Stats changes and Masteries in Cataclysm
One of the biggest change introduced with Cataclysm is the simplification of existing stats. I usually get a few mails each week asking me about this, time for a reminder!
Quote from: Wryxian (Source)
Items Stats
In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, there are plans to streamline the statistics found on items. We want to remove all unnecessary stats, make all existing stats understandable, and make all "core" stats more appealing. Here are some examples of such plans.


  • MP5: This will be removed from items and replaced with Spirit. All healers will be given a meditation-like ability.
  • Spell Power: Spell Power is being removed from items as well. Don't panic, we'll be improving Intellect so that it provides mana and Spell Power.
  • Attack Power: We're removing Attack Power from items as well. Instead, we're allowing Agility to provide the necessary Attack Power for leather and mail wearers. Strength will provide the appropriate amount of Attack Power for plate wearers. This means leather and mail items will no longer be desirable for plate wearers.
  • Defense: The Defense statistic is also being removed from items so that players no longer have to worry about juggling around "the cap." Tanks will receive the necessary anti-crit from talents, like Survival of the Fittest.
  • Armor Penetration: This ability is too confusing and "mathy." It is being replaced with Mastery, a stat that makes you better at what you do. More on that later!
  • Haste: Will also increase the rate at which you gain energy, runes, and focus. Retribution paladins and Enhancement shaman will have a talent that allows them to take advantage of this benefit.
  • Block: Block Value is being removed. Blocking will now always mitigate a percentage of damage.
  • Stamina: Players will notice more Stamina on gear as Defense, Spell Power, Attack Power and Armor Penetration are removed.


Hunter (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Also receiving a massive overall are hunters. The hunter’s need to rely upon mana is completely gone, and instead they will use focus. This means hunters will no longer care at all about Intellect, mana regen or Aspect of the Viper. Focus will regenerate continually, similar to how rogues or feral druids regenerate energy. For comparison, rogues regenerate approximately 10 energy per second, whereas hunters will regenerate 6 focus per second. However, Steady Shot can also be used to improve focus regen, and bring the rate at which hunters regenerate focus to 12 per second. The hunter will have a maximum of 100 focus, and shots might cost 30 or 60 focus, with fewer cooldowns on abilities. Another exciting and long-awaited change regards the ammunition system. Ammunition will become an equipable item, and will no longer be consumable. More details on that later!

Warlock (Forums / Talent Calculator)
The soul shard system is receiving a massive revamp, and will now become a core feature of the warlock class. Soul shards will no longer act as an inventory item, but rather exist as a resource, and appear below the warlock's health and mana bar. A new spell, Soul Burn, will be the only warlock ability to cost a soul shard, and will empower most of your other spells to behave differently. For instance, when combined with Fear it causes the spell to become instant. Other examples include: guaranteeing your Searing Pain spell three critical hits, increased horror effect and additional healing from Death Coil, and instant summoning from your summon demon spell. Soul shards will regenerate quickly upon leaving combat, and you may also be able to use drain soul as a "soul shard evocation."






The expansion will also remove a lot of the passive talents for each class like bonuses to hit %, etc ... The goal here is to only keep the fun and useful talents like Body and Soul or Juggernaut. These bonuses won't disappear, they will be added to your character through the new Mastery system.

Masteries are the passive bonus you get when you spec in a talent tree, the deeper you go in the tree the higher the bonus is. You can see a small preview in the screenshots below.

Paladin

  • Holy - +% Healing, +% Spell Crit, +% Crit Heal
  • Protection - -% Damage Taken, +% Health, +% Block Amount
  • Retribution - +% Melee Damage, + Melee Crit, -% Ability Cooldown


Rogue

  • Assassination - +% Melee Damage, +% Melee Crit, +% Poison Damage
  • Combat - +% Melee Damage, +% Hit Chance, +% Armor Penetration
  • Subtlety - +% Melee Damage, +% Melee Haste, +% Energy Regeneration


Hunter

  • Marksmanship - Unknown Bonus #1, Unknown Bonus #2, Focus Regeneration
  • Beast Mastery - Unknown Bonus #1, Unknown Bonus #2, Pet Damage
  • Survival - No information.


A new Mastery stat will also be added to the game and will let you improve one of this bonus, in the case of the Retribution Paladin the stat affects the bonus to abilities' cooldowns.




Terrain Phasing in Cataclysm
A "minor" feature of Cataclysm is the improved phasing. Wrath of the Lich King allowed developers to phase out NPCs and Cataclysm will let them modify the terrain over time! In the example below you can see 3 stages of terrain phasing :



World of Warcraft Magazine Wallpaper
This wallpaper looks almost like a spoiler ... The Lich King isn't doing well apparently.



Happy Holidays from Blizzard
Quote from: Nebu (Source)
The holiday season is upon us, and it's gift-giving time! We've released the artwork featured on this year’s Blizzard holiday card. We hope you enjoy it, and we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.



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