Patch 5.1 hotfixes for Dec. 10

On the heels of the latest mini-patch to 5.1.0a is another list of hotfixes from the official blog. Today's round of hotfixes may have very little in the way of class tweaks, but there's plenty of quest, Pet Battle, profession, and item changes to be found, as well as some bug fixes involving both classes and quests.

• The Cinder Kitten now has more health, which is far more appropriate for an armored critter.

• Alchemists that have deleted their Zen Alchemist Stone can now obtain and complete the quest Strange Spherical Stone to get their hands on a new one.

• Various hozen rare spawns are now less likely to evade and despawn, to the relief of rare hunters everywhere.

• Normal and heroic mode raid bosses now grant 40 valor points each upon defeat.

Read on for the full list of hotfixes.

• Mage

  • Critical Mass now multiplies the critical strike chance of Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Pyroblast, and Scorch by 1.3 (was 1.25).

  • Inferno Blast now spreads Ignite, Pyroblast, and Combustion to 3 surrounding targets.

• The Mechanized Fire should now be easier to reach in the course of completing "Dream of a Better Tomorrow".

• Players that have completed "Better With Age" and "Crime and Punishment" can now properly acquire the quest "By the Sea, Nevermore" from Zer'ik in the Dread Wastes.

• Players on the quest "Sentry Wards" will no longer be placed in the incorrect phase.

• The quest "Enemies At Our Door" can no longer be shared.

• The Battle Pet ability Stone Rush now has a 1 round cooldown (was 0).

• The Cinder Kitten is now has increased health. It looks like that armor helps a little after all.

• Several Battle Pets now appear during times of day more appropriate to their ecology.

• Singing Crickets are now considered Rare pets. This change does not apply to pets that have already been acquired.

• Silithid Hatchlings should now be less elusive.

• Fixed an issue that could cause Zen'shar's Eyes of Warding to persist after he despawns.

• Alchemy

  • Players that have deleted their Zen Alchemist Stone can now obtain the Strange Spherical Stone to repeat the quest "Strange Spherical Stone" to earn a new one.

• Jewelcrafting

  • Newly created Sapphire Cubs will now always be of Uncommon quality.

• The following PvP trinkets now have less powerful on-use effects and reduced cooldowns:

  • Dreadful Gladiator's Badge of Conquest

  • Dreadful Gladiator's Badge of Dominance

  • Dreadful Gladiator's Badge of Victory

  • Malevolent Gladiator's Badge of Conquest

  • Malevolent Gladiator's Badge of Dominance

  • Malevolent Gladiator's Badge of Victory

• The following PvP trinkets now have a less powerful on-use effect, but the duration of that effect has been increased:

  • SI:7 Operative's Manual

  • Kor'kron Book of Hurting

• Various Hozen rare spawn creatures are now less likely to evade and despawn.

• Clawlord Kril'mandar will now be visible to players that have completed the quests "Domination Point" or "Lion's Landing".

• Huntress Vael'yrie in the Krasarang Wilds now properly offers Stable Master services.

• Normal and Heroic mode raid bosses now grant 40 Valor Points each upon being defeated.

• Terrace of Endless Spring

  • Tsulong

    • Elemental Shaman will now always be properly eligible for loot after defeating the Raid Finder version of this encounter.

• Mogu'shan Vaults

  • The floor of Elegon's chamber should now always reappear after he is defeated.

• Classes

  • Hunter

    • Pets

      • The Sporebat's Energizing Spores ability will no longer stack with other similar sources of spell haste.

  • Monk

    • It is no longer possible to dispel or Spell Steal Xuen's Crackling Jade Lightning.

  • Priest

    • Fixed an issue that could cause Rapture to stop activating normally if it was triggered while the Priest was subject to crowd control.

  • Shaman

    • Fixed an issue that allowed several spells and abilities to continue to be available while Hexed.

  • Warlock

    • Damage from Rain of Fire will no longer prevent enemy players from capturing flag objectives.

    • Havoc will no longer duplicate attacks directed against targets that are affected by Banish or Cyclone. These attacks will not consume any charges of the spell.

• Fixed an issue that could cause in-game cut-scenes to be skipped when sound is disabled.

• Fixed an issue that allowed players below level 85 to see and loot certain Treasures of Pandaria.

• Fixed an issue that could allow the Healing Ward provided by Vol'jin during the Dagger in the Dark Scenario to function outside of the instance.

Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.