Patch 2.1 Armor Changes Preview

The upcoming Patch 2.1 introduces a variety of armor changes to World of Warcraft. Here's a look at some of the changes that Patch 2.1 holds for armor.

According to the PTR patch notes, all epic items of Tier 5 and beyond quality have been upgraded to reflect their intended power. It seems that their intended power was less than it was pre-2.1.

For example, the Tier 5 hunter set gloves (Rift Stalker Gauntlets) increases its stats by significant amounts.

As you can see, the stats increase a great deal with this upgrade. All epic items of Tier 5 quality and higher receive this stat change.

In addition to having the stats changed, some sets received additional changes. Note, not all of these sets are tiered armor

• Netherstrike armor has had it's socket bonuses changed.
• Assassination Set: The haste bonus from this set will no longer be triggered if your attack does not land on the target.
• Avatar Regalia Set: Tooltips corrected on the "Shadow Word: Pain" set bonus to indicate the triggered bonus works on the next spell cast only. The bonus also now correctly affects healing spells.
• Black Dragonscale Set: The hit rating bonus from this set now stacks properly with hit rating bonuses from other effects.
• Black Dragon Mail Set: The hit rating and critical strike rating set bonuses from this set will now stack correctly with other sources of those ratings.
• Cataclysm Harness Set: The cast time reduction to "Lesser Healing Wave" will now be displayed correctly as 1.5 sec in the "Invigorated" tooltip.
• Cenarion Raiment Set: The spell critical strike rating set bonus will now stack properly with other effects that give spell critical strike rating.
• Defiler's Purpose Set: The critical strike rating rom this set bonus will now be applied properly.
• Defiler's Resolution Set: The critical strike rating from this set will now stack correctly with other bonuses to critical strike rating.
• Devilsaur Armor Set: The hit rating bonus from this set now stacks properly with hit rating bonuses from other effects.
• Devilsaur Set: The hit rating set bonus will now stack correctly with hit rating bonuses from other items.
• Earthfury Set: The set bonus that increases totem radius now works on Wrath of Air Totem.
• Ebon Netherscale Set: The hit rating bonus from this set will now stack correctly with other hit rating bonuses.
• Frostfire Set: The 4 piece set bonus now works correctly with rank 4 mage Armor.
• Frozen Shadoweave Set: The set bonus from these items will no longer have its tooltip modified by the "Vampiric Embrace" talent and can no longer cause a critical strike heal.
• Hallowed Raiment Set: The "Binding Heal" set bonus on this set has been changed to 30% chance to resist losing casting time off "Binding Heal" when taking damage.
• Imbued Netherweave Set: The critical strike rating set bonus now stacks correctly with other effects that grant critical strike rating.
• Incanter's Set: Corrected precision error in display of cast time reduction in Flamestrike. The actual value is unchanged; it was displaying a rounded-off value before.
• Justicar Armor Set: The bonus to "Seal of Vengeance" now functions correctly.
• Malefic Raiment Set: The set bonus granting heals from periodic spells can longer get critical strikes.
• Netherblade Set: The set bonus giving a chance to gain combo points on finishers now works correctly with "Slice and Dice" and "Deadly Throw".
• Overlord's Resolution Set: The dodge rating bonus from this set now stacks correctly with all other dodge rating effects.
• Voidheart Set: This set bonus will now trigger correctly from all shadow and fire spells.
• Warbringer Armor Set: The "Revenge" set bonus will no longer apply an excessive bonus to "Heroic Strike".
• Wyrmhid Set: Adjusted the tooltip on "Moonfire" cost reduction to indicate it is a reduces by a percentage of the base cost, not the talented cost.
• Nordrassil Regalia: The Regrowth set bonus will now correctly be consumed by the first casting of Regrowth.

Tier 6 Armor

Another change to the Armor Sets available with Patch 2.1 is the introduction of the Tier 6 Armor Sets.

