Patch 9.1 makes many things in World of Warcraft easier for “Mythic+” fans. The most annoying affixes are significantly weakened.
A new version of Patch 9.1 Chains of Domination has been deployed on the PTR and has brought a lot of balancing adjustments. In particular, the “Mythic+” affixes and some bosses are being targeted. The previously most annoying fights are becoming significantly more enjoyable. Additionally, there are changes so that tanks no longer have to kite as much as before.
What changes are made to the affixes? The different “Mythic+” affixes enjoy a varied reputation in the community. While some affixes are considered particularly simple and easy to play, others are hated and avoided because they bring little joy. Necrotic and Storming will be altered in Patch 9.1.
- Necrotic: In the future, only every second melee attack from trash mobs will apply a stack of the Necrotic debuff to the target. Therefore, tanks can essentially bind the mobs for twice as long before the necrotic stacks become a problem.
This rule already applied to necrotic in boss fights, and now it will be expanded to all trash mobs. - Storming: Storming was previously an affix that severely impacted melee players. Tornadoes routinely appear, swirling in various paths in the melee area, knocking players back and dealing damage. This affix will also be weakened.
In the future, the tornadoes will only move clockwise, making them easier to avoid. Additionally, tornadoes will disappear as soon as they come into contact with a player. Last but not least, the damage dealt will also be reduced by 20%, and the speed of the tornadoes will be decreased.
What changes are happening to the bosses? Even with the most challenging bosses during the “Tyrannical” weeks, there are some changes. These will help with particularly frustrating phases and should ensure a more balanced difficulty within the dungeons. The following are affected by the changes:
- Hakkar (The Other Side): Hakkar now channels his Blood Barrier until players destroy it. Additionally, he no longer collects energy during his Blood Barrier. This avoids situations where one Blood Barrier follows another without any real progress. There is now guaranteed to always be a window before Hakkar has enough energy for another barrier.
- Merchant Xy’exa (The Other Side): The Arcane Bolt now deals less damage, but the debuff has become a bit more severe. The additional damage taken increases from 3% to 5% per stack. Therefore, it is even more important to distribute the debuff well within the group.
- Amarth (Necrotic Wake): Tormented Echos now deal about 20% less damage, making it significantly easier for the healer to handle.
- Kryxis (Sanguine Depths): Kryxis’s Charge now deals about 20% less damage. This should make it easier to survive the attack even with one less player.
What do all these changes bring? Overall, the adjustments should ensure that certain bosses in the hated “Tyrannical” weeks cause less stress and melee players have a more enjoyable dungeon experience. In particular, the weakening of Necrotic should lead to tanks not having to jump around like a rubber ball through the dungeon to kite enemies forever.
However, keep in mind that the changes so far are adjustments on the PTR. Things may change before the release.
When will the patch be released? There is still no release date for Patch 9.1 Chains of Domination. However, it seems that all content is now available, and it is “only” about balancing. Therefore, we can hopefully expect a date in the coming days.
Do you think the nerfs to the dungeons are good and sensible? Or is this a case of “everything is being casualized in WoW”?
