Crests From Lower Keystones, Affix Changes and More: Major Mythic+ Progression Changes Live Now and More to Come

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Blizzard have detailed many changes coming to Mythic+, from crest rewards to affix changes, dungeon improvements and more.

The big change is live already, as both Runed and Gilded crests are dropping from lower keystone levels. Meanwhile, Xal’atath affixes get buffed benefits and nerfed effects later today (update: these are now also live). And finally, there’s tuning coming for Necrotic Wake and Stonevault with the weekly reset.


As part of our ongoing commitment to the tuning of both gameplay and rewards, we’ve some adjustments today, and we’re working on more coming soon.

Now Live

We’ve heard feedback around challenges in the new Keystone affix and scaling structure, as well as the difficulty some players are facing with making progress. With hotfixes that are now live:

  • Runed Crests are now awarded up to Mythic Keystone +7.
  • Gilded Crests are now awarded beginning at Mythic Keystone +8.

Coming later today

Mythic Keystone Affixes

  • Increased the duration of the buffs granted by Xal’atath’s Bargain Affixes to 30 seconds (was 20 seconds).
    • Developers’ notes: We’ve been closely monitoring the impact of the bonuses provided by Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes, and we’re increasing their overall power level on players. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these buffs as well as the challenges these affixes present.
  • Xal’atath’s Guile now increases enemy health and damage by 10% (was 20%).
    • Developers’ notes: With the increase to the buffs granted to players by Xal’atath’s Bargain we’re reducing the effectiveness of of Xal’atath’s Guile, to allow players to push deeper into the Keystone system with current item levels.

With Scheduled Weekly Maintenance – October 15

  • The Necrotic Wake
    • Zolramus Gatekeeper’s Wrath of Zolramus periodic damage reduced by 25%.
    • Skeletal Monstrosity’s enemy forces contributions increased by 20%.
    • Kyrian Weapons
      • The effects of Bloody Javelins no longer stack.
    • Surgeon Stitchflesh
      • Surgeon Stitchflesh’s health reduced by 20%.
      • Stitchflesh’s Creation’s Festering Rot damage reduced by 30%.
  • The Stonevault
    • Skarmorak
      • Skarmorak’s health reduced by 10%.
      • Skarmorak is now stunned for 4 seconds (was 2 seconds) after Fortified Shell is broken.
      • Skarmorak’s Crystalline Eruption damage reduced by 15%.
    • Void Speaker Eirich
      • Void Speaker Eirich’s health reduced by 10%.
      • Increased the cooldown of Entropic Reckoning.

We’ll confirm for you later today when the Affix hotfixes go live.