RSS Patch 3.1 Information Compilation

We're going to start the week with a patch 3.1 information compilation, yes, this is definitely the most original idea of the year. According to information and a few rumors here and here we might have a very interesting week, stay tuned! Patch 3.1 - Information Compilation Misc. Changes A few mechanics will be changed in patch 3.1. Ground Mounts Ground mounts will no longer dismount in water and will be able to swim. (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?topic=20548.0" target="_blank">Blizzcon Q&A</a>) Dual Talent Specialization Players will be able to switch between two talent specializations. Players will have up to two talent specializations and will be able to switch between them, action bars and glyphs will also be switched accordingly. (hunters will also be able to switch between pets according to <a href="http://blue.mmo-champion.com/26/13832765677-dualspecs-questions-for-the-devs.html" target="_blank">this post</a>) Last time we heard about it, swapping specs (going from A to B) will truly be free in towns and possibly during the prep phase of PvP. In an instance it may cost a nominal fee (think reagent level). We want you to be able to do it when you want to do it, but we also don't want to slow things down if everyone is constantly flipping spec from fight to fight. But if it's free in town, then obviously it can't be more of a burden out of town than just hearthing and being summoned back is or nobody will use the remote option. (<a href="http://blue.mmo-champion.com/26/13832765677-dualspecs-questions-for-the-devs.html" target="_blank">Ghostcrawler on Dual-Spec</a>) Class Changes Preview These changes are NOT full patch notes, they're just a preview of class changes posted in three different blue posts last week. <div class="blizzquotewrap"><div class="blizzquoteinner"><div class="blizzquoteheader">Quote from Blizzard staff</div><div class="blizzquote"><img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ideathknights.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Death Knight (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=650" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Gargoyle and Unholy Blight have swapped talent positions. Gargoyle’s damage has increased and runic power cost per time has decreased.</li><li>Pestilence – this spell no longer causes damage but just spreads diseases. Blood Boil is intended to be the general area attack, and has been changed to be castable on targets with no diseases on them, but does extra damage if diseases are present.</li><li>Unbreakable Armor now absorbs a flat amount of damage that increases as your armor increases. It no longer boosts armor.</li><li>The Frost tree has been shuffled. Among other things, PvP talents such as Endless Winter are closer to the top of the tree where Blood and Unholy death knights can access them.</li><li>Sudden Doom – this talent now procs a Death Coil rather than requiring an additional button click. It works similarly to shamans’ Lightning Overload.</li><li>Magic Suppression and Blood of the North have been reduced to 3 ranks for the same benefit.</li><li>Blood Gorged now grants armor penetration instead of expertise. </li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/idruids.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Druid (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=700" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?druid" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Savage Defense – this is a new passive ability. When a druid in Dire Bear form deals a melee critical strike, the druid gains a damage shield equal to 25% of their attack power. The next hit completely removes the shield regardless of how much damage was done.</li><li>Survival of the Fittest has had its bonus armor reduced to compensate for the above increase in damage mitigation.</li><li>Faerie Fire (and similar debuffs) now reduces armor by 5%. See Sunder Armor in the warrior update below for additional details.</li><li>Thorns and Nature’s Grasp can be cast in Tree of Life form.</li><li>Survival Instincts now works in Moonkin form.</li><li>Replenish – to avoid confusion, this talent has been renamed “Revitalize.” It now also works with Wild Growth.</li><li>We are also looking at increasing the sustained (not burst) damage of feral druids in cat form.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ihunters.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Hunter (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=620" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?hunter" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Consumable ammunition has been removed from the game. Arrows and bullets no longer stack, but are not consumed. Ranged attack speed bonus gained from quivers and ammo bags will be preserved in a different capacity.</li><li>A new tier of hunter pet talents have been added. In particular, this allows Beastmaster hunters to improve their damage per second (DPS) with their 51 point talent.</li><li>Hunting Party – this talent has been reduced to 3 ranks and also grants a passive bonus to the hunter.</li><li>Piercing Shots – this talent has been changed. Your Aimed, Steady and Chimera Shots cause the target to bleed for 10/20/30% of damage dealt for 8 sec.</li><li>Sniper Training – this talent has been changed. After standing still for 6 sec, you gain a 2/4/6% damage bonus to Steady, Aimed and Explosive Shot.</li><li>We are also looking to add additional trap functionality to Survival.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/images.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Mage (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=670" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?mage" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Improved Water Elemental – this talent has been removed and replaced with a new talent that grants Replenishment (similar to Shadow priests).</li><li>We are also working on a way to give frost mages Ice Lance “Shatter combos” in PvE.</li><li>We are also working on more survivability for Fire spec in PvP.</li><li>We are also working on making Spirit a more useful and interesting stat for all mages.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ipaladins.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Paladin (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=610" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?paladin" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Blessing of Kings – this spell is now a base ability trainable by all paladins.</li><li>Exorcism – this spell now causes damage to all types of enemy targets. However, it always critical strikes undead or demon targets. This change should make sure paladin damage doesn’t drop when going from Naxxramas to later tiers of content.</li><li>Shield of the Templar now causes your Avenger’s Shield and Shield of the Righteousness to silence targets for 3 sec. The old damage bonus of this talent has been folded into Holy Shield, Avenger’s Shield, and Shield of the Righteousness.</li><li>Ardent Defender, Improved Hammer of Justice, One-Handed Weapon Specialization and more have had their ranks reduced.</li><li>Guarded by the Light – no longer reduces the mana cost of shield spells, but now has a 50/100% chance to refresh Divine Plea duration.</li><li>Judgements of the Just – now also reduces the cooldown of Hammer of Justice by 10/20 seconds and increases the duration of the Seal of Justice stun effect by 0.5/1 second.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ipriests.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Priest (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=640" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?priest" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Divine Spirit – this spell is now a core ability available to all priests.</li><li>Discipline has access to a new talent, Power Word: Barrier. (Think of it as Power Word: Shield for your whole group).</li><li>Several area of effect (AOE) heal spells have been improved: Prayer of Healing can be cast on any groups in your raid party. Holy Nova’s mana cost has been reduced. Circle of Healing now heals for more.</li><li>Shadow priest PvP survivability has been improved: Shadow Form now reduces magic as well as physical damage. Dispersion now removes snares.</li><li>Penance – this spell can now be targeted on the priest.</li><li>Serendipity – this talent now reduces the cast time of Greater Heal and Prayer of Healing when Binding Heal or Flash Heal are cast.</li><li>We are also working to give Holy additional PvP utility.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/irogues.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Rogue (<a href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?page=630" target="_blank">Skills List</a> / <a href="http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?rogue" target="_blank">Talent + Glyph Calc.</a>) <ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;"><li>Hunger for Blood – instead of a self-buff, this ability can only be used when there is a bleed effect on the target. However, it has no stacks and grants a 15% damage bonus.</li><li>Adrenaline Rush – the cooldown on this ability has been lowered.</li><li>Lightning Reflexes – reduced to 3 ranks. In addition to 2/4/6% dodge, this talent now also grants 4/7/10% passive melee haste.</li><li>Killing Spree – while this ability is active, the rogue does 20% additional damage.</li><li>Savage Combat – now causes 2/4% physical damage done.</li><li>Mace Specialization – this talent now grants haste in addition to armor penetration.</li></ul> <img src="http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ishamans.gif" alt="" border="0" /> Shaman (Fonte