Cataclysm Details Leaked
Posted by 
Amatera on Friday, August 14, 2009 - 105 Comments Tags: Hyjal, Lore, azeroth, azshara, barrens, cataclysm, deathwing, gilneas, goblin, kezan, level 85, ragnaros, revamp, spoilers, thrall, uldum, undermine, worgen
Amatera on Friday, August 14, 2009 - 105 Comments Tags: Hyjal, Lore, azeroth, azshara, barrens, cataclysm, deathwing, gilneas, goblin, kezan, level 85, ragnaros, revamp, spoilers, thrall, uldum, undermine, worgen
The info just keeps on rolling in today. A week out from the rockstar event that is Blizzcon and we might have our first major leaks. Heartbourne has already clued us in on potential new class combinations, but our friends over at MMO-Champion seem to have found a whole lot more. Boubouille absolutely insists that none of this is speculation, and while I remain skeptical about his sources, his track record is proven. This is as close to gospel as we're going to get until we hear something officially official. So keep on reading to find out what we know (or think we know) so far. Be warned, though, spoilers are abound if you want to keep your sense of surprise.
SPOILER WARNING
Herein is a rough list of major content changes that we can expect to see in the next expansion:
That's a lot to digest and I'm honestly eager to see how everything fits together. There are some controversial ideas in there, as well as changes that players have been clamoring for year after year. In fact, a lot of it sounds like the kind of stuff that Blizzard employees have wanted to implement themselves, but have repeatedly insisted they haven't been working on. Phasing, as I previously proposed, will play a large role in the recreation of mainland Azeroth (self high-five!).
By treading this path, however, I'm afraid there is also the chance of alienating a certain portion of the player base who see this as merely reusing old content. That may or may not be the case, and we may have to wait another week to find out. I think it really depends on how fresh the revamped content ends up feeling. Will the graphics of many areas be significantly improved or changed? Will the new quest lines make it worth adventuring through old zones? Is this the vanilla WoW that we always wanted? Or will the new Azeroth be a whole lot like the old Azeroth?
A yet-to-be-confirmed post on the Something Awful forums indicated huge, sweeping changes for the landscape, though. Thousand Needles flooded, many zones in absolute ruins, Orgrimmar sundered in two (with the introduction of a new Orc main city). The forums are private, but the summary has be re-posted on MMO-Champion.
I'm sure you all have a lot to say about these revelations, so feel free to strike up a conversation in our comments section. I know I'll be watching it closely!
SPOILER WARNING
Herein is a rough list of major content changes that we can expect to see in the next expansion:
- New Class Combinations - No new classes will be added to the game. Instead, existing races will be given access to classes that they never had before. It is currently unknown what classes will be available to the new races, however.
- New Level Cap - Surprisingly, it's only 85. This may fit in with a new philosophy of improving characters through gear instead of pure XP. Likewise, if the end-goal for WoW is 100, it leaves a little more space for successive expansions to grow.
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Azshara, Queen of the Naga
The Cataclysm - This titular event, set in motion by Deathwing and Queen Azshara, will bring many changes to the existing content in the game, as well as open up several new ones. Their motivations for unleashing such destruction upon the world may be in part due to those pesky insanity-inducing Old Gods. - New Horde Race: Goblins - The Goblins have found their island home virtually destroyed by the events of the Cataclysm. Washing up on the shores of The Barrens, a quest line involving Thrall's capture (and subsequent rescue by the Goblin race) will explain how they ended up as the new consorts of the Horde. With their homeland gone, it's unclear whether or not we will get to visit Kezan, the island where the Goblin capital of Undermine exists.
- New Alliance Race: Worgen - The Greymane Wall, which separates Gilneas from Silverpine Forest, has been shattered by the Cataclysm. Bewildered from their self-imposed exile, the Worgen venture forth and find friends in the Alliance. It is unclear what the Goblin starting area may entail, but the Worgen will be receiving the Death Knight treatment. Gilneas will be a heavily-phased zone that will shuttle your character through the nation's history before unleashing them on the rest of Azeroth. Did I mention that Worgen do get to transform? That's right, you'll be able to shift from Human to Worgen at the click of a button, though we don't know if it will afford you any special abilities to do so.
- Azeroth Remade - Goblins and Worgen aren't the only ones who have felt the impact of this catastrophic event. Existing zones will be remade or phased in order to accommodate the current state of the world. The examples given include remaking Azshara into a 10-20 level area and splitting the Barrens into two distinct zones for players of different levels.
- New Areas - There will be no new continents introduced in the expansion, but instead, unreleased content in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms will finally be filled in. In addition to the aforementioned opening of Gilneas, you can also expect to see modern-day Hyjal and Uldum. These are only examples and do not represent the entire breadth of fresh content that will no doubt be introduced.
