Classic Content Plan - Six Content Phases

[chaud]

Classic Content Plan

At BlizzCon 2018, we proposed a plan to give Classic four content phases. These were planned to be centered primarily on raid power progression.

Currently, based on both your feedback and our own deliberations, we’re now planning to increase it to six phases. Our focus is still primarily on player power-progression, but we’re also aiming to capture what it felt like to play in a realm community in original WoW. To do that, we’re planning to mirror the approach taken by original WoW, with patches paired together. We’ll launch Classic with content from original WoW through patch 1.2.x, then the second update will include content that was in original WoW 1.3 and 1.4, the third Classic update will have 1.5 and 1.6 content, and so on.

Our first phase primarily focuses on launching Classic with Onyxia and Molten Core, but we’ve decided to hold off on Dire Maul for a while. Maraudon is still in the first phase, because it was originally released on December 18, 2004, just two weeks after the first player hit level 60, but we recognize that Dire Maul is in a different category. Some of the loot that’s attainable from Dire Maul is so good that it would affect progression through those early raids. We’re also planning to hold off on releasing Kazzak and Azuregos at launch as well, for the same reasons.

The next change we’re targeting addresses two concerns. First, Zul’Gurub and Blackwing Lair unlocking at the same time would differ from how they originally came out, and it makes sense to not have gear and enchants from Zul’Gurub available during early progress into Blackwing Lair. Secondly, the Emerald Dragons should be available earlier than the opening of Ahn’Qiraj, as they give us a way to start preparing nature resist gear for some of the encounters in AQ.

Along the way, we’ve taken a close look at items that provide the biggest power gains, many of which were introduced in 1.10 as part of a sweeping dungeon itemization pass. That patch was when Tier 0.5 gear was introduced, and Relics were added to the drop tables of many bosses. It also adjusted drop rates and drop locations of a lot of gear (to make room for the Relics). We’ve gone back and reconstructed many of the most heavily affected drop tables as they existed prior to the 1.10 patch, and we’re planning to update the drop tables alongside the Ahn’Qiraj War Effort. Prior to the Ahn’Qiraj unlock, most of the drop rates and locations will look as they did in the patches prior to 1.10, with exceptions—there are lots of little changes made in earlier patches that don’t have a big effect on player power, and in those cases, we’re planning to use the 1.12 drop rates and locations.

One example of the many items we’re planning for is: Titanic Leggings, which is a world drop that first appeared in 1.10. We can confirm that it will be controlled by the same content unlock that restricts the other 1.10 loot changes.

Here’s what the release order currently looks like:

Phase 1 (Classic Launch)

• Molten Core
• Onyxia
• Maraudon

Phase 2

• Dire Maul
• Azuregos
• Kazzak

Phase 3

• Blackwing Lair
• Darkmoon Faire
• Darkmoon deck drops begin

Phase 4

• Zul’Gurub
• Green Dragons

Phase 5

• Ahn’Qiraj War Effort begins
• Ahn’Qiraj raids open when the war effort dictates
• Dungeon loot reconfiguration: Tier 0.5 Dungeon gear, Relics, drop rates and location changes

Phase 6

• Naxxramas
• Scourge Invasion

We haven’t yet determined exactly when phases 2-6 will occur, and PvP content is notably missing from the list above. That’s because we’re still evaluating our options regarding PvP rewards, as they also changed over time (both in power and in terms of which PvP reward items were available).
While we can’t elaborate on every detail of every step we’re going to take (yet), we’re here reading all of your questions and we’re going to keep the answers coming.

Thank you!

[Galaar]

I like the phased approach. This way we can progress as if it was really 2004. Hopefully phases will be longer then 3 months. I would imagine Phase 1 being closer to a year given the need to ding 60, farm dungeons for Tier 0 then progress through Core and Onyxia. Other phases would be shorter I would imagine but this makes me excited about Classic.

[lonely zergling]

This is big news. This should show everyone that they take classic seriously. Now they just need to fit in the pvp rewards and our gear progress path will be much more enjoyable.

