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Saloni Sehmi

Blizzard Makes Changes to Holy Paladins and Specializations in Latest WoW PvP Update

Blizzard Addresses Balance Issues in WoW: Shadowlands PvP

In the latest PvP hotfix for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, Blizzard has made adjustments to both overperforming and underperforming specializations. Holy Paladins, who have dominated the arena and rated battlegrounds, have been nerfed to level the playing field. Other healers are also expected to receive adjustments to improve their viability in PvP.

Balance Changes Benefit Underperforming Specializations

For a while now, Holy Paladins have been overly dominant in both arena and rated battlegrounds. This has caused other healers to feel weaker in comparison and many players have even switched to Holy Paladins to remain competitive. While other healers still require adjustments to become more viable, Blizzard’s recent changes are a step toward creating a fairer environment for all players.

Making PvP More Balanced by Addressing Overperforming Specializations

Although Blizzard has buffed some underperforming specializations, there are still overperforming specializations that remain untouched. Retribution Paladins and Arms Warriors, in particular, have been dominating the ladder alongside Holy Paladins. These classes offer high utility and damage output, surpassing other classes that lack similar utility. By nerfing these overperformers, Blizzard aims to bring them in line with other classes such as Shaman, Hunter, and Warlock.

Latest Patch Notes for WoW Hotfix

  • Death Knight
    • Unholy
      • Necrotic Strike now absorbs up to 6% of the target’s health (previously 4%).
      • Virulent Plague and Virulent Eruption are no longer reduced by 10% when engaged in combat with enemy players.
  • Monk
    • Mistweaver
      • Chrysalis PVP talent now reduces Life Cocoon’s cooldown by 40 seconds (previously 25 seconds).
      • Mana regeneration increased by 20% when engaged in combat with enemy players.
  • Hunter
    • Beast Mastery
      • Bestial Wrath’s effectiveness is no longer reduced by 20% when engaged in combat with enemy players.
    • Marksmanship
      • Careful Aim now deals 35% bonus damage when engaged in combat with enemy players (previously 20%).
  • Mage
    • Dampened Magic now reduces magical damage over time effects by 10% (previously 20%).
    • Frost
      • Glacial Spike is no longer reduced by 20% when engaged in combat with enemy players.
      • Ray of Frost is no longer reduced by 15% when engaged in combat with enemy players.
    • Fire
      • Pyrokinesis now reduces Combustion’s cooldown by 3 seconds (previously 5 seconds).
  • Paladin
    • Holy
      • Damage transferred through Ultimate Sacrifice is no longer affected by Blessing of Sacrifice’s Rank 2 upgrade.
      • Mana regeneration is decreased by 30% when engaged in combat with enemy players.

Blizzard’s Changes Receive Praise from the WoW Community

The recent changes made by Blizzard have been well-received by the WoW community, especially those who were awaiting a Holy Paladin hotfix. In the recent Arena World Championship cups, Holy Paladins were the most prevalent healers due to their superior mana regeneration, defensive cooldowns, and utility. With these adjustments, the metagame is expected to shift, allowing players to explore different compositions with various healers while remaining competitive.