Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsPTR Patch 3.3: Patch notes updated
by Adam Holisky 
Oct 27th 2009 at 7:53PM
Some major highlights (although you should really read everything after the break, all of it is very important):
- Players who take part in groups who have one or more members who have been matched with them randomly from within the Dungeon System will receive extra rewards, up to and including the coveted Perky Pug non-combat pet. The more random players with whom one groups, the faster the pet can be obtained.
- Players can be placed in a group for a random dungeon no more than once every 15 minutes.
- The Need Before Greed loot system will be the unalterable default looting system for pick-up groups in the Dungeon System and has been updated.
- Need Before Greed will now recognize gear appropriate for a class in three ways: the class must be able to equip the item, pure melee will be unable to roll on spell power items, and classes are limited to their dominant armor type (ex. paladins for plate). All items will still be available via Greed rolls as well as the new Disenchant option should no member be able to use the item.
- Players will be able to roll on items with a required minimum level higher than a player's current level.
- LFG channel has returned to being a realm-wide channel accessible in any city!
General
- Will of the Forsaken now shares a 45-second cooldown with similar effects, including the Medallion of the Horde, Titan-Forged runes, Insignia of the Horde, etc.
- Predatory Strikes: The Predatory Swiftness buff from this talent now has an 8-second duration.
- Sacred Shield: The damage absorption effect from this ability now triggers only once every 30 seconds.
- Infusion of Light: This talent now also reduces the cooldown on the effect of Sacred Shield by 12/24 seconds.
- Divine Guardian: This talent no longer increases the amount of damage transferred to the paladin from Divine Sacrifice. Instead it causes all raid and party members to take 10/20% reduced damage while Divine Sacrifice is active. In addition, the duration has been changed to 6 seconds, however the effect does not terminate when Divine Sacrifice is removed before its full duration.
- This feature has replaced the Looking For Group tool and provides all-new dungeon party creation functionality.
- Players can join as individuals, as a full group, or a partial group to look for additional party members.
- Groups using this tool will be able to teleport directly to the selected instance. Upon leaving the instance, players will be returned to their original location. If any party member needs to temporarily leave the instance for reagents or repairs, they will have the option to teleport back to the instance.
- Players can choose the Random Dungeon option.
- The Heroic Wrath of the Lich King Daily Random Dungeon option will award two Emblems of Frost no more than once a day.
- The normal Wrath of the Lich King Daily Random Dungeon option will award two Emblems of Triumph no more than once a day.
- Continuing to complete Wrath of the Lich King Heroic instances using the Daily Random Dungeon option will award players two additional Emblems of Triumph each time.
- Daily Heroic and normal dungeon quests have been removed. These quests have been replaced with weekly raid quests (see the "Quests" section for details).
- Level-approp
riate rewards will be offered to players who choose the Random Dungeon option for pre-Wrath of the Lich King dungeons. - Players can be placed in a group for a random dungeon no more than once every 15 minutes.
- Random Dungeon rewards will be placed in each player's inventory automatically upon completion of the dungeon (final boss killed). A pop-up notification will display any rewards earned through the Dungeon System.
- Instead of choosing a random dungeon, players can also choose specific dungeons appropriate for their level range. Multiple instances can be selected at one time. The feature no longer limits the choice to look for only 3 dungeon groups at one time.
- Pick-Up Groups
- Cross-realm instances are now available and use an improved matchmaking system to assist players in looking for additional party members. As with Battlegrounds, the realms in each Battlegroup are connected.
- As part of the matchmaking system, some of the more difficult dungeons will have a minimum gear requirement. Players also need to meet the requirements for dungeons that require attunement, such as keys or quests. If a player does not meet the requirements for a particular dungeon, a lock icon will be displayed next to that dungeon. Hovering over this icon will display the requirements which have not been met.
- Only conjured items and loot dropped in a dungeon for which other party members are eligible can be traded between players from different realms.
- A Vote Kick feature will be available in the event a member of a party is not performing to the expectations of the other members.
- Players who leave the group prematurely are subject to a Deserter debuff preventing them from using the Dungeon System tool for 15 minutes.
- If an existing group loses a member, the leader will be asked if he or she wants to continue the dungeon. Choosing to continue will automatically place the group back into the Dungeon System queue.
- A Player will not be placed in a group with people on his or her Ignore list.
