World of Warcraft is constantly being updated to add new playable content, fix bugs, and enhance your gameplay experience. Read about the latest updates and hotfixes right here.
Community Spotlight: Venruki
This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Elliott “Venruki” Venczel.
10 years ago
World of Warcraft: Legion – 100 or Bust!
When we last met Lemmy the gnome, he was on his way to meet high-level friends for some epic adventures. Now Lemmy’s got to reach level 100—but his archnemesis Krazzel Crashfuse schemes to get there first through a series of inventive (and occasionally explosive) machinations.
10 years ago
Warlords Season 3 PvP Has Begun
A new season of Arena and Battleground conflict and rewards has started.
10 years ago
Celebrating 11 Years of WoW
The 11th anniversary celebration of World of Warcraft has begun!
10 years ago
Poll – Your Favorite Artifacts
Which of the newer weapons spark your interest the most?
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Rogue
We finish off our early look at class and specialization design with the Rogue. In these blogs, we’ve been exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Rogue in World of Warcraft.
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Druid
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Druid. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Druid in World of Warcraft.
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Monk
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Monk. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further.
10 years ago
Pet Battle Bonus Event November 11-16
Through Monday, November 16, Pet Battle experience gains are increased by +200%.
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Warrior
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Warrior. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Warrior in World of Warcraft.
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Shaman
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Shaman. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Shaman in World of Warcraft.
10 years ago
Legion Class Preview Series: Death Knight
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Death Knight. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Death Knight in World of Warcraft.
","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-16T18:00:00.000Z","updated":"2015-11-16T19:51:23.848Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19968663","image":{"width":622,"height":240,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/cl/CLS6WST63KFA1434691142777.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":622,"height":240,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/cl/CLS6WST63KFA1434691142777.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19968663,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19968663/celebrating-11-years-of-wow","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19968663/celebrating-11-years-of-wow","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19968663/celebrating-11-years-of-wow"}},{"title":"Poll – Your Favorite Artifacts","id":19956947,"slug":"poll-your-favorite-artifacts","url":"/news/19956947/poll-your-favorite-artifacts","author":"Kaivax","description":"Which of the newer weapons spark your interest the most?","category":"Artifact","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Artifact","Poll","Ashbringer","Doomhammer","Weapon"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19956947","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
During the World of Warcraft Q&A Panel at BlizzCon, moderator Jesse Cox asked the panelists to choose an Artifact that they each they liked most. The panel returned several fun and interesting responses, so we decided to pose the question to you.
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In the poll below, we’ve excluded six weapons that are already teeming with lore and history: Ashbringer, Doomhammer, Felo’melorn, Scepter of Sargeras, Scythe of Elune, and Twinblades of the Deceiver. We all know and love those already, and we now wonder which of the newer weapons sparks your interest the most.
\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-16T15:00:00.000Z","updated":"2015-11-16T19:19:21.960Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19956947","image":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/kq/KQDLWS61YOH71446325800939.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/kq/KQDLWS61YOH71446325800939.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19956947,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19956947/poll-your-favorite-artifacts","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19956947/poll-your-favorite-artifacts","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19956947/poll-your-favorite-artifacts"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Rogue","id":19955666,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-rogue","url":"/news/19955666/legion-class-preview-series-rogue","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We finish off our early look at class and specialization design with the Rogue. In these blogs, we’ve been exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Rogue in World of Warcraft.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Class Preview","Rogue"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19955666","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Rogue—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
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We finish off our early look at class and specialization design with the Rogue. In these blogs, we’ve been exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Rogue in World of Warcraft.
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Rogues fend for themselves, looking for fights in which they dictate the terms. They’re the shadows in the night that remain unseen until the right moment comes to strike—then they dispatch an opponent with quick blade work or a deadly toxin snuck acutely into the bloodstream. Rogues are opportunistic thieves, bandits, and assassins, but there’s an unparalleled art to what they do.
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As with Hunters, the three Rogue specializations have long suffered from a lack of distinct identity. What truly sets an Assassination Rogue apart from Subtlety? And just what is a “Combat” Rogue anyway? Aren’t all three pretty focused on the art of combat? With that in mind, we’re making some bold changes that take each spec in a much more pronounced direction. We’re finding what makes them each special and amplifying their fantasy by creating abilities and talents unique to each spec that better align with their core theme.
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Assassination
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One of the favorite tools of the assassin is a pair of daggers coated with vicious poisons. The damage they inflict is deceiving at first—the initial wounds often seem survivable, even superficial. Then the toxins set about their business. Wounds don’t close, and blood loss continues unabated. Assassins begin their work stealthily, choosing their targets and methods of engagement carefully—but once committed to a course of action, they stick to their target until the job is done rather than disappearing into the shadows to avoid their quarry’s blows.
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\"Assassins begin their work stealthily, choosing their targets and methods of engagement carefully\"
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Gameplay
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For Rogues, no specialization describes itself better than Assassination, which also remains closely aligned with its existing fantasy. And we’re further enhancing those themes through their gameplay. First, this is now the only Rogue spec with access to poisons and bleeds, making much of your damage a little more delayed, but nonetheless massive. In addition, Venomous Wounds triggers based on a combination of bleeds and poisons now to accentuate that gameplay. Assassination is home to the most volatile combo-building. Mutilate is already effective in this regard, but Seal Fate needed some improvement—it now can trigger from both hands with Mutilate.
