Shadowlands Development Update Notes -- October 21

#1 - April 9, 2020, 5:35 p.m.

UPDATED October 21

Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands test environment. Please read on for an outline of what’s being tested and where to go to leave your feedback after you’ve experienced the Shadowlands Beta.

For an introduction, read the first developer update here.
For more recent revelations, watch the July 8 developer update here.

Current Content Testing

• In the Shadowlands Beta, you may now select the Torghast realm for Level 60 testing.
• All world and leveling content is now being tested. You can copy your live character from Battle for Azeroth to the Shadowlands Beta Test on the character creation screen in the Beta. Please initially take the quest “A Chilling Summons” to get underway testing Shadowlands.
  • The level cap is currently: 60. This is the maximum level attainable in Shadowlands.
• Raid testing is underway. Please submit your feedback on specific raid encounters in Castle Nathria here.
• We continue to tune and refine Torghast, Tower of the Damned. Learn more about Torghast in our initial preview blog post, and please submit your feedback on Torghast in the dedicated feedback thread here. That’s also where you’ll find details about updates that have been made to Torghast through the Alpha and the Beta.
  • Please use the in-game bug report tool for bugs, and post your feedback on zones in the Shadowlands Alpha Leveling, Questing, and World forum.
  • Please post Covenant feedback in the appropriate feedback thread in the Shadowlands Classes and Covenants forum.
• In dungeon testing, please use the in-game bug report tool for bugs, and post your feedback on Shadowlands dungeons in the Shadowlands Beta Dungeons and Raids forum.
• The new starting experience is available to all level 1 characters. Read more about it here, and please post feedback on the new starting expeirence here.
• Most new character customization updates are now available for testing. If you spot a bug with a character customization, please report it using the in-game bug reporting tool.
  • The Shadowlands Beta now includes updated flexibility with transmogrification of Legion Artifacts.
• Class Changes
  • The Soulbind system is available for testing. Please read our recent update on Soulbind work in progress here.
  • All classes are undergoing major updates. Our Covenant Class and Signature Abilities blog post has been updated on May 13. Please read the class summary blog post, and place your focused feedback in one of the dedicated threads in the Shadowlands Alpha Classes and Covenants forum:
  • Death Knight feedback
  • Demon Hunter feedback
  • Druid feedback
  • Hunter feedback
  • Mage feedback
  • Monk feedback
  • Paladin feedback
  • Priest feedback
  • Rogue feedback
  • Shaman feedback
  • Warlock feedback
  • Warrior feedback
• The Pet Battle system has been updated for Shadowlands. Read all about that and leave your feedback here.
• Professions updates are underway. We have an explainer for you here.
• Once you’ve experienced Runecarving, let us know what you think about it here.
• Hardware ray tracing has been enabled for graphics cards that support the feature.

Work in Progress

• On first logging in, testers will not be able to make a Death Knight, Demon Hunter, or Allied Races character.
  • Until this is fixed, you can make a level 50 template, log in to that character, and then log out. You should have full access to create any classes or race.
• After doing a character copy, you should begin with the quest “A Chilling Summons” to avoid potential difficulties.
• Some Demon Hunter player-characters may have missing facial features.
  • This may be fixable by going to a barber shop and changing your tattoos.
• Forthcoming adjustments to heirloom bonuses are not yet implemented.
• PvP medallion trinkets are being reworked.

Please note that the Shadowlands Beta may experience maintenance or service interruptions at any time, without warning.

Thank you very much!

#3 - April 9, 2020, 11:32 p.m.

A User Interface note:

• Added mapping support for keybinds, camera, and turning a character on controllers such as the Xbox Adaptive Controller.

#4 - April 16, 2020, 8:21 p.m.

As a reminder, it is against our terms to access or modify the software of the Platform in any manner not expressly authorized by Blizzard. It is also against our terms to use any code and/or software, not expressly authorized by Blizzard, that can be used in connection with the Platform and/or any component or feature thereof which changes and/or facilitates the gameplay or other functionality.

#6 - April 17, 2020, 1:49 a.m.

• Testing with Worgen and Kul Tiran Human characters is currently disabled.

#8 - April 22, 2020, 3:59 p.m.

With the major changes coming to leveling characters from 10-50 in Shadowlands, we want to make sure that there is a navigational parity among all of the different expansions you can choose while questing. In the next version of the Shadowlands Alpha that will appear this week, testers are going to see an intentional change coming to Shadowlands for a couple of older Pathfinder achievements.

Specifically, the flight training rewards from Draenor Pathfinder and Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part Two will no longer be required for flying in Draenor or Broken Isles content. These will now be granted at level 30 with expert flying.

The achievements will remain in place as before, and Draenor Pathfinder will still be the way to earn the Soaring Skyterror mount, while Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part One will continue to reward increased mount speed in the Broken Isles.

#9 - July 15, 2020, 8:45 p.m.

The Shadowlands Alpha is now the Shadowlands Beta.

#10 - July 29, 2020, 9:06 p.m.

Character copy is now available, however, there are issues copying Demon Hunters and Death Knights.

#11 - July 29, 2020, 10:56 p.m.

For all available content to test, see the original post in this thread.

A few other recent call outs to be aware of:

• Character copy is now available, however, there are issues copying Demon Hunters and Death Knights.
• Upcoming changes planned for Soulbinds and Conduits: Shadowlands Conduits Update
• The latest Torghast updates are here: FEEDBACK: Torghast, Tower of the Damned
• Some changes for the Night Fae Signature Ability, Soulshape: FEEDBACK: Night Fae Covenant

#12 - Aug. 5, 2020, 9:55 p.m.

The character wipe is complete, the Beta has been updated to the latest build, and testers can now resume.

Known Issues

• On first logging in, testers will not be able to make a Death Knight, Demon Hunter, or Allied Races character.
  • Until this is fixed, you can make a level 50 template, log in to that character, and then log out. You should then have full access to create any classes or race.
• After doing a character copy, you should begin with the quest “A Chilling Summons” to avoid potential difficulties.
• Some Demon Hunter player-characters may have missing facial features.
  • This may be fixable by going to a barber shop and changing your tattoos.
• Forthcoming adjustments to heirloom bonuses are not yet implemented.

#13 - Aug. 19, 2020, 11:05 p.m.

• In the Shadowlands Beta, you may now select the Torghast realm for Level 60 testing.
• Recently updated classes include: Rogue, Demon Hunter, Druid, Warlock, Death Knight, Priest, and Warrior.
• Hardware ray tracing has been enabled for graphics cards that support the feature.

#14 - Aug. 27, 2020, 7:06 p.m.

• The Shadowlands Beta now includes updated flexibility with transmogrification of Legion Artifacts.

• Recently updated classes include Priest, Druid, Paladin, Monk, Death Knight, Shaman, and Warrior

#15 - Oct. 21, 2020, 8:28 p.m.

This week’s Shadowlands Beta build includes several notable updates that are now ready for testing.

Renown User Interface
This UI has been revamped. It is no longer attached to your Reservoir UI NPC. It now has its own dedicated NPC in your Sanctum. It should be much clearer now what your past and upcoming rewards are, and some rewards on the Renown track have been put in more appropriate places.

Soulbinds
Talents have also been reorganized, and players will find that in most cases, the talent that was previously the final ability is now the starter ability.

In cases where that didn’t happen, the existing talents have been tuned to match the a more-expected power level.

Ve’nari Torghast Items
Ve’nari in the Maw now sells several items that serve as meta-progression for Torghast. You can buy the items and use them, but they aren’t functional in this build. We expect to have all of this functioning as expected in next week’s build.

Thank you very much for your testing and feedback.