Official Beta Changes and Discussion [updated 9/19/08]Follow

Skills
Combat

Gouge awards one combo point once again.

Subtlety

Tricks of the Trade now costs 15 energy.

Talents
Assassination

Hunger for Blood now only attempt to remove a Bleed effect. (Old - any harmful physical effect)

Deadly Brew now only has a chance to apply Crippling poison

Improved Poisons now increases the chance to apply Instant and Deadly poison to your target by 2/4/6/8/10% (Down from 3/6/9/12/15%)

Combat

Savage Combat now also increases your total attack power by 2/4%.

Vitality has been changed now increases your Energy renegeration rate by 3/6/10%.

Aggression has been moved from Tier 6 to Tier 5 and changed to 5 points. Now Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike, Backstab, and Eviscerate abilities by 2/4/6/8/10%.

Endurance now increases your total stamina by 2/4% additionally from the Sprint / Evasion cooldown reduction

Subtlety

Filthy Tricks now the cooldown of your Tricks of the Trade and Distract abilities by 5/10 secs and Preparation by 2.5/5 min.

Changes that should be in the next beta push. Bear in mind that some of these may change somewhat or entirely, and there may also be other changes coming in subsequent pushes:

Orc
- Hardiness now reduces the duration of stun effects by 15%


Troll
- Racial Passive "The Voodoo Shuffle": Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%. Trolls be flippin' out mon!

- Berserking: no longer has an activation cost of energy/rage/etc


Draenei
- Gift of the Naaru: now scales based on the higher of either the caster's Attack Power or Spell Power

- Shadow Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Shadow spells by 2%


Dwarf
- Frost Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Frost spells by 2%

- Racial Passive "Mace Specialization": Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces increased by 5.


Undead
- Shadow Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Shadow spells by 1% (yes, this is lower than the other resistance racials)

- Will of the Forsaken: removes any fear, sleep, or charm effect (no longer has a lasting immunity).


Night Elf
- Quickness: reduces the chance to be hit by melee or ranged attacks by 2%

- Nature Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Nature spells by 3%


Tauren
- Endurance: now scales based on base health, to be tuned to approximately a 5% heath increase if the player were wearing green quality gear

- Nature Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Nature spells by 2%


Gnome
- Escape Artist: the freeing effect can no longer be resisted

- Arcane Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by Arcane spells by 2%


Blood Elf
- Mana Tap: ability removed (partially integrated into Arcane Torrent)

- Arcane Torrent: restores 15 energy, 15 runic power, or 6% of mana to the Blood Elf (along with the current 2s silence effect)

- Magic Resistance: reduces the chance to be hit by spells by 2%


Human
- Perception: changed to a passive, now grants one character level of passive stealth detection

- Racial "The Fall of Humanity": Feign death which may trick enemies into ignoring you. Any threat is restored versus enemies still in combat upon cancellation of this effect. 5min cooldown

- Racial Passive "Human Supremacy": The dominance of Humanity is evidenced by having one more racial bonus than normal. Actually, make that two counting this one. (just a tooltip, no actual functionality)

- The Human Spirit: spirit bonus lowered to 5%

Assassination
Skills
- Dismantle required level changed from 75 to 20. Max range changed to 5 Yards.

Talents
- Hunger For Blood damage bonus reduced from 5% to 3%. Now works with any harmful physical effect affecting you.
- Cut to the Chase now affects all Eviscerate and Envenom attacks. (Old - Only affected critical strikes)
- Blood Spatter has been moved from Tier 9 to Tier 2. Now Increases the damage caused by your Garrote and Rupture abilities by 15/30%. (Old - 10/20%)
- Focused Attacks has been moved from Tier 9 to Tier 8.
- Turn the Tables has been moved from Tier 8 to Tier 9.
- Find Weakness changed from 5 points to 3 points. Now increases the damage of all offensive abilities by 3/6/9% (Old - Your finishing moves increase the damage of all your offensive abilities by 2/4/6/8/10% for 10 sec.)
- Vigor has been moved from Tier 7 to Tier 3.
- Deadened Nerves changed from 5 points to 3 points. Now reduces all damage taken by 2/4/6%. (Old - 1/2/3/4/5%)
- Master Poisoner moved from Tier 6 to Tier 9 and changed from 2 to 3 ranks. Now Increases the critical hit chance of all attacks made against any target you have poisoned by 1/2/3% and reduces the duration of all Poison effects applied to you by 17/34/50%. (Old - Reduces the chance your poisons will be resisted by 5/10% and reduces the duration of all Poison effects applied to you by 25/50%.)
- Relentless Strikes has been removed. (And moved to Subtlety)
- Improved Expose Armor now Reduces the energy cost of your Expose Armor ability by 5/10. (Old - Increases the duration of your Expose Armor ability by 25/50%.)
- Lethality now increases the critical strike damage of all combo moves by 6/12/18/24/30%. (Old - Didn't affect all skills)
*New Talent* - Overkill (Tier 7) - Abilities used while stealthed and for 6 seconds after breaking stealth cost 10 less energy.

