Blizzard Entertainment – makers of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo and of course World of Warcraft – announced at Blizcon that they are working on the third expansion to Wow; World of Warcaft: Cataclysm.
Big, big changes are in store with this expansion.
Long story short. Deathwing, one of the biggest baddests of Warcraft lore, an immense, powerful and completely insane dragon was in the past beaten and took refuge in the elemental planes. There he recovered and plotted his revenge, and when the Horde and Alliance were busy up in Northrend battling the Lich-King he made his return.
Literally bursting from the elemental planes back into Azeroth, his emergence shook the world and caused a cataclysm, reshaping the entire world. And now he is intent on destroying everything.
What is in the expansion?
Firstly the old world that was core World of Warcraft is being completely remodelled – every original zone is being changed by the Cataclysm, the biggest being The Barrens being torn in half. Which means pretty much every quest is being looked at as well.
The way gear and talent trees function is getting a complete overhaul as well, which is needed.
But that is not really new content, just a reworking of old stuff.
What is new is the following;
Level cap to 85, plus 3 new spells/abilities at 81/83/85, but no new tier of talents.
Seven new zones, including a sunken Naga city and a visit to the elemental planes.
Two new races; Goblins for Horde and Worgen (aka werewolves) for Alliance. Alliance getting Worgen is the only real disappointment for me. They seem more a horde race and are liable to throw numbers balances out even more. Horde got Blood Elves back in Burning Crusade to try and even it out, but Worgen are going to prove a little too popular I think you’ll find. It is good to see the goblins returning to the horde though.
Four new 10/25 man raids and 8 5-man dungeons at release, plus two old ones being upgraded to the new cap. That is more than was available for both other expansions.
A new secondary profession – archaeology, which ties into the Path of the Titans, a new ways to customise your class.
New class/race combinations. Troll Druids for one – the most awesome part of the patch. Also Tauren priests and paladins – and yes, the holy cow jokes are flowing thick and fast.
In addition to the physical changes, lore and the storyline is moving onwards as well and, if rumours are true, into a darker phase with all out war between the Horde and Alliance coming again.
It sounds very intriguing and quite a gutsy move by Blizzard to upend everything this way.
Mist and Shadows 