WoW Reviews & Guides

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (or Cata for short) is the upcoming third expansion for World of Warcraft and was officially announced on August 21, 2009 at BlizzCon 2009. The majority of the expansion content takes place in drastically reforged Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms.

It is to include the playable races of the worgen for the Alliance and the goblins for the Horde. Flying mounts will finally be usable in Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. Deathwing will make his return into Azeroth from Deepholm, causing a new Sundering.

Lore

From the official site:

An ancient evil lies dormant within Deepholm, the domain of earth in the Elemental Plane.

Hidden away in a secluded sanctuary, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth and biding his time until he can reforge the world in molten fire.

Soon, Deathwing the Destroyer will return to Azeroth, and his eruption from Deepholm will sunder the world, leaving a festering wound across the continents. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation.

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Zul’jin (aka Zuljin) is a warlord of the Amani forest trolls and has been chieftain of the Amani tribe since before the Second War. Zul’jin and the Amani tribe were allied with the orcish Horde for the duration of the Second War, but Zul’jin himself was captured near its end by the Alliance. Upon gaining his freedom he went into hiding to rebuild his army and plan an attack on the remnants of the high elves, now known as blood elves, only to find them allied with the Horde.

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Beneath the floating city of Dalaran is the 5 man dungeon The Violet Hold. Kirin Tor prison guards are fending off invaders of the blue dragonflight and under orders from Malygos, they are using magical portals to enter the hold and try to break through the exit in order to enter the city.

This dungeon used to be to the southeast of Silverpine Forest and to the north east of the Dalaran Crater, but was moved with the city to Northrend.

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As a part of our ongoing coverage of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, we now bring you a first look at what’s in store for players levels 78-82 in Vashj’ir, an all-new underwater zone in the Great Sea of Azeroth. The remaining cursed Highborne night elves, now known as the monstrous naga, lurk through the ocean abyss seeking the power contained within the Elemental Plane of water, a place vulnerable to attack in the wake of Deathwing’s cataclysmic return. Read on to find out where fate may lead you should you venture to the sunken city, Vashj’ir.

Once a great Highborne city housing some of the most revered night elves of Kalimdor, Vashj’ir was swallowed by the Great Sea during the Sundering and thought to be lost forever. Queen Azshara, formerly a beloved leader of the night elves, escaped death in the depths of the sea when the Well of Eternity imploded. Such salvation came at a great cost, as the queen and many of her fellow Highborne were forever transformed into the monstrous naga, doomed to wander the seas for thousands of years. Their existence mostly remains a mystery to the peoples of modern Azeroth, though the Earthen Ring has learned of Azshara’s naga seizing Vashj’ir for an unknown purpose as the cries of the elements echo across Azeroth from the abyss.

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The Twilight Highlands have a perilous history. This region is home to the vicious black dragonflight, the cursed fortress of Grim Batol, and dangerous elemental disturbances.

Now, the land will play host to a new danger. The Twilight’s Hammer cult has claimed the highlands as its new seat of power — and all of Azeroth will be shaken by the change.

Visit this page to learn more about the history, rivalries, and factions of the Twilight Highlands, a new high-level zone to explore in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

Azeroth’s inhabitants endure a lifetime of struggle and conflict. They’re subject to violence from neighboring enemies and rampaging beasts at an early age, and must learn to take up arms to defend themselves against predators. Regularly forced to cope with the deaths of friends, family, and members of their tribes, clans, cities, and guilds, these scarred survivors become stronger by reinforcing their walls, banding together with new allies, and raising sharp, careful, resilient children. They adapt. They change.

Few places on Azeroth exemplify this ever-changing dynamic more than the Twilight Highlands of the Eastern Kingdoms.

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Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta test! Patch notes listed here are not comprehensive and will be changed throughout the testing process.

General

• The Alliance starting experience for worgen is available. Venture through the cursed lands of Gilneas to discover your true path! Currently the female worgen character is not available for testing.
• The Horde starting experience for goblins is available. Beginning on the Isle of Kezan in a goblin paradise, players will face a treacherous road ahead!
• The level cap for all characters is 83.
• Players may use our Character Copy feature for copying existing characters to beta realms, or may choose from high-level pre-made template characters.

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The Forge of Souls is the first wing of the dungeon complex known as the Frozen Halls, located within Icecrown Citadel. The instance portal is located to the left inside the secured area of Icecrown Citadel, near the meeting stone. No attunement is required for entry, but completing the instance is required to gain entrance to the Pit of Saron.