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Combat
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GONE!
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OK, not exactly. The lack of a clear theme for the Combat Rogue really gave us an opportunity to reimagine the spec in Legion, to ensure that they have their own depth of character and a unique fighting style that sets them apart from the other Rogue specs.
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Outlaw
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\"To survive in such a world, outlaws must become master swordsmen in toe-to-toe combat—and they can’t shy away from fighting dirty\"
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Outlaw rogues are the unscrupulous scoundrels of Azeroth. Operating outside the law, they bend the rules and distort the truth to get what they need. While they share plenty in common with other rogues, these outlaws have little use for tact or discretion, happy to engage in a tavern brawl or spontaneous duel, rarely patient enough to wait in stealth for the opportune time to engage. To survive in such a world, outlaws must become master swordsmen in toe-to-toe combat—and they can’t shy away from fighting dirty. If blade fails to cut too deeply, the outlaw takes advantage of a concealed pistol, catching the enemy by surprise with a quick blast.
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Gameplay
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To achieve the “swordmaster” fantasy we’re going for with the Outlaw Rogue, we’re giving them several new and upgraded abilities, such as Saber Slash and Pistol Shot. We’re also deemphasizing Stealth, with Ambush being their only remaining opening move. Stealth will still provide its core Rogue utility, but Outlaws are more comfortable fighting toe-to-toe with a sword than skulking about. Finally, we’re ensuring that Outlaws retain several signature abilities from Combat, such as Adrenaline Rush and Blade Flurry. These abilities provide a good basis on which to build new and distinct flavor. A wide variety of talents enhance the fantasy further with themes of the swordmaster, brawler, or even pirate.
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Subtlety
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Subtlety rogues are the masters of the shadows, and they strike unseen. They don’t have the lethal poison-tipped daggers of the assassin or the brawling prowess of the outlaw, but their acumen on the battlefield and ability to hide in plain sight are unrivaled. Some claim the art of subtlety looks like malevolent shadow magic—but no matter from where their power is derived, these rogues are capable of performing devastating assaults on their enemies, slipping away unharmed to strike again without detection. Most rogues train their entire lives to learn how to walk in the shadows—subtlety rogues were born there.
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\"The subtlety rogue's acumen on the battlefield and ability to hide in plain sight are unrivaled\"
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Gameplay
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As the true masters of stealthy gameplay, we’ve pushed Subtlety further toward making heavy use of Stealth as their primary combat mechanic. The new version of Shadow Dance allows Subtlety to weave in and out of Stealth rotationally. Meanwhile, Shadowstrike provides incredible mobility for attacking from Stealth. Finally, to further reinforce the matter of their relationship with sinister Shadow magic, Subtlety makes use of a new ability called Nightblade, which applies Shadow damage over time.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to Rogue class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’re looking forward to hearing more feedback and sharing in ongoing conversations with the community regarding these and all of the other changes we’ve discussed in this series, and we’re excited to get this information out before our broader beta phase to make sure we have as much time as possible to iterate and carry on the conversation.
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Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in the Legion beta!
\r\n\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-12T13:00:00.000Z","updated":"2016-08-24T18:38:17.029Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19955666","image":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19955666,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19955666/legion-class-preview-series-rogue","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19955666/legion-class-preview-series-rogue","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19955666/legion-class-preview-series-rogue"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Druid","id":19956929,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-druid","url":"/news/19956929/legion-class-preview-series-druid","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Druid. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Druid in World of Warcraft.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Class Preview","Druid"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19956929","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Druid—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
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We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Druid. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Druid in World of Warcraft.
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Guardians of nature who seek to preserve balance and protect life, Druids have unmatched versatility on the field of battle. This is in part because druidism is much more than a fighting discipline—it’s a way of life steeped in traditions so ancient that even the origin of their kind is preserved largely in mythology passed on through millennia.
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Druids harness nature’s raw energy for an incredible breadth of offensive and defensive abilities, as well as to restore life to the wounded. Through communion with nature and the demigod Cenarius, Lord of the Forest, Druids are supernaturally endowed with the gift of shapeshifting, allowing them to take the form of all manner of nature’s creature and access powers as distinct as they are diverse.
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Known for hybrid utility and shapeshifting, Druids have four diverse and well-established specializations. In Legion, we’re focusing on empowering Balance gameplay, strengthening the cohesion of Guardian abilities and their fantasy themes, and renewing Druids’ overall trait of shapeshifting between forms to fulfill distinct functions.
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Making use of multiple forms for different situations has been difficult for many years, either due to a lack of access to the “off-spec” talents that make your alternate forms feel strong or because the process itself has felt overwhelming and convoluted. To help solve this issue, we’re taking a new route by replacing Heart of the Wild with a full row of Affinity talents, which essentially allow every Druid to choose an off-spec from the remaining three specializations.
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Affinities provide two benefits: first, a passive ability that is useful at all times, even to your main role; second, access to multiple key abilities to use in associated shapeshifting forms. To give you a sense for how choosing your Affinity will impact gameplay, regardless of what form you’re in, here’s a look at the passive abilities they grant:
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Balance Affinity\r\n\t
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Astral Influence: Increases the range of all spells, abilities, and autoattacks by 5 yds.
