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Guide to Hallow's End 2014
Hallow's End 2014 begins on Saturday, Oct. 18 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 1 this year. As with most of the game's holidays, Hallow's End is required for the yearlong meta What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been that grants the Violet Proto-Drake. Completing the required Hallow's End achievements will also award the title the Hallowed. In 2011, Blizzard added some major updates and improvements to the holiday, changing Tricky Treats from edible confection into a form of currency that players can use to buy pets, masks, and wands. This year has some new loot available -- three costumes for your pug pals, and a new costume for players as well, the Exquisite Costume Set: "The Lich King." And for all you pet collectors out there, this year you'll find the usual Creepy Crate, Sinister Squashling and Feline Familiar as well as Widget the Departed and Cursed Birman, two new ghostly kitties to add to your collection. Toy collectors will want to make note of the Little Wickerman and add him to your Toybox if you haven't already. As with most of our holiday guides, I've arranged the achievements in the rough order they should be completed, noting which achievements are required for the meta and which aren't.
Warlords of Draenor: New Hallow's End rewards in next beta build
Although we don't know if the holiday itself will be getting a facelift in Warlords of Draenor, it looks like fans of Hallow's End will be getting some new toys to play with in the next expansion. Senior Game Designer Jeremy Feasel posted on Twitter this week with a question for players: If they could dress up like one major lore figure for Hallow's End, who would they choose? A later tweet suggested he had found whatever answer he was looking for. .@Muffinus Find out which one made the cut, in the next Warlords of Draenor beta build >=] - Jeremy Feasel (@Muffinus) July 18, 2014 In-game holidays have long been a source of fun and sometimes frustration for players. Certainly the events are an entertaining diversion, but when you've seen the same event roll around year after year with no changes or updates, it tends to make the seasons seem a little monotonous. A new costume wand reward might not be the full revamp players have been hoping for, but at least it signifies that in-game holidays are still very much on the minds of the development team.
Breakfast Topic: Did you reach your Hallow's End goals?
The Hallow's End holiday ends today. Check the calendar on your local server to see what time it ends for you. You may have one more chance to try for The Horseman's Reins, if that's your thing. It's not mine and since I already have the Hallowed Be Thy Name achievement, my only goal was this year's Candy Run from It came from the Blog. I did do quite a bit of trick or treating on my army of alts, but I found that it was much harder to do on recent alts, ever since they took the automatic learning of level appropriate flightpaths away. Still it was worth the experience, even though I didn't get a single broom this year. For some reason, I got tons of skeleton wands though. Very odd. What about you? %Poll-85429%
It came from the Blog: Candy Run 2013 snapshots
Last Friday, It came from the Blog hosted its annual Candy Run. We met in Brill and put out the fires of the Headless Horseman. We then ran around to all of the inns that are easily accessible by running. We trick or treated in Silvermoon and all of the blood elf area inns as well as Tirisfal Glades and all of the undead area inns. We proceeded through Silverpine Forest, onward to Hillsbrad Foothills and ended the first part of the event at Hammerfall in Arathi Highlands. We then abandoned the lowbies and those of us with all of the flightpaths in the Eastern Kingdoms flew around together, trick or treating at all of the continent's inns. We started up north with the Hinterlands, Western Plaguelands and Eastern Plaguelands. Then we took the long trip to the Badlands and continued through the southern part of the continent, ending in Sassy Hardwrench's Hideaway in Stranglethorn, earning us the Tricks and Treats of Eastern Kingdoms achievement. This event was much longer than most of our events, but it was tons of fun nonetheless. We have an event every month, so stay tuned for the announcement for November's holiday outing. The snapshots for Candy Run 2013 are below. Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Reminder: It came from the Blog's Candy Run 2013 is tonight
Tonight, It came from the Blog is celebrating Hallow's End by hosting a Candy Run and you are invited to join us. When: Tonight, October 25 at 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. PDT, 11:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at Brill on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) Who: Any level Horde character, though the more flightpaths you have, the better How: Ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite, if you're not already in our family of guilds The first half of the event is for all levels, and the second half will be for those who have all the old world flightpaths. We'll be completing one continent for the achievement. Even if you usually play Alliance, you are more than welcome to join us on a Horde character just for these events. We have them every month. See you tonight! Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. Any guild rank can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Breakfast Topic: What does your Hallow's End pumpkin look like?
