Patch 5.3 PTR Patch Notes for April 15

Looks like Enhancement got some buffs on the PTR this week:

• Feral Spirit's summoned Spirit Wolves are now immune to root and snare effects.
• Lava Lash now deals 300% weapons damage, up from 250%.
• Mental Quickness now converts 65% of the Shaman's attack power to spell power, up from 55%.
• Stormstrike now deals 450% weapon damage, up from 375%.

Glyph of Lightning Shield

After the Glyph of Unleashed Lightning was removed on the PTR, Shaman got a new Glyph in it's place: Glyph of Lightning Shield. Here's the tooltip as it currently stands:

• Glyph of Lightning Shield causes Lightning Shield to reduce the amount of damage taken by 10% for 6 seconds after Lightning Shield is triggered.

Previously, it just passively reduced your damage taken by 10% at all times. We should still be able to keep 100% uptime on the buff as long as we're being attacked.

Unleashed Lightning No More?

Currently on the PTR for Patch 5.3, the benefits of Glyph of Unleashed Lighting have been baked into the Elemental spec. This follows Aspect of the Fox being removed and allowing Hunters to cast on the move at all time in Patch 5.1. I hope this change for Elemental goes live, but it makes me wonder whether the rest of the ranged DPS classes/specs will see these changes in future Patches. Could Icy Flows for Mages be next on the chopping block?

Steaming Pile of Hotfixes!

This is old news by now, but I'm still surprised by the buffs Shaman received in the March 27 Hotfixes:

•  Chain Heal now heals for 20% more.
•  Healing Rain now heals for 20% more.
•  Restoration:
• Earthliving Weapon now heals for 20% more.

Even though it's nice to see Blizzard showing Shaman a little love, these changes are a band aid at best and don't address the greater problems for Restoration Shaman. If the spec is to receive any sweeping changes, I don't think we'll see them until the next expansion. For now, we'll have to be content with the odd buff here and there.