March 12th PTR changes
by Adam Holisky 
Mar 12th 2008 at 2:00PM
A new PTR build hit the test realms today, and just in time for the second stress test that'll be getting underway later tonight. A few of the big highlights:
Any thoughts on the cyclone change? I for one am happy, considering how I hate being cycloned in arena battles.
- The Druid Cyclone spell has had the range reduced to 20 yards, from 30 yards.
- The newly purchasable epic gem crafting patterns have had their prices dramatically increased. For example, the epic gem patterns used to cost 1.5g each to buy, now they're 50g each. This will make them harder for casual players to acquire.
- A few BoP crafted items have had a profession requirement of 350 placed on them.
Any thoughts on the cyclone change? I for one am happy, considering how I hate being cycloned in arena battles.
Filed under: Druid, Jewelcrafting, PvP, News items, Analysis / Opinion, Patches, Realm News, Leatherworking, Blacksmithing, Classes
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Nightwatch Mar 12th 2008 2:18PM
Welcome to World Of Arenacraft, where abilities that are very handy in PVE will receive nerfs that reduce their PVE usability dramatically because they seem OP in arenas. Moonkin who seem to be more ignored than even the Elemental Shaman are (A Moonkin revolt is in progress on the official forums and yet i have seen no coverage of it here) see the Cyclone change as yet another slap in the face of a Spec that has VERY limited CC abilities in the first place. Blizz really should consider placing Arena specific rules in place for the various spells and abilities it considers OP as such but leaving the abilities alone for PVE/BG/World PVP.
Mitch Mar 12th 2008 3:16PM
I cyclone often in heroic 5 mans. It gives the rest of my crew enough time to DPS one mob and then they pick up my cyclone. Really helpful for large pulls. So yeah, this is a dumb PvE change. But oh well, if this is what Blizzard wants to focus on, so be it.
You got PvP in my PvE!
You got PvE in my PvP!
naz Mar 18th 2008 11:29AM
10 yrds in PvE is no big deal....and if you're relying on cyclone as your groups cc...or even a boomkin as your dps...u got bigger problems anyway...(yes i kno some can pull it off..but most cant dps as boomkin for sh^t)..in arena 10 yrds is alot..druids hate being in close combat so they tend to stay as far as possible and just spam hots/cyclone while being out of range...at least this will help bring them into the combat
Argall Mar 12th 2008 2:19PM
20-30 yard range is relatively small. Cyclone will be overpowered until it's dispellable. Why it's not? I have no idea whatsoever.
Randomdruid Mar 12th 2008 2:44PM
Dispel cyclone? Sorry but there is plenty of CC in the game that you just can't do anything about, I don't see why you don't understand. There are already diminishing returns on cyclone. Judging from your comments I'm going to guess that you are a hunter.
Nate Mar 12th 2008 2:45PM
I'm all for making Cyclone dispellable as long as you give it the same hold time as polymorph.
Arabelli Mar 12th 2008 2:53PM
There is nothing else in the game is only removable by trinket. It's not classified as anything, and isn't removable by anything. That's simply overpowered.
Randomdruid Mar 12th 2008 3:03PM
Now I know your a hunter, because you conveniently forgot that Freezing Trap can't be dispelled. How about this, cyclone can be dispelled when Bestial Wrath can be dispelled too.
Algorithm Mar 12th 2008 3:08PM
Are you sure there aren't stuns or incapacitates?
Cynra Mar 12th 2008 3:15PM
Randomdruid, I play both a hunter and a priest, so I know that the Freezing Trap places a magical debuff on the individual that steps into it that can be removed with Cleanse and Dispel.
Necrolich Mar 13th 2008 8:39AM
@ #7........you have obviously never faced a rogue :P blind is the same as cyclone.
Durendul Mar 12th 2008 2:29PM
10.5.x nice i personal have the bar on the left i still love OS9s apple menu set up
it would be itsersting to see an article on the wow on mac
Adam Holisky Mar 12th 2008 2:31PM
=)
I've actually got a few Mac features in the works. However with all the TTR and 2.4 news there on the proverbial back-burner at the moment.
Plus, I'm using a Mac + Linux to make the WoW Insider Mount Guide (complete with videos), to debut this weekend. Gotta love the mac!
William Mar 12th 2008 2:43PM
I love Mac's too! I keep my bar on the right... hahaha... I guess to each his own! My iMac run's WoW superbly! Why don't more people use Macs? And how bout an article on Mac add-ons... It's rough finding them sometimes... (I know, I know, less of a market... etc.)
Ikarus Mar 12th 2008 3:09PM
I'd love to see an article examing what effect making a cross-platform (Mac & PC) has had on Blizz's sucess with WOW. Almost all the other MMO's are PC only. It's a shame
Jim Mar 12th 2008 2:26PM
casual player=Someone who is not revered with the Shattered Sun Offensive and does not have 375 Jewel Crafting.
anonymoose Mar 12th 2008 2:34PM
I'm trying to understand who you are referring to as casual and hardcore--if you mean hardcore raiders & pvpers, you are actually talking about people who often are quite broke because of repairs OR because they pvp and not much else. I've known casuals who do nothing but farm, and then sit on top of a massive pile of gold.
"20-30 yard range is relatively small"
Having played a priest for so long, I have to heartily disagree. The range is a big nerf, especially given the extremely long distance spell casting of locks. Shadow priests encounter this all the time due to shortened range of spells--in order to offensively spell cast they have to risk a great deal to do so.
I do think Cyclone needs an adjustment, such as the ability to dispell or trinket out of the effect. To have CC with absolutely no counter seems ridiculous.
Khanmora Mar 12th 2008 2:43PM
You can trinket out of cyclone, that is currently the ONLY way to remove it.
Omega Mar 12th 2008 5:05PM
50g for each of the 38 designs seems like a lot, especially when the designs are available to hardcore raiders via the scales of sand for 6g each. Why are casuals being charged 8x more?
Adam Holisky Mar 12th 2008 2:29PM
I don't think there is any QQing going on, just a simple observation that the gems will be harder for a casual player to now acquire - which I think will make the harder core players happy.