WoW Forever Beta Patch Notes: October 15

A new build with patch notes from Blizzard: 94 changes below, in our own words.

• Bug fixesFog no longer looks far too bright at low shadow settings.
• Bug fixesHorde characters can no longer gain Kirin Tor reputation.
• Bug fixesCreatures regain health out of combat again.
• Bug fixesHorde characters no longer show up holding the Night Watchman’s Torch.
• Bug fixesDrink tooltips show the right total Mana regained.
• Systems & UINew players get a new tutorial.
• Systems & UILighting Bloom Intensity is now a slider, under Advanced graphics.
• HunterNew Auto Attack/Auto Shot option: a Hunter switches between melee and Auto Shot on its own, gamepad included.
• Systems & UITauren: Endurance gives 2% more critical damage and healing (was 1% hit). Plainsrunning also adds 3% mounted speed, which stacks, but only while you keep moving at a minimum pace; stutter-stepping no longer holds it. Cultivation’s cooldown drops to 15 minutes (was 60) and War Stomp’s to 90 seconds (was 2 minutes).
• Systems & UIDwarf: Mace Specialization becomes Earth Fury, 2% more critical damage and healing. Find Treasure can also find extra items in most chests.
• Systems & UISkyborne: Wind Blessed gives 3% haste (was 1%). Skysight and Read Leyline can be cast while moving, Read Leyline lasts at least 30 seconds (was 20), and Walk on Air’s cooldown drops to 90 seconds (was 2 minutes).
• Quests & worldMore spawn points for Elemental Convergences and Leylines in most Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor zones.
• Systems & UIHuman: Sword Specialization becomes Ruthless, 2% critical strike chance.
• Systems & UIOrc: Axe Specialization becomes Savage, 1% critical strike chance. Blood Fury’s cooldown rises to 3 minutes (was 2). Shatter Curse now removes Curses and Banes instead of granting immunity, and cuts magic damage taken by 5% (was 15%).
• Systems & UIUndead: Touch of the Grave triggers more steadily and looks better. Touch of the Dead has a 30% chance for casters and 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors, a 25-second internal cooldown, no scaling with Shadow bonuses and no penalty for low-rank spells. Will of the Forsaken can’t be used under Scatter Shot.
• Systems & UIGnome: Eureka! is an 8-second buff without charges, with the same effect, and now also helps Power Word: Shield; it can’t be used in stealth or invisibility.
• Systems & UINight Elf: Quickness stacks with other movement speed bonuses. Shields no longer show in Wisp Form.
• Systems & UITroll: Regeneration’s health regeneration bonus rises to 20% (was 10%).
• PriestMageWarlockNerfWands need you to stand still for half a second before they shoot, as in early WoW.
• DruidDruid fixes: high-rank Rejuvenation no longer blocks other Druids’ Rejuvenation, Faerie Fire in an animal form no longer triggers Omen of Clarity and can’t stack on a target, Insect Swarm stacks no longer keep lowering hit chance, Heart of the Wild, Feral Swiftness, Thick Hide and Leader of the Pack apply again after logging in, and Shred’s tooltip counts Savage Fury (the damage itself was right).
• DruidBuffFaerie Fire in Bear and Dire Bear Form generates threat; it only started combat at zero threat.
• DruidShred rank 1 is learned at level 20 (was 22), so Shredding Attacks no longer comes before the spell.
• DruidMoonkin Form: the aura only raises spell critical strike chance now, for the whole raid.
• DruidLeader of the Pack only raises melee and ranged critical strike chance now, for the whole raid.
• DruidBuffFuror keeps the Energy you had in Cat Form through Bear and Dire Bear Form; those forms still stop Energy regeneration.
• HunterNerfAuto Shot needs half a second standing still before it fires, as in early WoW. It still fires while you cast Aimed Shot or Sniper Shot.
• HunterHunter fixes: arrows show when the bow is drawn, pets benefit from Expertise and take the higher of your melee and ranged crit, Strider Kick works disarmed and Resourcefulness lowers its cost, and Improved Mend Pet lowers Mend Pet’s cost instead of raising it.
