Dubbed “patch 8.1, part 2,” the last chunk of patch 8.1 changes and content goes live for the next reset (U.S. January 22). This includes the opening of the Battle for Dazar’alor raid, the anticipated Azerite Armor changes, the start of M+ and PvP Season 2, and tons of ilevel updates and difficulty changes for existing content.
Azerite Armor Updates
- New epic Azerite pieces can be acquired through Season 2 PvP, the new raid, World Quest Emissaries, and M+ vendor Thaumaturge Vashreen in faction capitals.
- New Azerite Armor pieces have five rings of traits.
- The new outer ring unlocks at Heart of Azeroth level 15.
- The new outer ring offers 2 trait options per specialization (6 total traits for most classes).
- New traits, including many acquired in the new raid and from gear from the Darkshore Warfront (which hasn’t shown yet since the new ring reveals with the next reset).
- 10 more ranks of Azerite Knowledge that accrues between January 22 and March. Azerite Knowledge passively increases your Heart of Azeroth leveling rate, regardless of if its a new character or one that’s been playing since BFA launched. (It’s a catch-up mechanism.)
- Read more!
Raid Opens: Battle of Dazar’alor
The second Battle for Azeroth raid finally opens on January 22. From the raid unlock schedule announcement:
- Raid bosses: 9
- Difficulties: Raid Finder, Normal, Heroic, Mythic
- Level: 120
- Raid Finder Minimum Item Level: 350
Raid Unlock Schedule
- January 22 – Normal and Heroic Difficulties
- January 29 – Mythic and Raid Finder Wing 1
- February 12 – Raid Finder Wing 2
- February 26 – Raid Finder Wing 3
The Alliance will strike at the heart of the Zandalari empire—while the defenders of the Horde will rally to their new allies’ defense—in an epic new raid, Battle of Dazar’alor. This new raid provides both Horde and Alliance players with unique encounters for their faction—along with the opportunity to play through events from the opposite faction’s viewpoint.
You can learn more about the unique Horde and Alliance bosses from the official post.
BFA Mythic Keystone and Pvp Season 2
- PvP Notes
- Players who earn 500 Conquest Points in one week will get one Quartermaster’s Coin and a piece of gear from that week’s selection
- During weeks when the Conquest reward is a head, shoulder, or chest item, players can choose from one of four different pieces of Azerite gear.
- For the weeks when the Conquest reward is not an Azerite piece, trinket, or weapon, players will be able to choose gear from one of two different slots such as legs and wrists, hands and back, or finger and feet.
- Players can use a weekly bonus roll token in PvP for a chance at an additional piece of gear and Quartermaster’s Coin.
- 10 Quatermaster’s Coins can be redeemed for a Warlord’s Trophy.
- Warlord’s Trophies allow you to upgrade a piece of Sinister Gladiator’s gear to a high ilevel based on your current Rated PvP bracket.
- The PvP reward UI will show the requirements to receive your weekly chest.
- Elite sets can be viewed in the transmog collection UI under Sets.
- PvP bracket naming system has changed.
- Unranked: 0-1399
- Combatant: 1400-1599
- Challenger: 1600-1799
- Rival: 1800-2099
- Duelist: 2100-2399
- Elite: 2400+
- Sinister Gladiator title/achievement will be earned by winning 50 games above a 2400 rating in 3v3–players in the top 0.1% will earn the title for Season 2.
- PvP mounts include the Vicious Black Bonesteed and Vicious Black Warsaber.
- Players fill up their progress bar for one of these mounts first, then can refill the bar repeatedly for Vicious Saddles.
- Vicious Saddles allow you to buy a mount from a previous season.
- For the first week of Season 2, PvP end match rewards will be capped at ilevel 385.
- Read More!
- Players who earn 500 Conquest Points in one week will get one Quartermaster’s Coin and a piece of gear from that week’s selection
- M+ Notes
- Season 2 adds the new seasonal affix Reaping.
- Reaping affix in high-level M+ will summon Bwonsamdi at certain points throughout dungeons. At these points, slain enemies will “linger” to “wreak havoc” on players as “a final act of vengeance.”
- Baseline ilevel rewards from M+ increases to 370.
- For the first week, ilevel from M+ rewards will be capped at +6 (385).
PvP Season 2
PvP Season 2 will begin and introduce an updated Conquest reward schedule, mounts, and gear. Players who earn 500 Conquest points in a given week through PvP activities including Arenas, Battlegrounds, and Assaults in War Mode will be still be able to choose a piece of gear from each week’s selection; in addition, they’ll now earn a Quartermaster’s Coin, which can be collected and ultimately used to upgrade pieces from this season’s Sinister Gladiator PvP set.
Mythic+ Dungeon Season 2
The new Mythic Keystone Dungeon season opens opportunities for new rewards and a new challenge with the new seasonal affix: Reaping. High-level Keystones will now summon Bwonsamdi, the Loa of Death, to wreak some spectral havoc upon players’ dungeon run. As heroes kill enemies, the vanquished spirits will continue to linger in the mortal realm. At certain points throughout the dungeon, Bwonsamdi will resurrect these twisted souls, who will swarm the unfortunate adventurers in a final act of vengeance.
Content Difficulty and Reward Updates
With a new season upon us and the Dazar’alor raid dungeon opening, we wanted to share some additional information on the changes coming to a variety of dungeon and outdoor world encounters including increases to both difficulty and rewards.
- New Maximum Item Level: With great challenges come great rewards and the maximum possible item level will go up to 425.
- Battle for Darkshore Warfront: Battle for Darkshore rewards will also increase to 400 from both the outdoor boss and from Warfront quest that can be completed once per cycle. The difficulty of the Warfront will increase however, and the item level required to queue will increase to 335. These changes will go into effect after the current Warfront cycle has ended. Until that time, players will still receive Season 1 rewards.
- World Quest Emissary Rewards: World Quest Emissary weapon and armor rewards will also now scale up to 385 based on the player’s own item level. Rewards from the original Battle for Azeroth Launch World bosses will remain at item level 355 to stay on par with Uldir.
- Dungeon Rewards and Difficulty: The difficulty of Heroic and Mythic dungeons will also be increase as follows: Normal–340, Heroic–355, and Mythic– 370(baseline)
- Mythic Keystone Dungeons and PvP: During the first week of Season 2 Mythic Keystone Dungeon rewards will be capped at Mythic 6 quality (item level 385). PvP Season 2 end-of-match rewards will be capped at 385.
- Seals of Wartorn Fate: Seals of Wartorn Fate are not being reset and this same currency can be used for Battle of Dazar’alor and Season 2 bonus rolls; the cap on how many can be held at once remains at 5.
Don’t miss the rest of our patch 8.1: Tides of Vengeance coverage! Questions, comments, or corrections? Feel free to drop them below or @BlizzPro!
