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It's official, the next World of Warcraft expansion will be World of Warcraft - Legion! The official Legion site is online. Beta begins later this year.
Recap
The team managed to cover a lot of new information in a short period of time! We have recapped almost all of it below:
Main Features
- New Hero Class - Demon Hunter!
- New Continent - The Broken Isles
- Artifact Weapons
- Class Order Halls
- Adventure to Level 110
- New Dungeons and Raids
- New Honor System
- Level 100 Character Boost
- New World Bosses
- Improved transmogrification system, allowing you to collect item appearances and save your favorite outfits without sacrificing precious bag space
- Improved support for in-game communities: Create social circles with friends that have shared interests, and form the perfect group to play your way.
Story
- The Legion CGI cinematic is coming soon.
- The Broken Isles is a land at the heart of Azeroth that is long forgotten. 10,000 years ago, before the Great Sundering, the whole area was a vast Night Elf civilization. What remains after the world was destroyed is the bones of that civilization. The entire continent is a graveyard of sorts.
- The Broken Isles has the Tomb of Sargeras, a gateway to endless Legion worlds.
- A demonic invasion bigger than the War of the Ancients is currently underway. It is the biggest demonic invasion of Azeroth ever.
- We are going to track down the source of this invasion at the Broken Shore and take the fight directly to Gul'dan and his demonic armies. After a glorious battle at the Tomb of Sargeras our story will begin. This will all take place before the expansion officially launches.
- The Broken Shore experience is like the Assault on the Dark Portal for Warlords, but structured completely differently to help tell the story better. Every single person that has played WoW is going to be surprised and shocked.
- After the Broken Shore, we wake up to a world on fire and need to save the world.
- We will wield Artifact weapons such as Ashbringer and Doomhammer to attempt to restore peace to a world on the brink of annihilation.
- To help restore peace, we are going to form Class Orders, or renew old ones, such as the Silver Hand.
- We are going to need all of the help we can get to fight the Burning Legion, so Demon Hunters are key.
- The last time we faced Demon Hunters, most of them wanted to kill us.
- We will see the story of the Illidari through Illidan's eyes. We will go back to the moment during the siege of the Black Temple where we see Illidan send the Illidari back on a special mission.
- We see the prison world of Mar'duun. This is the world Sargeras created when he was a good Titan to hold all of the demons that he captured. When he went bad, this is the world he shattered to release the Burning Legion.
- We also go through the secret halls of the Vault of the Wardens.
- We search the Broken Isles for the Pillars of Creation. These are Titan relics that were used to shape the world when it was young. Using them we can close the gateway in the Tomb of Sargeras.
- Alleria and Turalyon will finally make an appearance.
Heroes and Villians
- Maiev Shadowsong - If the Watchers are infamous among the night elves, Maiev Shadowsong is a legend. Famed for her uncanny ability to capture any enemy, Maiev tracked Illidan Stormrage, the Betrayer, all the way to the Black Temple in Outland. After his demise, she imprisoned his surviving followers, the Illidari, vowing never to allow the fel-touched demon hunters to roam free ever again.
- Xavius - Xavius once terrorized Azeroth with an affliction that almost obliterated the walls between reality and dream. His machinations ended in defeat, but he has been given another chance at vengeance. Now, Xavius leads the conquest of Val'sharah, where the tainted World Tree Shaladrassil spreads the Emerald Nightmare's corruption. With an army of vile satyrs at his command, Xavius will stop at nothing to vanquish all who oppose the Burning Legion.
- Anduin Wrynn - Heir to the throne of Stormwind, Anduin is wise beyond his years. Time and again, he has used diplomacy to end conflict, inspiring even his warrior father to lay down arms in pursuit of peace. But diplomacy has its limits, and some villains can't be reasoned with. As the Burning Legion threatens to annihilate Azeroth, Anduin will learn the true cost of peace… and whether he's willing to pay it.
- Tidemistress Athissa - Queen Azshara, former leader of the ancient night elves, rules the naga with supreme authority. Her servants are many, but few can match the fanatical devotion of Athissa. At her queen's command, she is poised to lead a massive naga army into Azsuna, a region rumored to hold a long-lost titan relic of power. Nothing will stand between Athissa and this prize—not the cursed night elf spirits who haunt the land nor the Horde and Alliance forces that are gathering on the Broken Isles.
