Attention all World of Warcraft players! We've got some exciting updates and hotfixes to share, effective February 17, 2026. Get ready to dive into the world of Azeroth with these enhancements and adjustments across various game modes and classes.
Hotfixes: Unlocking the Power of Spells and Abilities
- Certain spells now take priority on raid frames, ensuring they're always visible and sorted near the top. This includes spells like Echo (Preservation Evoker), Riptide (Restoration Shaman), and Atonement (Discipline Priest).
- For those who enjoy the challenge of the Death Knight class, we've made some adjustments to the Unholy specialization. We've reduced the damage of Virulent Plague and Dread Plague by 18%, and adjusted Pestilence to deal 100% of your Plagues' remaining damage.
- Developers' note: We're rebalancing the output of diseases to keep the Unholy build viable while also updating Putrefy and Necromancer's Cunning to trigger Rune of the Apocalypse effects, offering more build options.
- Demon Hunters, both Devourer and Havoc, have received some tweaks. All ability damage for Devourer has been reduced by 4%, and we've fixed an issue that allowed them to cast Void Metamorphosis without the talent. Havoc, on the other hand, sees a 5% increase in all ability damage.
- Druids, regardless of specialization, have some exciting changes. Balance Druids get a 3% increase in all ability damage, while Feral Druids enjoy a 3% boost in both ability and auto-attack damage. Guardian Druids have had some issues fixed, ensuring Dream Guide activates at the correct health threshold and that Red Moon's damage is increased by Fury of Nature and Lunar Insight.
- Restoration Druids, get ready for some serious healing power! Sunfire damage is increased by 35%, Moonfire damage by 30%, and Moonfire's mana cost is reduced by 33%. Starsurge damage gets a 40% boost, and Wrath and Starfire damage increase by 25%. Additionally, all damage is now increased by 1% per level, resulting in a substantial 15% overall damage increase at level 90.
- Evokers, both Devastation and Preservation, have had their issues addressed. Disintegrate damage for Devastation Evokers has been increased by 76%, and all damage has been reduced by 4%. Preservation Evokers see a 6% increase in all healing, and all damage is now increased by 1% per level, resulting in a 58% overall damage increase at level 90.
- Hunters, both Beast Mastery and Marksmanship, have had some ability adjustments. Dark Ranger's Dark Hound attack power has been reduced by 25%, and Pack Leader's Boar area damage now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets. Marksmanship Hunters see a reduction in Windrunner Quiver's benefit to Focused Aim, and a 2-second cooldown reduction for Aimed Shot with Focused Aim.
- Survival Hunters, take note! All damage dealt has been reduced by 4%, and Strike as One and Boomstick damage have been reduced by 10%. Pack Leader's Better Together now increases Raptor Strike and pet damage by 5% for Survival Hunters, and Wyvern damage bonus grants a 10% increase.
- Mages, we've got some fixes for you! Hand of Frost can no longer trigger from Shatter effects on units without Freezing stacks, and Slipstream now functions correctly after consuming a stack of Clearcasting with Orb Mastery. Thermal Void now Shatters additional stacks on secondary Ice Lance targets, and Frost Bomb applies Chilled to its main target.
- Arcane Mages, your Arcane Pulse cast time has been reduced to 1.75 seconds, and Spellslinger's Arcane Splinter damage has been reduced by 50%. Signature Spell now increases Arcane Blast and Arcane Pulse damage by 15%. Fire Mages, we've fixed an issue with Flame On not reducing the cooldown of Fire Blast.
- Frost Mages, we're moving some damage out of baseline Frost and into the Hero Talents for more precise control. Shatter, Blizzard, Frostbolt, and Frozen Orb damage have all been reduced by 10%, and Winter's End damage has been significantly reduced by 75%. Frostfire's area damage has also been slightly reduced.
- Monks, we've fixed some issues with Rising Sun Kick not applying Mortal Wounds, and Thunderfist's damage not being tracked separately in the Damage Meter. Windwalking now persists correctly, and Windwalkering remains on allies within 10 yards.
- Mistweaver Monks, all damage is now increased by 1% per level. Tiger Palm damage has been reduced by 31%, and Rising Sun Kick, Blackout Kick, Crackling Jade Lightning, and Spinning Crane Kick damage have all been reduced by 32%. Celestial Conduit damage is reduced by 30%, and Jadefire Teachings transfers an additional 200% damage to healing.
- Windwalker Monks, all damage has been decreased by 10%, and Rising Sun Kick damage decreased by 20%. Glory of the Dawn damage is decreased by 50%, but Spinning Crane Kick damage is increased by 30%, and Fists of Fury damage by 40%. Rushing Wind Kick's activation rate is increased to 60% and no longer has a cooldown.
- Paladins, we've fixed some issues with Lightsmith's Ringing of the Heavens not properly applying Holy Armaments, and Templar's Sanctification not triggering from Hammer of Wrath. Retribution Paladins see a 12% increase in Divine Storm damage, and Templar's Divine Hammer damage is increased by 30%.
- Holy Paladins, Empyrean Legacy now casts Light of Dawn at 30% effectiveness, and may now stack up to 2 times. Beacon of the Savior's absorb amount is decreased by 25%, and all damage is increased by 1% per level, resulting in a 58% overall damage increase at level 90. Judgment and Consecration damage is reduced by 37%, and Shield of the Righteous and Crusader Strike damage is reduced by 20%.
- Priests, Discipline Priests see a 1% per level increase in all damage, resulting in a 32% damage increase at level 90. Atonement heals for 35% of damage done, and 50% in PvP combat. Holy Priests, all damage is increased by 1% per level, resulting in a 58% damage increase at level 90. Holy Fire damage is decreased by 25%, and Voidform now increases damage done by 20% while active.
