Blizzard pushed client build 1.60.1.70790 on November 4, a few hours before WoW: Forever opened. We compared its talent data with the last pre-launch build (1.60.1.70755). Most classes only got number changes, but Rogue, Warrior and Shaman trees changed shape. The talent calculator already uses the new build; builds saved before November 5 may show points in talents that no longer exist or have fewer ranks.

All of this comes from the game files. Blizzard has not published launch patch notes for these changes.

Rogue: the biggest rework

  • New: Composure and Flash of Steel (Combat), Blood Splatter (Assassination: +6 sec Rupture, +9 sec Garrote).
  • Removed: Murder (Assassination) and Improved Distract (Subtlety).
  • Death Mark (Subtlety, formerly Thousand Cuts) is now a finisher that stores part of your damage for 6 seconds and then deals it at once; Garrote and Rupture are stored at twice the rate. Coup de Grace (formerly Improved Eviscerate) also boosts Death Mark.
  • Venom is no longer a finisher: Shank now raises poison damage by 30% and poison chance by 20% for 6 sec. Boot Knife (formerly Cutthroat) makes Shank add 2 combo points.
  • Mutilate moves to the bottom of Assassination and hits harder: 90% weapon damage plus 39.6 per weapon (was 75% plus 17.25).
  • Fewer ranks: Lethality 5→2, Seal Fate 5→3, Dual Wield Specialization 5→2 (now 50% off-hand damage), Camouflage 5→3. Relentless Strikes goes from 1 to 5 ranks.
  • Ghostly Strike now lets your next Ambush or Garrote skip the Stealth requirement; Setup drops from 100% to 45%.

Warrior: Fury reshuffled

  • New: Reckless Swings (Fury): your next 4 melee attacks generate 5 extra Rage.
  • Improved Whirlwind replaces Raging Blows: 2 sec shorter Whirlwind cooldown and 30% more damage to the closest enemy.
  • Flurry: 3 ranks instead of 5, attack speed bonus up from 25% to 30%. Enrage and Gore Drinker move one row up.
  • Arms: Two-Handed Weapon Specialization doubled to 6%, Spearing Strike 40%→75% weapon damage, Improved Tactical Mastery 5→3 ranks, Bloodthrill 5→2 ranks.

Shaman: Lava Burst is gone

  • Lava Burst is no longer a talent. Its slot is now Call of Thunder (+5% crit for Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning), and every Elemental talent that mentioned Lava Burst lost it.
  • Lightning Mastery (formerly Elemental Mastery) only affects Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning. Lightning Overload goes from 10% to 30%.
  • Enhancement: Stormstrike now hits for 150% weapon damage, Mental Dexterity gives 150% of Intellect as Attack Power (was 100%), Flurry 30%.
  • Riptide lost its direct heal and is now heal over time only.

Smaller changes

  • Mage: Frost Blast is removed from Improved Frostbolt, Arctic Reach, Winter's Chill and Missile Barrage.
  • Hunter: Lightning Reflexes 15% Agility (was 10%), Trueshot Aura +20 (was 15), Barrage 15% (was 10%), Sniper Shot bonus damage doubled.
  • Warlock: Shadow and Flame 20% (was 10%).
  • Paladin: Vengeance stacks 5 times (was 3); Two-Handed Weapon Specialization now covers Holy damage as well.
  • Druid: Rend and Tear 15% (was 10%).

Our take

Rogue is the class to re-plan. Venom and Boot Knife built around Shank, plus Death Mark as a burst finisher, point to a Subtlety and Combat game built on Shank. Murder is gone, so Assassination now leans on Mutilate and longer bleeds. If you rolled an Elemental Shaman for Lava Burst, it is gone: Elemental is now a pure Lightning spec, and the 30% Lightning Overload looks like Blizzard's compensation. For Warriors, Fury got a shorter Whirlwind cooldown and a Rage talent, and Arms got a flat 6% two-hander bonus. Both are buffs.

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