Hunter and Warlock pets get tougher on Tuesday

Blizzard is preparing the first class hotfixes since the launch of World of Warcraft: Forever. They arrive on Tuesday 10 November and touch three things: pets that tank, Affliction Warlocks and Enhancement Shamans.

Pets and Voidwalkers

Hunter pets and the Warlock’s Voidwalker do not hold up as well as tanks as Blizzard wants. The goal is that they work about as well as in Classic Era, and Blizzard will adjust their stats to get there.

In an interview, principal game designer Kris Zierhut explained that the team actually lowered the health of both kinds of pets. The big difference with Classic Era 1.15 is that pets in Forever take part of their stats from their master, so they grow along with your gear. Someone on the team is now checking the health of the Voidwalker.

Leveling with a pet: our Hunter leveling guide and Warlock leveling guide.

Affliction: Wrack and your DoTs

Right now an Affliction Warlock does best by channeling Wrack all the time. Casting Siphon Life, Corruption and Bane of Agony next to it does not pay off. Blizzard will change that so those damage over time spells are always worth casting together with Wrack, without changing the total damage of Affliction. More in the Affliction Warlock guide.

Enhancement: Strength first

Enhancement Shamans found that Intellect and spell power beat Strength and attack power. Blizzard will make Strength always their strongest stat, so Enhancement no longer wants gear made for Mages and Warlocks. Ideally the best Enhancement items have Strength or attack power, with some Intellect or spell power on top.

Please note: Enhancement Shaman players who are leveling up will want to collect Strength and Attack Power gear from now on.

So if you level an Enhancement Shaman, keep the Strength gear you find. That matches what Zierhut said in the interview about the Shaman talents.

More Tuesdays

Blizzard may find new problems over the weekend. The plan is to make class changes on Tuesday, and on later Tuesdays when needed.