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Après Hellscream, le déluge: A Lore Projection
Spoilers for Patch 5.4 lurk within this post, like a hideous phalanx of grue. I can't shake this feeling of dread lately. Thinking about the Siege of Orgrimmar, about Garrosh Hellscream, about the Horde and what's to become of it, and of the Alliance. Thanks to the most recent sound files, we know a few things, but what we don't learn from those files is as interesting as what we do learn. And yet, I can't shake this feeling of dread. What am I dreading? The villain will be defeated, right? The heroes will be triumphant, the rebels and the Alliance will storm Orgrimmar and the 'True Horde' will be toppled from the fortresses it has made of a formerly vibrant, brawling town. All will be right with the world, yes? Maybe yes, but maybe no. I keep looking at Garrosh Hellscream -- the orc who successfully led a disorganized Horde rabble to Northrend and welded an army out of it -- and thinking about what comes after the siege. What happens when the son of Grom is defeated? What happens to the Horde? What happens to the Alliance? What happens to Azeroth? What happens to us?
Patch 5.4 PTR: Legendary spell effects for all (druids included)
In case you were thinking the legendary cloaks in patch 5.4 weren't really flashy, think again. MMO-Champion has discovered new spell effects for the legendary cloaks that are pretty gorgeous. The cloaks are not available on the PTR as of yet, but it appears that they are some kind of spell effect proc similar to the procs displayed by Challenge Mode armor sets, rather than being on and flashy all the time. Although discussion about the fact that we're getting legendary cloaks rather than weapons has been pretty heated, a lot of the discussion boils down to the fact that cloak graphics are regularly turned off by many players, leaving them feeling a little uninspired by Wrathion's last offering. Are the ultra-flashy spell procs just the thing to change the minds of players? Good question -- but MMO-Champion has put together a video of all four spell procs, available after the break. Please note that this is datamined material. Spell effects, visuals, and the procs themselves may change over time before patch 5.4 hits live servers.
Know Your Lore: The point of Pandaria
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. "It's just possible that the curious race we're going to meet in this mystic land, may just teach us a thing or two about who we are, and why we fight." -- Chris Metzen, BlizzCon 2011 When Mists of Pandaria was introduced, there were plenty of people that were skeptical about the expansion -- many questioned the introduction of the pandaren as a playable race, questioning whether or not an expansion featuring fuzzy talking pandas could ever be taken seriously. Yet although the pandaren can be quite friendly and agreeable, the overall theme of Mists has been remarkably dark. I'd almost consider it darker than any prior, if only for one reason: the message in this expansion hits far closer to home than any other. While Burning Crusade, Wrath, and Cataclysm all highlighted major enemies that sought to end the world, each through their own means, Mists took a step back from the grand bellowing villains and their evil schemes. And instead, it chose to shift the focus to us -- Alliance and Horde, players and NPCs alike. Yet on the brink of patch 5.4, presumably the last raid of this expansion, what lessons can we take away from Pandaria? What has it taught us, that couldn't be taught by fighting another world-threatening NPC? What was the point of Pandaria? Please note that today's Know Your Lore contains some spoilers for patch 5.4 content. If you're avoiding spoilers, turning away now would be advised!
Lichborne: Patch 5.4 set bonuses and legendary cloaks
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Lichborne for blood, frost, and unholy death knights. In the post-Cataclysm era, death knights are no longer the new kids on the block. Let's show the other classes how a hero class gets things done. While we haven't seen many major death knight class changes for death knights on the patch 5.4 PTR since the last column, we have seen a lot of information on items that we have yet to cover. With that in mind, today we are going to examine the new tier 16 set bonuses for death knights, along with Wrathion's new legendary rewards. Celestial Blessings Rather than weapons (unless Gorehowl gets made into a legendary, which seems possible), we'll be getting legendary cloaks this patch. The final reward from Wrathion's quest line will include cloaks with some very intriguing procs. Flurry of Xuen is a proc that will let DPS do extra damage as weapon damage over time. While the language suggests its channeled, it looks like it won't prevent you from using other abilities. It does, however, require the enemies to be in front of you, so once you have this, you will need to pay more attention to your positioning -- which you should be doing already, to be fair.
A legendary for all, courtesy of Wrathion
It's confirmed -- everyone does indeed get a legendary, if they manage to finish Wrathion's expansion-long chain of requests. However, unlike any prior legendary to date, Wrathion's offering won't be a new set of weapons to wield ... and that's making some players a little irritated. Rather than the usual arming with weapons, Wrathion has instead chosen to give everyone legendary-quality cloaks, enhancing the cloaks received in patch 5.3 with some extra power -- and a little orange text -- in patch 5.4. Yes, some may have been expecting weapons -- but really, Wrathion's offering makes a lot more sense in terms of gameplay, balance, and possibly Wrathion's true motives in this little endeavor as well. In fact, the legendary offered in Mists of Pandaria manages to break every single perception we had about what a legendary is to date.
