WoW Shadowlands – Update 9.0.1 Monk Class Changes

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands pre-expansion Update 9.0.1 brings with it a bevy of various class changes, and the Monk was no exception. Many classes will find some of their more popular abilities that were removed many expansions ago returned, and their skill acquisition adjusted due to the massive level squish introduced in this same update.

Not every class received massive adjustments, but Monk certainly saw a healthy amount of class changes (though it can be argued not the ones it actually needed. Below is the full list of class changes to Monk in Shadowlands pre-expansion Update 9.0.1. For the full patch notes, be sure to check out the link here, where additional class changes are listed.

Monk – Shadowlands Update 9.0.1 Class Changes

GENERAL

• Leg Sweep radius increased to 6 yards (was 5 yards).
• Monks Peak of Serenity Enlightenment buff now grants rested experience (was experience bonus).
• Spinning Crane Kick now capped at 6 targets.
• All Monks can now use the following abilities:
  • Expel Harm – Expel negative chi from your body, healing you and dealing 10% of the amount healed as Nature damage to an enemy within 8 yards. Now has 15 second cooldown.
  • Spinning Crane Kick – Spin while kicking in the air, dealing Physical damage over 1.5 seconds to enemies within 8 yards.
  • Touch of Death – You exploit the enemy target’s weakest point, instantly killing creatures if they have less health than you. Deals damage equal to 35% of your maximum health against players and stronger creatures under 15% health and has a 3 minute cooldown.
  • Fortifying Brew – Turns your skin to stone for 15 seconds, increasing your current and maximum health by 15% and reducing all damage you take by 15%.

BREWMASTER

• New Passive: Shuffle – Niuzao’s teachings allow you to shuffle during combat, increasing the effectiveness of your Stagger by 75%. Shuffle is granted by attacking enemies with your Keg Smash, Blackout Kick, and Spinning Crane Kick.
• New Ability: Celestial Brew (replaces Ironskin Brew) – A swig of strong brew that coalesces purified chi escaping your body into a celestial guard, absorbing damage. Additionally, Purifying Stagger damage increases absorption by up to 200%. Stacks up to 10 times at 20% absorption per stack.
• Invoke Niuzao, the Black Ox is no longer a Talent and is learned by all Brewmaster Monks at level 42. Niuzao no longer taunts the target and now has a 25 second duration (was 45 seconds).
• Purifying Brew now has 2 charges (was 3), no longer shares charges with other Brews, and has the additional effect – Increases the absorption of your next Celestial Brew by up to 200%, based on your current level of Stagger.
• Expel Harm now has an additional effect – Cooldown is reduced by 10 seconds and draws in the positive chi of all your Healing Spheres to increase the healing done by Expel Harm.
• Blackout Strike renamed to Blackout Kick and now grants Shuffle for 3 seconds.
• Keg Smash now reduces Brew recharge time by 3 seconds (was 4 seconds) and has an additional effect – Grants Shuffle for 5 seconds.
• Spinning Crane Kick has an additional effect – Dealing damage with Spinning Crane Kick grants Shuffle for 1 second, and causes your Gift of the Ox healing spheres to travel towards your location.
• Blackout Kick can now be used while dual-wielding weapons.
• Breath of Fire and Keg Smash now deal reduced damage on secondary targets.
• Fortifying Brew cooldown is now 6 minutes (was 7 minutes).
• The following Talents have been adjusted.
  • New Talent: Exploding Keg – Hurls a flaming keg at the target location, dealing Fire damage to nearby enemies and causing them to miss their melee attacks for the next 3 seconds.
  • New Talent: Celestial Flames (replaces Guard) – Drinking from Brews has a 30% chance to coat the Monk with Celestial Flames for 6 seconds, increasing the damage reduction of Breath of Fire by 5%. Spinning Crane Kick also causes a Breath of Fire on targets.
  • Light Brewing has been redesigned – Reduces the cooldown of Purifying Brew and Celestial Brew by 20%.
  • Black Ox Brew now also resets the cooldown of Celestial Brew.
  • Special Delivery now procs off of all your Brews.
  • Rushing Jade Wind now capped at 6 targets.

MISTWEAVER

• New Ability: Invoke Yu’lon, the Jade Serpent – Summons an effigy of Yu’lon, the Jade Serpent for 25 seconds. Yu’lon now idles near the Mistweaver and casts Soothing Breath on an injured target, healing the target and up to 2 nearby injured allies. Soothing Breath gains benefit from Soothing Mist bonuses, similar to Summon Jade Serpent Statue.
• The following Talents have been adjusted.
  • Invoke Chi-Ji, the Red Crane has been redesigned – Invoke Chi-Ji, the Red Crane, and become immune to movement impairing effects for 25 seconds. Chi-Ji kicks up Gusts of Mists with your Blackout Kick, Rising Sun Kick, and Spinning Crane Kick, healing up to 2 allies, and reducing the cost and cast time of your next Enveloping Mist by 33%, stacking 3 times. Chi-Ji now assists the Monk and deals melee damage.
  • Mana Tea’s duration has been reduced to 10 seconds (from 12 seconds) and it no longer has a global cooldown.

WINDWALKER

• Fists of Fury can now be used while holding a two-handed weapon.
• Touch of Death now has a 3 minute cooldown (was 2 minutes).
• Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger is no longer a Talent and is learned by all Windwalker Monks at level 42. Its duration has been increased to 24 seconds (was 20 seconds).
• Spinning Crane Kick damage is increased by up to 6 Mark of the Crane debuffs inflicted upon targets (was 5).
• Storm, Earth and Fire no longer has a global cooldown.
• Fists of Fury now capped at 6 targets.
• The following Talents have been adjusted.
  • Serenity and Energizing Elixir no longer have a global cooldown.
  • Rushing Jade Wind now capped at 6 targets.
• PvP Talent changes:
  • Reverse Harm has been redesigned – Now a passive that increases the healing done by your Expel Harm by 100% and causes it to generate 2 Chi when used.
  • Pressure Points has been redesigned – Touch of Karma’s cooldown is reduced by 60 seconds when a player is killed by Touch of Death.