Patch 9.2.5

Patch 9.2.5 is the third medium patch of Shadowlands, announced on 31 January 2022. It released on 31 May 2022.
==Achievements==
*All Covenant Sanctum feature achievements are now visible and count towards your character's total achievement points, regardless of which covenant your character currently belongs to. Nonetheless, all characters must belong to a Covenant to earn that Covenant's specific achievements.
*Tower Ranger criteria now requires The Jailer's Gauntlet: Layer 4 (was Layer 8).
*The Dancing Machine achievement text now specifies that the reward is a toy.
*Anima Cannisters required for Kaal-ed Shot now respawn after General Kaal resets and the Slammed! debuff is no longer removed by immunity effects.
*Fixed an issue that was causing The Enlightened faction to not count towards the Exalted Reputations achievements.
*Fixed an issue that caused the Azeroth at War achievements to not be obtainable by players.
==Characters==
*Removed the experience point reduction that is applied to level 51–60 characters while in Party Sync.
==Classes==
*All classes now generate more threat when in a tank specialization.
**Developers' note: We've heard a lot of feedback about threat loss from the community (and our teammates) since the start of this season. Our design intent is that a tank who is actively directing their damage rotation at an enemy should be able to maintain threat on that enemy, but simple area of effect spells (like Consecrate or Death and Decay) alone should not be sufficient. We've analyzed this situation and feel that a small adjustment to tank threat modifiers should help maintain that balance for the remainder of the expansion.
*Death Knight
**Fixed an issue that caused Bone Shields consumed by Tombstone (death knight talent) (Talent) to not reduce the cooldown of Blood Tap by the correct amount.
*Hunter
**Beast Mastery
***All damage abilities and pet damage increased by 4%.
***Beast Cleave now causes your pet to strike other targets for 100% of your pet's damage (was 90%).
****Developers' notes: Beast Mastery has not received as much AoE benefit from its set bonus as other specializations and consequently has fallen behind. We're increasing the damage of their pets and Beast Cleave damage transfer to help their overall performance.
*Mage
**Arcane
***Arcane Missiles damage increased by 8%.
***Arcane Blast damage increased by 10%.
***Clearcasting can no longer be dispelled.
****Developers' note: We feel that Arcane single target damage would benefit from an increase, but also want to offer some dispel protection for one of their critical rotational buffs in Clearcasting. This is a change that we will evaluate further going into Dragonflight as generally, we want magical buffs like these to be dispellable. In this case, we feel there is necessary to help this specialization in the short term.
*Monk
**Windwalker
***Rising Sun Kick damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Fists of Fury damage to primary target increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Blackout Kick damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Tiger Palm damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Fist of the White Tiger (Talent) damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP. 
****Developers' note: As part of our ongoing balance efforts, we're taking a more aggressive approach towards improving Windwalker Monks' single-target damage, so that their performance is more competitive in raid situations where their unique strengths may not come to the forefront.
*Rogue
**Outlaw
***Between the Eyes damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Pistol Shot damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Sinister Strike damage increased by 20%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Blade Flurry damage increased to 60% of single target damage (was 50%). This change does not apply to PvP.
****Developers' note: Our intent with these changes is to improve Outlaw in both single target and 5-6 target cleave situations where Blade Flurry should shine. Outlaw isn't standing out enough in these moments and we hope these changes move us in the right direction. However, in PvP, Enduring Brawler and Recuperator have given Outlaw more survivability than intended and we've decided to reduce the max stack count as a result.
*Warlock
**Fixed an issue that caused Scouring Tithe (Kyrian Ability) to grant both the death and survive effects when used against certain enemies.
**Destruction
***(2) Set Bonus: Ritual of Ruin now lasts 30 seconds (was unlimited).
***(4) Set Bonus: Summoning a Blasphemy no longer stuns enemies. 
****Developers' note: With these changes, we've set out to address a strategy of disengaging from the fight except in rare moments where the Warlock can setup huge burst through the set bonus. At the same time, we're trying to give adequate time for the Warlock to respond to Ritual of Ruin proc with a 30 second duration.
*Warrior
**Arms
***Mortal Strike damage increased by 10%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Overpower damage increased by 10%. This change does not apply to PvP.
***Execute and Condemn damage increased by 15%. This change does not apply to PvP. 
****Developers' note: These changes are intended to increase Arms single target performance while not affecting areas where they already excel.
**Protection
***Execute and Condemn damage increased by 15%. This change does not apply to PvP.
==Cross-Faction Instances==
*Players are now able to directly invite members of the opposite faction to a party if you have a BattleTag or Real ID friendship, or if you are members of a cross-faction WoW Community.
*Premade Groups in the Group Finder listings for Mythic dungeons, raids, or rated arena/RBGs are now open to applicants of both factions, though the group leader may choose to restrict the listing to same-faction applicants if they so choose.
*WoW Communities now have the option to be cross-faction, while Guilds will remain single-faction.