Patch 5.4 PTR: A glimpse of the Timeless Isle
Patch 5.4 has plenty of new features to offer, but at the present time many of those features haven't quite been released yet on the PTR, including the Timeless Isle. What's the Timeless Isle? It seems to be home to the new pet battle tournament that was discovered, as well as some sort of temporary hiding place or home for the August Celestials as well. You can't access the Timeless Isle on the PTR currently, but Adriacraft has managed to put together some footage of the Isle in detail. The video is after the break. Please note: This post contains possible spoilers for patch 5.4.
Legendary catch-up coming in Patch 5.4
For those of us who have not yet begun our Legendary item-building, not hung out with Wrathion at all, and not collected the relevant sigils and points and such, the idea of starting out now is daunting to say the least. But fear not! Blizzard Lead Systems Designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street has tweeted with some excellent news: @weedeveryday420 ToT will drop all 3 legendary raid drops (in order) when 5.4 ships. - Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) June 14, 2013 I think we'll all agree that this is a pretty fantastic bit of news for players who want to catch up with the Legendary, perhaps having let it slide, and players with alts who might like some orange things in their life. But it's inevitable that this will also result in a slew of comments that legendaries should be hard to get, should require months of work, and should not have catch-up systems. That doing all those things makes them less legendary, not to mention the legendaries-for-all approach that has been ushered in with Mists of Pandaria. Which side of the fence do you sit on? Or are you awkwardly perched upon said fence like me? I am still not sure if one of my characters will ever have one.
Lei Shen will always drop Titan Runestones
WoW Insider posted yesterday about one PvE loot-related hotfix that didn't make the main list for the most recent server restart, and now we have another to inform you of. Blizzard Community Manager Rygarius posted the following over on the official forums: Rygarius Hello there. We agree and feel that Titan Runestones drop too rarely. We are going to make some changes to Lei Shen. For players that are on the legendary quest line, Lei Shen will now always drop a Titan Runestone. This is similar to what we did with rare drops in the past and will help players that have been experiencing really bad luck. This change is still undergoing testing and is scheduled to take effect next Tuesday with the raid resets. source Keep in mind that this Titan Runestone 100% drop chance is in addition to the drop chance from all the other bosses, so it's not simply a case of farming Lei Shen for the number of Runestones you need. You could get lucky! What's not clear is whether Lei Shen will drop one in both LFR and normal/heroic raids, so whether players could guarantee two Runestones a week by killing him on both difficulties. It seems relatively likely that that might be the case, but that's no guarantee.
Know Your Lore: The Alliance and Horde
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. To ask why we fight, is to ask why the leaves fall -- it is in their nature. The Alliance and Horde have been notoriously at each other's throats since the two factions began in the days of the First and Second Wars. And although I have come up with some crazy theories regarding the innate reasons behind that latent aggression between the two factions, they're simply theories. They may make sense, in a bizarre and meta fashion, but they are in no way true. So here we are, left with a simple question: What makes the Alliance and Horde so prone to aggression? Why do they continue to battle, and turn their noses at the thought of making peace? While I do enjoy coming up with fanciful reasons for all of this, there is one blatant, simple reason that stands on its own: Misunderstanding. Sheer, unadulterated ignorance and a stubborn unwillingness to try and understand. Both sides possess a single-minded obsession with violence and retribution that has never faded, nearly thirty years after the events of the First War. And when you step back and take a look at the conflict between the two factions with a neutral eye, the whole of the aggression turns into a delightful, tragic, almost laughable comedy of errors and escalation. Let's take a look at where some of the common misconceptions surrounding both Horde and Alliance have gotten us.
Lichborne: Final notes on patch 5.3 and a legendary shortcut
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Lichborne for blood, frost, and unholy death knights. In the post-Cataclysm era, death knights are no longer the new kids on the block. Let's show the other classes how a hero class gets things done. By the time you read this, patch 5.3 should be on live servers. We've already written a couple columns on what patch 5.3 will mean for death knights, but as always, things change on the PTR. With that in mind, this week we'll take a final look at patch 5.3 for death knights and what you can expect and do once the servers are back up (if they aren't already). I also have a couple notes on completing Wrathion's legendary quest line for death knights.
