There was a sizable patch to the 2.1 PTRs today, but as usual, Blizzard just updated the patch notes without specifically highlighting the differences. A few new changes have surfaced in forum strife, like the nerf to the DPS tailoring sets (though that nerf has since been rescinded), but many seem to have gone un-noticed. I used a magical tool called diff to check between the old patch notes and the new ones; here are the changes I've found. Feel free to let me know if I missed any, or if I have any false positives -- the text files got pretty messy at various points.

• General
• Inspect distance has been increased to 30 yards (from 10 yards).
• The amount of parry rating needed to get 1% parry has been reduced by 25%.
• Many set bonuses did not work properly when combined with an item or enchantment that had the exact same effect at the exact same magnitude. That issue has been corrected on all set bonuses.
• PvP
• The new battleground matchmaking system is now implemented and active. This system allows the battleground to select teams of similar equipment quality and organizational level to battle each other. For now, the system will be very forgiving about creating matchups in order to keep queue times low. However, the parameters will be adjusted as necessary when more organized teams become active in the battlegrounds.

• Druids
• Bestial Wrath: The immunity granted by thtis ability now lasts the full duration of the ability. Bestial Wrath now grants immunity to Cyclone. Cyclone will no longer prevent the immunities from being granted.
• Celestial Focus: The delay on the stun effect for Starfire has been reduced.
• Mages
• Impact: The delay on the stun effect has been reduced.
• Paladins
• Consecration: Corrected a tooltip typo. Low ranks of this ability being cast by high-level players are now being properly penalized.
• "Illumination": This talent now only gives 60% of the mana cost of the critical heal. It also now returns the correct amount of mana when used with ranks 4 and 5 of "Holy Shock". [up from 50%]
• Priests
• Blackout: The delay on the stun effect has been reduced.
• Mass Dispel mana cost reduced.
• "Shadow Word: Death": Cooldown increased to 12 sec and will now properly damage the casting Priest when it is reflected. [the reflection part is new]
• Spiritual Guidance: This talent now works while the Priest is in Shadowform.
• Rogues
• Blade Twisting: The delay on the daze effect has been reduced.
• Gouge: This ability will no longer trigger poisons (and thus break itself).
• Shaman
• Earth Shock: Rank 8 is now properly considered an Interrupt effect for talents and abilities that affect interrupts.
• Warlocks
• Death Coil is now is now subject to diminishing returns in the Horror category. Currently, only Death Coil is in this category.
• Felguard: This pet will periodically check to see if you know the talent which allows you to summon it, and die if you do not know the talent.
• Seed of Corruption: This spell will now interact properly with town guards when bystanders are hit by its detonation in a duel.
• Warriors
• Bloodrage: It is no longer possible to gain extra rage from this ability by using tradeskills to keep you in combat.
• Charge: This ability will now properly cause the warrior to go into combat with its target.
• Flurry: Ranks 1-4 will no longer trigger from ranged critical strikes.
• Improved Hamstring: The delay on the immobilize effect has been reduced.
• Sweeping Strikes: This ability will no longer be modified erroneously on additional targets by percent modifiers to your damage.
• Quest
• Void Crystals maximum stack size has been increased to 20 from 10.
• Dungeons and Raids
• All 25 man raid bosses who drop set tokens will now drop an additional token.
• Coilfang: Serpentshrine Cavern
• Morogrim Tidewalker has been moved to a more central location in his room.
• Hydross the Unstable's hit points have been slightly reduced.
  Colossus Ragers have had their health reduced significantly.
• Auchindoun: Shadow Labyrinth
• Reduced the number of creatures in Shadow Labyrinth.
• Karazhan
• Netherspite will no longer cast Nether Burn while crazed.
• Magtheridon's Lair
• Hellfire Warders have been significantly reduced in difficulty.
• Hellfire Channeler's Shadow Bolt Volley has been made much more easy to interrupt.
• The melee damage of Burning Abyssals has been significantly reduced.
• Tempest Keep
• High Astromancer Solarian's hit points have been greatly reduced.
• Tempest Keep: The Arcatraz
• There are fewer Protean Nightmares roaming the halls of the Arcatraz.
• Items
• Alliance Shaman PvP Sets: These sets now have set bonuses as intended.
• "Mystical Skyfire Diamond": The triggering rate on this item has been increased, but it now only reduces the cast time on spells by half; and Warlocks casting "Corruption" with maximum ranks in "Improved Corruption" will no longer consume the "Focus" buff from this gem.

Tags: 2.1, bt, notes, patch, patch 2.1, patch notes, patches, ptr, warcraft, world of warcraft, wow

Filed under: Patches, News items