Cataclysm Preview - Grim Batol
[blizzquote author=Blizzard source=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/grimbatol.html]
During a bloody civil war among the three dwarven factions of Ironforge, the Bronzebeards ousted the Wildhammer and the Dark Iron clans from the ancient corridors of the mountain city. In the wake of the defeat, the Wildhammers ventured north and forged a new home, Grim Batol, in the mountains of what is now the Twilight Highlands. However, although they worked tirelessly to create a better future for themselves, the Dark Irons, who established the city of Thaurissan in the Redridge Mountains, could not move beyond the memory of their defeat. Consumed by the desire for revenge and desperate to control the entire dwarven region of Khaz Modan, the Dark Irons led a two-pronged assault on the Bronzebeards in Ironforge and the Wildhammers in Grim Batol. Despite their past differences, these two embattled rivals joined forces and drove the Dark Irons out of Khaz Modan, decimating the armies of the treacherous clan's sorcerer-thane, Thaurissan. Yet victory carried grave consequences. Although Thaurissan's wife and queen, Modgud, was slain during the attack on Grim Batol, her death tainted the mountain fortress. While the Bronzebeards rebuilt their glorious city of Ironforge, the Wildhammers felt forever changed by the horrors they witnessed at Grim Batol. They fled their cursed home and never returned.

The abandoned city's defiled corridors later became home to a number of nefarious plots. When the Demon Soul was discovered by the Dragonmaw clan and used to force Alexstrasza's drakes to serve the Horde, Grim Batol acted as the red Dragon Aspect's torturous prison. The Dragonmaw held Grim Batol through the Second War, before they were driven out by Deathwing, who planned to steal Alexstrasza's eggs. Yet as Deathwing carried out his plan, the Demon Soul was destroyed, and the powers locked within were returned to Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, and Malygos. Deathwing narrowly escaped an assault by the four re-empowered Dragon Aspects, although he did not leave empty-handed; in his grasp were the eggs of Alexstrasza. For their vile transgressions, the fleeing Dragonmaw were shown no mercy, and the struggle came to a quick end. Members of the red dragonflight were left behind to keep watch over Grim Batol, and for years they successfully guarded its desolate halls from further intrusion... until the arrival of the Twilight's Hammer, a sinister cult who worshipped Azeroth's malefic Old Gods.

The cult, seduced by Deathwing's thirst for absolute domination over Azeroth, has claimed the Twilight Highlands as its base of operations. The black dragonflight has driven off the agents of the red dragonflight who guarded Grim Batol so that it may be used as a fortress for training Deathwing's minions. The halls of Grim Batol run so deep into the highlands that it is unknown to what twisted end the Twilight's Hammer is using this doomed dwarven marvel.

Called to action by the red dragonflight in the Twilight Highlands, players will be charged with putting a decisive end to the foul machinations developing within the level-85, 5-player dungeon of Grim Batol. The ferocity of the enemies within should not be underestimated, and with the assistance of brave Red Drakes and a handful of explosives, players can thin the ranks of Grim Batol's occupiers through bombing flights into the ruined city's corridors. Regardless of how successful these attacks might be, General Umbris will not allow his army to fall so quickly. In the end, adventurers will be left to their own devices, venturing into the darkest recesses of the dwarven fortress, where a nightmarish enemy is taking shape. Will you be able to uncover Grim Batol's secrets and emerge unscathed, or will your destiny be sealed within this tortured city, like so many brave heroes before you?[/blizzquote]



This article was originally published in forum thread: Cataclysm Preview - Grim Batol started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 173 Comments
  1. Murdamook's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Devlin1991 View Post
    Im wondering why the dragon aspects who are "enpowered" wont spank Deathwing into next year as soon as he comes into azeroth. He was powerful with the dragon soul but since it was destroyed and the power returned to the other aspects what will stop, Alextrasz,Kalegos etc from kicking his ass.
    The same reason none of the uber-powerful boss characters in WotLK and BC didn't go into any given dungeons and kill those bosses. You honestly think Arthas could kill Alexstrasza? She could kill Tirion with one breath yet she didn't because if she did either THERE GOES THE CONTENT. If every raid culminated in a good boss coming in and saying "stand aside, I'll kill this ass hat" no one would play WoW. That's why the dragon aspects won't kill deathwing. On top of that he is backed by the Old Gods. What makes you think it's just Deathwing we are fighting? If the Faceless Ones are getting involved then there is a very good chance that the Old Gods are augementing Deathwing's power to levels far beyond that of another individual Dragon Aspect. Nozdormu has his hands a little tied, Malygos...well, you know, Ysara seems to be a little lost at the moment as well. So honestly it's just Alexstrazsa v. Deathwing and with the agents he has on his side I truly doubt just she and Korialstrasz could kill him.
  1. mmoc30b4190132's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by AuthurDent View Post
    Yuk. Been there.. done that. 7 80's , a 74 and 2 60's. All the different classes. I sure HOPE Blizzard isn't banking on alt-rolling as the main Cataclysm "Feature"...
    Yeah I also have around 7 80s, I still enjoy leveling though.

    PvP is looking great, DGs and raids are without doubt looking good.

    I fail to see any issues so far in what we have seen.
  1. RumlyD's Avatar
    Looks awesome!
  1. slimj091's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Devlin1991 View Post
    Im wondering why the dragon aspects who are "enpowered" wont spank Deathwing into next year as soon as he comes into azeroth. He was powerful with the dragon soul but since it was destroyed and the power returned to the other aspects what will stop, Alextrasz,Kalegos etc from kicking his ass.
    well first they were RE-empowered with their powers.. not empowered with more powers on top of the powers they had before. second Malygos is dead, Ysera is still sleeping as far as we know, and Nozdormu is busy traveling through time making his infinite dragonflight. so that leaves just Alexstrasza to confront Deathwing. even though she might be the queen of all dragons it took her and the three other aspects to chase Neltharion off at the battle of grim batol.