Know Your Lore, Tinfoil Hat Edition: The curious neutrality of Anduin Wrynn
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. Prince Anduin Llane Wrynn is the sole heir to Stormwind's throne. Named after Varian's father, the beloved King Llane, and the hero of all heroes, Anduin Lothar, he's got two major figures to live up to. Yet rather than turn down the path of Lothar's heroics, he seems to be gravitating towards the direction that King Llane ultimately followed: A beloved leader, one who treated all in his kingdom with kindness and respect, up to and including Garona -- a member of the Old Horde who by all rights, despite her background as a half-breed, was still the face of the enemy. And in the end, that spelled King Llane's undoing. His trust was his weakness, and it resulted in his assassination. King Llane died in part because of the machinations of the Shadow Council, but in even larger part because he simply didn't exercise caution like he should. King Llane's death is a cautionary tale that his son Varian took to heart -- but Varian's son is a different story altogether. Anduin Wrynn presents a peculiar puzzle that has yet to be fully explained. Today's Know Your Lore is a Tinfoil Hat edition, meaning the following is a look into what has gone before with pure speculation on what is to come as a result. These speculations are merely theories and shouldn't be taken as fact or official lore.
Depths of Uldaman: Why we should go back
I wrote a KYL this week talking about Uldaman, and one thing became clear to me very quickly - there's a ton of things we haven't done in Uldaman yet. We barely explore the place at all, really - the Map Room we find during the dungeon clearly shows many, many more buildings than the few we actually explore, and it's telling that the Reliquary dig and the Explorer's League digsite are half the length of the Badlands away from each other. Furthermore, the long Wrathion quest chain makes it clear that there was a lot going on in Uldaman - the Eye of the Watchers used to purify Wrathion's egg comes from Uldaman. Uldaman is often referred to as one of three Titan cities along with Uldum and Ulduar, but unlike those two it has barely been explored due to its position buried beneath the Badlands. It's possible that the original Uldaman complex reaches as far as Khaz Modan (both Gnomeregan and Ironforge are settled by beings that would have traced their descent to Uldaman, and the troggs flooding into Gnomeregan are escaping from Titan vaults that are part of the Uldaman complex) which would mean that its size rivals the Storm Peaks Titan complexes that were part of the Forge of Wills inside Ulduar or the vast Uldum ruins.
Patch 5.3 PTR: Epic cloaks point at a legendary reward
Some fascinating new cloaks have been dug up in the patch 5.3 PTR by the intrepid explorers over at Wowhead -- and they may be more than they seem. There are six cloaks in all, each named with an indicator that points to the August Celestials as their inspiration. But what's really astonishing about these cloaks is the ilvl and stats. Each cloak has been designated with an ilvl of 600 -- far above anything we've encountered in game to date. And each has a whopping +918 to every secondary stat minus hit and expertise. So what does it all mean? It means that these things are powerhouses of bonus stats -- and if you have a spec that doesn't use one particular side stat, you can reforge it to gain a healthy chunk of hit or expertise on the side. Because of the August Celestials influence in the cloak designs and names, Wowhead has pointed out that these cloaks likely tie into the latest branch of the Wrathion chain. Wrathion's achievement for patch 5.3 has been changed on the PTR as well. Now called Chapter IV: Celestial Blessings, the achievement requires players to accompany Wrathion on his journey to obtain blessings from all four August Celestials. The reward for the achievement is a Cloak of Virture, and all the new cloaks carry this designation, so it looks like Wowhead's assessment is dead on. But what's curious about all of this is that despite the ilvl, despite the method of obtaining the cloaks, and despite the stats, the cloaks are still designated epic quality. Given Wrathion's penchant for handing over orange quality items, it does make one wonder if this will be changed as the PTR moves on. If these cloaks are indeed designated legendary quality, they'll be the first piece of legendary armor we've seen in game since the ill-fated Talisman of Binding Shard removed in vanilla. While we don't know yet exactly what the future of these cloaks happens to be, it would be wise to keep in mind that as with anything else on the PTR, it's all subject to change at the drop of a hat until it goes live. We may see the ilvl reduced, we may see the quality change, or we may see them appear exactly as they are now -- it's all up in the air until 5.3 officially drops. Until then, have a look at Wowhead for a glimpse at these gorgeous models.
Updated! Spoiler Alert: Patch 5.3 Datamined sound files
Spoiler Alert! Beyond the break are several YouTube video embeds which contain considerable spoilers for the latter half of this expansion, as well as, potentially, for the next one. Our friends over at Adriacraft have been at it again, digging around in the latest patch 5.3 PTR files. There's audio from several key characters in the game (including a great deal of Wrathion), revealing what could well be coming our way. Of course, take this with a hefty pinch of salt. This is datamined information and should be treated as such, so don't take it as confirmation of anything. As ever, spoilers lurk after the break. Do not hit the break unless you are happy to hear spoilers for upcoming content. Do not read the comments unless you are happy to read people talking about spoilers. Fair warning.
