that gif is awesome. was anyone at the wickerman festival last night? then we raided southshore and got our asses handed to us.

10/20/2005 10:06:09 AM

I recently found out about Discord Unit Frames and I really like them. I spent some time redoing my UI last night using Discord and Flexbar. Here is what it currently looks like:

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7470/vermiui3hg.jpg

10/20/2005 11:20:30 AM

spent the wee hours of the morning leveling my hernbalism from 0-300 in one sitting, got it done and made some good gold to boot. Blizz still won't let my WH shoulders or cowl drop though.

10/20/2005 11:41:14 AM

Quote :

"shoulda taken the trinket. you will replace that helm but the trinket is sick . 9hp / 5 sec and 75 str, thats 150 attack power for one minute + the dps increase killer raid trinket."

true. Ill probably be wearing this helm through 60 and beyond till i get an epic tho so itll get its use.

10/20/2005 12:22:41 PM

how bout a link to the helm

10/20/2005 1:00:36 PM

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=52018

10/20/2005 1:02:10 PM

yeah ill hve to do that quest..

that trinket looks good

10/20/2005 1:08:45 PM

meh i took the helm because id rather just do the repeatable ROIDS quest in the blasted lands and take the helm. the trinket really didnt impress me. the health is very insubstantial for me, altho obviously ANYTHING helps. even 1hp/5sec i couldnt say "it doesnt help" but as far as being useful it doesnt make a huge difference if im tanking and taking hundreds of damage every few seconds it might keep me alive what, one extra hit at most?

plus in blasted lands you can do a repeatable quest for ROIDS which give you 50strength for 60 minutes..instead of one. so in one hour id rather hav+50 strength for 60 minutes than +75 strength for 2 minutes (30 min cooldown i think? could be wrong).

nothing wrong with any of them tho. well the shoulders suck. but both the helm and trinket are good.

then again youre a prot spec right Lokken? so the trinket might make more sense for you.

10/20/2005 2:37:49 PM

ok not to beat a dead horse. you took the helm , thats the end. i know plenty of dumb ass paladins who went and got the sword thinking they were gona give it to an alt to PL with, and didnt take the trinket.

the helm is probly more substantial at your level then the trinket. its basically lionheart helm light.

BUT its still key in several fights, the vael fight for one. 9 hp / 5 sec is nothing to laugh at, and that 75 STR + an untamed blade proc + a crusader proc is beyond sick.

[Edited on October 20, 2005 at 2:46 PM. Reason : and o god dont bring up the blasted lands crap. gota farm that once a week for broodlord.]

10/20/2005 2:45:15 PM

Lets start the Blizzcon splurging in this thread now:

Blood Elf horde warlock FTW.

10/20/2005 4:12:37 PM

Is there any epic rogue quest yet? i know they added they 52 quest in Ravenholt for the Ebon Mask but i havent heard of any epic quest.

10/20/2005 4:44:10 PM

c'mon someone give me some evidence that this new race shit is fake...


also razorlash drop the shoulders k plz ty

10/20/2005 8:21:03 PM

heard rumors about blood elves for the horde and the panda race for the alliance. how cute.

10/20/2005 9:39:30 PM

DING 50

Quote :

"then again youre a prot spec right Lokken? so the trinket might make more sense for you."

yeah im defense spec. My execute has crit for over 1700...its my new best friend heh.

that trinkets cooldown is only 6 min

so +75 str every 6 min is nice

10/20/2005 10:43:33 PM

Ding 58! Already 5 bars into 59 too.

10/21/2005 2:20:08 AM

teh_toch that ui is like a clusterfuck of buttons...


i like all my UI bits out of the way leaving the majority of the screen cleared

http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/8396/wowscrnshot102105030947layer11.jpg

10/21/2005 3:43:45 AM

you need 8 diffent types of heal/mana potions? i think not

10/21/2005 4:01:25 AM

lol why is prayer of healing your #1 hotkey spell noob

10/21/2005 4:35:29 AM

anyone got more slots then 5 x 16 slot bags?