It's the Halloween -- sorry, Hallow's End -- season, which means many of us are carving pumpkins. Whether you're doing it for decor, to ward off evil spirits, or just for fun, there's no reason for your pumpkin to be any less game-savvy than you are. In fact, with Blizzard's pumpkin-carving contest, your fruit ninja skills -- yes, pumpkin is a fruit -- may even win you some cool swag. But contest-worthy or not, we're curious about the pumpkin that graces your holiday display this October. Have you gone with the traditional toothy-grin of a Jack-o'lantern? Or does yours have a geeky theme? Share!
It came from the Blog: Join us for Candy Run 2013
Azeroth is celebrating Hallow's End, which means it's time for another It came from the Blog Candy Run. We won't get Deathwing to join us like he did two years ago, but there still should be plenty of fun without being roasted like a marshmallow. When: Friday, October 25 at 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. PDT, 11:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at Brill on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) Who: Any level Horde character, though the more flightpaths you have, the better How: Ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite, if you're not already in our family of guilds We'll be running around collecting candy from willing innkeepers for the first half of the event. Then we'll abandon the lowbies and continue via flightpaths in order to complete the continent. So bring your character with the most old world flightpaths if you want to participate in the entire event. Come and join us this Friday for some Candy Run fun! Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
WRUP: Horseman rise!
It's that time again, when the addled, poetry-filled monster rises from the depths of the grave to taunt us lucky and unlucky alike with dreams of mounts. In the meantime, though, your intrepid WoW Insider staff will keep playing games and making the best of a bad situation. Take a trip with us and tell us what you're playing this weekend! If you're hunting for a mount of your very own, make sure to stop by our guide to Hallow's End 2013. It has all the details you need, from wicker man to headless man.
Guide to Hallow's End 2013
Hallow's End 2013 begins on Friday, Oct. 18 and runs through Friday, Nov. 1 this year. As with most of the game's holidays, Hallow's End is required for the yearlong meta What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been that grants the Violet Proto-Drake. Completing the required Hallow's End achievements will also award the title the Hallowed. In 2011, Blizzard added some major updates and improvements to the holiday, one of which completely eliminated the hassle behind one of WoW's most hideous RNG nightmares, and one of which left us with two very cool non-combat pets. In short, Tricky Treats -- once vomit-inducing but otherwise useless items that dropped in spades from the holiday boss, the Headless Horseman -- are now a form of currency that players can use to buy pets, masks, and wands. And for all you pet collectors out there, you'll really want to pick up a Feline Familiar, a Beast-type pet with an unusually useful moveset. If you didn't get around to the holiday last year, please note that there's an additional 10 points available in the form of Tricks and Treats of Pandaria.
My holiday discontent
I don't like WoW's in game holiday events. I never really did. In general, I'm not a big pet/mount/special cruft kind of collector, although I'll admit I've always wanted the Great Brewfest Kodo on my Alliance characters, just because I miss kodo. They're one of my favorite mounts. But be it Love is in the Air, Hallow's Eve, the Harvest Festival, or the Lunar Festival I just don't like the in-game holidays. What ends up happening is this: a lot of people do a lot of stuff, then there's a dungeon I can run once a day for special rewards I either don't care about or won't get, and then it's over. Now, you could point out a few things here. First off, that it's okay if I don't like the content as long as I'm not forced to do it and I'll agree with you. The content is eminently avoidable. I do like that. I like not having to do any of this stuff. I don't have to rescue reindeer or go fight the Greench, but for some reason I find the holiday events annoying and I won't even pretend I know why I find them annoying. I just admitted I can avoid them. Why, then, do they bother me so much? And here's another weird but true fact: they annoyed me a lot less when you could chain-farm them. Ever since they put holiday bosses like Coren Direbrew, The Headless Horseman and Ahune on the dungeon finder and made them drop one special bag a day (for your first run) I've found them far, far more terrible and annoying even though it means I can run them less. I actually find myself looking back fondly on the day that I ran the Headless Horseman twenty-seven times, as everyone in our group of five switched to every max level alt they had to get another shot at the fellow. I don't even understand that one myself. I just said I don't like the holidays, and that I like being able to utterly avoid them, and now I'm saying that I don't like that I can run them less now?
