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Blizzard's official zone previews continue with Krasarang Wilds
Blizzard keeps going strong with its preview series, this time focusing on Krasarang Wilds. Associate quest designer Zach Owens gives a rundown of this unique zone, covering what players will encounter in its verdant depths. Personally I found the Wilds to be one of the most intriguing zones in the game, with the Temple of the Red Crane worth simply admiring as an aesthetic experience. Krasarang is home to the Angler's Wharf, and will be the site of many clashes with the Sha as well as between Alliance and Horde forces looking to exploit the place. The mogu, the mantid, the hozen and the saurok are all also here and players will find plenty to do, whether you're after exploration or old fashioned mayhem. So head on over to the official preview now and check it out. %Gallery-158946% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The Jade Forest revamped and reopened
The Jade Forest has been reopened on the Mists of Pandaria beta servers, and it's had quite the face-lift in a few key areas. Two new giant mogu temples are now at either end of the zone, and the Alliance and Horde have claimed them in the names of their respective factions. As a result, the starting quests for each faction have changed significantly from what they were before the Jade Forest was closed for its renovations. Because of this, beta testers who were well past the zone when it was closed may want to copy another character over to the beta and give the new version a play-through. It seems that both Alliance and Horde have received significant changes in the opening portions of the zone; however, later quests outside of the starting areas seem to be unchanged. In addition, there were several model updates with the current patch. Pandaria's wildlife now seems to be suitably diverse from the rest of Azeroth's creatures. So what's changed? Well, quite a bit, actually. Take a look at the before and after in our galleries for a peek at the changes, and follow after the break for some impressions from the new Mists starting experience. %Gallery-157916% %Gallery-161437%
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Vale of Eternal Blossoms
The Vale of Eternal Blossoms, nestled at the center of Pandaria, is the last zone players will encounter while leveling. Unlike prior expansions, the Vale is a level 90 zone -- you won't really see any quest hubs open until you have hit level 90. Once you've reached max level, you'll find scores of daily quests to do for the various factions of the Mists expansion. The Vale is also home to this expansion's two capital cities for the Alliance and Horde, perched on opposite sides of the valley. And those capital cities are complete with bankers, auctioneers, vendors, inns, trainers, reforgers -- just about everything you need for day-to-day errands and quests. This way, there's no real need to head back to the rest of Azeroth -- unless you're looking to farm some older content, that is. Because of the proximity to each other, the two cities guarantee you'll see members of both factions here and there, although it's definitely not a peaceful situation. The Vale is home to the Golden Lotus, who offer the majority of the daily quests available in the zone. Also based in the Vale are the Lorewalkers, who offer additional daily quests. The Vale itself is a picturesque valley, but it's being besieged by mogu, and you assist the Golden Lotus in thwarting the mogu's efforts as part of your daily duties. But it's the architecture of the zone that really stands out above anything else. The cities are some of the most amazing eye candy I've ever seen in World of Warcraft -- and frankly, I'm not sure I'm going to want to leave them when the expansion is over. For a look at the Vale and a closer look at the cities, take a peek at the full gallery. %Gallery-159941% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The Dread Wastes
Taking a marked departure from every other zone in Mists of Pandaria, the Dread Wastes presents an alien, twisted, unnerving landscape that is more than a little disconcerting. Stir in a giant helping of mantid, and you've got an entomophobe's worst nightmare. The Dread Wastes is home to the mantid, who generally stay behind the great wall built between the Dread Wastes and the rest of Pandaria. However, the wall doesn't really bar the mantid from flying over. Each mantid generation results in a massive swarm that assaults the rest of Pandaria, devouring everything in its path. Only the strongest mantid return from the journey. In Mists of Pandaria, the mantid are swarming a full 100 years too early, and it's up to the pandaren and players to fight off the swarm while trying to puzzle out exactly what caused the change in the mantid routine. In addition, players will get to interact with the Klaxxi, the elders and keepers of mantid culture. The Klaxxi are oddly enough just as unhappy with recent mantid events as the rest of Pandaria, and they're determined to identify the problem and eliminate it, with player help. Players will likely still be working through this zone at level 90, and frankly it's well worth the time involved. Between the alien landscape and off-putting residents is a zone with a bizarre and fascinating story to tell. Take a look at our gallery for a sneak peek of what the Dread Wastes has to offer. %Gallery-159520% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Townlong Steppes
The Townlong Steppes to the southwest of Kun Lai Summit and the west of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms is the next stop while leveling through Pandaria. The problems of the pandaren grow far more dire in Townlong Steppes, where the displaced yaungol's struggle becomes even clearer. Along with the yaungol, players catch their first very real glimpse of the mantid threat that encroaches from the Dread Wastes to the south. Townlong Steppes also features the efforts of the Shado Pan, one of several groups available for reputation gain in Mists of Pandaria. The Shado Pan are beset from all fronts by the yaungol, the mantid, and the mogu. Townlong Steppes is formed by the western side of Pandaria and a series of small islands off the western edge of the continent. Twisted trees and strange constructions eerily reminiscent of Ahn'Qiraj litter the gorgeous landscape, making this one of the first zones to feel truly alien. Townlong Steppes is a level 88 to 89 zone for leveling players; however, after hitting level 90, you'll want to pay the place another visit, as the Shado Pan offer a series of dailies for reputation gaining purposes. Take a look at the full gallery for a preview of this peculiarly beautiful zone. %Gallery-159375% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Kun-Lai Summit
