Patch 5.3 Notes

[Sagara]

More than the reasoning, I'm wondering about the magnitude of the nerf's effect.

It's still napkin math and guesstimating, but I don't see us suddenly stop rocking hard on massive physical spikes. (*Spiiiiiiiiiiiike!*) It feels more like they're trying to keep us under control for the final raid while working on a new iteration in the background (possibly 6.0?)

[halabar]

Still no Blue explaining exactly what they are doing with hunters, when they are further neutering BM utility while saying hunter specs need more distinction.. umm...

Also, latest build on the PTR is marked as Release.

[Flex]

Still no Blue explaining exactly what they are doing with hunters, when they are further neutering BM utility while saying hunter specs need more distinction.. umm...

Are you intentionally ignoring the reasons why they're changing BM pet utility because you don't like the answer?

[halabar]

Still no Blue explaining exactly what they are doing with hunters, when they are further neutering BM utility while saying hunter specs need more distinction.. umm...

Are you intentionally ignoring the reasons why they're changing BM pet utility because you don't like the answer?

You mean the OMGHUNTERSARESOOPQQQQ?

The Blues have not said much about it, other than that they are making the changes, or if BM will get something back for PVE to compensate for the utility loss.

[Nooska]

I feel confident ignoreing the "BM is too powerful in PvP" argument, because if that was the norm, there would have been loads of nerfs in general over time to other specs as well (and buffs for BM pre 5.0).

That said, I think it is odd the way they are going about it, by nerfing an iconic BM difference (the lowered CDs on pet specials) from the other specs. By all means, if CC is too easily used (too low a CD) up the CD, but don't remove the CD reduction for BM. Doubling the CD hurts the other specs just as much anyway, and they weren't "OP in PvP".

I find it odd too that while talking about needing difference between specs (yes it was mostly mentioned in regards to rogues, but as a general principle) they are cutting down ion the distinguishing features of hunter specs.

Not that I'm bothered either way, I've done all the PvP achievements I needed to do on Nooska - and these days I think I would go with my shadowpriest for PvP if I actually played (I'm still paying, just not playing).

[Flex]

I feel confident ignoreing the "BM is too powerful in PvP" argument, because if that was the norm, there would have been loads of nerfs in general over time to other specs as well (and buffs for BM pre 5.0).

Check patch notes and tell me there haven't been tons of balance changes for PvP implemented this expansion.

Doubling the CD hurts the other specs just as much anyway, and they weren't "OP in PvP".

Other specs get a buff due to Intimidation becoming a talent, not having a baseline stun bothers me the most on my hunter.

Not that I'm bothered either way, I've done all the PvP achievements I needed to do on Nooska - and these days I think I would go with my shadowpriest for PvP if I actually played (I'm still paying, just not playing).

That's how I know you don't pay attention with regards to your first statement. Shadow Priests have been hit with more changes for PvP issues than any other spec.

[halabar]

Currently, we expect to release World of Warcraft Patch 5.3: Escalation next week on Tuesday, May 21!

[halabar]

So, now the question is, what pieces to valor upgrade, and when? Factoring in potential thunderforged items, I don't have any BiS items, but am sitting on 3000 valor, with no desirable valor items to buy.

Hmmm.. Blow all the valor on the best items for the greatest performance boost? Or sit on 1k for potential raid drops?

[Fetzie]

Blow the Valor, you'll collect another 1k during the week.

[KysenMurrin]

Yeah, the new prices make it easy to spend. You can fully upgrade two items a week.

[Fetzie]

Yup. 6 items fully upgraded at launch, then another two by the end of the week.

[oldboyz]

Yeah, the new prices make it easy to spend. You can fully upgrade two items a week.

or you can more easily spread it on several pieces as you don't know yet what nice drop you'll get

this is my plan for all my toons. once BIS upgraded 2/2, i then all upgrade 1/2 first (4 piece a week), then i will start 2/2

(depending random drop, more chance to delete a piece 1/2, but less chance to sell a 2/2 )

[KysenMurrin]

I'll upgrade whatever's gonna give me the biggest dps increase. Probably weapons and trinkets, then the other items will probably not have much between them so I'll upgrade my thunderforged.

[Fenrìr]

I'm interested to know if they're going to reset valor or not. I know they said they were thinking about it, but nothing to state either way yet.

[halabar]

Hmm.. I like that idea of spreading out the upgrades on the lesser items, less chance of wasting valor on something that gets upgraded immediately afterwards. In my case I also know that I won't see loot from other than the first 3 ToTN bosses for a few weeks, so I'm going to look at the loot tables and first hit the slots that likely won't see a replacement soon.

That means I probably will upgrade my 502 weapon, since I won't see a normal drop except for the chance of a shared-boss drop until at least Tortos or ideally Durumuu. Won't touch trinkets since those come from Jink and Council.

[halabar]

I'm interested to know if they're going to reset valor or not. I know they said they were thinking about it, but nothing to state either way yet.

I would assume not, since this is mid-tier. If they did any reset it would be at the beginning of a new tier.

[Worldie]

I'm interested to know if they're going to reset valor or not. I know they said they were thinking about it, but nothing to state either way yet.

They didn't in 5.1 nor in 5.2, with both the introduction of Item Upgrades in 5.1, and new valor gear in 5.2. So why should they in 5.3?

[Fenrìr]

They mentioned they might when they brought back item upgrades.

[KysenMurrin]

There's no way it'll happen in 5.3 now, not when that'd mean giving people only two days notice.

[Winkle]

https://twitter.com/Ghostcrawler/status ... 2223234048

Going to try Vengeance cap at 30% health (down from 100%) in 10s and 50% of health in 25s. This is a big change, so might be 5.4, not 5.3.

[Fenrìr]

I think Theck said somewhere that it's not really that big of a deal. It's a way to curb people from standing in fire to get higher stacks of vengeance or something.



on the topic of VP being reset, I do see your point, Kysen.

[Worldie]

If you have ever checked your vengeance values, they never actually reached that much if you are not using some sort of "clever use of game mechanic".

[Fetzie]

I've only seen my AP go above 500k twice before now - solo-tanking Lei Shen P3 because the other tank was dead, and solo-tanking the Iron Qon trash.

[Darielle]

There is something so deliciously ironic about that, seeing as what we were all told (all the tank classes) was that Active Mitigation was where the future was.

It just happens that ours can be really powerful under certain conditions.

?

Aside from, maybe, contriving some odd situation wherey ou need the buff while not being able to attack something, it was pointed out fairly early that ShoR being flat physical reduction makes it a universal bar even when it comes to things we're not supposed to stand in. It wasn't even really surprising when ShoR allowed for "stand in Attenuation lol" and stuff like that.

The problem is really that you have some things which don't really translate nearly as well. Relying on SD for Snapping Bite (which ignores Armour) still leaves a pretty hefty EH requirement on 25H, for example.

If you have ever checked your vengeance values, they never actually reached that much if you are not using some sort of "clever use of game mechanic".

It's msotly the auxiliary abilities that use Vengeance-scaling anyway. ShoR, SB, SD, etc. don't care about AP. Monks MIGHT be hit a bit harder because of their greater reliance on stuff like Guard. And of course, if brushing the cap becomes the norm, DK's pull ahead slightly because Death Strike doesn't actually work off Vengeance - just damage taken.

[oldboyz]

i haven't read any new mounts on 5.3

am i wrong?

hope some more on 5.4 (181 atm...)