Older version (diff) | current version (diff) | Newer version (diff)
cataclysm (WoW)
"Cataclysm will change the face of Azeroth as you know it" - Chris Metzen
Cataclysm has indeed been announced as the new expansion, confirming various rumors. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.
Official site for Cataclysm Trailer here, on YouTube, as well as on the official site
See the table of contents for the major points of the expansion.
| Contents [hide] |
Old World Revamp
All old world zones will be revamped in some way during Cataclysm. Chris Metzen was quoted as saying "No part of the world has been left untouched. Well, except maybe Westfall." Indeed, MANY of the old parts of our familiar world have been changed horribly by Deathwing's cataclysm. As a result, the entire leveling experience has been altered for 1-60. Zones will cover a smaller range of levels, and many zones are drastically altered as a result of tsunamis, heavy storms, volcanoes, and other effects.
However, part of the other driving purpose behind the revamp was to allow flying mounts in the old world. They will now be available. Additionally, no-fly zones are gone, including in cities.
More specific known changes include:
- Ashenvale: Garrosh is aggressively expanding the Horde into Ashenvale, new camps appear everywhere.
- Azshara: Will be the new Goblin 10-20 zone. They've moved an entire mountain and turned it into a quarry.
- The Barrens: Split in two zones, some of which are re-growing (thanks to the Wailing Caverns)
- Darkshore: Zone has been flooded, and Auberdine has been destroyed.
- Desolace: Restored to life
- Hillsbrad: "Looks like the Alliance FINALLY lost Southshore." "We were there today, nobody was defending it, so..." - Blizzcon presenters
- Stonetalon: Has been clear-cut by the Venture Co.
- Undercity: The ruins of Lordaeron are now filled out, so you can fly over them and land in them. You can now fly in all cities.
Blizzard has promised that questing, quest rewards, and everything else we remember about the old world is gone, replaced by a newer, darker, but improved! version of the world. This expansion also promises to put the war back in Warcraft -- the newly revised content will place a greater emphasis on the struggle between the Horde and the Alliance.
New Zones
The level cap has been raised to 85. To accomodate players, there are at least seven new zones. Presented at Blizzcon were Mt. Hyjal (present-day), Uldum, The Lost Isles, Sunken City of Vashj'ir, Gilneas, Twilight Highlands, and Deepholm. Except for the newbie zones of Gilneas and The Lost Isles, these are for levels 78-85.
New dungeons include The Firelands, Uldum, Blackrock Caverns, Grim Batol, Skywall, Heroic Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep.[1]
Deepholm
Deepholm is the elemental plane of earth where Deathwing comes from. It is intended to be the hub zone of the expansion, where you can travel from Deepholm to any other new zone and back.
Sunken City and life underwater
Sunken City is an underwater zone. At Blizzcon, Tom Chilton promised to keep it from being "annoying". It is connected to the Abyssal Maw, which is the gateway to the elemental plane of water.
Underwater combat will occur on the sea floor as though it were on land. Blizzard is planning on introducing Underwater Mounts.
Uldum
Uldum will have a new titan-created race called the "Tol'vir". It will contain at least two dungeons, and is Egyptian-inspired.
Hyjal
Ragnaros has returned from the plane of fire. Hyjal will be about a conflict between the restored Ragnaros, and the returned Malfurion Stormrage.
Twilight Highlands and Grim Batol
Grim Batol has become the new base of operations for the Twilight's Hammer, who serve Deathwing. It will be located within the Twilight Highlands. The red dragonflight has been pushed back to the edge of the Wetlands.
The Firelands
The elemental plane of fire is home to Ragnaros and Sulfurion Keep.
Blackrock Caverns
New dungeon within Blackrock Mountain. It includes lots of experiments from the Twilights.
New Races and Classes
Blizzard has opted to add two new races to the game, Goblins for the Horde and Worgen for the Alliance. Additionally, many new class combinations have been made available. However, there are no new classes or hero classes in Cataclysm.
Lots of Wrathgate-style cinematics will be incorporated for the new races. The zones will be similar to the Death Knight zone in style, using phasing to advance the internal storyline, however they will be playable for all characters.
Goblins (Horde)
The playable goblins are not associated with the Steamwheedle Cartel, and in fact are disassociated from them. These goblins have been shipwrecked on "the Lost Islands" due to Alliance involvement. They have chosen to join the Horde as a result. Actually, the goblin characters begin as neutral and will gain their allegiance to the Horde as they move through the initial starting zone.
Goblins have hand-built drag-racer style mounts. All Goblins get a "Rocket Belt" for their racials, which can propel them forward or fire rockets. Goblins can be any class besides druid or paladin.
Worgen (Alliance)
The Worgen were "created" by Arugal, the mage of Silverpine, who summoned them to this world from their own. Initially they heeded his words and fought against the Scourge, but eventually they turned on him and everyone else. The true Worgen left many humans, including the majority of the kingdom of Gilneas, cursed with a werewolfism that has rendered them with their current form.
Chris Metzen has called the Worgen the "Wolverine" of the Alliance. They were chosen because it was believed that the Alliance needed a more bestial race, which was common for the Horde, but absent from Alliance members. Tom Chilton fully expects people to be saying "World of Worgen-craft" before long.
Worgen have "Dark Flight", a sprint-like racial. Worgen can be any class besides paladin or shaman.
New class combinations
New classes are available for existing races.
Horde: Troll druid, Undead hunter, Orc mage, Tauren paladin & priest, Blood Elf warrior
Alliance: Human hunter, Dwarf mage & shaman, Night Elf mage, Gnome priest
New leveling systems
Path of the Titans and Mastery System
Path of the Titans has been revealed to be a system similar to Everquest's alternate advancement system. There will be no additional tier of talents added to the game, however you will receive your alloted 5 talent points for the increased level cap.
The Mastery system adds passive bonuses related to your primary talent tree as you spend increasing numbers of talents in it. The goal with the system was to encourage players to take more fun and interesting talents, rather than strictly the bestest bonuses available.
Guild Leveling and Achievements
Guilds now have the ability to level up. They range from level 1 to 20, and advance via raids, dailies, bgs, etc. Guilds will get talent trees as they level up, with access to things like cheaper repairs, lower durability lost, or mass resurrection.
New Secondary Skill: Archaeology
Nothing is known about Archaeology yet, except that it leads into the new "Path of the Titans" progression. Important to note, this is a secondary skill, not a profession.
Heroic Classic Instances
With the 5th anniversary of WoW, Onyxia's Lair was revamped for the present level cap. With Cataclysm, old instances will have a new heroic mode for level 85, including Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep.
Lore
Deathwing has returned. He seems to be the pivotal character in the expansion. Indeed, he is the one that has caused the "cataclysm." Although once he had special metal plates fitted to his body for additional protection, now apparently that is all that keeps him together.
One of the major places adventurers will have to travel is to the planes where the elemental lords had formerly been trapped by the Titans. Thanks to Deathwing, these locations are now unsealed, and notably Ragnaros is extremely unhappy.
Other significant players include Thrall, Garrosh Hellscream, Varian Wrynn, Genn Greymane (Gilneas ruler), and Azshara
New battlegrounds
3 battlegrounds will be added to the expansion, including the "Battle for Gilneas," where players try to control as much of the city as possible. Tol Barad is described as "A combination of Wintergrasp PvP and Isle of Quel'Danas style dailies."
New battlegrounds will include rated team play. Rated Battlegrounds will allow you access to the same level of gear as Arenas! (Regarding that, new arena maps are also promised.)
Notes
- ^ Uncertain why Uldum was listed as both a new zone and a new dungeon at Blizzcon.
|
