SPECIFIC CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS

Expanded supported window modes in Options

Integrated Direct3D 11 graphics API

Added 64 bit support for Windows

Sounds are disabled when the client is not active in -nativefullscr

See the World Editor section for more details on many additions and improvements including beta support for Lua

Join the fray over in the Competitive section for balance and map pool changes

BUG FIXES

256 bones are available (Thank you, Retera)

Custom movies play correctly (Thank you, Gustafsson)

DBZ Tribute Elite 2.5.1g no longer causes desyncs

Builders_and_Fighters_CFVers_1.08 no longer causes desyncs

Char Def 4 3.0 Fix 5 English loads

HM RPG v7.00 loads

NCD6.9 ENG Dannebox loads

Maps no longer download again with each patch

Sound data no longer transferred between maps

Commands issued while a unit is affected by Possession no longer trigger after control is restored

Switching window focus with Open Broadcaster Software running no longer causes freezes

Combat and death sounds are no longer played globally for observers

KNOWN ISSUES

This PTR does not support Mac

Setting texture quality to low may result in a crash

The map preview window has been temporarily removed

Lua errors report the wrong line number

COMMAND LINE CHANGES

The ‘/’ command line argument flag is no longer supported (use ‘-’ instead)

Removed: -nativefullscr (Replacement: -windowmode fullscreen)

Removed: -fullscreen (Replacement: -windowmode windowedfullscreen)

Removed: -window (Replacement: -windowmode windowed)

Removed: -swtnl (Replacement: nothing, Warcraft uses hardware texture and lighting)

Removed: -d3d (Replacement: -graphicsapi Direct3D9 [May be removed in the future])

Remvoed: -opengl (Replacement: -graphicsapi OpenGL [May be removed in the future])

REGISTRY CHANGES

Removed: “Gfx Fullscreen” (Replacement: the window mode is now stored in the preferences)

Removed: “Gfx OpenGL” (Replacement: -graphicsapi OpenGL on the command line)

Removed: “Gfx SwTNL” (Replacement: nothing, Warcraft uses hardware texture and lighting)

WORLD EDITOR

DISCLAIMER: MAPS CREATED WITH PTR BUILD WILL NOT WORK ON LIVE

(Beta) Added Lua as a supported scripting language. To create a Lua map:

Create a blank map

Open “Scenario -> Map Options”

Select “Lua” from the “Script Language” dropdown:

Maps save in the selected language

Maps that are written only in standard libraries can switch to Lua

Maps that use custom script will have to disable all custom triggers before conversion

(Beta) Object modification system API allows new changes to many items, abilities, units and more at run-time.

Maps can be saved and loaded as folders (as well as MPQs)

You can now manipulate the map structure very easily outside of the editor (such as adding files). In the editor go to File > Save As and then select to save the map as a directory or a MPQ. This feature coupled with auto-import allows maps to be manipulated and developed by multi-person teams more easily.

Loose files in a map are now auto-imported in World Editor

Historically, an imported file would be noted in the .imp file. Loading the map only load/save files that were stored in the import file. Auto-import loads and save files that are stored in the map folder automatically. This also makes manipulation of map files outside the editor possible.

Added support for many popular community created functions

Added Custom User Interface functions to allow map makers to add, remove, and adjust UI frames

When saving a map as an MPQ, the editor no longer saves file times to make maps deterministic

The editor now creates a backup map file on save

The data layout in CASC has changed, each directory with the “.w3mod” suffix acts as an overlay for the engine

Maps are .w3mods with a different extension (.w3m or .w3x) which allows us to support maps that contain all locales in one map

Folders can now be nested in the Trigger Editor

Globals are now part of the trigger tree, and can be put in relevant categories

Doodad height is now an adjustable property (Requires “Reset Fixed Object Heights” disabled)

When creating new objects in the object editor you are now given the option to customize it

Scripts can now detect when any unit is damaged

Scripts can now detect and modify the damage done before armor

Scripts can now detect and modify the attack type, damage type, and weapon type (Note, modifying these only works in the pre-armor event)

