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Heroes of the Storm previews Master Skins
The Heroes of the Storm team has been busy today, previewing both a new map and, just recently, Master Skins. Originally, Master Skins were unveiled at PAX East as a reward for individuals dedicated to playing specific heroes. Heroes of the Storm boasts a number of dramatic and even comical skins, but Master Skins function a bit differently. They're essentially evolutions of the original skins, with characters showing unique additions to their visuals, such as horns, additional props, et cetera. The video above shows off Master Skins for characters from the Warcraft universe including Arthas, Falstad, Li Li, and Stitches. They're all unique in their own right, but just how badass does Falstad look with his mohawk? Hopefully future videos will show us what we can expect from the Diablo and StarCraft universes as Master Skins go.
Li Li's Travel Journal concludes with part 11
Li Li's Travel Journal has just updated with the final installment of Li Li's journeys throughout the wilds of Pandaria. Li Li has finally made it to the Dread Wastes, in search of her Uncle Chen. But there's nothing pleasant to be found in the home of the mantid. Will Li Li find Chen, or become just another casualty in the Dread Wastes? The final chapter wraps up Li Li's journey, but it also explains what the young Stormstout is up to now. Obviously there are reunions to be had, not just with Chen, but with the rest of the Stormstout clan holed up at the Sunset Brewgarden. And there's mention of a particularly touching quest chain in the Dread Wastes, as well. All in all, this was a delightful little series that served as a pretty good overview of what to expect in Pandaria. It didn't have the emotional weight of some of the leader short stories from last expansion, but honestly, it was a refreshing change. I do hope we'll see more short fiction from Blizzard as the expansion continues, however. As with the chapters before, if you like the chapter's illustration of Li Li warily spying on the mantid, Blizzard has made it available as a wallpaper, free for download. Don't miss the latest charming installment of the tale -- you can catch chapter 8, as well as all previous installments of the story, in the Expanded Universe section of the official website. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Breakfast Topic: Which Mists character grates on your last nerve?
Remember Corki? Really, now ... Who could forget the most annoying little twit ever to grace not one but four quests in Nagrand during The Burning Crusade? There really aren't many NPCs that can set my teeth on edge like Corki could, but Li Li Stormstout sure is making a run for the title. I know she's supposed to be loosely modeled on an actual little girl (the daughter of Blizzard Senior Writer Micky Neilson, also the author of the graphic novel about her), and yeah, I'm a mom with a little girl of about that age, but this little flibbertigibbet drives me batty -- which has done nothing to put me in any decent frame of mind to deal with Dook Ookem, Chief Kah Kah and their ilk, now that I'm running up my team Horde-side. I know, I know, many of you love those little bundles of comic relief. Maybe I'm just "lazy and old," as Li Li might claim. I'm all pumped up and ready for war, though, and I hate being sidetracked by these knuckleheads. I guess I could try leapfrogging the storylines I don't care for, but it's part of my storyline. I don't wanna skip anything! Commiserate with me. I know plenty of you are agonizing over more important matters, grinding your gears over Garrosh while I'm merely fretting about a little girl and bunch of monkeys. So tell me, what characters in Mists grate on your last nerve -- and what are you doing to mitigate the pain?
