Patch 5.2 interview with Dave Kosak
Inside an old alt's vault
The latest patch 5.2 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsIn-game fixes for December 15th
by Adam Holisky 
Dec 15th 2009 at 10:40PM
In actuality, one could surmise that the drop rate was increased to combat some of the outrageous prices that we're seeing on the AH. 20,000 gold or more for a weapon that will be outdated in less than a year is a bit much.
- Quel'Delar in now unique equip.
- Naxxramas can now be cleared in any order for the Immortal and Undying achievements.
- The drop rate for the Battered Hilt has been increased.
- The Skeletal Slave in the Pit of Saron has had the ability to drop the Battered Hilt and other random drop epics removed.
Previously recent hot fixes:
- Onyxia has settled down and is once again killable and flying in the proper areas during phase 2.
- Icetouched Earthragers casting Avalanche now deals appropriate damage.
- The quest "Keeping the Enemy at Bay" is now completable.
- Totems are no longer targeted by chain effects as intended.
- The Death Knight chest piece, Scourgelord Chestguard, has been updated to reflect appropriate tanking statistics.
- Emblem of Triumph quartermasters now allows players to pay one Emblem of Triumph to purchase one Emblem of Conquest.
- The NPC Usuri Brightcoin in Dalaran now allows players to pay one Emblem of Frost to purchase one Emblem of Triumph.
- Bosses no longer respawn in the new Frozen Halls 5 player dungeon after being defeated.
- Scourgelord Tyrannus now heals to full when the encounter begins.
- The chance for epic items to drop off trash mobs in the Icecrown Citadel raid dungeons has been reduced.
- The chance for epic items to drop off trash mobs in the Frozen Halls 5 player dungeons has been reduced.
- Running up the ramp at the end of the 3rd encounter in Halls of Reflection will no longer disconnect players. http://f
orums.worldofwarcraft .com/thread.html?topi cId=21723843673&s id=1 - Trading soulbound items will no longer make them appear as lost. http://f
orums.worldofwarcraft .com/thread.html?topi cId=21723842445&s id=1 - Improved Counterspell now triggers Burning Determination as intended.
- The Call to Arms: Warsong Gulch daily quest is now properly offered to players of all levels.
- The quest "No Mercy for the Merciless" can now be completed as intended.
- Onyxia will now move at a normal speed when performing a Deep Breath.
- Onyxia has been cut off from the magic that sustained her invulnerable state.
- Players will no longer die while zoning into Icecrown citadel as the Gunship event resets.
- The Battered Hilt will show it's appropriate faction-racial restrictions. <
- Hunters, Rogues, and Shaman will once again be able to roll need on off-hand weapons when the need before greed looting system is active.
- Earthen Power now properly removes snare effects.
- Hunger for Blood now increases a rogue's damage by 10% down from 15%.
- The Ephemeral Snowflake trinket now has a very short cooldown to prevent it from restoring inappropriately large amounts of mana.
- The Shadow damage from Scourge Strike will no longer be able to critically strike. The physical component will continue to be able to critically strike.
- You are now able to recast Mind Flay after missing with the spell without receiving a "This spell is not ready yet" message.
- In Ulduar, the Salvaged Demolisher's Hurl Boulder ability will now properly ignite tar.
- Vault of Archavon bosses are again able to be hit by area of effect abilities.
- Chains of Ice is no longer limited to a single target. In addition, when Chains of Ice is used on a snare immune target with Endless Winter talented, it will once again apply Frost Fever.
- Druids will now be able to shapeshift out of a spell-reflected Entangling Roots spell.
- The trinket Ephemeral Snowflake will now be triggered by all healing spells.
- The players' Gunship will now appropriately dock after achieving victory.
- Lord Marrowgar will now do significantly less melee damage in both the 10 player normal and 10 player heroic difficulty.
- Everlasting Affliction can now refresh the duration of Corruption on a target when the Warlock casts Shadow Bolt. This talent also refreshes the duration of Corruption with Drain Life and Haunt.
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 Arthas. WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.3 will keep you updated with all the latest patch news.Filed under: Patches, Bugs, News items
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 4)
devilsei Dec 15th 2009 11:12PM
I know, same here.
Despite that nerf to the drop rate of trash epics in the 5man ICCs, I still see an epic once every run of those three dungeons drop from a mob, and I've been running it since day one...
That hilt? Zip, zero nada, yet people are selling them for 15k on the AH. I'm tempted to get a hilt and trade it for a motorcycle... but hopefully this change fixes the inflation that damn thing causes.
Augustulus219 Dec 15th 2009 10:59PM
Three days farming.
I watched the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy (extended) all the way through.
I watched several other movies while farming.
I gained about 5000g.
The hilt never dropped.
I tested my "grinding muscles" more thoroughly than I ever have.
....blllIIIIZZAAAAAARRRD!!
