Hunter pets have always been an issue in arena, especially when it comes to survivability. A big reason for their lack of survivability is no resilience, but we might see that changed in wotlk.

“The burst issue is one worth more discussion. We have hesitated giving resilience to pets because to some extent we do want them to be killable. When you’re the other team all ganging up to kill a pet while enduring tons of damage from the hunter, it can feel like a long time, and then the hunter just turns around and brings the pet back.One thing we’re not crazy about is the pet-as-guided-missile strategy that some hunters seem to employ (send your pet in, then ignore it the rest of the fight.) You should want to heal your pet and otherwise try to keep it alive and not just use it as a delaying tactic.

Now I’m not saying pets are already too tough, just that we don’t want to get them that way, which is why we haven’t gone the resilience route yet. But I would be interested in hearing more discussion about how much more health a pet would need to feel like they weren’t getting one-shotted. Alternately, maybe talents that affected chance to be crit (or granted something on being crit) would be more appropriate. If in the end you think resilience is the only thing that will keep the pet alive, let us know that too. “-Ghostcrawler
Source

It will be very interesting to see what blizzard decides to do as far as pet survivability in arena, especially after all of these new pet talents. Hunters should have a bright future in the arena scene just from what we have seen so far with new abilities and talents for wotlk. But if they decide to give resilience to pets, the reaction from both hunters and non-hunters will be something to follow.

Tags: PvP · Hunter · News

So far on all the gear, Spell dmg and Healing is converted into 1 stat called “Spellpower” looks like a good idea on paper, but don’t know how its going to play out in PvP/PvE. In PvP some classes will benefit from it more than others (IE. Dreamstate druids will be kinda OP since they will have a lot more +spell dmg than before and will be able to nuke better. ) Every hybrid class will like this a lot in the sense if they need to farm and they usually are holy, they can go shadow and not lose +dmg or +healing and be able to farm like if they have had +dmg gear on *pre wotlk*.

Here is a quote but can’t find the source atm.

“”Spellpower: All items and effects which grant bonuses to spell damage and spell healing are being consolidated into a single stat, Spellpower. This stat will appear with the same values found on items which grant “increased spell damage and healing” such as on typical Mage and Warlock itemization. For classes which do not heal, they should see no change in the character sheet other than new tooltip wording. Healing characters will see their bonus healing numbers on the character sheet decrease, however, all healing spells have been modified to receive more benefit from spellpower than they received from bonus healing, with a net effect of no change to the amount healed by their spells. Some talents have had to be rebalanced to accommodate this change, but the amount healed will remain roughly the same. In addition, some talents will provide only healing spell power.”"

Tags: PvP · News

-  Shatter Shield  ( Trained )

Instantly shields you, absorbing 2000 Physical damage. Lasts 1 min. When the shield is destroyed, all enemies within 10 yards are frozen for 8 sec.
(1200 Mana, Instant, 30 sec CD)

I’m not sure this will make it out of beta the way it is . Most likely i see the CD going to 2 to 3 min. Seems over powered on a 30 second cd. Amazing ability for mages freezing every target in 10 yards and absorbing 2k damage.

- Deep Freeze  ( Frost Talent )

Stuns the target for 5 sec. Only usable on Frozen targets.
(1 Rank, 1.5 sec, 30 sec Cooldown)

This is 51 point talent in the frost tree. Stunning the target gives mages yet another cc. I just dont see many going that far. I’m sure most will pick up improved counterspell, improved blink and presence of mind in the arcane tree.

- Improved Water Elemental  ( frost talent )

Increases the duration of your Summon Water Elemental spell by 5/10/15 sec and increases the total health and mana of your water elemental by 10/20/30%.

Not sure how any mage can pass this up longer life equals more damage. Looks like 95 percent of all the mages will still be frost mages in wotlk. I just dont see anything in the other trees to make the switch worth it.

Tags: PvP · News

Each day i will try to write an article on upcoming changes in Wotlk to each class, and how i think the new ability or new talent can help this class in pvp.  Everyone jump in on the discussion and  put your two cents in . Remember of course all of this can change as its just beta. The abilities and talents i discuss are the ones i see as game changing to the class.

Shaman

 - Hex     (Trained ability)

Transforms the enemy into a random critter, reducing the target’s movement speed by 75%. While moving, the hexed target cannot attack or cast spells. Only one target can be hexed at a time. Only works on Humanoids and Beasts.
(0.5 sec Cast, 1 min Cooldown, 20 yd Range)

Wow a crowd control for shamans i dont see how this can do anything but help shamans.

- Astral Shift     (elemental talent) 

When stunned, feared or silenced you shift into the Astral Plane reducing all damage taken by 10/20/30% for the duration of the stun, fear or silence effect.

Taking less damage can only help your survivability.

- Thunder Storm    (elemental talent)

You call down a bolt of lightning, energizing you and damaging nearby enemies within 10 yards. Restores 5% mana to you and deals 595 to 679 Nature damage to all nearby enemies, knocking them back 20 yards.
Instant, 45 sec cooldown

This is at the bottom of the elemental talent tree but gives them another escape. Knocking all nearby enemies 20 yards will give them the extra second they need to get away.

- Ancestral Awakening  (Restoration Talent)

When you critically heal with your Healing Wave or Lesser Healing Wave, you summon an Ancestral spirit to aid you, instantly healing the lowest health friendly party or raid target within 40 yards for 20/40/60% of the amount healed.

This  kinda gives shamans an instant heal but in order for it to fire well they have to have a crit. heal .

- Tidal Waves  (Restoration talent)

You have a 20/40/60/80/100% chance after you cast Chain Heal to lower the cast time of your next two Lesser Healing Wave or Healing Wave spells by 30%, and your Healing Wave and Lesser Healing Wave spells gain an additional 25% of your bonus healing effects.

Interesting

- Spirit Link  (Restoration Talent)You link the friendly target with up to two nearby friendly targets, causing 50% of any damage taken to be distributed to the linked targets. If any target takes a blow greater than 30% of their health, or shared damage would reduce a target’s health below 20%, the link is broken. You can only have one link active at a time

I’m not sure what to think about this one yet .

Tags: PvP · News

Orz (  Hafu, glickzz, Rhaegyn) is the Grand Champions of MLG Orlando. They took down Frag Dominant Duelists 3 games to 1.

Final Results 

1. Orz  ($12000 and 3 Hp Blackbird gaming pc’s)

2. Frag Dominant Duelists ($6000)

3. Evil Geniuses ($3000)

4. Got Game West ($1500)

Tags: PvP · News