• HunterBuffFire traps scale with Attack Power, and a Hunter can have one Fire and one Ice trap out at once (was one trap in all).
• HunterNerfPet abilities: Dismember (Crocolisk) reduces healing by 25% (was 50%) for 6 seconds (was 10), 15-second cooldown (was 6). Sonic Blast (Bat) slows casts by 30% (was 60%) for 20 seconds (was 30), 60-second cooldown (was 30). Mine! (Bird of Prey) lasts 3 seconds (was 4), 90-second cooldown (was 60).
• HunterSummon Hawk: the Hawk appears at its target and stays on it.
• HunterBuffTrueshot Aura reaches the whole raid, and Sniper Shot benefits from the Marksmanship talents it missed.
• HunterResourcefulness triggers on critical strikes again, but only those of melee and ranged abilities (not traps). Predator's Edge’s tooltip says it only raises the critical damage of abilities.
• MageNew spell at level 24, Frost Blast: a 1.5-second cast that deals damage, slows by 40% and counts for every talent that improves Frostbolt. Blizzard says it replaces the role of Frostbolt rank 1, which down-ranking now penalizes; it costs more Mana and hits a bit harder.
• MageArcane fixes: Presence of Mind is used up by the spell it speeds, and Missile Barrage can no longer cut the cost and duration of a second Arcane Missiles.
• MageMissile Barrage moves to the first row with 2 points, and Arcane Missiles hits can now trigger it.
• MageArcane Blast is redesigned: a 1.5-second cast whose stacks, still up to four and still raising its cost, each give 15% of Intellect as spell damage for 15 seconds from the first stack, instead of ending at your next spell. Mana cost unchanged; damage and spell damage ratio 40% lower.
• MageNew 16-point talent, Arcane Wrath: a 3.5-second cast with about Fireball’s base damage, plus spell power equal to 5% of your maximum Mana, on a 6-second cooldown.
• MageBuffHeating Up is kept when Presence of Mind speeds the Pyroblast, and every Fire Blast adds one more charge, so a critical Fire Blast adds two.
• MageWake of Fire goes back to Improved Fire Blast: no more bonus after a kill, and Fire Blast reaches 8/15 yards further.
• MageBuffCritical Mass takes up to 5 points, for 10% Fire critical strike chance.
• MageFire Power is redesigned with 3 points: 1/2/3% more Fire damage per Fire effect of yours on the target, up to 12%. Ignite, Improved Scorch, Fireball, Pyroblast and Impact count; Frostfire Bolt and other mixed-school spells don’t, though they get the bonus.
• MageMage fixes: Frost Channeling lowers threat, Ice Block is less transparent, Clearcasting rolls once per spell instead of once per target and not from Dampen Magic, Amplify Magic or casts out of combat, and Ice Armor and Frost Armor trigger Frostbite and Fingers of Frost again.
• MageNerfIce Lance deals 200% more damage to Frozen targets (was 300%).
• MageBuffCone of Cold slows its first 4 targets by 10% more and for 3 seconds longer. Blizzard: the slow was cut because of mass control, and up to four targets that is fine.
• MageWinter's Chill is redesigned: no critical strike chance any more; each stack makes your next Cone of Cold on the target deal 40% more damage.
• PaladinBlessing of Salvation and Greater Blessing of Salvation become Salvation and Mass Salvation, which don’t take a blessing slot, and Revoke, learned with them, removes them from a party or raid member.
• PaladinNerfSpell damage ratios: Judgement of Righteousness and Judgement of Fury use the instant-spell ratio, Seal of Righteousness no longer gets almost twice its intended bonus, and Consecration gets 0.042 per tick (was 0.095).
• PaladinBuffRighteous Fury: Holy damage threat bonus 90% (was 60%).
• PaladinPaladin fixes: Power Word: Shield no longer overwrites Seal of Fury, Seal of Fury rank 3 is trained at 26 (was 25), a focus macro casts Light’s Vigil on the right target, Infusion of Light no longer adds 50% to Holy Shock damage on enemies, and Sanctified Judgement’s Mana return makes no threat.
