Ask a Beta Tester: Seals, judgements, and more

The old system of seals and judgements is dead -- long live the new system. At present, a paladin's available seals have been reduced to light, wisdom, righteousness, blood/vengeance (Horde/Alliance), and corruption/martyr (Horde and Alliance's new versions of blood/vengeance, to put them on even footing, insofar as seals are concerned)...You'll notice former staple crusader is missing -- it buffed holy damage on application and your all-around damage has been buffed so you won't notice a change. Madness! Now, when you cast a judgement, it does not use up your seal -- all seals last for two minutes. Also, while you have seal of light, wisdom, and justice, their use is much more limited, because you now have three different types of judgements: light, wisdom, and justice. Regardless of which seal you use, using judgement of light, wisdom, or justice will apply the debuff formerly associated with the seal of the same name while doing the immediate effect of the seal you currently have up. It may sound convoluted, but in practice, it really cuts down on the seal/judge/seal/judge keyboard action and streamlines paladin combat.
Update: Clarified the new corruption and martyr seals which, as many commenters have pointed out, are versions of blood/vengeance for the opposite faction. Also, I'm a total idiot and forgot to mention righteousness. It's not gone, I promise!
More questions after the break..!
Tap asked, "Will there be a new slot for the Death Knight or will I have to delete my banker? Please don't make me delete my banker! I need the bag space! Its hard to support a main and 8 alts (with WotLK 9 alts)."
Sorry, Tap, but at present, we have no additional character slots. Like with Draenai and Blood Elves in The Burning Crusade, people will have to make tough choices about which characters to keep -- and which to toss. (However, a nagging voice in my head asks, "Don't we have 10 character slots per realm?")
Chucker asked, "I'd read elsewhere that there will not be ports to the old-world capital cities in Dalaran. We'll probably still end up leaving our hearths set for Shat and use the 8,000g ring so that we have an easy return to Northrend, but still the flexibility to reach any capital city without having a mage around."
There are definitely portals from Dalaran to all of the capitol cities in Azeroth plus Shattrath -- no need to fear!
BiggusGeekus asked, "What old world reputations are changing (if any)? Is it worth it to reputation grind now in anticipation of achievements, or are we better off just waiting it out?"
There's nothing new for old reputations in Wrath -- save the fact that there are achievements for hitting exalted in old world factions. So if you're the crazy sort of person who simply must have every achievement, let the grind begin!
Mike asked, "I've heard a lot of talk about whether crushing blows exist or not in Wrath. I think the rumor started spreading after someone suggested that they could not possibly exist after protection warrior changes. Can you provide some input on this topic?"
Via a blue post, we can confirm that crushing blows in Wrath are no more. The devs think they have other ways of making fights difficult now... hmm...
Have more questions? We have more answers! Leave any questions in the comments below to be answered tomorrow!
Filed under: Paladin, Wrath of the Lich King






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Shallon Aug 2nd 2008 11:08AM
Thanks for the answers, good info. Hope to see more like this soon. :-)
Malkeior Aug 2nd 2008 11:10AM
Inaccuracy! Seal of Corruption is Horde's Seal of Vengance, while Seal of the Martyr is the Alliances version of Seal of Blood!
Tumnus Aug 2nd 2008 11:12AM
Those pally seal changes sound really interesting. I can't wait to try them out.
Oddish Aug 2nd 2008 11:16AM
Any news on when the new dances will be unveiled? if at all?
Malkeior Aug 2nd 2008 11:16AM
Seal of Corruption is the Hordes equivilant to Seal of Vengance while Seal of the Martyr is the Alliance's eqivalant to Seal of Blood, might want to put that in there before we get confused Alliance.
Sarimus Aug 2nd 2008 11:22AM
So just to clarify, I would put up say seal of Light on myself, and swings will return health according to the proc rate and value that SoL usually does. This lasts for 2 minutes. Then, I cast Judgement of Wisdom on the mob. I get healed by SoL, and the JoW debuff is on the mob. My party/raid members and I start getting mana returns from JoW, and I keep SoL on myself and get health back from that.
That sound right?
Also, you didn't mention Righteousness as one of the seals/judgements. Are they pulling that out? I do know that Alliance and Horde are getting their own versions of Vengance and Blood, named Corruption and Martyr, respectively. Righteousness is a "bread and butter" skill though for leveling paladins as well as tankadins. Are they squeezing in some holy damage to the system somewhere?
Malkeior Aug 2nd 2008 11:31AM
Basically, also, all the judgement spells have base damage and having a damage seal up increases said judgement damage(Instead of having a damage seal up to get judgement to do any damage at all)
Righteousness is still there and currently it's the highest DPS seal (due to it having both an AP and SP coefficients)
even more than SoB/M and SoC
Dave Aug 2nd 2008 11:23AM
What is with old world? Any re vamps?i mean will sentenil hills inn roof will be fixed? what abaout lakeshire bridge?
bugmaster Aug 2nd 2008 11:36AM
as a matter of fact crushing blows do technicly still apear, but you can only get one from mobs 4 levels higher then yourself, so not from boss mobs anymore
Mister K Aug 2nd 2008 12:38PM
so no 79 level tanks in Naxx got it!
Tekkub Aug 2nd 2008 3:10PM
Exactly, CBs have been kept around to discourage players from attempting content too high for their level... but if you're playing level-appropriate content you shouldn't see them.
bluebottleblues Aug 2nd 2008 11:39AM
With the changes to hit and crit rating affecting both spells and melee, will existing gear with seperate spell and melee crit ratings have the two numbers added together to give a really sick crit rating value, or will it be modified to give an adverage intermediate. E.g. Skyfury Helm: 28 spell crit, 14 melee crit rating. Will it be 28 + 14 = 42 universal crit rating or, an intermediate like 21 universal crit rating?
tehvoid Aug 2nd 2008 11:39AM
Is there a port from Shattrath to Dalaran?
bugmaster Aug 2nd 2008 11:40AM
i doubt that, but why would it matter?
Tharko Aug 2nd 2008 11:49AM
Not true, crushing blows do exist if the mob is more than 3 levels above your level. This means that raid dungeons for level 80 players will not have crushing blows, but if your try content too high above your level expect crushing blows.
Gurluas Aug 2nd 2008 11:49AM
How many high elves are there in Wrath, and what are their role now that they have thier own faction?
Jason Aug 2nd 2008 12:58PM
The High elves of Dalaran have united with the Alliance forces and are called the Silver Covenant (,under command of Vareesa Windrunner I think) There's also the The 7th Legion, which consist of Alliance High Elves. They make a good presence and are based in Wintergarde Keep/Dragonblight.
Janom Aug 2nd 2008 11:49AM
What happens to our arena points? Will we be able to keep them to get a head start at level 80? I have 4500 right now but I'm not playing at the moment and I'm wondering if I should keep them or buy some new gear before WotLK.
Jariaji Aug 2nd 2008 12:17PM
Does the Cenarion Circle have any role to play in Wotlk, either as the Cenarion Circle or as a sort of offshoot faction like the Cenarion Expedition? I would of thought lorewise they would have an interest in the reaction the creatures and vegetation have had to the Lich Kings corruption in Northrend.
RogueJedi86 Aug 2nd 2008 3:42PM
I hate to say it, but it looks like D.E.H.T.A. will be the new arm of the Cenarion Circle. I hate the name though, it's so out of universe and inane. Too bureaucratic for the nature-worshipping druids.