Mists of Pandaria talent preview new ability roundup
by Chase Hasbrouck 
Nov 25th 2011 at 5:00PM
A few days ago, Blizzard launched its official Mists of Pandaria talent calculator, which also contained a full list of abilities for each class, complete with the level learned and tooltips. Several new abilities were revealed, as well as changes to existing abilities. Some of the highlights:
- Druid: Symbiosis (level 87) Creates a symbiotic link which grants the druid one ability belonging to the target's class, varying by the druid's specialization. In exchange, grants the target one druid ability based on their class and combat role.
- Mage: Alter Time (level 87) Instant, 3-minute cooldown. Alter the fabric of time, causing the caster to return to their current location, health, mana, and conditions after 4 seconds. Effect negated if the caster dies within the 4 seconds before the effect occurs.
- Paladin: Blinding Light (level 87) Instant, 3-minute cooldown. Emits a dazzling light in all directions, blinding enemies within 10 yards, causing them to wander disoriented for 6 seconds.
- Rogue: Dispatch (level 70, assassination) Instant, 30 energy, melee range. A vicious strike that exploits the vulnerability of foes with less than 35% health remaining, causing 200% weapon damage plus 766 to the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
- Warlock: Demonic Portal (level 88) 70-yard range, 5-second cast. Create a demonic gateway between two locations. Stepping into the gateway causes any party member to be instantly transported to the other gateway. Limit 5 charges.
Ths possibilities behind Symbiosis are incredible. A moonkin Heroic Leaping to safety in PvP? Bears borrowing pally shields to finally get their ranged silence? Resto shaman begging for an Innervate? (Wait, that happens already.)
Alter Time is also super cool and really increases the Arcane flavor of the class. "Hi, I just hit you with a cooldown-boosted stacked Arcane Blast ... and now, I will do it again." I see mages figuring out just how far they can fall in 4 seconds, in order to troll their raid leaders.
Check out the full list of changes and new abilities at Wowhead News.
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the next expansion, raising the level cap to 90, introducing a brand new talent system, and bringing forth the long-lost pandaren race to both Horde and Alliance. Check out the trailer and follow us for all the latest MoP news!
Filed under: Mists of Pandaria
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Darky Nov 25th 2011 5:03PM
You forgot the DK CC control dead.
Darky Nov 25th 2011 5:21PM
Not that it's going to be useful in anyway in MoP, but nonetheless you did forget it :P.
Docseuzz Nov 25th 2011 5:26PM
What's also neat about the DK CC is that it doesn't mention limiting it to one mob... 5 minutes with a home-grown army of the dead will be awesome... until the CC starts wearing off.... ;)
Boobah Nov 25th 2011 6:01PM
That's didn't mention the limitation. Not that it won't have it.
Succulent Nov 25th 2011 6:04PM
I'm pretty stumped as to why they've made this spell :p if you take the equivalent that's in the game already, Enslave Demon with Warlocks...well...no one ever uses that.
It's kinda annoying, DK's seem to get some cool toys (Dark Simulacrum, Control Undead) but they're generally much too situational to use. Ok yeah, DS is pretty awesome in pvp, pve though...not so much.
Darky Nov 25th 2011 6:07PM
I doubt it because I have a strong feeling it's a mind control ability.
Bart Nov 25th 2011 6:08PM
@Suc
Zanzils fire can be copied and my -god- the damage!
Boobah Nov 25th 2011 6:40PM
The biggest problem with Dark Simulacrum (now that the copied spells aren't doing three digit damage in raid gear) is that the game doesn't tell you what abilities can be copied. Zanzil Fire is amazing... especially if you can catch it when his ghoul pack is up. And Ragnaros has one that can be copied, too; Hand of Ragnaros, IIRC.
The ONLY way to tell if it can be copied is to try it... and it has a one-minute cooldown whether it works or not. And sometimes it doesn't work because the ability was interrupted, which makes it harder to figure out.
Revynn Nov 25th 2011 8:21PM
- "Zanzils fire can be copied and my -god- the damage!"
You can DS Mandokir's Bloodletting, also. That one hits like a truck.
monotype Nov 25th 2011 5:06PM
It would be awesome if we could glyph Blinding Light so that it freezes enemies in place, ala that one thing warlocks can do that I can never remember the name of. Also speaking of, zomg warlocks are now transporter bays? _Awesome_.
Harvoc Nov 25th 2011 5:17PM
You're thinking of Banish.
ukwest Nov 25th 2011 5:40PM
Locks can glyph fear to stop the victim from going walk about. It used to be terrible for PVE as they would wonder off and pull everything back to you.
monotype Nov 25th 2011 11:22PM
Yeah, glyphed fear! That's what I was thinking of. Also a glyphed psychic...whatchamacallit, that priests can do.
The CD seems a bit excessive, but it's early yet, so maybe Blizz will change that up.
schwonga Nov 25th 2011 5:12PM
I laughed at your last comment on Alter Time, I had not thought of that...
I'm now seeing growing possibilities, muahahaha! Here's hoping that spell lasts.
Crispn Nov 25th 2011 5:29PM
What about Shaman?
Zachariahs Nov 25th 2011 5:30PM
I'm curious how symbiosis is going to work. Will the druid and the target get to pick abilities? Will it be random? Or will bilzz design it so that a druid will always get the same ability per spec/class? Should be interesting.
Boobah Nov 25th 2011 6:11PM
The way I read it is the target gets a druid ability that matches their spec, like, say, a tank getting Barkskin, while the druid gets something that matches the target's class and their own spec like a boomkin using Symbiosis on a mage and getting Arcane Missiles. Lunar Eclipse needs help anyway, right?
(abilities chosen because they make a general sense, not because it's anything like balanced.)
While it might encourage druid stacking, it won't do any good to have more than half the raid be druids; it presumably fizzles if you target another druid. After all, you'll already have all the druid abilities that fit your spec.
ugoticedbro Nov 25th 2011 6:14PM
Ferals using Obliterate. Yikes.
lazymangaka Nov 25th 2011 5:32PM
I wonder, how does the target use the Druid Symbiosis ability? Does the Druid ability take over the action bar spot that the borrowed ability occupied, or do we all need to clear out a spot on our bars specifically for borrowed Druid spells?
Boobah Nov 25th 2011 6:15PM
That's a good question; after all, while turning the Symbiosis button into what the druid gets (ala Dark Simulacrum) works for the druid, it doesn't make sense for their partner. I suspect this is a hint at a new UI element, even if it's used exclusively for Symbiosis.