Patch 2.4.3 is one major mini-patch. There are a lot of changes packed tightly into this patch that you’ll have to get ready for a few of them. We’ve got some new items in the game that’ll make you scream with joy, a few class changes that’ll you want to know, and changes to Magisters’ Terrace that will decrease the difficulty a tad.

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Haris Pilton will soon sell 30 slot bags!

The first major thing is that mounts, the slow ones, will be available at level 30. Imagine that! Level 30 can take little to no time to reach and you can be riding way before level 40 for new characters. It only costs 35 gold now too (although I do not know if faction discounts apply). So if you’re thinking about making an alt then the upcoming patch is for you.

The next major thing is that 22 slot bags will appearing from Haris Pilton in Shattrath. The “Gigantique” Bag is an epic quality bag with an unlimited supply (meaning you won’t have to camp to buy it) and costs 1,200 gold. It appears that there will now be a new grind for players to fill all five slots with 22 slot bags (totaling 6000 gold). Better start saving! As a note, 28 slot herbalism bags can be found from Sporeggar now.

Now, for a major change.

Cheat Death: This talent has been rebalanced significantly. Killing blows are no longer 100% absorbed. If the Rogue is below 10% health, the killing blow is still completely absorbed; if the Rogue is over 10% health, enough damage will be absorbed to reduce the Rogue’s health down to 10%. For the following 3 seconds, damage is not always reduced by 90%; it is now reduced by a maximum of 90%, depending on how much resilience the Rogue has. The damage reduction will be four times the damage reduction resilience causes against critical strikes.

Let’s say you have 10,000 health for simplicity. You’re down to 1,800 health and are currently fighting a Boomkin. The Boomkin casts Moonfire which does 3,000 damage (due to a crit). Of course we’re not going to argue the Boomkin existing and getting off a Moonfire, but let’s just say he does. Under the old cheat death you’d still have your 1,800 health and would ignore 90% of all damage for 3 seconds.

Under the new Cheat Death you’ll be reduced down to 1,000 health (exactly 10% of your maximum health) and you’ll ignore less than 90% of the damage for 3 seconds. The amount that you’ll reduce attacks by will be four times the amount that resilience reduces the damage from critical strikes up to 90%. So if you have very little resilience then Cheat Death will ignore way less damage than before.

So overall, it’s a nerf. The semantics of if it is needed or not can be bandied day and night but it’s something that all Rogues need to be aware of it coming up in the next patch.

Some of the smaller changes involve Hunter pet agro (Growl won’t be affected by attack power bonuses on the pet and pets won’t cause aggro by being summoned), Earth Elementals will now properly leash back to their totems when they go outside of 50 yards, Curse of Shadows will be removed and be merged with Curse of Elements.  

Magisters’ Terrace has a few changes. Mage Guards Glaive Throw doesn’t bounce as much and doesn’t stun anymore. Vexallus and Kael’thas are tauntable and Pure Energy does less damage. The entire second phase of Kael’thas’s encounter has been nerfed along with Warlocks damage. Warlord Salaris and Kagani Nightstrike have been balanced a little (they do less damage).

Overall we’ve got a skill nerf to Rogues, a lot of bug fixes (including Blueleaf Tubers being lootable and Going, Going, Guano!/Into the Scarlet Monastery having better level requirements), mounts at level 30, 22 slot bags, Mooncloth no longer has a timer, and a few other changes that will make the game more fun and enjoyable for all.

For the full patch notes (that are constantly changing) then click here to head to Blizzard’s site.

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