The first alpha for World of Warcraft Midnight has officially launched, and it brings a significant change: a complete clampdown on combat mods. This update severely restricts access to combat-related data for addons, essentially halting the functionality of popular tools like WeakAuras and Deadly Boss Mods, which have been vital for the MMORPG for years. In a public response, the creator of Deadly Boss Mods (DBM) outlined the long-term implications for players but also vowed that DBM will adapt and continue to thrive.
Deadly Boss Mods, commonly known as DBM, has consistently been recognized as an indispensable World of Warcraft addon, considered by many as essential for successful raiding. Its invaluable mechanics callouts and timers help players navigate the most challenging boss encounters, fostering seamless team coordination amidst chaos. This ongoing battle between encounter designers and mod creators has now reached a critical point with the latest World of Warcraft expansion. Blizzard has decided to take decisive action, aiming to enhance its core UI to fulfill the roles previously handled by these popular mods.
A video features DBM’s creator discussing the recent changes.
Adam ‘MysticalOS’ Williams, the developer behind DBM, elaborates on the current modifications in his video. He acknowledges that even as an addon creator, he’s long felt that World of Warcraft’s default user interface hasn’t adequately provided combat information, making third-party addons almost mandatory. In essence, he supports Blizzard’s initiative to enhance the game’s native UI for clearer mechanics and interactions, effectively reducing the need for external combat addons.
In a conversation with Wowhead, game director Ion Hazzikostas clarified Blizzard’s intentions. He emphasized that the goal isn’t to eliminate tools like WeakAuras, but rather to implement a new system that encapsulates specific ‘secret values.’ The game’s UI and addons will recognize the existence of these values and can display related information, but they will be prevented from definitively knowing the contents or executing complex logic based on them in real-time.
Hazzikostas further explained that this change aims to limit real-time, problem-solving computations used to assist combat decisions, while minimizing impact on other popular addons. The development team’s strategy is to design future encounters such that all necessary information for strategic ability usage is readily available within the game’s native interface.
An in-game screenshot from the World of Warcraft Midnight alpha, showcasing Nexus-Point Xenas.
Williams, however, argues that the initial adjustments go too far. He stated, “What’s not okay is that in alpha one, they’re going way, way beyond breaking just combat addons, they’re breaking a lot more.” Citing a Blizzard document detailing the API changes provided to mod creators, he expressed concern that the consequences could be extensive, adding, “Anything I discuss here is subject to change, and hopefully it will change because the first iteration is very bad.”
Beyond the anticipated restrictions on combat logs, World of Warcraft Midnight now classifies in-instance chat messages as ‘secret values.’ This means addons will be unable to read or send messages within instances, a change Williams describes as a “disastrous change.” He warns it could cripple functionalities such as out-of-combat timers, note sharing, durability/latency checks, and even essential loot distribution addons like RCLootCouncil.
Williams speculates that Blizzard’s aggressive approach might be a calculated negotiation tactic: “If you play hardball to begin with, but then make concessions right away, it makes the negotiation appear more friendly.” He suggests this initial “thermonuclear war” strategy could lead to a more amicable outcome, with gradual adjustments and rollbacks to some restrictions as the pre-launch testing progresses.
An image displays social media posts from World of Warcraft mod creators. DBM’s statement reassures players, “DBM isn’t going anywhere in Midnight. It’ll just be shaped around the kind of game Blizzard wants in Midnight. Our goal is merely to help shape the best game for everyone through communication and feedback.” WeakAuras states, “We’ll post a statement about the future of WeakAuras once we have more details and talked about it among the team.”
Regardless of how these changes evolve, Williams has no intention of abandoning DBM. He affirmed on social media that “DBM isn’t going anywhere in Midnight,” emphasizing that its future will align with Blizzard’s vision for the game. He added, “Our goal is merely to help shape the best game for everyone through communication and feedback.” Similarly, the WeakAuras team announced they would release a statement on their future plans after further internal discussions and receiving more details.
For those not participating in the Midnight alpha, many other captivating fantasy and multiplayer games are available to explore on PC.
Are you eager for more challenging encounters thanks to these changes, or are you an addon user concerned about World of Warcraft’s future? Share your thoughts!