#99 Aura category flags (eg `BIG_DEFENSIVE`) appear unpopulated

Status: Open · Area: UI & Interface · Addons & API

Spells like Divine Shield and Shield Wall lack 'important aura' flags, so addons and nameplates cannot filter key buffs properly.

Current behavior

It seems to be the case that player spells are missing curated category flags for `AuraContainer` filtering in Forever. I've spot checked a few spells that I would have expected to have curated flags and none do (CC/dispellable seem alright): `C_UnitAuras.AuraIsBigDefensive(642)` -> divine shield, false `C_UnitAuras.AuraIsBigDefensive(871)` -> shield wall, false `C_Spell.IsSpellImportant(1719)` -> recklessness, false This makes it impossible for addons to reasonably filter enemy buffs and [drops would-be important auras from Forever's nameplates.](https://github.com/Gethe/wow-ui-source/blob/c6e89983189e4f626f549204a23c2d2bea93080a/Interface/AddOns/Blizzard_NamePlates/Blizzard_NamePlateAuras.lua#L196)

Expected behavior

Player spells _and_ item-granted auras (consumes and on-use stuff) should carry relevant category flags so that they can be properly filtered in pvp. I don't feel the current state of Forever is making good on the promises of the addon API changes. In Midnight ["some important effects and major defensives were not displaying on enemy player nameplates"](https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/world-of-warcraft-midnight-hotfixes-july-28/2296045/361) gets hotfixed. Here we have 0 important effects or major defensives on nameplates. I am hoping for: - Before launch, a curation pass on player spells. It seems table stakes to me that shield wall is flagged `BIG_DEFENSIVE`. - On an ongoing basis, fixes to item-granted aura categorizations. This seems like it may pose unique-to-forever problems due to the sheer volume of items that grant critically important auras: Skull, nifty, AGM, burrower's shell, reflectors, FAP, LIP, LAP, the list is arbitrarily long. If at all possible I'd love some official channel for the pvp community to help here since genuinely I don't see another path forward unless it's automated. Barring some amount of categorization fixes I am wondering if there is a short-term fix possible by way of unsecreting buffs on enemy players. [This was done in February](https://www.wowhead.com/news/many-healer-spells-no-longer-secret-aura-n-midnight-launch-380525) when addons could not provide sufficient filtering for healer players. In Forever pvpers are in the same boat because auras are not categorized to work with `AuraContainers`.

How to reproduce

1. `/dump C_UnitAuras.AuraIsBigDefensive(642)`  -- Divine Shield -> false
2. `/dump C_UnitAuras.AuraIsBigDefensive(871)`  -- Shield Wall -> false
3. `/dump C_Spell.IsSpellImportant(1719)`       -- Recklessness -> false
4. `/dump C_Spell.IsSpellCrowdControl(118)`     -- Polymorph -> true (mechanism works)