Playing around in Durotar today, I was able to confirm some rumors about [Solar Beam].

Not only does Solar Beam silence the affected area for 10 seconds, it also provides a 5 second spell pool lockout.

More interestingly enough, the [Glyph of Solar Beam] extends the duration of the Solar Beam effect by 10 seconds, it also increases the spell pool lockout to a whopping 10 seconds.

I also happened to note that if you lock out a frost mage’s frost pool, they can’t ice block.

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Just one slight change in the most recent beta build:

• Solar Beam now affects targets within 5 yards, down from 10 yards.

Not going to complain a whole lot.. 10 yards was kinda OP.

Also, looks like PTR received a slight patch.  I’ll provide details shortly.

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First off, I have to give credit to Druidpwn on the MMO Champion Druid forums for these screenshots. I’m currently at 39,000 feet flying to Miami so I can’t get onto the PTRs.

Starsurge and Solar Beam have had their graphics updated:

Starsurge:

Starsurge (from the front):

Solar beam:

Sunfire (thanks to Garenzo @ MMO-Champion Druid forums):

Note: It also looks like Sunfire proc’s Lunar Shower. I would assume it’d benefit from all of the other talents benefiting from Moonfire as well.

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During the 4/16 Twitter Developer Chat Chat, Zarhym released one of their “most exciting” changes to Cataclysm is a new Balance Talent called “Solar Beam”.  It appears it will work like the sun beams in the Freya encounter.

“Some of the new Balance talents for druids, like Solar Beam, which works like Freya’s spell where it instantly silences a target and they have to move out of the beam to get rid of the debuff.”

Looks interesting for PVP, and perhaps for trash pack pulls in PvE, but I’m not seeing a big PvE bonus for this.  But it might be a big boon for arena druids, allowing you to force healers out in the open and not LoS-ing behind a stupid box.

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