10/21/2005 4:59:20 AM

^ I have two 18 slot bags: one onyxia bag and one bottomless bag. All of the rest are 16 though.

^^ lol

^^^^ Heh, yeah I used Blizzard's default UI for a long time. For end game raiding however, I feel much more efficient with my custom UI and all of the different UI addons I use.

These days I have my heals all memorized on hot keys so I really only need visible buttons for all of my potions and food buffs. Blizzard has been putting in so many time sinks with the new content. Lately all I do is either farm herbs or work on my new shadow/nature resist sets.

10/21/2005 6:45:48 AM

I dont use any addons

If i need a potion...its easy to hit b and click the potion...its not like i can use them over and over to where i would need a hot button.

10/21/2005 8:50:38 AM

I use Cosmosui because it's fairly easy to use.

10/21/2005 9:47:31 AM

I wouldnt mind an addon that only had coordinates...thats the one thing I wish I had.

10/21/2005 9:52:34 AM

Blackwing Lair bosses are so long I typically use between 9-18 potions per boss. I go through a ton of mana and that is not including the 2-3 innervates I usually get.

10/21/2005 10:35:55 AM

I don't think I've ever been innervated. :\

[Edited on October 21, 2005 at 10:41 AM. Reason : -]

10/21/2005 10:40:17 AM

Check this shit out mages: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-mage&t=446413&p=1&tmp=1#post446413

Basically, you can activate all your +spell dmg trinkets, AP, POM, and cast a pyroblast all with a single button click. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this. I can finally make my superman macro

Quote :

"I don't think I've ever been innervated. :\"

Lol, I often ask for chain innervates while summoning water before a raid. It's quite funny when they actually do it.

[Edited on October 21, 2005 at 10:53 AM. Reason : :]

10/21/2005 10:50:21 AM

You can get away with clicking in raids as a non-healing castor but you can't do it in PVP.

I've seen keyboard setups that incorporated every spell which I think is massively ineffecient. I quick button'd my instant DPS spells to my mouse and my debuffs to the three keys within reach of my thumb. That way I can fire a shadowbolt and then hit CoS.

Iskander's link gives me an idea though since I might be able to pull of macroing CoS and CoE depending on whether I cast shadow or fire spells.

10/21/2005 11:24:44 AM

Nah, it only works with spells/abilities/trinkets/items that don't trigger the universal cooldown. I'm pretty sure your curses are regular old insta-cast spells and would trigger the cooldown.

10/21/2005 11:35:48 AM

Quote :

"and one bottomless bag."

did you make it or buy it?

10/21/2005 11:42:08 AM

I made it. I am a tailor so all the mooncloth was free. Only cost me 50g.

10/21/2005 12:01:51 PM

just curious if anyone plays on Burning Blade if so let it be known here

10/21/2005 12:03:50 PM

the pattern was 50? but all that mooncloth would be worth a small fortune

10/21/2005 12:17:34 PM

OMFG NERF MAGES.

10/21/2005 12:55:05 PM

http://img56.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wow16pe3qd.jpg

Quote :

