transmogrification
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Blend in with the Tillers with your own farmer outfit
For as long as I've played World of Warcraft, players have been making farmer outfits. Who knows why? Maybe it's because Blizzard made it so easy, or maybe it's because every gamer subconsciously yearns to live an agrarian lifestyle -- Eh, on second thought, I'm going to go with it's because Blizzard made it so easy. I mean, look at the types of items we can get. There are overalls, a pitchfork, and lets not forget all those ugly brimmed hats. Wrath of the Lich King even gave us the chance to wear plaid flannel shirts. Flannel shirts! What fantasy world application truly requires the abomination that is flannel!? Well, whatever it is, Mists of Pandaria has finally given us a place to live out our agrarian dreams, and thus a good reason to make a farmer outfit.
Style for a price: Transmogrifying pandaren fashion
Leveling through an expansion usually means a jaunt into the worst that fashion has to offer. Mixed and matched greens and dungeon blues, pieces of sets and gear that just don't go together at all. With Mists of Pandaria, we finally have the opportunity to avoid the leveling clown suit altogether, thanks to the transmogrification feature introduced in Cataclysm. For the first time, we're in control of our own destiny as we level ... or at the very least our own fashion sense. While you could easily just transmogrify your gear to any of your favorite sets, let's face it -- you're in a strange new land, one full of mystery and untold adventure. And it's also full of some of the nicest fashions a diehard transmogrification fan could ask for, too! In a twist of utter convenience, Blizzard has placed a vendor in Dawn's Blossom over in the Jade Forest who will sell players that don't have the best of gear some green sets for leveling purposes. But they aren't just for leveling, they're actually pretty nice looking examples of pandaren fashion. And for a small chunk of change, they can be in your bags and ready for transmogrification, too.
Five features I wish World of Warcraft had
The game is eternally evolving. Sometimes that means things get added, and sometimes that means they get taken away (Oh, Have Group Will Travel, I miss you every day). This means the game is in a constant state of evolution and therefore that there's always room for improvement. With Mists of Pandaria changing the game and adding features like Scenarios, Challenge Modes and Pet Battles, and Cataclysm having already added void storage and transmogrification, the mind moves to what we could potentially see in the future. What features do we all want to see? I have no idea. Seriously, how could I possibly know what you want to see? I mean, you might tell me in the comments, but that's in the future. There's no way I can have read the comments on this post before I finish writing it. However, I'm fairly in touch with what I want to see. And so, here's five features I wish WoW had. (Note - I didn't say more bank space or void storage tabs, but man, I want those too.) 1. Mentoring One of the features the lamented MMO City of Heroes had that I always enjoyed was its Mentoring system. Now, this isn't something WoW's developer's are unaware of - it's a fantastic system which allows higher level characters to play with their lower level friends, either by raising the lower level character temporarily in order to be able to survive higher level content, or by lowering the higher level character to the lower level. The current system that can raise or lower gear levels for beta testing and which will normalize gear for challenge modes could be used in such a fashion, and I think it's an idea long overdue for WoW to blatantly pilfer and run with it.
Prepare for Pandaria: Transmogrify your way into Hellscream's Vanguard
It's almost time to hit the seas and head to Pandaria, so why spend these last few weeks pulling together a set to look the part? Last time, we covered the unique look of the Ravenholdt elite, a black and blue leather number with a snazzy sword to boot. This isn't just a Ravenholdt uniform. It's also used by the Blacktalon Watchers that work as the eyes and ears of Wrathion the Black Prince in Mists of Pandaria. Speaking of Pandaria, in order to head to Pandaria's shores, players must complete quests in their respective capital cities. From there, you hop aboard an airship and make your way to the mysterious, mist-cloaked isle. For the Horde, this means a trip with General Nazgrim and a select force of Hellscream's Vanguard, whose black, brown and gold set makes a pretty distinctive look. If you're going to head to Pandaria as part of Garrosh's forces, you may as well find a uniform that fits -- if you're a plate wearer, that is. Thankfully, most of this set is quite easy to obtain, with one glaring exception that can be substituted with something similiar, with a little creativity.