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Feral Affinity\r\n\t
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Feline Swiftness: Increases movement speed by 15%.
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Guardian Affinity\r\n\t
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Thick Hide: Reduces all damage taken by 10%.
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Restoration Affinity\r\n\t
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Ysera’s Gift: Constantly heals the Druid, or allies when the Druid is at full health.
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Unlike Heart of the Wild, Affinities are not temporary buffs. This enhanced access to an off-spec, delivered through a cleaner game mechanic, empowers Druids of any specialization to make interesting situational combat decisions.
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Balance
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The elements that carve form into the universe are fluid forces of nature. Some beings seek to bend the power of these natural elements to their will. Druids, however, worship the protecting spirits of nature. Long ago, nature’s equilibrium was thrown out of balance, leaving the world vulnerable to catastrophic events, including the first invasion of the Burning Legion.
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By leveraging the sacred powers of the moon, the sun, and the stars, balance druids access arcane and nature magics—made more potent still through shapeshifting, when the spellcaster takes the form of the moonkin—to aid in the fight against imbalance that threatens the natural order of all things.
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\"Balance druids access arcane and nature magics to fight imbalance in the natural order of all things\"
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Gameplay
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Balance Druids have had a variety of cyclical rotations over the years. The core design problem in all of these cycles is that they’ve forced players into watching closely for UI cues and casting spells in largely predetermined orders. The Legion design is focused on providing a flexible combat experience, where you can use abilities as you’d like, and each has a specific purpose. The Eclipse Bar has been completely replaced by an Astral Power resource, which is built and spent, and provides a platform for abilities to create interesting, engaging, and powerful effects. Balance gameplay will center on maintaining your DoTs, generating Astral Power with a mixture of Lunar Strike and Solar Wrath, and spending Astral Power on either Starsurge or Starfall.
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Feral
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Feral druids also seek to curb imbalance in nature. They observe the fantastic intricacies of the physical world and the delicate fabric in which all living creatures are given purpose. Whether on land or in the sea, in a lush jungle or an uncultivated desert, death is part of the cycle which sustains life. Nature is an eternal dance between predator and prey.
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As a shapeshifter, the feral druid endlessly pursues a greater understanding of this truth. They seek a visceral connection to the wild, and in combat take the form of a deadly feline predator. Feral druids become ferocious, agile stalkers—ripping, biting, and bleeding their enemies dry. The forces of chaos are tamed by the druid’s primal fury.
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\"Feral druids become ferocious, agile stalkers—ripping, biting, and bleeding their enemies dry\"
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Gameplay
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Feral Druids have a solid gameplay foundation that complements their fiction. Design changes in Legion are tempered, and we’re paying the most attention to talent options that provide a wider array of combat customization. Making Savage Roar optional in the talent tree in Warlords worked well to open up gameplay opportunities. We’re taking this approach further by flipping it around—Savage Roar is now a talent choice matched against two compelling alternatives that cater to different play styles.
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Guardian
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Like their feral brothers and sisters, guardian druids attune themselves to nature through the animal kingdom. They commune with the wild to understand how life perseveres through adversity. They know that the creatures who survive are often those built to best protect themselves and their kin. In this, the guardian druid finds a deep and harmonious value in the steadfast—all the while recognizing that sturdiness requires an aggressive stance when danger comes near.
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Taking the form of a great bear, the guardian druid becomes a massive wall of fur, claw, tooth, and rage, aided by the forces of nature, standing between allies and any opposing threats.
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\"Taking the form of a great bear, the guardian druid becomes a massive wall of fur, claw, tooth, and rage\"
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Gameplay
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Powerful themes fuel the Guardian Druid, but the gameplay falls short of delivering on them. In particular, Guardian Druids have had a strong emphasis on avoidance, dodging attacks more than almost any other tank, with abilities accentuating that. However, this doesn’t mesh well with the image of the tough and sturdy bear. We want Guardian Druids to survive through their sheer tenacity, thick hide, massive resilience, and strong regeneration. To this end, we’ve redesigned several parts of the Druid combat ability toolkit to instead focus on those core defensive ideas—health, armor, mitigation, and regeneration—while deemphasizing dodge.
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Restoration
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The many gifts provided by nature must sometimes be reciprocated. Restoration druids seek order in the world by tending directly to its many life forms. Friend to flora and fauna alike, restoration druids celebrate birth and growth. Where there is decay, they bring rejuvenation. Where there is abatement, they summon regrowth. Life not only needs protection—it needs nourishment.
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To foster this harmony, the restoration druid builds a bond with the things that grow, gaining inspiration from the flower’s bloom, the seed’s sprout, the mushroom’s spores, and the tree’s growth. Like nature, the restoration druid perseveres through patience and persistence, the foundation upon which all life is built and sustained. They use this power to mend wounds and provide persistent remedies that keep their allies from falling.
