If you are reading this blog at 1:41am EDT (as I am writing this), then you’ve probably already heard the news. But in case you haven’t, or in case you happen to stop by here before you hit bigger sites in the morning, it looks like the WotLK beta is starting. Invitations are apparently going out as we speak (at least in Europe, and I’m sure the US will follow soon).
Blizzard has opened the beta forums for everyone to read, although you need a beta account in order to post. They have announced that there will be no NDA for beta, which means that I am now free to tell you everything I hear! *grin* Now if I can just make it into the beta so I can tell you everything I see …
Most exciting, perhaps, is that they’ve posted the patch notes for the first beta patch. I’ll have a pet-centric report on those for you as soon as I read through them.
Most definitly some nice looking hunter stuff. Especially with the taming of pets! After the new change, now I can try other pet types without feeling bad about abandoning one of my other pets. Five levels isn’t too bad to grind at all.
Exciting news indeed. I’ll be checking my inbox constantly. :P I did have some “wha? why?” moments when reading the Beta patch notes though.
I can quote until Mania will post the news, i guess
All pet families now have one unique ability. New abilities have been added for families such as bears and sporebats.
Aspects now no longer cost mana.
Avoidance, Dash / Dive and Cobra Reflexes are now pet talents instead of pet skills.
Bite now has no cooldown, does the same damage and costs the same Focus as Claw, so works as a Focus dump.
Clever Traps (Survival) has been renamed “Trap Mastery.”
Concussive Barrage (Marksmanship) – Can now proc from Volley attacks.
Deterrence (Survival) – Cooldown reduced to 3 minutes, and now also increases your chance to resist spells by 60%. Now has a new spell effect.
Every hunter pet can learn Growl, Cower and either Bite or Claw (never both).
Hunter pets can now learn talents in one of three trees depending on family. Pets gain talent points starting at level 20 and earn an extra talent point every 4 levels.
If a hunter tames a pet that is more than five levels beneath their own level, the pet will then have their level increased to five levels beneath the hunter’s own level.
Improved Feign Death (Survival): Now also reduces damage taken during Feign Death by 15/30%.
Loyalty, Training Points and the hunter Beast Training button no longer exist. Hunter pets can now learn all skills at their level. They will get new ranks automatically as they gain levels.
Master Tactician (Survival) – Chance to proc increased to 10%, up from 6%.
Monster Slaying (Survival) and Humanoid Slaying (Survival) has been combined into “Improved Tracking”.
New Talent – Improved Tracking (Survival) – Increases all damage done to targets that are being tracked 1/2/3/4/5%.
Steady Shot now uses ammo. In result, its bonus damage has been slightly reduced. Players can notice a damage increase based upon what ammo they use.
Surefooted (Survival) now reduces the duration of movement impairing effects by 10/20/30% (instead of resist % chance).
Trap Mastery (Survival) has been removed.
I made the interesting onces (to me at least) stand out
I am a little Puzzled on the Every hunter pet can learn Growl, Cower and either Bite or Claw (never both). So cats ect. can only learn one of them ?
Anyway the news as it comes in is making me wonder if i will keep my alts or start again when it comes out live as i think it is going to change many classes and i did re roll when BC came out but i did keep my original 70 hunter , i like the lower levels and looking to see what changes have been made makes me think i may just start again.
sandralover: Keep in mind that Bite and Claw are equivalent (like Dash and Dive) in the beta.
By the way, we’ve got some discussion of the beta patch notes going over in the other comment thread.
*crosses fingers and toes hoping to get an invite for Beta*
Yay! Christmas in July! *grin*
That certainly made my day. Now if I can just find out what the pets get for abilities….
i just wish it was Christmas, not july.
then WOTLK would come out in 5 days…lol.
i think its cool your pet will level up to 5 levels lower then you, my humar the pridelord will level…27 times. i tamed him and only leveled to 30.
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If I get a beta key it’s yours, Mania. I have no desire to see WOTLK before it’s released. I only signed up for the Beta opt-in to give my key to anyone that needs it should I get it.