*Random matchmade activities like Heroic dungeons, Skirmishes, or Random Battlegrounds will all remain same-faction. [LEARN MORE]
*The following instances are not cross-faction:
**Trial of the Champion
**Trial of the Crusader
**Vault of Archavon
**Icecrown Citadel
**Baradin Hold
**Siege of Boralus
**Battle of Dazar'alor
**Darkmaul Citadel (Exile's Reach dungeon)
==Dungeons and Raids==
*Sepulcher of the First Ones
**Cross-Realm raiding is now available on Mythic difficulty.
**Artificxer Xy'mox
***Decipher Relic cast time increased to 30 seconds on Mythic difficulty (was 25 seconds).
**Prototype Pantheon
***Imprinted Safeguards reduce damage and healing taken by 35% on Mythic difficulty (was 50%).
**Lihuvim, Principal Architect
***Lihuvim's health reduced by 10% on all difficulties.
***Protoform Schematics health reduced by 10% on all difficulties.
**Halondrus the Reclaimer
***Ephemeral Eruption initial damage reduced significantly on Mythic difficulty.
***Lightshatter Beam increases the damage taken from Lightshatter Beam by 300% on Heroic difficulty (was 500%).
**Anduin Wrynn
***Anduin Wrynn's health reduced by 5% on all difficulties.
***Monstrous Souls health reduced by 5% on all difficulties.
***Anduin's Despair health reduced by 10% on all difficulties.
***Anduin's Hope movement speed reduced on Heroic and Mythic difficulty.
***Remorseless Winter damage reduced by 10% on all difficulties.
***Hopebreaker damage over time reduced by 15% on all difficulties.
***Fiendish Soul's Necrotic Claws cooldown increased by 50% on all difficulties.
**Lords of Dread
***Mal'Ganis and Kin'tessa health reduced by 5% on all difficulties.
***Swarm of Decay and Swarm of Darkness damage reduced by 7.5% on all difficulties.
***Ravenous Hunger now heals the Inchoate Shadow for 13% on Mythic difficulty (was 10%).
***Cloud of Carrion no longer disorients when jumping between players on Heroic and Mythic difficulty.
***Infiltration of Dread duration increased by 10 seconds on Heroic and Mythic difficulty.
**Rygelon
***Collapsing Quasar Field duration increased by 50% on Mythic difficulty.
**The Jailer
***Rune of Compulsion's absorb reduced by 33% on Normal and Heroic difficulty, and 10% on Mythic difficulty.
***Misery no longer knocksback on Raid Finder, Normal, and Heroic difficulty.
***Decimator no longer knocksback on Raid Finder and Normal difficulty.
***Diverted Life Shield no longer heals on Mythic difficulty.
***World Crusher produces 2 less Bloods of Azeroth on Mythic difficulty.
***World Shatterer produces 1 less Blood of Azeroth on Mythic difficulty.
***Phase 4 is now triggered at 15% Health on Mythic difficulty.
*Mythic+
**With Cross-Faction Instances becoming available, the Cryptic Hero: Shadowlands Season 3 achievement now requires a Mythic+ Rating in the top 0.1% of all players in your region.
==Items and Rewards==
*Broker Mark of Distinction now increases the Renown (Shadowlands) of your currently active Covenant to 60 (was 40).
*Renown (Shadowlands) catch-up is accelerated through Renown 60 (was 48).
*These activities will now have a 100% chance to reward 1 Renown upon completion:
**Mythic and Mythic+ dungeons
**Torghast Layers 9-16
**Defeating a Shadowlands raid boss encounter
**Winning a Rated Battleground
*New "Sounds of Healing" quest added to unlock weapons as possible rewards from Zereth Mortis content. This quest can be picked up by defeating enemies in Zereth Mortis.
*Reward boxes from Callings now contain twice as many Grateful Offerings, still scaling with your covenant sanctum's Anima Conductor level.
*The Zereth Mortis weekly quest "Patterns Within Patterns" now awards Grateful Offerings.
*Fixed an issue that sometimes caused Blizzard Shop transmog cosmetics to temporarily disappear from your collection.
*Fixed an issue where Jingles battle pet would display as "Unknown" when summoned and its wreath and candy cane accessories were the incorrect size in the Pet Journal.
==Player versus Player==
*New Arena: Enigma Crucible
*Solo Shuffle Brawl
**The minimum item level combatants will be scaled up to has been raised to 252 (was 239).
**Fixed an issue that caused some abilities to not be removed from players in between rounds.
**Fixed an issue that caused a round to not reset properly if a player on each side of the brawl died at the same time.
*Gladiator's Distinction (PvP set) bonus Stamina increased to 500 (was 350). 
**Developers note: In general, damage output is outpacing survivability in PvP leading to a volatile gameplay experience. We're increasing the Stamina from the PvP trinket set bonus to reduce the effect of damage across the game.''