"After one year of the exit on US market, many world of warcraft players ask informations on the first, inevitable, expansion. For answer to these questions, the californian software house is preparing an event for his fan the 28th and 29th of October “Blizzcon”, where Blizzard will reveale the details on the World of Warcraft’s future. For this date, the TGM readers, already known… Kindly invited by Vivendi to visit Blizzard offices, we have the chance to have a preview about the details of “The Burning Crusade” the first World of Warcraft expansion that will create a revolution on some aspect of this bestseller game. First of all the Background: Sargeras, the corrupted titan that represent the worst in the WoW universe, it’s always intented to destroy all the universe, has begin his work, his troups have never encountered any obstacle and have not stopped excepted for the resistance on Azeroth(that is both the region, the continent, the planet). But his actual plan for now is ignoring this place, for concentrating on the Outland. This is the name given at the point where are found the rest of the planet Draenor, the original planet of the orcs, rests that flown on the emptiness and grant the access to the Twisting Nether, a sort of parallel dimension that allow to reach every planes of esistance in the universe. It’s unuseful to say that a resource like this, a “node” like for invading all the worlds it’s extremely appetible for Sargera’s demoniac forces, and here we’ll be called the Azerothc forces, the only one that has shown the ability to combat the titan and his followers, Archimonde and Kill’Jaeden. All the expansion will be centrated on the Outland, Medivh and the Dark Portal, to make procede on the most important story of the world of warcraft. At least other than Outlands two new dungeons will be introduced on Azeroth(the planet), scrictly tied to characthers and events encountered in the expansion. The first will be presented in details at Blizzcon (it will be possible to play with it) and it will be many probably a 5 characthers istance – but it’s still on decision – situated in Kharazan, the Medivh’s tower that’s found in the Deadwind Pass (between Duskwood and the Swamp of Sorrows). From the descriptions received and the short tour that we have osserved we know that it will quikly evolve from the “classic undead istance” to something stranger, where can be encountered the numeous results of the magic experiments of Medivh. Much more unusual will be the Caverns of Time, raid instance in Tanaris that will allow to travel in the time and participate to the most important events of the story of Azeroth, from the openm of the dark Portal by Medivh, the liberation from slavery of Thrall and the mythologic battle of Mount Hyal (seen in Warcraft III) when the forces of humans, orcs and elves battle united to defeat Archimonde. All this is possible because the Caverns of Time is the place where bronze dragons, headed by Nordozmu, control the streaming of the time. Tecnically the dungeon in the futur can be expanded to allow the visit of other importans moment of WoW story. These are the news that can be alredy expected: the surprise begin with the max level that will be increased to lvl 70. (Here is a little comment redactional about the exp lost at lvl 60 for quest done and experience not earned). Altough Hero Class are not be announced (in the words of Rob Pardo, Vice President of Game Design “if we mistake we hero class we can definitely ruin the game”), Blizzard has not denied that they could be included in the expansion but they have not promised it. Other game like Everquest with Alternate Advancement Point and Daoc with Master Level has shown how this players evolution can be very complicated. The second great news is that both the faction will have a new race (no new class). Because one of the reason alliance have more player than horde seem to be tied to an extetical reason(horde races are “ugly”): orcs, trolls, taurens and forsakens will be joined by the Blood Elves, a little smaller than their cousin, that are dedicated to magic in his darker former and dependent from it. The blood elves could sure be mages, warlock and warriors, it’s not certain if they can be rogue or hunter, at the moment they have a racial trait called Mana tap that leak slowy the mana from enemy, that can be applied more time, like sunder armor that gonna charge a second ability called “Arcane Torrent”(but the head of development Kaplan continued to call it “Arcane Torment) that work like a “silent” spell with an area, this has left us a little surprised because it seems a little unbalanced also against a warrior, to make a confront, but is early to speak about it, because the exit that will be next year is still far and many things will be surely changed. Very interesting is the characterization given to this race, with a starting area very lightly e sunny but also frightful with many signs of magic used for frivolous scopes (deforming plants, palace floating in the air) and strange crystals containing demons imprisoned to take advantage of their energies. The actual “home” of Blood Elves is what remains of Quel’Thalas, it is found northern tha Eastern Plaguelands, after a valley currently sealed from a stack of logs, it will composed of 3 zone Eversong Woods with the capital city Silvermoon, Ghostland and Zul’Aman, a region inhabited by trolls that could host or become a new thematic dungeon like Zul’Farrak and Zul’Gurub. The new race of the alliance has not be announced and will probably announced short time after Blizzcon, but we can make always an hypothesis: thinking the “beautiful race” is gonna to horde and looking at all chances, nothing can prevent us to think about pandarean, introduced originally like “april fouls” and then incorporated truly in Warcraft III (this can be more than a supposition, but is better stop here..). The news are more: there will be a news profession using Jewelcrafting, we don’t know if with this “work” it will possible to forge ring, amulets or trinket, but for sure it will be possible to craft gems to inseter in “socket” found in the armor and weapons, like in Diablo2. To support this blacksmither, tailor and leatherworker can craft item with socket for host gems for jewelcrafting. Here Toso(a TGM redactor) still complain about the impossibility of crafting “staff”: but is stil true that is possible that jewelcrafting is not the only profession added in the expansion and things can still change before the exit of the expansion. Continuing with the news about Outlands, that will be divided in many reagion, from rock and devasted Hellfire Peninsula to the forest of Zenga Marsh, one of the few zone of Draenor survived from destruction. The most interesting news for the maniac of the story is that in one of this region, the Shadowmoon Valley, it is found Black Temple where Illidan reside, true “boss” of all the zone. Thinking that only Arthas was enable to stop the ex demon hunter(seen in WarcraftIII and expansion) the players also of 70 lvl have still something hard to face. It’s true that they can count on many new resources, included the desired flying mounts: responding the thousand requests of players, Blizzard has decided that players once reached lvl 70 can put their hands, at the end of a long and hard quest, on a flying mount that can be only used only in the Outland, using the “floating island” founded in the region. There are no news about the engine, also if seems blood elves model will have 20% more of polygons compared to “old” race models. The graphic should have in the following month a little restyle with the introduction of the atmospheric effect but the rest should remain the same, also if they are experimenting various trick (like Specular Environment Mapping) to improve look in general. They are concentrating more on the contens, the graphic engine is always in time to be changed. From the tecnichal poins, it can be expected from the expansion the possibility to play BG “from server”, that can be participated to players from all the realms, thing that theorically will bring the end of the queue. Wait for other anticipations and modernization to come in the next months, expecially thinking we have to discover the race that will join the alliance (we have told our idea). "