- Players who take part in groups who have one or more members who have been matched with them randomly from within the Dungeon System will receive extra rewards, up to and including the coveted Perky Pug non-combat pet. The more random players with whom one groups, the faster the pet can be obtained.
- The Need Before Greed loot system will be the unalterable default looting system for pick-up groups in the Dungeon System and has been updated.
- Need Before Greed will now recognize gear appropriate for a class in three ways: the class must be able to equip the item, pure melee will be unable to roll on spell power items, and classes are limited to their dominant armor type (ex. paladins for plate). All items will still be available via Greed rolls as well as the new Disenchant option should no member be able to use the item.
- Players will be able to roll on items with a required minimum level higher than a player's current level.
There is a new Looking For Raid option available to players that can be accessed via the Raid Information screen in the interface or by typing "/LFR."
- Players will be able to browse the system manually for any other players looking for a raid dungeon group.
- While browsing LFR players may sort the list ascending or descending by left-clicking the following headers: Name, Level, Class, Tank Role, Healer Role, and Damage Role. The crown is the Leader Role (representing a raid group with 2 or more people). Players can left-click on this header to sort the list with groups at the top or at the bottom.
- Hovering over players listed in LFR will display their name, class, level, roles and comments. Hovering over a raid/group will display the leader's name, the raid information (number of people the raid), comments, if there are any bosses dead (and which ones), and if there are any friends from your Friends list or ignored players from your Ignore list in the raid group.
- The Looking For Group chat channel has returned and can be accessed in all major cities (similar to the Trade chat channel) without the use of the Dungeon system interface.
- Players may only be queued or listed in one of the following systems at a time: Dungeons, LFR, Battlegrounds, or Arenas.
- Ignore List: The amount of characters a person can ignore has been increased to 50. In addition, players on other realms can be placed on the Ignore list.
- Commendation Badges which award reputation with various Wrath of the Lich King factions can be purchased with Emblems of Triumph in Dalaran.
- Sceptor of Celebras: Since this item is no longer needed as a key, Celebras will no longer give one out to a player who loses it. The item can now be sold or disenchanted as normal.
Patch 3.3 is the last major patch of Wrath of the Lich King. With the new Icecrown Citadel 5-man dungeons and 10/25-man raid arriving soon, patch 3.3 will deal the final blow to the Arthas. WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.3 will keep you updated with all the latest patch news.Filed under: Patches, News items
Reader Comments (Page 8 of 10)
Gorgondor Oct 27th 2009 11:25PM
On the NEED restrictions, does this mean that these people cannot roll NEED at all, say a resto shaman rolling for Leather healing gear?
Or does this mean I, as a resto shaman can roll need on leather healing gear, but if a Druid rolls on it too, they have priority.?
as many people have been saying, if we have to roll greed for gear like this, the people selecting to DE coudl win it and thus cannot trade the item to me.
Eyhk Oct 27th 2009 11:55PM
The items are not bound for 2 hours so "in theory" they could trade it to you IF they were nice enough. And no, sorry you won't be able to need roll on leather for your shaman, you can only greed roll. That's the rules so far, but again this is the PTR so maybe it will change
Gorgondor Oct 28th 2009 12:20AM
okay then, so if some1 who rolls DE wins it, the tuff titties, they can't trade you the item within' the 2 hour window, the only way you're going to get gear like this is if you announce at the start of the run you want it so every1 passes if it drops, OR, if the winner only selected greed, and of course is willing to trade it to you.
oh well, i'm not usually one to go below my armour proficiency, the way the game is today, there is almost always something of your armour type and 9 times out of 10, it's probably better suited to you anyway.
was just curious how this would work is all, like i said, i'm not one to care much if i miss out of some leather stuff that's an upgrade at the time, i usually know what the mail piece is that's usually more appropriate for me anyway.
tulipblossom Oct 27th 2009 11:39PM
I'm really digging this new system. I'm excited to try it out! I'm a little confused about something, though, and was wondering if anyone could help me out.
I get that the perky pug pet is something you'll receive after being matched up with x amount of random people for groups, via the new dungeon tool.
But, what I'm not so clear on, is if there's any specifications on what dungeons. Like, If I wanted to group up randomly with people to enjoy a lot of the old dungeons that are below my level, does that still count? Or, do the dungeons that I randomly group for have to be level appropriate?