WoW Insider announces Transmogrification Contest runners-up
Two weeks ago, WoW Insider began a contest challenging readers to make a transmogrification outfit centered around a single piece of gear. Since then, we've received an absolutely insane number of entries (over 400 individual outfits in total), but we could only pick three prize winners in the end. Despite this, we thought it might be fun to show off all the contest entries. In the gallery below, you'll find the contest runners-up. These are some of the most impressive entries that for one reason or another didn't quite make the cut. And if you'd really like to see all of the entries, we made a separate gallery for them. Check back tomorrow to see the winners! %Gallery-163260%
Mists of Pandaria, transmogrification and personal aesthetic
The above image is Starshatter, one of my favorite new models in Mists of Pandaria. I like it for a lot of reasons -- the hollowed-out constellation pattern to the blade, the unique color and look of the sword (even the raid finder version looks very cool and distinctive), and frankly, that it really doesn't look like anything I've seen in the game before. It vaguely reminds me of a dadao, but far more fanciful, as befits a fantasy game. I'm also a big fan of the Amber Flammard of Klaxxi'vess, which also has a sweeping curved blade but is very distict from Starshatter. As a transmog enthusiast (to the point where my bank is already full), I'm looking forward to Mists of Pandaria in no small part because I want to collect more gear to transmog into. But I'm also finding myself wondering if transmogrification is also giving the game more artistic license to make weapon and armor models that are not necessarily for everyone. How many players are going to stick to their tier 2, or 6, or 10, or 13 instead of embracing Pandaria's aesthetic? And furthermore, is that a bad thing, or does it free up everyone to go hog wild with gear?
Reminder: Scholomance and Scarlet Monastery prepped to change for good
Everything is about to change -- again. Mists is nowhere near as world-changing as Cataclysm, but there are still going to be a couple of significant changes to the old world. Both Scholomance and Scarlet Monastery are being revamped into far more streamlined, efficient versions in preparation for their heroic iteration. Because of this, some bosses will be removed for good or changed in a significant way. Although it has not been noted in the official patch notes for 5.0.4, players can access the lower-level version of the new Scholomance and Scarlet Monastery currently on the PTR. We don't know if this means this content will be included in the 5.0.4 patch on Aug. 28, because it's not specifically mentioned in the official patch notes, but both are playable on the PTR realms. In cases like this, it's better to be safe than sorry. Before any world changes happen, you may want to farm for any items you've been craving. So what does that entail exactly? Here are a few suggestions.
Transmogrify your way into the Ravenholdt elite
Ah, Ravenholdt. Besides being the object of frustration for rep farmers worldwide, Ravenholdt is more importantly home to an elite organization of rogues. Who are they allied with? No one in particular. Why, they might even be allied with you -- if you had the right amount of coin, that is. Ravenholdt Manor is perched high in the peaks of Hillsbrad Foothills. Home to rogues all over the world, the organization is a loose one. It never really seemed to hold any real purpose in World of Warcraft other than squabbling with the Syndicate. That is, of course, until we saw the introduction of the legendary quest chain for Fangs of the Father in patch 4.3. At that point, Ravenholdt stepped from a handy place to grab a recipe for Thistle Tea to a full-fledged, bustling area with its own fascinating storyline. And while Wrathion has now flown off for greener pastures, Ravenholdt remains for any who choose to visit or grind endless amounts of reputation. The guards of Ravenholdt have seen a facelift in recent years, and now have a snazzy uniform that highlights leather pieces largely from The Burning Crusade. With transmogrification, any rogue can show allegiance to this shadowy organization in perfect style.
Transmogrification Contest: Create an outfit around a single piece of gear
My favorite dress in WoW is the Arachnidian Robes. The first time I saw them was right after patch 3.0.2 had hit live servers, when achievements were added. I was storming through the front gates of Stormwind in a For the Horde raid, when I spotted a human female wearing the robes near the auction house. She must have been some sort of bank alt, because that's all she was wearing, but I was so impressed by her that I stopped to inspect her amid the battle. I eventually tracked down the dress for myself four or five months later, but once I had it, I really had no idea what to do with it. It was pretty enough on its own to be a stand-alone outfit, and years before transmogrification, there was no compelling reason to try and match it to anything -- at least until recently, when my boyfriend followed up on a promise to take me to Serpentshrine Cavern. I had never seen the place and wanted an escort who had raided it when it was still new. While we were there, I picked up a pretty little tanking mace called Mallet of the Tides, which just so happened to match the Arachnidian Robes perfectly. Thus, a transmog outfit was born. With that as my introduction, I decided I'd do something a bit different for this week's transmog column. Just as I did, I now want you to create a transmogrification outfit of your own that builds on or complements a single piece of gear (armor or weapon) that you like. Submit your outfit by Aug. 20 at 11:59 p.m. EDT and you'll have the chance to win fabulous prizes and have your outfit featured here on WoW Insider. More details after the jump.
