style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Patch
3.2 went live this week, and with it come a host of
new changes. There are some very interesting additions and revisions
among the
lengthy list of game modifications. This week we will explore the
changes in
depth to speculate what effect they will have on WoW long term.

Tuesday night was the first night of 3.2 and our WoW staff did some
exploring.
The new five player dungeon has translated well to the live servers but
there
are still excessive amounts of NPC dialogue. The bosses are much more
interesting in the heroic version and the overall run time of the
encounter is
nicely balanced. The usual slate of odd glitches, server lag, instance
lag and href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/72291" target="_blank"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: blue;">debilitating
raid boss bugs style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
were present, but overall the game was playable. There has
been some interesting server chatter about several changes.

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Badges

style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> style="margin: 10px; float: right;"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/72532" />
Most
of the banter in trade chat is over the addition
of conquest badges to heroic five player dungeons and the old ten and
twenty-five player raids
Does the inclusion of these badges cheapen current
content? Will players still knock out all of the Ulduar content when
they can
mine badge gear out of much easier and quicker heroic dungeons? There
may be
more instances of Ignis, Razorscale and The Iron Council surviving the
pillaging of their homes post 3.2 but I suspect most guilds will still
farm out
the T8 pieces and best in slot items from Yogg Saron. I actually
suspect there
may be a renewal of interest from many guilds struggling in Ulduar to
revisit
Naxxaramas to farm easy badges and upgrade many players quickly.






style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Call
of the Crusade

style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> style="margin: 10px; float: left;"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/72533" />
Another
ambitious entry into raid
and group content and the next step in Wrath
of the Lich King
progression,
Crusaders' Coliseum offers five, ten and twenty five player content.
The
addition of this dungeon also heralds Blizzard's newest tinkering of
difficulty
levels by allowing raid leaders the ability to select normal or hard
modes. As
stated above, the five player content is quick and easy. It yields item
level
200 epics on regular mode and item level 219 epics on heroic.

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Dungeon
Loot Tradeable

style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">To
fix the top issue that GMs had to deal with on a daily
basis, errant master looters, the ability to trade all loot to members
of the
same raid ID was added. This is one of the smarter features added to
the game.
It has a two hour time limit and the person being given the item must
have been
eligible to loot at the time it dropped. This feature can really help
speed up
runs while DKP is checked or loot councils convene.

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Raid
Extensions

style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">My
personal favorite of the new
changes, Raid ID extensions allows raiders to prolong the reset timer
of their
raids. style="margin: 10px; float: right;"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/72535" />
This change is nice as many folks are currently finishing up the
last
couple fights in Ulduar or working out the last few hard modes, but it
will
become invaluable in the next patch when Icecrown is introduced. Many
times in
the last version of the game my guild would have killed for an extra
week on
Mu'ru or any of the extremely difficult bosses in Sunwell. I hope
Icecrown
provides a similar level of difficulty and this modification of how
raid timers
are managed will help bleeding edge progression guilds accomplish their
goals
in a more efficient manner. This ability is controlled by the
individual player
to prevent PUGs from causing havoc amongst the general
populace.




style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Class
Buffs and Nerfs

  • style="line-height: normal;">
    style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Death
    Knights
    style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - The short version is this - Tanks were nerfed and DPS was mostly
    buffed. The
    general consensus is that AoE tank specs were heavily
    nerfed in the threat generation department, and that the overall
    hitpoint reduction is extra salt in those wounds. I trust Messiah to
    chime in on this in better detail in the coming weeks. I personally
    play an Uld geared blood tank alt and it appears to be the only spec
    that still plays the same post patch. 

    style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">

  • class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Druids
    style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> style="margin: 10px; float: right;"
    src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/72536" />
    -
    Restoration druids that used Lifebloom are feeling a significant change
    and it doesn't jive with the patch notes assertion that it was only a
    20% reduction from base spell power. Pre patch my lifebloom crits
    ranged from 18,000 to 21,000 and I have yet to see one top 9,000 since
    the patch. Feral DPS druids were hit with several minor nerfs that
    overall seem to have not made a huge difference in output; good feral
    druids are still pumping out great damage. Balance took a minor hit on
    the eclipse procs but gained a nice mana rejuvenation bump
  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hunters style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Trapping was revamped, allowing hunters to have multiple
    traps from different "categories" down at the same time. No spec
    breaking nerfs or buffs introduced 

style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";" />

  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mages style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Some very nice buffs overall to the class but nothing game changing.
    Mages have been fairly balanced thus far in WotLK. This round of
    changes, which consists of mana cost reductions and chances for base
    mana refunds, keep mages competitive.
  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Paladins style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Major changes to the class, the most substantial of which are in the
    ret tree. Retadins are being slowly reworked to be more in line with
    how Blizzard envisioned them. The way seals are used and which seals
    are used has been simplified and streamlined. Overall the changes to
    the paladin DPS have allowed the players who understand them to
    maintain the same level of damage as before. Holy paladins are feeling
    the sting of a reduction in overall intellect which affects mana pool
    and critical strike chance, but these single target masters are still
    capable healers. Prot pallies are still amazing. style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> 

  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Priests style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Healing priests are in a similar boat as resto druids with a major
    change to one of their primary spells. Discipline priests had a tweak
    to Penance, while shadow priests received some very nice upgrades to
    functionality. style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> 

  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Rogues
    style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-
    Rogues can now learn axes and take more loot.