Kun-Lai Summit is the fourth zone in Mists of Pandaria. Located north of the Veiled Stair, Kun-Lai Summit holds tons of questing hubs, a unique world boss, and a dramatic variation in scenery along the way. The zone is huge -- it feels just as massive, if not more so, than the Jade Forest. Both Alliance and Horde will filter in through the same entrance, but where you go from there is completely up to you. There is both an Alliance and a Horde settlement of sorts in Kun-Lai, but you'll find you're doing far more for the locals than you are for your respective factions. As far as the story is concerned, Kun-Lai Summit has a ton of different quest chains to choose from, and the stories behind the chains are just as varied as Kun-Lai's scenery. Whether you're exploring the secrets of Pandaria's past, gaining favor with the Shado Pan, checking out the majestic Temple of the White Tiger, or just helping the friendly and charming grummels, Kun-Lai Summit should keep you more than occupied until at least level 88, if not all the way to 89. For a sneak peek of Kun-Lai's scenery, take a look at our preview gallery. %Gallery-159217% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The Veiled Stair
In Mists of Pandaria, once you hit level 87, you can head north from the Valley of the Four Winds into Kun Lai Summit. But before you get to Kun Lai, you must travel through the Veiled Stair, a small sub-zone nestled in the mountains high above the Valley of the Four Winds. The grummle pictured above will give you a quest to head up the stairs and see what there is to see -- and surprisingly, there's actually quite a bit hidden away here. The Veiled Stair is also where Wrathion is making his temporary home in the Tavern of the Mists. Nearby, the Black Market Auction House waits for travelers with particularly heavy pocketbooks and a need to dump some gold on unique and hard-to-find items. The path to Kun Lai Summit is littered with wildlife and teeming with saurok who aren't particularly happy about the increased foot traffic in the area. And tucked away in the caverns and mountain peaks are a few hidden areas with no real purpose at this time. These hidden gems are pretty fascinating, provided you can get by the saurok brutes that patrol the paths and block the way. Alternatively, you can simply take a look at the gallery below, which offers a sneak peek to this sub-zone and the hidden mysteries it has to offer. %Gallery-158970% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Krasarang Wilds
Krasarang Wilds is the sister zone of Valley of the Four Winds to the north. The two zones are interlinked, but the order in which you complete them really doesn't matter one way or another -- the subplots and stories littered all over both zones eventually come together in a really amazing finish. There are several quest hubs in Krasarang, and working your way into the zone is simple. All you have to do is look for either of the couple of intrepid explorers from Valley of the Four Winds, both of whom headed in a southern direction. Horde and Alliance players may have crash landed headlong into the Jade Forest, but they are not the only visitors to hit Pandaria's shores. Contingents from both the Alliance and Horde have also made their way to the southern shores of Pandaria, and neither of the groups seems to be working with the best interests of their leaders in mind. No, they are there for a distinctly different purpose, making Krasarang Wilds and the zones that follow even more intriguing. Take a look at the full gallery for a sneak peek at the gorgeous scenery and mysterious creatures that await you in Krasarang Wilds. %Gallery-158946% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Valley of the Four Winds
Valley of the Four Winds is the second zone players will find themselves in when leveling through Mists of Pandaria. The quests in the Valley start at level 86, but the valley is a little different than most leveling zones we're used to. Instead of being restricted to the Valley of the Four Winds, the zone is tied into Krasarang Wilds to the south, and the two zones act like sister sub-zones, each with its own storyline that eventually unites at the end. If this sounds a little confusing, it isn't as you're playing through it. At the beginning of the zone, players will encounter four characters all looking for the elusive Hidden Master. In an effort to find him more quickly, the four characters split and follow the paths of the four winds to the north, south, east and west. Players can choose to continue in the valley to find the two characters tucked away in the farmlands, or they can head south to Krasarang and find the other two characters. Each character has their own sub-story arc, and each arc weaves together into a seamless story. Head whichever way you want -- the leveling is fun any way you go! In the meantime, take a look at our gallery for a selection of screenshots from the verdant farmlands, hills and forests of the Valley of the Four Winds. %Gallery-158568% 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!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The Jade Forest
Beta testers have been getting a peek at what Mists of Pandaria has to offer for a few months now. The quest chains, storylines, new features and individual rewards in Mists of Pandaria are amazing enough, but what really sets this expansion apart is the scenery. Pandaria is nothing like anything we've seen in Azeroth to date. While it doesn't have the stark, alien landscapes of Outland, Pandaria's got the kind of lush green scenery I love to see, offering a much more relaxing quest backdrop than Cataclysm's shattered landscapes. The first zone both Horde and Alliance players will encounter is the Jade Forest. Unlike the prior two expansions, players of both factions will start in the same zone, albeit at opposite ends. Don't worry about being cramped, however; as you can see from our gallery, the Jade Forest is huge. Featuring dozens of new quest areas that stretch the length of the zone, the expansion presents players with little problem being drawn into the first arc of Pandaria's story -- nor, as evidenced by the small smattering of images in our gallery, will players have a lack of incredibly beautiful things to look at. %Gallery-157916% I don't know about you guys, but there is something so foreign yet so familiar to Pandaria that I can't help but fall in love. I haven't gotten to level in a lush green area since Sholazar Basin, so I'm terribly happy with what I've seen so far, and I can't wait to play through it once it's released. 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!
