3.1 PTR Notes and Pictures

http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?topic=40602.0

This is pretty much all the info so far, and is updated with new things as they are found.

Ulduar is probably going to be big if there's a Tram in it, new kirin tor rings to buy in Dalaran, and much more

new flying mount?

There will be NEW PETS!!! When is it coming out??

Probably about a month from now I'd guess, but obviously I have no clue

I'll take it! Sounds a whole lot better than 3 months.

All sets of T8 are now in this link

I like the warlock set! And the shammie shoulders are pretty sick, I'm not much of a fan of the rogue or mage stuff though...

here are the latest patch notes I am trying to get into the PTR

World of Warcraft PTR Patch 3.1.0

The latest test realm patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html

The latest patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/
Mounts Can swim now YAY was waiting for that

Sadly, when patch 3.1 comes out this will no longer be an option.

But on the bright side, the cooldown for our hearthstones will be reduced to 30 minutes. YAY!!!

I am mad, a 10% penalty for TG (Titan's Grip)! Come on now! I remember back in the pre-3.0.2 patch days (from hereon it will be known as BTG) where most people thought DW or Arms warriors have leprosy. It was hard to get into a pug group for an instance or even worse into an awesome raiding guild (yes, I was rejected by Kishi once before...thanks Jez just kidding. I know it wasn't your call). After TG (ATG) was introduced and refined, DW fury warriors became relevant again. I don't how this will change our DPS in raids but I think it is silly to nerf us since inorder for DPS warriors to do damage, we need to be proximity of the bosses. Moreover, with the introduction of Death Knights, we now have to complete for a melee spot in a raid group with them and rogues. Sigh!

Changes to the Fool for Love meta achievement in 3.1:

For the Be Mine achievement, you only need to create 6 unique candies.

http://www.wowinsider.com/2009/02/25/you-may-be-a-love-fool-after-all/

OMG, Myrora!!! Does this help you???

Moved post to Critter Corner.

Wait a minute...

Did you say "Northrend Fishing Dailies"?!?!?!

Woot!!!!

Awww yeah! Check this link out for Northrend Fishing Dailies:

http://www.elsanglin.com/northrend_daily_quests.html

According to mmo-champion.com, the target date for 3.1 Patch is shortly before April 12th, although if the testing takes longer than expected, it could be delayed a week or two.

(Girl's eyes light up)

New Proto Drakes, probably for doing the hard mode achievements in ulduar:

Proto Drakes

Tier 8 Set Bonuses
Only Death Knight and Druid Bonuses are available in this build, sorry!

Death Knight

Item - Death Knight T8 Melee 2P Bonus (Class: Death Knight) -- Increases the critical strike chance of Death Coil and Frost Strike by 5%.
Item - Death Knight T8 Melee 4P Bonus (Class: Death Knight) -- Increases the bonus damage done per disease by 20% on Blood Strike, Heart Strike, Obliterate, and Scourge Strike.
Item - Death Knight T8 Tank 2P Bonus (Class: Death Knight) -- Increases the damage done by Rune Strike by 5%.
Item - Death Knight T8 Tank 4P Bonus (Class: Death Knight) -- Anti-magic shell also grants you 10% reduction to physical damage taken.

Druid

Item - Druid T8 Balance 2P Bonus -- Increases the bonus granted by Eclipse for Starfire and Wrath by 6%.
Item - Druid T8 Balance 4P Bonus -- Each time your Insect Swarm deals damage, you have a chance to make your next Starfire cast within until cancelled instant.
Item - Druid T8 Feral 2P Bonus (Class: Druid) -- The periodic damage dealt by your Rake, Rip, and Lacerate abilites has a chance to cause you to enter a Clearcasting state.
Item - Druid T8 Feral 4P Bonus (Class: Druid) -- Increases the duration of Savage Roar and Survival Instinct by 8 sec.
Item - Druid T8 Restoration 2P Bonus (Class: Druid) -- Increases the healing done by your Swiftmend spell by 10%.
Item - Druid T8 Restoration 4P Bonus (Class: Druid) -- Your Rejuvenation spell also instantly heals your target for its periodic healing amount.

