Filed under: Quests, Expansions, The Burning Crusade, Leveling, RP, Alts, Wrath of the Lich King, (Roleplaying) All the World’s a Stage, Cataclysm

All the World’s a Stage, and all the orcs and humans merely players. They have their stories and their characters; and one player in his time plays many roles.

As you know, the Cataclysm is going to bring major changes to the whole world of Azeroth. There will only be 5 new zones for leveling above 80 and one new zone for each new race — the rest of the work they’re doing involves changing the old zones, bringing them up to the standards of zones in The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, adding new quests that are more appropriate to the current timeline, and completely rebuilding the areas that just didn’t work so well.

You are also probably aware that this is a much-needed improvement. The 1 - 60 leveling process (except for the draenei or blood elf starting areas) has long been fraught with serious flaws. Going through it the first time wasn’t so bad, since exploring everything felt so new, but doing it the third and fourth times meant sheer boredom. I remember many times going to a zone, completing many or all of the quests there, and leaving without ever feeling as though I had really “been” there. Except for a few real gems, quests mostly involved spending a lot of time running long distances in order to kill more nameless bad guys — they felt more like pest control than adventure. Just being there seemed to remove me from the story of Azeroth, and dump me in some other world where there was nothing important happening. Vast stretches of land on the Azeroth map meant absolutely nothing to me as a roleplayer: no character, no story, no meaning.

Continue reading All the World’s a Stage: The new character experience in Cataclysm

All the World’s a Stage: The new character experience in Cataclysm originally appeared on WoW.com on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Horde, Alliance, Warrior, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, News items, Expansions, Blood Elves, The Burning Crusade, Lore, (Warrior) The Care and Feeding of Warriors, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Worgen, Goblin

Last week, The Care and Feeding of Warriors covered loot in a new five man not ten minutes before the doors were ripped off of our new expansion. As we promised, this week Matthew Rossi goes gaga over all the new Cataclysm information for warriors.

So yeah, we learned a lot last week. We learned that we’ll have two new races to play (both of which can be warriors), with new racial abilities to consider. We learned that Blood Elves will finally remember how to pick up something pointy and jam the aforementioned pointy end into someone without first siphoning the Holy Light from a rock candy alien, putting poison on it, or dying first. Heck, they might even decide to use two really big pointy things! (They can also settle for crushy or choppy things.) We also learned that our gear is going to be radically changing (and frankly, anything that makes me less likely to have to fire up a freaking spreadsheet… and yes, I use the spreadsheet, you know we all do… to figure out my gear options makes me happy) and streamlining.

We also learned that a really big (no, bigger than that… seriously, he’s huge) dragon with an extreme hate-on for everything that lives is going to rampage across the surface of Azeroth. Frankly, though, speaking as a warrior they don’t pay me to understand the motives and reasoning of giant scaly things. My purpose is to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield until pointy/blunt/choppy things have been introduced repeatedly to said giant scaly things.

It’s a good system, and I don’t see any reason to stop now. So now, without further ado, let’s dance with the Cataclysm.

Continue reading The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Comes The Cataclysm

The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Comes The Cataclysm originally appeared on WoW.com on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Lore, Wrath of the Lich King

Like Diablo’s Cow Level, the Pandaren have almost mythic status within World of Warcraft since that memorable and almost plausible April Fool’s Day prank. Blizzard has paid homage to that by tucking a pet Pandaren Monk into the latest build (10371) of patch 3.2.2 which has just gone live on the PTR.

Boubouille over at MMO Champion has once again been rooting around the patch files and he came across the first model of the aforementioned pet. Isn’t he cute? Heavy on the Chinese aethetics, we have no idea how you’ll be able to get this little guy. While datamining, Boubouille also discovered another hitherto unmentioned pet, Lil’ K.T.. Yes, you too can have your own pocket-sized Kel’Thuzad, a tiny trophy-sized lich to call your very own! Again, we’re not sure how you get one. Here’s hoping he drops off his full-sized self in Naxx but who knows? For now we just have a spell note in the files

And as a note, please remember that Pandarens are not a playable race, nor is this an indication they will ever be added to WoW.

Are you ready for the return of Onyxia? With the Brood Mother being revitalized as a 10 and 25 person raid, you’ll need to be sure you know everything that’s coming at you. WoW.com’s Guide to Patch 3.2.2 will make sure your set for the next patch!