    ---------- Post added 06-19-2010 at 04:16 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by alien1099 View Post
    It doesn't need 100% new art/models/skins, but damn, I don't see one single creature in those screenshots that isn't ALREADY in the game, and many have been since vanilla.
    so your saying we need to see humans that don't look like humans, and dragon's that don't look like dragons because those creatures are already in the game.. so what we need is a black dragon, and human stronghold that does not contain any black dragon's or humans?

    seriously you guys will complain about just anything these day's won't you?
  1. Toxonuts's Avatar
    Looks decent.. I don't like how the same quality gear drop on 10/25 Heroic versions.
  1. Calon's Avatar
    Gruul and Vezax in the same instance! *unenthusiastic cheer*
  1. mmoc0d8e6c2903's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by slimj091 View Post
    so your saying we need to see humans that don't look like humans, and dragon's that don't look like dragons because those creatures are already in the game.. so what we need is a black dragon, and human stronghold that does not contain any black dragon's or humans?

    seriously you guys will complain about just anything these day's won't you?
    How about some different looking dragons and humans?


    I doubt Azeroth has a secret clone army.
  1. Saizu's Avatar
    Looks cool!
  1. Hammatimme's Avatar
    they turned one of the most interesting and lore filled areas of the game, one that has been the focus of 2 different books, one that was the birthplace of the Twilight dragonflight, into a 5 player dungeon....
    way to take the epic out of the game there blizz
  1. mmocced9c7d33d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by maxvdakker View Post
    omnomnom, do want
    Stop overusing nomnomnom, u schmuck! I like it, don't want it to grow out of use just because a simpleton like u applies it to everything.

    Anyways, this instance looks cool, probably some reason why the gronn n ulduar boss model is there, hopefully they aren't bosses, want to see something original, but a mutation is fine too.

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammatimme View Post
    they turned one of the most interesting and lore filled areas of the game, one that has been the focus of 2 different books, one that was the birthplace of the Twilight dragonflight, into a 5 player dungeon....
    way to take the epic out of the game there blizz
    That's nothing compared to turning elemental lords like Al'Aqir n Neptulon to 5 man bosses... but yet Ragnaros was a raid boss n will be so again.
  1. Blacky's Avatar
    It seems like a redesigned Ironforge to me Different colours, identical appearence.
  1. mmocced9c7d33d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Blacky View Post
    It seems like a redesigned Ironforge to me Different colours, identical appearence.
    Guess what, these are ex-Ironforge dw0rfes, if u had bothered to read the lore that Boub posted, u would have known that!

    Ofc it should have similarities, I like the dark twisted ironforge/brd style.
  1. GrieverXIII's Avatar
    @ Cry babys complaining about recycled models.

    You realise its exactly the same ''Cult'' that we found in the depths of Ulduar that invaded Grim'Batol, so how it doesn't makes sense they look similar ?

    People will always cry about anything anyway, please do us and yourselve a favor, just don't buy cataclysm. Go whine about something else.
  1. Solidusbr's Avatar
    Re...color...ed mo..dels....
  1. Annarion's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Devlin1991 View Post
    Im wondering why the dragon aspects who are "enpowered" wont spank Deathwing into next year as soon as he comes into azeroth. He was powerful with the dragon soul but since it was destroyed and the power returned to the other aspects what will stop, Alextrasz,Kalegos etc from kicking his ass.
    Well we did KILL one of them already. It took all four just to send him fleeing, I doubt three could kill him outright. Oh and Kalecgos is not Malygos, period.
  1. Hakawne's Avatar
    I still don't get why people are saying Blizzard never reuses old models in "official previews" or whatever.
    The fact is they have. I'm pretty sure I gave an example before:

    Death Knight introduction and trailer, where the DK was wearing a recolored version of Demon Stalker - the Hunter set from Karazhan.

    That was the OFFICIAL trailer. Guess what. It was placeholder; it never appeared in-game.

    P.S.
    They're using a fire Marrowgar, accompanying a returned Ragnaros at Hyjal (which we "already visited" in Caverns of Time). Complain about that.
  1. Furbolg's Avatar
    Don't forget about www.speedgamers.com
    Their Mario Marathon for charity is still ongoing, and will continue even longer if they get enough donations.
  1. Unorthodox's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Hammatimme View Post
    they turned one of the most interesting and lore filled areas of the game, one that has been the focus of 2 different books, one that was the birthplace of the Twilight dragonflight, into a 5 player dungeon....
    way to take the epic out of the game there blizz
    Grim Batol Raid
    The Grim Batol raid instance will be called the Bastion of Twilight, and you get to fight Cho'gall as the end boss! If you manage to defeat him in Heroic Mode, an "horrific secret will be revealed when he dies".

    Information gathered from other sites:

    * This is an entry-level raid, just like Naxxramas in WotLK. (Details on Wowhead)
    * It will feature 5 bosses, and an Algalon-style optional and ultra-hard boss. (The "horrific" secret?) (Details on Wowhead

    please acctually read all the blue posts before you whine about there being a 5 man dungeon in grim batol also...
  1. NefariousNinja's Avatar
    The design kind of reminds me of how the original Ironforge was suppose to look before they toned it down to what it is currently.


    EDIT: This should have made news too: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...51507&pageNo=1
  1. Brittany's Avatar
    Yes there is 1 raid and at least 1x 5 man dungeon. Like The Eye and SSC had instances and a raid.

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