As I pointed out yesterday after the recent changes to shaman, there was quite some drama over on the shaman boards. Most popcorn worthy were the threads about Leiah, a warlock who’s infamous on the WoW boards for often being right about upcoming class changes.

To make a long story short, Leiah just happens to be one of Kalgan’s arena partners — yes, that “rogue buffs for my gf” Kalgan — and recently complained on the boards about shaman burst damage. And after making a “Also looks like ele shamans got what was needed.” comment about the new PTR patch notes, which stirred the board shaman into a frenzy, all Leiah’s posts suddenly disappeared. Ahh, the drama of the WoW boards…

Well it seems like the stir did catch the attention of Mr. Chilton. Amidst all the controversy, Kalgan decided to show up and address shaman for the first time:

“Shamans in general will be getting buffs to go along with their nerfs. Bear in mind that there’s still quite a bit that hasn’t been implemented yet.

I’d share some of these with you, but some of them might not be technically do-able for this patch, which in turn changes some of our decisions about exactly what changes we make, so we’re hesitant to give specifics until the work has been done.

Philosophically though, we’re planning to make a number of improvements related to the totem dropping mechanic, improving specific under-used totems, and a few other non-totem related improvements.

To provide a little background, our general outlook on the class is that they’re actually in good shape for all 3 specs for raid PvE, on the weak side for heroic PvE, pretty solid in battlegrounds and 5v5, on the weak side in 3v3, and pretty well gimped in 2v2. We’re hoping to get at least 1 spec viable in 2v2 for this patch (we’re thinking Enhance), but hopefully all three specs will be viable for 3v3.” -Kalgan

Sounds like he has a pretty good grasp of the PvP situation for shaman. His suggested improvements, especially about totems, also sound like the shaman class revamp that we never received. Ah well, time will tell, but he does say that some of the buffs will make it in to the 2.4 patch:

“Yep, true. We do have buffs in the works for 2.4, it’s just we don’t know with 100% certainty exactly which ones they’ll be, since some might not be do-able for now.” -Kalgan

The original “Shaman: The Thread” on the general boards was mysteriously deleted and the conversation has moved here. Follow the blue as Kalgan has several interesting input about the shaman class… namely CC (or lack of CC).

Rest of “Leaked Notes” Coming?
Remember those “leaked” 2.4 patch notes that turned up a couple weeks ago? With the many changes listed in those notes, many people shrugged it off as a good fake. Well a helpful gnome, Strawberry, on the shaman forums decided to go back over the list and highlight the changes that have gone in with each new version of the patch on the PTR.

The results? the leaked notes now look like the real deal with many of the changes already in, word for word — and now suddenly the rest of the changes listed in those notes seem to have a good chance of popping up before 2.4 is all said and done.

Take a look again at what could be to come:

* bold = changes that have gone in (in some form or another)

Druid
- Cyclone range reduced to 20 yards, down from 30.
- Lifebloom healing coefficient reduced by $
- Natural Perfection now reduces damage by 2/3/4% down from 1/3/5%
- Tree of Life: You may now cast any Restoration spell in this form.
- Improved Tranquility: Now also reduces the mana cost of Tranquility by 10/20%.
- Moonkin Form no longer gains 150% attack power or mana returned from melee hits, but now refunds 2% of your total mana every time you critically hit with a spell.
- Force of Nature: Treants now have a 15% chance to proc Entangling Roots on the target.
- Nurturing Instinct: Increases your healing spells by up to 50/100% of your Agility, and increases healing done to you by 25/50% of your Attack Power.

Hunter
- Improved Mend Pet now has a 50/100% chance to remove one Curse, Disease, Magic or Poison effect, up from 15/30%.

