Patch 2026-10-012026-10-01

Level cap 30, Fury and Protection Warrior rework, new Druid Shifting Power.

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Classes (20)

  • BuffCrit Rage raised to 100% (was 75%)Warriors get massive Rage spikes whenever they crit, making crit gear king early on. Speeds up solo leveling and powers huge cleave and execute phases in PvE and PvP.
  • BuffBloodthirst scales with 45% attack powerFury Warriors get reliable attack-power scaling right out of the gate instead of needing late-game raid gear to come online. Boosts Fury leveling and dungeon DPS.
  • BuffWhirlwind hits with the off-handDual-wield Fury Warriors get a big AoE and single-target boost instead of two-handers dominating Whirlwind. Huge win for dual-wielding in dungeons and raids.
  • BuffLingering Rage delays Rage decay after combatWarriors don't lose their entire Rage bar while eating or running between packs. Makes dungeon tanking and open-world leveling feel way smoother.
  • BuffFurious Precision adds off-hand hitDual-wield Warriors stop whiffing half their white swings before getting raid hit gear. Massive boost to Fury Rage generation while leveling and in early PvE.
  • ChangeProtection tree reshuffled, Toughness removedProt Warriors get easier access to core tanking tools without burning points on flat armor filler. Helps tanks hold threat and survive better in dungeons.
  • BuffSwipe scales with attack powerBear tanks finally hold AoE threat as their gear improves instead of losing mobs to every mage and healer. Essential fix for dungeon and raid tanking.
  • BuffAll Druid forms ignore DisarmWarriors and Rogues can no longer disarm a Bear or Cat who isn't even using a weapon to hit them. Makes total sense and buffs Ferals in PvP and tanking.
  • NerfTiger's Fury is removedCat Druids lose a clunky flat-damage maintenance button that ate up energy. Clears bar bloat without hurting their real rotation in PvE or PvP.
  • ChangeNew Shifting Power turns mana into EnergyFeral Druids get a built-in way to turn mana into Cat Energy, with no special helmet or awkward macros. It defines modern Feral DPS in PvE and PvP.
  • NerfRedoubt blocks less, Holy Shield stays at 30%Low-level Paladins get less free block value from Redoubt, pushing real tanking power down to Holy Shield. Slightly nerfs early leveling mitigation while keeping level 30+ tanking solid.
  • NerfChampion of the Light converts less IntellectSpell-power and Shock Paladins lose half their Intellect-to-power scaling. This hurt hybrid Paladin damage and healing until a later patch undid it.
  • BuffDevouring Plague can now critically strikeUndead Priests get nasty crit ticks on their big disease, making it scale with crit gear and talents. Strong buff for Shadow PvE DPS and PvP rot pressure.
  • BuffShadow Weaving always appliesShadow Priests never miss their stacking debuff proc even if the spell gets partially resisted. Smooths out ramp-up time on PvE bosses and in PvP fights.
  • ChangeHeating Up replaces Hot StreakFire Mages get the clearer two-crit proc system so they always know when an instant Pyroblast is coming. Makes Fire way more responsive in dungeons and PvP.
  • ChangeCombustion is back to 3 chargesFire Mages get their classic guaranteed three-crit ramp cooldown back. Reliable burst window for raid bosses and blowing people up in PvP.
  • BuffSniper Shot reaches 45 yardsMarksman Hunters outrange every caster and tower in the game from miles away. Nightmare for clothies in open-world PvP and battlegrounds.
  • NerfDeflection parries lessCombat Rogues and Warriors lose a little bit of passive melee avoidance from talents. Minor hit to solo leveling durability and melee-vs-melee duels.
  • BuffMissed Expose Armor keeps combo pointsRogues no longer lose a full 5-point stack just because Expose Armor missed or got dodged. Huge relief for Rogue sanity in PvE raids and PvP.
  • BuffHellfire can now critically strikeWarlocks bold enough to stand in melee and channel Hellfire get huge AoE crit bursts. Speeds up dungeon trash clearing if the healer is paying attention.

Races (2)

  • ChangeEureka! skips periodic effectsDoT and HoT classes can no longer abuse Eureka! ticks, so the racial focuses on direct casts. Mana refunds stay balanced in PvE.
  • NerfCannibalize blocked while Physical-immuneUndead players can't pop Limited Invulnerability Potions or BoP to eat a corpse for free in a crowd. Removes a cheesy reset trick in PvP and hard pulls.

Systems (6)

  • ChangeLevel cap raised to 30Everyone unlocks level 30 keystone talents, mounts, and mid-game spells. Completely flips the beta meta in leveling, dungeons, and PvP brackets.
  • ChangeNew dungeon Excavation Site, plus Razorfen Downs and UldamanLevel 30 players get three dungeons packed with new loot and a brand-new custom instance to explore. Main endgame PvE loop for this phase of beta.
  • ChangeBarbershops open in Darnassus and Thunder BluffCosmetic feature only; does not matter for combat or leveling balance.
  • BuffCampfires no longer hurt low playersLowbies and bank alts stop dying to griefers dropping campfires under their feet in towns. Funny grief gone, minor quality-of-life fix.
  • ChangeUncollected Bind on Equip looks now Soulbind on saleTransmog economy fix only; does not affect combat or leveling.
  • NerfDungeon quest bonus XP halvedPlayers running a dungeon once for a massive quest XP payout get a smaller spike. This slowed quest-burst leveling before the dungeon mob XP buff.

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