GroupAddUnit/GroupRemoveUnit now returns true/false if a unit was added/removed

More group manipulation natives (BlzGroupAddGroupFast, BlzGroupRemoveGroupFast, BlzGroupGetSize, BlzGroupUnitAt)

Bitwise functions (BlzBitOr, BlzBitAnd, BlzBitXor)

When JassHelper is enabled, it now only shows the JassHelper error dialog

Removed deadzone when using the editor on widescreen displays

Tooltip Previewer displays how text will appear in game

BlzSetAbilityResearchExtendedTooltip now displays the correct string

BlzGetLocalUnitZ now returns the correct height

Setting Use Custom Color to True for the waterfall doodad no longer causes a crash

Units given custom spellcaster icons do not crash the game client when selected

Certain custom models are no longer lost due to textures being relocated in the game

COMPETITIVE UPDATES

Devour can now target Mountain Giants without Resistant Skin

Paladins equipped with an orb item no longer have a slower attack speed when attacking air units

Ultravision upgrade is now applied to Mountain Giants, Spirits of Vengeance, and Avatars of Vengeance

Hero Balance Changes

Blademaster

Windwalk

Cooldown now occurs when Windwalk breaks

Reduced the cooldown of Windwalk from 5 seconds to 2 seconds across all levels

Critical Strike

Now benefits from all damage once again, not just base damage

Dev Comment: Reducing Critical Strike’s damage sources lowered overall burst, and had the downside of making his stats unclear. The Blademaster was also able to strike and fade away without recourse if Windwalk was activated 5 seconds prior to get attacking. These changes increase the Blademaster’s damage, but leaves him vulnerable to counterattack.

Dark Ranger

Life Drain

Life Drain now applies the Dark Minion effect of the current rank of Black Arrow (Requires at least 1 point in Black Arrow)

Dev comment: Drain Life and Black Arrow didn’t synergize. Black Arrow’s short debuff meant Drain Life was unlikely to result in a Dark Minion. This change benefits Drain Life by letting it gain the intended effect - but not damage bonus - of Black Arrow.

Orc Balance Changes

Tauren

Pulverize

Tauren now start with a reduced Pulverize that deals 20 damage

The Pulverize upgrade has been changed to “Upgrade Pulverize,” which increases the damage of Pulverize to 60

Upgrade Pulverize lumber cost reduced from 250 to 225 lumber

Dev Comment: Prior changes made the Tauren Totem easier to construct early, but it is still rare to see Tauren on the battlefield. This change is intended to make your first few Tauren more viable to takeover your front line. Reducing the upgrade’s lumber cost also helps with the transition. Overall, your upgrade cost is similar to a fully upgraded Knight or Abomination.

Spiked Barricades

Reduced the number of upgrade levels from 3 to 2

Tier 1 is 5 base damage + 20% of the attacker’s damage

Tier 2 is 5 base damage + 50% of the attacker’s damage

Dev Comment: Spiked Barricades has not had much of a role in high level 1v1 games partly due to how long the upgrade takes to become effective and that it does not scale with high tech melee units. Giving the upgrade extra percentage based damage increases the effectiveness against late game units and reducing upgrade level count should help with it coming online faster. This does make the upgrade more complex, so we look forward to hearing feedback about this direction.

Human Balance Changes

Knight

New Upgrade: Sundering Blades

Researched at the Barracks

Requires Castle, Lumber Mill, and Blacksmith

100 gold / 100 lumber / 40 second research time

Increases Knight’s damage against Medium armor by 15%

Dev comment: While the Knight is quite formidable in single combat with other units, we wanted to improve its role vs medium armor further than the default damage bonus of 150%. This allows Knights to be more threatening vs ranged units they chase down - such as Crypt Fiends - and increases their ability to fight against Mountain Giants.

