WoW Strategy Newsletter 20071017

Incoming changes in the next patch

Patch 2.3 is live on the public test realms, which means it is in the final stages of testing and refinement before it goes live. It will probably be on the PTR for a few more weeks since it’s a rather big patch with many changes to both classes and the world. Since not everyone is a forum lurker like myself or reads the incoming patch notes, I thought I’d tell you about the most noteworthy changes in 2.3 (remember these are all subject to change):

Leveling curve adjustments.

• The amount of experience required to gain a level between levels 20 and 60 will be reduced by approximately 15%.
• The amount of experience rewarded from quests between level 30 and 60 will be increased. The increase will be bigger the closer you get to level 60.
• Many elite mobs will become non-elite so you can complete many elite quests solo.
• About 60 new quests will be added to Dustwallow Marsh in the 30-40 level range. A new goblin town is being built in the south-west of the zone.
• As a side note, I’ve talked to the authors of the 1-70 leveling guides I’m featuring here and they’re all gonna work on updating their guides for 2.3 at no cost to their customers.
• These changes are in preparation for the next expansion pack to let new players reach level 70 faster.
• Source: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1016252463&sid=1 

Battlegrounds:

• Daily quests will be introduced targeting a random battleground, which may spark some new life in some battlegrounds.
• Buffs, in fact any spells, will be free to cast before a battleground begins. They will also be free to cast 5 seconds after being resurrected by a spirit healer in a BG.
• Additional bonus honor will be awarded when the battle ends for WSG, AB, and Eye of the Storm.
• At the same time, many changes are being made to Alterac Valley to motivate people to defend more instead of just rushing the enemy general. I’ve heard that AV now takes 45 minutes, but that remains to be seen once it goes live.
• My comment: It seems Blizzard are trying to nerf the honor gained from Alterac Valley and buff the other battlegrounds to make players participate evenly in all BGs.
• Here’s my advice: Save 75000 honor before patch 2.3 goes live if you plan on buying the new gear (season 1 gladiator gear will be available with honor points) because it MIGHT get MUCH harder to gain honor later on. On the other hand, I’ve heard rumors that the honor will be reset when the patch goes live but I haven’t read ANYTHING official to that effect, nor has it ever happened before so I’m betting it’s just a rumor.
• Source: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1017251727&sid=1

Arena:

• Personal rating system. You will have a personal rating which is based on the games you participate in ONLY. So even if you have a great team, but you’re losing when you’re participating in games, your personal rating will stay low, and vice versa.
• To purchase season 3 arena weapons you’ll need a personal rating of 1850 or more. To purchase season 3 shoulders you’ll need a personal rating of 2000 or more.
• Source: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1017251727&sid=1
• It is unclear to me whether or not season 3 will begin with the 2.3 patch, but it seems likely.

New Guild Banks introduced:

• Basically, there will be some kind of  "shared repository" useable by an entire guild to donate and withdraw from based on certain rules created by the guild master.

Dungeons / Instances:

• A new level 70 10-man raid dungeon called Zul’Aman is being introduced in Ghostlands.
• Many pre-TBC dungeons are having their level range revised. For example, Shadowfang Keep will be 18-21 instead of 18-25. Previously, a level 18 had a very hard time indeed on the level 25 mobs, but that will be fixed now.
• Boss loot from pre-TBC dungeons will be of superior (blue) quality. Here’s an example: 
  
  Deadmines
  Smite’s Reaver old: +2 Strength, +1 Stamina, +1 Spirit, 11.1 dps
  Smite’s Reaver new: +2 Strength, +3 Stamina, +2 Hit Rating, 14.5 dps 
• Source: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1155755572&sid=1

Classes:

• All classes are getting buffs and nerfs. These are largely aimed at balancing the classes in PvP. Personally I think not enough is given to those who need it and not enough taken away from those who are too overpowered. Considering the introduction of personal ratings for arenas and personal rating requirements to buy some season 3 gear, all classes should stand an equal chance to get those rewards, otherwise it’s just ridiculous. I’ve talked before about class imbalances in arena. We’ll see what happens.
• You can read the full class changes here: http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/underdev/testrealm.html

Professions

• Daily cooking quests introduced. You can get gold, reagents and new recipes for completing these quests. This is a big one for me since I love cooking and I’ll be updating my free cooking guide when I know more.
• Fishing: Pools will be trackable. A new recipe for Skullfish Soup will allow cooks to create a mana regenerative consumable with a ‘well-fed’ buff that requires one of the new types of fish found near Karazhan and Zul’Aman.
• The other professions: Some slight changes and new schematics, but who cares about anything else than cooking and fishing anyway? ;-)
• Engineering:
  • Plans for a new Field Repair Bot are rumored to belong to a select few Gan’arg Analyzers in Blade’s Edge Mountains. Field Repair bot will sell items: The repair bot will sell all reagents, level 65 arrows and bullets, poison reagents, few types of vials, up to 2 super mana/healing potions, and maybe some scrolls. These are all for sale, with no rep discount, because he’s a robot.
  • New engineer-only flying mounts can be crafted and flown by high level engineers in both non-epic and epic versions.
• Source: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1016252441&sid=1

Other:

• Items with +healing bonuses will grant about one third spell damage also. This makes it easier for healers to deal some damage and reduces the need to constantly get damage as well as healing gear for hybrids.

I’m gonna wrap it up here. You can read the full patch notes over at: http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/underdev/testrealm.html

Martin