That 2p feral bonus could be a must for all ferals long after the gear is obsolete. It is a lot like the 2 point T4 bonus we used to get. Ferals would wear 4 pieces of T6 and 2 pieces of T4 even at endgame, although this one isn't QUITE as good as the T4 bonus was I don't think. But I'm excited about that.

OMG, I'm so gonna put the hurt on something with those balance bonuses.

As it is, I eat crit food to get the eclipse thing to proc more often because to use wrath to proc eclipse and then starfiring huge crits is already the shizz, but to get a boost on effect like that is awesome.

But the 4 piece bonus is the kicker: I always try to keep my dots up and running, so if eclipse procs and I've got IS up, and I can instant cast a potential 14k+ starfire...them mobs better run.

Cooking and clams get more convenient changes in patch 3.1by Daniel Whitcomb { 6 hours ago }

Mar 14th, 2009
PTR Patch 3.1 The patch notes for the 3.1 PTR have recently been updated, and they have quite a few nice updates and a few things that should make things more convenient for cooks everywhere. We were promised cooking would be easier in 3.1, and these patch notes definitely deliver on that promise. Let's check out the changes (compiled courtesy of MMO-Champion), which include even easier campfires and those 2 promised recipes:
* A new recipe has been added to cooking trainers for making Black Jelly, using several Borean Man 'O War as ingredients. While it looks disgusting, it restores more health and mana than the highest level food.
* Flint and Tinder is no longer necessary for creating a campfire. You're just that resourceful!
* Ingredients such as Spices, Apples, and the like have been removed from most cooking recipes.
* Players no longer need to complete the Clamlette Surprise quest to gain Artisan cooking. The quest now offers the unique recipe, Clamlette Magnifique. If you already completed the quest, you can visit Dirge Quickcleave in Gadgetzan to learn this recipe (for free).
* Several Northrend recipes were given greater skill up ranges to make it easier to reach 450 cooking skill.
* You no longer need to learn cooking from books. The trainers have finally done their reading and are able to teach you the same thing.

Streamlining the way we learn the cooking skill seems to be one of the themes of these changes. Not only do we no longer have to do the quest for Clamette Surprise to learn Artisan cooking, but even the cookbooks are a thing of the past. It's at least one or two less hoops to jump for, and very nice for newbies and alts, letting them focus on leveling and questing instead of running halfway around the world for a basic skill.

Of course, most dedicated cooks are still going to want to do the Clamette Surprise quest, since it gives a new cooking recipe, Clamlette Magnifique. One more option to level cooking is always good, plus it means less trouble for chefs in trying to smuggle recipes between factions to get Chef de Cuisine. And hey, that's not the only decent Clam related news in this patch. They've finally managed to fix that silly clam stacking bug. Loot recovered from a clam, whether you were mounted or not, will automatically stack coming out of the shell. That was definitely an annoying bug, and this fix will a godsend for my Murloc slaughtering sprees.

In more straight up convenient changes, Northrend cooks will find it easier to skill up. Not only will we be getting a new recipe for the Borean Man O War (Mmmm, delicious, delicious Black Jelly), but we'll be seeing existing Northrend recipes gaining greater skillup ranges. Hopefully this no more grinding of annoying feasts. Not that I won't still grind em. Small Feasts are hilarious.

Finally, Flint and Tinder is no longer needed for campfires at all. I suppose if we're resourceful enough to find wood for a campfire anywhere, we should be able to find two sticks or rocks to bang together for a spark, right? Of course, I didn't have a problem with needing it anyway. I always kept my pocket knife around.

Extra non-meat or fish ingredients for food is also apparently going away for many recipes. Of course, this is a trend that's been around for a while, as many Outland and Northrend needed no spices either. Of course, it's likely Northern Spices are sticking around. What else are we going to use all these Dalaran Cooking Rewards for?
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http://www.wowinsider.com/2009/03/14/cooking-and-clams-get-more-convenient-changes-in-patch-3-1/#continued

* A new (and very rare) special mount can now be caught from Northrend fishing pools.

* A new clam, the Giant Darkwater Clam, can be obtained by fishing in Wintergrasp. This mighty clam has a greatly increased chance to drop pearls, and yields up to five times the regular amount of clam meat.