Animal War Training

Knight base Hit Points increased by 50

Gryphon Rider base Hit Points increased by 50

Dragonhawk Rider base Hit Points increased by 50

Animal War Training provides 100 Hit Points, down from 150

Animal War Training lumber cost reduced from 175 to 125

Dev comment: This change is intended to help Human players transition to their Tier 3 units. Increasing base hit points should help reduce the reliance on Animal War Training, and reducing the lumber cost should slightly help the overall transition to these units.

Orb of Fire

Bonus Damage reduced from 10 to 5

No longer gives area of effect damage

New effect: On hit applies a debuff that decreases the effectiveness of healing abilities and hit point regeneration by 50%

Debuff lasts 3 seconds

Dev comment: By shifting the Orb of Fire into an anti-healing role Human players will be better equipped to focus down enemy units in the late game against powerful healers like the Death Knight. This should directly benefit many of Human’s potential late game unit combinations such as Riflemen, spell casters and Gryphons. While this debuff is most easily applied by a ranged attack hero, it should also be very helpful on melee ones as well since its effectiveness is not determined by the raw stats of the unit holding it. As this is quite a large departure from the previous Orb of Fire changes to this item are likely.

Night Elf Balance Changes

Glaive Thrower

Vorpal Glaives Upgrade

Now increases projectile speed from 1400 to 2400

No longer guaranteed to hit its primary target

No longer changes to do damage in a line, instead Glaive Throwers keep their pre-upgrade circular area of effect damage

Dev comment: We looked into solving the issue of Glaive Throwers with Vorpal Glaives upgrade always doing full damage to their target by making its projectile homing. After feedback and testing this solution is being shelved. Instead we will change the upgrade to increase the projectile speed of the Glaive while allowing it to still ‘miss’ the its target similar to other siege weapons. This leans into the Glaive Thrower’s personality of being a high velocity siege weapon while fixing the bug.

Hippogryph Rider

Base Stats

Base hit points increasedfrom 780 to 785

Dev comment: The Hippogryph Rider is a merge of both the Hippogryph and Archer, this means they share hit points as well. This should have minimal balance impact beyond making it more consistent with their individual hit points.

Undead

Gargoyle

Base Stats

Movement Speed increased from 350 to 400

Gold Cost reduced from 185 to 175

Dev Comment: Increasing the speed of Gargoyles to match Flying Machines and Hippogryphs should allow them to better choose when and where they want to fight. Reducing their cost also helps in general with making them a more competitive choice against Crypt Fiends. Moving Stone Form to Tier 2 was also a piece of feedback we considered, but are not moving forward with right now as increasing the Gargoyles mobility and ability to regenerate hit points at the same time could push their harass ability into being too oppressive.

Necromancer

New Spell Order

Cripple → Raise Dead → Unholy Frenzy

Cripple

Now 85 mana

Reduces movement speed by 75%, reduces attack speed by 10%, and reduces attack damage by 35%

Unholy Frenzy

Renamed to Incite Unholy Frenzy

Now 125 mana

Still 500 cast range

Ability area of effect is 250

Sacrifices a target friendly Undead unit. All nearby non-mechanical units gain Unholy Frenzy.

The Unholy Frenzy buff is unchanged

Skeletal Mastery

Now requires Necromancer Adept Training to unlock

Dev Comment: Currently, Necromancers must be produced in large numbers right away in order to summon many skeletons, as their single target spells are locked behind the Necromancer training upgrades. This commitment to Necromancers can be problematic as the opposing player has a large window to scout and prepare. We want to address this by rearranging and revamping the skills of the Necromancer so that producing a few early on can provide value right away while massing them later still lets players summon a large skeleton army. A weakened but cheaper version of Cripple at level 1 gives Undead a new way to single out and chase down enemy units at Tier 2. The new version of Unholy Frenzy is intended to combo with the Raise Dead - by sacrificing a few of your Skeletons a couple Necromancers can power up a whole army. It can also be used to sacrifice low hit point units to deny experience for the opponent. Since this is a very large change to the Necromancer it’s likely that adjustments will be required.

