Al'Akir and Nefarion fights on the beta on YouTube!

Nefarion
Al'Akir
This looks interresting, sure is looking forward to facing them on live servers!

Upcoming Tanking Changes!

Originally Posted by Nethaera (Source)

As the release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm draws near, we continue to fine-tune various class abilities. Based on feedback and our own testing, we're in the process of assessing and amending tanking cooldowns -- at level 85 in particular. Some of these abilities, like druid Savage Defense and death knight self healing, are particularly difficult to model, so further testing will be necessary before there is sufficient information to base adjustments on.

In the case of paladins and warriors, we have recognized that it is possible for block chance to get too high too quickly and cause a situation where stacked mastery and the warrior Shield Block ability behave strangely. Since that's a scenario we want to avoid, we're making some changes regarding how block chance is handled for each of these classes:

Paladins - Holy Shield will be changed to increase block value by 10% (40% total) instead of increasing block chance by 15%. Since this will cause Mastery to become more valuable, the amount of block granted by Mastery will be reduced to 2.25% block chance per point of Mastery, down from 3%.

Warriors - At level 85, the value of Shield Block decreases as block value generated by Mastery increases. To remedy this, we will convert overflow of block + avoidance that exceeds 100% into critical block chance instead. Along with that change, Shield Block will be reduced to +25% block chance (down from +100%), but this will still yield a net buff for most warriors. Also in response to this change, the amount of block and critical block provided by Mastery will be equalized. Finally, Mastery will now grant 1.5% block chance per point.

Most Recent PvE related changes.

Cataclysm Beta - Build 13221
A new build will be deployed on beta realms soon.

Login Screen
The Login Screen is now available ! The screech isn't as loud as the one we heard during Blizzcon and it definitely doesn't happen often! Video of it here.

Achievements Changes

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Guild Achievements

• Heroic: Deadmines Guild Run now properly requires you to defeat Vanessa VanCleef.

General

• Dual Talent Specialization level requirement has been reduced to 30, down from 40.
• To All the Squirrels Who Cared for Me - The Cataclysm has brought more critters to Azeroth. You must /love them too.

Quests

• Glutton for Punishment is gone and has been replaced by 3 achievements.
• Glutton for Fiery Punishment - In Archmage Xylem's Trial of Fire in Azshara, gain 10 stacks of Fire Dancing without taking damage.
• Glutton for Icy Punishment - In Archmage Xylem's Trial of Frost in Azshara, gain 20 stacks of Essence of Ice without taking damage.
• Glutton for Shadowy Punishment - In Archmage Xylem's Trial of Shadow in Azshara, trap 20 Weeping Souls without taking damage.

Spell Changes

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Racial

• Magic Resistance (Blood Elf) no longer reduces your chance to be hit by spells, increases your resistance to Arcane instead.
• Shadow Resistance (Draenei) no longer reduces your chance to be hit by Shadow spells, increases your resistance to Shadow instead.
• Frost Resistance (Dwarf) no longer reduces your chance to be hit by Frost spells, increases your resistance to Frost instead.
• Explorer (Dwarf) no longer increases your Archaeology skills, now allows you to find additional fragments when looting archaeological finds. Still allows you to survey faster.
• Aberration (Worgen) no longer reduces the duration of all Curses and Diseases used against you. Now increases your resistance to Nature and Shadow effects.

Archaeology

• Survey now has a 5 sec cooldown, up from 4 sec.

Death Knight
Unholy

• Unholy Might now increases your Strength by 10%, down from 15%.

Druid
Balance

• Soothe now has a 1.5 sec cast time, up from Instant.

Feral

• Thrash (Bear) now deals 15% of AP + 243 damage, down from 19% of AP + 304 damage. Bleed effect reduced from 3% of AP + 189 to 3% of AP + 152.
• Swipe now deals 171 base damage, down from 214.
• Brutal Impact now causes victims of Skull Bash to have a 5/10% increased mana cost on their spells, down from 15/30%.
• Stampede now increase melee haste by 30%, up from 15%. Causes Feral Charge (Cat) to cost 100% less energy, down from 50%.

Restoration

• Rebirth now has a 10 min cooldown, down from 30 min.
• Swift Rejuvenation is now a 1-Rank talent, down from 2 Ranks. Now reduces the GCD of Rejuvenation by 0.5 sec.
• Efflorescence now heals nearby targets for 20/40/60% of the amount healed by Swiftmend over 7 sec, down from 7.5 sec.
• Natural Shapeshifter now also increases the duration of Tree of Life by 5/10 sec.

Hunter
Beast Mastery

• Widow Venom now reduces healing by 10%, down from 25%.
• Kill Command now deals 43% of Ranged AP + 848 damage. Up from 35% of RAP + 772 damage.

Marksmanship

• Steady Shot now scales from 2.1% of Ranged AP, down from 10 of Ranged AP.
• Chimera Shot now deals 28.8% of Ranged AP + 973 damage. Up from 24% of Ranged AP + 401.

