use the same thing, but if you got invited to just the stress test you will only see that realm when it’s available around the times that are listed in the original post.

We’re working on the following adjustments to raid encounters. These changes are not live yet, but will go live later this evening or tomorrow.

Dungeons and Raids

• Battle of Dazar’alor
  • Grong, the Jungle Lord
    • Death Empowerment (Alliance) and Apetagonize (Horde) cast time increased to 5 seconds on Mythic difficulty (was 4 seconds).
    • Death Specters (Alliance) and Apetagonizers (Horde) health reduced by 20% on Mythic difficulty.
  • High Tinker Mekkatorque
    • Gigavolt Charge’s radiation zone duration reduced to 2 minutes on Mythic difficulty (was 3 minutes).
    • Tampering duration increased to 30 seconds on Mythic difficulty (was 25 seconds).
  • Lady Jaina Proudmoore
    • Jaina now kills all players instantly if the entire raid is frozen solid during an intermission phase.
      • Developers’ note: Pr...