- Mainland Flight - Restructuring the two core continents has allowed Blizzard to add flight to those zones that never had it. Now you can ride all the way from the Plaguelands to Booty Bay on you very own flying mount. Presumably, you will still need to take a boat or zeppelin to go from one continent to the other.
- Dungeons Remade - Onyxia was only the beginning. This does not preclude the addition of new 5-man dungeons or raid content, but many of the old instances will be retrofitted for players progressing from Level 80-85. Reportedly, we'll also be seeing Ragnaros again. It is not known how extensive the changes will end up being (new bosses/new graphics or merely upgraded stats on mobs and items).
That's a lot to digest and I'm honestly eager to see how everything fits together. There are some controversial ideas in there, as well as changes that players have been clamoring for year after year. In fact, a lot of it sounds like the kind of stuff that Blizzard employees have wanted to implement themselves, but have repeatedly insisted they haven't been working on. Phasing, as I previously proposed, will play a large role in the recreation of mainland Azeroth (self high-five!).
By treading this path, however, I'm afraid there is also the chance of alienating a certain portion of the player base who see this as merely reusing old content. That may or may not be the case, and we may have to wait another week to find out. I think it really depends on how fresh the revamped content ends up feeling. Will the graphics of many areas be significantly improved or changed? Will the new quest lines make it worth adventuring through old zones? Is this the vanilla WoW that we always wanted? Or will the new Azeroth be a whole lot like the old Azeroth?
A yet-to-be-confirmed post on the Something Awful forums indicated huge, sweeping changes for the landscape, though. Thousand Needles flooded, many zones in absolute ruins, Orgrimmar sundered in two (with the introduction of a new Orc main city). The forums are private, but the summary has be re-posted on MMO-Champion.
I'm sure you all have a lot to say about these revelations, so feel free to strike up a conversation in our comments section. I know I'll be watching it closely!
Reader Comments (105)
If this proves to be true, this is a lot more work than any other expansion.
So people claiming Blizzard are lazy are just plain stupid to be honest.
If you don't like it, either find a new game to play or go make your own.
The reworking basically is making two new continents if its as extensive as it sounds. Personally I think this is awesome, although the Worgen fitting into the alliance still makes zero sense (not that it isnt cool).
I really really, and I mean REALLY, like the Azeroth phasing idea. Goblins and Worgen don't excite me that much as I don't see myself seriously re-rolling one other then just to see the start zone and the character animations.
As many have already said, Dwarf shamans and Tauren paladins... not what should happen.
I'm looking forward to re-made old instances and phasing in Azeroth.
you already waste almost 100€ to start playing,and they are talking about a new expansion already?..
go steal your mothers D:!
I'm excited! If done right, this could be the expansion I've been waiting for. No longer getting threatened by GM's with banning for going to the Ironforge Airport. Or any other out of the way places that are not supposed to be accessible. And being able to fly everywhere should be awesome. I was flying around on my 72 Tauren Death Knight last night, admiring Northrend. There is something to be said about flying... gives you a different perspective.
Very excited. Also about the class/race combos. Will they make the undead hunter only able to tame undead beasts? Because that would rock! Also, worried about the Tauren Blood Knight...
Some of those sound *plausible*, but most of them I won't buy until I see it. I mean, Goblins and Worgen? Seriously? Can Worgen even TALK?
Oh man, I didn't see this one: flying on the mainland? It won't happen. Not ever. Therefore, this list is crap.
The new classe combination will be:
* Human Hunter
* Orc Mage
* Night Elf Mage
* Dwarf Mage
* Blood Elf Warrior
* Dwarf Shaman
* Undead Hunter
* Tauren Paladin
* Tauren Priest
* Gnome Priest
* Troll Druid
For 5 years I`ve played WOW, and for 5 years Orgrimmar have been (still is...for now) my home, for it to be sundered in half like Silvermoon City will break my heart T.T
These people complaining about the lack of a new continent need to do some thinking. We're almost out of content that can be based off the old Lore. To get a completely new zone to explore, Blizz now has to start thinking about creating it entirely from scratch. If they're gonna do that right they need more time than they needed for The Outlands and Northrend. I'd rather get the new zones, and maybe a couple smaller islands in content patches, than a new continent that's barely playable because Blizzard pandered to the fans and put it out before they were done with it.
And I agree with Grant about the shorter level cap meaning more XP between levels, but I don't think it's a way to scam more money off us so much as a way to keep the game alive longer. If the final goal of WoW is a 100 level cap, then Blizz is running out of time. When a permanent level cap is introduced how long do you think non-raiders will stay on after they reach it, with no promise of that cap raising in the future? Even raiders will eventually get bored with it, so shorter level caps with more XP means the game will overall last longer.