Li Li's Travel Journal continues with part 8
Li Li's Travel Journal has just updated with chapter 8 of Li Li's journeys throughout the wilds of Pandaria. When we last left Li Li Stormstout, she was on her way to Kun Lai Summit via hot air balloon, with a new friend and a new fuzzy companion at her side. But Kun Lai Summit is definitely not the most pleasant place in the world to be, what with the yaungol attacks in the area and the uprising of the Sha. But Li Li's problems hit far closer to home. Although Li Li's little bandicoon companion Shisai was friendly enough while Li Li wandered Krasarang Wilds, he's no longer quite as friendly as he used to be. It's a problem for a pet owner, and Li Li finds an unlikely solution at the heights of Kota Peak from an even more unlikely, if friendly, source. But this isn't the end of Li Li's 11-part journey through Pandaria. Li Li has more to see -- and the gate marking the way into the Vale of Eternal Blossoms has captured her attention. After all, the Vale has been closed off to the rest of Pandaria for thousands of years ... perfect for a Stormstout explorer. What kinds of secrets will the pandaren explorer dig up in the Vale? As with the chapters before, if you like the illustration of Li Li traveling via hot air balloon, Blizzard has made it available as a wallpaper, free for download. Don't miss the latest charming installment of the tale -- you can catch chapter 8, as well as all previous installments of the story, in the Expanded Universe section of the official website. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Li Li's Travel Journal updates with part 7
Ah, now things are getting interesting! Li Li's Travel Journal has just updated with chapter 7 of the young Stormstout's tale of discovery. In this chapter, Li Li has finally broken off from her Uncle Chen, who is busy presumably drowning in ale over at the Stormstout Brewery. To keep herself occupied, Li Li decides to find the place where Shen-zin Su and Liu Lang's journey began, deep in the heart of Krasarang Wilds. Of course you can't really travel through Krasarang without finding adventure. And just as you think Li Li's journey may be complete, she finds herself taking to the air and heading someplace else entirely. I'm glad we're seeing what the intrepid young Stormstout was doing while Chen was busy fixing the Stormstout Brewery and presumably heading to the Dread Wastes -- it's nice to see that Li Li hasn't just disappeared and been forgotten about. What's also nice are the illustrations for the new chapters. I'm not sure who the artist is, but they're lovely, stylized pieces of art. If you like the illustrations, there's some good news with the latest chapter of the story -- Blizzard has released three brand new wallpapers showcasing the art. Don't miss the latest charming installment of the tale -- you can catch chapter 7, as well as all previous installments of the story, in the Expanded Universe section of the official website. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Li Li's Travel Journal updates with part 6
What happened to Li Li after the Valley of the Four Winds? For that matter, where exactly was she when her Uncle Chen was duking it out with that orc and human during the cinematic trailer for Mists? Li Li's Travel Journal continues with part 6 of her adventures in Pandaria, and answers a few questions about Li Li's whereabouts during pivotal events, and where she's headed next. In the latest installment, Li Li and Chen have made it to the Valley of Four Winds. In Li Li's eyes, the place looks remarkably like the Wandering Isle, only on a much larger scale. Mention is made of wandering heroes from Azeroth that helped the Stormstouts on their way across the Valley (that would be us!) as well as in the Stormstout Brewery. The installment leaves off with Li Li headed for Krasarang Wilds without the accompaniment of her dear Uncle Chen, in search of the place where Liu Lang originally left Pandaria on the back of Shen-zin Su. Since we know at some point Chen headed west to the Dread Wastes, it should be interesting to see what Li Li is up to in his absence. You can find chapter six, as well as all previous installments of the story, in the Expanded Universe section of the official website. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Li Li's Travel Journal continues with part 5
Li Li's Travel Journal has finally been updated with part five of the 11-part story of Li Li Stormstout's travels around Azeroth. And this time, there is quite the time jump between entries. When we last left the travel journal, Li Li was still stuck on the Wandering Isle, her uncle Chen nowhere to be found. The latest entry takes us forward in time, jumping over the events in Pearl of Pandaria and Quest for Pandaria to bring us Li Li's thoughts on finally locating the lost continent of Pandaria. Detailing Chen and Li Li's journey through the Jade Forest, part 5 gives us a little more information on just what happened to bring Chen and Li Li to the borders of the Valley of the Four Winds, where players find them in game. In fact, it looks as though player adventures will somehow incorporate into the story, as the next section will involve Chen's discoveries surrounding the original Stormstout clan. What makes this really interesting is that our in game interactions with Li Li Stormstout pretty much ended in the Valley of the Four Winds, yet there's six more chapters to the Travel Journal. Hopefully this means we'll see what Li Li was up to while Chen was off saving his family in the Dread Wastes. You can find chapter five, as well as all previous installments of the story, in the Expanded Universe section of the official website. While you're at it, you may want to read Quest for Pandaria, which is also available for free, and takes place just before this installment of Li Li's Travel Journal. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Li Li's Travel Journal updated with parts three and four
Li Li's Travel Journal has seen a couple more updates over the past week. The story follows the adventures of Li Li as she travels her way across the Wandering Isle. As the niece of Chen Stormstout, it appears that Li Li has the same curious nature and adventurous spirit of her uncle. In part three of the tale, Li Li heads to Dai-Lo Farmstead, exploring the quiet farming community and helping fight the pests that plague the farmlands in her own mischievous fashion. In part four, Li Li continues on to the Forbidden Forest and the Wood of Staves. Unfortunately, she runs into trouble along with way. With part three and part four, the story is somewhat established in the timeline. Li Li's Travel Journal begins before the events in Pearl of Pandaria -- before Li Li sets off to find her Uncle Chen on Azeroth proper. Some of the events and characters in the Travel Journal actually end up appearing in the graphic novel as well. So there's a distinct progression with this story -- it begins with the Travel Journal, continues in Pearl of Pandaria. We'll presumably see the story continue further with the short story Quest for Pandaria, which will be available on the Blizzard website sometime later this month. We're only at part four of eleven, which means there's still quite a bit of story left to tell. Be sure to head over to the official site and check out both part three and part four in their entirety, and keep checking back for more of Li Li's adventures. 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!
