The Monk blog for changes in Legion is live! I will make several posts to give feedback on all this new information – but right now, I have to raid!

Mistweaver

Mistweavers are unique among those who heal. The energies they channel are mysterious, oftentimes misunderstood by commoners—who rarely travel beyond the borders of their homelands—as some form of folk medicine. But those who weave the mists wield the power of life’s essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies’ wounds. The inner tranquility that guides mistweavers allows them to sustain their healing for long periods of time, and gives them the strength to care for multiple injured allies.

“…those who weave the mists wield the power of life’s essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies’ wounds.“

Gameplay

Our goal with Mistweaver Monks is to accentuate the existing characteristics that define them, and resolve some core gameplay issues. In simple terms, this means we’ve redesigned their abilities so that you can directly use the spells you want rather than having to set up an excessive amount of other abilities first.

The most prominent example of this was Renewing Mist, which served primarily as a setup for Uplift; we’ve reworked Renewing Mist to stand on its own, and replaced Uplift with a couple of new spells: Vivify and Essence Font. In addition, a new passive Soothing Mist mechanic gives Mistweavers a unique healing style with variable efficiency, over which you have more direct control.

We’re also focusing Mistweavers solely on healing, rather than supporting a type of mixed attack-healing gameplay that felt awkward and ultimately didn’t live up to our goals for the spec—it was unintuitive, and chiefly useful as a mana management tool. Lastly, Mistweavers will now use Mana, not Chi, as a resource, since it reduced choices and restricted gameplay in many situations.

Here’s a basic look at the core combat healing abilities for Mistweaver Monks:

• Mastery: Gust of Mists
  • Your targeted heals also cause a gust of healing mists, instantly healing the target for a minor amount (increasing with Mastery from gear).
• Soothing Mist
  • Passive
  • Your Effuse, Enveloping Mist, and Vivify also trigger Soothing Mist.
  • After casting these spells, you continue to channel healing mists into the target, healing them for a minor amount every 0.5 sec, until you take any other action.
  • Developer Comments
    • Need efficient healing? Cast any heal and let Soothing Mist continue to provide free healing as long as you feel comfortable!
    • Need high-throughput healing? Cast any heal and move onto the next target in need of healing, without spending time on Soothing Mist.
    • For Mistweavers, it’s OK to have open global cooldowns between heals—Soothing Mist fills these gaps.
• Effuse
  • 1.8% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
  • A fast and efficient spell, healing the target for a minor amount.
• Enveloping Mist
  • 6.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 2 sec cast
  • Wrap the target in healing mists, healing them for a huge amount over 6 sec, and increasing healing received from your spells by 30%.
• Renewing Mist
  • 3.5% Mana, Instant, 6 sec cooldown
  • You surround the target with healing mists, restoring a huge amount of health over 20 sec.
  • If Renewing Mist causes any overhealing, it will travel to the most injured ally within 20 yds.
  • When Renewing Mist heals, it has a 4% chance to increase the healing of your next Vivify by 50%.
• Essence Font
  • 8.0% Mana, 40 yd range, Channeled
  • Unleash a rapid twirl of healing bolts at up to 6 allies within 25 yds, every 1 sec for 3 sec.
  • Each bolt heals the target for a moderate amount, plus an additional moderate amount over 8 sec.
• Vivify
  • 5.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
  • Cause a surge of invigorating mists around the target, healing them and their 2 nearest injured allies for a moderate amount.

Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Mistweaver-specific talents:

• Mistwalk
  • 40 yd range, Instant, 20 sec recharge, 2 charges
  • Instantly dash to an ally, and heal them for a large amount.