Heroes!
In this update, we’re looking to address physical DPS in PvE.
As Ascension continues forward through The Burning Crusade, we’re keeping a close eye on the types of builds that are performing well, as well as those that have fallen behind. At current, physical damage builds have been hit a little too hard by recent stat allocation changes as well as the Proc Effect Overhaul.
Physical Damage-centered builds are currently underperforming in PvE, and some changes are coming to help them keep up:
- Raid Design is shifting to make certain fights easier for melee to keep pace with ranged damage dealers
- Melee have to deal with certain raid mechanics that ranged DPS don't:
(i.e. running out of an AoE swing), leading to RDPS being overall more favorable in raids. - Changes are coming to ensure that melee builds always have a place in raids throughout TBC
- Melee have to deal with certain raid mechanics that ranged DPS don't:
- Armor on creatures level 60-70 is decreasing
- A soft buff to physical damage dealers
- An indirect buff to Tank Threat
- This allows the time melee Heroes spend in melee range to count
- Allows raids to keep mechanics that push melee away without making it detrimental to keep them in the raid
- Some Melee abilities have received buffs:
Talents and Abilities:
- Leader of the Pack now grants 5% critical strike chance, up from 3%.
- Rampage now grants 5% critical strike chance, up from 3%.
- Battle Shout attack power buff has been increased by 20%.
- Blessing of Might attack power buff has been increased by 20%.
- Unleashed Rage now gives 2/4/5% increased attack power, up from 1/2/3%.
- Trueshot Aura now gives 5% increased attack power, up from 3%.
- Aspect of the Beast now gives 5% increased attack power, up from 4%
- The Malice Capstone now gives 5 energy per tick, from 4.
- Increased the damage of Mongoose Bite by 5%.
- Increased the damage of Counterattack by 5%.
- Increased the damage of Rupture by 5%.
- Increased the damage of Garrote by 5%.
- Increased the Weapon damage scaling of the Seal of Command proc by 5%.
- Increased the damage of Stormstrike to 115%, from 110%.
- Increased the weapon-based damage of Backstab to 185%, from 175%
- Increased the weapon-based damage of Ambush to 285%, from 275%
- Bloodthirst has a 55% attack power scaling, from 50%.
- Overpower now deals 10% reduced damage to players, from 5%.
- Stormstrike now deals 5% reduced damage to players.
Random Enchantments:
- Sinister Calling now increases damage by 4% from 3%.
- Vigor now increases energy by 20 from 10.
- Savage Strikes now increases critical strike chance by 4% from 3%.
- Aggression now increases critical strike chance by 3% from 2%.
- Improved Slice and Dice now increases the duration by 25% from 20%. In addition, it now increases bonus attack speed by 2%.
- Improved Ambush now additionally grants 3% damage to ambush.
- Serrated Blades now increases armor penetration by 2% from 1%.
- Improved Execute now additionally grants 3% damage to Execute.
- Counterpoise now gives 5% haste while above 50% rage, from 3%.
- Unending Fury now increases the damage of Slam by 3%, from 2%.
- Added back the Mace Specialization Mystic Enchant. It gives 2% melee haste and 1% Armor Penetration while wielding maces.
- Poleaxe Specialization now also increases your critical damage by 1%.
- Wild Quiver now adds 4% proc chance, from 2%.
- Sinister Flurry now has a 33% chance to proc, from 25%
- Blade Twisting now increases the damage of Sinister Strike by 3%, from 2%.
- Mortal Shots now increases the critical strike damage of Hunter shots by 5% from 2%.
- Master Tactician now grants 2% critical strike up from 1%.
- Ferocious Inspiration now grants 5% Steady Shot damage from 3%. The Arcane Shot damage remains unchanged.
- Weapon Expertise now grants 4 expertise up from 3.
