Hello Beta testers! Here are this week’s changes to the Midnight Beta, including the 12.0.1 development notes:
NEW FEATURES
The following Midnight Season 1 dungeons will be open for testing on Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+ difficulty:
Pit of Saron
Skyreach
Seat of the Triumvirate
Algeth’ar Academy
Visit the Season 1 dungeon threads for more information and to submit feedback: NA thread | EU thread
CHARACTERS
The amount of experience required to level up from 80 to 90 in Midnight has been increased by 33%.
Developers’ notes: Based on data from Beta playtesting, we’ve seen that the current rate of leveling is faster than we anticipated, with some players hitting level 90 before finishing the Campaign or entering Voidstorm. To that end, we’re going to be adjusting the experience requirements based to make leveling time more consistent with past expansions.
CLASSES
DEATH KNIGHT
Hero Talents
Deathbringer
Blood
Exterminate damage increased by 110%.
Reaper’s Mark damage increased by 110%.
Wave of Souls damage increased by 110%.
Frost
Exterminate second scythe damage increased by 20%.
Rider of the Apocalypse
Unholy
Necrotic Coil, Graveyard, and Epidemic now activates Let Terror Reign.
San’layn
Blood
Vampiric Strike damage increased by 20%.
Frost
Long Winter has been updated – While Pillar of Frost is active your auto-attack critical strikes increase its duration by 1 second, up to 4 seconds.
All damage reduced by 15%.
Melee damage reduced by 6%.
Frostbane damage reduced by 10%.
Breath of Sindragosa secondary target damage reduced by 20%.
Hyperprexia now causes Runic Power spending abilities to have a chance to additionally deal 30% of the damage dealt over 4 seconds.
Unholy
Necrotic Coil now applies Coil of Devastation.
Lesser Ghouls and Sweeping Claw now trigger the effects of Rune of the Apocalypse.
Unholy Bond now correctly increases the damage of Pestilence from Rune of the Apocalypse.
Slow effect of Pestilence from Rune of the Apocalypse has been reduced to 5% (was 15%).
Infected Claws may now critically strike.
Infected Claws damage now scales with Mastery: Dreadblade.
Scourge Strike now triggers Trollbane’s Icy Fury.
Dread Plague now triggers Brittle.
Plague Mastery now increases the critical strike damage of Coil of Devastation, Infected Claws, and Rune of the Apocalypse Pestilence.
Foul Infections damage increase effect no longer benefits erupt effects of Virulent and Dread Plague twice.
Mastery: Dreadblade now increases the critical strike damage of Virulent Plague’s eruption, Infected Claws, and Coil of Devastation.
March of Madness and Commander of the Dead now increase the damage of Putrefy.
Shadowstrike damage of Necrotic Coil increased by 25%.
Death Coil damage increased by 25%.
Epidemic damage increased by 25%.
Forbidden Knowledge Rank 4 now increases the duration Forbidden Knowledge by 1.5 seconds (was 1 second).
Forbidden Knowledge Rank 1 now lasts for 8 seconds (was 15 seconds).
Necrotic Coil damage increased by 100%.
Graveyard damage increased by 100%
Death Coil damage increased by 100%.
Scourge Strike damage increased by 100%.
Sweeping Claws damage increased by 100%.
Putrefy damage increased by 50%.
DEMON HUNTER
Hero Talents
Annihilator
Vengeance
Dark Matter effect damage increased by 50%.
Voidfall Meteor damage increased by 50%.
World Killer damage increased by 50%.
Aldrachi Reaver
Havoc
Broken Spirit chance to generate a soul fragment reduced to 15% (was 20%).
Fel-Scarred/Void-Scarred
Devourer
Voidsurge damage increased by 25%.
Havoc
Burning Blades damage reduced to 25% of listed ability damage (was 30%).
Class
Infernal Armor damage increased by 100%.
Wings of Wrath speed bonus reduced to 10% (was 40%).
Devourer
Developers’ notes: Void-Scarred and some of Devourer’s gate 3 talents have been underperforming, so we’re giving them some help.