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\"Friend to flora and fauna alike, restoration druids celebrate birth and growth\"
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Gameplay
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Restoration Druid themes are clearly defined, and there’s a lot of cohesive flavor to love in how the spec plays. As a result, we’re making minimal changes. Their Mastery had the most room for improvement, having basically become a passive effect. We’ve redesigned it to emphasize layering healing-over-time effects, favoring more engaging gameplay, while also catering to the Restoration themes.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to Druid class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll wrap up our series tomorrow with a look at Rogues.
\r\n\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-12T01:00:00.000Z","updated":"2016-08-24T18:37:52.599Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19956929","image":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19956929,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19956929/legion-class-preview-series-druid","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19956929/legion-class-preview-series-druid","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19956929/legion-class-preview-series-druid"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Monk","id":19964703,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-monk","url":"/news/19964703/legion-class-preview-series-monk","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Monk. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Monk","Class Preview"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19964703","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Monk—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
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We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Monk. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Monk in World of Warcraft.
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Monks were introduced in Mists of Pandaria, and their story is woven directly into the expansion’s rich and vibrant lore. Monks bring a unique martial arts style to any fight, and harness an exotic form of magical energy that’s unfamiliar to those who practice other arcane arts. They seek spiritual balance in life and in combat, and as dangerous as Monks can be on the battlefield, they’re rarely looking to pick a fight without just cause. They view the world through a different lens, finding power through serenity and inner peace—then expressing it through artful combat techniques and powers that mend life. Perhaps most surprisingly, Monks are also adept at producing powerful brews they consume to aid them in battle.
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In Legion, we’re focusing on making sure Monk abilities and gameplay better match the class’s vivid backstory. We’re also looking at abilities that already lend themselves well to the Monk’s character, but whose mechanics are in need of polish.
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Brewmaster
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The brewmaster is a quirky character, though dangerous when underestimated. Brewmasters may seem to struggle with balance as they chug their concoctions in the middle of a fight, but this unpredictable behavior is far from foolhardiness. Most opponents barely have time to process the erratic nature of the brewmaster’s fighting tactics before they find themselves laid low—possibly the result of a keg smash to the head. When an opponent actually manages to land an attack, it’s often unclear how much the brewmaster feels it . . . if at all.
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\"The brewmaster is a quirky character, though dangerous when underestimated.\"
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Gameplay
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The gameplay for Brewmasters hasn’t quite fit their archetypes to this point. Rather than being the tricky martial artists, staggering around with an evasiveness that frustrates their opponent while being a little squishy when taking an unmitigated blow, Brewmasters have been more focused around large absorption shields and clutch self-healing. Our new design approach is to get more gameplay depth out of their strong, thematic abilities. Instead of Chi as a resource, which had little depth for Brewmasters, we’re switching to charges on Brew abilities that other abilities still interact with.
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Mistweaver
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Mistweavers are unique among those who heal. The energies they channel are mysterious, oftentimes misunderstood by commoners—who rarely travel beyond the borders of their homelands—as some form of folk medicine. But those who weave the mists wield the power of life’s essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies’ wounds. The inner tranquility that guides mistweavers allows them to sustain their healing for long periods of time, and gives them the strength to care for multiple injured allies.
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\"...those who weave the mists wield the power of life's essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies' wounds.\"
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Gameplay
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Our goal with Mistweaver Monks is to accentuate the existing characteristics that define them, and resolve some core gameplay issues. In simple terms, this means we’ve redesigned their abilities so that you can directly use the spells you want rather than having to set up an excessive amount of other abilities first.
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The most prominent example of this was Renewing Mist, which served primarily as a setup for Uplift; we’ve reworked Renewing Mist to stand on its own, and replaced Uplift with a couple of new spells: Vivify and Essence Font. In addition, a new passive Soothing Mist mechanic gives Mistweavers a unique healing style with variable efficiency, over which you have more direct control.
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We’re also focusing Mistweavers solely on healing, rather than supporting a type of mixed attack-healing gameplay that felt awkward and ultimately didn’t live up to our goals for the spec—it was unintuitive, and chiefly useful as a mana management tool. Lastly, Mistweavers will now use Mana, not Chi, as a resource, since it reduced choices and restricted gameplay in many situations.
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Windwalker
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Among monks, none have mastered the martial arts as the windwalkers have, and few across Azeroth can fight with their grace. Windwalkers possess unparalleled physical finesse, and are capable of overwhelming their enemies with a dizzying flurry of punches and kicks. Their skill comes primarily from a lifetime of intense training and discipline, but the power they exhibit is shrouded in more mysticism than meets the untrained eye. The combination of their peak physical conditioning, state of inner calm, and leveraging of mystical chi makes windwalker monks a true force to be reckoned with.
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\"Windwalkers possess unparalleled physical finesse, and are capable of overwhelming their enemies with a dizzying flurry of punches and kicks.\"
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Gameplay
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Similar to Brewmasters, here we focused on getting more depth out of less complexity. Windwalkers’ new Mastery, Combo Strikes, encourages mixing a variety of abilities, which provides a constant gameplay hook that influences every ability they use and draws inspiration from classic fighting games. In addition, we’ve polished Storm, Earth, and Fire to remove some cumbersome mechanics. Windwalkers still use a combination of Energy and Chi, along with a heavy dose of short cooldowns.
