Class Changes, Raid Tuning - Patch 12.1 Hotfixes for October 6th

Blizzard has posted hotfixes for today which includes the previously announced class and raid tuning!

Ula'tek has been nerfed on both Heroic and Mythic difficulties.

Class Tuning has been made, and Unholy DKs took a nerf.

Here you'll find a list of hotfixes that address various issues related to World of Warcraft: Midnight, Mists of Pandaria Classic, Season of Discovery, Burning Crusade Classic, WoW Classic Era, and Hardcore. Some of the hotfixes below take effect the moment they were implemented, while others may require scheduled realm restarts to go into effect. Please keep in mind that some issues cannot be addressed without a client-side patch update. This list will be updated as additional hotfixes are applied.

Hotfixes

October 6, 2026

Classes

Death Knight

Unholy

Developers’ notes: A recent bug fix resulted in Blightfall dealing significantly more damage than we expected. Alongside this tuning change, we’re also making sure the damage is represented accurately when an Augmentation Evoker is present in the group.

• Blightfall now deals 100% of the remaining plague damage (was 200%).
• Resolved an issue causing Augmentation Evoker Reattribution damage from plague erupt effects to be attributed to the Death Knight.

Demon Hunter

Devourer

Developers’ notes: Many of Devourer’s single target damage sources are receiving buffs that will match their output more closely with our expectations.

• Consume/Devour damage increased by 8%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Reap/Cull damage increased by 8%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Eradicate primary target damage increased by 8%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Collapsing Star primary target damage increased by 8%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• The Hunt initial damage increased by 10%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Voidblade damage increased by 10%. Does not affect PvP combat.

Monk

Brewmaster

Developers’ notes: We’re finding Brewmasters’ death rates in dungeons is higher than we’d like, so we’re adjusting some rotational sources of damage reduction to help improve baseline durability.

• Quick Sip now purifies 8% of current Stagger amount each time you gain 3 seconds of Stagger duration (was 5%).
• Pretense of Instability grants 10% dodge for 8 seconds after drinking a Brew (was 5 seconds).

Mistweaver

Developers’ notes: We’re making a few raid focused adjustments to Mistweaver with the aim of increasing their overall performance in that content.

• Invigorating Mists healing increased by 15%.
• Enveloping Mist healing increased by 15%. Does not apply in PvP combat.

Rogue

Subtlety

• Trickster

Developers’ notes: We’re buffing Trickster for Subtlety to reduce the performance gap between it and Deathstalker. We want Trickster to be a more viable alternative for players who prefer its gameplay and thematic identity.

• Fazed now causes enemies to take 7% more damage (was 5%). Does not affect PvP combat.
• Unseen Blade damage increased by 15%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Coup de Grace damage increased by 10%. Does not affect PvP combat.

Shaman

Enhancement

Developers’ notes: We’re aiming to increase Enhancement Shaman’s throughput all around as they have been underperforming this season, while additionally increasing Lava Lash’s contribution to its overall breakdown.

• All ability and auto-attack damage increased by 4%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Lava Lash damage increased by 35%. Does not affect PvP combat.
• Dungeons and Raids
• The Venomous Abyss
• Ula’tek
• General
• Spectral Coils damage reduced by 20% on Heroic and Mythic difficulties.
• Toxic Burn damage reduced by 30% on Mythic difficulty.
• The number of waves that emit from a tail during Caustic Waves reduced to 3 on Mythic difficulty (was 7).
• Stage 2
• Warden's Protection damage reduced by 80%.
• Reduced the number of ground targets during Virulent Spit.
• Grasping Fangs periodic damage reduced by 30% on Heroic and Mythic difficulties.
• Blight Vein duration reduced to 4 seconds on Heroic and Mythic difficulties (was 6 seconds).
• Stage 3
• Blightscale Shrieker health reduced by 20% on Heroic and Mythic difficulties.
• Blightscale Clutch health reduced by 20% on Heroic and Mythic difficulties.
• Slithering Clutch health reduced by 20% on Mythic difficulties.
• Circling Prey raid damage reduced by 30% on Heroic and Mythic difficulties.
• Adjusted the Drain Rate of Serpent's Bite so you no longer need more than 3 people to soak regardless of raid size.

Player versus Player

Developers’ notes: With this pass, we’re buffing several underperforming PvP Talents to increase your breadth of options as you play.

• Tank Specializations

Increased the effectiveness of Tank specialization PvP talents that apply Focused Assault: Death Knight’s Murderous Intent, Demon Hunter’s Tormentor, Druid’s Alpha Challenge, Monk’s Admonishment, Paladin’s Inquisition, and Warrior’s Oppressor.