Calamitous critical damage bonus increased to 240% (was 220%).
Devourer’s Bite damage bonus increased to 12% (was 8%).
Collapsing Star’s damage visual is now only visible to its caster.
Eradicate’s visual is now only visible to its caster.
Havoc
All ability damage reduced by 16%.
Melee auto-attack damage now increased by 250% (was 25%).
Demon Blades damage increased by 150%.
Demon Blades damage no longer increased by 30% in PvP combat.
Demon Blades now generates 8-15 Fury (was 7-12).
Eye Beam damage increased by 10%.
The Hunt damage increased by 10%.
Blade Dance damage increased by 10%.
Vengeance
Midnight 2-set bonus now increases Fracture damage by 35% (was 30%).
Midnight 4-set Explosion of the Soul damage reduced by 10%.
All ability damage reduced by 35%.
Melee auto-attack damage now increased by 135% (was 18%).
Felblade damage no longer reduced by 35%.
Fiery Brand damage increased by 100%.
Fracture damage increased by 25%.
Fracture base cooldown increased to 6 seconds (was 5 seconds).
Fracture now generates 25 Fury (was 20).
Immolation Aura damage increased by 50%.
Infernal Strike damage increased by 50%.
Retaliation damage increased by 100%.
Sigil of Flame damage increased by 50%.
Soul Carver damage increased by 50%.
Soul Cleave damage increased by 35%.
Spirit Bomb damage increased by 60%.
Throw Glaive damage increased by 50%.
DRUID
Balance
Rejuvenation healing increased by 156%.
Regrowth healing increased by 49%.
Wild Growth healing increased by 22%.
20% increase to Denizen of the Dream damage reverted.
Feral
All ability damage increased by 20%.
Auto attack damage increased by 20%.
Rejuvenation healing increased by 156%.
Regrowth healing increased by 49%.
Wild Growth healing increased by 22%.
Guardian
Rejuvenation healing increased by 156%.
Regrowth healing increased by 49%.
Wild Growth healing increased by 22%.
Restoration
Fixed an issue where Lifebloom’s duration tracker on the cooldown manager would not update when Lifebloom was extended by Verdant Infusion.
Fixed an issue where Lifebloom’s duration tracker would be incorrect when Lifebloom was refreshed within pandemic range.
Abundance can now be tracked on the cooldown manager.
Nature’s Bounty now replicates 20% of Regrowth healing (was 40%).
Everbloom now splashes 15% of Lifebloom’s healing per talent point (was 10%).
There is now a connection between Ysera’s Gift and Liveliness/Master Shapeshifter in the talent tree.
EVOKER
Class
Strike from Above increases Glide height and speed by 10% (was 20%).
Fixed an issue where Fire Breath could engage enemies if the player died and resurrected while it was active.
Devastation
Twin Flame is now considered a Red spell.
Preservation
Fixed an issue where Merithra’s Blessing would trigger full value Reversions and Golden Hours when Echoed.
Twin Flame is now considered a Red spell.
HUNTER
Hero Talents
Dark Ranger
Marksmanship
Black Arrow direct damage increased by 75%.
Bleak Powder damage increased by 50%.
Pack Leader
Wyvern’s Cry duration reduced to 12 seconds (was 15 seconds).
Wyvern’s Gaze now increases your Wyvern’s duration by 2 seconds (was 4 seconds).
Fury of the Wyvern reverted to previous functionality – Pet auto attacks increase the damage bonus of your Wyvern by 1%, stacking up to 10 times.
Beast Mastery
Better Together has been updated – Now increases pet damage by 2% (was 5%) and increases Barbed Shot damage by 10% (was 20%).
No Mercy has been updated – Now increases the damage of your bleed effects by 10% (was 20%).
Fury of the Wyvern duration extension reduced to 0.5 seconds and extension cap reduced to 5 seconds.
Beast Mastery
Developers’ notes: We’ve changed the positions of some talents to make pathing around the tree easier. We’re also reducing Beast Mastery’s power, since it has been overperforming in all content.