* New fishing dailies are now offered from Marcia Chase in Dalaran City!

*Players are no longer required to do the Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme quest to gain Artisan fishing. The quest now offers a special superior-quality fishing pole instead. If you already completed the quest, you can visit Nat Pagle in Dustwallow Marsh to receive this new fishing pole.

*The time needed to catch fish has been reduced.

*You can now fish anywhere, regardless of skill. Every catch has the potential for fishing skill gains, but you are likely to catch worthless junk in areas that are too difficult for your skill.

*You can now fish in Wintergrasp, and the fishin' is good!

*You no longer need to learn fishing from books. The trainers have finally done their reading and are able to teach you the same thing.

DKs and Druid set bonuses were posted earlier. Here's a look at the rest:

Hunter

2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by your Serpent Sting by 10%. 4Piece Bonus -- Your Steady Shot has a chance to grant you 600 attack power for 15 sec. Mage

2Piece Bonus -- Your Arcane Blast, Frostbolt, Frostfire Bolt, and Fireball spells have a chance to grant you 350 spell power for 15 sec. 4Piece Bonus -- You have a chance for the effect of your Missile Barrage, Hot Streak, or Brain Freeze talent not to be consumed when you cast the spells which benefit.

Paladin

Retribution 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by your Exorcism and Hammer of Wrath abilities by 10%.
Retribution 4Piece Bonus -- Increases the critical strike chance of your Divine Storm and Crusader Strike abilities by 10%.
Protection 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by your Seals by 10%.
Protection 4Piece Bonus -- Shield of Righteousness now increases your shield block value by 225 for 3 sec.
Holy 2Piece Bonus -- Your Holy Shock critical heals now also place a periodic healing effect on the target, healing for 15% of the Holy Shock's heal amount over 9 sec.
Holy 4Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage absorbed by your Sacred Shield by 10%.

Priest

Shadow 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by your Devouring Plague by 15%.
Shadow 4Piece Bonus -- Your Mind Blast also grants you 15 haste rating for until cancelled.
Healer 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the critical heal chance of your Prayer of Healing by 10%.
Healer 4Piece Bonus -- Casting Power Word: Shield also grants you 15 spell power for until cancelled.

Rogue

2Piece Bonus -- Your Deadly Poison causes you to gain 1 energy each time it deals damage.
4Piece Bonus-- The damage dealt by your Rupture can now be critical strikes.

Shaman

Enhancement 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by Lava Lash and Stormstrike by 20%.
Enhancement 4Piece Bonus -- Increases the frequency of Maelstrom Weapon being triggered by your melee weapon attacks by 20%.
Restoration 2Piece Bonus -- Reduces the cooldown on Riptide by 1 sec.
Restoration 4Piece Bonus -- Reduces the cast time of Chain Heal by 0.2 sec.
Elemental 2Piece Bonus -- The periodic damage dealt by your Flame Shock can now be critical strikes.
Elemental 4Piece Bonus -- Your critical Strikes from Lightning Bolt cause the target to take nature damage equal to 8% of the Lightning Bolt's damage over until cancelled sec.

Warlock

2Piece Bonus -- Increases the damage done by your Unstable Affliction and Immolate spells by 20%.
4Piece Bonus -- Increases the critical strike chance of your Shadow Bolt and Incinerate spells by 5%.

Warrior

Protection 2Piece Bonus -- Increases the critical strike chance of your Devastate ability by 10%.
Protection 4Piece Bonus -- Shield Block also grants you 20% reduction to magical damage taken.
DPS 2Piece Bonus -- Heroic Strike and Slam critical strikes have a chance to grant you 150% haste rating for 5 sec.
DPS 4Piece Bonus -- Increases the critical strike chance of Mortal Strike and Bloodthirst by 10%.

Moved post to Critter Corner.

Now this is a mount I wouldn't mind getting...

http://static.mmo-champion.com/mmoc/images/news/2009/march/deadlygladiatorfrostwyrm.jpg

this is the first thing I saw someone talk about on the PTR when I logged on, I dont' think it is much of a deal

and then a pic of the argent tournament grounds

I just read about the whole paladin set bonus and and the gear stats...

I just want to smash my head on the table until one of the 2 break...