[2022] Dragonflight Pre-Expansion Update Notes—Now Live!

The journey to the Dragon Isles is nearly here! Take a look at the first of two pre-expansion updates that go live with the completion of regional realm maintenance beginning October 25.

NEW TALENT SYSTEM	MAGE, PRIEST, AND ROGUE AVAILABLE TO ALL RACES
CUSTOMIZE YOUR USER INTERFACE	ACHIEVEMENTS
CHARACTERS	DUNGEONS AND RAIDS
ITEMS AND REWARDS	PET BATTLES
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER	USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY
WOW COMPANION APP

New updates are highlighted in gold.

NEW TALENT SYSTEM

The Dragonflight pre-expansion patch contains major updates to World of Warcraft classes, centering on the re-introduction of talent trees. The new talent system empowers players to make creative and meaningful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level. Gain talent points with each level-up and spend them in two distinct talent trees – Class talent trees featuring utility skills for your class, and Specialization talent trees that boost your offensive, defensive, or healing powers. [LEARN MORE]

Take a look at some of the features the new talent system brings:

Change your talents anywhere, for free. Switching talents no longer requires being in a rested area or using tomes. However, you can’t change talents during combat, Mythic+ runs, and active PvP matches.
Starter Build – The Starter Build is a preset talent build available for players who prefer not to choose their own talents, but want a decent build that is suitable for most content.
Loadouts – Save and switch between multiple talent builds with ease.
- Import Loadouts – Easily import talent builds from outside sources.
- Export Loadouts – Copy a loadout code you can share with friends or online communities.
- Saved Action Bars – By default, each loadout has its own saved set of action bars. However, you can set specific loadouts to share action bars by enabling the loadout option “Use shared action bars.”
Unlearned Talent History – Unlearning a talent high up in the tree may automatically unlearn lots of talents below it. To make it easier to reconstruct your build, these unlearned talents are clearly marked, and you can mass relearn them by using shift click.
Search Bar
- Locate specific talents, keywords, and even related talents for spotting synergies. For example, searching for “Tidal Waves” will also highlight Riptide, Healing Wave, and Healing Surge since they are mentioned in Tidal Waves’ description.
- The search bar also has a preset search to help you easily locate abilities missing from your action bars.

MAGE, PRIEST, AND ROGUE AVAILABLE TO ALL RACES

All playable races can now join the fray as scholarly Mages, cunning Rogues, or devout Priests. [LEARN MORE]

CUSTOMIZE YOUR USER INTERFACE

Get ready for a fresh-looking Heads-Up Display (HUD), and User Interface (UI) revamp designed to be adjustable, effective, attractive, and easily accessible. [LEARN MORE]

ACHIEVEMENTS

New mount collection achievement: Thanks for the Carry! – Obtain 500 mounts (useable by a single character). Mount Reward: Otterworldly Ottuk Carrier
New pet collection achievements have been added:
- Many More Mini Minions – Collect 1250 unique pets. Pet Reward: Crystalline Mini-Monster
- Proven Pet Parent – Collect 1500 unique pets. Pet Reward: Secretive Frogduck
- What Can I Say? They Love Me. – Collect 1750 unique pets. Pet Reward: Violet Violence
- Good Things Come in Small Packages – Collect 2000 unique pets. Pet Reward: Mister Muskoxeles

CHARACTERS

Resurrection Sickness now lasts 1 minute (was 10 minutes). Characters that resurrect at a Spirit Healer below level 10 now suffer 10% durability loss, and characters that resurrect at a Spirit Healer at level 10 and above now suffer 50% durability loss (was all levels suffer 25% durability loss).
Up to 5 players of any faction can tag an enemy to earn quest credit and drops (was faction specific). War Mode is unchanged.
Resolved an issue that caused Da Voodoo Shuffle (Troll Racial) to reduce the duration of roots by less than intended. Duration reduced by 20%, matching current Snare reduction amount.

DUNGEONS AND RAIDS

Castle Nathria, Sanctum of Domination, and Sepulcher of the First Ones now use Group Loot.

ITEMS AND REWARDS

New Toy: Seed of Renewed Souls – Embrace the spirits of the weald, transforming into your Soulshape. 5 minute cooldown. Available from Lady Muunn in Heart of the Forest.
Eternity’s End class set bonuses are now legacy and disabled in combat.
- Developers’ note: While it’s routine for us to mark older set bonuses as Legacy, we do not normally take this step so soon after they were acquired. Unfortunately, the extent of class changes coming in the pre-patch is an exceptional circumstance that has led to this decision. In the future, it is not our intention to repeat this timing when marking class sets as Legacy.
  To account for the removal of set bonuses and addition of the new talent trees, game content will be re-tuned so that difficulty remains relatively the same.