New Talent: Heart of the Pack – Summoning a Dire Beast grants 0.5% Haste for 8 seconds.
Pack Tactics has been redesigned – Barbed Shot now instantly grants 20 Focus. Passive Focus generation increased by 50%.
Thrill of the Hunt has been redesigned – Barbed Shot critical strike chance increased by 5%/10%. Cobra Shot critical strike chance increased by 15%/30%.
Serpentine Strikes has been updated – Now additionally causes Cobra Shot to refund 10 Focus when it critically strikes.
Bloodshed has been updated – No longer has its own chance to summon Dire Beasts.
Huntmaster’s Call has been updated – Fenryr’s Ravenous Leap damage reduced by 50%.
Training Exper has been updated – Now increases pet damage by 3%/6% (was 2%/4%).
Frenzy has been updated - Attack speed reduced to 20%/40% (was 30%/60%).
Barbed Shot damage reduced by 20%.
Kill Command damage reduced by 20%.
Wild Thrash damage reduced by 35%.
Bite, Claw, and Smack damage increased by 50%.
Beast Cleave pet melee attack damage reduced to 40% (was 80%).
Kill Cleave’s Kill Command damage reduced to 40% (was 80%).
The Beast Within is now a 1-point talent.
Starter Build has been updated.
Many talents have changed locations in the talent tree.
Hunter’s Prey has been removed.
Marksmanship
Developers’ notes: Marksmanship has been underperforming, so we’re giving most of its non-Aimed Shot damage sources some help so they can continue to feel valuable. This is being paired with a substantial damage increase to Black Arrow’s direct damage to help Dark Ranger’s performance in all content, but particularly single target.
Arcane Shot damage increased by 50%.
Multi-Shot damage increased by 100%.
Rapid Fire damage increased by 50%.
Volley damage increased by 50%.
Trick Shots damage percentage increased to 65% (was 60%).
Midnight 4-set bonus has been updated – Damage increased by 100%.
Survival
Developers’ notes: Raptor Strike is falling behind, so we’re reverting an earlier Focus cost increase and giving it some more damage. Boomstick has been blasting its competition to smithereens in dungeon content, so we’re reducing its damage slightly. We’ve also heard a lot of feedback regarding Survival’s reduced mobility with Takedown’s 15 yard range and the loss of some class utility, so we’re reducing Harpoon’s cooldown to help Survival Hunters feel like they can more easily navigate the battlefield.
Raptor Strike Focus cost reduced to 30 Focus (was 40).
Raptor Strike damage increased by 25%.
Boomstick damage reduced by 10%.
Harpoon cooldown reduced to 20 seconds (was 30 seconds).
MAGE
Hero Talents
Frostfire
Developers’ notes: We’re moving some power out of Frostfire Bolt’s periodic damage and removing its rolling periodic effect, while moving some of that lost power into the initial damage to simplify the ability.
Frostfire Bolt periodic damage reduced by 75% and is no longer a rolling periodic.
Frostfire Bolt direct damage increased by 30%.
Frostfire Infusion damage bonus reduced to 4% (was 8%).
Dualcasting Adept has been updated – Shatter damage bonus reduced to 10% (was 15%).
Heat Sink now causes Flurry to deal 10% increased damage (was 20%).
Fixed an issue causing Frostfire Empowerment to deal more damage than intended.
Fixed an issue causing Fire Mages to benefit from Frost’s Flash Freezeburn talent.
Fixed an issue causing Molten Chill to only do 10% of the damage dealt as Ignite damage for Frost Mages.
Fixed an issue causing Flash Freezeburn to also damage Glacial Spike’s primary target.
Spellslinger
Developers’ notes: We’re pleased with the reception to our last round of Spellslinger changes, but removing Splinterstorm has left Splinters feeling very weak, so we’re giving them a punch-up to compensate.
Splinter damage increased by 100%.
Fixed an issue causing all Splinter generation effects to generate 1 additional Splinter.