Patch 3.2.2 PTR: Pandaren and Lil’ K.T. pets revealed in latest build originally appeared on WoW.com on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Lore, Interviews, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm

During Day One of BlizzCon this past weekend, I was given the opportunity to sit down and talk with author/novelist Christie Golden, the woman behind the best selling Warcraft novel Arthas and the upcoming Cataclysm novel(s) which we learned about in this very interview. I asked her questions about her personal background in Warcraft, her writing process, and what it’s like to work with Blizzard’s worlds.

WoW.com: If you don’t mind, we’ll kick things off with a question I pretty much ask everyone… Horde or Alliance?

Christie Golden: Yes.

WoW.com: Good answer!

Golden: Seriously, I play both, and I love them both. I have characters on both sides, I don’t prefer one over the other.

WoW.com: That definitely comes through in what you’ve written in the universe, starting with Horde material and then moving onto Arthas. When you say you’ve played both, how far? Are any of them level 80?

Golden: I’ve been so busy with all of the writing I’ve been doing lately that I haven’t been able to hit 80, I haven’t seen as much of Northrend as I’ve wanted to. Around 70 is where I’m stuck for now.

Continue reading BlizzCon 2009: WoW.com interviews Christie Golden

BlizzCon 2009: WoW.com interviews Christie Golden originally appeared on WoW.com on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Expansions, Raiding, Lore, BlizzCon, Death Knight, Wrath of the Lich King

Forgive me for quoting Oppenheimer quoting the Baghavad Gita. It just seemed a very appropriate title for a post about how the Wrath story arc is about to come full circle.

If you play or have played a DK past level 58, you had the experience of the DK starting area, with the intensely well crafted solo play from doomed soul raised from death by the Lich King to rising power among the armies of the dead to eventual rebellion against the Lich King and his designs for Azeroth. Even if you haven’t, if you’re level 74 or above I hope you’ve experienced the Wrathgate event, with its excellent cinematic. (If you have not been to the Wrathgate yet somehow, don’t click those links.)

Now, as we digest our BlizzCon diet of news and information from this weekend, we now know that a new expansion is in the works and we, therefore, can anticipate the last act of this expansion when we storm Icecrown Citadel and confront Arthas/Nerzhul in his seat of power. In the very near future, we are going to be fighting the Lich King, and when he eventually is defeated we will have come to an end to this particular story. If you’re playing a DK in particular, this is the big moment for you. While we don’t know what, exactly, will be happening to Arthas we do know that with his defeat, your DK has done what Darion Mograine set out to do and defeated the very being who raised the Death Knights to their shallow unlife.

Continue reading Breakfast Topic: I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds

Breakfast Topic: I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds originally appeared on WoW.com on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Druid, Paladin, Shaman, Patches, Blizzard, Breakfast topics, Expansions, Draenei, Blood Elves, Lore, Classes, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm

One of the big things announced at BlizzCon were the new class and race combinations. These were originally datamined from patch 3.2.2 and include everything from Gnome Priests and Goblin Rogues to Worgen Druids. I’m especially excited about the last one.

For years, the race you played has been indelibly linked with the class and defined how you play the game. Say, for example, you like playing Night Elves, you’re limited class-wise to rolling Druid, Priests, Hunters, Rogues and Warriors. On the other hand, if it’s a specific class then you are sometimes limited to a particular race. So Draenei are the only Alliance race which can current become Shamans while the same is true, Horde-side, for Blood Elves becoming Paladins.

From a lore perspective, there is little preventing any of these combos. This is especially true as Azeroth expands and the game evolves. But readers, this is new territory for us, as WoW becomes more open. What do you think of the possibility of lore-centric or even playable class and race combinations?

