Legion Patch 7.3 Survival Guide

Patch 7.3 drops tomorrow and with it comes some significant Feral Druid changes. These changes remain unchanged from when they were on the PTR and I covered them then. The TLDR version is:

The 33% straight buff is to offset the nerfs to Savage Roar and Bloodtalons, however it should still be a net-positive buff.
The devs want to make the spec more approachable to raising the skill floor so the rotation is less punishing. This is why the duration of Jagged Wounds and Savage Roar were extended.
Savage Roar no long snap-shots, but updates dynamically. You still want 100% uptime, but it makes up for the dps loss less when you have to pick between refreshing Rip or Savage Roar.
Prowl and Rebirth are good quality of life changes. Nothing worse than shifting into humanoid form when battle rezzing.
Thrash and Swipe had their energy costs reduced which will help with AOE.
Thrash generates a combo point when used. This effect is now baseline from the Tier 19 two piece bonus. This change is a long time coming. You wont have to worry about juggling gear to keep the 2 two piece bonus.

*-*-*-* PATCH NOTES *-*-*-*

All Specs
- Mass Entanglement is now a 15-yard AoE around the target.
- Prowl cooldown reduced to 6 seconds (was 10 seconds).
- Rebirth is now castable in all forms.
Feral
Feral’s updates are focused on addressing two issues with the spec: reducing the dominance of complexifying talents such as Savage Roar, Jagged Wounds, and Bloodtalons, and reducing the damage gap between learning the spec and playing it perfectly. Feral has traditionally been a high skill-cap spec, and we have no intention of changing that, but this suite of updates should make the spec more approachable and less punishing for those still learning its nuances.
- All damage increased by 33%.
- Bloodtalons damage bonus reduced to 20% (was 50%), and now additionally procs from casting Entangling Roots.
- Elune’s Guidance cooldown reduced to 30 seconds (was 45 seconds), and combo points granted reduced to 5 + 5 over 5 seconds (was 5 + 8 over 8 seconds).
- Fixed a bug with Incarnation: King of the Jungle, where Ferocious Bite’s optional additional 25 energy cost wasn’t being reduced by 50% as intended.
- Incarnation: King of the Jungle now only allows the use of Prowl while in combat once throughout its duration, and now reduces the cost of all Cat Form abilities by 50% while active (was 60%).
- Jagged Wounds now causes your Rip, Rake, and Thrash abilities to deal the same damage as normal, but in 20% less time (was 33%).
- Moment of Clarity damage bonus to affected abilities increased to 20% (was 15%), and now affects Brutal Slash.
- Predatory Swiftness no longer affects or is consumed by Rebirth.
- Sabertooth damage bonus to Ferocious Bite increased to 20% (was 15%).
- Savage Roar,duration increased by 50% at all combo point levels, and damage bonus reduced to 15% (was 25%).
- Tear the Flesh (Artifact trait) now increases damage dealt by Rake by 6% (was 7%) per rank.
The following talents have shifted around in the talent tree to provide more choices and allow for better balanced options.
- Elune’s Guidance has moved to level 100 row, swapping with Brutal Slash, which is now on the level 90 row.
- Jagged Wounds has moved to level 75, swapping with Savage Roar, which is now on the level 90 row.
The rhythm and pacing of AoE situations should now feel more consistent with the rest of Feral’s abilities.
- Swipe Energy cost reduced to 40 (was 45).
- Thrash Energy cost reduced to 45 (was 50).
- Thrash Now generates 1 combo point if it hits a target.
Savage Roar is generally maintained at full uptime, so the “deals increased damage for their full duration” on it provided no gameplay, only added complication. In comparison, Tiger’s Fury and Bloodtalons still provide interesting gameplay due to their limited nature.
- Savage Roar now increases the damage of Feral damage over time effects dynamically, based on whether Savage Roar is active or inactive at the time of dealing damage. Previously, Feral damage over time abilities dealt a set amount of total damage over their full duration based on whether Savage Roar was active or not when the damage over time abilities were cast. Tiger’s Fury and Bloodtalons functionality remains unchanged.