Rly? Alliance gets Worgen's and horde gets goblins??? WTF! fail :(
for every one that is worried or excited
1) this list is speculation it would be cool if it was in but speculation
2) revamping the old world sounds alot harder than making a new one
3) human hunters- took u long enough blizz
I was really excited to go to the maelstrom and see all these things I had really exciting thoughts in my head....but this is just a downer.
AWW COME ON!!
I'm enjoying northrend to much, plz tell me northrend will still have something to do with this expansion.
And after what I have seen, the LAST thing I want to do is go bak to the old world...
NORTHREND FOREVER!!
can no one see the failure of blizz here i mean come on it doesnt get the dumber then this. except for worgens are playeble and gilneas opens up as well opening of mount hyjal and uldum the whole expenchion is going to be a bust
This sounds really awesome one thing i would like to see though is a split in lvls almost as if once you reach 80 you go through an event (undercity story part) so then when you create a low lvl character you still see the original lore, but once you reach that point you get to see the whole original continents be ravaged. This way you have something to compare to and get the feeling of every WoW player when you see one of your favorite zones destroyed. That would be so Epic!!!!! This expansion is gonna be awesome!! The only thing i questioned was the Tauren paladin because i play a paladin but personally they need something to revive the race. WoW ftw! and this btw will take more work than any other expansion.
i am in no hury for the next expenchion i dont really care how long it takes to be release. allthough it might take long time long time to revise the current content it would take much more to create new content and (insert blizz being lazy here) as i said before its not the quantity of their work its the quality of their and lately the ony remake and this lttle leak really lacked quality
@cnblackout
dumbest idea ever in order for your idea to work each character would have to live in thier own little world literly
So much of this doesn't make any sense.
NE MAGE!? A night elf mage is called a High Bourne = Blood Elf
I think the only thing that may hold some merit is the level 85 cap. Otherwise I'm calling BS on this 'leak' until it's announced at Blizzcon....and then if this all ends up being true, /cancelaccount
This might have been said, but I am going to say it anyways. Part of the problem with adding another continent is all off the players leaving EK and Kal behind. With this expansion we are going to have a ton of current players rerolling the new classes and races, making leveling so much better. Imagine the shear amount of players in the starting zones and beyond. I have been wanting them to hit the reset button for a long time and I think we are going to finally get it.
This is not yet proven it's all skeptical and there is no actual proof of release from this. He's just being skeptical and if this were to truly happen a huge number of WoW player's would quit because no one that played in vanilla WoW (okay maybe a few but not many) wants to re-raid Vanilla's raids including myself. If blizz was to do this it would cost them alot of players.
@Faramor
You comments are not true sir. There will be no decline in subs only substaintial growth. People always say they are going to quit but can't because they are addicted to the best MMO on the planet. As for being this being a rumor, MMO-champion has a pretty flawless track record, I am not saying that its 100% true but I will bet u $3.82 that it is true (that all i have in my pocket).
For you people saying that blizzerd are being lazy they are not this will probly be more then any of the other expantions to work on i mean they are rewriting azeroth thats 2 continents and they have to make new quest for the lower levels because some zones are being remade to higher and or lower like azhara or being split in half like barrens and some zones may become flooded thosend needles the only bad thing i can say is that i will miss old azeroth but we got atleast 1 year left before expantion mabye more and if all of this is true i will have a fangasim so will my guild mates when i tell them..... :P and i wonder what the new orc city is and how gnomeragon is gana look like they took gnomeragon : D
wow new city for ally :D oh and the dwarf shaman is possible because there are a group of dwarfs called wildhammer i think that now shamanism so the dwarfs probly learned from them :P and ahead of time R.I.P old azeroth carine bloodhoof black rock mountain mabye:P and.Without Thrall to keep Garrosh in check, he declares open war on the Alliance. In the political upheaval Cairne Bloodhoof is implicated as a traitor to the Horde and murdered by Garrosh. Cairne's son Baine takes over as the new Tauren chieftan. /cry he was awesome i hope garrosh dies D:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?topic=92919.0
READ IT ALLL alright?
Deathwing
Deathwing the Destroyer / Neltharion the Earth-Warder will play a major role in Cataclysm. Having been driven mad by Old God whisperings and turning against his own kind only to be fail in his attempts, Deathwing has sunk into the shadows. While the Horde and the Alliance were busy fighting back the Burning Legion only to then be beset with the Scourge, he has been lurking and moving things into place. After Lady Sinestra's failed attempts to create a Twilight Dragonflight, he again retreated to Grim Batol and succeeded where she failed. With his results seen in the Obsidian Sanctum, he has finally created the supreme Dragonflight he sought and plans to unleash it upon the world. But what of the Old Gods' sway over him?
if you want more go to the link i put at the top of this comment oh and hes probly not the final boss D: