5/5 Alpha Build Design Notes

Hey all,
We have another alpha build going up today, primarily focused on bugfixes.

Notable changes focused on classes:

• Class Status – We’ve made many iterations based on feedback and testing. Here are some highlights:
  
• General – Tuning has started! A very rough pass has been made over all classes to get them into the same ballpark. Note that we have not yet finished a first tuning pass on artifacts yet; some specs are still significantly under- or over-powered with full artifacts. At this point, class mechanics are firm, but not necessarily set in stone yet.
• Protection Paladins – Revisions to Judgment, Avenger’s Shield, Consecration, and Shield of the Righteous, and Hammer of the Righteous, to create better gameplay. Seraphim readded as a talent.
• Brewmaster Monks – Gift of the Ox changed to trigger more reliably, and not trigger more often at low health. This effect has been moved to a talent, replacing Secret Ingredients. Expel Harm readded as a baseline ability.
• Retribution Paladins – Holy Wrath talent replaced with a new version of Sanctified Wrath.
• Marksmanship Hunters – Vulnerable revised to not snare the target.
• Artifact Trait Status – Mechanics are firm at this point, but not necessarily set in stone. An initial tuning pass is still ongoing. Some noteworthy changes include:
  
• Retribution Paladins – Divine Tempest and Echo of the Highlord tweaked.
• Brewmaster Monk – Active ability revised to grant a defensive benefit.
• Unholy Death Knight – Active ability revised to not overlap with Army of the Dead.
• Arcane Mages – Active ability revised to be attached to a target, instead of the ground.
• Broken Shore – Now ready for testing by Horde! We'd especially love to hear feedback about how it feels with both Horde and Alliance in there together. Please post feedback here: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/20743715325
• Order Hall Campaigns – We’re ready to test the campaigns (including Missions) for a few additional classes:
  
• Druid
• Priest
• Warrior

Thanks, and we look forward to your feedback!

Also, check out the design notes from the previous build, if you haven't already as well: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/20743754371

EDIT: Added one additional change to Mark of Aluneth.
EDIT: Updated with link to Broken Shore feedback thread.

05/05/2016 07:55 PMPosted by Cirno

Gives me some hope that Mark of Aluneth will get changed, though I'm still fairly sure it'll go through as is.

It turns out that I missed a change, and Mark of Aluneth did change significantly this build. Updated the OP with that note as well.

The new park is pretty.

05/05/2016 07:51 PMPosted by Wokou

Traditional: raid testing info would be welcome if possible. Even a no would be nice to know.

There will not be raid testing tomorrow.

But Mythic dungeon fans are in for a treat.

There's a thread up here for any feedback on the new Broken Shore experience: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/20743715325

It might be a slightly bumpy ride, but we're looking to test out how it plays with Horde and Alliance both in there together now.