    style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">

  • class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Shamans
    style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-
    Patch 3.2's big winner is definitely the restoration shaman. The
    foremost change is the addition of the totem bar and the ability to
    drop four totems on one global cooldown. Chain heal was made more
    effective (really, was that necessary??) The cure poisons and cure
    disease spells were combined and nature's swiftness cooldown was
    reduced by a minute. 

style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">

  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Warlocks style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Affliction and Demonology received decent buffs while destruction
    received a slight nerf. Overall nothing earth shattering, but
    soulshatter had its cooldown reduced by two minutes. style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> 

  • style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Warriors style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
    - Fury and Protection warriors received some minor upgrades while the
    class overall received an increase in range to two major shouts and
    execute was normalized to a set cost. 

style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There
still appears to be some bugs
in several of the class changes, hopefully Blizzard gets these issues
fixed or
clarified shortly.

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Argent
Tournament Expanded

style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Blizzard
employs the world’s top
psychologists to ensure maxim addiction factor to WoW (ok, I admit, I
made that
up....didn't I?) Tying into the Call of the Crusade theme, the Argent
Tournament has ramped up its efforts. New daily quests and rewards have
been
added with a couple of them having an extreme fun factor. Players with
appropriate faction and enough currency can purchase a mount for their
squire
and a new tabard that has a clickable ability that teleports the player
to the
tournament grounds, allowing maximum time to squeeze in all those
dailies.

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Isle
of Conquest

style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Off
the coast of Northrend, Horde
and Alliance forces are locked in an epic struggle for a tiny island
rich in
resources. style="margin: 10px; float: left;"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/72534" />
Known as the Isle of Conquest, this rocky battleground's
proximity
to Icecrown makes it a highly prized base in the war against the Lich
King.
Both factions have deployed devastating weapons to drive each other
from this
strategic location. Day and night the ground trembles under lumbering
siege
vehicles while monstrous airships pummel enemy positions with fiery
cannons.
The bloody conflict spreads to every corner of the island as new heroes
arrive
to aid their factions. It remains to be seen whose banner will wave
triumphantly over the Isle of Conquest and at what cost victory will be
achieved
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
The newest battleground to hit Azeroth is a mixture of elements from
AV, AB and
Wintergrasp. This battleground employs a reinforcement system akin to
the one
in AV to prevent a prolonged stalemate.  The island is home to
several nodes and two opposing keeps. Siege weaponry is stored
at each
node and the faction that controls that area gets to use it. In
addition to
three siege nodes are two resource nodes that when held will increase
siege
weapon damage. The most interesting bit of this is the Hangar.
Controlling this
node grants you access to an aerial warship complete with guns that you
can use
to rain down destruction on opposing players or become a
pseudo
paratrooper and jump behind enemy lines and directly into their keep,
even with
the gates still up (this grants you an oddly named achievement that
will undoubtedly
draw a few chuckles from your guildmates).

style="line-height: normal;"> style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Battleground
Changes

style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One
of the
least talked about aspects of patch 3.2 thus far has been the sweeping
changes
to Battlegrounds. Perhaps this is due to the basic "mini-game" feel
that PvP has been given recently or maybe it’s due to an
overall shift in
player desire making WoW a raid-centric game. Despite a drop in
tangible
interest in PvP or maybe more to the point, because of them, Blizzard
has gone
to great lengths to freshen up instanced PvP. The introduction of
battleground
experience gives another option for leveling for those that are more
inclined
to PvP over PvE. Twinks can chose to disable this feature to stay in
their
chosen level range. To keep twinks separated from the general
population any player
who has their experience disabled will only be matched with other
players who
have it shut off. 

Warsong Gulch -
A 20 minute
timer has been added to speed up gameplay. The
first flag capture can now be the most important as it is the ultimate
tie breaker.
The team with the most captures wins at the end of the timer and the
aforementioned first capture will break a tie. If neither team has a
capture
the failboat sets sail with a tie. Great, WSG is now on even footing
with
soccer (football for you purists, now both of you can pipe down)

Strand of the Ancients -
Attacking/Defending factions will now be
randomized to give the alliance a chance for once.

Eye of the Storm - The
center flag now only requires eight seconds to
pick up instead of ten and the game is over at sixteen
hundred points
which is down from two thousand.

Arathi Basin
- The same essential changes as EotS.  Sixteen hundred
points to win instead of two thousand and eight seconds to turn a flag,
down
from ten.

Lake Wintergrasp
- Wait, why is world PvP shoved in here with these
instances? Well folks, Wintergrasp is now a queued instance with a
maximum
player cap. Players can still enter the zone through normal means but
there is
the chance that you will be ported out if not selected by the random
queue
system. With the need for tenacity gone, the "Against the Odds"
achievement was removed. Factories are no longer able to be destroyed
which
makes the "Industrial Warfare" achievement obsolete.

Overall the PvP changes appear to be working fairly well so far,
however I was
unable to find anyone in the old instances as most are busy
exploring the
Isle of Conquest or working on Wintergrasp to check out the new raid
boss in
the Vault.

While the forums are alight with flames and rants, the overall
implementation
of the patch was fairly smooth given its massive scope. A hotfix has
already
been rolled out to remedy the XT-002 bug in Ulduar and server lag seems
to have
improved dramatically. Be on the lookout for more news of the broken
and breaking
news in the days and weeks ahead. Until next week, be safe and have fun
in
Azeroth.


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our World of Warcraft Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

Comments