Survival

• Explosive Shot now scales from 22% of Ranged Attack Power, up from 18%.
• Black Arrow doesn't seem to scale from Ranged Attack Power anymore, or maybe Blizzard just removed the scaling value from the tooltip.

Pets

• Demoralizing Screech (Carrion Bird) no longer deals damage or reduces the attack power of enemies in range. Now reduces the physical damage caused by all enemies within 8 yards by 10% for 10 sec. No longer has a focus cost.
• Froststorm Breath base damage reduced from 244 to 41.
• Monstrous Bite now reduces healing by 10%, down from 25%.
• Burrow Attack now scales from 76.8% of Ranged AP and deals 1432 damage, up from 9.6% RAP + 257.

Mage
Fire

• Molten Shields now causes your Blazing Speed effect to also removes any movement slowing effects.
• Blazing Speed now dispells all effect that prevent movement.

Frost

• Permafrost now reduces the target's healing by 3/7/10%, down from 8/16/25%.

Paladin
Holy

• Holy Radiance's effectiveness now diminish on targets farther than x yards away.
• Divine Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 8538-9512 to 11100-12366
• Holy Wrath now scales from 61% of SpellPower, up from 30%. Base damage reduced by 22%, from 3122 to 2435.
• Exorcism now scales from 34.4% of SpellPower or AP, up from 15%. Base damage increased by 15% from 2343 to 2741.
• Flash of Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 5313-5961 to 6907-7750.
• Lay on Hands no longer restores mana.
• Holy Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 3202-3567 to 4162-4637.
• Beacon of Light now lasts 5 min, up from 1 min.
• Mastery: Illuminated Healing now absorbs 10% of the amount healed, up from 8%. Now lasts 8 sec, up from 6 sec. Each point of mastery increases the absorb amount by an additional 1.25%, up from 1%.
• Holy Shock base healing has been increased by 30%. From 3033-3285 to 3943-4271.

Retribution

• Templar's Verdict now deals 235% weapon damage with 3 Holy Power, up from 225%.
• Hammer of Wrath base damage has been reduced by 22%. From 4890-5404 to 3814-4215.
• Seal of Truth now scales from 12.85% of Attack Power and Spell Power (up from 12.5%) but now deals 15% weapon damage when stacked 5 times. Down from 16%.
• Crusader Strike now deals 115% weapon damage, down from 150%.

Protection

• Avenger's Shield now has a 15 sec cooldown, down from 24 sec.
• Shield of the Righteous now deals 609/1828/3656 damage depending on Holy Power. (Old - Deals 20%/60%/120% of Attack Power as damage)
• Shield of the Templar no longer reduces the cooldown of Avenger's Shield. Now allows your Divine Plea to generate 1/2/3 Holy Power.
• Guarded by the Light now increases Word of Glory by 15/30%, down from 30/60%.
• Wrath of the Lightbringer now increases the damage of Crusader Strike by 50% at Rank 1, up from 30%. (Not sure if the plan is to make it a single rank, or a 2 Ranks 50/100%, seems bugged)

Priest 

Discipline

• Inner Fire now increases Spell Power by 531, up from 425.

Holy

• Holy Nova affects target within 10 yards. (Tooltip fix)
• Binding Heal base healing increased by 20%. From 3295-4237 to 3959-5091. Now costs 28% of base mana, down from 29%.
• Prayer of Healing now costs 26% of base mana, down from 36% of base mana.
• State of Mind no longer affects Renew, affects Prayer of Mending instead.
• Chakra no longer works with Renew. No longer costs mana. Sanctuary (Prayer of Healing, Prayer of Mending) now increases healing done by your AoE spells and Renew by 15%. (Old - Only increased AoE spells by 10%)
• Revelations now has a 40 sec cooldown.
• Rapid Renewal (Tier 4) *New* - Reduces the global cooldown of your Renew by 0.5 sec.
• Tome of Light is now a Tier 3 talent, down from Tier 4.

Shadow

• Vampiric Embrace now heals you for 6%, down from 15%.
• Improved Mind Blast now reduces healing by 10%, down from 25%.

Rogue
Asssassination

• Mastery: Potent Poisons now increases damage done by your poisons by 28%, up from 20%. Each point of Mastery increases damage by an additional 3.5%, up from 2.5%

Combat

• Mastery: Main Gauche now has a 16% chance to grant an extra off hand attack, up from 10%. Each point of Mastery increases the chance by an additional 2%, up from 1.25%.

Subtlety

• Mastery: Executioner now also increases the effectiveness of Slice and Dice and Recuperate.

Shaman 

Restoration

• Chain Heal now costs 20% of base mana, up from 17% of base mana.

Warlock 

Affliction

• Drain Life now costs 12% of base mana, down from 17% of base mana.

Warrior
Arms

• Mortal Strike now reduces healing by 10%, down from 25%.

Fury

• Furious Attacks now reduces healing by 10%, down from 25%.
• Slam now costs 15 rage, down from 20.

Protection

• Shield Slam base damage has been increased by 125%. From 826-868 to 1871-1967.