1.9 patch notes

[Pococurante]

* Enchanters can now turn some of their dusts and shards into magical oils. These oils when applied to weapons add a temporary bonus to magical damage or mana regeneration that stacks with permanent enchantments. The lower levels of these recipes are found on normal enchanting vendors. The higher level versions are found on special vendors and are rewards for high Zandalar faction.
* The Enchanting Trainer in Cenarion Hold in Silithus sells some of both new types of enchanting formulae.

I'm still mucking around in the high 40s game - does the required faction above mean PvP?  Hope not - I'm still pissed Horde enchanters have to clear a swarm mob in an instance to get past Artisan... :P

* Schools of fish have appeared around the world that can be fished from a few times before being fished out. These schools tend to contain valuable fish types such as Oily Blackmouth or Firefin Snapper. In some places, wreckage can be fished from for even better rewards.

UO, UO... why must you popup in every game...

[Sairon]

Yes there's definetly a lot of causals playing, I don't have a clue about what the actual numbers looks like but ~1 million causals could be right.

[Dren]

Poc, Alliance enchanters have to do the same thing in Uldaman.  It really sucks.

[Merusk]

I'm still mucking around in the high 40s game - does the required faction above mean PvP?  Hope not - I'm still pissed Horde enchanters have to clear a swarm mob in an instance to get past Artisan... :P

No, that's the faction for the new instance, I think.  So joy for that.. wait, no, that fucking blows.

[Dren]

I finally had a chance to read the patch note ideas cevik posted a link to.  Yeah, that is a good start in the direction casuals need.

[Dren]

I'm still mucking around in the high 40s game - does the required faction above mean PvP?  Hope not - I'm still pissed Horde enchanters have to clear a swarm mob in an instance to get past Artisan... :P

No, that's the faction for the new instance, I think.  So joy for that.. wait, no, that fucking blows.

Not the instance, but the faction in that Sithilus zone.  The new city they put in there basically.  It is high end though (lvl 55+) and most MOB's in that area are elite 60 so it will be a bit more than solo, but less than a full 5 man group I'm guessing.  You will have to probably go around the zone killing x, y times and come back to me, etc.  Perhaps they'll make it deeper than that, but it is a start at least.

[Hellinar]

Which begs the question why has no game said. "2 hours a day is all you get sucker!" 

Note - to whoever releases robot jesus. Please do this.

That would get rid of the 40hr a week guys entirely. Including the ones who provide the "social glue". The people who orgainise guilds, run round helping their more time starved friends do stuff, welcome newbies etc. Those you want to keep. They create their own content by interacting with people.

[Merusk]

I was referring to the Zandalar faction, for the oils and what-not.  Cenaurian is the one you deal with in Felwood and Silithus.

[Pococurante]

Poc, Alliance enchanters have to do the same thing in Uldaman.  It really sucks.

I've really got to stop smoking used tires.  I could have sworn my alliance enchanter never had to do that.

No, that's the faction for the new instance, I think.  So joy for that.. wait, no, that fucking blows.

Damn skippy.  Crap.  I guess Blizz is another company like Mythic and now SOE/SWG that refuses to accept crafting is actually a high-demand playstyle.

Something tells me my WoW hours will be slowly declining over the next few weeks.  More ominous is a lot of my RL friends haven't bothered to show on our usual gaming night these past few weeks.

Oh look, it's time for another MOG to heel over and start its death rattle.

[Furiously]

Which begs the question why has no game said. "2 hours a day is all you get sucker!" 

Note - to whoever releases robot jesus. Please do this.

That would get rid of the 40hr a week guys entirely. Including the ones who provide the "social glue". The people who orgainise guilds, run round helping their more time starved friends do stuff, welcome newbies etc. Those you want to keep. They create their own content by interacting with people.

Seems to work just fine for Urban Undead :)

[Ironwood]

I've really got to stop smoking used tires. 

Every now and again (well, quite often in fact) people on these boards make me just giggle and giggle.

However, to be on topic, Yes, Urban Dead still manages a vibrant community despite the time restrictions, so that's one to consider.  Also, I see nothing in this patch that's really paying more than lip service to the casuals.

Believe me, this is a burning issue for me at the moment, since I have lost my wife to Molten Core.  I'm not joking.

[Merusk]

Yah, lava can be a bitch.  My condolances, Ironwood.

