Patch 4.1 PTR: Patch notes

Blizzard has just released the official patch 4.1 PTR patch notes.
The major highlights:
The major highlights:
- All non-damaging interrupts off the global cooldown will now always hit the target. This includes Pummel, Shield Bash, Kick, Mind Freeze, Rebuke, Skull Bash, Counterspell, Wind Shear, Solar Beam, Silencing Shot, and related player pet abilities.
- Zul'Aman has returned as a level 85 5-player heroic dungeon featuring a revamp of the original dungeon and improved loot!
- Zul'Gurub has returned as a level 85 5-player heroic dungeon featuring all-new encounters, achievements, and improved loot!
- Both dungeons will be in a new dungeon finder difficulty tier above the current level 85 heroic dungeons and offer epic-quality item level 353 loot.
- Work has begun on a new Looking for Guild system. Further details will be provided when we are ready for feedback.
- Spells bound to a key now start to be cast when the button is pressed down by default, instead of waiting for the key to go up. This is an option that can be turned off in the Interface menu under Combat. Mouse-clicking has not changed and operates on mouse click up.
BlizzardClasses: General
- All non-damaging interrupts off the global cooldown will now always hit the target. This includes Pummel, Shield Bash, Kick, Mind Freeze, Rebuke, Skull Bash, Counterspell, Wind Shear, Solar Beam, Silencing Shot, and related player pet abilities.
Death Knights
- Dark Simulacrum now works on numerous additional spells in dungeon encounters.
- Talent Specializations
- Blood
- Death Strike self-healing no longer generates threat.
- Frost
- Blood of the North (passive) now permanently converts both Blood Runes into Death Runes. There is no longer any proc interaction with Blood Strike required to activate Death Runes.
- Blood
Druids
- Efflorescence has a new spell effect.
- Talent Specializations
- Balance
- Solar Beam is now more responsive when enemies move into or out of it.
- Balance
Hunters
- Explosive Trap now has a new spell effect.
- Master's Call now has a new spell effect.
- Tame Beast now tames pets to match the hunter's level, rather than 5 levels below.
Mages
- Talent Specializations
- Fire
- Ignite is no longer triggered from periodic critical effects.
- Fire
Paladins
- Word of Glory now has a 20-second cooldown.
- Talent Specializations
- Holy
- Walk in the Light (passive) removes the cooldown of Word of Glory.
- Protection
- Divine Guardian cooldown is now 3 minutes, up from 2.
- Retribution
- Divine Storm now generates 1 point of Holy Power if it hits (i.e. successfully lands on) 4 or more targets.
- Sacred Shield's internal cooldown has been increased to 60 seconds, up from 30.
- Holy
Priests
- Divine Aegis duration has been increased to 15 seconds, up from 12.
- Dispel Magic can only be used on the casting priest as a baseline effect.
- Holy Word: Sanctuary has a new spell effect.
- Power Word: Shield duration has been reduced to 15 seconds, down from 30.
- Talent Specializations
- Discipline
- Absolution (new passive) enables priests to use Dispel Magic on up to 2 harmful effects on friendly targets.
- Holy
- Absolution (new passive) enables priests to use Dispel Magic on up to 2 harmful effects on friendly targets.
- Discipline
Rogues
- Recuperate base effect now heals 3% per tick, up from 2%.
- Stealth base cooldown has been reduced to 4 seconds, down from 10, and the movement penalty from being in Stealth has been removed.
- Tricks of the Trade now has a 100-yard range, up from 20.
- Talent Specializations
- Combat
- Improved Recuperate now adds 0.5%/1% to the health restoration effect of Recuperate, down from 1%/2%.
- Subtlety
- Nightstalker now reduces the cooldown of Stealth by 2/4 seconds, and instead of negating the movement penalty from Stealth, it adds a 5/10% movement speed bonus (stacking with other effects) while Stealthed.
- Combat
Shaman
- Fire Nova has been redesigned and decoupled from shaman Fire totems. Instead, it now pulses that same area-of-effect from each target that is afflicted by the shaman's own Flame Shock debuff. It now damages all enemies except the target hit by Flame Shock. The ability's cooldown has been reduced from 4 seconds, down from 10.
- Magma Totem now lasts for 60 seconds, up from 21.
- Stoneclaw Totem's area-of-effect threat pulse no longer affects critters.
- Talent Specializations
- Elemental Combat
- Earthquake is no longer a channeled spell. It now has a 2-second cast time, lasts for 10 seconds, and has a 10-second cooldown. Its damage has been reduced by 40% from its channeled version.
- Enhancement
- Improved Fire Nova has been redesigned and replaced by a talent called Seasoned Winds. When an enemy spell cast is successfully prevented with Wind Shear or Grounding Totem, the shaman gains magical resistance (in an amount equal to what a protection totem/aura would grant, stacking with such buffs) to the spell school(s) of the interrupted spell (except for Holy spells), lasting 10 seconds.
- Elemental Combat
Warriors
- Charge and Intercept no longer have diminishing returns on their stun effects.