PET BATTLES

Upgrade stones can now be applied to pets directly through the Pet Journal (was use upgrade stone on a summoned pet).

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

RATED SOLO SHUFFLE
- New Rated game mode: Rated Solo Shuffle. This mode is a Rated version of our Solo Shuffle Brawl that was introduced in Shadowlands. Unique to this Rated game mode, players will have a rating tracked for each of their character’s specializations. Just like in Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas, you’ll be able to earn seasonal rewards and achievements, credit towards Vicious mounts, weekly great vault progress, and Conquest. Additionally, cross-faction is enabled for Rated Solo Shuffle so Horde and Alliance can match together and play against each other.
Gladiator's Distinction (Trinket Set Bonus) now provides 10% reduction to incoming crowd control effects in addition to existing effects.
Trinkets with the Relentless effect are now capped at level 60. There are no plans for a Dragonflight Season 1 version of this trinket.
CLASSES
- All ranged spell casting and healing specializations have a new PvP Talent: Precognition – If an interrupt is used on you while you are not casting, gain 15% Haste and become immune to control effects for 4 seconds.
- DEATH KNIGHT
  - Rot and Wither – Now available for all Death Knight specializations (was Blood only).
  - Necrotic Aura – Now available for all Death Knight specializations (was Unholy only).
  - Chill Streak – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
- DEMON HUNTER
  - Cover of Darkness – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
  - Rain from Above – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
  - Glimpse – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Havoc only).
  - Sigil Mastery – Now available for both Demon Hunter specializations (was Vengeance only).
- DRUID
  - Malorne’s Swiftness – Now available for all Druid specializations (was Feral and Guardian only).
  - Reactive Resin – Now available for all Druid specializations (was Restoration only).
  - Reactive Resin’s triggered heal is at 75% effectiveness for Guardian, Feral, and Balance.
- HUNTER
  - Interlope – Now available for all Hunter specializations (was Beast Mastery only).
  - Diamond Ice – Now available for all Hunter specializations (was Survival only).
  - Beast Mastery
    - Kindred Beasts redesigned to work with Tenacity Pet’s new ability, Fortitude of the Bear – While using a Tenacity pet: Command Pet’s unique ability cooldown reduced by 50% and allies within 20 yards of your pet gain 10% increased maximum health for 10 seconds.
- MAGE
  - Ice Wall – Now available for all specializations (was Frost only).
  - Ring of Fire – Now available for all specializations (was Fire only).
  - Torment the Weak has been removed.
  - Burst of Cold has been removed.
  - Fire
    - New PvP Talent: Glass Cannon – Increase Fireball and Scorch damage by 40%, but reduces your maximum health by 15%.
  - Frost
    - New PvP Talent: Snowdrift – Summon a strong Blizzard that surrounds you for 6 seconds that slows enemies by 70% and deals Frost damage every 1 second. Enemies that are caught in Snowdrift for 3 seconds consecutively become Frozen in ice, stunned for 4 seconds.
    - New Talent: Frost Bomb – Places a Frost Bomb on the target. After a 5 seconds the bomb explodes, dealing Frost damage to the target and Frost damage to all other targets within 10 yards. All affected targets are slowed by 70% for 4 seconds.
- MONK
  - Grapple Weapon – Now available for Brewmaster (was Mistweaver and Windwalker only).
  - Mighty Ox Kick – Now available for all Monk specializations (was Brewmaster only).
  - Dematerialize – Now available for Brewmaster (was was Mistweaver only).
  - Alpha Tiger – Now grants 20% Haste (was 30%) after using Tiger Palm. Available for all Monk specializations (was Windwalker only).
  - Wind Waker – Now available for Brewmaster (was Windwalker only).
- PALADIN
  - Hallowed Ground – Now available for Retribution (Holy and Protection only).
  - Aura of Reckoning – Now available for all Paladin specializations (was Retribution only). For Holy Paladins: The spells empowers your next Judgement once you get to 50 stacks.
  - Vengeance Aura – Now available for all Paladin specializations (was Retribution only).
  - Divine Favor – Removed from PvP talents and moved into the talent tree.
- PRIEST
  - New PvP Talent: Eternal Rest – Reduces the cooldown of Shadow Word: Death by 12 seconds.
  - New PvP Talent: Catharsis – 20% of all damage that you take is stored. The stored amount cannot exceed 15% of your maximum health. The initial damage of your next Shadow Word: Pain or Purge the Wicked deals this stored damage to your target.
  - Delivered from Evil – Now available for all Priest specializations (was Holy only).
  - Cardinal Mending – Now available for all Priest specializations (was Holy only).
  - Purification – Now available for Holy (was Discipline only).
  - Purified Resolve – Now available for Holy (was Discipline only).
  - Strength of Soul – Now available for all Priest specializations
  - Driven to Madness – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
  - Void Origins – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
  - Void Volley – Now affects Dark Ascension in addition to Void Eruption.
  - Improved Mass Dispel – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
  - Void Shift – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
  - Void Shield – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
  - Great Fade – has been removed.
- ROGUE
  - Dagger in the Dark – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Subtlety only).
    - Each second while Stealth is active, nearby enemies within 10 yards (was 12 yards) take an additional 5% damage from your next Shadowstrike or Ambush for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 8 times (was 10 times).
  - Dagger in the Dark increases Shadowstrike damage for Subtlety, and Ambush damage for Assassination and Outlaw.
  - Veil of Midnight – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Subtlety only).
  - Control is King – Now available for all Rogue specializations (was Outlaw only).
  - Flying Daggers – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
  - Intent to Kill – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
  - Float Like a Butterfly – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
- SHAMAN
  - Traveling Storms – Now available for all Shaman specializations (was Elemental only).
  - Traveling Storms has been redesigned – Thunderstorm now can be cast on allies within 40 yards, reducing enemies movement speed by 60% and knocks enemies 25% further. Thundershock knocks enemies 100% higher.
  - Tidebringer – Now available for all Shaman specializations (was Restoration only).
  - Lightning Lasso – Removed as a PvP talent (moved into the talent tree).
- WARLOCK
  - Call Observer – Now available for all Warlock specializations (was Demonology only).
  - Bonds of Fel – Now available for all Warlock specializations (was Destruction only).
- WARRIOR
  - Rebound – Reflected spells now cause 50% extra damage back to the attacker (was 33%). Now available for all Warrior specializations (was Protection only).
  - Battle Trance has been redesigned – You go into a trance causing you to regenerate 3% of your health and generate 3 Rage every 3 seconds for 18 seconds after using Raging Blow twice in a row on a target or striking a target with Annihilator 8 times. Striking a new target with Raging Blow or Annihilator will cancel this effect.
  - Enduring Rage redesigned to also work with Annihilator:
    - Raging Blow functionality – Increases the duration of your Enrage effect by 1 second, and your Raging Blows extend the duration of your Enrage by 1.5 seconds.
    - Annihilator functionality – Increases the duration of your Enrage effect by 1 second, and your Annihilator damage extends the duration of your Enrage by 0.5 seconds.

USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

Added an option to combine all bags into a single bag window. Enable this option under Options > Controls > Combine Bags into a Single Backpack.
The login screen has been updated.
Barbershop services are now free of cost.
Icon selection for macros, equipment sets, and guild banks now supports drag-and-drop from certain sources (items, spells, mounts, battle pets, macros).
Added a new mouseover cursor for NPCs offering a Campaign Quest.
Horde characters now have wyvern icons surrounding their action bars instead of gryphons.
Implemented additional Gamepad support.
OPTIONS MENU
- You can now search for options using the newly added search bar.
- Added tooltips to various options.
- Some options from the previous Raid Profile page have been moved under Interface, while others have been moved to Edit Mode.
- You can now right click a keybind to unbind it.
- NEW FEATURE: INTERACT KEY
  - Press the Interact Key to interact with NPCs and objects with a keypress instead of your mouse.
  - Interactive NPCs and objects will highlight as you enter interact range. An icon will appear above NPCs.
  - The default Interact Key is F. If F is not working or is bound to something else, go to the Keybindings menu and make sure “Interact With Target” is bound to a key.
  - Enable this option under Options > Controls > Enable Interact Key.
- NEW FEATURE: PRESS AND HOLD CASTING
  - Allows the player to continually cast a spell by holding down the hotkey instead of having to repeatedly press the button.
  - Only keyboard hotkeys are supported; holding down a mouse click will still only cast the spell a single time.
  - Doesn’t work with macros and items.
  - Enable this option under Options > Combat > Press and Hold Casting.
- NEW FEATURE: ACTION TARGETING
  - Automatically targets enemies as you approach them, allowing you to start casting abilities immediately.
  - Dynamically switches targets based on where you’re looking.
  - Works alongside the standard targeting system. If you need to lock on to a target, simply press Tab to enter Tab Target Combat.
  - Enable this option under Options > Combat > Enable Action Targeting.
- NEW FEATURE: DISPLAY NAME SIZE ADJUSTMENT
  - Players can now set a minimum text size to keep in-world names legible.
  - Enabling this option will make names fade with distance instead of shrinking in size.
  - Enable this option under Options > Accessibility > Minimum Character Name Size.

WOW COMPANION APP

The navigation of the app has been reorganized and refreshed for clarity and better scalability into the future.

To view all content update notes, click here.

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