• PaladinNerfShield Specialization restores 4% Mana on a block (was 6%), still once every 3 seconds.
• PaladinReckoning stores up to 4 charges again, as in Classic Era, and your next melee swing spends them all, one extra attack each, so instant attacks no longer reset your swing timer.
• PaladinNerfChampion of the Light gives spell damage equal to 10/20/30% of Intellect (was 20/40/60%).
• PriestPriest fixes: high-rank Renew no longer blocks other Priests’ Renew, Holy Fire rank 5 no longer ticks harder than rank 6, Power Word: Shield explains when a stronger shield is already on and no longer says SHIELDED twice, Mind Vision no longer makes the target stand up, Inner Focus is spent on one spell only, Shadow Word: Death gets Shadowform’s critical damage bonus, and Devouring Contagion’s jumps cost no Mana and don’t reset your cooldown.
• PriestBuffDevouring Plague: 24-second cooldown (was 1 minute).
• PriestNerfShadow Word: Death: 18-second cooldown (was 12).
• PriestDiscipline: Power in Light also counts Shadow Word: Pain, Silent Resolve lowers the threat of every spell, Mental Strength moves up to row 2 at 2/4/6/8/10% Intellect, Improved Power Word: Shield moves down to row 3, Twin Disciplines works on Shadow Word: Death, Mind Flay, Starshards and Penance, and Divine Aegis’s tooltip names non-periodic heals and the shield’s maximum.
• PriestBuffVampiric Embrace can’t be resisted and has a 30-second cooldown (was 1 minute).
• PriestShadow: Improved Fade and Shadow Affinity are removed (the notes write “Shadow Infinity”), Improved Mind Blast moves up to row 2, and Dark Inspiration is new in row 4: Mind Blast and full Mind Flay channels give you and your party 3–15% Spirit for 10 seconds. Improved Mind Flay makes each Mind Flay tick 10/20% stronger than the one before, Devouring Contagion spreads to 2 targets, and Shadow Weaving’s tooltip says the target takes more damage from you.
• RogueRogue fixes: poisons no longer trigger against enemies attacking you, Sap no longer triggers weapon effects, changing specialization no longer refills Energy, and Mutilate critical strikes use up Cold Blood.
• ShamanShaman fixes: Totemic Recall costs 22 silver at the trainer (was 70), Grounding Totem breaks after redirecting a spell, Windfury Weapon hits show as white hits, and Flametongue and Windfury Totem only affect players. Chain Heal is a little greener.
• ShamanBuffGrace of Air, Strength of Earth, Windfury and Flametongue Totem reach the whole raid, and Grace of Air Totem no longer excludes Windfury and Flametongue Totem (those two still exclude each other).
• ShamanBuffChain Lightning costs about 35% less Mana at every rank.
• ShamanFire Nova: much lower base damage and Mana cost, spell power ratio 0.143 (was 0.214), and its tooltip now counts Trial by Fire, the former Improved Fire Nova. Elemental Focus’s Clearcasting can’t be spent on the Fire Nova that triggered it.
• ShamanElemental Mastery is back as the 31-point talent, behind Lava Burst: for 15 seconds Lightning Bolt and Lava Burst cast 0.5 seconds faster and Chain Lightning has no cooldown; 3-minute cooldown.
• ShamanLava Burst moves from row 7 to row 5 as the 21-point talent, with no prerequisite and a new rank 4.
• ShamanElemental layout: Elemental Fury now requires Lightning Overload, which requires Elemental Alacrity, moved up to row 2; Elemental Warding moves down to row 3, Earthbound becomes the 16-point talent in row 4, Call of Thunder is removed, and many talents change column. Lightning Overload’s extra casts no longer use up Clearcasting.
• ShamanBuffElemental Reach also cuts Totemic Projection’s cooldown by 10/20 seconds, and Call of Flame also extends Flame Shock by 3/6/9 seconds.