Li Li's Travel Journal explores the wonders of the Wandering Isle
Blizzard has released a new piece of short fiction on the official website. Li Li's Travel Journal follows the tale of Li Li Stormstout, niece to Chen and resident of the Wandering Isle. Although she desperately wants to travel the world like her Uncle Chen, her family insists that she is still too young to make the journey. The journal follows her path on the Wandering Isle, and possibly beyond -- the entry revealed earlier is one out of 11 chapters we'll see over time. Li Li is also the subject of the graphic novel Pearl of Pandaria, due out Sept. 25, according to Amazon. While Li Li's Travel Journal seems to depict her life on the Wandering Isle, Pearl of Pandaria follows her travels after leaving Shen-zin Su in search of Uncle Chen. While it's currently unclear whether or not Travel Journal is a lead in to what we'll see when Pearl of Pandaria is released, it's still set to be a delightful stand-alone tale. Li Li is one of my favorite characters from the upcoming Mists expansion. She's a kid, but she's a plucky, sarcasm-addled kid, the kind that's probably too smart for her own good and fearless on top of it. Take a look at Li Li's Travel Journal for the first part of what is sure to be an extraordinary journey -- and don't forget to look for Li Li when Mists of Pandaria launches on Sept. 25. 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!
Breakfast Topic: Who is your NPC buddy?
I have an incredibly soft spot for Wrathion. Heck, I helped him avoid being smushed as an egg. And then later, I happily murdered his brothers and sisters as well as his utterly cuckoo father. He was so impressed he gave me awesome daggers, even. And sure, I mean, he's a member of the Black Dragonflight and likely using me for his own nefarious means, but I just like the kid. He's my buddy. Needless to say, I was utterly delighted to find him in Pandaria. I was even more delighted when he was finally given something to say and decided to say hello to little old me. I mean, I'm sure he's got other master assassins kicking around, but I'm his favorite. So I'll happily do whatever he asks. He's cool. We're on the same wavelength -- for now, anyway. I seem to get this with every new expansion. Out of all of the varied NPCs introduced, I find one who strikes a particular chord within my heart, and they are my friend forever and ever. Mylune, Stormcaller Mylra, good old Jones in Dalaran (aka the best kitty ever), Rexxar, Umber -- the list goes on and on, and there is no rhyme or reason to it. In Mists, Lorewalker Cho is an immediate favorite, as well as Li Li and of course Chen Stormstout. Who doesn't love Chen? I can't be the only one who does this. Is there any NPC you've got a particular attachment to? One who makes you smile every time you see them? One whose quest you don't mind repeating on endless alts -- one whose quests you actually look forward to repeating? Let's have it -- who is your NPC buddy?
Which race has the creepiest-looking children?
In preparation for Friday night's raid testing, I started leveling a second character to 90 on the Mists of Pandaria beta yesterday evening. I had only progressed a couple of quests into Valley of the Four Winds when I noticed Chen Stormstout and his little niece Li Li were talking at me with recorded dialogue. When I had done these quests a few weeks earlier, neither NPC had made a peep, so the voices caught me off guard and quickly drew my attention and focus. This was when I realized for the first time that Li Li has been given a new character model. Previously, Li Li had been nothing more than a shrunken version of an adult female pandaren; now, she's taken on the form of a glossy-eyed, ever-smiling child. I immediately recoiled at the sight, shrank back in my chair, and clawed blindly at the keyboard in an effort to tab out of the game so I could console myself with pictures of kittens and Ryan Gosling's beard. I barely survived. So maybe it's just me, but nothing haunts me more than the soulless, unblinking eyes of Azerothian children. Anyone else share my sentiment? If so, which of the kids do you think are the creepiest? %Poll-75949%