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The best model return ever
Back in Wrath of the Lich King, I had a two-handed sword model I loved from Trial of the Crusader, a raid I didn't love. That sword was Reckoning, picked up on an alt run that I tanked because I was main spec prot back then. I used it for a while, until ICC came out and I replaced it with better. Since I had no idea they'd introduce transmogrification down the road, I figured I'd never use it again and disenchanted it for materials to enchant the ICC weapons. Cut to now. I've been running Trial of the Crusader-10 every chance I get for a shot at replacing my lost Reckoning. I have a Justicebringer banked, but neither the Trial sword model nor the mace (which, in fact, you can't even get anymore) and I despaired of completing my Trial weapon set. The Alliance versions are so iconic in their Alliance identity that I really feel compelled to try and acquire them. And now, I can without having to talk someone else into forming a raid. The new Horde and Alliance quests in Jade Forest now contain various reused Trial of the Crusader weapon and armor models. Above, you see my draenei using the Greatsword of Kofinna Kottr, which is an exact match for heroic Reckoning. I also picked up Captain Rogers' Polite Knocking Stick, which brings back the Catastrophe model. There are also several green plate drops I can confirm as having TotC models, like the chest and helm I have equipped in the SS (which use the DK models). I know for sure that the Horde quests give a version of the Dual-Blade Butcher if you're looking for that model, but I haven't seen their plate yet. Just on my warriors, I've seen versions of the TotC one-handed axe, sword and mace as well. I know sometimes people don't like seeing models get reused, but for me as a transmog junkie, this is the best news ever. I don't have to run TotC anymore! Although I'm still going to until Mists comes out, just in case. 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!
Become a Guardian of Hyjal with transmogrification
Players expecting the Cenarion Circle to show up in Hyjal might have been a little surprised to find the Guardians of Hyjal patrolling around up there instead in Cataclysm. These defenders of the world tree Nordrassil aren't actually the Cenarion Circle at all. While some may be members of the Cenarion Circle, the Guardians of Hyjal are their own organization in their own right. This is why you'll see druids roaming around as well as warriors in full plate standing guard at Nordrassil's roots. The Guardians of Hyjal are actually a collaboration between the druids of the Cenarion Circle and the Green Dragonflight. They've banded together to protect Hyjal from any would-be villains and to ensure Nordrassil's survival. With the uprising of Ragnaros in the region, it would seem that the group is sorely needed -- and as a faction in Cataclysm, players can join up with these guys and cash in on reputation rewards. And if you really like the look of Hyjal's plate defenders, it's actually pretty easy to replicate it with transmogrification!
Would playing on sheer vanity work as raiding incentive?
I have a confession to make. There were a few reason why, back in vanilla, I decided to get into raiding. First, I discovered after hitting 60 on my druid that there was really very, very little to do once you'd hit level 60. Second, I had some friends who told me I would have a spot in their raids if I managed to get a Horde alt to 60. But the third reason was the secret reason, one I kept to myself and didn't tell anyone, even though it was pretty much the most important reason of all, to me. I really, really, really wanted the pretty gear. I didn't really like the look of the Devout set; I thought it was kind of boring. I didn't really care for most of the green gear while leveling. But the first time I saw a priest running around in full Prophecy, I knew that I wanted that because it was pretty. The first time I saw Benediction, I wanted it more than anything else in the world -- not because of the stats, not because of the set bonuses, not because it would make me super-powerful, but because it would make my character look really neat.
Turn your gnome into Chromie with transmogrification
For those of you who don't know, there is a subreddit for transmogrification. Though the community is relatively small, it's a wonderful place to go if you want to show off your latest transmog or ask for help with an outfit that isn't quite coming together. I like to visit this particular subreddit quite often, and earlier this year, there was one amazing outfit that I just couldn't get out of my head. The outfit was put together by Hedgewocket on Lightbringer (EU) and is a close replica of the outfit worn by Chromie. Chromie is, of course, the best NPC in the game lovable bronze dragon who frequently takes on the form of a female gnome. Anyway, when I first saw Hedgewocket's transmog, I knew right away that I'd have to feature it on WoW Insider one day. Fortunately for you (because I know you all love Chromie), that day is today.
Wanna catch 'em all? Themed transmogrification for Pet Battles
Pet Battles was released on the beta servers earlier this week, and it's ridiculously fun. Not only can you train a team from your corral of existing pets, you can also wander out in the world and capture even more pets to level up. Needless to say, I've been having an incredibly good time with the new feature, and I'm looking forward to playing it on live servers when Mists hits. Of course, the obvious statement at BlizzCon when this feature was announced was that it bears a remarkable similarity to Pokemon. The truth is, there are a ton of these critter battle-themed games out there, and this one just happens to have that Warcraft flavor we all know and love. That said, why not use transmogrification to deck your character out in Pokemon style? It's a little tricky to do, but we've got some cloth sets that may fit the bill.