When more than 1 Splinter is generated in a single event, Splinters will now fire on a delayed cadence, similar to how Splinterstorm used to function.
Sunfury
Developers’ notes: Fire Mage has been overperforming on Sunfury, so we’re tamping it down. We’re also increasing the rate at which you generate Spellfire Spheres, so you can more reliably reach 5 orbs.
Burden of Power has been updated – Now grant 5% increased Pyroblast and Flamestrike damage (was 15%).
Explosive Potential has been updated – Now knocks enemies back 8 yards (was 2 yards).
Savor the Moment has been updated – Now grants 0.4 seconds of Arcane Surge/Combustion duration per Orb (was 0.5 seconds).
Sunfury Execution has been updated – Now grants 20% increased Pyroclasm damage (was 30%).
Fixed an issue causing Savor the Moment to not correctly increase Arcane Surge or Combustion’s duration.
Fire
Spellfire Spheres has been updated – Consuming Hot Streak now has a 20% chance to generate a Spellfire Sphere (was 12%).
Arcane
Developers; notes: Arcane has been underperforming, so we’re giving it a buff, targeting Arcane Missiles and Barrage. Our goal with these changes is to help your spenders and procs are feeling like more significant contributors to your throughput. We’re also adding a bit more power to Arcane’s capstones.
Arcane Missiles damage increased by 50%.
Arcane Barrage damage increased by 25%.
Overpowered Missile chance to trigger increased to 25% (was 15%).
High Voltage has been updated – Now increases Arcane Missile’s damage by 20% (was 10%).
Orb Barrage has been updated – Chance per Arcane Salvo stack increased to 4% (was 3%).
Many issues with Touch of the Archmage have been resolved.
Fixed an issue causing Arcane Pulse to benefit twice from Mastery: Savant.
Fixed an issue preventing Mana Bomb from working correctly.
Fire
Developers’ notes: Fire has been underperforming in AOE, so we’re giving it some help.
Meteor direct damage increased by 20%.
Flamestrike damage increased by 25%.
Fixed an issue causing Firestarter to not benefit Pyroblast.
Fixed an issue causing Frostfire Bolt to not work with Scald.
Frost
Developers’ notes: Frost Mage is overperforming after our last round of updates, so we’re looking to take away some baseline power while making some more targeted Frostfire adjustments.
Flurry damage reduced by 15%.
Hand of Frost has been updated – Spell damage bonus reduced to 1%/2% (was 2%/4%).
Fixed an issue causing Glacial Freeze to not correctly increase Glacial Spike’s damage.
Fixed an issue causing Improved Flurry to not grant Splitting Ice Flurries a 4th damage event.
Fixed an issue causing Shatter’s AOE damage to splash past 8 and not 5.
Fixed an issue causing Shatter’s single target damage to be reduced by its splash targeting.
Fixed an issue causing Winter’s End to not function.
Fingers of Frost empowered Ice Lances will now Shatter their target, regardless of their Freezing stacks.
Fixed an issue causing Overflowing Energy to be consumed by Ice Lance.
MONK
Hero Talents
Master of Harmony
Fixed an issue where Vivify was not withdrawing vitality with Coalescence.
Fixed an issue where Sheilun’s Gift was not triggering Harmonic Surge.
Fixed an issue where Soothing Mist was not benefiting from Balanced Stratagem.
PALADIN
Hero Talents
Templar
Hammer of Light secondary damage now strikes up to 7 targets (was 4).
Divine Hammer damage increased by 20%.
Holy
All healing done reduced by 12%.
Word of Glory healing increased by 25%.
Eternal Flame healing increased by 35%.
Dawnlight healing increased by 50%.
Sun’s Avatar healing increased by 100%.
Light of Dawn healing increased by 25%.
Hammer and Anvil healing reduced by 50%.
Beacon of the Savior absorb amount reduced by 50%.
Holy Shock healing increased by 25%.
Flash of Light healing increased by 25%.
Holy Prism healing increased by 25%.
