The Public Test Realm (PTR) has been updated with a new build of version 2.0.4.
New Changes in Build 23430
World Editor
Fixed an issue where models that used Cliff0 and Cliff1 textures were broken
Neutral
Dark Ranger Life Drain mana cost from 35/35/35 to 30/30/30
Reverted Troll Shadow Priest stock replenishment from 160 back to 110
Tinker starting strength from 20 to 22
Pitlord starting strength from 26 to 28
Full Change List
Matchmaking
Unlocked matchmaking in 3v3 and 4v4 for Arranged and Random teams.
Arranged Teams in all game modes have a small MMR weight applied when searching.
Players are now able to queue in 3v3 and 4v4 in Arranged Teams smaller than the game mode.
For example, you will be able to queue into 3v3 as an Arranged Team of 2.
Leaderboard now supports smaller arranged teams in their respective game mode. For example, an arranged team of 2 can now appear in the 3v3 AT leaderboard.
Players in an Arranged Team are now prompted by a Ready Up message before queuing.
Performance
Improvements and optimizations have been made to the Lua garbage collector.
World Editor
Users are now able to add additional cliff types.
Fixed a issue where imported tilesets would crash the editor.
Using % characters in Lua script will no longer crash the World Editor.
Human
Rifleman attack cooldown increased from 1.35 to 1.4
Sorceress Master Training research time reduced from 75 to 60 seconds
Priest Master Training research time reduced from 75 to 60 seconds
Level 2 Water Elemental base damage from 31 to 30
Orc
Shaman Master Training research time from 75 to 60 seconds
Witch Doctor Master Training research time from 75 to 60 seconds
Spirit Walker Master Training research time from 65 to 60 seconds
Healing Salve duration from 45 to 40 seconds.
Amount healed is unchanged
Night Elf
Druid of the Talon Master Training research time from 75 to 60 seconds
Glaive Thrower build time from 48 to 42 seconds
Undead
Ghoul base damage from 9 to 10
Ghoul attack cooldown from 1.3 to 1.35
Banshee Possession now has a new VFX when channeling.
Banshee Possession Caster and Target VFX have been adjusted so they appear above health bars.
Banshee Master Training research time from 75 to 60 seconds
Wand of Negation cost from 150 to 120
Wand of Negation charges from 4 to 3
Wand of Negation now has a 5 second cooldown
Frost Wyrm build time from 65 to 60 seconds
Neutral
Abolish Magic damage from 250 to 150
Troll Shadow Priest stock delay from 120 to 180
Troll Shadow Priest stock replenishment from 110 to 160
Brewmaster Breath of Fire initial area of effect from 60/60/60 to 90/90/90
Beastmaster starting strength from 22 to 24
Tinker starting strength from 20 to 22
Pit Lord starting strength from 26 to 28
Dark Ranger Life Drain mana cost from 25/25/25 to 35/35/35
Dark Ranger Life Drain mana cost from 35/35/35 to 30/30/30
Dark Ranger Life Drain cast range from 500/500/500 to 600/600/600
Dark Ranger Life Drain tether range from 800/800/800 to 700/700/700
Cast range and tether range have been changed to match Siphon Mana.
I like the changes to the tavern heroes. If this patch’s goal is to bring attention to them, please revert a bit more Panda’s Breath of Fire stats:
Increase initial area of effect from 60 to 100, instead of 90 (originally it was 125).
Increase final area of effect from 175 to 200 (originally it was 300).
I hope that blizz devs would consider not changing troll priest original spawn time.
It removes the number of options in the early game. The change removes the incentive to risk and creep the mercenary camp as the first creep camp. The change messes creeps routes, timings, etc. The reduction of the abolish magic damage should be enough to nerf the troll shadow priest.
These are some minor changes that don’t really address any specific matchup. I have no idea how Ghouls can get damage buff if they pretty much shut down any melee Orc unit.
What is the purpose of reducing master training research time? To make UD and HU even stronger than they already are? Because this change will have no impact on Orc gameplay as they rarely go T3, and if they do, it’s not for master casters.
Do you follow any results of the pro scene? Orc is again the biggest loser of the patch, despite performing the worst for a long time. Those changes have no direction, no vision whatsoever. Just a bunch of details that will keep current state of things untouched. UD and HU will keep ruling until someone sane will take over the balance of the game.
