Patch 0.5.3

Patch 0.5.3 was an alpha patch for World of Warcraft that was released on December 12, 2003.

Evil Dead
Welcome to the Undead Push! It is now time to switch sides and hearken to the call of the Horde. We've added many new features and tweaked a whole lot in this build, so you'll want to scan these notes carefully. Also, please note that a Login is now required to view patch notes and that the URL for the Friends and Family Forums have changed. The new URL for the forums is REDACTED. Please do not use the old URL fro the Friends and Family site, and delete any bookmarks you might have to this older site.

There is a new patcher available for Windows 98 or ME users that should now address existing update problems. Players with those operating systems must go to the Friends and Family website for the download.

The Macintosh patcher is undergoing revision. If Mac users encounter difficulties patching (i.e. an assertion error or error dialogue) they should then delete all existing files and download the full build.

Finally, a word about security: Please be extremely careful with the Alpha. Remember to scan your computer for viruses regularly and to secure your computer when you are away. Sometime friends or roommate can be "tempted" by an unsecured machine. The real way to get them to play is by signing them up for the Alpha. See Below:

Refer a Friend or Family Member to Join the Alpha!

First of all, we are expanding the Friends and Family program. By e-mailing your Blizzard contact, you be able to refer a friend or two to join us in the Alpha. The rules are:


 * The person cannot work for a game company or the press.
 * The person cannot be an active contributor to a Guild or Fan site. Being a member of a guild is fine, but being an author or editor for a guild site or fansite is not.
 * They must have broadband (this is because modem IPs change too much).
 * They will have to sign an NDA like the rest of us.
 * They must reside in the United States or Canada.
 * You trust the person to be responsible.

To sign up your friend, e-mail the following info (all required) to your Blizzard contact:
 * Full Name Address E-mail Address Phone Number

We make no guarantee that we can get everybody in, and we reserve the right to turn down any referral. Also, they cannot tell anyone that they are in the Alpha.

Major Changes

 * Undead are now playable. Dwarves are on hold with Humans, and will be available to you at a later time.
 * Warrior and Warlock join the roster of playable classes. The undead can play these as well as Mage and Priest.
 * "Intro" for new Undead characters added.
 * Fishing and Enchanting tradeskills added. Fishing implemented as a mini-game (click the bobber!).
 * Added default /trade channel, please use this for all your item auctions.
 * Guild Tabbards now work.
 * /who Now brings up the Who-And-LFG (Looking for Group) GUI.
 * Sun now sets at 9PM.
 * Mounted NPCs added to the world
 * Improved Game loading speed
 * Middle mouse-wheel now zooms the camera in/out smoothly, instead of at fixed increments.
 * Key bindings are saved the first time they are modified

Spells & Abilities

 * All language skills renamed...Common becomes Language: Common.
 * Aura and Seal tooltips changed to be more clear.
 * Seal of Fury can only be cast on group members.
 * Seal of Salvation can only be cast on group members.
 * Seal of Sacrifice can only be cast on group members.
 * Lay on Hands is now a spell, rather than an ability.
 * Holy Word: Shield now 20% more effective.
 * Shadow Word: Pain duration increased 20%, mana cost increased 12%.
 * Healing Aura - The buff remains active during combat, but the effect does not. Tooltip updated.
 * Frostbolt slowing effect increased...monsters will move slower.
 * Holy Light costs less mana, but heals less.
 * Inner Fire duration increased to 3 minutes (up from 2 minutes).
 * Renamed "Frost Armor Effect" to "Chilled".
 * Threat generated by Healing and Buffs reduced further.
 * Crusader Strike fixed - It can now be applied up to 5 times.
 * Arcane Missiles - No longer shows resist messages to group-mates. Multiple Mages can now cast Arcane Missiles on the same target. A resist bug was fixed, so it should land a lot more frequently.
 * New Global Cooldown - All spells now have a 1.5 second cooldown from the beginning of cast.
 * Stunned, Sleeping, Banished creatures should gain zero threat while under the effects.
 * Skill gain rate for Conjuration spells increased.
 * Chains of Ice removed from the Mage.
 * Polymorph removed from the Mage.
 * Frost Nova lowered to level 10.
 * Fireblast range shortened to 10
 * Frost Nova cooldown from 30sec to 10sec
 * Frost Bolt slow duration increased from 5sec to 8sec
 * You can't kill players with fireballs in duels anymore

