4.2 PTR discussion

[Syncognition]

So I just read the notes for the 5/10/11 build of the 4.2 PTR. This bit interested me:

Protection
Ardent Defender has a new spell effect.


They don't seem to mention what this effect is though. Anyone know? Also feel free to discuss any other changes you may have come across. =)

P.S. I'm reading from a cross-post on a forum that I am able to access behind the filter at work, so I am not certain if there was more information or not in the official post. I know pasting the notes is frowned upon, so I won't do that unless cleared by a mod.

[Shoju]

They are (not surprising to anyone with a brain who has played a Frost DK) nerfing Obliterate.

[Chicken]

"New spell effect" is Blizzard speak for "Shiny new graphics".

[Shathus]

You missed the most important paladin changes

Rebuke, Divine Shield and Divine Protection have new icons.

[Gerunna]

Man I can't wait to try out the new pet Assist stance. And hooray for hit and spell pen affecting traps now. And for Rune Strike getting it's big threat back.

[Syncognition]

Silly me. That's what I get for assuming Blizz would want to make meaningful changes to improve a weak cooldown that is only used to full effect in a handful of situations. =\

[halabar]

Man I can't wait to try out the new pet Assist stance. And hooray for hit and spell pen affecting traps now. And for Rune Strike getting it's big threat back.

What???? It's a nerf. What hunter doesn't have pet attack as part of his opening macro.. HM/petattack/SerpSting...

With this new stance the pet waits 3 seconds before attacking? That's a dps loss. Sometimes I want my pet to stay attacking a certain target even if I switch.

Im ticked off about this hunter change, the removal of aggressive stance from pets. While it may save some of you tanks some grief from huntards that fail to turn it off in instances, the change is really a pvp nerf to hunters, and a buff to true stealth classes. Aggressive was a great way to sniff out stealthers a hair earlier. It was also good for dealing with large packs of little mobs that needed to be AOEed.

Now, hunters will be even more of a sitting duck for rogues to open up on, and I and my pet will be single-targeting those stupid little masks at the Archeology boss in ZG.. grumble...

The only use for this new stance is if you want your pet to follow to attack whatever target you are attacking without recommanding it. But, it might sit around for 2-3 seconds before choosing to do so. I don't see the point.

And yeah for the new blue version of the hunter gun, and no raid drop gun.

[Jonlo]

What does the new AD graphic look like? Does it have an additional proc or animation for using it's life saving part?

[theckhd]

I appreciate it on my Warlock, if only because it means I can get rid of several "/petattack" macros. I've only rarely used aggressive, and that was generally in soloing/leveling situations. But I also don't PvP.

[halabar]

I appreciate it on my Warlock, if only because it means I can get rid of several "/petattack" macros. I've only rarely used aggressive, and that was generally in soloing/leveling situations. But I also don't PvP.

But hunter pets already auto-attacked in defensive. So this new stance only really adds redirecting the pet to attack whatever you are. I can see the use for this in multi-boss encounters.. "all dps off of X... swap to Y..." but that's the only use for it I can see. And I hate it for the loss of dps on AOE packs.

[theckhd]

Target switching is exactly the reason I appreciate it. Warlock pets also automatically attack in defensive stance, but they stay on their first target until it's dead. This is annoying on several raid encounters where you might want to stop DPS on a target, and have to micromanage your pet.

I hate micromanaging my pet, because the games controls for it are fairly inelegant in my mind. Hence the /petattack macros, to keep it attacking what I am. This new pet mode is perfect for me, because I can still switch targets to DoT something up without the pet following, but if I switch long enough to start Shadow Bolting it will follow me, just like it does with my current macros.

[Nikachelle]

Quick question... I have a guildie telling me there are new 5 man dungeons coming out with the release of Firelands. Can anyone confirm or deny? I haven't seen jack squat about any new five mans, but it's possible I skipped over it.

[halabar]

Target switching is exactly the reason I appreciate it. Warlock pets also automatically attack in defensive stance, but they stay on their first target until it's dead. This is annoying on several raid encounters where you might want to stop DPS on a target, and have to micromanage your pet.

I hate micromanaging my pet, because the games controls for it are fairly inelegant in my mind. Hence the /petattack macros, to keep it attacking what I am. This new pet mode is perfect for me, because I can still switch targets to DoT something up without the pet following, but if I switch long enough to start Shadow Bolting it will follow me, just like it does with my current macros.

And I completely understand the need for that. But.. why remove aggressive? That has it's place as well. I'd either add the new stance, or replace the existing defensive. Not remove aggressive.

It's a pvp nerf. Gogo rogue QQ results.

[halabar]

Quick question... I have a guildie telling me there are new 5 man dungeons coming out with the release of Firelands. Can anyone confirm or deny? I haven't seen jack squat about any new five mans, but it's possible I skipped over it.

Not that I have seen.

We are getting a new Isle of Q quest zone to keep us busy. Unless they are hiding a new 5-man in there, we aren't getting a new on that I've heard of.

[theckhd]

And I completely understand the need for that. But.. why remove aggressive? That has it's place as well. I'd either add the new stance, or replace the existing defensive. Not remove aggressive.

It's a pvp nerf. Gogo rogue QQ results.

Oh sure, I believe you on that note. And I'd be perfectly fine with replacing Defensive with the new stance instead of Aggressive. I pretty much only use Defensive and Passive right now, and will probably only use Assist and Passive after the patch, so whether it's Defensive or Aggressive that disappears is irrelevant to me. I suspect the reason behind not having all four is simply based on action bar limitations (i.e. aggressive/defensive/passive are 10/11/12 on the pet bar, and bars are coded to handle up to 12 abilities; shifting aggressive to 9 might interfere with some pet abilities that are coded to be in that slot).