Wrath of Lich King Stuff (was 'Blizzcon' thread) - Page 142

flyingtoastr · 05/31/08, 2:51 PM

# Shield Block changes:

* Shield Block - Increases your chance to block and the amount blocked by 100% for 5 sec, but will only block 1 attack. 30 sec cooldown.
* Improved Shield Block - Reduces the cooldown of your Shield Block ability by 5/10 secs. (2 ranks)
* Shield Specialization - Increases your chance to block attacks with a shield by 1%/2%/3%/4%/5% and has a 20%/40%/60%/80%/100% chance to generate 2 rage when a block occurs.

I think its pretty safe to assume at this point Crushing Blows are going to be completely reworked/removed. Good news, it might make tanking a bit easier to approach for pallys since we won't have to stack obscene amounts of avoidance gems to be a viable tank.

PSGarak · 05/31/08, 3:51 PM

With that sort of cooldown, it's also possible that Blocking will be reworked to be a much more significant piece of avoidance than just crushing-mitigation. It depends what they do with holy shield, but that warrior version wouldn't be imbalanced even with 1000+ block values, whereas right now they couldn't give you raid-significant amounts of block without trivializing heroics and completely shutting down melee in PvP.

Anaram · 05/31/08, 5:36 PM

Originally Posted by Vihermaali

So, basically this can make you freely kill ANY (pacify = no physichal attacking, silenced = no casting)...

There are quite a lot of abilities which fall outside being physical attacks or casting. The most obvious example is shapeshifting which also removes movement impairing effects (if it removes slow, there's no reason why it wouldn't remove cripple).

Cripple does lots but that also means there are a lot of counters for it. A silence effect gets it's duration reduced by improved concentration aura by 30%. Snares only last 50% against ench shamans.

This doesn't necessarily make it balanced, but hardly gives a free kill against everyone either.

dexia · 05/31/08, 6:15 PM

Originally Posted by Anaram

There are quite a lot of abilities which fall outside being physical attacks or casting. The most obvious example is shapeshifting which also removes movement impairing effects (if it removes slow, there's no reason why it wouldn't remove cripple).

Cripple does lots but that also means there are a lot of counters for it. A silence effect gets it's duration reduced by improved concentration aura by 30%. Snares only last 50% against ench shamans.

This doesn't necessarily make it balanced, but hardly gives a free kill against everyone either.

Don't think the silence or pacify effects are going to (or meant) to last the entire duration. There will need to be a cooldown as well. The pacify is meant to counter warrior/intercept/hamstring...or shadowstep/shiv/crippling poison. When it's all said and done, I wouldn't be surprised if it shared DR's with Fear as well.

Celebrimor · 05/31/08, 7:29 PM

Originally Posted by Resiana

As for Warlocks...
- (NEW) Chaos Bolt: Rank 1 (lvl 60), Cost 715 Mana, 30 yd range, Instant Cast, 8 sec cooldown, effect: Sends a bolt of Chaotic Fire at the enemy, dealing 990to 1256 Fire damage. Chaos Bolt cannot be resisted, and pierces trough absorption and immunity mechanics.

I checked the files multiple times and im 100% sure that chaos bolt is 1.5 sec cast and not instant.

Leviathon · 05/31/08, 8:01 PM

Originally Posted by Cranberry

Cripple at least as a mob spell is currently magic-dispellable. So Cripple is basically sheep minus the healing but they can still move.

EDIT: Afaik it's also the only Pacify effect available to players.

EDIT2: Where is Azgol-nerub? Supposedly it's in the Dragonblight, which there's a lot of info out on, but I've seen almost nothing on it.

EDIT3: Jesus, this thread has nearly 600,000 views.

It seems like Blizzard has decided in the end to make Azjol-Nerub only a instance and not a underground zone like it was supposed to be. It disappoints me that Blizzard has seemingly decided to do this but guess they ran into some issues with the design of it. Maybe its possible they just haven't added the zone at all yet but I find that unlikely.

Resiana · 05/31/08, 8:03 PM

Originally Posted by Celebrimor

I checked the files multiple times and im 100% sure that chaos bolt is 1.5 sec cast and not instant.

Is it? I'm gonna have to check this stuff up again then.

Starfire · 05/31/08, 8:54 PM

Originally Posted by Leviathon

It seems like Blizzard has decided in the end to make Azjol-Nerub only a instance and not a underground zone like it was supposed to be. It disappoints me that Blizzard has seemingly decided to do this but guess they ran into some issues with the design of it. Maybe its possible they just haven't added the zone at all yet but I find that unlikely.

It could work if the instance was on the scale of Blackrock Depths or even Blackrock Spires. Or hell! Naxxramas Necropolis!

Come on, tell me Blackrock Depths didn't feel epic in size and scope xD

Cranberry · 05/31/08, 8:58 PM

Originally Posted by Leviathon

It seems like Blizzard has decided in the end to make Azjol-Nerub only a instance and not a underground zone like it was supposed to be. It disappoints me that Blizzard has seemingly decided to do this but guess they ran into some issues with the design of it. Maybe its possible they just haven't added the zone at all yet but I find that unlikely.

It would appear so. A little research found instance coords for it.

Damn.

Liebestod · 05/31/08, 9:08 PM

Originally Posted by Leviathon

It seems like Blizzard has decided in the end to make Azjol-Nerub only a instance and not a underground zone like it was supposed to be. It disappoints me that Blizzard has seemingly decided to do this but guess they ran into some issues with the design of it. Maybe its possible they just haven't added the zone at all yet but I find that unlikely.

I think it's still too early to make this call. Right now whatever's ingame of A-N seems like an instance, but it's still too early to tell. They haven't done any work on Crystalsong Forest, which is likely where the entrance of A-N will be, so it's plausible that they haven't done any work on A-N and thus it's just not ingame yet. Ultimately I'd be rather disappointed if A-N didn't have it's own zone, especially if Blizzard plans to claim that Northrend is significantly larger than Outland... right now they both have 7 zones if you exclude Lake Wintergrasp, although it seems as though the Northrend zones may be larger on average. And of course, TBC had 4 new starting zones..

PSGarak · 05/31/08, 9:20 PM

Just because it's instanced doesn't necessarily mean it's a dungeon. It could just be on its own server, like a separate continent. I wouldn't be surprised.

Cranberry · 05/31/08, 9:38 PM

Originally Posted by Liebestod

I think it's still too early to make this call. Right now whatever's ingame of A-N seems like an instance, but it's still too early to tell. They haven't done any work on Crystalsong Forest, which is likely where the entrance of A-N will be, so it's plausible that they haven't done any work on A-N and thus it's just not ingame yet. Ultimately I'd be rather disappointed if A-N didn't have it's own zone, especially if Blizzard plans to claim that Northrend is significantly larger than Outland... right now they both have 7 zones if you exclude Lake Wintergrasp, although it seems as though the Northrend zones may be larger on average. And of course, TBC had 4 new starting zones..

Northrend zones are muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch larger than Outland zones. Dragonblight alone is half the size of OL.

Liebestod · 05/31/08, 9:39 PM

Originally Posted by PSGarak

Just because it's instanced doesn't necessarily mean it's a dungeon. It could just be on its own server, like a separate continent. I wouldn't be surprised.

For one zone? Unlikely.

A-N as it's in the game right now is very incomplete, but it's also cramped more like an instance than it seemingly leads to an open zone. Which is why I'd guess that either what's in right now is either the very entrance of A-N (which'll eventually open up to a larger area) or one of the dungeons that'll be within A-N. I'm guessing the latter.

Northrend zones are muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch larger than Outland zones. Dragonblight alone is half the size of OL.