Breakfast Topic: What do you think of new race and class combos? originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Patches, Events, WoW Social Conventions, Blizzard, News items, Instances, Raiding, Bosses, BlizzCon, Wrath of the Lich King

Oh hey guys — remember the other World of Warcraft expansion, the one we’re currently playing? Turns out this one has some cool stuff too. The most interesting thing (at least to me) that we heard from the Dungeons and Raids panel is that we’re going to get some sort of cinematic or lore moment on Arthas’ death (if he does in fact die). I remember being somewhat disappointed when Illidan finally croaked for my guild; for such an important lore figure, he really went out with a whimper and not a bang. Anyway, here’s what we know so far about the Icecrown Citadel raid confirmed to be coming in patch 3.3:

• There will be at least 4 floors’ worth of content in Icecrown Citadel, which I would guess means it’ll be reminiscent of how you worked your way up from the sewers of the Black Temple to the roof with Illidan. They plan to make more use of the warp/teleport mechanic currently used in Ulduar that makes it possible for players to see bigger dungeons without spending a lot of time just running from place to place.
• Sindragosa (the same dragon you saw Arthas raising in the Wrath of the Lich King cinematic trailer) and the Lich King are two confirmed bosses. Based on the “Shadow Vault” scene glimpsed in Yogg-Saron’s brain room, I’d wager you’ll be seeing Saurfang the Younger and Bolvar as well.

Read on for more news on Icecrown Citadel!

Continue reading BlizzCon 2009: What to expect in Icecrown

BlizzCon 2009: What to expect in Icecrown originally appeared on WoW.com on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Bosses, Mounts, Wrath of the Lich King

It’s not just Cataclysm that we’re hearing about at BlizzCon: in addition to Icecrown Citadel, we’re also seeing news about the upcoming revamp to Onyxia’s Lair. As we previously reported, Onyxia will be retooled as a 10/25 man raid with an updated loot table consisting of classic Tier 1 and 2 skins with stats in line with Wrath of the Lich King levels. A fitting return since her dad’s totally going to come beat us all up in Cataclysm.

We have a gallery below, but be warned: Onyxia’s not going to be the same fight as she was at level 60. New spells and abilities are promised to help keep the fight fresh and interesting for new players. All in all, a fitting return for the Brood Mother just before her flight takes center stage in the next expansion. However, with a sweet mount available (and a cute pet for just logging on during the event) as well as all that gear, I’m sure we’re all eagerly awaiting our turn to handle many whelps.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2009: Patch 3.2.2 Onyxia

BlizzCon 2009 is here! WoW.com has continuing coverage, bringing you the latest in Cataclysm news, live blogs, galleries, and reports right from the convention floor. Check out WoW.com’s Guide to BlizzCon for the latest!

BlizzCon 2009: The Return of Onyxia originally appeared on WoW.com on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Features, The Burning Crusade, Lore, BlizzCon, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm

Just in time for the inevitable announcement of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, IGN have decided to turn in the opposite direction and take a peek at this history of this momumental franchise. They’ve posted an epic five-page retrospective feature on the entire Warcraft franchise as part of the run up to BlizzCon.

It looks at everything from the original game, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, to the failed Thrall-centric loregasm that was Warcraft Adventures right on through to Warcraft II and III. Of course, they also look in detail at World of Warcraft and its two expansions, The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King.

If you only discovered the Warcraft franchise with WoW, as I did, it’s a fascinating glimpse into one of gaming’s biggest franchises. World of Warcraft is not just a game or a single mythology, it’s the culmination of a decade of gaming history. So if you’ve got an hour to kill before the fun and games today, you might want to check this out.

Take a wander down memory lane with the History of Warcraft originally appeared on WoW.com on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Warrior, Patches, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Guides, Alts, (Warrior) The Care and Feeding of Warriors, Wrath of the Lich King

Yes, technically that’s a screenshot from last night’s Ulduar alt PuG. Since there’s a Marrowstrike and several other pieces of TotC gear in it, as well as a female draenei warrior (how often do you see that?) I’m gonna let it go. Draenei women hold polearms really weird, in my opinion.

Last week we covered weapons, trinkets and rings from both heroic and normal Trial of the Champion. This week, we’ll cover plate drops, capes and neck pieces. We may actually be able to get it all in, although there’s a decent amount of plate in this instance. I’m actually surprised at how expansive the loot table (for a 3 encounter instance) TotC has managed to support. For the short duration there’s a lot of gear in here.

Also, I can confirm that Marrowstrike and Edge of Ruin are 212 DPS weapons now. (That’s cause I’m using one in the back there.)

Continue reading The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Trial of the Champion Loot Part 2

The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Trial of the Champion Loot Part 2 originally appeared on WoW.com on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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