WoW Moviewatch: Wrathion: the Legendary Quest
Qelric disguised a guide for Wrathion: the Legendary Quest as a machinima. The end result is pretty clever, though I'm not certain I could really pick out the guide elements. Still, if you're a fan of Wrathion, then this is the machinima for you. In terms of machinima, the video felt like it dragged on a little long. Some of that ponderous pacing is necessary due to the guide material, but long ponderous shots can still slow a video down. If you're prepping to tackle the quest, check this video out and let us know if it helped! 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.
Patch 5.2: Wrathion and the legendary chain
Wrathion's waiting for you, friends. If you have completed all the steps so far in the legendary chain, Wrathion will have some new tasks for you to complete in patch 5.2. While we still aren't entirely certain whether or not he's telling the truth about his motives -- or even whether those motives are bad or good -- we can be absolutely certain of one thing. As long as we help Wrathion, Wrathion keeps handing over the goods. And you can't really argue with that! Last patch, Wrathion pitted Alliance against Horde in Krasarang Wilds and had us gleefully murdering the opposing faction in an attempt to discover who the true heroes and hearts of the Alliance and Horde really were. While it seems counterproductive to murder the army you're trying to gather together, Wrathion rewarded us with a nice socket for our time. In patch 5.2, Wrathion's concerns have shifted -- and his rewards are worth the effort. Please note that there are potential minor spoilers for patch 5.2 after the break.
What does legendary really mean?
Legendary. The color orange was once one of the most revered, whispered-about intangible things in vanilla WoW. People had heard rumors of legendary weapons, but nobody knew how to actually get them -- they were just as much a source of speculation as any lore in Warcraft today. When those legendary items finally first began to appear, it was a moment of sheer joy for those lucky enough to receive them. And for those that were not that lucky, it was a source of constant envy. People got really, really ticked about legendaries, how it was determined that they were rewarded, and who they were rewarded to. In the end, when it boiled down to it, anyone who watched someone else get a legendary immediately questioned what made that other player worthy, when they themselves had put it so much more perceived effort. Legendaries had the power to tear guilds apart -- or, in some cases, the power to pull a united guild into an even stronger front. The history of legendaries is pretty fascinating in and of itself, but more fascinating is the evolution of the color orange. It's changed over the years, and in Mists of Pandaria anyone can start a chain to get their very own legendary -- and that's got some bloggers talking.
Patch 5.2 and beyond with Dave Kosak
Hot on the heels of the official patch 5.2 trailer, we had the opportunity to sit down and speak with one of the developers behind it all. While chatting with Lead Quest Designer Dave Kosak about patch 5.2 and its development, one thing became incredibly clear -- 5.2 is definitely not just a raid and a few dailies. There is far, far more to be seen and experienced in the new patch. Read on for some of the details behind the trailer released earlier today, the story in the new patch, daily quest development, scenarios, and even a few hints at what's in store for patch 5.3. Please note: There are a couple of minor spoilers for 5.2 content in the interview. Nothing huge, we promise!
Know Your Lore, Tinfoil Hat Edition: Wrathion's Gambit
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. Enigmatic and sly, the black dragon Wrathion has been observing the progress of Pandaria even before our arrival on the continent. He has a plan for this mysterious new place, one that is just as shrouded in mystery as his intentions. And we, the adventurers of Azeroth, are at his beck and call -- performing favors and jumping through hoops in exchange for powerful upgrades to our weapons and gear, happy to assist Wrathion in whatever grand plan he's trying to pull off. Yet at the same time, it has become increasingly obvious that Wrathion's reach is far larger than we'd thought. As players level through Pandaria, more and more often they'll see Blacktalon Agents, casually strolling down city streets or having a drink in a local inn. When asked what they are up to, the agents give gruff, non-committal responses that raise far more questions than they answer. If you have concerns, they say, you should take it up with the Black Prince. Of course, telling a black dragon you have a problem with his plans is likely one of the worst, not to mention last, decisions you'll ever make. Today's Know Your Lore is a Tinfoil Hat edition, meaning the following is a look into what has gone before with pure speculation on what is to come as a result. These speculations are merely theories and shouldn't be taken as fact or official lore.
Patch 5.2 PTR: Additional Wrathion quest sound files
Spoiler Alert: Adriacraft has been back with more of their datamined audio files, and wow, these ones have some spoilers in them. If you don't want to have spoilers about Wrathion's questline, or anything else for that matter, definitely don't watch the video, or hit the break to read any more of this post. Final Warning: Spoilers after the break. Really big spoilers. Do not hit the link below if you don't want to know.