Pillars of Light’s Beacon of Virtue healing increased by 25%.
Holy Light healing increased by 25%.
Veneration now grants an absorb shield for 8% of damage done (was 15%).
Fixed an issue that caused Second Sunrise to not function with Light of Dawn.
Fixed an issue that caused Beacon of the Savior to transfer healing when healing an ally with its effect.
Fixed an issue that caused Light of Dawn to not activate Sun Sear.
Fixed an issue that caused Light of Dawn to not reduce its transfer rate to Beacon of Lights.
Fixed an issue that caused Hammer of Wrath to not activate Empyrean Legacy.
Fixed an issue that caused Light of Dawn to apply Dawnlight to the Paladin.
Fixed an issue that caused Light of Dawn to apply Dawnlight to allies that already have Dawnlight.
Fixed an issue that caused Holy Shocks from Divine Toll to not heal.
Protection
Fixed an issue where Gift of the Golden Val’kyr was consuming charges of Guardian of Ancient Kings.
Fixed an issue where Hammer of Wrath was not correctly interacting with Adjudication, Seal of the Templar, Hammer and Anvil, Sanctification, and Sweeping Verdict.
Fixed an issue causing Mastery: Divine Bulwark to block harmful periodic effects at an incorrectly low rate.
Refining Fire’s tooltip now indicates that it deals 100% additional damage over its duration, to match current functionality.
Adjusted Glory of the Vanguard’s visual to more accurately reflect the impact area.
Fixed several issues with Redoubt’s effect on Shield of the Righteous.
Retribution
Apex Talent: Light Within 4th node damage increased by 25%.
Fixed an issue that caused Divine Toll to grant Hammer of Light.
ROGUE
Hero Talents
Deathstalker
Clear the Witnesses increases Fan of Knives and Shuriken Storm damage by 40% (was 50%).
Momentum of Despair’s duration reduced to 8 seconds (was 12) and it increases critical strike chance by 10% (was 15%) and critical strike damage by 20% (was 32%).
Assassination
Mass Casualty deals 40% of damage (was 50%).
Subtlety
Deathstalker’s Mark damage increased by 20%.
Unshakeable Drive bonus for Shadowstrike increased to 25% (was 20%).
Hunt Them Down damage increased by 30%.
Mass Casualty damage reduced by 25%.
Darkest Night damage bonus for Eviscerate increased to 50% (was 30%).
Trickster
Subtlety
Nimble Flurry effect increased to 75% of listed skill damage (was 60%).
Outlaw
Nimble Flurry increases Blade Flurry damage by 30% (was 20%).
Assassination
All ability damage increased by 10%.
Auto attack damage increased by 10%.
Caustic Spatter causes 35% of damage to be dealt to nearby enemies (was 40%).
Outlaw
All ability damage increased by 20%.
Auto attack damage increased by 20%.
Blade Flurry causes your attacks to also strike nearby enemies for 35% of damage dealt (was 45%).
Subtlety
All damage increased by 5%.
Backstab damage increased by 8%.
Gloomblade damage increased by 8%.
Eviscerate damage increased by 8%.
Secret Technique damage increased by 8%.
Shadowstrike damage increased by 8%.
SHAMAN
Hero Talents
Stormbringer
Elemental
Tempest single target damage increased by 25%.
Enhancement
Tempest single target damage increased by 25%.
Tempest secondary target damage reduced by 20%.
Totemic
Enhancement
Surging Totem Tremor damage increased by 20%.
Elemental
Flames of the Cauldron now reduces the cooldown of Flame Shock by 1.5 seconds (was 2 seconds).
Enhancement
Melee auto-attack damage reduced by 17%. Does not affect Windlash.
Windlash damage increased by 250%.
Flame Shock cooldown is no longer reduced by Haste.
Fixed an issue that caused Fire Nova to activate with every Voltaic Blaze cast instead of having a 30% chance to activate.
Fire Nova damage increased by 100%.
Ride the Lightning Chain Lightning will no longer chain to crowd controlled targets.