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Here’s a basic look at the core combat abilities for Windwalker Monks:
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Mastery: Combo Strikes\r\n\t
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Your abilities deal 25% (with Mastery from typical gear) more damage when they are not a repeat of the previous ability.
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Tiger Palm\r\n\t
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50 Energy, Melee Range, Instant
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Attack with the palm of your hand, dealing minor damage and generating 2 Chi.
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Tiger Palm has an 8% chance to make your next Blackout Kick cost no Chi.
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Blackout Kick\r\n\t
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1 Chi, Melee Range, Instant
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Kick with a blast of Chi energy, dealing moderate Physical damage.
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Rising Sun Kick\r\n\t
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2 Chi, Melee Range, Instant, 8 sec cooldown
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You kick upwards, dealing strong damage, and reducing the effectiveness of healing on the target for 10 sec.
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Fists of Fury\r\n\t
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3 Chi, Melee Range, Channeled, 20 sec cooldown
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Pummel all targets in front of you, dealing massive damage over 4 sec. Deals reduced damage to secondary targets.
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Can be channeled while moving.
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Spinning Crane Kick\r\n\t
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Has gained some new functionality
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3 Chi, Channeled
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Damage increase by 50% for each unique target you've struck in the last 15 sec with Tiger Palm, Blackout Kick, or Rising Sun Kick.
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Storm, Earth, and Fire\r\n\t
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Redesigned
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Now lasts 15 sec with a 90 sec cooldown.
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Each spirit can now attack the same target as the monk.
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Targets hit by spirits count toward increasing Spinning Crane Kick damage.
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Developer Comment: Spirits will automatically seek out nearby enemies to attack while you attack your target.
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Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Windwalker-specific talents:
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Hit Combo\r\n\t
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Passive
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Each successive attack that triggers Combo Strikes in a row grants 1% increased damage, stacking up to 10 times.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to Monk class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll continue our series later today with a look at Druids.
\r\n\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-11T19:00:00.000Z","updated":"2016-08-24T18:37:34.082Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19964703","image":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19964703,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19964703/legion-class-preview-series-monk","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19964703/legion-class-preview-series-monk","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19964703/legion-class-preview-series-monk"}},{"title":"Pet Battle Bonus Event November 11-16","id":19956945,"slug":"pet-battle-bonus-event-november-11-16","url":"/news/19956945/pet-battle-bonus-event-november-11-16","author":"Kaivax","description":"Through Monday, November 16, Pet Battle experience gains are increased by +200%.","category":null,"tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19956945","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Through Monday, November 16, Pet Battle experience gains are increased by +200%. It’s time to team up your mighty minions and test them on the field of battle!
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Before you charge forth with your lower-level charges, make sure to pick up the quest “The Very Best”, lest you miss the chance to wrest an Ultimate Battle-Training Stone into your chest. All you need do is queue up for PvP Pet Battles with a team of three level-25 pets and obtain five wins before the event ends.
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Did you know that Squirt will be making an appearance in the Garrison during this event? Tell us about your plans in the comments below.
\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-11T15:00:00.000Z","updated":"2015-11-10T23:02:49.732Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19956945","image":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/fe/FE8PSHFCZJZ01438816169989.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/fe/FE8PSHFCZJZ01438816169989.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19956945,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19956945/pet-battle-bonus-event-november-11-16","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19956945/pet-battle-bonus-event-november-11-16","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19956945/pet-battle-bonus-event-november-11-16"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Warrior","id":19956928,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-warrior","url":"/news/19956928/legion-class-preview-series-warrior","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Warrior. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Warrior in World of Warcraft.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Class Preview","Warrior"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19956928","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Warrior—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
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We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Warrior. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Warrior in World of Warcraft.
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Warriors are the quintessential fearless fighters on the battlefield, and their pure martial prowess inspires courage in allies and despair in enemies. Experts in all manner of melee weaponry and possessing incredible physical strength and skill, Warriors are perfectly suited to serve as frontline combatants and battlefield commanders.
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Warriors are thematically informed by our own history, dating back to ancient clashes when close-quarters, shield-and-sword combat was the backbone of battlefield strategy. Warriors in WoW are steeped in this tradition, with each specialization filling distinct niches.
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One notable goal we have for Warriors in Legion is to significantly expand their customizability through talents, especially for Arms and Fury. If the below core abilities seem sparse, it’s to leave room for more from talents than ever before. Both specs now have five rows of core throughput talents (mostly different between Arms and Fury, too), with a strong mix of active rotational abilities, passives, procs, cooldowns, and other interesting effects. You’ll find old favorites like Overpower, Heroic Strike, and Opportunity Strikes, returning classics like Avatar, Dragon Roar, and Storm Bolt, along with a host of brand new talents. We look forward to seeing the combinations that you put together.
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Arms
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Across culture and kingdom, men and women who demonstrate great physical aptitude are transformed into mighty warriors through tests of strength, endurance, and fighting capability. Their friendships are forged not in the classroom, tavern, or workshop, but in the dueling pits and on the arena floor. As a childhood of sparring defines a warrior’s destiny, so too does one’s choice of weapon determine their role on the battlefield. Arms warriors gravitate toward two-handed weapons instinctively. It’s more than a matter of preference—it speaks to the character of the wielder. Arms warriors are patient in a fight, waiting to capitalize on moments when an opponent is left exposed. Two-handed weapons allow them to deliver devastating, overpowering blows, fully exploiting their enemies’ weaknesses.