- Colossus Smash now ignores 70% of an opponent's armor, down from 100%.
- Inner Rage is now available at level 56.
- Intercept now has a 1.5-second stun, down from 3 seconds.
- Overpower damage has been increased to 140% weapon damage, up from 125%.
- Rallying Cry (new ability) is available from trainers at level 83. It temporarily grants the warrior and all party or raid members within 30 yards 20% of maximum health for 10 seconds. After the effect expires, the health is lost. It has no cost, no stance requirements, and is not on the global cooldown. It has a 3-minute cooldown, but also shares a cooldown with Last Stand.
- Whirlwind now has its cooldown reduced by 6 seconds when it deals damage to 4 or more targets. The Whirlwind effect caused by Bladestorm remains unchanged.
- Talent Specializations
- Arms
- Improved Hamstring now reduces the global cooldown on Hamstring by 0.5/1 seconds in addition to its current effects.
- Improved Slam increases Slam damage by 20/40%, up from 10/20%.
- Juggernaut no longer adds 2 seconds to the Charge stun, but instead lowers the cooldown of Charge by 3 seconds (to 12 seconds total).
- Mortal Strike damage has been increased to 175% weapon damage, up from 150%.
- Arms
Dungeons & Raids
- New dungeons available for partial testing.
- Zul'Aman has returned as a level-85 5-player Heroic dungeon featuring a revamp of the original dungeon and improved loot!
- Zul'Gurub has returned as a level-85 5-player Heroic dungeon featuring all-new encounters, achievements, and improved loot!
- Both dungeons will be in a new Dungeon Finder difficulty tier above the current level-85 Heroic dungeons and offer epic-quality item level 353 loot.
- These dungeons may only partially be available for testing at this time. Stay tuned for additional updates.
- Blackwing Descent
- Flash Bomb (Golem Sentry ability) now has a more clear warning visual.
- Magmaw now triggers a raid emote when summoning Lava Parasites.
- Further improvements have been made in the Maloriak encounter to avoid Flash Freeze targeting the tanks.
Guilds
- The Guild Perk, Cash Flow, no longer prints out text to the Chat Log. Instead, the daily amount deposited is shown in the Guild Vault Money Log. In addition, players can view the weekly contribution in a new window at the bottom of the Money Log.
- We have added two new custom guild tabards as Guild Rewards. The tabards are account bound and offer a bonus to gaining guild reputation.
Items
- The PvP Horde and Alliance trinkets have a new spell effect.
Professions
- All major cities will now have every type of profession trainer and their associated trade supply vendors.
PvP
- Battlegrounds
- Twin Peaks
- Graveyard Changes
- Players will now only spawn at their base graveyard when they die in the enemy base.
- Defending players will respawn at the middle graveyard.
- Midfield players will respawn at the middle graveyard.
- Attacking players will respawn at their base graveyard.
- Graveyard Changes
- Twin Peaks
Races
- The gnomish racial ability, Escape Artist, is no longer affected by the global cooldowns triggered by other abilities.
- The human racial ability, Every Man for Himself, has a new spell effect.
User Interface
- Work has begun on a new Looking for Guild system. Further details will be provided when we are ready for feedback.
- Spells bound to a key now start to be cast when the button is pressed down by default, instead of waiting for the key to go up. This is an option that can be turned off in the Interface menu under Combat. Mouse clicking has not changed and operates on mouse click up.
Filed under: News items
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 11)
Jawn Feb 24th 2011 1:06PM
Not all that enchanted by the dispel magic nerf for shadow. I don't PvP anymore, but i really liked the ability in dungeons - i used it a lot to get rid of gunk on players, helps the healers out, y'know? I guess i can still bubble here and there when there's more damage than anticipated, but... hm. Looks like i'm meant to just put blinders on and focus only on damage (and get out of the gunk on the ground) and to heck with the healer.
Xaklo Feb 24th 2011 1:35PM
Just another example of PvP mechanics messing with PvE. I really don't mind the change to defensive dispells, since cata hit an all healers have been given a defensive dispell, I've found myself using it less on fellow players. The offensive nerf is however, as someone said earlier, completely uncalled for, at least in PvE. I've been dispelling quite a bit offensively: the Surges on the Water Elementals in Throne of Tides and Temple Fireshaper's Molten Barrier in Halls of Origination just to name a few.
Korwen Feb 24th 2011 4:04PM
The lack of offensive dispel will mean with no mage or shaman, bosses like maloriak will get harder. Removing things like Remedy is suppose to be a mechanic, why reduce the numbre of people capable of doing it when we are suppsoe to be bringing players not classes.
@Sorcha, Mass Dispell has a cast time and is i think our most expensive spell. While its cast time is very fast glyphed, its still a huge hit to no longer be able to move to use it.
Boobah Feb 24th 2011 6:36PM
What lack of offensive dispel? Shadow priests still get Dispel Magic. They just can't cast it on any friendly target besides themselves.