Each class has the chance to brave the halls of the Black Temple in order to gain this armor. The armor set names and set bonuses are listed below. As you see, like the Tier 5, some classes have sets based on talent specialties.

Druid

• Thunderheart Harness
  • (2 pieces) Reduces the energy or rage cost of your Mangle ability by 5.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Rip and Ferocious Bite abilities by 15%.
• Thunderheart Regalia
  • (2 pieces) Increases the duration of your Moonfire ability by 3 sec.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the critical strike chance of your Starfire ability by 5%.
• Thunderheart Raiment
  • (2 pieces) Reduces the cooldown of your Swiftmend ability by 2 sec.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the healing from your Healing Touch ability by 5%.

Hunter

• Gronnstalker Armor
  • (2 pieces) Increases the mana you gain from your Aspect of the Viper by an additional 5% of your Intellect.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Steady Shot ability by 10%.

Mage

• Tempest Regalia
  • (2 pieces) Increases the duration of your Evocation ability by 2 sec.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage of your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Arcane Missiles abilities by 5%.

Paladin

• Lightbringer Armor
  • (2 pieces) Increases the mana gained from your Spiritual Attunement ability by 10%.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Consecration ability by 10%.
• Lightbringer Battlegear
  • (2 pieces) Your melee attacks have a chance to grant you 50 mana.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Hammer of Wrath ability by 10%.
• Lightbringer Raiment
  • (2 pieces) Increases the critical strike chance of your Holy Light ability by 5%.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the healing from your Flash of Light ability by 5%.

Priest

• Absolution Regalia
  • (2 pieces) Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain ability by 3 sec.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage from your Mind Blast ability by 10%.
• Vestments of Absolution
  • (2 pieces) Reduces the mana cost of your Prayer of Healing ability by 10%.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the healing from your Greater Heal ability by 5%.

Rogue

• Slayer's Armor
  • (2 pieces) Increases the haste from your Slice and Dice ability by 5%.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Backstab, Sinister Strike, and Mutilate abilities by 6%.

Shaman

• Skyshatter Harness
  • (2 pieces) Your Earth Shock, Flame Shock, and Frost Shock abilities cost 10% less mana.
  • (4 pieces) Whenever you use Stormstrike, you gain 70 attack power for 12 sec.
• Skyshatter Raiment
  • (2 pieces) Your Chain Heal ability costs 10% less mana.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the amount healed by your Lesser Healing Wave ability by 5%.
• Skyshatter Regalia
  • (2 pieces) Whenever you have an air totem, an earth totem, a fire totem, and a water totem active at the same time, you gain 15 mana per 5 sec, 35 spell critical strike rating, and up to 45 spell damage.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Lightning Bolt ability by 5%.

Warlock

• Malefic Raiment
  • (2 pieces) Each time one of your Corruption, Curse of Agony, Immolate, or Unstable Affliction spells deals periodic damage, you heal 35 health.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage dealt by your Shadowbolt and Incinerate abilities by 6%.

Warrior

• Onslaught Armor
  • (2 pieces) Increases the health bonus from your Commanding Shout ability by 170.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage of your Shield Slam ability by 10%.
• Onslaught Battlegear
  • (2 pieces) Reduces the rage cost of your Cleave ability by 3.
  • (4 pieces) Increases the damage of your Mortal Strike and Bloodthirst abilities by 5%.

Other Armor Changes

Below are listed a few of the other armor changes that 2.1 includes.

PvP Sets

• Alliance Shaman PvP Sets: These sets now have set bonuses as intended.
• PvP Set Bonuses: Set bonuses of 35 resilience rating will now stack correctly if received from two different sets.

Other

• "Clefthoof Hide Leggings": There were two items with this name. The world drop item has been renamed as "Elekk Hide Leggings".
• Armor: All Burning Crusade items that spent part of their budget on increased armor have been re-evaluated. Some gained additional armor, while others gained other additional bonuses.

As you can see, there are a ton of armor changes with this patch. Head to our Wiki to see the complete path notes.

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