Patch 10.2 PTR Update for Oct 17th - Class Adjustments & Adjustments

Greetings adventurers! Welcome to this week's blog post where we will be discussing the latest updates and changes coming to the Dragonflight Patch 10.2 PTR. Blizzard has once again provided us with a round of tuning and class changes for several specializations. As always, it's important to note that these changes are being tested on the PTR and may be subject to further adjustments before they are implemented in the live game.

DEMON HUNTER

Let's start with the Demon Hunter class. Any Means Necessary now correctly shows the same percent value before and after talenting into it. Cycle of Binding now works with Precise Sigils, and Inertia triggers correctly after using Immolation Aura twice before using Fel Rush.

For Vengeance Demon Hunters, there are several changes being applied to the PTR over the course of this week. Fiery Brand duration is being increased by 2 seconds, Shear damage and Fracture damage are both being increased by 10%, and Soul Cleave damage is being increased by 15%. Additionally, Spirit Bomb damage and Soul Barrier absorb values are both being increased, while Fel Devastation damage and the damage bonus for Fel Devastation's Stoke the Flames talent are being adjusted. The talents Fel Flame Fortification and Revel in Pain have also swapped locations, and Deflecting Spikes is no longer connected to Calcified Spikes and Retaliation in the talent tree. Lastly, an issue causing the Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope Set Bonus to fail to reduce the cooldown of Sigil of Flame has been fixed.

DRUID

Next up, we have some changes for the Druid class. Balance Druids will see fixes to their Mastery, with default damage bonuses now correctly increasing the damage of abilities such as Wild Mushroom, Power of Goldrinn, and Orbital Strike. For Guardian Druids, the Blood Frenzy talent now grants 3 Rage each time Thrash deals damage. And lastly, the Mistweaver specialization has several changes, including adjustments to Clouded Focus, Vivify and Invigorating Mist healing, Expel Harm's healing in PvP combat, and the Faeline Stomp ability's initial heal and damage. These changes aim to improve the overall effectiveness and balance of these specializations.

PALADIN

The Paladin class has also received some attention in this PTR update. For Holy Paladins, the Reclamation talent now refunds up to 10% of Crusader Strike or Holy Shock's mana cost, and Holy Shock itself now costs slightly more mana. The Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope Set Bonus for Holy Paladins has undergone changes as well. For Retribution Paladins, the Vigor talent has been adjusted to increase energy regeneration by a lower percentage. These changes aim to fine-tune the gameplay and balance of these Paladin specializations.

ROGUE

The Rogue class has a few changes worth mentioning. Vigor now increases energy regeneration by a lower percentage, and Subterfuge now correctly refreshes duration when broken out of Vanish while another Subterfuge is active. Various talents and abilities for the Assassination, Outlaw, and Subtlety specializations have also been adjusted to improve their effectiveness and interaction with other talents. These changes aim to address gameplay and balance concerns for Rogue players.

SHAMAN

Shamans, specifically the Elemental and Restoration specializations, have also received some changes. The Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope Set Bonus for Elemental Shamans now grants a slightly reduced damage for Elemental Blast and shorter duration for the Elemental Blast buffs. The Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope Set Bonus for Restoration Shamans has increased the healing of Riptide, and the mana cost of Chain Heal has been adjusted. These changes aim to improve the performance and balance of these specializations in different scenarios.

WARRIOR

Lastly, we have a change for Fury Warriors. The Storm of Swords talent now gives Slam a shorter cooldown, resulting in more frequent usage. This change aims to enhance the gameplay and flow of Fury Warrior rotations.

ITEMS

In terms of items, the Revival Catalyst will now be available during the first week of Season 3, but players will only gain a charge every two weeks instead of every week. This change is intended to adjust the rate at which players acquire and complete their set bonuses. Additionally, very rare item drop rates and loot distributions have been adjusted to provide a more consistent and rewarding experience for players.

AMIRDRASSIL, THE DREAM'S HOPE RAID REWARDS

Speaking of rewards, the Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope raid offers a variety of new gear and bonuses. Tier armor tokens will continue to drop at their current rate relative to non-tier loot, and players can acquire these tokens through the Revival Catalyst. By shifting more of the tier acquisition to the Revival Catalyst, Blizzard aims to ensure that players complete their set bonuses at a similar or faster rate compared to the previous season. This change should help to bridge the gear gap between raiders and non-raiders to some extent.

As always, these PTR changes are subject to further adjustments and refinements based on player feedback and testing. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates and information regarding the Dragonflight Patch 10.2 as it progresses. Happy testing, and may your adventures in Azeroth be filled with excitement and triumph!