I knew this was coming, and it's just bad luck, but I have this sinking feeling that the first time I see it, the clueless, blue-geared DK who can't spell, who probably wound up in the LFG thing by accident, and is cranking out 800 DPS is going to win out over me.
'Twas nice while it lasted. This is an appropriate change.
Jay Dec 16th 2009 12:25AM
"I knew this was coming, and it's just bad luck, but I have this sinking feeling that the first time I see it, the clueless, blue-geared DK who can't spell, who probably wound up in the LFG thing by accident, and is cranking out 800 DPS is going to win out over me."
So what? Do you deserve it more than me?
Hampster Dec 16th 2009 12:57AM
Yes, he does.
Jay Dec 16th 2009 1:06AM
/rollseyes
Deadly. Off. Topic. Dec 16th 2009 10:41AM
Technically and to be rather cold about it, "No."
Everyone has a fair chance to roll on it despite the time invested by any single player as the team worked together in that run and it's open to those that could use it.
It might not seem right to you because you invested the time to farm for it, but it's not right either to validate your own sense of entitlement over other people simply because YOU believe you are owed it - the other player could turn around and say the same thing - it then becomes a lot of he said, she said crap.
The way I see it: It drops, everyone rolls, (and assuming everyone honestly didn't have one yet) the winner walks away with it while everyone else grumbles or wishes him/her well.
BigBoyI Dec 15th 2009 11:06PM
Now:
Run 3 heroics 3 times a day.
Day 1 - Hilt never dropped.
Day 2 - Hilt never dropped.
Day 3 - Hilt never dropped.
Day 4 - Yay, it dropped! But somebody else won it.
Day 5 - Hilt never dropped.
Day 6 - Hilt never dropped.
Day 7 - Yay, it dropped! But somebody else won it.
Day 8 - Hilt never dropped.
etc.
Before:
I could spend an evening farming it and get it in 1 day.
So no, the chances are not the same.
drakolord Dec 15th 2009 11:11PM
You have obviously tested those statistics
Hakker Dec 15th 2009 11:32PM
It's true, on the first few days you cold get these like candy. I remeber the first day of the patch I had 4 drop in one run. We got everyone who could use it one. The next day I had 3 drop. If I hadn't known It would have gone for over 20k a few days later, I wouldn't have wasted it on replacing my 245 weapon.
BlackTiger™ Dec 16th 2009 5:48AM
Day 1 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 2 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 3 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 4 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 5 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 6 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 7 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 8 - I'm warlock and I don't care.
Day 9 - Probably I will visit that dungeons one day. Too cold, too boring. Why that stupid hilt never drops in BC dungeons?
NoTomorrow Dec 16th 2009 6:42AM
" I'm warlock and I don't care."
You do know there's a caster version, right?
On patch day a warlock friend of mine got it and was very happy with the spellblade he got...
Hasteur Dec 16th 2009 8:22AM
@blacktiger
Depending on your stat allocations the Lens of the Mind version of Quel'Delar is better than almost everything in ICC (Morrowgar drops a sexy weapon on 25 man (reg and heroic) and we haven't seen the loot table for Arthas
Keleron Dec 15th 2009 11:08PM
The increased drop rate is a good idea. The weapon isn't THAT great, in that most people will probably get better in a month or two anyway. Giving more players the chance to get the hilt and the quest on the other hand is worth more than the actual weapon. This is a good move on Blizzards part.
devilsei Dec 15th 2009 11:14PM
Yeah, honestly the hilt should of been restricted to all the bosses of the ICC 5mans, with maybe a 10% drop rate or something, not too small that it would be a waste of time, but enough that you have a good chance of getting it with work.
Wyred Dec 16th 2009 7:06AM
I'd agree with this. My priest just got a 251 wep from ICC, while the swords aren't brilliant for my arms warrior (they're swords), but I still want to do this quest.
iamtheblackmage Dec 15th 2009 11:18PM
"Naxxramas can now be cleared in any order for the Immortal and Undying achievements."
I'm not sure I understand, completely. D:
Hordeslayer Dec 15th 2009 11:35PM
it means you can start at Sapphiron/KT, and then do the easier bosses after, i think.
N-train Dec 16th 2009 12:21AM
KT and Saph have some yucky insta-death abilities (frost bomb, void zones). That way if someone messes up and takes a breath to the face, you haven't wasted two and a half hours killing everything else first.
That actually happened to me, someone d/ced on KT with 100k left and a void zone spawned on him. Worst night of my life.
scherbaddie Dec 16th 2009 12:22AM
@N-train
what an asshole, i hope you yelled at him on vent
N-train Dec 16th 2009 1:02AM
I didn't play WoW for a whole 48 hours it hurt so much. Yeah I've never heard so much screaming in Vent before, all of us were mildly ticked off... /facestab.