5.3 PTR Discussion

[MiRai]

5.3 PTR patch notes were just released:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/9135374/53_PTR_Patch_Notes_now_available-3_22_2013

Please keep all 5.3 PTR discussion to this thread.

[JohnGabriel]

A couple things I like so far.

1. Heroic Scenarios, with chance to drop LFR level loot. Might be able to gear up without LFR now.
2. Loot specialization, I can take my poorly geared tank or healer into LFR as DPS without as much rage.

I notice some PvP changes where they are limiting iLevel, doesn't seem like anyone wants to play PvP if its possible to get ganked. We'll have to wait for the PvP blog to be up.

[Multibocks]

I don't like the pvp changes. I don't feel much reason to go for that equipment as I won't see an increase in stats. I like seeing stats go up. Hmmm.

[Fat Tire]

Interesting changes

[Sam DeathWalker]

Its kinda hard to figure if this (65percent resil on all) is to my benifit or not lol. Basically I use the highest ilevel gear I have and gem and enchant pvp when possible. It seems dumb to use a lower pvp ilevel item instead of a higher pve ilevel item, even for pvp.

I guess if you are undergeared this is a big plus, if you have super gear its a minus.

It will be harder for me to kill people but then again its going to be a lot harder for others to kill me.

[zenga]

Its kinda hard to figure if this (65percent resil on all) is to my benifit or not lol. Basically I use the highest ilevel gear I have and gem and enchant pvp when possible. It seems dumb to use a lower pvp ilevel item instead of a higher pve ilevel item, even for pvp.

I guess if you are undergeared this is a big plus, if you have super gear its a minus.

That is not true, because of how pvp power and pvp resilience work. There are always gonna be exceptions like a pve neck with sockets, but generally speaking you want to pvp piece.

[Lyonheart]

Third Talent spec! http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/141119-learn-a-third-talent-specialization. It looks like an item you click? says unlimited range etc.. sold at the Blizz store or in game you think?

[Multibocks]

That is not true, because of how pvp power and pvp resilience work. There are always gonna be exceptions like a pve neck with sockets, but generally speaking you want to pvp piece.
What happens when people are sporting ilvl 540 weapons and gear? Specifically in world pvp they are going to wreck pvp geared people and I'm none too happy about it. Crap ton more health and primary stats.

[zenga]

What happens when people are sporting ilvl 540 weapons and gear? Specifically in world pvp they are going to wreck pvp geared people and I'm none too happy about it. Crap ton more health and primary stats.
Well they plan to level cap gear to 496, so a 541 item gets the stats of a 496 item. They stated that's for arena, rbg and random battleground, not for world player combat. Not sure if that is intended or an oversight. So yeah I can see the issue for world pvp. But my reply was intended at sam his comment about the situation at the moment on live.

[Owltoid]

It's intended. GS responded to a tweet on the subject essentially saying "when has there ever been a fair fight in world PvP?"

[Sam DeathWalker]

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/7101670278?page=3#47



Posted by Thornass (http://www.dual-boxing.com/7101670278?page=1#1)
One minor concern would be World PvP. If the item level of PvP gear is only 496, PvE gear might be very dominant here. To be fair with you though, I'm not that bothered with World PvP in the first place, so don't mind this at all.

We are well aware that this is a concern that has arisen from players regarding the recently announced changes. While we understand that this is an unfortunate sacrifice for the overall betterment of PvP, we feel that this change will improve the state of both competitive and entry level PvP. This means that more players will be able to enter into PvP and as such increase to competition and the attractiveness of this fun and exciting area of the game.

This doesn't mean that world PvP and duels will be ignored. We definitely understand that players are wanting more huge, epic and glorious PvP such as those that come from world PvP, we just don't feel that it's the right place with the faction imbalance that is present in such battles. We are also looking into trying to find some solutions that will help with PvE gear in duels (https://twitter.com/holinka/status/315679130081456128) as we have seen this is a concern as well.