That seems larger than I had felt, but... I didn't have a good frame of reference. I'm sure there's some objective measure of zone size for comparative purposes, I'd like to see how things add up. Storm Peaks, for instance, seems much larger than Dragonblight.

Cranberry · 05/31/08, 9:51 PM

Originally Posted by Liebestod

That seems larger than I had felt, but... I didn't have a good frame of reference. I'm sure there's some objective measure of zone size for comparative purposes, I'd like to see how things add up. Storm Peaks, for instance, seems much larger than Dragonblight.

Start at one end, fly to the other, measure speed. Then do it again for the width. Obviously it's not perfect for calculating areas, but it's excellent for Dragonblight, which has very little inaccessable terrain (Storm Peaks has tons)

Leviathon · 05/31/08, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Liebestod

I think it's still too early to make this call. Right now whatever's ingame of A-N seems like an instance, but it's still too early to tell. They haven't done any work on Crystalsong Forest, which is likely where the entrance of A-N will be, so it's plausible that they haven't done any work on A-N and thus it's just not ingame yet. Ultimately I'd be rather disappointed if A-N didn't have it's own zone, especially if Blizzard plans to claim that Northrend is significantly larger than Outland... right now they both have 7 zones if you exclude Lake Wintergrasp, although it seems as though the Northrend zones may be larger on average. And of course, TBC had 4 new starting zones..

You would think if it was going to be a zone though that it would be partially in the game by now considering its already Alpha. I am hoping that they maybe just are waiting till they have the above ground zones terrain set in stone to add anything for Azjol-Nerub which may already be partially done internally but I don't want to get my hopes up too much. Now if they haven't started anything for it then it won't make it as a zone. Northrend itself is already much larger than Outland.

Right now that instance portal in the Pit of Narjun near Icemist could be what leads to the Azjol-Nerub instance that is in the Alpha. One of those times I wish I was in the Alpha so I could make a post asking whether or not it was dropped.

Cranberry · 05/31/08, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Leviathon

You would think if it was going to be a zone though that it would be partially in the game by now considering its already Alpha. I am hoping that they maybe just are waiting till they have the above ground zones terrain set in stone to add anything for Azjol-Nerub which may already be partially done internally but I don't want to get my hopes up too much. Now if they haven't started anything for it then it won't make it as a zone. Northrend itself is already much larger than Outland.

Right now that instance portal in the Pit of Narjun near Icemist could be what leads to the Azjol-Nerub instance that is in the Alpha.

I wondered about that, but I expected Azjol-Nerub to have a much more...well, obvious, entrance. Still, it's the only instance unaccounted for.

Leviathon · 05/31/08, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Cranberry

I wondered about that, but I expected Azjol-Nerub to have a much more...well, obvious, entrance. Still, it's the only instance unaccounted for.

There is still a giant Azjol-Nerub entrance gate in the MPQ so maybe its something they just are waiting on to add and the Pit of Narjun will lead elsewhere although it will be a Nerubian instance.

Noticed in the MPQ there is a new Azjol-Nerub Lower City map also so now there are 2 instances.

Cranberry · 05/31/08, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by Leviathon

There is still a giant Azjol-Nerub entrance gate in the MPQ so maybe its something they just are waiting on to add and the Pit of Narjun will lead elsewhere although it will be a Nerubian instance.

Noticed in the MPQ there is a new Azjol-Nerub Lower City map also so now there are 2 instances.

Well, as I recall, the currently known city is the "upper city" - the actual Nerubians. Perhaps the "Lower City" is the Forgotten One/Faceless Ones?

Leviathon · 05/31/08, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by Cranberry

Well, as I recall, the currently known city is the "upper city" - the actual Nerubians. Perhaps the "Lower City" is the Forgotten One/Faceless Ones?

Thats how it would be yes. Makes it seem more likely they haven't added the entrance to Azjol-Nerub yet possibly.

• _Retribute_ · 06/01/08, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Liebestod

For one zone? Unlikely.