Ride the Lightning Chain Lightning will no longer chain to targets out of line of sight and ignores out of combat units.
Thorim’s Invocation now correctly increases the duration of a triggered Doom Winds by 2 seconds.
Lava Lash damage reduced by 25%.
Sundering damage increased by 20%.
Crash Lightning initial impact damage increased by 25%.
Primordial Storm damage increased by 20%.
Stormstrike damage increased by 20%.
Windfury damage increased by 20%.
Fixed an issue that caused Feral Spirit buffs to last shorter than intended.
Fixed an issue that caused Rank 1 of Storm Unleashed granting the effect of Rank 4.
Fixed an issue that caused Overcharge to also increase the critical strike damage of abilities that are not Nature.
WARLOCK
Affliction
Fixed an issue where Malefic Grasp was not affecting Unstable Affliction.
Demonology
Empowered Healthstone has been updated – Healthstones restore 5% additional health.
WARRIOR
Hero Talents
Colossus
Cut to the Bone’s Rend and Deep Wounds damage increased by 25% (was 50%).
Arms
Practiced Strikes’ Mortal Strike, Cleave, and Slam damage increased by 15% (was 20%).
Tide of Battle’s Colossal Might increases damage of Overpower by 3% per stack (was 5%).
Protection
Tide of Battle’s Colossal Might increases damage of Revenge by 3% per stack (was 7%).
Mountain Thane
Thunder Blast damage increased by 20%.
Fury
Strength of the Mountain’s Bloodthirst and Rampage damage increased by 15% (was 25%).
Slayer
Slayer’s Strike damage increased by 100%.
Reap the Storm damage increased by 100%, chance to trigger increased to 25% (was 20%).
Class
Thunder Clap damage increased by 20%.
Rend initial ability damage increased by 30%.
Arms
Whirlwind damage increased by 10%.
Fury
Bloodthirst damage increased by 20%.
Rampage damage increased by 10%.
Whirlwind damage increased by 20%.
Protection
Shield Slam damage reduced by 10%.
Revenge damage increased by 50%.
The following talents have been removed:
Bolster
Unnerving Focus
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER
DEATH KNIGHT
Unholy
New PvP Talent: Stitchmaster – When a Lesser Ghoul dies, you gather the remains to heal for 5% of its maximum health. Death Strike sacrifices all Lesser Ghouls under your command.
DEMON HUNTER
Vengeance
Illidan’s Grasp (PvP Talent) damage increased by 50%.
Demonic Trample (PvP Talent) damage increased by 50%.
WARLOCK
Affliction
Fixed an issue where Soul Swap would not function with Unstable Affliction.
Rampant Afflictions has been removed.
USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY
NEW ACCESSIBILITY FEATURE: COMBAT AUDIOALERTS
Added support for announcing party member health. Settings include percentage and frequency.
UPDATED NAMEPLATES
A tutorial is available next to the Defaults button in the options panel that explains new nameplate functionality.
Improvements made to bounding areas that allow name plates to be clicked easier.
Improvements made to stacking behaviors when many nameplates appear together.
An option has been added to change the color of your character’s health bar to reflect the current state of threat. This can be found in the Nameplates > Aggro Display dropdown.
Threat level red has been recolored to orange, and orange has been recolored to yellow.
For nameplate styles Thin, Health Focus, Cast Focus, and Legacy, the font for the unit name no longer has a black outline. Additionally, the name text is clickable to select the unit.
All nameplate options will now appear when searching “nameplate” in options, even if they don’t contain that word.
ADDON INTERFACE
Made improvements requested by action bar addon developers, mostly focused on ability cooldown frames and showing action/spell counts.
Made improvements requested by unit frame addon developers, mostly focused on showing and customizing aura states in custom unit frames.
Added a way for addons to create self-updating timer bars for performance gains when using secret value data.
Added a way for addons to colorize a frame or texture based off the value of a secret boolean.
Added a way for addons to securely set raid targets (via a player button push).
12.0.1 development notes: