Blizzard has implemented a final balance adjustment for World of Warcraft: Forever's racial abilities, significantly enhancing the speed of the Tauren race. This last-minute patch, detailed in the latest beta development notes, transforms the Tauren's passive racial ability, Plainsrunning, effectively turning them into "racecars" capable of moving 60% faster than other characters.
Previously, Plainsrunning already offered a 30% movement speed increase. The new patch doubles this bonus, allowing Tauren to reach speeds comparable to the game's purchasable mounts, provided they maintain momentum. This change comes as a surprising twist, considering the long-standing player joke that Tauren characters appear to move in slow motion due to their large size and animations.
While the Tauren receive this significant mobility buff, the patch also includes other adjustments to racial traits. For instance, Orcs will no longer gain increased critical strike chance but will instead see an enhancement to pet damage for Warlocks and Hunters. The Skyborne, a new elven race, had their potent "Read Leyline" ability, which accelerated health and mana regeneration, reduced by half, making it strong but no longer overwhelmingly powerful.
Implementing such fundamental changes to racial abilities so close to World of Warcraft: Forever's launch is a bold move. Although Blizzard plans ongoing balance adjustments, altering core racial traits after launch could prove contentious. These abilities are expected to influence the game's meta, particularly in high-end player-versus-player combat and raiding scenarios, even if not all players meticulously consult tier lists for optimal race-class combinations.