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Upcoming 3.1 class changes: Warlock, Druid, Warrior

Eliah Hecht
Updated ·3 min read

This is part two in a promised three-part series from Blizzard going over class changes that are coming in patch 3.1. Part one dropped last night, covering Shamans, Priests, and Rogues. This morning's episode covers some changes that are coming to Warlocks, Druids, and Warriors. And just to be preemptive, don't say "that's it?!". It's not. This is just some of the changes that your class will be seeing, and they're subject to further change as the patch evolves.

Warlock

  • Improved Shadow Bolt – this talent now provides a 5% spell critical strike buff (similar to Improved Scorch).

  • Improved Soul Leech – this talent now provides Replenishment (similar to shadow priests)

  • Drain Soul now has a chance to produce Soul Shards even if the target doesn't die.

  • Siphon Life no longer as an active ability but the talent grants the old Siphon Life effect to Corruption.

  • Curse of Recklessness and Curse of Weakness have been combined into one spell

  • Consume Shadows – this Voidwalker ability is no longer channeled but has a cooldown.

  • Several other warlock talents have had their ranks reduced, their effects changed or removed. This list includes but is not limited to Demonic Empathy, Shadow Embrace, Eradication, Suppression, and Pandemic.

  • Additional new talents have been added.

Druid

  • Savage Defense – this is a new passive ability. When a druid in Dire Bear form deals a melee critical strike, the druid gains a damage shield equal to 25% of their attack power. The next hit completely removes the shield regardless of how much damage was done.

  • Survival of the Fittest has had its bonus armor reduced to compensate for the above increase in damage mitigation.

  • Faerie Fire (and similar debuffs) now reduces armor by 5%. See Sunder Armor in the warrior update below for additional details.

  • Thorns and Nature's Grasp can be cast in Tree of Life form.

  • Survival Instincts now works in Moonkin form.

  • Replenish – to avoid confusion, this talent has been renamed "Revitalize." It now also works with Wild Growth.

  • We are also looking at increasing the sustained (not burst) damage of feral druids in cat form.

Warrior

  • Changing stances now has a much reduced cost: you lose a maximum of 20 rage (10 with Tactical Mastery). For example, if you have 100 rage and change stances, you will have 80 rage remaining. If you have 10 rage and change stances, all of your rage is lost. In addition, we may change the penalties associated with some stances.

  • You now gain rage when damage done to you is absorbed, such as through a Power Word: Shield.

  • Blood Frenzy now causes 2/4% physical damage done.

  • Sunder Armor (and similar debuffs) now reduces armor by 4% per application, and is now a single rank. Creature armor has been globally reduced so that debuffed targets should take about the same damage from physical attacks that they did before this change. The net effect should be that this debuff is slightly less mandatory in PvE and is not disproportionately more powerful against cloth targets in PvP.

  • We are also adding increased damage to Arms, possibly through Overpower or Slam.

  • We are also looking at granting rage when the warrior blocks, dodges or parries.

So, Druids, Warriors, and Warlocks, what do you think? Personally, I'm going to have to give Savage Defense a lot more thought; I'm not sure I really understand it just yet. And Hunters, DKs, Mages, and Paladins, stay tuned; your changes are coming. I would expect them to appear later today.

Patch 3.1 brings us Ulduar, dual specs, significant changes to all the classes, and more! We've got you covered from top to bottom with our Guide to Patch 3.1.