Its seems that there will be no pvp gear over ilevel 496, I didnt get that from reading the patch notes but it seems thats the case from the above blue post.

[Multibocks]

It's intended. GS responded to a tweet on the subject essentially saying "when has there
ever been a fair fight in world PvP?"
I don't even know how to reply to that blue comment. What an idiot. Why not give the pve players an even larger advantage then? Clearly it doesn't mean anything, because world pvp isn't fair.

[smalltanker]

I would have no issue with this if when in world PVP the PVP items organic +resilience kicked in to make it so the base 65% resil would scale to 70-80% to cover the lack of +stam, +primary stat, + mastery etc... failing that they (blizzard) needs to look at adding some gem slots to current season T1/T2 gear and potenially weapon procs like you get in some of the PVE gear. Nothing like being the best or mid-very highly rated getting owned by a PVE scrub with top of the line gear with only 200 HKs...

[Blubber]

I don't understand why they don't give PvP gear the same iLvl as PvE gear (as it is now), and just scale it down when you enter a BG or Arena. This would make the impact of the change much smaller when you're not inside a BG or Arena. In fact, when I read the patch notes I though they meant exactly this.

[zenga]

I don't understand why they don't give PvP gear the same iLvl as PvE gear (as it is now), and just scale it down when you enter a BG or Arena. This would make the impact of the change much smaller when you're not inside a BG or Arena. In fact, when I read the patch notes I though they meant exactly this.

They didn't want that new players / alts could skip the iLVL requirement to join the new LFR, by using PVP gear. So they basically wanted to create an incentive for those players to run T14 LFR/normals and gear up that way. Which doesn't make sense imo as they could as well just not count the ilvl you get from pvp pieces whenever you need to meet a certain minimum ilvl for pve.

[Blubber]

They didn't want that new players / alts could skip the iLVL requirement to join the new LFR, by using PVP gear. So they basically wanted to create an incentive for those players to run T14 LFR/normals and gear up that way. Which doesn't make sense imo as they could as well just not count the ilvl you get from pvp pieces whenever you need to meet a certain minimum ilvl for pve.

Well lets just hope they revert this change, and achieve their goal some other way. World PVP is really cool in my opinion, and I'd hate to see it dominated by PVE geared people (although it does take me back to the T2 days ...).

In any case, it seems Blizzard rushed another change that they haven't really given any thought, sometimes they don't really seem to understand their own game at all :s.

[Shodokan]

Well lets just hope they revert this change, and achieve their goal some other way. World PVP is really cool in my opinion, and I'd hate to see it dominated by PVE geared people (although it does take me back to the T2 days ...).

In any case, it seems Blizzard rushed another change that they haven't really given any thought, sometimes they don't really seem to understand their own game at all :s.

IMO arena balance takes precedence... they do understand their game and for a while now the competitive PVP scene has been dying and gear was a major reason as to why... unfair playing field for those who had t2 over those who did not and once you hit a certain point on the ladders you fight people with t2 or RBG players with t2 and can lose simply because of the damage difference.

WPVP is awesome but I'm fine with some people being stronger in the world than others... also t2 PVP gear will only scale down inside of arenas/bgs so it will be worth upgrading to if you care for WPVP

[heyaz]

We definitely understand that players are wanting more huge, epic and glorious PvP such as those that come from world PvP, we just don't feel that it's the right place with the faction imbalance that is present in such battles.

So they don't feel that PVP in the real world is the "right place". So it should all be instanced....

Wasn't a big theme and goal of this new expansion to bring players back into the real world? They removed HGWT, required you to actually leave Org/SW to get reputation and gear, added CRZ. I don't really get it.

Players with ilvl 522+ with 65% resilience will be absolutely out of control in any area where the gear isn't scaled down.

You grind PVP gear in battlegrounds and arena, and have the opportunity to go out into the real world and use that to your advantage in PVP. Some never bother with battlegrounds or arena (other than cap) again after they gear up. This is what PVP servers are for.