10/21/2005 2:10:07 PM

legit?

10/21/2005 2:13:37 PM

looks like it

10/21/2005 2:21:50 PM

lots of typos

10/21/2005 2:26:05 PM

haha..he sounded like a 2nd grader but it was interesting

10/21/2005 2:34:18 PM

how would an expansion work? would people with the expansion still play in the same servers and just have access to different things, or would they go to a separate server? i dont really get it, obviously.

10/21/2005 2:49:22 PM

^^ there are lots of typos b/c it is a magazine article and someone typed it into the computer.

10/21/2005 2:49:47 PM

:p these arent just typos. these are "english isnt my first language" errors. or ive never typed before typos, not just normal ones.

i guess typos was the wrong word. theres an "error" probably every 3rd sentence.

Quote :

"From the tecnichal poins, it can be expected from the expansion the possibility to play BG “from server”, that can be participated to players from all the realms, thing that theorically will bring the end of the queue."

im guessing if this person is serious that they are foreign writing in english

(edit: way too many typos to point out haha)

[Edited on October 21, 2005 at 3:01 PM. Reason : t]

10/21/2005 3:00:35 PM

did you click the picture? the original article was in italian and was translated by Babelfish

10/21/2005 3:07:52 PM

^ I agree

10/21/2005 3:08:22 PM

nah i didnt. i mean i wasnt knocking credibility just saying he sucked at writing. but since its a translation that would make sense

10/21/2005 3:09:06 PM

I'm rerolling a blood elf warlock if this is true.

That would be hot.

The racial stats must include "spell breaker" though.

Or I'm have to slit some shit.

10/21/2005 4:13:06 PM

Quote :

"how would an expansion work? would people with the expansion still play in the same servers and just have access to different things, or would they go to a separate server? i dont really get it, obviously. "

if you did not upgrade, you would still see the new races / classes, just wouldnt beable to start one, nor enter an expac instance or start expac quests etc etc

10/21/2005 5:57:02 PM

How fucking sweet would a ranger from Quel Thalas be

10/21/2005 6:20:13 PM

Quote :

"- You know you've played too much WoW when it's your birthday and you blow out the candles and yell "Ding!" "

10/21/2005 7:40:12 PM

World of Warcraft - THE BURNING CRUSADE

The "Burning Crusade"

Illidan has gone insane, and already the alliance between the Draenei, Naga, and Blood Elves has began to crumble. The Naga once again wish to return to the sea, and the Blood Elves' hunger for demonic energies increases day by day... Illidan was tortured by Kil'jaeden after he failed to defeat Arthas - but finally, Kil'jaeden saw another task for Illidan. One that, if he failed, he would be sent into the twisted nether to be consumed by demons... Kil'jaeden then told him everything that had happened since his defeat.