• ShamanStormstrike: its debuff stays when your spell misses and only your own spells use it up; it costs 8% of base Mana (was 125 Mana at every level).
• ShamanMana Tide Totem gets a rank at level 38, so its ranks come at 25, 38, 48 and 58.
• ShamanBuffRestoration: Restorative Totems improves all of Healing Stream Totem, Tidal Focus and Totemic Focus swap rows (Tidal Focus is now in row 1), and Water Shield triggers from any critical spell, not only heals.
• WarlockWarlock fixes: the Reagent Economy Legacy perk no longer makes Summon Incubus free of Soul Shards, Curse of Recklessness can’t stack on a target, and Soul Link can be cast on your pet again.
• WarlockMalediction is replaced by Grim Reach: 10/20% more range for Affliction spells.
• WarlockBuffShadow Mastery: 2/4/6/8/10% more Shadow damage (was 1–5%).
• WarlockNerfDestructive Reach covers Destruction spells only: 10/20% more range.
• WarriorBuffBattle Shout reaches the whole raid.
• WarriorBuffSlam no longer suffers spell pushback.
• WarriorWarrior fixes: Overpower works against much lower-level enemies, Shield Bash and Shield Slam no longer trigger Weaponmaster’s sword bonus, Lingering Rage no longer stops health regeneration after combat, and Improved Berserker Rage removes movement-impairing effects.
• Systems & UIGamepad: a swing timer on the center reticle, Voice Channel Transcription bindings, your own fishing bobber is always targetable, ground-targeted items confirm on a second use, Press and Hold Casting works, and Trade, Guild & Communities, Chat Channels and Transmog windows can be used with a gamepad, with several bar, cast bar, flyout and quest fixes.
• ItemsItem fixes: Mystic Mushroom and the Insight enchant raise Spirit as they should, and Morbent’s Bane no longer plays effects on nearby players.
• ItemsScrolls trigger the global cooldown.
• ProfessionsMany crafted items sell to vendors for less.
• ItemsDraught of Predatory Senses is a potion now, on the combat potion cooldown, with a shorter duration.
• Systems & UILegacy System: Bartering no longer discounts training and repairs, Master Chef and Luremaster are drawn one row to the left (they always needed only 5 points), and The Quick and the Dead affects more Priest spells.
• Quests & worldSeveral quest items no longer drop for everyone at once, and Raene’s Cleansing (Ashenvale) has more Bloodtooth Guards.
• Quests & worldDalaran attacks Horde characters on sight. The City of Dalaran dungeon stays open to them, but the Dalaran Sewer Key questline no longer opens the city.
• Quests & worldQuest fixes: How Big a Threat? and For Love Eternal (Darkshore), Body and Heart’s Moondust can be reused, Sparring Match (Mulgore) no longer flags you for PvP, The Attack! (Stormwind) is no longer an escort and can be shared, Lord Melenas (Teldrassil) no longer evades, and Halaan’s Gift works for The Anchors of Zephras.
• Quests & worldWetlands: faster, more even respawns for Dragonmaw Orcs, Gnolls and Incendicite Ore, among others.
• PvPBattleground Marks of Honor stack to 30 (was 20).
• Systems & UIInterface: new unit frames and minimap header, more Scrolling Combat Text options, searching “Threat” finds the aggro display, level-up messages show stat and talent point gains again, updated tutorials, and you can’t accept the refresh world prompt in combat.
• Systems & UIThe Cooldown Manager shows a spell’s ranks as one entry.
• Systems & UIAuction House: a column for the level needed to equip, and suffix items (“of the Monkey”) show their stats.
• Systems & UINameplates of enemies and NPCs far above or below you show from a shorter distance; your target’s isn’t affected.
• Systems & UIGroup Finder: dungeon eligibility updates for parties of mixed levels, and Show All Level Ranges refreshes the list. The Professions window’s art no longer misplaces itself.
• Systems & UI/who finds subzones: a character in Northshire Valley shows up for “northshire” and for “elwynn”.

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