I think the 40% base resil was a good start, and PVP power becoming more important than raw stats to negate the extra resilience. Gives you some shot in PVP if you aren't in 100% pvp gear or a new player.

The scale-down will hopefully prevent heroic PVE gear from dominating in arenas/BGs, but if it doesn't affect all PVP then yeah, mr. ilvl 550 frost mage is going to annihilate your T2 Elite geared 496 pvp guy everywhere else in the world with his free 65% resilience.

Here's my issue with a lot of what seems to be driving these changes - fresh 90s or players with crappy gear getting blown up and complaining. This won't fix that - they're forgetting one thing - EFFECTIVE HEALTH. You roll in with quest greens at 230k HP, 65% resilience isn't going to save you. Even if it keeps you alive longer, your damage is going to be so pitiful you won't win anyway.

Do they not have this backwards? Why not scale down PVP gear ilvl's in PVE content, which was driving this change anyway? Let my ilvl 522 PVP gear guy be vastly superior to a 522 PVE gear player in a PVP scenario, and vice versa.

I'm doing this, to some extent, from an armchair. Yeah I play the game and understand it, but I imagine with all these drastic changes, there is a very complicated problem in the game they are trying to balance for a large population, and this isn't something they are just doing on a whim because it sounds like a great idea.

As such I expect that like most big changes, it sounds like the worst idea in the world on paper but in practice it somehow kinda works out - not to everyone's liking of course, but better than before. It's like people hating dallies and gated content, yet they forget how boring Cata was. You know they could've removed the world entirely, even the cities and made chat/trades/etc. done over a UI. All you did was queue and go into some instanced content. Get your stuff done and that was all you had to do until next Tuesday.

[heyaz]

In any case, it seems Blizzard rushed another change that they haven't really given any thought, sometimes they don't really seem to understand their own game at all :s.

PTR... public test realm. Not a live change. Rushed? Maybe - to see how it works in a test environment. Not given any thought? I doubt it, for the top MMO? I can't imagine how many analysts they have feeding information to the developers about what exactly is happening in game, who's doing it, how, why, and what the outcome is, and how much goes into every change they make.

[Fat Tire]

Just have to ride the ebb and flow of changes that happen. Rating requirements will be back in 5.4 according to the new pvp developers twitter feed.

[Blubber]

PTR... public test realm. Not a live change. Rushed? Maybe - to see how it works in a test environment. Not given any thought? I doubt it, for the top MMO? I can't imagine how many analysts they have feeding information to the developers about what exactly is happening in game, who's doing it, how, why, and what the outcome is, and how much goes into every change they make.

I don't doubt that they have analysed the situation. And the gear dependence has been a problem in PVP as long as I can remember. However, I don't really believe that sacrificing world pvp is the only option. I think that normalizing ilvl in BGs and Arena's is a great idea though, just hope they can figure out a way to decrease the impact on other parts of the game.

[smalltanker]

I still think that a 496 PVP with 10-11K PVP power vs a 496/520 PVE geared with only 2-4K PVPower is going to get hammered. My only concern is PVP trinkets aren't as good for procs as PVE trinkets and Legendary weapons (which currently aren't in the game content beyond sha-touched (correct)). Legendary weapons have dominated PVP for too many expansions. If they wanted to balance PVP just make it so when you zone into arena/RBG that weapon is un-equipable. You want to PVP you get a standard 450/463 quest/crafted/heroic dungeon weapon or you put on your epic PVP weapon. Keep PVE out of PVP especially if they are giving PVP stats to PVE gear.

[MiRai]

A Blue hints that there are some cool rewards you can receive once you achieve certain ratings:
I definitely recommend that you keep your eyes on the patch notes blog, because there are several cool rewards that we are planning to introduce in patch 5.3 that you can get at certain ratings.

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/7211781160?page=2#29

[Multibocks]

A Blue hints that there are some cool rewards you can receive once you achieve certain ratings:
I definitely recommend that you keep your eyes on the patch notes blog, because there are several cool rewards that we are planning to introduce in patch 5.3 that you can get at certain ratings.