As unexpected as it was, Illidan returned to his three allies and told them of this new plan to destroy not only the Scourge, but all other enemies that would ever oppose them.

Kael'thas and his Blood Elves were to go to the Forsaken for aid. Though they were undead, Illidan explained that their leader was a High Elf - Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, General of Quel'Thalas... or, used to be, anyways. Kael'thas saw this as a great advantage, as he had personally known her in the past. Though their hatred of the Trolls and Orcs was strong, Illidan told them of the new plague they were creating - to kill not only the Alliance, but the Horde as well.

Illidan told the Draenei of the pact with the Alliance they would have to make. He told them that this Alliance would aid in the slaying of the remaining orcs, the Draenei's most hated enemy. Reluctantly, Akama, leader of the Draenei, agreed to this, though only because they were in debt to Illidan for saving them from being destroyed by orcs years ago.

The Naga were to go into the sea of Azeroth, and cripple the Scourge of Northerend by sneaking in, killing groups of Scourge, and fleeing back to the sea before the Scourge's main forces could catch them. Eager to return to the oceans of Azeroth, Lady Vashj and the Naga agreed to this almost immediately.

Blood Elves have made an alliance with the horde by becoming Allies of Sylvanas. The Blood Elves also have claimed to the orcs to want to be rid of the demonic powers corrupting them, and that they wanted to be redeemed of the dark powers they once tried to harness. The orcs, though slowly and unsure, finally accepted the Blood Elves. In turn, the Tauren and Trolls also followed the example of the Undead and the Orcs, and accepted the Blood Elves as part of the new Horde.

Akama went to the Night Elves to plead. They told them of the demonic orcs that had forced them from their homeland, Draenor, and that they wish for an alliance against the Horde. The Alliance, though suspicious of the Draenei true intentions, has accepted the Draenei plead for an alliance.

Soon after Kael, leader of the Blood Elves, Lady Vashj, leader of the Naga, and Akama, leader of the Draenei, had left Outlands, Kil'Jaeden once again imprisoned Illidan within the Black Citadel and closed the Dark Portal to Azeroth... The Blood Elves, Naga and Draenei were meant to never return.

In the Royal Throne Room of Undercity, Sylvanas entered with many of her most powerful guards at her side. She had found out of the betrayal of Varmithras, and that the natherizim Balnazzar still lived. To her surprise, many undeads had already been slaughtered in the Throne Room... and Varmithras was nowhere to be found.

A dark Nightmare has enveloped the Emerald Dream, slowly corrupting it. Rumors have emerged that Archimonde has found his way into the Emerald Dream by using the powers of the World Tree before he died...

Max Level Increased
The max level players may now reach has been increased to 75, and many new max-level raid instances have been added to the game world.

New Races
Horde
Five races compromise the Horde, the brutal orcs, the shadowy undead, the spiritual tauren, the quick-witted trolls, and the reckless blood elves. Beset by enemies on all sides, these outcasts have forged a union tey hope will ensure their mutual survival.

Blood Elves
Serving Illidan to satiate their magical addiction, the blood elves have grown stronger than they ever imagined. But even now, with demonic magic in constant supply, many of the blood elves are hungering for even more magic.

Racial Traits:
Demonic Corruption - Due to their corrupted blood and their hunger for magic, the Blood Elves begin the game with +10 resistances to all types of magic. In Addition, all of their resistances to magical spells and effects, excluding Nature, are increased by 8%.

Available Classes: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Priest, Warlock, Spellbreaker

Alliance
The Alliance consists of five races: the noble humans, the adventurous dwarves, the enigmatic night elves, the ingenious gnomes, and the mysterious draenei. Bound by a loathing for all things demonic, they fight to restore order in this war-torn world.