Lore

Serving as the first wing in this expansive dungeon, the Forge of Souls will quickly put players to the test of carving through the Scourge stronghold into deeper, more treacherous locations. Jaina will command Alliance forces, and Sylvanas will direct Horde forces. The goal is to ruin the twisted engines known as soul grinders found in this portion of the citadel, and then players can advance — that is, if the Horde and Alliance forces can overcome the foes who confront them.

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The Pit of Saron is the second wing of the Frozen Halls instances of Icecrown Citadel, released in patch 3.3. The enormous pit in the dungeon is filled with large extracts of saronite ore and the Scourge have taken many Alliance and Horde prisoners forcing them to mine the saronite or face torture and reanimation into undeath. The players help Jaina Proudmoore or Sylvanas Windrunner rescue the prisoners and put a stop to the Scourge’s operations and defeat the brutal scourge master of the area and his lieutenants.

To become “attuned” to the Pit of Saron, players are required to complete the quest Echoes of Tortured Souls (Alliance) / (Horde) in the Forge of Souls as part of the Frozen Halls story line quest chain.

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General Information

Miscellaneous

• Level Cap raised to 85
• New Race/Class combinations: Blood Elf (Warrior), Dwarf (Shaman, Mage), Gnome (Priest), Humans (Hunter), Night Elf (Mage), Orc (Mage), Tauren (Paladin, Priest), Troll (Druid), Undead (Hunter); will not be available before launch
• Two new races – Goblins and Worgen (see below)
• Mastery (see below)
• No new talents (we will be able to spend our 5 new talent points in the existing trees, they just will not be extended)
• No new classes
• Deathwing is the main threat this time around

Mounts

• Flying Mounts: now usable in the newly revamped Old World; Unknown at this time: if in all areas, if at all levels, if there will be an ‘unlocking’ requirement similar to Wrath
• Underwater Mounts are coming!
• Possibility of multi-passenger flying mounts!
• Will be an underwater transport system manned by Gnomes and Goblins; Submarines as big as the ships in Icecrown
• 310% training will be available; price/location unknown; will scale for all flying mounts once purchased! Unknown whether those with 310% fliers will be grandfathered in.

New Races

Worgen

• Worgen, the new Alliance race, will have their own district in Darnassus. They have a worgen form and a human (cosmetic) form; when in combat the worgen will always shift to the worgen form.
• Worgen will have access to all classes except paladin and shaman.
• Racials: Darkflight: allows the worgen to temporarily increase their movement speed by 70%, and can be used every three minutes; Aberration: reduced duration from the effects of curses and disease; Flayer: bonus to skinning, as well as the ability to skin faster and not use a skinning knife; Viciousness: 1% bonus to damage
• Starting Zone: Gilneas

Goblins

• Goblins, the new Horde race, will have a city (not confirmed to be a capital)in the revamped zone of Azshara.
• Goblins will have access to all classes except paladin and druid.
• Racials: rocket belt that allows players to activate one of two rocket abilities every two minutes – enables the player to jump up to 20 yards or shoots rockets at an enemy player within 30 yards; every 30 minutes the goblin can summon a pack hobgoblin, which will act as a personal servant granting bank access. Goblins also gain a bonus to their alchemy skill, and should a player decide to become an alchemist there will be an increased benefit from drinking health and mana potions. Additional passive goblin racials include a permanent 1% increase to attack and casting speed, and because of their knack for mercantile affairs, goblins will always receive the best possible gold discount regardless of reputation.
• Mount: Roadster
• Starting Zone: Lost Isles

This is a list aimed at tanks starting leveling in Northrend who need to put together a set of tanking gear quickly, but can also be useful for people looking for pieces in a slot or two. All the items listed here are blue quality, and can be obtained through quests, reputation, or crafting. Drops are not included because the intent is to give a list of gear that can be obtained quickly.

