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The War Within’spatch 11.0.7 introduces players to the Siren Isle, a brand-new outdoor zone brimming with content and rewards. Alongside this exciting addition, the patch brings numerous gameplay updates, including significant changes to racial abilities. Racial abilities have long been a contentious topic within the playerbase, particularly regarding their balance and effectiveness in high-end content. While Blizzard originally intended for racial abilities to serve as flavorful, low-impact features, some have proven disproportionately useful incore content such as Mythic+.
For several seasons, the racial abilities of Dwarves, Dark Iron Dwarves, and Night Elves have dominated the upper tiers of Mythic+ due to their exceptional utility in handling the challenging mechanics of high keys. Additionally, Dracthyr, now available for classes beyond Evokers, has also gained popularity for aiding low-mobility specializations likeDiscipline and Holy Priests.
Many of the changes, which are aimed at increasing the viability of underrepresented races, see large numerical buffs to several of the abilities. However, some of these changes may fall short of addressing the underlying imbalance, which stems more from utility disparities rather than raw numbers. While it remains to be seen how effective these adjustments will be in narrowing the gap, this patch is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
Let’s take a closer look at all the racial ability changes introduced in patch 11.0.7 ofThe War Within.
All Racial Ability Changes In 11.0.7.
Draenei
Draenei receive a slight cooldown reduction to Gift of the Naaru, making it a more frequently available tool for helping with periods of sustained rot damage.
Gift of the Naaru cooldown reduced to 2 minutes (was 3 minutes).
Highmountain Tauren
Highmountain Tauren receive a slight buff to their damage reduction passive. However, the effect is minimal and unlikely to have a significant impact on the ability’s overall usefulness.
Rugged Tenacity’s effect increased by 50%.
Lightforged Draenei
Lightforged Draenei receive buffs to their active ability, Light’s Judgment, with increased range and damage. However, the damage remains relatively minor, so the impact of this change may be limited. Additionally, their Holy Providence passive now boosts healing done, providing anice bonus for healing specializations.
Holy Resistance has been renamed to Holy Providence and now increases healing done by 1%.
Mag’har Orc
Mag’har Orcs receive a welcome adjustment to Ancestral Call, reducing its randomness and increasing its effect by 30%.
Stats granted from Ancestral Call increased by 30% and now increases one of your two highest secondary stats.
Nightborne
Nightborne’s Arcane Pulse receives a significant buff to its damage and movement reduction effects. While the damage is relatively minor, the movement reduction now ranks among the strongest in the game, albeit with a long cooldown.
Arcane Pulse damage increased by 300% and now reduces movement speed by 80% (was 50%). Duration reduced to 8 seconds (was 12 seconds).
Void Elf
Void Elves receive notable buffs to their Spatial Rift ability, including increased travel speed, duration, and range, making it more versatile and effective. This is an extremely welcome change, potentially increasing the value of Void Elves in specific raid encounters and Mythic+ dungeons.
Spatial Rift movement speed of the rift increased by 80%, duration is increased to 8 seconds (was 6 seconds), and maximum range increased to 35 yards. The visual effect has been updated and no longer appears for party members.
Entropic Embrace: Proc activation rate adjusted, now increases healing anddamage by 5% for 12 seconds(was duplicate healing/damage). Now functions with absorbs.
Vulpera
Vulpera’sBag of Tricksreceives buffs to its healing and damage while also gaining utility to reduce enemy movement speed or boost ally movement speed. This added versatility can serve as a handy life-saver for teammates in critical moments.
Worgen
Worgen’sDarkflightnow benefits from stacking with other movement speed increases, and its cooldown has been reduced by 30 seconds.
Zandalari Troll
Regeneratin' has had its healing and cooldown nerfed, but it can no longer be interrupted by periodic damage effects. While the healing is now reduced to 50%, it remains significant, and the ability to channel it uninterrupted during spells likeAbyssal Blast in The Dawnbreaker dungeoncan make it quite valuable.
Regeneratin' no longer cancels from periodic damage effects, its cooldown is now 3 minutes (was 2.5 minutes), and heals for 50% of your maximum health (was 100%).