Draenei
Nearly wiped out by the Orcs during the early days of the Horde and then faced with the destruction of their entire world, the Draenei have become adept at survival and avoiding danger. Even knowing that the Burning Legion is the ultimate cause for their suffering, the Draenei survivors hope that their pact with the Alliance, and Illidan, will someday grant them a new homeland and, most importantly, help them in the eradication of their most hated enemy, the Orcs.

Racial Traits:
Unseen - Once every ten minutes, the Draenei may go invisible for fifteen seconds. This effect may not be cancelled, and the Draenei cannot attack or cast any spells, and they are also considered to be "in combat" for the entire time of this effect.

Available Classes: Warrior, Rogue, Hunter, Spellbreaker

New Class: Spell Breaker


Spell Breaker - Among the Blood Elves, there are those who show such an amazing aptitude for magic that they can become almost immune to it's effects and can even twist the spells of others to benefit themselves. Called Spellbreakers, they were the elite, holding mastery over all forms of magic. Now, with demonic blood flowing through their veins, these Spellbreakers and their allies among the Naga and Draenei have begun to evolve into demons themselves, with the most powerful able to manipulate the fabric of the Twisting Nether.

Spell breakers begin the game with leather armor but are able to use mail once they reach level fourty.

Examples of Specific Abilities:

Shadow Orbs: Summons several shadowy spheres to circle the caster's body. This spell will increase the player's parry/block rate, with each parry or block causing shadow damage to the attacker. Each attack blocked/parried in this fashion will cause an orb to violently explode, causing minor arcane damage to the attacker and decreasing the number of orbs surrounding the player until all orbs are gone and the effect ends. 30 second cooldown.

Demon Fangs: Fangs are often the first demonic trait evolved by Spellbreaker characters. Using this ability will cause you to attempt to bite your enemy, causing shadow damage and causing a Damage over Time debuff on the opponent, unless resisted. 3 minute cooldown.

Fel Strike: The Spellbreaker's weapon is charged with demonic energy, causing extra shadow damage every hit. Lasts five minutes.

Dark Whispers: Has a 75% chance to temporarily lower nearby enemies' attack power by 10%, lower their hit points by 5%, or lower their mana by 5%. Has a 25% chance to buff nearby enemies' attack power by 10%, hit points by 10%, or mana by 10%. Effect is random on every target. 1 Minute Cooldown.

Fel Concentration: Has a 50% chance to either slow casting time of the target by 10%, or making it 10% faster. May be used on Party Members or enemies. Lasts 5 seconds. 15 second cooldown.

Talent Trees:

Fel Protection - Centered around defensive abilities that allow the Spellbreaker a chance to survive when up against melee classes.

Fel Combat - Talents used to improve offensive spells and abilities used by the Spellbreaker.



Spellbreaking - Talents used to attempt to increase spell the spell resistances of the Spellbreaker.

Example Talents:

Spell Alignment: The caster attempts to align his body with the next spell cast upon him. Once hit by the spell, his body 'aligns' to that spell's school, making him immune to that spell school for 20 seconds. Lasts until a hostile spell is cast on the Spellbreaker. 15 minute cooldown. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Fel Protection.

Spell Reflection: For 20 seconds, all positive and negative spells used on the Spellbreaker are reflected at the caster. 15 minute cooldown. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Fel Combat.

Spell Absorbtion: For 20 seconds, all spells used on the Spellbreaker will cause normal damage, but the mana cost of the spell is added to the Spellbreaker's mana. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Spellbreaking.

Improved Demon Fangs: Damage caused by the bite of the demon fangs does 5%/10%/15% more damage and has its cooldown reduced by 15/30/60 seconds. 3 ranks. FEL COMBAT.

Melee Specialization: Chance to cause shadow damage on hit with a melee weapon is increased by 10%/20%. 2 ranks. FEL COMBAT.Improved Shadow Orbs: Damage caused by the shadow orbs is increased by 10%/20%/30%. 3 ranks. FEL PROTECTION.

