Live Patch Notes for 2.0.10-3/06/07

*Hotfix 3/06/07

• The Druid ability Lacerate will now land a small amount of instant damage, causing it to generate threat against bleed-immune creatures.
  
• The Druid ability Mangle (Bear) will now generate 50% bonus threat.

Additional explanation for these fixes and information on Armor:

We’ve taken a close look at constructive feedback provided on our Druid Bear changes, and are hotfixing the following changes today:

1. Lacerate will now do a small amount of direct damage to the target. This means it will generate threat rather than an immune message when used on bleed-immune creatures. However, bleed-immune creatures will still not receive the debuff from Lacerate. This should address concerns about Druids being able to tank in specific bleed-immune encounters.

2. Mangle (Bear) now generates 50% bonus threat on its damage. We realized that in reducing Mangle damage, we made it less useful as a snap aggro tool. This threat bonus moves it back up to almost where it was before the 2.0.10 changes.

In addition, we examined concerns about the best Feral Druid armor pieces being outdoor world quest rewards, and Druids feeling their tanking ability would not scale with better gear. We are adjusting superior and epic leather pieces designed to be used by Bear Druids and increasing the armor on many of those items, particularly raid sets. These changes, however, will not show up until patch 2.1.0.

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Here are the latest Druid notes from the live patch for 2.0.10:

Druids

• When the duration of "Cyclone" ends, area buffs such as "Leader of the Pack", "Tree of Life", and "Moonkin" will now be correctly resumed.
  
• "Bear Form" now grants 25% increased stamina instead of 25% increased health.
• "Dire Bear Form" now grants 25% increased stamina instead of 25% increased health. In addition, the armor bonus has been reduced from 450% to 400%.
  
• The multiplier on base weapon damage for "Mangle (Bear)" ability has been changed from 130% to 100%. In addition, the bonus damage has been reduced by the same ratio.
  
• "Savage Fury" no longer affects "Mangle (Bear)".
  
• "Savage Fury" no longer applies to "Maul" or "Swipe".
  
• The critical damage bonus on "Predatory Instincts" reduced from 3/6/9/12/15% to 2/4/6/8/10%.
  
• "Improved Leader of the Pack" can no longer get critical heals.
  
• The armor bonus from "Moonkin Form" has been increased from 360% to 400% (to match Dire Bear Form).
  
• The rage normalization equation has been adjusted to grant more rage.
  

Answers that have been provided at this point in time:

*Regarding changes to Damage, Mitigation and Hitpoints:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=79173728&postId=798213607&sid=1#121

*About Druid Tanking:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=80368201&postId=798261694&sid=1#208

*In regard to further testing and feedback needed on Druid changes (This still holds true despite being live now. We are watching things still.):

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=77567557&postId=785307925&sid=1#4

*PTR patch discussion thread for previous discussion reference:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=79165114&sid=1


Please feel free to use this thread for further feedback and questions. Thank you.

There are a couple of other things that are being added today and once we have the go ahead on the exact information we'll let you all know about it.

Just to edit this in, there are a couple of hotfixes that are being put in that should address a couple of the concerns that players have expressed.

No, they aren't nerfs. Once we have the exact wording on the changes being added in, we'll post them in the sticky. These changes are being made as a direct result of player feedback.

Q u o t e:


That sounds nice, but can you give us a timeframe. DO you mean within the next day??? week???monthyear???

I appreciate the fact that we are actually getting some kind of response now, but can you (Blizz) stop being so vague?

We've been told to expect the hotfixes either this afternoon or this evening. So they will be in by tonight at some point.

(Keep in mind Pacific Time for those looking at your clocks on the east coast.)

Q u o t e:


So Neth, any chance on some real answers, like how we're supposed to hold aggro and be viable end-game tanks? Everything you've linked there is just someone's opinion. Maybe I'm just confusing "answer" with "solution", but your post isn't really very constructive.

How about Blizzard post an end-game tanking guide for Driuds that covers itemisation and techniques? Can you do it? If you can't does that mean the nerf went to far?

/hug Neth. You've got a tough job here, but we really need more than what you're posting. :)

I'm thinking the hotfixes that are being put in should help a bit. Again, I don't want to start talking about them as of yet until I have the exact specifics to share with everyone. They do address a few concerns that I've seen people voicing today.

To address the idea of us putting together an end-game tanking guide, we actually can't do something like that. It makes it seem as if it's the only way to do something and we really like to encourage players to find what works best for them as individuals.

Q u o t e:


Yeah but dumping on her all the time doesn't do anything.

Look at it this way, she bears the message, but the king is listening directly. There is no need to kill the messenger. Kill the king!

Hey now. There will be no more killing of kings or messengers. Sheesh. Btw. I may not be the one posting the changes if for some reason they occur after I've left for the day. But never fear. Another will come in my stead. ;)

Q u o t e:


We will be sharpening our knives and pitchforks in anticipation. ;-p

You wound me to the core. ;)

The Hotfixes are now live and the following information has been posted in the original sticky here as well.

*Hotfix 3/06/07

• The Druid ability Lacerate will now land a small amount of instant damage, causing it to generate threat against bleed-immune creatures.
  
• The Druid ability Mangle (Bear) will now generate 50% bonus threat.

Additional explanation for these fixes and information on Armor:

We’ve taken a close look at constructive feedback provided on our Druid Bear changes, and are hotfixing the following changes today:

1. Lacerate will now do a small amount of direct damage to the target. This means it will generate threat rather than an immune message when used on bleed-immune creatures. However, bleed-immune creatures will still not receive the debuff from Lacerate. This should address concerns about Druids being able to tank in specific bleed-immune encounters.

2. Mangle (Bear) now generates 50% bonus threat on its damage. We realized that in reducing Mangle damage, we made it less useful as a snap aggro tool. This threat bonus moves it back up to almost where it was before the 2.0.10 changes.

In addition, we examined concerns about the best Feral Druid armor pieces being outdoor world quest rewards, and Druids feeling their tanking ability would not scale with better gear. We are adjusting superior and epic leather pieces designed to be used by Bear Druids and increasing the armor on many of those items, particularly raid sets. These changes, however, will not show up until patch 2.1.0.