Several Ulduar weapons buffed
by Eliah Hecht 
May 20th 2009 at 9:00AM
Apparently a few tweaks to items were either too random or too last-minute to make it into the patch 3.1.2 notes. Three weapons have had their stats improved, "to match their appropriate item level:"
You can see a screenshot of the new stats at right.
Additionally, eight weapons have had their speed changed, "to make them more optimized when used in PvE content compared to equivalent weapons obtained in the Arena." I read that as "Arena weapons were too good, so we changed the speed on these ones to make them better."
- Golden Saronite Dragon: 2.6 -> ?
- Remorse: 1.6 -> 1.5
- Stonerender: 1.6 -> 1.5
- Voldrethar, Dark Blade of Oblivion: 3.4 -> ?
- Dark Edge of Depravity: ? -> ?
- Aesir's Edge: 3.5 -> ?
- Hammer of Crushing Whispers: 3.5 -> ?
- Caress of Insanity: 2.6 -> ?
If anyone can fill in the question marks, please leave the information in the comments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Baddobbie May 20th 2009 9:09AM
Got to love buffs on weapons xD
trunks3119 May 20th 2009 9:13AM
I think I now like that staff, probably not as good as all the dagger/offhand combo's for Casting Classes.
That haste also throws more towards healers, who knows.
Ven May 20th 2009 9:16AM
According to MMO Champ's datamined version of Aesir's Edge and Hammer of Crushing Whispers, the speeds on these are now 3.6.
Rilgon May 20th 2009 9:21AM
"I read that as "Arena weapons were too good, so we changed the speed on these ones to make them better.""
And why shouldn't they? There's absolutely no reason why a PVP item should ever be BiS for a PVE player. Ever.
hahke May 20th 2009 9:23AM
I would have to agree. If they start making PvP weapons stronger then PvE weapons for some classes again, we're gonna see Arena S3 and S4 all over again.
JoKeR May 20th 2009 9:24AM
Nice to see some upgraded stuff and blizz not just swingin the nerfstick
Thyrandel May 20th 2009 9:31AM
I'm actually upset that they are changing the speed on Caress of Insanity and Golden Saronite Dragon. That 2.6 speed made them optimal for enhancement shaman, and, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, they are the only hard mode weapon upgrades available to us. If they change it to 2.5 or 2.7, then it won't be a big deal, but if they drop the speed too much then they become useless for us.
romiress May 20th 2009 9:36AM
Worry not, both are 2.7 :)
AtomB May 20th 2009 9:42AM
Is it just me or do the wowhead links not work when viewing the full write up? the 3 on the front page worked for me but none of them do once clicking through.
Ahima May 20th 2009 9:49AM
They are not working for me either once clicking through.
Fuseitana May 20th 2009 9:56AM
The AJAX links on the full page aren't working for me either
JustinScott May 20th 2009 9:56AM
all for the new buffs. icecore is too sexy for me =P
oh, and all the links work just fine for me :)
Crash May 20th 2009 10:17AM
Can anyone show me some math behind all this "2.6 speed is perfect for enh shaman" mantra?
blabba May 20th 2009 10:52AM
well, technically, its not 2.6 = best. the slower the better. if you could make a 4.0 speed one hander, that would be just godly. while before patch 3.1 speed didnt matter as long as you had the right weapon enchant, with the latest changes (namely the normailization of flametongue), every 0.1 slower speed can add easily 20 dps. the math is all over at Elitist Jerks forums if you want to look at it detailed. hence, golden saronite dragon and caress of insanity both being changed to 2.7 (yes - i checked that) is a gigantic buff. caress of insanity turns easily into our new best in slot offhand. that 0.1 speed difference from vulmir or the masticator more than makes up for the stat difference.
ChaosPrime May 20th 2009 10:51AM
What? No buff to Twisted Visage? Guess I'm still going to be using Origin of Nightmares for Bear Tanking...
nyctef May 20th 2009 11:13AM
Times have changed. You want to be gearing more for savage defense now, and Twisted Visage is the new BiS.
hanz May 20th 2009 7:27PM
Gearing for Savage Defense?
That's some of the worst advice I've heard. Savage Defense is not worth gemming or gearing for, at all. It's like telling Warriors and Paladins they should gem/gear for BR and BV.
Stick with stacking Stamina and Agility, and getting to the expertise caps, and if you can, hit cap.
As for OoN vs Twisted Visage...
OoN wins. Always. You cannot tell me with a straight face that gaining around 500 AP, which is about 125 more blocked by Savage Defense, is worth losing 30 stamina and 800 armor over.
ChaosPrime May 20th 2009 11:16AM
With Savage Defence factored in, Twisted Visage is slightly below, and plus that's 30 Stam less! I should be upgrading, not downgrading!
nyctef May 20th 2009 11:24AM
What are you using to compare them? WoWHead puts Origin first, but their weight scale hasn't been updated in ages. The latest version of Rawr puts Visage as a pretty big upgrade though.
paul.marsico May 20th 2009 11:18AM
It would be nice if they would buff lock T8.5 so it didn't suck for meta locks.