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/7211781160?page=2#29

probably a tabard...or new mount

[zenga]

probably a tabard...or new mount

My bet is a pet!

[heyaz]

pet, tabard, new mount, glowing weapon enchant with no function.

I can't wait! Totally gonna start grinding 5s rating.


I still think that a 496 PVP with 10-11K PVP power vs a 496/520 PVE geared with only 2-4K PVPower is going to get hammered. My only concern is PVP trinkets aren't as good for procs as PVE trinkets and Legendary weapons (which currently aren't in the game content beyond sha-touched (correct)). Legendary weapons have dominated PVP for too many expansions. If they wanted to balance PVP just make it so when you zone into arena/RBG that weapon is un-equipable. You want to PVP you get a standard 450/463 quest/crafted/heroic dungeon weapon or you put on your epic PVP weapon. Keep PVE out of PVP especially if they are giving PVP stats to PVE gear.


a lot of pvp happens outside of instanced content. world pvp is still going to be stupid if they don't scale down heroic/legendary pve stuff.

[luxlunae]

I'd hate to see it dominated by PVE geared people (although it does take me back to the T2 days ...).

When warlocks reigned supreme but could be hard countered by anyone with a guild advanced enough to have their M.Sharaz shadow resist gear? And you could see your opponents AND THEN PUT ON THAT GEAR. Crazy.

[Owltoid]

My subs have expired and I don't foresee resubbing in the near future, but it's nice to see some potential buffs to enhancement shamans! From MMO Champion:


http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/icons/ishamans.gif Shaman (Forums (http://www.mmo-champion.com/forums/276-Shaman), Talent Calculator (http://ptr.wowdb.com/talent-calculator#c))


Most totems now have 5 health, down from 10 / 10% of the caster's health.
Stormblast (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/115356/#16825-16837) now does 450% weapon damage, up from 375%.
Stormstrike (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/32175/#16825-16837) now does 450% weapon damage, up from 375%.
Windfury Attack (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/25504/#16825-16837) now does additional damage equal to three extra attacks with extra attack power, up from two.


Elemental


Spiritual Insight (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/123099/#16825-16837) now increases your mana pool by 300%, down from 400%.


Enhancement


Lava Lash (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/60103/#16825-16837) now does 300% weapon damage, up from 250%.
Mental Quickness (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/30814/#16825-16837) now grants 65% of your attack power to spell power, up from 55%.
Stormstrike (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/17364/#16825-16837) now does 450% weapon damage, up from 375%.


Restoration


Spiritual Insight (http://ptr.wowdb.com/spells/112858/#16825-16837) now increases your mana pool by 300%, down from 400%.

[Kruschpakx4]

+ New Glyph: Glyph of Lightning Shield causes Lightning Shield to reduce the amount of damage taken by 10% for 6 seconds after Lightning Shield is triggered.

tbh the stormblast buff is overkill but I'll go with it anyway ;)

[Shodokan]

+ New Glyph: Glyph of Lightning Shield causes Lightning Shield to reduce the amount of damage taken by 10% for 6 seconds after Lightning Shield is triggered.

tbh the stormblast buff is overkill but I'll go with it anyway ;)

Enh in pve isn't so strong right now.

It'll make 1 shotting people almost guaranteed.

[Kruschpakx4]

for sure its more than 20k extra damage per toon

and finally demonic gateway can be destroyed ;))

[luxlunae]

General

Experience needed to increase from level 85 to level 90 has been reduced by 33%.


From mmo champ.

[MiRai]

Preparing For Patch 5.3:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/9669861/Preparing_for_Patch_53_Escalation-5_7_2013

[zenga]

Lava Burst got quite a buff in the recent ptr patch. On an ilvl 511 ptr char, lvb hits 20% harder than on my ilvl 528 live char. There seems to be a datamined tooltip error that leads to some confusion on several forums, but it definitely got buffed, by quite a lot.