- Genn Greymane - In recent years, the grizzled ruler of Gilneas has suffered many hardships: his son and his nation fell to the Banshee Queen Sylvanas and her Forsaken, and he nearly lost his humanity to the worgen curse. Yet from these tragedies, Genn has found new strength and courage. He is determined to fight tooth and claw against any enemy that threatens the safety of the Alliance.
- Dargrul the Underking - For centuries, the tauren and the drogbar tribes of Highmountain lived in peace. But soon after the Legion's arrival, a drogbar leader named Dargrul the Underking destroyed their unity and stole the Hammer of Khaz'goroth, a powerful artifact protected by the Highmountain tauren. Using the terrible power of the Hammer, the Underking intends to take control of Highmountain.
- Khadgar - Though he was unable to stop Gul'dan from opening the Tomb of Sargeras, allowing the Legion to flood into Azeroth once more, Khadgar is determined to find the means to reseal the portal and foil the Legion's invasion. He knows that the combined forces of the greatest champions of Azeroth are necessary to succeed, even as dissenting voices speak against a coalition and risk ultimate destruction by the demons.
- Gul'dan - Gul'dan owes allegiance to no one save his Burning Legion masters. On Draenor, the power-hungry orc warlock nearly had his entire race enslaved to demons. Though his plans failed, Gul'dan survived. Under the Legion’s command, he was banished to Azeroth to open a gateway for a monstrous invasion force unlike anything the Horde and the Alliance have ever faced.
- Sylvanas Windrunner - The Forsaken's ruthless leader is a formidable champion of her people. But with the Burning Legion's invasion, the stakes for the Dark Lady have never been higher. Should Sylvanas perish, her demise will be the beginning of her eternal damnation. All that stand between her and this doom are her Val'kyr, yet few of these spirit guardians remain. As her fate edges closer to the abyss, Sylvanas must decide how far she'll go to protect her people… and whether they're more precious to her than her soul.
- Illidan Stormrage - After the fall of the Black Temple, the corpse of the lord of Outland, Illidan Stormrage, disappeared. No one knows the true fate of Illidan's remains, but legend holds that Warden Maiev Shadowsong took his broken body to the Vault of the Wardens so that Illidan's dark, lingering soul could suffer the rest of his eternal sentence—along with his followers, the feared Illidari. Justice to be forever served…
Zones
- Dalaran and the Kirin Tor will be joining us in the Broken Isles, becoming the main hub for this expansion.
- Val'Sharah was once the pinnacle of druidism on Azeorth, but it is now a forgotten druid refuge on the Broken Isles. This is the place place Malfurion became the first Druid under Cenarius. Here we face Xavius, the Nightmare Lord and his massive Satyr army. They are trying to unleash the Emerald Nightmare into our world. We will meet up with Ysera to help fight back the Nightmare. We will also enter Black Rook Hold.
- We are going into the Emerald Nightmare, where will get glimpses into the Emerald Dream.
- Stormheim has the Vrykul that left Northrend thousands of years ago in search of their holy land. We will discover the Halls of Valor and Hellheim, home to two Titan keepers that have been at war for thousands of years. We will learn about origins of the the Val'kyr and Kvaldir as we ride the Ship of Souls into the Maw of Hell. We will also be fighting the Vrykul God King and his minions, who are now minions of the Burning Legion.
- Azsuna represents the bones of the ancient Night Elf civilization. It has ghosts of ancient Night Elves, a dying breed of the Blue Dragonflight, and the Nightfallen. The Nightfallen are exiled royalty from Suramar that have been left to die outside of the walls of their city. We will be racing Queen Azshara and her minions for control of the Pillar of Creation in the zone.
- Highmountain is the home of the Highmountain Tauren, who are the keepers of the Relic of Kazgoroth. Only the biggest and strongest creatures can survive here. We will visit the lair of the Earth-Warder to get some answers. Neltharion is dead, but there are other things there. Nessingwary will also appear here.
- Suramar has a new race of elves made from an old race of elves. They have lived here for 10,000 years and have flourished thanks to the use of their magical ability. They have become pawns of the Burning Legion and have the last relic we need. We have to kill them all, as well as their guard and Gul'dan to secure the last relic.
