April 30, 2008
Mrr Grr
It’s been sort of interesting watching the Growl discussion unfold on the Test realm message board. There’s been some good information put out there by external testers (IE, hunters like you and I) but for now, the discussion seems to have been closed as one of the relevant threads has been locked after being posted in by Hortus:
There was not a change to the way Growl scales with hunter AP, the bug fix eliminated growl scaling with the pet’s attack power.
Growl has always scaled with hunter attack power in exactly the same way as it does in 2.4.2, there were no changes. I have verified multiple times that growl threat does scale with hunter AP AND that it is doing so in the same way in 2.4.1 and 2.4.2.
I’m sorry if you were given the impression that this was a new feature.
Which was followed by more posts and then the thread was locked, with this parting comment:
This is the last post I will be making about pet threat, no matter what I say I’m accused of lying or being wrong. Right now as of 2.4.2 growl is creating the intended amount of threat and is scaling with hunter attack power at an intended rate. If you do not agree with this then please post your opinions in the appropriate forums (suggestions or class forums).
As this is not considered a bug no amount of posting here or in the bug report forums will get it changed.
I don’t know though, not sure we should give up on this subject QUITE yet. That said, they have requested some focus testing:
We would like to request some focused testing on a bug that we believe to be fixed in 2.4.2.
Using a macro with several instant cast spells can break targeting and the Escape key. This is most often reported as happening with hunter kill command macros.
Please test your macros and report here if you encounter any of these UI lock-ups.
April 25, 2008
Test additions
Here are some more additions to the 2.4.2 patch notes. The change to Viper is now 'officially’ listed:
- Aspect of the Viper: This ability now grants an additional amount of mana each 5 seconds equal to 35% of the hunter’s level.
- Boar Charge: This ability will no longer make Growl cast immediately after it generates excessive threat.
- Scare Beast: The range on this spell has been increased to 30 yards and it is now instant cast.
- Elixir of Demonslaying: This elixir now grants ranged attack power against demons as intended.
- Shattered Sun Pendant of Might: The triggered effect from this item will no longer break Scatter Shot or other crowd-controlling affects. The visual on the Scryer version has been updated.
April 24, 2008
Dire Ravens
The newly tameable Dire Ravens (Level 67-68) in Blade’s Edge are classed as Carrion Birds and upon taming know Dive 3 and Screech 5. Remember, this is on Test only, for now – you won’t be able to tame them on live servers until 2.4.2.
April 23, 2008
2.4.2
Pre-patch notes for 2.4.2. Here comes the hunter stuff.
- Dire Ravens in Blade’s Edge Mountains now tameable.
- Tamed Drywallow Snappers now will know Bite 5 (instead of Claw 5.)
- Bow of Searing Arrows and Red Whelp Gloves will no longer break crowd control effects.
- Most Main-Hand weapons are now One-Hand weapons.
- Troll Male off-hand items are now the same size as the main hand item.
- Tauren weapons while sheathed have had their graphic readjusted to their pre-patch (2.4.0) state.
- The Vengeful Gladiator’s Rifle will now play the proper sound when used.
- The Cursed Vision of Sargeras now gives the buff, “Sense Demons” which can be canceled normally. Additionally hunters and druids are able to track two things at once while using the item.
- It is no longer possible for pets to get stuck in place after exiting the Spectral Realm in the Kalecgos encounter.
- The hunter pet ability Growl will no longer scale with pet Attack Power.
To follow up about the Growl change, we received this comment from Nethaera:
Growl was scaling incorrectly before so it’s been changed to scale with the hunter’s AP starting at around 1200 AP. Other pet abilities such as bite, claw, etc will still scale with pet AP. Please keep in mind this isn’t changing the normal amount of threat that pets produce.
Of course, claw and bite don’t scale with AP currently and preliminary reports suggest that they still don’t, so… take that bit with a grain of salt.
Not in the patch notes but on Test realm is an additional change to Aspect of the Viper. Previously, it regenerated mana equal to up to 55% of the player’s intellect. On Test now, in addition to that, it is up to 35% of the player’s level, as well.
April 9, 2008
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
I was actually surprised that there wasn’t a follow-up 2.4.2 patch on Tuesday, as there are quite a few 'known issues’ that seem in desperate need of fixing (ask anyone who has an Exalted neck from Shattered Sun with the Scryer proc – Arcane Strike anyone, yuk!) But, there wasn’t one. However, there are things that need mentioning, so let’s get to it!
First, from Hortus, regarding Improved Hunter’s Mark and Hunter’s Mark:
This is working correctly, once improved hunter’s mark is on a target any Hunter’s mark (improved or not) will refresh the duration of the existing mark (not overwrite it). The buff does not change in any way just the duration remaining.
And, about Boar Charge, also from Hortus:
I have confirmed with the developers that Boar’s growl ability getting such a large bonus to attack power based on charge is a bug. Growl should only benefit from the hunter’s attack power and get no benefit from buffs to the pet’s attack power.
Expect this to be changed in a future patch. If you disagree with this change please post about it in the suggestions or class forums.
Although this somewhat answers the questions about boars, it doesn’t especially address the growl issue which was touched on earlier in the week and seem to be still ongoing, but, are working as intended according to internal Blizzard testing done by Hortus. Nimizar of Proudmore has done quite a bit of testing, you can read his findings here. The issue may or may not be re-addressed.
All that’s left are the known (bugged) issues to cover. They are (as they relate to Hunters):
- Initial trigger or activation sounds for Immolation Trap (rank 6) and Explosive Trap (rank 4) cannot be heard by Classic WoW players.
- Swapping your current pet for a stabled pet while mounting will cause you to receive an error (“You do not have a pet to summon”) when you use Call Pet.
- Zoning after a pet has died or has been dismissed can cause an “Internal Pet Error”.
- Players are able to have pets out while mounted by logging out.
- Pig pets are not making footprints.
- Hunter’s Mark does not appear above Shield Orbs.
- (User Interface) The hunter’s spell Dismiss Pet “fades” from player 1 minute after dismissing pet.
- (User Interface) Pet skill damage appears on the screen while Pet damage option is disabled.
- (User Interface) Dying and disconnecting causes you to be unable to release.
- Abilities/trinkets that trigger after killing an opponent that gives experience or honor are being activated after killing mobs during bombing quests.
- Several procs from items are breaking crowd control effects such as Scatter Shot.
- Vengeful Gladiator’s Rifle (34530) is using a inconsistent sound.
- Bow strings are not being lit in 2.4.0.
- The Arcane Strike proc from Shattered Sun Pendant of Might is breaking crowd control effects such as Scatter Shot.
- It is possible to dodge, block, and parry the proc Arcane Strike from the Shattered Sun Pendant of Might.
- The Brutal Gladiator’s Rifle is emitting a Bow sound effect upon use, despite the item being a Gun.