• Focused Assault now stacks to 6 times (was 5).
• Duration increased to 10 seconds (was 6 seconds).
• Cooldown reduced to 15 seconds (was 20 seconds).
• Range increased to 15 yards (was 10 yards).

Death Knight

• Dark Simulacrum (PvP Talent) cooldown reduced to 15 seconds (was 20 seconds).

Blood

• Death Chain (PvP Talent) now affects 4 targets (was 3).
• Death Chain (PvP Talent) initial damage increased by 500%.
• Price of Progress (PvP Talent) now causes the Death Knight to be unable to be slowed under 100% of normal speed (was 90%).
• Price of Progress (PvP Talent) now sacrifices 1% health every 1.5 seconds (was 1 second).

Frost

• Death’s Cold Embrace (PvP Talent) now increases the damage of Remorseless Winter by 450% (was 400%).

Demon Hunter

• Cover of Darkness now increases Darkness duration by 4 seconds (was 2 seconds).

Havoc

• Illidan’s Grasp damage increased by 50%.

Vengeance

• Illidan’s Grasp damage increased by 50%.

Druid

Balance

• Moon and Stars radius increased by 60%.
• Moon and Stars now displays as important on player nameplates.
• Tireless Pursuit duration increased to 6 seconds (was 3 seconds).

Restoration

• Ancient of Lore: Mass Blooming is now affected by Wild Growth talents like Improved Wild Growth and Early Spring.
• Ancient of Lore: Mass Blooming healing increased by 30%.

Evoker

• Dreamwalker’s Embrace damage i0ncreased by 140%.

Augmentation

• All spell and ability damage increased by 8% in PvP combat.
• Seismic Slam stuns enemies for 5 seconds (was 4 seconds).

Hunter

• Hunting Pack (PvP Talent) radius increased to 40 yards (was 30 yards).

Beast Mastery

• Dire Beast: Hawk (PvP Talent) damage increased by 500% and now deals Nature damage (was Physical).

Mage

Fire

• World in Flames now empowers Flamestrike to deal up to 75% more damage (was 50%).
• Glass Cannon now increases the damage of Fireball, Scorch, and Ignite by 25% (was 20%).

Frost

• Frost Bomb damage increased by 150%.
• Icy Feet now grants snare immunity for 4 seconds (was 3 seconds).

Monk

• Mighty Ox Kick (PvP Talent) cooldown reduced to 20 seconds (was 30 seconds).

Mistweaver

• Healing Sphere (PvP Talent) now allows maximum of 5 Healing Spheres to be active at a time (was 3).
• Healing Sphere (PvP Talent) healing increased by 100%.

Windwalker

• Perpetual Paralysis (PvP Talent) now spreads to 3 targets (was 2).
• Perpetual Paralysis (PvP Talent) now prefers player targets.
• Perpetual Paralysis (PvP Talent) spread range increased to 15 yards (was 10 yards).

Paladin

• Spellbreaker damage increased by 50%.

Retribution

• Ultimate Retribution’s duration increased to 20 seconds (was 12 seconds).

Priest

• Absolute Faith absorption increased by 113%.
• Improved Mass Dispel reduces the cooldown of Mass Dispel by 75 seconds (was 60 seconds).

Rogue

• Thick as Thieves duration increased to 10 seconds (was 6 seconds).
• Death from Above now increases damage by 30% (was 15%).

Outlaw

• All damage increased by 5% in PvP combat.

Shaman

• Electrocute damage increased by 100% and is now a rolling periodic.

Restoration

Developers’ notes: We’re increasing the effectiveness of Earth Shield as its importance has felt lackluster and we would like its placement and management to influence gameplay to a higher degree for both Restoration Shamans and their opposition.

• Call of Al’Akir now increases the cooldown of Nature’s Swiftness by 20 seconds (was 30 seconds).
• Earth Shield healing increased by 15% in PvP combat.
• Earthen Harmony now causes Earth Shield to reduce damage taken by 8% in PvP combat (was 5%).
• Earthen Harmony now increases Earth Shield healing received by 200% based on its target’s missing health (was 150%).

Warlock

• Bonds of Fel damage increased by 100%.
• Bloodstone duration increased to 18 seconds (was 12 seconds).
• Bloodstone now has a unique visual and updated sound effect.

Demonology

• Call Fel Lord’s Fel Cleave damage increased by 150%.

Warrior

• Dragon Charge damage increased by 300%.