Thanks in advance!
tulipblossom Oct 28th 2009 12:10AM
Just to clarify, I mean in the case of wanting to help out some lowbies, with running through older dungeons. Or, wanting to run lower level raids.
Matchu Oct 27th 2009 11:54PM
I'm fine with Need before Greed being the default loot system, I just dislike it being unalterable.
themightysven Oct 28th 2009 12:19AM
there is something very wrong with the new LFG, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Jane-Marie Oct 28th 2009 12:38AM
Does this mean we cannot do 3 man hc's anymore when we get bored?
Jane-Marie Oct 28th 2009 12:41AM
Oh, and perhaps 3 mans should get extra rewards in hc!
ZUR13L Oct 28th 2009 12:46AM
HA HA HA!
So henceforth the DB paladin who rolled Need on bracers that were a 10 level upgrade for me when I was the only clothy in the group will no longer be able to pull this kind of BS!
Asshat hadn't even trained to rez... Lvl 60 paladin. No rez. I ended up soulstoning myself. 8O
Thanks, Blizz.
thpthpthp Oct 28th 2009 12:53AM
For all the Undead crying about the Racial change, the Human's Every Man for Himself ability also shares the same cooldown.... so yeah...
Sinthar Oct 30th 2009 4:22AM
Im not trying to flame- but your wrong.
The human EMFH shares the FULL 2min cd the same as the trinket, rendering the trinket useless
The nurfed WotF has a 45 sec cd, allowing undead to use the trinket later, or use the trinket then wotf 45 secs later.
In summary the human EMFH replaces the trinket, the undead WotF suppliments it. I suppose it comes to the choice, would you want the Wotf to be basically a trinket -with a 2 min CD, or have it with lesser usage, but with a lesser CD.
decongle Oct 28th 2009 12:54AM
"Sacred Shield: The damage absorption effect from this ability now triggers only once every 30 seconds."
WTF! The "F"ing thing is ouly up for 30 sec before you have to recast it!
jimbobfredsamuel Oct 28th 2009 12:57AM
@ Blizzard HQ
Dev1: Ok guys... We're going to put the race change live... But what we are worried not enough people will pay for it...
Dev2: I know! Let's muck up one of the races so that everybody who is playing that race will pay for race change!!
Dev1: I like it! Eenie, meanie, minie, MO! Sorry forsaken..
Noctiluca Oct 28th 2009 3:47AM
Haha, this is actually probably true. +100 internets to you sir.
alpha5099 Oct 28th 2009 1:00AM
As someone who pretty much only PUGs (and has had very good luck with it so far), I'm pretty excited to see these improvements. I haven't been doing many dungeons lately, but I'll probably pick it back up in 3.3 to gear myself out in Triumph gear.
Cryogenist Oct 28th 2009 1:20AM
Can't believe another WoTF nerf my God. I don't understand why a racial should be limited with a TrInket. Should blood elves arcane torrent be on cooldown with silance spells? should a Shadowmeld be on cooldown for stealth? And what about Humans Every man for himself (I don't play alliance so someone tell me if it shares cooldowns with trinkets).
Almost every racial has a another way to do something similar in game should they all have shared cooldowns also?
Colin Oct 28th 2009 1:36AM
Yeah, Every Man for Himself has shared a cooldown for a long time with PVP trinks.
Honestly, I'm not sure what the difference between WotF and the human one was, but I don't mind having a free trinket slot on my human warrior. It sucks, but there is a small upside for all the undead out there.
piil Oct 28th 2009 1:40AM
I don't see why the change to WoTF is being called a nerf. Before you had 2 options to break fear each with a 2 minute CD. Now you had you can break every 45 secs. Perhaps in arena where fights are shorter it might be bad but in raids. I would much rather be able to break fear every 45 secs than once every minute.
thebvp Oct 28th 2009 2:37AM
I don't read it that way. From what I gather, it will still have a two minute cooldown. The ability will just share a 45 second cooldown with other similar abilities. This is like when you have two on-use trinkets with spellpower boosts. Both may be on a two minute cooldown, but if you pop one, you are prevented from using the other for 20 or so seconds.
So yes, it's a nerf. And a pretty huge one, too. It makes me wonder why you'd even bother rolling undead except for the flippy sunder animation you get when you're a female warrior.