Stardate 3.3.3

What? I can’t be the only one that thinks the patch numbers start sounding like stardates…

Anyway, patch 3.3.3 is most likely going to hit this morning so while you’re all chomping at the bit for the maintenance to end (after being extended at least 3 times), here’s a recap of the important stuff to look forward to.

Fire Mages

As Dark/Soth has been practically chanting for the past week, patch 3.3.3 may herald the return of FIRE!

The problem with fire is that it is highly unpredictable. Fireball. Fireball. CRIT. CRIT. HOT STREAK. ZOMG. PYROBLAST IN YO FACE, MOTHERFUCKER! Dead mage.

The threat reduction on Burning Soul is being increased from 5/10% to 10/20%. I expect an increase in fire mage life expectancy of approximately 24.33 (repeating of course) seconds.

And the good times keep coming

Yesterday I posted some of the published PTR notes.

More stuff came out almost immediately after, I <3 MMO Champion.

Here’s the things that caught my eyes:

1 – Gnomes take back Gnomeregan!

Does this mean that the instance will be removed? That would make the achievement for having run it a feat of strength. Or will it be a Caverns of Time sort of thing? Or maybe the related troll event is to capture Gnomeregan as well. We will steal it! And then destroy it because it’s way too cramped for anyone of a decent size to be walking around in.

Actually, it looks like the Horde re-take the Echo Isles. For information on both, check out the MMO-Champ post from last night.

Angry post is really just peeved

PTR notes for patch 3.3.3 are out. Somewhere over here: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html

Some amazing stuff in there.

And one little thing that has me twisted off.

Incanter’s Absorption: This talent now only grants additional spell power when damage is absorbed by Mana Shield, Frost Ward, Fire Ward, or Ice Barrier. The limit of 5% of the mage’s health on the spell power buff has been removed.

If you weren’t aware, this also used to proc off the absorbs from a priest’s PW: Shield. Or I should say, as of today it still does but as of patch 3.3.3 it will not.