Phase 4 Teasers and Level 60 Endgame Preview - Season of Exploration

While the biggest focus is currently on Phase 3 of the Season of Discovery, we've got some exciting teasers for Phase 4 and level 60 in our Phase 3 Preview video! In this blog post, we'll be diving into all the updates that are coming in Phase 4 and beyond. From changes to weapon skill bonuses, to new racial spells for Priests, and even future gold sinks, there's a lot to look forward to!

Changes to Weapon Skill Bonuses

Blizzard has made it clear that they don't want "optimal" choices to dictate which race players choose for their characters. In Phase 4, at level 60, characters will be able to unlock Passive Weapon Skill bonuses that do not stack with racial bonuses. This means that certain races will no longer have an advantage in terms of weapon skill bonuses.

The Passive will grant players a +5 bonus to their choice of two Weapon Skills, and they will be able to swap between these choices "on the fly" just like swapping Runes. This change ensures that classes heavily dependent on their weapons won't have a clear "optimal" race choice. Races with existing passive weapon skill bonuses can allocate their two new Passives to other weapons. The exact method of unlocking these Passives hasn't been revealed yet, but the developers have promised a "short discovery" process early on.

Changes to Priest Racial Spells

Similar to weapon skill bonuses, Blizzard also doesn't want race-specific abilities to be the sole determining factor for choosing a race. In Phase 4, Priests will have the opportunity to unlock spells from other races. For example, Night Elves can learn Fear Ward, and Forsaken can learn Shadowguard.

Just like the Passive Weapon Skill bonuses, the method of unlocking these racial spells will involve a discovery process. While the exact details haven't been shared, these spells will be available early on at level 60.

Future Gold Sinks

While certain items' gold costs will be reduced in Phase 4, the developers still appreciate the importance of gold sinks. They are actively exploring different avenues to introduce more gold sinks into the game. However, they are planning to avoid directly impacting gear progression as a critical path.

Although no specifics have been provided, we can expect to see gold sinks in the form of mounts or other cosmetic items for purchase. These additions will provide players with more ways to spend their hard-earned gold.

Level 60 Gear Preview

With Season of Discovery emphasizing players being able to play the role they desire and explore new roles, there will be significant updates to gear, particularly Tier Sets. "Offspec" tier sets will be introduced for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 raids. This means that specializations that didn't have powerful Tier Set bonuses in Vanilla or roles that didn't exist, such as Healing Mages, will likely have options from level 60 raids in Phase 4.

In addition to Tier Sets, most level 60 endgame items, including those dropped from raids, Level 60 Dungeons, and certain quest rewards, will receive updates. This ensures that the gear available at this stage remains relevant and exciting for players.

Furthermore, professions will continue to receive updates and new recipes in Phase 4. These updates will include items that can be considered Best in Slot and make it easier to swap profession specializations at level 60, although there may be a cost associated with the change.

The Future at Level 60

We hope this overview of the upcoming changes in Phase 4 has sparked your excitement for what's to come in the future. Are you looking forward to the changes in weapon skill bonuses, new racial spells for Priests, or the updates to level 60 gear? Let us know in the comments below!