Shadow Shield: Increases your chance to block with a shield by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10%. Also gives a chance to cause shadow damage equal to the amount of damage that had been blocked to the attacker by 5%/10%/15%/20%/25%. 5 ranks. FEL PROTECTION.

Fire Resistance: Increases your resistance to fire spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Frost Resistance: Increases your resistance to frost spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Shadow Resistance: Increases your resistance to shadow spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Arcane Resistance: Increases your resistance to arcane spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

10/21/2005 10:00:33 PM

New Areas


Undermine:
The Goblins have finally accepted to allow the other civilized races of Azeroth onto their home of Undermine.

This is a level 60-65 zone, and is now the main hub of neutral transportation.

Quel'Thalas:
With the aid of the Horde and Argent Dawn, the Blood Elves drove some of the remaining Scourge out of Quel'thalas. The Blood Elves have started to rebuild their cities, and have unexpectedly found that some cities were untouched.

Gnomeregan:
After a long struggle, the Gnomeregan Exiles were finally able to retake their home, with the aid of both, Horde and Alliance adventurers. The Clean Zone is the new starting area for gnomes. Gnomeregan can take the player to about level 12 afterwhich they have to go to other areas.

The New Echo Islands:
Farther south of the Echo Islands was a large chain of many islands, which ended up also being named the "Echo Islands".

Nothing but beasts had lived on these islands when the trolls found them. It is the new starting area for Trolls. These islands can take the player to about level 12.

Northrend:
The Horde and Alliance are now able to reach the continent of Northerend, thanks to the aid of the Goblins of Undermine. A zeppelin will take the players to the town of Valgarde in Northerend, where they will begin many quests to oppose the Scourge. Northerend is a massive level 65-75 zone, and contains many new max-level instances.

The Emerald Dream:
The Emerald Dream is the primal heart of Azeroth. It is an echo of what the world would be like if intelligent beings had not altered its surface. The ethereal layer of the Emerald Dream shares the same space of the Physical layer one on top of the other - a parallel realm overlapping the physical world like an invisible and intangible layer. It is characterized by its green hue and verdant forests. The Emerald Dream, though, is like a perpetual time-frame of creation, back when the Titans reshaped the planet to bring order to chaos. Yet both realms share the same time. Time passes normally within the Emerald Dream as in the Physical world. The Emerald Dream is ruled by Ysera the Dragon Aspect of the Dream, empowered by Eonar the Titan to watch over the Emerald Dream realm. Lately, the Emerald Dream has been affected by the Nightmare. It is not a place. It is an effect that roams the Emerald Dream randomly affecting other dreamers and attacks them during their sleep. The nightmare twists and reshape the dreams corrupting the sleeping dream-form. Those trapped within the Nightmare are known as the Unwaking. Their physical form may die of starvation, not able to wake up as the affected can't escape the Emerald Dream. There are many magical and planar ways to reach the Emerald Dream. Sometimes, Ysera can't detect intruders that enter the Emerald Dream by means of magic plane-shifting. There are rumors that somehow Archimonde was able to affect the Emerald Dream through the World Tree. Since the World Tree was bound to the Emerald Dream, Archimonde might have found a way to infiltrate the Emerald Dream before dying. Only time will tell... The Emerald Dream is a level 70-75 zone which will have players attempt to cleanse the Emerald Dream of the Nightmare - and, if the rumors that are told are true, Archimonde will once again need to be defeated by mortals...

Transportation


All boats from neutral cities, such as Ratchet, and Booty Bay now connect to Undermine. New boats have been added to Steamwheedle Port, Menethil Harbor, and Theramore which will take anyone on it to Undermine. In addition, there is a new zeppelin which will take the player to Undermine. There is also a zeppelin on Undermine which will take the player to the shores of Northerend, to a town called Valgarde. All goblin-owned transportations now have atleast four level 62 Undermine Bruisers on them. Alliance-owned and Horde-owned transportation now force any members of the opposite faction on them into PVP, and are also now guarded by atleast four level 60 guards.

