With Patch 5.3 right around the corner, it’s time to look at Mistweaver Monks and the upcoming changes for Patch 5.3. With this being a more PvP-focused based patch, there isn’t really much happening. In fact, we’re a little surprised by the minimal changes made to the Mistweaver Monk, especially as it’s still comparatively a new class. With such small changes to the class and the healing spec in itself, we have reason to believe Blizzard is fairly happy with the current state. However, we should remember this is a more PvP-focused patch so more changes may come with the next raid-patch in 5.4.
General
- Legacy of the Emperor had its energy cost reduced to 1%, down from 6%.
As with the other class baseline buffs, this is just a simple reduction for the cost of Legacy of the Emperor buff. The buff states “energy cost” but we believe this is meant to say “mana” instead, as when in non-stance of the serpent this buff costs 20 energy. Nevertheless, a welcome reduction which will be better for buffing players during combat.
Nimble Brew now also removes horrify effects, and reduces the duration of horrify effects and fear, and is available to all Monk specializations (formerly only available for Brewmaster and Windwalker Monks).
Nimble Brew is a spell that was implemented in Patch 5.2 for Windwalker and Brewmaster Monks to help monks remove roots, stuns, fears and horrors and also reducing any future crowd controls such as this by 60%.This spell is now available to us Mistweavers which is a huge change for PvP, but should also help us in dungeons and raids as well.
Spear Hand Strike now locks a spell school out for 4 seconds, down from 5 seconds.
We Mistweavers aren’t usually tasked to interrupt spells cast by enemies but it’s good to know of this change. Also very important for those of you that happen to PvP. It means that when you successfully interrupt a spell, you’ll have locked them out of that school of spells (such as Frost) for 1 less second than it used to. A nerf unfortunately.
Talents
- Ring of Peace had been redesigned. The ability forms an 8-yard sanctuary around a friendly target for 8 seconds, instantly disarming and silencing enemies within the area-of-effect for 3 seconds. Enemies that use abilities other than auto-attacks or cast spells on allies within the Ring of Peace will be disarmed and silenced for 3 seconds. Disarm and silence effects are subject to diminishing returns.
Essentially this talent acts the same. The ring of peace now disarms and silences. Enemy players can now auto-attack inside the ring of peace, and also cast spells on allies which they couldn’t do previously. Disarm and silence effects are now also subject to diminishing returns. What it spells it shares it’s DR with is anybodies guess!
This talent is over-complicated and we find it useful only in PvP situations. Avoid it unless you’re comfortable with using it.
Mistweaver
- Revival now has a healing cap of 15 raid members (up from 6) when used in a 25-player instance.
A large buff to our large raid-wide heal. This is to make it more effective in 25 man raids, as the percentage of players healed between 10-man and 25-man were very different. This should now heal for a similar percentage to 10-man. A welcome change for sure, especially for those doing 25-man or LFR content. However, we’re not sure if battlegrounds with 25 players or more will be included as a 25-player instance.
Well that’s it for Mistweaver Monks this time around. Please be sure to let us know what you think of the upcoming changes to Mistweavers for Patch 5.3, and if you’re happy with how Mistweaver Monks currently are in the game. Do you believe Blizzard should have done more to balance it? Let us know in the comments below!