Items

 * Wands should now do more damage.
 * Wands can now be purchased at the shops.
 * Uncommon "sets" have been filled out to include all slots.
 * Store bought weapons have had their minimum level requirements altered (all other weapons have not been affected).
 * Several elite mobs were not lootified as such. These have been fixed.
 * Added phat lewt to Shadowfang bosses.

Tradeskills

 * Fishing gathering skill added, go find a fishing trainer and a pole and go fishing.
 * Added Enchanting Tradeskill, find an enchanting trainer and start enchanting items. (Only to level 25 currently)
 * Tailoring significantly improved and many more color varieties added
 * Cooked food dramatically increased in power, this should make cooking much more viable.
 * Added new alchemy recipes that require items from fishing.
 * Added new cooking recipes based on fishing.
 * Added smithed 2h hammer at low levels.
 * Gem requirements for smithed weapons changed.
 * Many Engineering recipes now require an anvil and tool or tools, some of which you make yourself
 * Some Engineered items take longer to make now.
 * Stone drops from mineral nodes cut to two thirds. Ore drops were not changed.
 * Journeyman Tailoring and Leatherworking now takes you to 150 skill.
 * Skillpoint costs for tradeskills changed slightly, the combo skills (herbalism-alchemy) are now slightly cheaper
 * Number of Incendicite ore nodes in the Wetlands mine reduced, and skill required to mine it reduced.

Combat & Looting

 * Creatures dealing enough damage (crushing blow) will now fully interrupt casting.
 * When in round robin looting, corpse opens up to everyone else in the party after whoever's turn it is finishes looting, if there are still items on the corpse.
 * Fixed AI delay after monster tactical retreat

Quests

 * Bitter Rivals (the "barrel switching" quest) - Text made more clear.
 * A Pilot's Revenge - Hildelve's journal is now removed upon quest completion.
 * Looking Further - Now an Elite quest.
 * Rethban Ore - the rethban ore can now be traded between players (so a miner can mine it, and then give it to the player on the quest).

Spawns

 * Spawn times for the Miner's Crates in the northern Loch Modan mine changed to match the spawn times of the kobolds in the mine.
 * Mountaineers are now a bit more easy going about the wildlife around them.
 * Respawn times should now be a bit more reasonable in Trogg Valley and Frostmane Hold).
 * More lower level Troggs can now be found in Loch Modan.
 * More boars around Kharanos
 * Better dispersion of mineral veins around Dun Morogh.
 * Leper Gnomes should no longer ambush you from under the cover of snow.

Bugs

 * The bug that was preventing head and shoulder geometry from appearing has been fixed (yes this means the goggles have been fixed too)
 * Creatures looking alive but actually dead bug fixed.
 * "loot bug" partially fixed (should only get stuck for 15 seconds max now, no more re-logging needed).
 * Character instance IDs are saved - if you re-log while in an instance, you should reenter the same instance, even if it is not owned by your party. Vendor bugs fixed.
 * Many server crashes fixed.
 * Instancing should continue to work after other server crashes.
 * Changing settings in game should no longer cause a crash
 * Resolution changing should be much faster
 * You no longer receive exploration XP while on a Griffon.
 * Lesser Invulnerability potion fixed

New maps (unofficial)

 * Azeroth
 * Blackfathom Deeps
 * Collin
 * Deadmines
 * Gnomeregon
 * Kalidar
 * Kalimdor
 * Monastery
 * PVPZone01
 * PVPZone02
 * Razorfen Downs
 * Razorfen Kraul
 * Shadowfang
 * Stormwind Jail
 * Stormwind Prison
 * Sunken Temple
 * test
 * Uldaman
 * Undermine
 * Wailing Caverns

Patch 0.5.3