Show off your transmogrification prowess in the Mogolympics
Attention, mogging athletes! Amateur Azerothian is hosting the Mogolympics, a transmogrification competition that consists of nine medal sports, including: Hammer Throw Build an outfit around a two-handed hammer. Cycling Build a biker outfit to complement Mekgineer's Chopper. Javelin Build an outfit for wielding a polearm. The costumes will be assigned an ID so that the judges won't be able to play favorites. Here's who will be judging: Amateur Azerothian JD Kenada himself Tome from Tome of the Ancient Sugar & Blood's Matty Khizzara from Blog of the Treant Random tabard-wearing WoW factions are chosen for each entrant to represent. The competitors must submit a flagbearer as well as entries for all nine events. For full details, see the rules for the contest, the list of entrants, and the clarifications. The deadline isn't until July 31, so you have plenty of time to put your costumes together. Check out our transmogrification posts for some training tips, but a true mogolympic athlete probably doesn't need them. Good luck!
Transmog into the Masters of the Universe
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve plunking myself down along with my brother and sister and happily watching a few hours of incredibly cheesy cartoon shows. I grew up with classics like Thundercats, He-Man, Transformers and many more. While these days those old cartoons seem incredibly outdated and more than a little silly, for me and my siblings, they were amazing feats of animation that sparked our imaginations and creativity. Not so coincidentally, imagination and creativity are two things that work incredibly well with transmogrification. After delving into the world of comic book superheroes, I decided to try my hand at recreating some of the looks worn by the heroes and villains of those beloved old cartoon shows. After all, there's already a version of He-Man and Skeletor in game. Although Adam Eternum and Keldor the Lost look spot-on in game, they're wearing combinations of different armor types -- something that doesn't work for transmogrification, unfortunately. But a little mixing and matching goes a long way toward creating decent enough looks that will have you evoking the power of Grayskull in no time flat.
Remixing an Orgrimmar Guard transmogrification
Two weeks ago, we took the Stormwind Guard on a shopping trip and got them a whole new wardrobe. This week, we're giving the Orgrimmar Guard the same treatment and then stopping at Gallywix Pleasure Palace on the way back for mai tais. When I first started planning a new look for the Orgrimmar Guard, I thought I'd look to Garrosh Hellscream for inspiration. Both his outfits in Wrath of the Lich King at Warsong Hold and now in Cataclysm as the new warchief show off a darker look to the Horde that I wanted to capture. Walking through the streets of Orgrimmar these days, you see a city that has become more militaristic and uniform, and the old guard outfit doesn't quite fit in anymore. Even the Horde banners are a darker red than they once were, which doesn't match the red shoulders and accents of the old guards.
Man of Steel? Dark Knight? Transmogrifying DC's greatest superheroes
I think I've mentioned before that while I love comics of all sorts, I'm a DC girl at heart. While I've got a ton of obscure titles, I think my favorite from the DC portion of my collection has to be The Killing Joke, which I picked up when it was released. It was a horribly violent story, but the interplay between Batman and the Joker was an oddly chilling moment that showed more about both characters than any comic I'd seen before it. Batman is one of those utterly iconic figures. Dark and brooding, the Dark Knight has his own methodical way of handling situations that is a direct contrast from his millionaire playboy persona. Batman's a manmade hero, but his counterpart, Superman, is an alien from another world whose heroic deeds and super strength can be attributed to his otherworldly origins. Both of these characters are instantly recognizable, and hopefully with today's transmog tricks, your character will be instantly identified as one of DC's finest as well.
Transmog your way into a classic plate DPS clown suit
Being that I'm a huge transmog junkie, I'm awfully jealous of Dawn and Anne and their cool transmog posts. But I don't generally go around trying to look like an Avenger or a member of the Stormwind Guard or even Deckard Cain. This had me despairing for a bit, because it meant I couldn't really come up with a hook for a transmog set. Then, while farming Molten Core for the left Binding of the Windseeker (it didn't drop, although the right one did -- again), I got the Flameguard Gauntlets, a pair of gloves I've probably vendored more times than I can remember. And suddenly, it all clicked. I knew exactly what I would do with my transmog post. I would recreate the look of the classic WoW raiding DPS warrior. I would resurrect the clown suit. The clown suit was the cobbled-together, not at all coordinated, not-matching-well-at-all set of epic DPS gear almost all warriors threw together in classic WoW raiding.
Remixing the Stormwind Guard for transmogrification
There are few NPCs in WoW more iconic than the Stormwind Guard. Even if you're Horde, it's hard not to like the striking contrast of blue and silver metals paired with the golden lion's head emblem. OK, so maybe not if you're Horde, but I digress. I've always loved the look of the Stormwind Guard, yet when it comes to transmogrification, I find the look is a bit outdated for my own character. The older armor models just don't hold a candle to the new ones in the game, and I like for my character to keep up with the latest stuff coming out. So I thought to myself, "Why not mix it up and make an outfit inspired by the Stormwind Guard?" I imagine this is what it would look like if a member of the Stormwind Guard decided to become a PC instead of an NPC. Very breaking the fourth wall, right? OK, maybe no to that one too ...