Artifacts
- The Legion represents the greatest threat to our world that we have ever faced, so we weapons with greater power than we have ever had before to stand a chance.
- There are 36 Artifacts, one for each class and specialization.
- After the Broken Shore, you will seek out the Artifact for your spec.
- Where you go to find your artifact will vary depending on your class and spec.
- Retribution Paladins will be returning to the Broken Shore to look for Ashbringer where it fell in battle and was lost so that you can wield it.
- Protection Warriors will follow up on the legends of ancient Vrykul king that was buried with a sword and shield forged from the scales of the dragon Neltharion. You delve into his tomb and overcome the ancient curses that lay there in order to wield those weapons for yourself.
- Frost Death Knights will seek out Frostmourne's shards in Icecrown Citadel and reforge them into a pair of runeblades.
- You will earn Artifact Power as you accomplish things. Completing quest lines, dungeons, outdoor objectives, battlegrounds, and most major activities. The power is spent to unlock traits that empower your weapon and character, as well as visual customization.
- Ashbringer - Echo of the Highlord - When you use Templar's Verdict or Divine Storm, Ashrbringer will mimic that action after 2 sec.
- Each Artifact has a trait tree that is a grid overlaid on the weapon's shape. You choose how you navigate the tree.
- You spend Artifact Power to unlock traits. Once a trait is unlocked, the adjacent nodes unlock. At the far end of the trees are the major impactful abilities.
- Death Knight - Icebringer and Soulreaper - Arise and Serve - Raise Ally now restores all health and mana. Upon death, the Death Knight now has an option to raise himself.
- Some traits are simple damage increases, some transform your rotation, and some are new utility such as Death Knights being able to resurrect themselves.
- Each weapon has different looks that you can unlock, with different color variants for each look. These are unlocked by leveling your weapon, achievements, raiding, and PvP.
- The base weapon has the look we all know and love. Then there is an upgraded version of the base style, as well as variants such as an Ashbringer made out of fire, shadow, or lightning.
- Weapon Examples
- Sheilun, Staff of the Mists - Mistweaver Monks will go to Pandaria to see out the staff of Emperor Shaohao. The variants have Pandaren influences such as the Red Crane, Jade Serpent, or Sha.
- Felo'melorn was a spell sword wielded by Kael'thas against the Lich King at Icecrown Citadel, where it was lost. Fire Mages will seek out the blade.
- The Eagle Spear is new to the lore. Highmountain Tauren weapon for Survival Hunters. The variants have several animal themes, such as the wolf, bear, and serpent.
- Icebringer and Soulreaper are blades forged out of the shards of Frostmourne. All of the variants have skulls!
- Doomhammer is the weapon for Enhancement Shamans. There are Fel, Fire, Crystal, and other variants.
- Fangs of the First Nightsaber is for Feral and Guardian druids. They can customize the look of their form rather than customizing a weapon. Spectral, Armored, and other variants will be available. The base cat form is also getting an updated model.
Class Orders
- The Alliance and Horde are at each others throats, so classes will have to band together to fight the Burning Legion.
- You lead the Class Order, as you are wielding an Artifact weapon.
- There will be a heavy focus on class identity in Legion. Every class should feel different.
- Order Halls are a base of operations for your class and you share them with other players of your class.
- Only members of your class can enter the Order Halls, similar to the Death Knight starting area.
- Order Halls will be located in thematically appropriate areas for each class.
- After finding your Artifact, you will establish your Order Hall.
- Shamans are in a hollowed out cave overlooking the Maelstrom at a point where all of the elements come together.
- Paladins will discover a hidden templar sanctum under Light's Hope Chapel.
- Warlocks will be on a Legion portal world.
- Order Halls are the place you go to customize and upgrade your Artifact, as well as start special quests and missions.
- Your Hall has Champions, an evolution of the followers system from Draenor.
- This time around you aren't raising an army by recruiting just anyone, but a small elite group.
- Some of your champions will be established characters, such as Lady Liadrin.
- These champions will more customization and more integration with the world.
- Your champions won't do things instead of you, but instead help you to accomplish things.
- They may go on a scouting mission and discover an area for you to investigate.
- You may send them to a zone, which gives you bonuses when you are completing objectives there.
- You will work alongside them and with them rather than sending them out on missions to compete with you on earning rewards.
Dungeons and Raids
- Dungeons are essential to the MMO experience.