A-N as it's in the game right now is very incomplete, but it's also cramped more like an instance than it seemingly leads to an open zone. Which is why I'd guess that either what's in right now is either the very entrance of A-N (which'll eventually open up to a larger area) or one of the dungeons that'll be within A-N. I'm guessing the latter.

That seems larger than I had felt, but... I didn't have a good frame of reference. I'm sure there's some objective measure of zone size for comparative purposes, I'd like to see how things add up. Storm Peaks, for instance, seems much larger than Dragonblight.

I guess they are trying to make the zones feel similar in size to the larger zones of Vanilla on an epic ground mount. The zones in outland feel miniature on a epic flying mount and they are generally the same size as EPL/Silithus/STV and other larger zones.

MatthewDB · 06/01/08, 1:27 AM

This is something I haven't seen before and appears to be incredibly overpowered for warriors:

Improved Disciplines replaced with Sudden Death
"Your melee critical hits have a 10%/20% chance of allowing the use of Execute regardless of the target's health state."

Zzbzq · 06/01/08, 1:42 AM

Maybe Aznjnz-Nerdub is going to be a post-expansion content push. Something has to be.

PSGarak · 06/01/08, 2:11 AM

Resiana, you didn't mention any warrior changes, and I'm pretty sure there are a few, including but not limited to the Shield Block changes and Sudden Death. http://urlshort.com/wotlk/site/talentlist.php has all of the talent changes up that you mentioned for the other classes, but I noticed a few more things in the prot tree:

Incite (tier 2): Description: Increases the critical strike chance of your Heroic Strike, Thunder Clap and Cleave abilities by 5/10/15%
Vigilance (replaces shield slam, requires conc blow): Focus your protective gaze on a friendly target, increasing their chance to dodge by 5%. In addition, any time they are hit by an attack your Taunt cooldown is refreshed. Lasts $d. This effect can only be on one target at a time.

The fact that there are still several talents that mention shield slam (improved shield bash, sword & board), I think that means that shield slam is going to a base ability instead of a talent.

Regarding Vigilance itself: Clearly it's designed for protecting your healer or friendly neighborhood AoE class. It actually looks more useful for off-tanking or tank transitions (resisted taunt means one attack, not 8 seconds of attacks). It's altogether confusing to me... the dodge bonus is really only significant when someone else is tanking.
I like Incite, though. Perhaps if they raise respec costs we'll start seeing 51/5/15 PvP/raiding specs again.

Wait a second. WHERE DID DEFIANCE GO!?!
Can someone with access to the actual files (Resiana?) please tell me that's just an error on the site and not what incite ended up replacing?

Axanor · 06/01/08, 2:17 AM

Wait a second. WHERE DID DEFIANCE GO!?!
Can someone with access to the actual files (Resiana?) please tell me that's just an error on the site and not what incite ended up replacing?

Def stance got changed to 145% threat.

The fact that there are still several talents that mention shield slam (improved shield bash, sword & board), I think that means that shield slam is going to a base ability instead of a talent.

Thank god. Being unable to tank 5 mans as a dps warrior was one of the reasons I switched mains. The big problem with finding tanks really came from the fact that they wrecked the ability of non-prot warriors to tank effectively. It's nice to see them addressing this in addition to adding DKs into the game.

Tyrian · 06/01/08, 3:19 AM

It seems like Blizzard has decided in the end to make Azjol-Nerub only a instance and not a underground zone like it was supposed to be. It disappoints me that Blizzard has seemingly decided to do this but guess they ran into some issues with the design of it. Maybe its possible they just haven't added the zone at all yet but I find that unlikely.

.. Or Perhaps Azol'Nerub will be the Sunwell of the next expansion. We all happily kill Arthas/Illidan but then Blizzard needs to find more content and a new powerful bad guy who is ready for world domination, Kil'jaeden/??. What better than an Old God? I rememebr the blizz panel at Blizzcon, Chris metzen confirmed a Old God was there.