- Rogues, we've added Stealth as an optional trackable buff in the Cooldown Manager. Trickster's Unseen Blade damage has been reduced by 5%, and Assassination Rogues see a 5% increase in Rupture damage and a 25% increase in Fan of Knives damage. Caustic Spatter now causes 18% of your Nature damage to hit nearby enemies.
- Subtlety Rogues, Trickster's Nimble Flurry effect is reduced to 65% of skill damage, and Clever Combatant's crit chance for Shuriken Storm is reduced to 15%.
- Shamans, Brimming with Life now increases Stamina by 8%/15%, and Elemental Warding reduces magic damage taken by 8%. Nature's Guardian now instant heals for 40% of the Shaman's maximum life when brought to low health.
- Elemental Shamans, Earthquake damage is increased by 15%, and Chain Lightning damage is reduced by 15%. Stormbringer's Tempest now deals 40% additional damage to its primary target and 20% less damage to nearby targets. Enhancement Shamans, we've fixed an issue with the base Voltaic Blaze spell being in the wrong school.
- Restoration Shamans, all damage is increased by 1% per level, resulting in a 58% overall damage increase at level 90. Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Flame Shock, and Lava Burst damage have all been reduced by 5%. Farseer's Ancestor Lava Burst and Chain Lightning damage is reduced by 62%.
- Warlocks, Affliction Warlocks see some fixes with Wither being affected by Death's Embrace, and Shared Fate being applied via Quietus if Nightfall is used on Seed of Corruption. Demonology Warlocks, damage dealt by demons summoned by Dominion of Argus is decreased by 45%. Soul Harvester's Demonic Soul and Soul Anathema damage is reduced by 25% and 35% respectively.
- Destruction Warlocks, Rain of Fire, Immolate, Conflagrate, and Incinerate damage is increased by 10%, 15%, 20%, and 20% respectively. Diabolist's Ruination damage is reduced by 35%, and Hellcaller's Blackened Soul damage is reduced by 30%.
- Warriors, Arms Warriors see a reduction in Overpowering Finish and Mass Execution bonus damage to Overpower and Cleave respectively. Colossus's Demolish AOE damage is reduced by 20%, and Cut to the Bone's bonus damage to Rend and Deep Wounds is reduced to 15%.
- Fury Warriors, Slayer's Reap the Storm chance to trigger is reduced to 30%. Protection Warriors, Execute damage is increased by 20%, and Colossus's Demolish AOE damage is reduced by 20%. Cut to the Bone's bonus damage to Rend and Deep Wounds is reduced to 15%.
Player versus Player (PvP) Adjustments
- Death Knights, both Frost and Unholy, see an increase in all damage by 8% and 10% respectively in PvP combat.
- Demon Hunters, Devourer and Void Ray damage is increased by 8% and 20% respectively in PvP combat.
- Druids, Feral Druids see an increase in all damage by 6% in PvP combat.
- Evokers, Augmentation Evokers have all damage increased by 15% in PvP combat, and Preservation Evokers can now cast Emerald Communion while affected by Fear or Confuse.
- Mages, Fire Mages see all damage reduced by 5% in PvP combat, and Sunfury's Pyroblast damage from Arcane Phoenix is reduced by 58% in PvP combat.
- Monks, Mistweaver Monks, Mistline now increases the healing of Renewing Mist by 200%, and Sphere of Hope can no longer be dispelled from friendly targets.
- Paladins, Holy Paladins, Lightsmith's Holy Bulwark now absorbs 10% of health and 1% of health every 2 seconds in PvP combat.
- Priests, Discipline Priests see Atonement healing increased by 44% in PvP combat.
- Rogues, Airborne Irritant now reduces the cooldown of Blind by 50%. Assassination Rogues see all damage increased by 12% in PvP combat.
- Shamans, Elemental Shamans, Flames of the Cauldron now reduces the cooldown of Flame Shock and Voltaic Blaze by 3 seconds in PvP combat. Tempest damage is reduced by 35% in PvP combat. Enhancement Shamans see all damage increased by 5% in PvP combat, and Windstrike damage reduced by 15%. Thorim's Invocation discharges Lightning spells at 35% effectiveness while Doom Winds or Ascendance is active in PvP combat.
- Warriors, Arms Warriors see all damage increased by 15% in PvP combat, and Slam damage reduced by 60%.
Additional Updates
- A bug preventing credit for the Endeavor task "Defeat Pathaleon the Calculator" when defeated very quickly has been fixed.
- Players with the correct item level can now queue for Solo Shuffle and Battleground Blitz.
- An issue causing players to unintentionally flag for PvP when casting certain spells has been resolved.
- The Harvesting Hatchet is now available for purchase from neighborhood lumberjacks, allowing players to learn the Find Lumber ability.
- A bug preventing some World Quests from rewarding gold as intended has been fixed.
- The Burning Crusade Classic has received an update, making Communal Flamewrought Keys usable by either faction if the character is Friendly with Honor Hold/Thrallmar. With realm restarts, a bug causing enemies to be less armored against physical attacks than intended has been fixed.
- In Mists of Pandaria Classic, Gurthalak, Voice of the Deeps now has a 55-second cooldown when activated, and removes all active tentacles when the weapon is unequipped. Dragon Pillar Toys can no longer be summoned near portals created by NPCs.
Stay tuned for more updates and hotfixes as we continue to enhance your World of Warcraft experience! Remember, these changes are designed to keep the game balanced and exciting, so feel free to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below. Happy adventuring, heroes!