- The team wants to make sure that there are more dungeons, more varied challenges, and more replayability, and more of a reason to keep doing dungeons throughout the expansion.
- Halls of Valor
- Located high up in the clouds above Stormheim
- Level up dungeon
- The art and feel of the dungeon is heavily inspired by Valhalla.
- This is where the greatest warriors of the Vrykul are called to serve. It is their eternal reward for being the best.
- As you are seeking out the Pillar of Creation in Stormheim, you are contending with the Legion cooperating leader of the Vrykul, the God King. As you race against him through the zone, both of your paths lead you to this dungeon, which is the location of the Pillar. You must prove yourself worthy in battle so that you can claim it.
- We also learn more about the origin of the Val'kyr here. These aren't the Undead Val'kyr from Northrend, but the pure warrior of the Light.
- Black Rook Hold
- Max level dungeon located in Val'Sharah, the ancestral home of Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest.
- This elven structure was a bulwark against the Legion, until a shadow fell upon it, carved out of the mountain to be an unassailable fortress.
- You start in the catacombs below Black Rook Hold and work your way through the outside to the top of the spire.
- Vault of the Wardens
- This is where Demon Hunters awaken.
- It was the Warden maximum security facility to hold all of the greatest threats to the world, including Demon Hunters and other terrifying monsters.
- This is where Gul'dan found Illidan, so this is where you begin the hunt for Gul'dan and Illidan.
- Eye of Azshara is located in Azsuna. This is where you contend with the minions of Queen Azshara and the Naga.
- Darkheart Thicket is located in Val'Sharah at the base of the World Tree. It is the heart of the Nightmare corruption that is spreading throughout the zone. You fight your way into a chamber at the base of the tree to rescue Malfurion from the corruption of the Nightmare.
- Neltharion's Lair is located in Highmountain. This is the cavern where Neltharion lived before he became Deathwing. This has become the center of society for the rocky warriors of Highmountain. We need to venture into their capital to recover the Pillar of Creation wielded by their chieftain.
- Helheim
- This dungeon is somewhat located in Stormheim.
- It is the polar opposite of the Halls of Valor.
- The cursed spirits get on the ship Nifflevar, which leads them to Helheim, where they are cursed for all eternity as Kvaldir.
- This is the Ghost Ship of the Damned, with most of the dungeon taking place on the ship, sailing through stormy seas in an immersive environment unlike anything we have seen in a dungeon ever before.
- Suramar City is the City of Night, where the Nightborne rule from their palace. The city contains catacombs beneath it and noble houses throughout the city, both of which you will venture into to discover ties to the Legion and the ultimate plan that is unfolding.
- Violet Hold had some deep secrets that we didn't discover the first time around, but these are now awakened by proximity to the Tomb of Sargeras. We learn more about the origins of Dalaran, mages of Dalaran, and the origins of the world itself.
- The raid structure in Warlords of Draenor worked out well, so the same type of structure is used in Legion.
- The Emerald Nightmare is a raid with 7 bosses
- Players have always wanted to see the Emerald Dream.
- It was created by the Titans as a blueprint for Azeroth itself, a perfect version of our world.
- Something went wrong and the world has descended into corruption and Nightmare. That threatens to spread into our world and engulf it.
- In the dungeon we enter the roots of the tree, but in the raid we climb into the tree and cross through the barrier that separates our reality from the reality of the Dream. We will go in, root out corruption, seek out Cenarius, and confront Xavius himself at the heart of the Nightmare.
- Suramar Palace is a raid with 10 bosses.
- This is the palace in Suramar from which the Grand Magistrix runs the city. He has brokered a deal with the Legion to allow them to use and corrupt the Pillar of Creation to create the Nightwell, a conduit of dark energy.
- The layout and structure is somewhat reminiscent of Black Temple. You start in an underground catacomb, as you aren't able to enter the front gate. You work your way up to outdoor balconies, royal quarters, and then to the Nightwell itself, where you find the Grand Magistrix and Gul'dan.
- Gul'dan is here as an ambassador the Legion. He can't run away this time!
- This is not another green spike filled Orc raid, but a royal elven city.
Demon Hunter
- There are many different horn styles to choose from, along with the option to have no horns.
- Demon Hunters can also have tattoos, which will be shown off with the Demon Hunter class specific armor.
