Significant nerfs have hit Brann’s tanking specialization in World of Warcraft’s Patch 11.1. Players are seeing lower damage output, reduced health, increased damage taken, and alterations to his abilities. These adjustments aim to balance the gameplay since many players found that Brann’s tanking abilities allowed them to breeze through high-tier Delves with ease.
In World of Warcraft: The War Within’s Season 2, starting March 4, players were introduced to new challenges with a fresh dungeon, raid, and several Delves and variants. One significant addition was Brann Bronzebeard’s tanking specialization for those exploring Delves. This was supposed to invigorate gameplay but has turned out initially too powerful.
After just a week of playing, the community noticed Brann was excelling beyond expectations. Community manager Kaivax posted on the forums indicating that Brann’s abilities would be dialed back significantly. His talents caused his health to be slashed by 20%, and damage taken increased by a whopping 60%, impacting solo healers who partnered with Brann in Delves.
The adjustments were necessary due to Brann’s overperformance, particularly when partnered with healers. Many healers managed to clear Tier 11 Delves solo, leveraging Brann’s tanking prowess without much effort. Although this format was meant to give healers a path to solo Delves with Brann, its initial implementation skewed balance far too much in their favor.
Some players have expressed their dissatisfaction with the changes. They argue that the claim of Brann being too strong doesn’t hold water, as his health dipped quickly during large-scale battles. Others feel that reducing his damage means tanking Delves as a healer with Brann will be frustratingly slow. Although most players understand Blizzard’s intent, they view these changes as possibly an overreaction.
Hope is not lost for Brann’s potential. World of Warcraft has assured the players of impending tweaks should these nerfs overly weaken Brann. Until then, those delving into The War Within Season 2 must adapt to a slightly less formidable Brann.
As of March 11, 2025, certain tuning adjustments will be implemented to address the emphasis on healing for Brann’s effective use in Delves. Previously unmatched, his tanking skills proved challenging for end-game content, especially given the effective healing playstyle developed by some players.
The goal moving forward will be to balance Brann’s specializations, making Delves a satisfying journey regardless of the player’s chosen playstyle. Changes slated for each region’s update include alterations like:
– The Electro-Charged Gadgets ability will now offer a 30% damage boost per stack, instead of 25%, but comes with new limitations.
– The Boomstick Blitz ability will witness a notable damage reduction by 35%.
– Damage scaling for abilities like Electro-Charged Pistol and Pistol Shot will be decreased as well.
Furthermore, Bronzebeard’s Brown Bear abilities are being toned down, with melee and stomp damage reduced significantly.
Lastly, the Pinged Augment Chip’s functionality and its interaction with Brann are being streamlined to avoid overlapping benefits that skew the game. Feedback from the community is vital in these trying times. World of Warcraft is committed to monitoring these changes and will adjust further if necessary to ensure fair play and enjoyment. As always, player feedback is encouraged and appreciated.