1. Starting at 71-74, do all Wyrmrest quests at the Wyrmrest temple. Once you’ve completed these, purchase a Wyrmrest Accord tabard and put it on. (Don’t let the first level 80 instance catch you by surprise.) Continue wearing the tabard, and do the daily quest at Wyrmrest temple every day as you level until you reach at least Revered with the Wyrmrest Accord.
2. At level 74, get yourself a [Tempered Saronite Belt] off the Auction House or have someone make you one. Buy and attach an [Eternal Belt Buckle] to it, and socket it with a [Thick Sun Crystal] for a total of 69 defense rating. Optionally, purchase other pieces in the Tempered Saronite “set” to use as leveling gear or as fallback pieces in case you can’t get one of the recommended items before you start raiding or doing heroics.
3. Head to Zul’Drak as soon as you can. (level 74 or so) and find a partner to do the “Wanted: Ragemane’s Flipper” quest at given the first Argent Crusade camp. Get [Crescent of Brooding Fury] for completing the quest.
4. Still in Zul’Drak, follow quests to Argent Stand (the major Argent Crusade base in the zone). Do quests there to improve your Argent Crusade rep, including the dailies. Continue to do these daily quests every day as you level until you reach Revered with the Argent Crusade. (There are more quests that give Argent Crusade rep than Wyrmrest rep, so don’t take off the Wyrmrest tabard until you’re finished with Wyrmrest rep.)
5. Move back to the west edge of Zul’Drak and do the quests from the Argent Crusade Forward Camp for more AC rep. Also do Stefan’s quests from Ebon Watch to acquire [Betrayer's Choker]. Socket it with a [Thick Sun Crystal] for a total of 29 defense rating.
6. When you reach an appopriate level (76-ish) start keeping your eyes open for a Gundrak group to complete the “For Posterity” quest and get [Solid Platinum Band].
7. When you go to train at level 77, get a [Saronite Bulwark] off the Auction House.
8. When you go to train at level 78, get some [Daunting Handguards] off the Auction House. Once back in Northrend, go to Wyrmrest Temple and purchase [Cloak of Peaceful Resolutions], and then go to the Argent Crusade camp in the southeast corner of Icecrown and purchase [Special Issue Legplates]. Apply a [Jormungar Leg Armor] to the legplates and socket them with a [Stalwart Huge Citrine] for a total of 87 defense rating..
   Also buy an Argent Crusade tabard and have it handy to switch when you do this.
9. Starting at level 78, keep your eyes peeled for groups for Halls of Stone to do the Brann Bronzebeard event and get [Pauldrons of Reconnaissance], and for an Oculus group to do the quests inside for [Bracers of Reverence].
10. Optionally, also keep your eyes peeled for Utguard Pinnacle groups; the instance will give you Rep with whatever faction’s tabard you’re wearing, and the plate chest reward from the quest in the instance is a useful intermediate and backup piece if you have trouble completing Wyrmrest rep.
11. Starting from the Argent Crusade camp where you purchased the legplates and tabard, complete the quest chain given by Tirion Fordring through the building of the new tower, and obtain [The Crusader's Resolution].
12. Follow the breadcrumb quests to your faction’s airship and do quests for Thassarian (Alliance) or Koltira Deathweaver (Horde) to establish the new Ebon Blade base at the Shadow Vault. If/when you reach Honored, purchase [Toxin-Tempered Sabatons].
13. When you reach Revered with the Argent Crusade, purchase [Arcanum of the Stalwart Protector] and apply it to your helm.
14. When you reach level 80 and Revered with the Wyrmrest Accord, purchase [Breastplate of the Solemn Council].
15. As soon as possible, go to K3 in Storm Peaks and follow the chain starting with the quest “They Took Our Men!” until you get access to the Hodir quartermaster. Then begin working on dailies and other quests until you reach at least Honored with the Sons of Hodir and purchase [Lesser Inscription of the Pinnacle] and apply it to your tanking shoulders. This does not need to be done to become uncrittable with the recommended set if you follow the instructions, but you should start on it as soon as you can find the time in order to work your way up to Exalted for the epic inscription.
16. If you have not already, obtain the following enchants:
    • A +12 defense rating enchant to cloak.
    • A +22 defense rating enchant to chest.
    • A +40 stamina enchant to bracers.
    • A +20 hit rating enchant to gloves
    • A +22 stamina enchant to boots.
    • A [Titanium Weapon Chain] to weapon.
    • A +20 defense rating enchant to shield.

    In total, you should have an additional 54 defense rating from enchants.

Alternatives:

1. [Blade of the Empty Void] from a quest chain at Ebon Hold involving the nearbly Vykrul village. (Lose 7 defense rating.)
2. [Reinforced Titanium Neckguard] from quests against the Scarlet Onslaught. Requires a group to finish the chain. (Gain 9 defense rating.)
3. [Tempered Saronite Shoulders], crafted. You may actually prefer these outright. (Lose 14 defense rating.)
4. [Daunting Legplates], craftable. (Gain 13 defense rating accounting for the lost gem.)
5. [Tempered Saronite Bracers], crafted. (Gain 14 defense rating.)
6. [Tempered Saronite Helm], crafted. (Gain 23 defense rating.)
7. [Silver-Plated Battlechest]: From the “Junk in My Trunk” quest in Utguard Pinnacle. (Lose 2 defense rating.) Also [Tempered Saronite Breastplate], crafted. (Lose 20 defense rating)

If you’ve obtained all the recommended except the Sons of Hodir inscription, you’ll have 705 defense rating, which is 16 more than required to be uncrittable. Depending on exactly what items you end up with you may have to alter your gems a bit, but it should be possible to make a viable tanking set from just about any combination of recommended and alternate items.