Combat
Skills
- Sprint cooldown reduced from 5 to 3 minutes.
- Evasion cooldown reduced from 5 to 3 minutes.

Talents
- Murder Spree has been renamed to Killing Spree. Range has been changed to 10 yards.
- Prey on the Weak now increases the damage of all your critical strike damage by 4/8/12/16/20%. (Old - Only affected normal melee critical strike, increased by 5/10/15/20/25%)
- Unfair Advantage changed to Whenever you dodge an attack you gain an Unfair Advantage, striking back for 50/100% of your main hand weapon's damage. (Old - Whenever you critically hit an enemy or dodge an attack you gain an Unfair Advantage, increasing your chance to critically hit and dodge by 1/2% for 8 sec.)
- Suprirse Attacks now also affects Hemorrhage.
- Stay of Execution has been removed.
*New Talent* - Blood Poisoning (Tier 9) - All physical damage caused to enemies you have poisoned is increased by 1/2%.
- Throwing Specialization now affects Fan of Knives as well.
- Nerves of Steel changed to Reduces damage taken while affected by Stun and Fear effects by 15/30%. (Old - Reduces the duration of all Stun and Fear effects by 15/30%.)
- Mace Specialization changed to - Your attacks with maces ignore up to 3/6/9/12/15% of your opponent's armor. (Old - Increases the damage dealt by your critical strikes with maces by 2/4/6/8/10%.)
- Fist Weapon Specialization has been removed.
- Dagger Specialization has been moved from Tier 4 to Tier 3 and now affects Fist Weapons as well.
- Dual Wield Specialization has been moved from Tier 4 to Tier 1.
- Endurance now reduces the cooldown of your Sprint and Evasion abilities by 30 sec/1 min. (Old - 45 sec/1.5 min)
- Riposte now awards 1 Combo Point.
- Improved Sprint changed from Tier 3 to Tier 4.
- Improved Slice and Dice changed from 3 points to 2 points. Now Increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability by 25/50%. (Old - 15/30/45%)
- Deflection changed from 5 points to 3 points. Now Increases your Parry chance by 2/4/6%. (Old - 1/2/3/4/5%)
- Precision now also increases the hit chance of your poison attacks.
- Lightning Reflexes moved from Tier 1 to Tier 4.

Subtlety
Skills
- Tricks of the Trade range changed to 20 yards. (Reminder - The current party or raid member becomes the target of your Tricks of the Trade. The threat caused by your next attack and all actions taken for 6 sec afterwards will be transferred to the target. In addition, all damage caused by the target is increased by 15% during this time.)
- Cloak of Shadow cooldown increased from 1 to 1.5 minute.
- Vanish cooldown reduced from 5 to 3 minutes.
- Disarm Trap increased from 5 to 20 yards. Casting time reduced from 2 to 1 second.

Talents
-Shadow Dance changed - Enter the Shadow Dance, allowing the use of Sap, Garrotte, Ambush, Cheap Shot, Premeditation, Pickpocket and Disarm Trap regardless of being stealthed. Those abilities each gain a cooldown of 2 sec. Lasts 10 sec. Instant, 2 min cooldown. (Old - Instantly enter stealth and begin the Shadow Dance. For 9 sec you will reenter stealth every 3 secs.)
- Slaughter from the Shadows now also reduces the energy cost of your Hemorrhage by 1/2/3/4/5.
- Wrongfully Accused has been removed.
- Premeditation cooldown reduced from 2 minutes to 20 seconds.
- Preparation doesn't affect Premeditation anymore.
- Elusiveness moved from Tier 4 to Tier 3. Now Reduces the cooldown of your Vanish and Blind abilities by 30/60 sec and your Cloak of Shadows ability by 15/30 sec.
- Serrated blades moved Tier 4 to Tier 3.
- Initiative moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4. Now Gives you a 33/66/100% (Old - 25/50/75%) chance to add an additional combo point to your target when using your Ambush, Garrote, or Cheap Shot ability.
- Improved Ambush moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4. Changed from 3 points to 2 points. Now increases the critical strike chance of your Ambush ability by 25/50%. (Old - 15/30/45%)
- Camouflage changed from 5 points to 3 points. Now Increases your speed while stealthed by 5/10/15% (Old - 3/6/9/12/15%) and reduces the cooldown of your Stealth ability by 2/4/6 sec. (Old - 1/2/3/4/5 Sec)
- Master of Deception Rank 4 and 5 have been removed.
- Opportunity has been changed from 5 points to 2 points. Now increases the damage dealt when striking from behind with your Backstab, Mutilate, Garrote and Ambush abilities by 10/20%. (Old - 4/8/12/16/20%)
*New Talent* - Filthy Tricks (Tier 9) - Reduces the cooldown of your Tricks of the Trade and Distract abilities by 5/10 secs.
*New Talent* - Relentless Strikes (Tier 1, Moved from Assassination Tree) - Your finishing moves have a 4/8/12/16/20% chance per combo point to restore 25 energy.