Reminder: It came from the Blog's Candy Run is tonight
Candy Run, more like Candy Fun, AMIRITE? The It came from the Blog gang and friends always have a great time Trick or Treating. It's tonight, so if you don't already have a level 10+ character on Zangarmarsh, you need to get moving. When: Tonight, Tuesday, Oct 30 at 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. PDT, 8:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at Brill on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) Who: Any Horde character level 10 and above, but you'll have more fun if you have a character with all the old world flightpaths. What: Candy, fun, running How: Just ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite. We'll be keeping it slow for the lowbies for the first half of the event, but then anyone without the old world flightpaths will be abandoned mercilessly while the rest of us collect more candy. So if you are new to our events and have time, create a death knight before we begin the event. Come trick or treat with us ... unless you don't like candy and fun. Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
It came from the Blog: Join us for Candy Run 2012
Boo! Yeah, It came from the Blog is Trick or Treating again and yeah, we're going to have fun as usual. No, Deathwing won't be joining us this year, since he's dead. But we don't need to die in a dragon-induced inferno in order to have a good time or even get the meta. Here are the details: When: Tuesday, Oct 30 at 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. PDT, 8:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at Brill on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) Who: Any Horde character level 10 and above, but you'll have more fun if you have a character with all the old world flightpaths. What: Candy How: Just ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite. Even if you normally play Alliance, we hope you will make an exception and join the dark side in order to Trick or Treat with us. We have cookies.* We hope to see you there! *Cookies are not included in this event. Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. Al ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite in-game holiday?
I love Halloween. I am a big fan of the spooky, the creepy, the gloomy, dark and dank. It enthralls me, it's mysterious, it's fun! I'm talking real life here, now, not candy buckets in cities. I'm not a huge fan of the in-game Halloween, it seems too jokey, too trick-or treat and candy-focused, missing the scary side. But, having said that, I do like the Headless Horseman. He, well, his head is very entertaining, with its constant issues with his disappearing body and horse. I also like Love is in the Air and Noblegarden, they're wonderfully corny and cute, with the bunny ears and the lovebirds. Winter Veil isn't bad either, but perhaps that's because I have a child-like love for Christmas. But my favorite in-game holiday by a long shot is Brewfest. I really like the music, for a while at least. With my habit of alt-tabbing to work while leaving the game running, leaving a character standing in a Brewfest zone for long periods of time is annoying at best! The games are really fun, and the in-game drunkenness does bring a smile. If Coren Direbrew was as entertaining as the Horseman, and the rewards were as fun as the Lovebird or the Picnic Basket, this could be a perfect holiday! What about you? Which in-game holiday tickles your fancy, and are there any that you despise?
The Queue: Amber Kearnen, don't die on me
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. If you do, I will never forgive you. Chris asked: Is there anything new for Hallow's End?
WoW Archivist: The ghosts of Hallow's End
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? Yesterday, Hallow's End went live for the seventh time! The holiday began as a modest one, but it has evolved into one of WoW's most elaborate. Over the years, it has endured more controversy and intrigue than any other holiday. Let's take a look back! The first Hallow's End The original incarnation of Hallow's End went live in October 2005. The files were included with patch 1.8. It was a far cry from the elaborate holiday we know today with its quests, achievements, vendors, masks, and ghosts taunting us with awful poetry. Here is Blizzard's 2005 introduction: When the decorations of Hallow's End light up Azeroth's cities, you know there's mischief afoot! Seek special vendors in Orgrimmar or Ironforge and get your hands on treats! Aid a sick orphan in a little trick-or-treating! Darkcaller Yanka, attending the Forsaken's Wickerman Festival, and Sergeant Hartman of Southshore are seeking your aid in keeping the enemy out of their holiday affairs - are you up to the challenge? The first Hallow's End wasn't much to write home about. Towns were decorated with pumpkins. The inns got apple bobbing. In addition, the holiday made three quests available. The first was to collect candy from capital cities for your faction's kids. The other two were faction specific -- and were the focus of intense forum-griping.