And I'd like to point out that, as far as offensive dispels go, the list is, to the best of my knowledge:
Prot Warrior - Shield Slam
Hunter - Tranquilizing Shot
Priest - Dispel Magic
Shaman - Purge
Mage - Spell Steal
Warlock - Felhunter: Consume Magic
So that's four classes that can always do offensive dispels, one that has to spec for it, and one that has to have the right pet out (but is available to all specs.)
Sorcha Feb 25th 2011 6:55AM
It's true, I was thinking more of PvP since that's what I do. In that context, it'll be pretty cool to have to time and ration Mass Dispel properly to remove enemy buffs rather than just running out and pressing the same button 3 or 4 times.
Ken Richardson Feb 25th 2011 1:15PM
Boobah is addressing the point I was trying to get at, here. I could be reading it wrong but it looks like they're removing the offensive portion of Priest dispell making it work only on the caster to remove magic debuffs and then able to be cast on others if you're disc or holy and spec for it. There's no indication in the 4.1 patch notes that Priests will be able to use Dispell in the same manner that Shamans use Purge or Hunters use Tranquizling Shot. It doesn't explicitly say, "We're removing the ability to use this on enemies" but it pretty clearly spells out how it works as a baseline ability.
andew Feb 24th 2011 11:23AM
Spells bound to a key now start to be cast when the button is pressed down by default, instead of waiting for the key to go up. This is an option that can be turned off in the Interface menu under Combat. Mouse clicking has not changed and operates on mouse click up.
yay! speedy actions hasnt been working since cata release i think so this good
MattKrotzer Feb 24th 2011 11:23AM
No more missing interrupts? SWEET! Even less reason for tanks to worry about hit and expertise!
Noyou Feb 24th 2011 11:37AM
Serious? We no longer have a defense cap to go for, as a tank you damn well better be hit capped and making a strong effort to get Exp capped.
MattKrotzer Feb 24th 2011 11:41AM
Um... no, not really.
Vengeance scaling has pretty much negated the need to focus on traditional "threat stats" for most tanks. (I believe DKs are an outlier in this, as their threat stats tie into their mitigation.)
Any tank who is gemming for hit and expertise "caps" is doing it wrong, frankly. With vengeance, the only threat risks are in the first 10-20 seconds of a fight. After that, it scales well enough to keep you ahead. You don't need to be light years ahead in threat. Just far enough ahead to keep aggro.
No sense in wasting itemization for unnecessary threat, when you could help your group more by improving your survivability.
lownwolf Feb 24th 2011 12:01PM
ditto to everything matt says. it's spot on. If you are having threat problems in the first 10-20 seconds tho, you should try to get a little expertise. That will give you a better threat increase than hit.
But i haven't gone out of my way for hit, in fact, i reforge out of it
WoWie Zowie Feb 24th 2011 12:49PM
i've run into problems building up holy power on my paly tank by missing crusader strikes. that equates into loss of health through holy word. however, they're nerfing HW pretty substantially, so i guess i can probably build 3 charges in 20 seconds. but that doesn't mean i'm going to ignore hit completely.
MattKrotzer Feb 24th 2011 12:59PM
Yes, recent changes HAVE pushed paladins back towards addressing some threat stats, but by and large, the numbers show that they're irrelevant at current levels of content for most tanks.
JT Feb 24th 2011 2:57PM
As a mastery DK tank, it's EXTREMELY important to be hit and exp capped, otherwise a DS can miss and that's really not good.
Snappel Feb 24th 2011 11:24AM
No more movement speed penalty when in stealth for rogues? Hell yea!
Also, am I understanding that the new Nightstalker mechanic make us move faster when in stealth? That should be interesting.
vocenoctum Feb 24th 2011 11:42AM
Instant restealth and a speed bonus.
No one will ever see my rogue again!
Forreststump Feb 24th 2011 11:24AM
Age of Conan launches - Blizzard reveals the Death Knight.
Warhammer launches - Blizzard cranks up the 3.0 PTR.
Rift "head start" launches - Blizzard announces 4.1 content rehash (where's the NEW raids???).
I'm sensing a pattern here.......
jealouspirate Feb 24th 2011 11:33AM
Yeah, pretty much. The 3.0 PTR came out the day before Warhammer's headstart, exact same thing here with RIFT. Not saying that WoW is dying or anything, it's just clear that Blizzard takes new MMOs releasing seriously.
Chrisamcnicholas Feb 24th 2011 11:42AM
4.1 also includes the firelands raid and a brand new 5 man (neither are mentioned but do your research before you complain please)
Socialcockroach Feb 24th 2011 11:46AM
Ugh, you can take off that tin foil hat now... you have been wearing it too long and it is starting to smell like cheese. Blizzard has never been too concerned about the release dates of other games, especially not mmo's. With their current subscriber base, they can do what ever it is they want.
25 January 2009. Michael Jackson dies.
28 January 2009. Patch 3.0.8. Bug fixes. Dance studio idea officially scrapped.
Coincidence? I think not. *rolls eyes*