Summary
- Patch 11.1 in World of Warcraft introduces clearer AoE attack visual markers for easier detection.
- The upcoming Patch 11.1 will include new bright-colored circles for AoE attacks for enhanced gameplay precision.
- The community approves of the visual clarity update in Patch 11.1, with many hoping to see the changes applied to the rest of the game.
World of Warcraft just shared an official preview of the new visual markers for AoE attacks coming in Patch 11.1. These clear visual effects will make noticing and avoiding telegraphed attacks in World of Warcraft dungeons, Delves, and raids much easier than before.
Recently, Blizzard revealed that Patch 11.1, Undermined, will officially be coming to World of Warcraft on February 25. The first major update of The War Within adds tons of content to the game, including a new zone, dungeon, raid, and two additional Delves.
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World of Warcraft Reveals Raid Schedule for Liberation of Undermine
World of Warcraft shares a roadmap detailing exactly when players can challenge the new Liberation of Undermine raid in Patch 11.1, Undermined.
However, one of Undermined’s most important features is actually a quality-of-life improvement that will help fans complete the aforementioned instances. World of Warcraft Patch 11.1 is implementing a visual overhaul to the AoE markers used by enemies and bosses found in the game. Rather than the classic swirling pattern on the ground, AoEs are now telegraphed by distinct circles featuring bright coloration on the outside and a transparent, swirling pattern on the inside. This update not only makes these attacks easier to notice, but also more clearly defined, enabling players to dodge AoEs with more precision than ever before.
AoE Marker Visual Updates in World of Warcraft Patch 11.1
At present, it is unclear if these visuals will be retroactively added to older content. The Patch 11.1 Public Test Realm only used these new visuals in Undermined, as well as the instances found in World of Warcraft: The War Within Season 2’s Mythic+ dungeon rotation. While Blizzard will hopefully replace old AoEs with these visuals in the future, it will assumedly start with current content first before theoretically changing older dungeons and raids.
Overall, this change seems to have been met with near-universal approval from the community. The vast majority appreciates the visual clarity communicated by this overhaul, especially as certain battlefield clutter or color would sometimes make the old AoEs virtually impossible to detect. By and large, fans are happy to see World of Warcraft make any effort to remove the reliance on addons or lowered graphics in order to see everything happening in a boss encounter. That said, players are hoping World of Warcraft commits to these new visuals so that fans can expect a consistent experience while challenging difficult content in the game from now on.
Patch 11.1 arrives on February 25, with The War Within Season 2 beginning a week later on March 4. Players should be sure to finish up all of their World of Warcraft: The War Within Season 1 milestones and achievements before the update releases.