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\"Arms warriors are patient in a fight, waiting to capitalize on moments when an opponent is left exposed.\"
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Gameplay
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The defining character traits of Arms Warriors already mesh well with their gameplay, but there’s room for more flavor. In Legion we’ve opened up a wider variety of potential gameplay styles based on your talent choices, as discussed above. We also replaced their Mastery with Colossal Might, which increases the effectiveness of Colossus Smash, playing into their theme more directly. As before, Arms Warrior Rage generation comes from auto-attacks.
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Fury
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On the battlefield and in the arena, the most feared combatants are often the furious berserkers who lust for battle and thirst for blood. Through a lifetime of training and sparring, these merciless warriors have become masters of carnage—often wielding a weapon in each hand to maximize the destruction. Even without the protection of a shield, the fury warrior leaves little opportunity for an opponent to strike without suffering grievous wounds in return—delivered in a whirlwind of blades that dooms anyone its wake. Brute force becomes a breathtaking display when fury warriors relentlessly dive into the fray.
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\"Brute force becomes a breathtaking display when fury warriors relentlessly dive into the fray.\"
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Gameplay
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Fury is a thematically grandiose take on the classic warrior archetype, and in Legion we want the gameplay to convey this better. To help deliver on the fantasy of a relentless death-dealer, we’ve bolstered their gameplay around quickly building Rage and then going wild with Rampage. In particular, Enrage is now considerably more powerful, doubling your attack speed (and thus Rage generation, since the majority of Rage is still generated by auto-attacks), along with increasing damage based on Mastery. Similar to Arms, a multitude of talent options will expand your combat abilities in a wide variety of ways.
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Protection
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Like their counterparts, protection warriors are virtually bred for physical dominance, having been raised in the art of close-quarters combat—but their measured approach to battle is what distinguishes them from their comrades-in-arms. They demonstrate an uncanny knack for blade and shield, nullifying an opponent’s advances and creating opportunities for counterattacks. For the protection warrior, being the toughest soldier on the front means nothing if allies are left vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. Stalwart defenders are integral to the success of any military campaign—the protection warrior seeks to be an unbreakable wall.
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\"For the protection warrior, being the toughest soldier on the front means nothing if allies are left vulnerable to the enemy’s attack.\"
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Gameplay
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Protection gameplay ties strongly to Warrior lore and exemplifies the very foundation of the tank role in the game, so we’re primarily focused on fine-tuning their mechanics. Shield Block and Shield Barrier in particular often created a trap choice for players. We’ve replaced Shield Barrier with a new ability, Ignore Pain, which massively reduces damage taken (up to a cap based on maximum health) and functions as your primary defensive Rage-spender. It doesn’t compete as much with Shield Block, and thus provides you with distinct tools in your arsenal to apply to different situations. In terms of Rage, Protection Warriors now primarily generate Rage through taking damage, supplemented by a baseline Rage income from ability usage. This plays well with Ignore Pain as their primary Rage-spender; it’s most useful when you’re taking a lot of damage, which is also when you’ll have a lot of Rage to use on it.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to Warrior class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll continue our series later today with a look at Monks and Druids.
\r\n\r\n\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-11T13:00:00.000Z","updated":"2016-07-19T01:12:51.465Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19956928","image":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/gx/GXD3F9KV8DY71447152605467.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":260,"height":130,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/gx/GXD3F9KV8DY71447152605467.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19956928,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19956928/legion-class-preview-series-warrior","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19956928/legion-class-preview-series-warrior","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19956928/legion-class-preview-series-warrior"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Shaman","id":19955664,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-shaman","url":"/news/19955664/legion-class-preview-series-shaman","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Shaman. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Shaman in World of Warcraft.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Class Preview","Shaman"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19955664","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Shaman—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
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We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Shaman. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Shaman in World of Warcraft.
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For millennia, since the primitive tribal cultures of Azeroth and Draenor, the natural elements of the physical universe have been celebrated, feared, and even worshipped. Mystics sought communion with the earth, air, fire, and water, and learned to tap into their raw power. In time, these spiritual guides came to understand that nature’s elemental forces aren’t wholly benevolent, but have, in fact, been locked in an unending conflict of chaos and primal fury that once consumed the physical realm. So began the calling of the Shaman, to bring balance to these volatile energies, leveraging their intensity to mend wounds . . . or inflict them.
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The use of totems is integral to the Shaman archetype, and we’re addressing some persistent issues with their mechanics. For a long time there have been significant constraints associated with totems, like the fact that they can only be dropped at the Shaman’s feet, or that they only have 5 health, or that no more than one of the same elemental type can be active at one time. While these constraints were intended to ensure that totems felt unique, they ultimately drove us to creating strange tools to allow the Shaman to bypass such constraints, such as Totemic Projection or Totemic Persistence. In Legion, we’re eliminating this awkwardness and simply removing the constraints.