General
- Cloak of Shadows cooldown changed to 1.5 min.
- Disarm Trap range increased to 20 yds, cast time reduced to 1 sec, now requires stealth.
- (NEW – Level 75) Tricks of the Trade: The current party or raid member becomes the target of your Tricks of the Trade. The threat caused by your next attack and all actions taken for 6 sec afterwards will be transferred to the target. In addition, all damage caused by the target is increased by 15% during this time. 30 sec cooldown. (Surprise! :) Yes, this is the new group/raid utility ability. We haven’t put any stacking protection on it yet but we’ll need one type of solution or other to prevent the need for 5 rogue Trick rotations. Note also that you cannot use this ability on yourself.)

Assassination
- Vigor moved to Tier 3.
- Relentless Strikes moved to Subtlety Tier 1, made 5 ranks for 4/8/12/16/20% chance.
- Murder moved to Tier 6, now increases damage by 2/4%.
- (NEW – Tier 7) Overkill: Abilities used while stealthed and for 6 seconds after breaking stealth cost 10 less energy.
- Focused Attacks and Turn the Tables have swapped locations.
- Master Poisoner moved to Tier 9, no longer increases chance to hit with poison attacks, now increases the critical hit chance of all attacks made against any target you have poisoned by 1/2/3% and reduces the duration of all Poison effects applied to you by 17/34/50%. (This does not stack with the Paladin talent Heart of the Crusader.)
- Hunger for Blood duration increased to 30 seconds.

Combat
- Precision now also increases chance to hit with poison attacks by 1/2/3/4/5%.
- Nerves of Steel will now reduce damage taken while stunned or feared by 15/30% rather than reducing duration.
- Improved Sprint moved to Tier 4.
- Blade Twisting now slows movement speed by 70%.
- Mace Specialization now ignores 3/6/9/12/15% of target’s armor.
- Throwing Specialization now also has a chance to interrupt target when Fan of Knives is used.
- Unfair Advantage: Whenever you dodge an attack you strike back for 50/100% of your main hand weapon’s damage.
- Stay of Execution removed, replaced with Blood Poisoning.
- (NEW – Tier 9) Blood Poisoning: All physical damage caused to enemies you have poisoned is increased by 1/2%.
- Prey on the Weak now increases critical strike damage of all attacks.
- Killing Spree is the new name for Murder Spree and should be working much better very soon.

Subtlety
- Shadowstep will no longer be usable while rooted.
- Elusiveness moved to Tier 3, now reduces cooldown of Cloak of Shadows by 15/30 sec.
- Premeditation cooldown reduced to 20 sec.
- Preparation no longer refreshes the cooldown to Premeditation.
- Master of Deception reduced to 3 ranks.
- Opportunity reduces to 2 ranks for 10/20%.
- Camouflage reduced to 3 ranks for 5/10/15% speed and 2/4/6 sec off the cooldown of Stealth.
- Initiative moved to Tier 4, increased to 33/66/100% chance.
- Improved Ambush moved to Tier 4, reduced to 2 ranks for 25/50%.
- Serrated Blades moved to Tier 3.
- Wrongfully Accused replaced with Filthy Tricks.
- (NEW – Tier 9) Filthy Tricks: Reduces the cooldown of your Tricks of the Trade and Distract abilities by 5/10 sec.
- Slaughter from the Shadows now also reduces the energy cost of your Hemorrhage ability by 1/2/3/4/5.
- Shadow Dance redesigned, now allows the use of Sap, Garrote, Ambush, Cheap Shot, Premeditation, Pickpocket and Disarm Trap regardless of being stealthed. Those abilities all gain a cooldown of 2 sec. Lasts 10 sec.