When people speak of time-sink as 'community builders' I laugh.  The folks who WANT a community will build one with or without your timesinks, given the multitude of tools on the internet for just that purpose.  It's not an excuse or license for designers to omit fun and reasonable to achieve goals.

  However, as evidenced by Brad "Head in the Sand" McQuaid, most designers seem unable to design outside of the box they live in.  "I play this many hours and still have a job I work 45+ hours at, so that's just fine for EVERYONE!" (Note the omission of Family, then look at who's designing.) Until you get an MMO from someone who thinks 5+ hours a day is too much for a game, you're going to continue to see just that in your level-based MMOs.

[Dren]

I was referring to the Zandalar faction, for the oils and what-not.  Cenaurian is the one you deal with in Felwood and Silithus.

Ah, yep, you're right on that.  Are ALL the oils only gained that way?  If so, yes that would suck indeed.  I was looking forward to expanding my enchanter's options, but if I'm forced to raid to get it, forget it.

[Calantus]

Slapping a time restriction on a game like WoW would just be a massive cockblock and make thottbot et al even more popular. You really should be asking that games are built differently rather than restrict the amount of time people can play.

[Pococurante]

Ah, yep, you're right on that.  Are ALL the oils only gained that way?  If so, yes that would suck indeed.  I was looking forward to expanding my enchanter's options, but if I'm forced to raid to get it, forget it.

Not all - the notes say entry-level oils/powders recipes are available from the usual NPCs.  I agree - it means I'll just have to buy them off the AH.  Not a show stopper, just inconvenient and a little irksome that my favorite playstyle of crafting has been mixed up with the raiding playstyle I rarely do.  I'm sure the "I AM CHINA" folks will keep the AH well stocked.

[Merusk]

Ah, yep, you're right on that.  Are ALL the oils only gained that way?  If so, yes that would suck indeed.  I was looking forward to expanding my enchanter's options, but if I'm forced to raid to get it, forget it.

Not all - the notes say entry-level oils/powders recipes are available from the usual NPCs.  I agree - it means I'll just have to buy them off the AH.  Not a show stopper, just inconvenient and a little irksome that my favorite playstyle of crafting has been mixed up with the raiding playstyle I rarely do.  I'm sure the "I AM CHINA" folks will keep the AH well stocked.

  They weren't talking about the formulas being drops, but vendor-buys. That means they'll follow the standard mechanic for faction-only formulas and make them BoP, otherwise, there'd be no mention of faction at all.

[Pococurante]

Well.

Looks like my sub days are numbered.  I don't play games that confuse playstyles.

[Hellinar]

Slapping a time restriction on a game like WoW would just be a massive cockblock and make thottbot et al even more popular. You really should be asking that games are built differently rather than restrict the amount of time people can play.

I am asking for a game that is built differently, one that is aimed at the 8 hour a week player. Such a game would have a much bigger budget per hour of player content than one that caters to the 40 hour a week player. With the current set up, I am paying 50 cents per hour of content, but the content is designed on the assumption I am paying 10 cents an hour. So I get way too little meat, and too much filler (timesinks). Kind of like ordering a single chicken leg in a fancy restaurant, and getting served one leg from the all you can eat place next door. The all you can eat place is budgeting on each patron eating five chicken legs, and so uses a quite different recipe than you were expecting at a "small but elegant meals" restaurant.

Its way too late in the Western market to change that in WoW. They showed a brief sign of being a casual game in Beta, but retreated from that. Ironically, in the Chinese market, they may be forced by government action to re-introduce such code.

[Merusk]

I just checked my faction page.. I was partially wrong about the Zandalar faction.  It's not a new one, it's the faction you gain rep with for killing stuff in Zul'Gurub, and the ZG turn-ins.  Still, bonzer for any casuals ranking up in it.


 

Its way too late in the Western market to change that in WoW. They showed a brief sign of being a casual game in Beta, but retreated from that. Ironically, in the Chinese market, they may be forced by government action to re-introduce such code.

Which makes me giggle, because anyone wanting to sell in China will have to consider this as they design their game.  Or, y'know, they could just ignore that huge market.  We don't need those stinky azns anyway.  (pssst, Asia, here's a link to eb/ other online game purchase point...oh they sell game cards too. )

[Teleku]

Well.

Looks like my sub days are numbered.  I don't play games that confuse playstyles.