- There are different skin variations. Some are scaly and demonic and some are more normal.
- There are different types of eyewear as well. The Illidan style, a veil, or other blindfolds are available.
- Demon Hunters are a Hero Class, meaning they have a unique starting experience, similar to what Death Knights got. They will also start at a very high level, allowing you to immediately flow into the Legion content.
- The Demon Hunter is awoken in the Vault of the Wardens. The Wardens are desperate for their help when the Legion invades.
- Before you do that, you will get to take part in the events that take place ten years back in time at the Black Temple. You, as a member of the Illidari, are sent off by Illidan on a crucial mission to the world of Mar'duun.
- Demon Hunters only have two specs, as a healer didn't make sense and another DPS spec would water down the identity of the class.
- Havok is the DPS spec and Vengeance is the Tank spec.
- Abilities
- Fel Rush - Multiple charges. Rush forward, dealing 7,215 Fire damage to all enemies in your path. Generates 40 Fury if you inflict damage to at least one target.
- Chaos Strike - 40 Fury, Melee Range, Instant. A brutal attack that strikes all enemies in front of you for 8,741 Chaos damage.
- Chaos Nova - 30 Fury, Instant, 1 min cooldown. Unleash an eruption of fel energy, stunning all nearby enemies for 5 sec and dealing 5,772 Chaos damage.
- Eye Beam - 25 Fury, 40 yd range, Channeled, 12 sec cooldown. Blast the target and any enemies near the target for 21,650 Fire damage over 3.71 sec.
- Spectral Sight - Instant, 2 min cooldown. Allows you to see enemies through physical barriers, as well as those stealthed and invisible.
- Vengeful Retreat - Instant, 24 sec cooldown. Vault back and avoid the next attack or spell directed at you.
- Double Jump allows you to get over obstacles that other classes cannot!
- Demon Hunters transform into hellish forms, enhancing their chosen role: damage-focused Illidari can teleport into combat, while those who prize defense can grant powerful supportive Auras
- Demon Hunters can double jump, vault in and out of combat, and even unfold their monstrous wings to perform gliding descents and surprise enemies from above.
- Demon Hunters wear Leather and can use Daggers, Fist Weapons, One-Handed Axes, One-Handed Maces, and One-Handed Swords.
- Only Night Elves and Blood Elves can be a Demon Hunter.
Honor System
- The original honor system was fine in theory. Unfortunately, many players couldn't keep up and some would account share just to keep up.
- The current honor system that uses currency is better. You earn currency and buy gear. It allowed for the creation of set bonuses to help tune PvP a little bit.
- Gear being a huge factor in PvP doesn't feel good, so it is time to dial that back.
- The new system is similar to a PvP talent system. As you gain honor, you progress through ranks from 1 to 50. Each rank gives you perks and bonuses, as well as unlocking PvP talents. The PvP talents allow the team to balance PvP more independently of PvE. These abilities will only work in battlegrounds and arenas. You unlock down a column and then start on the next one, so that you quickly unlock at least one option for each row, then further ranks give you more options to choose from. Everything is unlocked at rank 50.
- Abolish Magic - 9,600 Mana, Instant, 20 sec cooldown. Dispels all magic every 2 sec for 6 sec. Replaces Dispel Magic.
- Adaptation - When you are afflicted by a Stun, Root, or Silence effect, you become immune to that effect for 3 sec. This may only occur once every 90 sec.
- Blood and Soil - Bloodlust now has a 45 sec cooldown, but only affects you and your friendly target when cast.
- Initiation - Increases your critical strike chance by 30% against targets who are above 80% health.
- Mind Quickness - Spell haste increased by 15%
- Necrotic Strike - 1 Death, Melee Range, Instant. A vicious strike that deals 100% weapon damage and absorbs the next 5000 healing received by the target. Lasts 10 sec. Replaces Scourge Strike.
- Prestige Ranks - You can reset your honor rank and level it up again for Prestige Ranks that grant cosmetic rewards. This gives players that do a lot of PvP extra rewards that don't increase their power.
- You can earn a badge for your unit frame's portrait that shows your Prestige rank, special mounts, and PvP only Artifact variants.
Screenshots
Concept Art
Legion in One Minute
If the recap is too long to read, Margaret has a quick recap of the expansion content we have seen so far!
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