Ghoul Frenzy

Increase attack speed bonus from 25% to 35%

Dev Comment: The prior upgrade didn’t make Ghouls strong enough to make up for how poorly they trade vs the other race’s similarly upgraded units. Increasing the attack bonus by 10% changes a number of unit relations to better favor Ghouls in direct combat. Additionally, the change to Necromancers having Cripple right away should also assist Ghoul effectiveness at Tier 2.

(New Item) Ritual Dagger

Bought from Tomb of Relics

125 Gold, 2 Charges

20 second cooldown between charges

Stock 1

90 second restock time

400 cast range

300 ability effect radius

Available at Tier 1

Effect: Sacrifices a friendly Undead unit to heal 100 hit points to all friendly non-mechanical units around it.

Dev Comment: With this item the Undead race will have access to an early game healing effect outside of the Death Knight. By using it in conjunction with Rod of Necromancy or Crypt Lord beetles Undead players should have more options as to how they want to creep and fight early game. The current stats of Ritual Dagger are likely on the strong side, which is to help promote testing. Adding a new item like this is a large change so we are going to be watching closely for feedback.

Items

Boots of Speed

Removed from the default creep camp drop table

Starts with 2 stock on Goblin Merchants after initial cooldown

Dev comment: The primary goal here was to prevent network connectivity wars for the first purchase. Moving Boots of Speed out of the default creep drop table is experimental. It’s one of the last items that can be bought at the Goblin Merchant and dropped by creeps, and by increasing the starting stock the item should naturally be more available to both players.

Rings of Protection

Ring +2 - level 2

Change to Ring +3

Ring +3 - level 3

Change to Ring +4

Ring +4 - level 6

Change to Ring +5

Ring +5 - level 7

Removed from default creep drop tables

Across all levels - the Ring of Protection gold price has been adjusted to be the same as other permanent items of the same level.

Dev comment: We get quite a bit of feedback about the Rings of Protection being under-powered compared to other items in their tier. So we are increasing the bonus armor they provide by 1. We are removing the highest tier ring as it is often less impactful for heroes who obtain it compared other options in that tier due to how armor has diminishing returns as more is added.

Cloak of Shadows

Heroes carrying this item can now Shadowmeld during the day as well as at night

Using this Hide ability also works with units that have Shadowmeld

Dev comment: Currently, Cloak of Shadows has low desirability among many players. It also is one of the few items that deactivates for portions of the game without player input. Making it usable during the day should give it more flexibility.

Tome of Experience

No longer a random drop from creep camps

Dev comment: Experience comes with the blood of your enemies! We believe one of the core fun parts of WarCraft 3 melee is the tension between players in how they level up their heroes. Tome of Experience changes this by giving the player who finds it a big bump in power but in a way that an opponent cannot prepare for or predict. Since this tome already has reduced effectiveness in late game there was concern that simply reducing its experience amount would make it feel uninteresting late game, while still maintaining its issues early game. So we are going to remove it.

_Warsong Battle Drums _

Now provides the same ‘War Drums’ Command Aura buff as Kodo Beasts

Dev comment: This is currently the only aura item that stacks with a similar aura from one of the playable races. This is a slight nerf to Orc, but it does make the aura items overall more unified and operate without exceptions.

_Lion Horn of Stormwind _

Devotion Aura effect increased from 1 bonus armor to 2 bonus armor

Scourge Bone Chimes

Vampiric Aura effect increased from 15% to 20%

Dev comment: As a baseline, aura items should at least be the same as a level 1 hero ability. Since Devotion Aura and Vampiric Aura were buffed, we are increasing the effect of their respective aura items as well.

Periapt of Vitality

Gold price reduced from 350 to 325

Dev comment: Currently, this is the only item in its tier that is more expensive than others. We want to reduce its price slightly to make it more desirable to purchase it from the Goblin Merchant.