.......you haven't really been following your profesion, have you?  You need to grind reputation with several different factions to get all the high end enchant formulas already, so this isn't anything new.  Other good formulas are only drops in raids, so you'd need to raid to get those as well.  They cant make high end crafting stuff really easy to get, or else they would have to gimp all the high end crafting stuff and make it even more crappy than most of it is.  If you have been fine with all the vanilla formulas you have been getting, I'm sure the oil recipies you get from the vendors will be fine for you.

Though I have to ask, how is crafting a playstyle in WoW?  Its a fun side thing, but last I checked, you cant advance your character with it...

[bhodi]

Slight update... http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-paladin&t=676740

We're still in the process of refining our changes to the Paladin talent trees. In the interest of keeping you informed of these developments, here are the latest changes, which will be updated on the Test Realm soon:


Blessing of Kings, the former 31 point talent in Retribution, has been shifted to the 11 point talent in the Protection tree.

Blessing of Sanctuary, the former 11 point talent in Protection, has been shifted to the 21 point talent in the same tree.

Holy Shield, the former 21 point talent in Protection, has been shifted to the 31 point talent in the same tree and has had its mana cost slightly reduced.

Repentance, the former 31 point talent in Protection, has been shifted to the 31 point talent in the Retribution tree.

Please be aware that, as developer and player alike continue to test patch 1.9, further changes will be made if deemed necessary.

Before you ask why numbers weren't buffed during the shift, please understand that talent trees aren't necessarily designed to get much stronger as you get deeper into the tree, but rather unlock more options along the same basic line. Other class trees are designed in precisely the same way.

The developers will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes should they find something lacking, never fear.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good daycycle, Citizen!
The Computer is your friend.

[Dren]

I didn't notice a huge change in my Pally's playstyle with the change as it was on Test.  I doubt this will make much of a difference.  Of course, I do not go to the trouble of calculating everything to 10th decimal either.  I just try it to see if anything "felt" better or worse.  My latest test felt very slightly better is all.

[cevik]

Before you ask why numbers weren't buffed during the shift, please understand that talent trees aren't necessarily designed to get much stronger as you get deeper into the tree, but rather unlock more options along the same basic line. Other class trees are designed in precisely the same way.

Crap, I was fairly certain they were going to nerf shadowform in the 1.10 priest "buff" before this point, now I'm 100% certain.  I bet after 1.10 priests will go from 1 viable talent tree to 0.. :(

[bhodi]

I didn't notice a huge change in my Pally's playstyle with the change as it was on Test.  I doubt this will make much of a difference.  Of course, I do not go to the trouble of calculating everything to 10th decimal either.  I just try it to see if anything "felt" better or worse.  My latest test felt very slightly better is all.

This is a HUGE giveaway for those PvE paladins, especially the BoK one. This is a new change to the pally tree based on comments from paladins playing on test and making suggestions. Our paladins in our guild are jumping for joy at this...

[bhodi]

Before you ask why numbers weren't buffed during the shift, please understand that talent trees aren't necessarily designed to get much stronger as you get deeper into the tree, but rather unlock more options along the same basic line. Other class trees are designed in precisely the same way.

Crap, I was fairly certain they were going to nerf shadowform in the 1.10 priest "buff" before this point, now I'm 100% certain.  I bet after 1.10 priests will go from 1 viable talent tree to 0.. :(

Welcome to rogueland! Additional SnD nerf, yay!

_________________
o <---- Blizz Dev
|\_o <---- Rogue
// \

[El Gallo]

Paladins are the worst class ever.  They are at once game-destroyingly overpowered and fucking boring as hell.  See also: clerics in EQ.

[Dren]

I didn't notice a huge change in my Pally's playstyle with the change as it was on Test.  I doubt this will make much of a difference.  Of course, I do not go to the trouble of calculating everything to 10th decimal either.  I just try it to see if anything "felt" better or worse.  My latest test felt very slightly better is all.

This is a HUGE giveaway for those PvE paladins, especially the BoK one. This is a new change to the pally tree based on comments from paladins playing on test and making suggestions. Our paladins in our guild are jumping for joy at this...

I've never noticed BoK ever giving me much of an advantage.  The numbers make it sound like it should, but it never "feels" like it does.  It may be great as a buff for other classes, but I am not interested in playing the buffbot.  That's just me though.  I'm sure it is a great thing in general for Pally's.

