[2023] Class Tuning Incoming with Embers of Neltharion Patch

To address several points of overperformance and underperformance, we will deploy tuning and balance adjustments to many classes along with the Embers of Neltharion patch maintenance next week. We’re also deploying these changes to the Embers of Neltharion PTR today for testing.

Please note that these adjustments are being made to abilities as they have been designed/tuned in the Embers of Neltharion patch, and some may not apply to how spells are tuned in the live game (10.0.7). Some of the adjustments below are to the PTR tuning of tier items coming with the Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible raid.

Demon Hunter

Havoc

• Demon’s Bite damage increased by 8%.
• Demon Blades damage increased by 8%.
• Felblade damage increased by 8%.
• Chaos Strike/Annihilation Damage increased by 8%.
• Serrated Glaive (Talent) debuff duration increased to 15 seconds, and now retains up to 30% additional duration when refreshed (was 10 seconds).
• Fixed an issue that prevented Chaos Theory’s (Talent) bonus to crit chance from affecting off-hand hits of Chaos Strike/Annihilation.

Druid

Feral

• All ability damage increased by 5%.

Restoration

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set bonus now increases Lifebloom and Rejuvenation healing by 10% (was 12%).

Evoker

Preservation

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set bonus will now grant Essence Rush after 4 Empower spell casts (was 3).

Hunter

Survival

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set bonus now reduces the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb by 1 second per 30 Focus spent (was 25 Focus) and Kill Command increases the damage of your Wildfire Bomb by 40% (was 75%).

Mage

Arcane

• Vault of the Incarnates 2-Set bonus Arcane Blast now provides 3% critical strike chance per Arcane Charge (was 5%).
• Arcane Blast damage increased by 4%.
• Arcane Missiles damage increased by 5%.
• Developers’ notes: Heading into the Embers of Neltharion patch, Arcane’s 2-piece bonus from Vault of the Incarnates is performing better than intended.

Fire

• Ignite damage reduced by 6%.

• Developers’ notes: The most recent buffs to Fire were slightly more than intended. We are going to reduce the damage of Ignite to keep a relatively similar gain in ST while reducing the effectiveness of the buffs in AoE.

Monk

Windwalker

• Tiger Palm damage increased by 15%.

• Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 15%.

• Blackout Kick damage increased by 8%.

Paladin

Holy

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set bonus now increases the critical healing of Holy Shock by 60% (was 15%).

• Light’s Hammer healing increased by 60%.

• Holy Prism healing increased by 150%.

• Holy Prism damage increased by 100%.

Protection

• Aegis of Light (specialization passive) stamina bonus reduced to 30% (was 35%) and armor bonus reduced to 10% (was 15%).

• Righteous Protector’s cooldown reduction is now 2 seconds (was 3 seconds).

• Sentinel’s health increase per stack is now 1% (was 2%).

Rogue

• Fixed an issue that prevented Nightstalker’s damage bonus from applying in its intended circumstances.

Assassination

• All ability damage increased by 5%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

• Mutilate damage increased by 5%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

• Envenom damage increased by 5%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

• Shiv damage increased by 20%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

• Kingsbane damage increased by 12%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

Outlaw

• Dispatch damage increased by 5%

• Between the Eyes damage increased by 20%

• Summarily Dispatched (Talent) now increases Dispatch damage by 6% per stack, to a maximum of 30% (was 5% per stack, max 25%).

• Developers’ notes: While the buff will provide the correctly updated bonus, the tooltip for the base talent will be changed in a future update.

Subtlety

• Shadowstrike damage increased by 10%.

• Eviscerate damage increased by 6%.

Shaman

Elemental

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set bonus now grants 1 stack of Stormkeeper (was 2 stacks).

• Developers’ notes: The tooltip for the 2-set bonus will be updated to reflect this change in a future update.

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set bonus now only grants 50% increased Maelstrom, down from 75%.

Restoration

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 2-Set bonus Tidewaters healing increased by 30%.

Warlock

Demonology

• Developers’ notes: Demonology received some powerful single-target additions to their talent tree in 10.0.7. We’re making these adjustments after observing that their throughput is a bit higher than what was originally intended and that these talents have overshadowed other talent choices. We’ll continue to monitor Demonology, along with Affliction and Destruction, and appreciate the community’s continued feedback.

• Reign of Tyranny now increases the damage of Demonic Tyrant by 40% (was 50%).

• Immutable Hatred now increases the damage of Legion Strike by 100% (was 120%). Does not affect PvP combat.

Warrior

Arms

• All ability damage increased by 4%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

• Auto-attack damage increased by 12%. These changes do not affect PvP Combat.

Fury

• All ability damage increased by 4%.

• Auto-attack damage increased by 4%.

Removed an errant word from Survival Hunter note. It now correctly reads:

• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: 4-Set bonus now reduces the cooldown of Wildfire Bomb by 1 seconds per 30 Focus spent (was 25 Focus) and Kill Command increases the damage of your Wildfire Bomb by 40% (was 75%)

We’ve added some Arcane Mage tuning to tomorrow’s updates.

Mage

Arcane

• Vault of the Incarnates 2-Set bonus Arcane Blast now provides 3% critical strike chance per Arcane Charge (was 5%).
• Arcane Blast damage increased by 4%.
• Arcane Missiles damage increased by 5%.
• Developers’ notes: Heading into the Embers of Neltharion patch, Arcane’s 2-piece bonus from Vault of the Incarnates is performing better than intended.