Missing the Druid of the Claw adept and Master training from 25 and 35 seconds respectively to 45 and 60 seconds respectively change. If we’re going to uniformally make all the caster trainings the same then please fix this. The same for Druids of the Claw being able to receive upgrades aside from adept and master training, it needs to be removed
In my opinion, if you (Blizzard), don’t know which direction to take, please just address the units that every race agrees on. Ignore all the whining from the orcs, elves, undead and humans, and just address the most overpowered and most useless heroes/units. If you are nerfing Archmage, why not nerf the DH, which is two levels above? If you are nerfing rifles, why not nerf driads and bears, which can be played in literally every matchup? Buffing ghouls after the Undead destroyed everyone on the pro level seems to suggest that you are not up to date with recent events. Last patch Nova buff, where SINGLE nova destroyed whole orc armies? Cheers
You claim Orcs never go t3, but I see Berserkers, Tauren, Wyvern poison, 3 heroes, Orb of Lightning, Tiny Great Hall almost all the time in pro games since last patch? Maybe not vs NE, but in other 3 MU for sure
And UD and HU have already received numerous nerfs, and still do some in this patch. Rifleman and Wand of Negation nerfs are definitely not inconsequential. Not to mention the Troll Shadow Priest nerf which most benefits Far Seer (and was requested by an Orc player)?
Kinda of feels like a several suggestions from different streamers were aimlessly added into a patch. The troll and wand change make sense from Grubby’s suggestion of buffing Far Seer first. The other changes like the caster change and giving underused hero’s +2 str feels aimless. Since Talons at pro play are locked behind Ancient of Lore. Witch Doctor don’t see play since it’s a heavy investment that takes resources away from other units that are immediately useful.
Another revision? Season reset is supposed to be today. You were too lazy to reset the MMR last season when you revised the matchmaking(still a complete circus; play 3s and the highest MMR is always burdened with two 25-35%WR players), and it only continued to be downhill from there. When you add AT v RT mid-season are we just going to get a repeat of that?
Edit: Youve already got people on the 4s leaderboard with 44MMR with a 2-5 record. This game is scuffed beyond belief anymore.
stop sh*tting on the Wand of Negation. No ud players want to fight against hum with a cooldowned wand, it means u have no solution to the water element which always cause a big problem to ud ex-mine while u deal with the disgusting footman
Don’t nerf Undead. In tournaments it may look like Undead is the strongest race, but at lower levels it’s almost unplayable. If your MMR is below 2000 and you switch from your main race to Undead and try to play, you’ll feel an emptiness — like you’re constantly short on gold and unit power.
Watch the battles: all other races can fight with simple “A-move” attacks. Undead can’t do that. It can only win fights by carefully focusing down one unit at a time. Because of that, at the average level, Undead feels completely weak and frustrating to play.
Maybe the “attack upgrade for Dryads” should be moved to the “ranged attack category”?
The current strength of the “Bear + Dryad” combo also comes from the fact that they share the same upgrade, making it extremely cost-efficient for Night Elves to upgrade their whole army at once. And really, how did it even happen that a “melee attack upgrade” works for Dryads?
Patch looks good
If your MMR is below 2000 and you switch from your main race to Undead and try to play, you’ll feel an emptiness — like you’re constantly short on gold and unit power.
For low- and mid-level players, UD is simply terrifyingly strong.
The enhancement of UD to its current level is aimed at attracting new players, and this behavior serves as a benefit for new players; it sacrifices the interests of old players, especially those of NE and ORC, which have a large proportion of players
However, the reforge version has failed to attract any new players. Should this benefit continue?
Why mention NE when I literally said Orcs don’t go t3 only vs them? Yes, meta in this MU is T2 BM, SH and Raider+Kodo.
Against Human? Do you even watch the pro scene? You see T3 all the time with Taurens, Berserkers and Tiny Great Hall expo. Orc pros also go for Orb of Lightning on even Far Seer or Firelord. Perma t2 with Far Seer + TC has not been common for almost 2 years (basically since pala rifle appeared).
Not to mention almost every game vs UD. Anybody that remotely follows the pro scene should know this. Check out some Lyn/Focus/SoIn games and see for yourself.
This categorization for that particular change is a misnomer. This is not a rendering engine change.
If you want to make a bug report about degraded performance, make a separate bug report thread. Include test data from both versions under the same conditions.