Crystal Ball

Item level decreased from 5 to 3

Gold price reduced from 500 to 300

Dev comment: At level 5 the Crystal Ball is noticeably less powerful than the other item drop options. It does provide ‘free’ scouting which may be helpful, but perhaps more helpful in the early game than later on.

Sentry Wards

Duration decreased from 5 minutes to 3 minutes

Dev comment: High level feedback is that while this item’s duration is already lower than the Witch Doctor’s Sentry Ward already, it still provides too much scouting information overall.

Map Changes

Plunder Isle LV has been removed from 1v1 ladder

Tirisfal Glades LV has been removed from 1v1 ladder

Nomad Isles has been added to 1v1 ladder

Ancient Isles has been added to 1v1 ladder

Battleground has been removed from 3v3 ladder

Battleground LV has been added to 3v3 ladder

Timbermaw Hold (RoC version) has been removed from 3v3 ladder

Timbermaw Hold (TFT version) has been added to 3v3 ladder

Blasted Lands has been removed from 4v4 ladder

Nerubian Passage has been added to 4v4 ladder

(2)AncientIsles

Several changes made from original author’s version to make it ladder ready

(3)NomadIsles

New map from W3Arena

Several changes made from original author’s version to make it ladder ready

(8)NerubianPassage

New map from Hive Workshop

Small changes made from original author’s version to make it ladder ready

(2)NorthernIsles

Natural expansion creep camp changed from 2 Mud Golems, 2 Ogre Warriors and Rock Golem to Ice Troll, Ice Troll Priest, Tuskarr Trapper, and Ogre Magi. Item drop no longer includes a level 2 power up.

Red creep camp changed from Blue Drake and 4 Ice Troll Berserkers to Magnataur Reaver, Ogre Magi, Polar Furbolg Shaman, and Ogre Warrior. Item drop now includes a level 2 power up.

Goblin Laboratory creep camp changed from 2 Gnoll Wardens and 2 Gnoll Overseers to 2 Tuskarr Sorcerers and Polar Furbolg Tracker. Item drop changed from level 2 permanent and level 2 power up to level 3 permanent.

Replaced 1 Gnoll Assassin with Gnoll Warden at Goblin Merchant creep camp

Replaced 1 Ice Troll High Priest with Ice Troll Berserker at Marketplace creep camp

Replaced 1 Warrior Arachnathid with a Barbed Arachnathid and a Crystal Arachnathid at the Arachnathid creep camp. Also moved the Nerubian Webspinner to the other side of the creep camp. Item drop changed from level 3 permanent and level 1 power up to level 2 permanent and level 2 charged.

Added additional fence near Goblin Laboratory and moved expansion back a little into the tree line to improve pathing.

Fixed gaps in tree line around the map.

Removed 2 stray trees near the top expansion in the river.

Removed random frogs around the map and added a frog critter at the orange ogre/tuskar creep camp for each player.

Small visual terrain changes and improvements around the map.

Shifted the northeast starting location so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

Changed some terrain on islands in the northwest and southeast to be unbuildable

Removed Rock Archway doodads near starting locations to improve visibility

(2)PlunderIsle_LV

Adjusted the position of each starting location and added trees near each starting location to make them more equal

(2)SwampedTemple

Compressed the map at the outer edges and reduced playable area size slightly

Moved Mercenary Camps further in and removed the tree lines in front of them

The Marketplace has been replaced with a Goblin Merchant and moved into the center of the map. Creeps also changed from Furbolg Shaman, Furbolg Tracker, and Furbolg to 2 Ogre Maulers and a Renegade Wizard.

Replaced Skeletal Orc with Gnoll Brute for green creep camp adjacent to starting locations

Mercenary Camp creeps changed from 2 Spitting Spiders and Giant Spider to Skeleton Warrior, Ogre Magi, and Kobold Geomancer. Item drop changed from level 2 charged to level 2 permanent and level 1 power up.