[Dren]

Paladins are the worst class ever.  They are at once game-destroyingly overpowered and fucking boring as hell.  See also: clerics in EQ.

How does it destroy the game?  They really don't have much place in PvP.  If you are talking about PvE, who cares.  Are people so jealous of their ability to kill AI so overwhelming they quit the game?  I can't walk around the game killing every elite I want solo, so what is the advantage?  I may be able to kill a higher level elite than others, but it takes forEVER, so the reward vs. time thing is way out of whack anyway.  Plus, as you mentioned, they are very boring to actually play and that's coming from someone that has a 60 pally as their main.  :-(

[Evil Elvis]

Go roll horde, and see how trivial pallies are to moderate-to-large scale pvp, or raids.

Aside from being much better raid healers than shaman, they bring a ton to a group which gives them a huge advantage over horde raiding guilds.  I'm not even going to go into it.  You can check out any one of a thousand threads that detail the unique things they bring to a raiding group above and beyond what shamans bring.

And I really wouldn't care too much about that if shaman gave us a big advantage in pvp.  But they don't.  Small scale pvp, yeah, I'd probably rather have a shaman most of the time.  But as soon as you're dealing with more than 2 or 3 people at a time, pallies blow shaman out of the water.

Their bubble alone is huge in pvp.  Not being able to focus fire on a support/healing/cleansing class is an incredible boon.  They might be boring to play, but they bring more to a group than any other class in the game.

[cevik]

I hate that damned bubble..

I HATE IT!

[Dren]

I suppose you're right there. I'm not a vet of large scale pvp.  I can tell you that 1.9 will be nerfing the "bubble."  We can't cast both types one after another anymore.  There will be a fairly large cooldown between bubbles now.  The initial assault will be the same, but past that, the Pally's will be open to attack.

Large scale pvp is only a portion of the game though.  If I knew what I know now about Paladins, I wouldn't have rolled one to 60.  Groups may love em, but playing them bites.

[cevik]

I suppose you're right there. I'm not a vet of large scale pvp.  I can tell you that 1.9 will be nerfing the "bubble."  We can't cast both types one after another anymore.  There will be a fairly large cooldown between bubbles now.  The initial assault will be the same, but past that, the Pally's will be open to attack.

Large scale pvp is only a portion of the game though.  If I knew what I know now about Paladins, I wouldn't have rolled one to 60.  Groups may love em, but playing them bites.

Pallies are by far my least favorite class to fight.  I don't even mind hunters all that much (they hurt but I can kill them), but pallies, holy crap I hate them.. perhaps I lack a good pally strategy, but crap, unless I can drain all of their mana and silence them at the perfect time, they are going to bub and heal at the end, I hate that crap.. A nerf to that bubble would be a great goddamn idea.. 

[bhodi]

Pallies are by far my least favorite class to fight.  I don't even mind hunters all that much (they hurt but I can kill them), but pallies, holy crap I hate them.. perhaps I lack a good pally strategy, but crap, unless I can drain all of their mana and silence them at the perfect time, they are going to bub and heal at the end, I hate that crap.. A nerf to that bubble would be a great goddamn idea.. 

Us rogues will be able to blind a pally out of the bubble, apparently. My 60 rogue is alliance, but I do have a 44 horde druid.

[cevik]

Us rogues will be able to blind a pally out of the bubble, apparently. My 60 rogue is alliance, but I do have a 44 horde druid.

I shall always keep a rogue with me then.. I already have one in mind.. :)

[Evil Elvis]

Pallies are by far my least favorite class to fight.  I don't even mind hunters all that much (they hurt but I can kill them), but pallies, holy crap I hate them.. perhaps I lack a good pally strategy, but crap, unless I can drain all of their mana and silence them at the perfect time, they are going to bub and heal at the end, I hate that crap.. A nerf to that bubble would be a great goddamn idea.. 

Us rogues will be able to blind a pally out of the bubble, apparently. My 60 rogue is alliance, but I do have a 44 horde druid.

I was about to make a post about how divine shield needs some kind of counter to it.  This is a decent change.  But the class really got jipped on their evalutation. 

The entire class need to be reevaluated.  Diving shield needed a slightly more common counter or a bigger downside.  A few blessings needed to be removed, maybe put HoW in retribution, and get rid of consecration.  Now they're more on par with shaman in raids, and you've got some wiggle room to make their base class more fun to play.