New High-End Instances


Naxxaramas Necropolis:
Within Stratholme, near the Slaughterhouse of Baron Rivendare, is the Naxxaramas Necropolis. Kel'Thuzad reigns the Undead Scourge from the Naxxramas Necropolis. This new 40-player, level sixty raid instance is equal in difficulty to Blackwing Lair, and will send the player to assault the Tower of Medivh.

The Tower of Medivh:
This tower was described by Medivh as an Hourglass. As the sand particles flow slowly through the hourglass clock, time flows in different places of the glass, allowing one to see the past - and future - of Azeroth. This is a 40-player max-level raid instance, much more difficult than Naxxaramas Necropolis.

Caverns of Time:
This is the lair of Nozdormu, one of the five great dragon aspects. Nozdormu, unlike most other dragons in the game, requires the aid of mortals. To repair damage done to the timeline, Nozdormu will send players on large raids into two 40-player, level sixty raid instances, and one 40-player max-level raid instance, the first two being equal in difficulty to Naxxaramas Necropolis, and the final being equal in difficulty to The Tower of Medivh.

Outlands:
The desolate place of Outland emits flashes of light and streams of energy. Outland is currently a way station. Many portals are still active within some of the floating asteroids, leading to other worlds. This new zone is for groups of five or more max level players. Among the creatures that inhabit Outland are Felboars, Phase spiders, Draeni, Fire Elementals, Fungal Horrors, Succubi, Nether Dragons(composed of nether energy, and not related to real dragons).

THE BLACK CITADEL:
Beneath the Black Citadel, there is a very large prison. Rumors have been created that heroes from past wars are still being held within this prison, and that even now the ruler of the Black Citadel tortures these heroes. Other rumors are that Kil'jaeden, the most powerful entity of the Burning Legion, dwells withing this Citadel, plotting the destruction of Azeroth. This is a large, 50-player raid instance.

GRIM BATOL:
Rumors have emerged that Alexstrasza and her dragonflight are keeping anyone from getting near Grim Batol. They are protecting something deep within its walls, a secret power. Some say they are protecting a powerful artifact or creature.

Some have gone as far as to speculate that Deathwing has been held captive and imprisoned within Grim Batol, though, others believe in the possibility that the creature that now holds the essence of the Sunwell might be under protection of the Red Dragonflight. Anyone who dares to venture into this max level 50-player raid instance will find themselves standing against the power of the Red Dragonflight, Alexstasza, herself. This is equal in difficulty to The Black Citadel.

THE LAIR OF MALYGOS:
Malygos lives in Northrend in a deep and complex cavern. He is known to gather relics of arcane power, keeping them locked away from mortals. Frozen Orcs, Nagas, Trolls and Wendigos are many of the victims of the horror of Malygos' power, and to display what happens to those who venture into the Lair of Malygos. This is a 50-player max level raid instance, equal in difficulty to Grim Batol.


ICECROWN MOUNTAIN:
Icecrown mountain is the most difficult instance to ever be in Azeroth, and will challenge anyone to stand against the power of not only the Lich King's armies, and his most trusted lieutenant, Anub'arak, but also the Immortal Lich King himself.

This is a 100-player max level raid instance, and will challenge the Horde and Alliance to work together to defeat the Immortal Lich King. To have the full 100 players, 50 players of max level on Horde and 50 players of max level on Alliance must work together, merging both groups of 50 into one large raid party. Upon Icecrown, Horde and Alliance may not attack eachother at any time, but are instead able to aid eachother. Leaders of the Argent Dawn have also worked together to teach the Alliance and Horde to understand both, Common and Orcish, so they may communicate as they work together to defeat the Immortal Lich King.

THE EYE OF YSERA:
Deep within the Emerald Dream is the Eye of Ysera. The Eye of Ysera is a large golden dome that randomly appears in the Emerald Dream, and the dome in which Ysera dwells. No one has ever been able to enter or penetrate the golden dome. That is, until the Nightmare came... And once again, if the rumors were true, this is where Archimonde will most likely be...

10/21/2005 10:00:56 PM