*Cosmic Gladiator's Echoing Resolve no longer triggers from or provides immunity to interrupt effects. The tooltip for this will be updated in a future patch.
**Developers' note: While the tooltip explicitly mentions interrupts, we've heard the feedback loud and clear that this trinket is removing counterplay that players enjoy. We'll fix the tooltip in a future hotfix.
*Death Knight
**Anti-Magic Zone's spell damage reduction increased to 50% (was 20%) in PvP combat.
**Dome of Ancient Shadow (PvP Talent) has been removed.
*Mage
**Gift of the Lich (Necrolord Conduit) duration reduced by 33% in PvP combat.
***Developers' note: Deathborne is one of the most impactful cooldowns in the game, but at the current scale of Conduits, it's regularly lasting 50+ seconds. We feel it's necessary to reign in that duration in PvP.
*Monk
**Mistweaver
***Reduced cooldown on Zen Focus Tea (PvP Talent) to 30 seconds (was 45).
****Developers' note: Mistweavers are having a difficult time responding to burst damage reliably, as they regularly have to open their primary school in order to catch up. Giving them more access to an interrupt protection is intended to let them respond to burst damage more reliably.
*Priest
**Discipline
***Blaze of Light (PvP Talent) increases damage to Smite and Penance by 30% (was 15%).
***Power Word: Shield absorb amount increased by 10% in PvP combat.
***Fixed an issue that reduced the value of Power Word: Shield critical strikes in PvP combat.
****Developers' notes: We're looking to give Discipline more offensive options in PvP but also feel that Power Word: Shield has fallen off in terms of relative strength compared to other parts of the kit.
**Shadow
**Power Word: Shield absorb amount increased by 10% in PvP combat.
**Fixed an issue that reduced the value of Power Word: Shield critical strikes in PvP combat.
*Rogue
**Recuperator (conduit) (Conduit) healing reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
**Outlaw
***Enduring Brawler (PvP Talent) stacks up to 15 times (was 20).
*Shaman
**Healing Stream Totem's healing increased by 20% in PvP combat.
**Elemental
***Raging Vesper Vortex (Kyrian Runecarving Power) damage reduced by 33% in PvP combat.
***Earth Shock damage is no longer reduced by 10% in PvP combat.
**Enhancement
***Chain Harvest (Venthyr Ability) damage and healing reduced by 15% in PvP combat.
**Restoration
***Earthen Wall Totem (Talent) absorb is no longer reduced by 30% while in PvP combat. 
****Developers' note: For Shaman, we want to address some of the big swing moments created by Vesper Totem and Chain Harvest, but compensate them with more sustained healing, damage and mitigation.
*Warlock
**Demonic Embrace now increases your Stamina by 20% (was 10%) in PvP combat.
**Demon Armor (PvP Talent) has been removed.
**Afflication
***New PvP Talent: Shadowfall – Gain the Nightfall talent with 100% increased chance to gain its effect. If you already have this talent, you may select another in the same row.
**Demonology
***Felguard's Legion Strike now reduces effectiveness of healing on the target by 25% in PvP combat (was 10%). 
****Developers' note: We've increased the mortal strike effect of Demonology's pet in PvP to help their effective damage.
*Warrior
**Fury
***Depths of Insanity (conduit) (Conduit) effectiveness reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
***Battle Trance (PvP Talent) now generates 3 rage (was 5) every 3 seconds for 18 seconds after using Raging Blow twice in a row on a target.
****Developers' note: 9.2.5 comes with a bug fix where the PvP talent Battle Trance wasn't being activated by the Raging Blow replacement spell Crushing Blow from the Reckless Abandon talent. The above changes are intended to manage the effective buff Fury will be getting from that interaction.
==Professions==
*Increased the experience points earned when crafting Specialized Armor and Jewelry for creating Runecarving items by 400%.
==Quests==
*Meet with Calia Menethil (Horde) and Genn Graymane (Alliance) in Oribos to embark on a journey to help the Forsaken reclaim their home.
*Blood Elves can start a quest to earn a new mount, weapon appearance, and the Blood Knight armor set for Blood Elf Paladins by speaking to Liadrin in Oribos. Requirements: Level 60 and with Silvermoon.
*Dark Iron Dwarves can start a quest to earn a new mount and weapon appearances by speaking to Anvil-Thane Thurgaden in Shadowforge City, Blackrock Depths (accessed via Mole Machine). Requirements: Level 50 and Heritage o' the Dark Iron completed.
==Torghast, Tower of the Damned==
*All wings are now open (was 2 wings available per week).
*Layers 1–8 are now unlocked by default.
*Layers 9–12 now unlock after completing Layer 8.
*Layers 13–16 now unlock after completing the previous Layer.
==User Interface and Accessibility==
*All search filter dropdowns now have a button that lets you easily remove all active filters.
*The default hand cursor now has new, higher resolution art for its larger sizes under Interface Options → Accessibility. 
*The Report Player pane has been redesigned, with new categories added.
==References==
9.2.5