[Bane-Thunder-God]

Imagine being excited about grinding old content you did 14 years ago all over again...

Hahahha they can MISS ME WID IT

So when's 8.2?

[LolFrank]

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

[Pu3Ho]

Imagine being excited about grinding old content you did 14 years ago all over again...

Hahahha they can MISS ME WID IT

So when's 8.2?

Imagine playing BFA when 80% of "Vocal Minority" playerbase left it for good.

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

Content in BFA? What is it? I'm looking very hard and don't see any =/ If you meant Warfronts and Islands that aint a content, sorry for the truth.

[Eleccybubb]

Sweet.

Can't wait to play this in Summer. Will be a fresh new experience for me as I never played Classic. Can't wait for the community to flourish and hell be bigger than retail.

Although played older MMOs so the time investment thing shouldn't be an issue for me.

[Kelathos]

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

Gating entire raids and patches of content, VS gating a handful of quests?

[Galaar]

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

This isn't gating, this is basically patch releases. Why would they release all raids at the beginning? The classic experience should be like the original in progression.

[Pu3Ho]

God how i want WoW Classic to be out sooner, so we can finally separate ourselves from pet-kissing lovers for good. I'm sick of reading bullshit those BFA players spill.

Gating entire raids and patches of content, VS gating a handful of quests?

Shuuuushhh!!1 Don't tell them this or they might tell you that PetBattles, getting all transmogs in the game and unlocking allied "races"(reskins of actual races) is the content

[Dakhath]

I've zero interest in classic, but this is the best thing I've seen about it. Definitely the right way to go for Blizzard. People will get a better experience and it will create some longevity in the entire project.

[Nebron]

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

What a perfect example of intellectual dishonesty

Nobody cries, that BfA's content is not released at once, which means: 8.0-8.3 in the first day of the expansion launch. The complaint is about a much different thing... and you genuinely know it. It's about the content in a single patch being stretched to the maxium.
And that applies to Classic - it will be released in patches, so the content won't cannibalize itself in few weeks.

Before you post anything, use your brain first.

[The Stormbringer]

Hopefully this addresses a lot of concerns that people had. For me, I'm just happy to play Classic in any form.

[Pu3Ho]

Hopefully this addresses a lot of concerns that people had. For me, I'm just happy to play Classic in any form.

You have one on the Private Servers already, i won't say it's bad.

[vilememory]

Let the bitching begin! Somehow, someway people will find a way and a reason to find fault with this. Although I do like the idea of old school Darkmoon Faire, outside Thunderbluff and... was it Stormwind? So much time has passed. Just one location bouncing between the two. If my memory even serves me right.

[Sigxy]

I really like this idea. Gives people a chance to sink into 'current content' a bit more - go do Onyxia and Molten Core, then maybe go do something else than gearing for a bit (or, god forbid, go do something else and appreciate things that are not WoW since we don't have to do dailies/mission boards every day. Or the weekly M+ / PvP caches). And then when the new content is coming out, just to get straight back into it and repeat.

[The Stormbringer]

You have one on the Private Servers already, i won't say it's bad.

I prefer something that doesn't get shut down after six months or have all progress wiped regularly, or have gold sellers come in and fuck people over.

[lukkoth]

Gating content in Classic. People praise Blizzard. Gating content in BFA. People lose their fucking minds.

Gating is different from a release schedule. Classic wow didnt release with every single raid active. There are tons of world events that surround each of these releases. If you don't want to play classic, don't play it.

[Laylriana]

I never played Classic, but I'm surprised that the scourge invasion and Naxxramus pre-dated the Burning Crusade. I thought they belonged to WOTLK.

[Arakakao]

Imagine playing BFA when 80% of "Vocal Minority" playerbase left it for good.


Content in BFA? What is it? I'm looking very hard and don't see any =/ If you meant Warfronts and Islands that aint a content, sorry for the truth.

Classic has even less content: leveling, no heroic/mythic dungeons/raids/BGs. That's all.

People are leaving BfA, but is not just BfA that's boring: WoW at its core is boring, no matter what version of it.