General

- Quality of life improvements: Removal of various reagents (Thieves’ Tools, Flash Powder) as well as a Poisons skill change. We’re removing the Poisons skill and making the finished poisons available on vendors for purchase. This should free up a fair amount of bag space.
- Envenom: Now also increases your chance to apply poisons by 25% for 2-6 seconds (based on combo points).
- Wounding Poison: No longer stacks. The first application now reduces healing by 50%.
- Anesthetic Poison: Now also removes one Enrage effect from the target.
- Evasion, Sprint, Vanish: Cooldown reduced to 3 minutes. (Talents that reduce cooldown take this down to 2 minutes.)
- Cloak of Shadows: Cooldown increased to 2 minutes. (Elusiveness now reduces this cooldown to 1 minute.)
- A new level 75 ability has been designed. This is going to be one of the bigger teases as we’re not quite ready to talk about this one yet. I will say that will add some much needed group utility.
- Fan of Knives: Weapon normalization to equalize effectiveness regardless of weapons carried.

Assassination

- Mutilate: No longer requires you be behind the target.
- Relentless Strikes: Talent is too “required” and will be made more accessible. Vigor will replace its spot in the tree and a new talent will be created to fill Vigor’s spot.
- Find Weakness: Made passive to cut down on the number of triggered effects that either don’t affect gameplay or affect it in a negative way.
- Cut to the Chase: No longer requires a critical Eviscerate or Envenom. The finisher just has to land.
- Hunger for Blood: Now removes any harmful physical effect instead of Bleed or Magic effects. Bleed effects will still be removed (as all are physical) as well as effects like Mortal Strike, Aimed Shot, Expose Armor etc…

Combat

- Riposte: Now generates a combo point.
- Mace Specialization: This will grant armor penetration when using a mace. (The warrior talent will as well.)
- Deflection: Reduced to 3 ranks for 2/4/6% parry. This should soften the prereq for Riposte.
- Fist Weapon Specialization: Merged with Dagger Specialization.
- Dagger Specialization: Renamed Close Quarters Combat, moved to tier 3.
- Dual Wield Specialization: Moved to tier 1. Lightning Reflexes swapped locations with it and still needs a little more “oomph”.
- Unfair Advantage and Stay of Execution: Change to more offensive/utility (read mobility) talents. Too much defense on this tier.
- Killing Spree: Weapon normalization to equalize effectiveness regardless of weapons carried.

Subtlety

- More attractive Tier 1 to draw in all types of builds.
- Fewer dagger specific talents to allow additional build options.
- Wrongfully Accused: Reviewed. This talent doesn’t fit well in this location. May be moved lower and/or redesigned.
- Shadow Dance: A bit awkward at the moment. Due for some polish and some design tweaks.

Rogues

-Blade Twisting (Combat) now cause all damaging melee attacks to have a 10% chance to daze for 4/8 seconds.
- Deadened Nerves (Assassination) now reduces all damage taken by 1/2/3/4/5%.
- Energy regeneration should now be smoother.
- Fleet Footed (Assassination) now reduces duration of movement impairing effects by 25/50% rather than increasing resist chance.
- Gouge is now only 1 rank and causes damage based on attack power.
- Kick is now only 1 rank and no longer causes damage.
- Mace Specialization (Combat) no longer stuns enemies and instead increases critical damage bonus by 2/4/6/8/10%.
- Nerves of Steel (Combat) now reduces the duration of all Stun and Fear effects by 15/30%.
- Pick Lock and Disarm Trap no longer require Thieve's Tools.
- Premeditation (Subtlety) duration increased to 20 seconds.
- Riposte (Combat) now slows the target's melee attacks by 20% instead of disarming them.
- Setup (Subtlety) chance to gain a combo point increased to 33/66/100%.
- Vanish no longer requires the reagent Flash Powder.
- Vile Poisons (Assassination) reduced to 3 ranks, now increases damage of poisons and Envenom by 7/14/20% and increases dispel resistance by 10/20/30%.

Don't fear, I'll never hang up my swords, but I'm going to be trying out mut and ShD (shadow dance) daggers as well as ShD swords.

Cut to the Chase was changed, and is now worthwhile in a raid mutilate build.