The OverAchiever: Guide to Hallow's End 2012
Every week, The Overachiever shows you how to work toward those sweet achievement points. Today, our yearly sugar rush. Hallow's End 2012 begins on Thursday, Oct. 18 and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 31 this year. As with most of the game's holidays, Hallow's End is required for the yearlong meta What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been that grants the Violet Proto-Drake. Completing the required Hallow's End achievements will also award the title the Hallowed. Last year, Blizzard added some major updates and improvements to the holiday, one of which completely eliminated the hassle behind one of WoW's most hideous RNG nightmares, and one of which left us with two very badass non-combat pets. In essence, Tricky Treats -- once a vomit-inducing item that dropped in spades from the holiday boss, the Headless Horseman -- are now a form of currency that players can use to buy pets, masks, wands, and other holiday items. 2011 also introduced a new set of quests associated with Hallow's End, one of which sends you into an enemy city without the fear of ugly death. Bottom line: If you weren't around for last year's holiday, a lot of stuff may interest you this year. If you were around for last year, you'll still be interested, as the Headless Horseman's set of dropped epics are a lot more compelling at the beginning of an expansion. Hardcore achievement hunters will also be pleased to note an additional 10 points in the form of Tricks and Treats of Pandaria. As with most of our holiday guides, I've arranged the achievements in the rough order they should be completed, noting which achievements are required for the meta and which aren't.
Mists of Pandaria: Hallow's End loot updated
In addition to all the other things Wowhead has found in the latest beta patch, we're apparently getting updated Hallow's End loot as well. At ilevel 470, these epic rings are slightly superior to the blue items dropping in Mists' heroic dungeons. What are we looking at so far? The Band of the Petrified Pumpkin, a strength DPS ring. Seal of Ghoulish Glee, an agility DPS ring. The Horseman's Ring, an int ring with hit on it. That's caster DPS, right? I'm going to assume that's what it is. Wicked Witch's Signet, a caster ring with spirit on it. That's for healing, right? There's also an updated Horseman's Horrific Hood and the Horseman's Sinister Saber, but both are slighly lower in ilevel (463), so we're not sure about them yet. All of it seems to suggest that the plan is for Mists to come out before Halloween, which I suspect most of us already believed. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
The OverAchiever: The worst (maybe) holiday achievements
Every Thursday, The Overachiever shows you how to work toward those sweet achievement points. This week, some holidays are easier to survive than others. I've been getting a lot of comments and feedback from players recently over troublesome elder placement during the Lunar Festival (the one next to the Razor Hill flightmaster seems to be a particular issue -- more on this in a future article), and it spurred me to start thinking about problematic holiday achievements as a whole. Thing is, Blizzard's really put a lot of effort into its holidays over the past few years, and most of them are much less time-consuming and frustrating then they used to be. So how many really troublesome holiday achievements are there these days, anyhow? Most of them didn't figure prominently in our evil achievements series (with one sterling exception), but I'll grant that not all of them are sunshine and roses. But then of course, there's that one. Yes, that one -- the achievement shat into existence by Satan himself onto a bed of Ed Hardy clothing with bad Japanese pop music playing in the background. You know the one I'm talking about.
It came from the Blog: Deathwing joins the Candy Run
Once upon a time, It came from the Blog embarked on a Candy Run through the Eastern Kingdoms. We began at Brill, traveled to Silvermoon, then the Undercity, through Silverpine Forest and on to Hillsbrad Foothills. There were candy, tricks, treats, and lots of running. Then one bright and sunny afternoon, the sugar-rushed travelers trekked through Arathi Highlands. Someone said, "Wouldn't it be cool if Deathwing appeared?" Everyone agreed it would. Three minutes later, we were tested on that notion. Deathwing swooped down upon us and toasted us like s'mores at a campout. He then stuck around long enough to make sure that it took us several minutes to successfully resurrect without being toasted. But then he left us to go on his fiery way. Charred but undaunted, we continued our candy run. You want pictures? We got your pictures right here. %Gallery-140549% Please join us on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild rankscan invite, so /whisper Roblinator or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
WoW Moviewatch: Hallow's Dream
This movie is a little old. I nearly didn't run it because of timeliness issues; after all, Halloween and its in-game equivalent was nearly a month ago. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, for goodness's sake! But then I watched the video and knew I had to feature it. SilverLetomi and Tyrannothefirst did an amazing job with Hallow's Dream, and I felt it needed to be seen. The song is obviously well performed, and the machinima is fantastically spooky for a Hallow's End video. I definitely like the rock and roll angle, since guitars can be few and far between in contemporary machinima. The team picked out some awesome visuals to illustrate the action, leaving us with a comprehensive, fun video. Pardon the delay on this Hallow's End video, but take the time to kick back and enjoy the fun. Then go eat some turkey tomorrow. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
