PvP Class Tuning in Patch 12.1 for September 22, 2026

Unholy

Developers' Notes

We want to make San'layn a more viable choice for Death Knight (Unholy) in PvP.

• San'layn — Inevitable: diseases deal up to 60% additional damage based on the target's missing health (was 30%).
• San'layn — Vampiric Strike damage increased by 100%.

Feral

• Wildstalker — Ravage damage increased by 20%.
• Wildstalker — Dreadful Wound damage increased by 25%.
• Wildstalker — Exacerbating Wounds increases damage taken from bleeds by 10% (was 8%).

Restoration

Developers' Notes

Druid (Restoration) currently has too much burst healing and instant crowd control that opponents have almost no counterplay against.

• Call of Ohn'ahra increases the cooldown of Nature's Swiftness by 60 sec (was 30 sec).
• Swiftmend healing effectiveness reduced by 20%.

Augmentation

• Ebon Might increases primary stat by 12% (was 10%).

Preservation

• Flameshaper — Consume Flame healing effectiveness reduced by 30%.

Beast Mastery

Developers' Notes

Dark Ranger is currently underperforming in PvP.

• Dark Ranger — Black Arrow damage increased by 30%.

Survival

Developers' Notes

The Hunter (Survival) burst damage window is currently too strong.

• Hunter damage from Takedown reduced by 10%.
• Pet damage from Takedown reduced by 15%.
• Sentinel — Moonlight Chakram damage reduced by 15%.

Fire

Developers' Notes

Mage (Fire) burst damage outside of Combustion is too high.

• Pyroclasm increases the damage of Pyroblast and Flamestrike by 160% (was 180%).

Windwalker

Developers' Notes

Shado-Pan for Monk (Windwalker) is currently too strong, while Conduit of the Celestials is lagging behind.

• Conduit of the Celestials — Celestial Conduit damage increased by 50%.
• Shado-Pan — Flurry Strikes damage reduced by 15%.

Retribution

Developers' Notes

In PvP the gap between Templar and Herald of the Sun is smaller than in PvE, so the buff here is more modest.

• Templar — Hammer of Light damage increased by 20%.

General

Developers' Notes

We want to make Mindgames a more competitive choice.

• Mindgames direct damage and reversed effect increased by 50%.

Holy

Developers' Notes

Oracle feels good, but Archon for Priest (Holy) is lagging behind.

• Archon — Halo damage and healing increased by 30%.
• Archon — Focused Outburst reduces the cast time of Prayer of Healing by 40% (was 15%).
• Archon — Realized Potential increases the effectiveness of Flash Heal by 20% (was 10%).

Shadow

Developers' Notes

We want Priest (Shadow) to be able to more effectively finish off opponents with Shadow Word: Death.

• Shadow Word: Death damage increased by 30%.

Assassination

• All damage dealt reduced by 4%.
• Deathmark now displays as a large effect on raid frames.

Outlaw

• All damage dealt increased by 5%.

Elemental

Developers' Notes

We are shifting Shaman (Elemental) damage toward the primary target and reducing damage to nearby targets.

• Lightning Bolt damage increased by 25%.
• Lava Burst damage increased by 15%.
• Voltaic Blaze instant damage reduced by 25%.
• Purging Flames triggers Lava Burst at 25% effectiveness (was 40%).

Enhancement

• All damage dealt increased by 3%.

Affliction

• Agony damage increased by 40%.
• Unstable Affliction damage increased by 10%.

Arms

Developers' Notes

We are strengthening Colossus in the window after Demolish.

• Colossus — Practiced Strikes increases the damage of Slam and Mortal Strike by 40% (was 25%).
• Colossus — Arterial Bleed increases the damage of Rend and Deep Wounds by 5% per stack (was 3%).
• Colossus — Cut to the Bone increases the damage of Rend and Deep Wounds by 30% (was 15%).