As the next big World of Warcraft patch draws near, the devs are still busy tweaking the numbers as almost every class and spec will be getting significant changes to the overall playstyle and power level.
Having said that, we will go over the most recent development notes for The War Within 11.1 PTR, available to players to test out and provide ample feedback to Blizzard in preparation for the official launch later this month.
Table of Contents
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The War Within 11.1 PTR Class Tuning
Death Knight
- All ability damage increased by 20%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
Demon Hunter
- The Hunt damage increased by 8%.
- Sigil of Spite damage increased by 8%.
- Wounded Quarry has been updated – Expose weaknesses in the target of your Reaver’s Mark, causing your Physical damage to any enemy to also deal 20% of the damage dealt to your marked target as Chaos, and sometimes shatter a Lesser Soul Fragment.
Developers’ notes: We are mostly happy with Wounded Quarry’s new effect in 11.1, but the soul generation component of its previous effect was important to the pacing of Aldrachi Reaver’s gameplay and mechanics. In order to match the overall intended gameplay we are updating the damage effect to have a chance to generate a lesser soul fragment.
- Fixed an issue where Wounded Quarry damage was not scaling with some damage multipliers.
- Fixed an issue where several abilities were double-dipping on Thrill of the Fight’s ability damage bonus.
- Demonsurge damage increased by 18%.
- Flamebound bonus to Immolation Aura critical strike damage bonus increased to 50% (was 30%).
- All ability damage increased by 5%.
- Blade Dance damage increased by 33% (does not affect Death Sweep).
- Immolation Aura damage increased by 12%.
- Fixed an issue that caused Demon Hide to apply an inflated bonus for Immolation Aura, Sigil of Flame, The Hunt, Sigil of Spite, and Burning Wound.
- Undermine(d) 4-Set Bonus - Now grants 2% critical strike chance per stack sacrificed (was 1%).
- All ability damage increased by 20%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
Fel-Scarred
- Demonsurge damage now reduced by 10% (was 20%).
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Druid
- Lycara’s Meditation now requires players to remain in Cat Form for 2 seconds (modified by Haste) to retain the Cat Form Crit bonus if they entered Cat Form by casting Skull Bash with Fluid Form.
Developers’ notes: We do not want to incentivize players to do inconvenient or unintuitive rotations to maintain Lycara’s Teachings buffs from offspec forms. This change is intended to remove incentive for Resto Druids to cast Skull Bash on cooldown to trigger the Cat Form bonus, which they can do between casts because Skull Bash is off the GCD. This is an inelegant way to close that loophole, but we feel it’s worth it to keep Lycara’s Meditation and keep Skull Bash in Fluid Form.
- All ability damage increased by 20%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
- Master Shapeshifter now refunds 30% less mana from caster form spells.
Evoker
- Disintegrate now displays a more subtle visual when viewed by allies in raids and dungeons.
- Rumbling Earth deals 30% of Upheavals damage (was 50%).
- Fixed an issue where casting Breath of Eons with Maneuverability would extend Ebon Might from the free Upheaval proc from the Liberation of Undermine 2-set bonus.
- The Liberation of Undermine 2-set bonus – Chance to trigger has been reduced by 35%.
- The Liberation of Undermine 4-set bonus – Now has a 50% chance to trigger Essence Burst (was 100%).
- All spell and ability damage increased by 4%.
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Hunter
- Beast Cleave effectiveness reduced to 80% (was 90%).
- Kill Cleave effectiveness reduced to 80% (was 90%).
- Call of the Wild now reduces the cooldown of Barbed Shot and Kill Command by 25% per pet summoned (was 50%).
- Fixed an issue causing Dire Command to grant stacks to Huntmaster’s Call.
- Fixed an issue where summoning the Pack Leader Bear granted stacks to Huntmaster’s Call.
- Windrunner Quiver bonus Precise Shots stack chance increased to 100% (was 50%).
- Bullet Hell Rapid Fire cooldown reduction increased to 0.3 seconds and Volley cooldown reduction increased to 0.5 seconds (was 0.25 seconds for both).
- Many issues related to Aspect of the Hydra have been resolved.
- Aspect of the Hydra secondary spell effectiveness increased to 60% (was 40%).
- Flanking Strike damage increased by 30%.
- Corrected an issue where Frenzy Strikes was granting its pet damage bonus twice.
- Fury of the Eagle damage increased by 20%.
- Fury of the Eagle now splashes beyond 8 units (was 5).
Pack Leader
- Fury of the Wyvern Wildfire Bomb extension increased to 5 seconds (was 2 seconds).