Mage
- Blink mana cost reduced roughly 40%
- Improved Blink now increases the distance you Blink by 15/30%, and you have a 15/30% chance to reduce the cast time of your next Fireball, Frostbolt, or Arcane Blast spell by 50% after you Blink. (Might just do one of these effects…) **no confirmation yet, but the all-knowing Leiah hinted there were blink changes still to come, so I wouldn’t doubt it.
- Prismatic Cloak now reduces damage taken by 3/6%, up from 2/4%
- Mana Cost of Slow reduced roughly 40%
- Arcane Fortitude now increases your armor by an amount equal to 100% of your Intellect, up from 50%.
- Mana Shield now scales with spell damage. (Max rank with full S3/best gear will absorb around 1Kish, added damage absorb doesn’t cost/consume mana to the shield, it will always cost what the tooltip says)
- Improved Fire Ward is now Molten Shield
- New Talent: Molten Shield – Reduces all damage taken by 2/4% while using Molten Armor, and causes your Fire Ward to have a 25/50% chance to reflect Fire spells while active.
- Frost Warding: Chance to reflect Frost spells while Frost ward is active by 25/50%, up from 10/20%.
- Icy Veins no longer increases the chance your chilling effects Freeze the target, but now reduces pushback by 100% for 20 sec.
- Icy Veins spell haste bonus no longer stacks with Bloodlust.
- Ice Flows now gives you a 15/30% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any Frost spell.

Priest
- Mana Burn effect reduced roughly 50%. ** not directly, but resilience change did basically this.
- Mana Burn cast time reduced by 1 second.
- Improved Mana Burn: Now increases the amount of mana burned from your Mana Burn spell by 10/20%.
- Focused Will now reduces damage by 2/3/4% down from 1/3/5%
- Lightwell: Charges increased to 15, up from 5.

Paladin
- Turn Undead no longer fears the target, and now incapacitates it.
- Turn Undead now works on demons. (Prob will be renamed to a diff spell) ** - Turn Evil. yep.
- Turn Undead is now subject to diminishing returns.
- Turn Undead now lasts 10 sec. in PvP.

Rogue
- Envenom no longer consumes the Poison applications.

Shaman
- Lightning Bolt: Spell coefficient reduced by $
- Lightning Overload can no longer proc on instant cast spells. (aka NS+CL won’t proc it)
- Lightning Overload can no longer critically hit.
- Tremor Totem and Poison Cleansing Totem now pulse every 3 seconds, down from 5. ** not Poison Cleansing yet.
- Earth Shield mana cost reduced by 50%
- Earth Shield now has 6 charges, down from 10.
- Healing Grace: Now also reduces the chance your spells will be dispelled by 10/20/30%

Warlock
- Life Tap: Spell coefficient reduced by $
- Life Tap now consumes toughly 10% more health when used.
- Demonic Knowledge now increases your spell damage by an amount equal to 4/7/10% down from 5/10/15%
- Improved Shadowbolt: Now only works for the Warlock.
- Improved Shadowbolt: Now increases Shadow damage by 3/6/9/12/15%, down from 4/8/10/14/20%
- Incinerate spell coefficient increased by $

Warrior
- Endless Rage now properly generates 25% more rage from damage dealt (previously only 12% cause of a bug)
- Improved Hamstring: Now has a 10 second cooldown.

Items
- Mystical Skyfire Diamond now reduces the next spell cast by 20%, down from 50%. (It also might just be changed to straight stats, still in debate. Don’t be surprised if this metagem just gets added stats with the current effect in the initial 2.4 notes, it’s still being worked on.)
- Shaman Gladiator 4-set bonus now reduces pushback by 30%, down from 70%. ** 50%

Tags: PvP · News

5 Responses to “Kalgan Finally Speaks to Shaman; “Leaked Notes” Real After All?”

1. Mnemonic Says:
   February 21st, 2008 at 11:58 am

   hurray! envenom no longer takes poison off the target, something we can use against our armored enemies??

2. Ziss Says:
   February 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pm

   Not yet, that’s part of the fake notes… it’s a toss up if it’ll make it live =b

3. thetruthhurts Says:
   February 21st, 2008 at 2:11 pm

   regardless of whether you think the shaman class is fine or not, this is some shady shit!

   the only reason there isn’t more of a riot is b/c blizzard is banning and deleting left and right.

   not to mention the shaman population is so low.

   i find it really surprising that priests aren’t complaining more. i’m sure that as the word spreads, they will…

4. dagnabber Says:
   February 21st, 2008 at 4:00 pm

   shady indeed… forum loldeleted and im guessing he talks in his sleep if his gf is leaking out info

5. thetruthhurts Says:
   February 22nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm

   the official term is now

   LEIAHGATE

Leave a Reply