The World of Warcraft: Cataclysm PTR 4.1 Notes for March 22 are available. Among the best changes for players is the addition of Maelstrom Crystals to the quartermaster which can now be purchased with honor and justice points. Frost Mages are getting some love with increased damage. Holy Paladins get an increase of healing % per mastery point.

Some classic and Burning Crusade Dungeons which required some sort of key or mechanic to open chests, or doors have been adjusted. No more keys.

The Guild Search Tool is now partially implemented, but not complete. You can now test what’s available.

Achievements

  • A new feat of strength with an associated title, “the Camel-Hoarder”, has been added for players that have bested Dormus and obtained the Reins of the Grey Riding Camel — because there must always be a Camel-Hoarder.

PvP

  • Rated Battlegrounds
    • The achievements to win 100 rated Battlegrounds have been renamed to “Veteran of the Alliance” and “Veteran of the Horde”, and now award those titles.
    • Achievements to win 300 rated Battlegrounds have been added, awarding the “Warbound” and “Warbringer” titles to the Alliance and Horde respectively.
  • Arathi Basin
    • The achievement “We Had It All Along *cough*” now requires the player to win Arathi Basin by 50 points or less, up from 10 points or less.
  • The Battle for Gilneas
    • The achievement “Jugger Not” now requires the player to win The Battle for Gilneas by 100 points or less, up from 10 points or less.
    • The achievement “Out of the Fog” requires the player to defend 2 bases in a single battle, down from 3.
    • The achievement “One Two Three You Don’t Know About Me” requires the player to assault 2 bases in a single battle, down from 3.
    • The achievement “Not Your Average PUG’er” now requires 10 total flag defenses, down from 50.
    • The achievement “Battle for Gilneas All-Star” now requires a single flag assault and flag defense in a battle, down from 2.

Death Knights

  • Unholy
    • Desecration no longer triggers when an applicable strike hits a snare-immune target. This is primarily to avoid unnecessary spell effect clutter during boss encounters.

Mages

  • Frostbolt damage has been increased by 10%.
  • Frost
    • Fingers of Frost bonus damage applied to Ice Lance has been increased to 25%, up from 15%.

Paladins

  • Holy
    • Illuminated Healing has been increased to provide 1.5% effect per mastery, up from 1.25%.

Shaman

  • Enhancement
    • Improved Fire Nova has been redesigned and replaced by a talent called Seasoned Winds. When an enemy spell cast is successfully prevented with Wind Shear, the shaman gains magical resistance (in an amount equal to what a protection totem/aura would grant, stacking with such buffs) to the spell school(s) of the interrupted spell (except for Holy spells), lasting 10 seconds.

Dungeons and Raids

  • Dire Maul North
    • The Gordok Courtyard Key in Fengus’s Chest is now replenished after several seconds.
  • The Mechanar

    • The Cache of the Legion now unlocks when Gatewatcher Gyro-kill is gyro-killed.
  • Stratholme

    • Postboxes no longer require keys to open, because really, who locks their postboxes anymore when they’re all undead? It’s just people sending coupons for brains anyway. The Postmaster now spawns when 3 of any postbox are opened.
  • Uldaman
    • The Staff of Prehistoria is no longer required to open the door in the Map Room.
    • Baelog’s chest has been given new loot. If it’s grey it’s good, right?
  • Zul’Farrak
    • Troll Cages no longer require the Executioner’s Key to open.

Guilds

  • The amount of guild experience rewarded for rated Battleground guild group wins has been dramatically increased.
  • Players are now rewarded guild experience for Honorable Kills in the field.
  • Players are now rewarded guild experience for Battleground wins in Battleground brackets up to level 80.
  • Arena teams are now awarded guild experience for wins. The entire team must be members of the same guild to earn this experience.

Items

  • All trade goods available for purchase with Honor or Justice Points from the associated commodities vendors have had their prices reduced by 50%.
  • Maelstrom Crystals are now available for purchase with Honor or Justice Points from the associated commodities vendors.

PvP

  • Arenas

    • The Ring of Valor has returned! It should now be playable again in the Arena map rotation.
    • New starting areas have been added for Ring of Valor. Players will no longer enter the Arena on the elevator. It’s been removed. Instead players will start in a room at opposite ends of the Arena.

    Quests and Creatures

  • Loot from the creatures Garr, Julak-Doom, Mobus, and Poseidus has been adjusted to be commensurate to their rarity and invested effort.

Guilds

  • The Guild Finder has been implemented! While we are continuing to add final polish to this feature, we welcome all focused testers to give it a go.