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Totems of the same nature type can now be summoned together, allowing you to have Healing Stream Totem and Healing Tide Totem up at the same time. Elementals are no longer tied to totems, but are guardians that follow and assist you. Totems’ maximum health will always equal a percentage of your maximum health. In addition, totems that need to be placed at a specific location will be directly placed using a targeting reticle. If you want to place Earthgrab Totem in the middle of a big pack of nasty orcs, you can do that without having to run into that nastiness or use a separate spell to throw the totem there. In general, totem mechanics are concentrated around temporary effects (either beneficial or hostile) in a localized area, as opposed to “maintenance buff” cooldowns you need to make sure are up at all times.
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Finally, we’re bringing needed clarity to Shaman resources, particularly to move away from disguising a couple key resources as buffs. Lightning Shield charges for Elemental Shaman, Maelstrom Weapon charges for Enhancement Shaman, and Mana have all been replaced for Elemental and Enhancement with a new resource: Maelstrom. Mana is a fitting Restoration Shaman resource and will remain for that spec.
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Elemental
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Certain shaman have dedicated themselves above all else to forging a deep bond with the elements. They have peered beyond the Elemental Plane, gleaning visions of an ancient past where manifestations of volatile energies once raged unimpeded across primordial Azeroth. Through careful study and dedication, the elemental shaman is able to channel such power into destructive magical surges. Through the body of the shaman flows bolts of lightning, as if from storm, and bursts of fire, as if from molten earth. They manipulate the land itself and summon spirits of earth, fire, and storm to their aid. To battle an elemental shaman is to taunt the very forces of nature.
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\"Through the body of the shaman flows bolts of lightning, as if from storm, and bursts of fire, as if from molten earth\"
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Gameplay
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Elemental Shaman already have a strong, thematic ability repertoire. We’re retaining much of that existing gameplay in Legion, while smoothing the rough edges. The previously mentioned switch to Maelstrom as a resource is most significant. Elemental Shaman will build Maelstrom through their Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning, and spend it on abilities like Shocks and Earthquake. This change also allows us to remove the cooldown on Shocks, since they instead compete for resources. Shock usage is now more flexible for Elemental Shaman, such as using more of their Maelstrom on Flame Shock to DoT multiple targets. Another notable change is the return of Elemental Overload as their Mastery; Molten Earth never lived up to our hopes, being too non-interactive and confusing.
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Enhancement
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Intense communion with fire, earth, air, and water isn’t exclusive to the elemental shaman. In many ways, enhancement shaman similarly bond with nature and leverage its power on the battlefield. What distinguishes them in their training—and in their connection with the elements—is their combat methodology. These shaman favor empowering their physical attacks with elemental energies and facing their adversaries up close. They don’t shy from the frontlines, wielding magically augmented weapons, potent elemental attacks, and totems that shape the tide of battle.
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\"These shaman favor empowering their physical attacks with elemental energies and facing their adversaries up close\"
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Gameplay
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The identity of the Enhancement Shaman is cool, but we don’t feel that the mechanics do well to establish that. We want this spec to be more than a melee-range Elemental Shaman, while having a distinct “Battle Mage” feel. Enhancement’s niche focuses on dishing out devastating spells and punishing strikes at melee range to destroy their enemy. Rather than leaving you with a multitude of buttons, many of which are inconsequential, we’re emphasizing empowering your weapons and allies in the fray. Enhancement Shaman become increasingly deadly as they build their power through Maelstrom generation. They must be careful not to let it overflow, while maintaining enough to utilize their most dominant attacks at critical moments.
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Restoration
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Some shaman find a serene affinity for the restorative properties of water. These shaman do not necessarily seek the Light or turn to the divine, yet they feel a profound spiritual connection with the source from which all mortal life took root. So strong is their connection with water that the shaman is able to restore life and heal afflictions. They balance this with a command of the other elements, finding harmony in nature and purifying their allies as a tidal surge washes across a sandy shore.
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\"Restoration shaman feel a profound spiritual connection with the source from which all mortal life took root\"
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Gameplay
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Restoration mechanics are informed well by the themes of the spec, and we want to avoid disrupting what healers already like about it. What has changed has primarily been in terms of tweaking their gameplay in more fun directions. There’s now slightly more emphasis on targeted healing, and slightly less on Chain Heal spam. We’ve also significantly improved their talents, offering more impactful and varied options. Additionally, Restoration gains the most from the removal of totem restrictions.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll continue our review tomorrow with a look at Warriors, Monks, and Druids.
\r\n\r\n","status":"live","pending":false,"published":"2015-11-11T01:00:00.000Z","updated":"2016-08-24T18:37:11.788Z","shortUrl":"https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/19955664","image":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"//bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_thumbnail/eo/EOEU4EKTAQJM1472063450630.jpg"},"analytics":{"name":"newsOpen","label":19955664,"dimensions":{"destinationUrl":"/news/19955664/legion-class-preview-series-shaman","ctaPlacement":"homepage-news"}},"link":{"url":"/news/19955664/legion-class-preview-series-shaman","analytics":{},"href":"/news/19955664/legion-class-preview-series-shaman"}},{"title":"Legion Class Preview Series: Death Knight","id":19955663,"slug":"legion-class-preview-series-death-knight","url":"/news/19955663/legion-class-preview-series-death-knight","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","description":"We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Death Knight. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Death Knight in World of Warcraft.","category":"Legion","tags":["2016_wow_archival_content"],"keywords":["Legion","Class Preview","Death Knight"],"community":"wow-web","draft":false,"commentsKey":"us.en_us.blog.19955663","commentsEnabled":false,"content":"
Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Death Knight—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview.
\r\n\r\n
We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Death Knight. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Death Knight in World of Warcraft.
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The first new class introduced to World of Warcraft after its launch, Death Knights came into the fray with an identity unmistakably tied to the Wrath of the Lich King story. The Death Knights of Acherus, their cold bodies lifted from the grave in the Scarlet Enclave, were commanded by the Lich King and Highlord Darion Mograine to slaughter every villager in Tyr’s Hand, New Avalon, and Havenshire, and to sack Light’s Hope Chapel, decimating both the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn.
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Ultimately, as a result of such uncompromising ambition, the Lich King was betrayed by Highlord Mograine in an act that freed the Death Knights from their servitude. Under Mograine’s leadership they formed the Knights of the Ebon Blade and began joining the ranks of the Horde and Alliance forces bound for Icecrown Citadel to end the reign of Arthas, the Lich King. Though now free from the Lich King’s grasp, these once virtuous champions remain knights of darkness, wielding runeblades of death and destruction and mercilessly stealing the very life essence of their enemies.
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We always want to reflect the Death Knight origin story and identity in how they play. The biggest area where we see room for improvement is in their resource system. Runes are a very iconic resource, but their functionality has always been convoluted. In Legion, we’re making Runes more straightforward by removing their division into separate Blood, Frost, and Unholy types. Death Knights now have six unified Runes to spend, with a maximum of three recharging at any one time.
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With this change, it’s also important that we preserve the existing gameplay familiarity of Death Knights by making mostly minor changes to core ability functionality and cost—we don’t want the Rune change to create a situation where the best Frost rotation is just Obliterate, Obliterate, Obliterate. Finally, we’re reducing ability overlap between specializations, giving each a single disease with a unique trait and creating a talent tree that’s largely populated with spec-specific talents to better distinguish them.
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Blood
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In undeath, some death knights find a special affinity for the blood and bone of the living. They carve into their enemies, sustaining themselves with deadly sanguine strikes, while using the bloody, shattered remains of the dead to fortify their own defenses. These crimson-soaked knights bend the very rules of mortality to control the frontlines of the battlefield.
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\"These crimson-soaked knights bend the very rules of mortality to control the frontlines of the battlefield\"
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Gameplay
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The core abilities for Blood should be familiar, though we’ve touched them up to bring added clarity to the specialization. Each core ability now better leverages that sinister command of blood and bone to fuel your survivability. In particular, we’ve changed Death Strike to cost Runic Power instead of Runes. This results in a more clear choice of resource expenditure; you can’t lock yourself out of being able to heal if you spend a Rune at the wrong time, and also gives Runic Power generation a bigger impact.
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Instead of Rune Tap, we’re positioning Bone Shield to be the primary complement to Death Strike for active defenses to better tie into the fantasy and provide more flexibility. Marrowrend is a new attack which allows you to rotationally generate Bone Shields. To provide gameplay contention between Runes of a single type, Blood Strike now generates additional Runic Power on top of the standard amount gained for spending a Rune.
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Frost
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Combining martial prowess with supernatural cold, frost death knights leave their enemies chilled to the bone—and broken of the will to fight. Unlike mages who learn to harness frost magic to great effect, these death knights are born of it, rime gripping their decaying hearts. These frozen undead warriors wield dual blades to strike with ferocity and inflict deathly cold upon anyone who would stand against them.
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\"These death knights are born of frost, rime gripping their decaying hearts\"
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Gameplay
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The mechanics of the Frost Death Knight are quite solid and we don’t want to do too much to change that. You’ll notice that the core combat abilities listed below are largely familiar. One small area where we found room for improvement, however, is in Killing Machine’s passive interaction with the core rotation. While the automatic critical strikes it provides feel good, it’s often better to ignore its proc in favor of spending resources as fast as you can, as your damage output suffers if you wait for the different resources required for using Obliterate and Frost Strike to become available. Killing Machine now only affects Obliterate, and making wise use of its effect should feel more meaningful.
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Unholy
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While free from the Lich King’s grasp, some death knights still embody the ever-corrupting nature of the Scourge plague that once threatened to consume Azeroth. No matter their allegiance or cause, they remain defilers of life; and nowhere is their callousness more on display than when threatened. Inflictors of the most aggressive of diseases—and masters of raising unhallowed minions from the ground—these unholy death knights are vicious melee combatants, capable of striking with the force of an undead legion and unleashing pestilence that would bring their foes to ruin.
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\"Unholy death knights are vicious melee combatants, capable of unleashing pestilence that would bring their foes to ruin\"
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Gameplay
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Unholy is receiving slightly more mechanical changes than Blood and Frost, to better realign with their unique identity. We want to ensure that Unholy continues to be the spec with the most active use of diseases. In this regard, we recognize that Festering Strike lost its luster over time and have developed a new mechanic to ensure the ability remains integral in the Unholy rotation.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll continue our review later today with a look at Shaman.
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