Mage
- Mirror Images now have their Frostbolt missiles hidden for allies in raids and dungeons.
- Arcane Echo’s impact visual is now caster only.
Frostfire
- Excess Frost now reduces the cooldown of Meteor by 5 seconds when consumed (was 3 seconds).
- Isothermic Core now causes Comet Storm at 250% effectiveness (was 200%).
- Flash Freezeburn can no longer trigger from Combustions granted from Sun King’s Blessing or Time Anomaly.
Developers’ notes: Flash Freezeburn combined with Sun King’s Blessing was a large contributor to the resource and proc overflow Fire Mages can experience while using this Hero Talent tree. To remain consistent, we’ve also adjusted the effect for Frost Mages as well.
Frostfire
- Flash Freezeburn can no longer trigger from Icy Veins granted by Time Anomaly.
Developers’ notes: Flash Freezeburn combined with Sun King’s Blessing was a large contributor to the resource and proc overflow Fire Mages can experience while using this Hero Talent tree. To remain consistent, we’ve also adjusted the effect for Frost Mages as well.
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Monk
- All ability damage increased by 15%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
- Mastery: Gust of Mist healing decreased by 10%.
- Jade Bond now increases the healing of Gust of Mists by 20% (was 40%).
- Rushing Wind Kick now increases Renewing Mist’s healing by 150% (was 100%).
- Resplendent Mist now increases Gust of Mists' healing by 60/120% (was 75/150%).
- Mana Tea now refunds 15% less mana.
Paladin
- Beacon of Virtue now costs 4.5% base mana (was 5%).
- All ability damage increased by 15%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
- Final Reckoning damage increased by 75%.
- An issue causing Divine Hammer duration to be extended more than expected has been resolved.
Herald of the Sun
- Second Sunrise has been updated – Divine Storm and Hammer of Wrath has a 20% chance to cast again at 50% effectiveness (was 15% chance at 30% effectiveness).
- Sun’s Avatar damage increased by 50%.
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Priest
- Atonement’s heal impact visual is now hidden for allies in raids and dungeons.
Rogue
- All damage increased by 6%.
Shaman
- Chain Lightning Overload is no longer displayed to allies in raids and dungeons.
- Chain Lightning now displays a more subtle visual when viewed by allies in raids and dungeons.
- Earthquake Overload is no longer displayed to allies in raids and dungeons.
- Hot Hand duration reduced to 6 seconds (was 8 seconds).
- Ashen Catalyst now increases the damage of Lava Lash by 8% per stack (was 12%).
- Chain Lightning now increases the damage of next Crash Lightning by 10% per target struck (was 20%).
- Electrostatic Wager now increases the damage of Crash Lightning by 15% per stack (was 18%).
- Chain Lightning damage reduced by 15%.
- Windfury Attack damage reduced by 10%.
- Liberation of Undermine 4-set bonus – Now increases the damage of Crash Lightning on main target by 100% (was 75%).
Stormbringer
- Tempest secondary target damage reduced by 15%.
- Lightning Rod now deals 8% of the damage dealt by Maelstrom Weapon spenders (was 10%).
Totemic
- Pulse Capacitor now increases the damage of Surging Totem Tremor by 18% (was 25%).
- Surging Totem Tremor damage reduced by 10%.
- Healing Wave now costs 2.5% of base mana (was 3%).
Developers’ notes: We’re making an adjustment to the cost of Healing Wave to solidify its role as a mana efficient heal.
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Warrior
- Mortal Strike damage increased by 20%.
- Overpower damage increased by 20%.
- Execute damage increased by 20%.
- Slam damage increased by 20%.
- Whirlwind damage increased by 40%.
Colossus
- All Demolish damage increased by 30%.
- Practiced Strikes increases Mortal Strike and Cleave damage by 20% (was 15%).
- Arterial Bleed increases Rend and Deep Wounds damage by 5% per stack of Colossal Might (was 3%).
Slayer
- Opportunist increases the damage and critical strike damage of your next Overpower by 25% (was 20%).
Mountain Thane
- Thunder Blast damage increased by 25%.
- Strength of the Mountain increases Bloodthirst and Rampage damage by 25% (was 30%).
- All ability damage increased by 20%.
Developers’ notes: We have noticed damage dealt by tanks has not been keeping pace with damage dealers, we are adjusting damage of all tank specs to bring them into a closer alignment with DPS specs.
Mountain Thane
- Thunder Blast damage increased by 10%.
And that covers all of the class tuning as of February 12, 2025. We can expect more adjustments as Patch 11.1 draws near, but you can check out the official development notes, here.
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