Forest Troll High Priest replaced with Forest Troll Shadow Priest at the natural expansion creep camp

Makura Tidecaller replaced with Makura Pooldweller at green creep camp near expansion location. Item drop changed from level 2 power up to Rune of the Watcher.

Green Murloc creep camp changed from 2 Mur’gul Cliffruners, Mur’gul Blood-Gill, and Mur’gul Snarecaster to 3 Mur’gul Cliffruners, Murloc Huntsman, and Murloc Flesheater.

Green Skeleton creep camp changed from Giant Skeleton Warrior, Skeletal Marksman, and Skeleton Archer to 2 Skeletal Marksman, Skeletal Archer, and Murloc Flesheater, . Item drop changed from level 1 permanent to level 2 charged.

Enforcers replaced with Rogues and Brigands replaced with Assassins at the Goblin Laboratory creep camps.

Removed Gnoll Brute from creep camp at center Gold Mine

Changed the item drop for the Enforcer/Kobold creep camp from level 2 charged to level 1 power up and Rune of Lesser Healing.

Creeps at northern Goblin Merchant changed from Renegade Wizard and Kobold Tunneler to Forest Troll Warlord and Forest Troll Shadow Priest.

Skeletal Marksman replaced with Burning Archers at red creep camp in northeast

Added a nearby tree for each Goblin Laboratory

Slightly adjusted the position of the northern Goblin Laboratory and creeps to keep spacing consistent

Removed a Barricade doodad from the southern Goblin Laboratory area to keep spacing consistent

Reduced the amount of critters and moved critters so they don’t block creeping

(2)TerenasStand_LV

Removed Column doodads in center of map to improve visibility

(4)BridgeTooNear_LV

Shifted the northwest starting location so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

Removed trees around 3 of the starting locations to make them more equal

(4)CentaurGrove

Shifted the east starting location and added trees around multiple starting locations to make them more equal

(4)Deathrose

Replaced 2 Rubble doodads with trees near each of the Mercenary Camps

_(4)FountainOfManipulation

Shifted the northwest starting location so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

(4)LostTemple (RoC version)

Added some trees near the northern starting location to make wall off distance similar to the other starting locations

(4)TidewaterGlades_LV

Added two trees behind the northern Goblin Laboratory

(6)GnollWood (TFT version)

Slightly adjusted some starting locations, added trees, and modified terrain to make all starting locations more equal

(6)Monsoon_LV

Added additional trees near the northeast Mercenary Camp

Shifted the east starting location so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

(6)NeonCity

Replaced one of the Bench Stone doodads near each of the Goblin Laboratories with a tree

(6)RollingHills

Added trees near several of the starting locations to make them more equal

Removed one rock and shrub doodad, lowered one grid of terrain, and added additional trees nearby the most northern Goblin Laboratory

(6)RuinsOfStratholme

Shifted the bottom right starting location up so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

Added 4 trees behind each of the Mercenary Camps

(6)StranglethornVale

Added trees near multiple starting locations to make them more equal

(6)ThunderLake_LV

Added additional trees near the southwest Mercenary Camp

(6)TimbermawHold (TFT version)

Added trees near multiple starting locations to make them more equal

(8)Battleground_LV

Added trees near southwest and west starting locations

Slightly adjusted position of west and south starting locations

Changed target acquisition range of creeps guarding expansion locations to Normal

(8)Friends

Slightly adjusted starting locations and added trees so that each starting location is more equal

(8)GoldRush

Added trees and slightly modified cliff near the southern Mercenary Camp

(8)GolemsInTheMist_LV

Slightly adjusted some starting locations, added trees, and modified terrain to make all starting locations more equal

(8)MarketSquare

Slightly adjusted the position of each of the Mercenary Camps

Added 3 trees behind each of the Mercenary Camps

(8)Mur’gulOasis_LV

Shifted the south southeast starting location so that it is an optimal distance away from the Gold Mine

Added trees behind each of the Mercenary Camps

(8)Sanctuary_LV

Added two trees behind each of the Mercenary Camps