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Category: Warlords of Draenor

Patch 6.2- Armor Preview

Quote from: Blizzard
Patch 6.2- Armor Preview

The drums of war beat within the fel halls of Hellfire Citadel, even as the Horde and Alliance continue to clash on the fields of battle. Great rewards await those who would face the dangers within the dark heart of Tanaan Jungle, as well as those who take part in the never-ending battle between Azeroth’s warring factions.

With a new PvP season ahead and a new raid on the horizon, it’s time to unveil the Tier 18 PvE armor sets and the Warlords Season 2 PvP sets!

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Death Knight
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Druid
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Hunter
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Mage
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Monk
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Paladin

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Priest

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Rogue

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Shaman

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Warlock

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Warrior

Patch 6.2 Preview – To the Shipyard!, Timewalking Highlight: The Arcatraz

Patch 6.2 Preview – To the Shipyard!

Quote from: Blizzard
Patch 6.2 Preview – To the Shipyard!

In World of Warcraft Patch 6.2, you’ll oversee your Garrison’s first new major construction project—and take command of your forces in a whole new theater of war. In order to push back against the twisted remnants of the Iron Horde, you’ll need to expand your operations to the shore and set your sights on the seas between you and the mysterious Tanaan Jungle. To do that, you’ll need a Shipyard.


Alliance Shipyard

The Shipyard is a new building available to all Garrison commanders who have reached level 100 and improved their Garrison to level 3—and after you travel to the Iron Docks and discover just how dire the naval situation is, you’ll want to make your Shipyard a top priority. As soon as you return to your Garrison, you’ll be able to raise a level 1 Shipyard and begin construction on your first ocean vessel immediately.
Horde Shipyard

Your Fledgling Fleet

In war, you need soldiers to fight on the front lines—with that in mind, your first ship will be the mighty Troop Transport, a vessel designed to help you tackle a variety of seafaring threats. This stalwart ship will help you initiate combat, and will serve as the backbone of your fleet as you’re getting your feet wet.

Ships are managed much like Garrison Followers. You’ll send your ships on naval missions, and each naval mission will present a new set of challenges for you to counter with your ships’ abilities. Some of the new abilities include Salty Crew (improves success chance by 10%), Unsinkable (shields the ship from a fatal shot), and Trained Shark Tank—because navigating through mine-studded waters is no problem when you have trained sharks on your side.

And guns. The sharks have guns.

Setting a Course

Just as your Followers need Garrison Resources to operate, your ships will require Oil. Collect enough Oil to send your ships on many naval missions, and you’ll unlock the level 2 and level 3 Shipyard, allowing you to maintain more ships and take on more naval missions.

There’s oil on Draenor! And as fate would have it, it’s mainly to be found in Tanaan, where the enemy has been collecting the precious substance for a while now. They’ll have to be relieved of it in some way or another . . . and that’s where you come in. Your ships need oil. Your entire war effort now depends on it.


Naval warfare to take place precisely right there!

Your ships also come with equipment, and how you use it will play a key role in your success on the high seas. For example, a ship with a Gyroscopic Internal Stabilizer can deal with Chaotic Whirlpools by staying upright and stable. A ship with a Food Storage Bay has additional space for stashing extra supplies, and is therefore better at taking on longer naval missions.

Your ships can be manned by a specific crew, and the composition of the crew helps determine your results and rewards. For example, a goblin crew increases the gold gained from the mission; a night elf crew reduces mission time; and a human crew increases your success chance.


A tauren crew is sturdy—and rewards a 50% experience bonus.

The high seas are filled with threats, and they won’t be easy to deal with. Take too much of a risk on a naval mission, and you could lose your vessels and all of the time and resources they represent. You’ll want to pay close attention to which ships counter which threats. For example:

  • Submarines move silently underwater, sneaking up on unsuspecting ships.
  • Destroyers counter Submarines with Depth Charges.
  • Battleships fire long-range artillery to sink enemies such as Destroyers.
  • Carriers deploy bombers to attack Battleships from the air.

First Look: Ships


Alliance and Horde Destroyers


Alliance and Horde Submarines


Alliance and Horde Carriers


Alliance and Horde Battleships


Alliance and Horde Transports

Want to get a better look at the next patch for yourself? Join us on the Patch 6.2 Public Test Realm, and share your thoughts and opinions on everything coming to World of Warcraft in our PTR General Discussion forum. If you find a bug while testing, let us know about it in our PTR Bug Report forum.

See you at sea!

Timewalking Highlight: The Arcatraz

Quote from: Blizzard
Timewalking Highlight: The Arcatraz

Timewalking

In World of Warcraft Patch 6.2, we’re introducing a new series of seven different weekend events, and two of the seven weekends will make Timewalking Dungeons available to characters at level 71 and higher for Outland dungeons or 81 and higher for Northrend dungeons. When you Timewalk these dungeons, you’ll find that your character’s power and gear has been scaled down to a fraction of what they normally are, and you may have never ventured into some (or all) of them, so it’s a good idea to prepare yourself now.


Outland: The Arcatraz

The mighty Tempest Keep was created by the enigmatic naaru: sentient beings of pure energy and the sworn enemies of the Burning Legion. In addition to serving as a base of operations for the naaru, the structure itself possesses the technology to teleport through alternate dimensions, traveling from one location to another in the blink of an eye.

With Outland serving as the strategic battlefront in the ongoing Burning Crusade, the naaru recently used Tempest Keep to reach the shattered land. However, when the naaru set out from their stronghold, Prince Kael’thas and his blood elves quickly raided the dimensional fortress and assumed control over its satellite structures. Now, guided by some unknown purpose, Kael’thas manipulates the keep’s otherworldly technologies, using them to harness the chaotic energies of the Netherstorm itself.

Dungeon Maps

 
  
 
Click to enlarge

Bosses


Zereketh the Unbound

Most creatures from the Twisting Nether require constant directions from their masters, but a select few voidwraiths need no such orders. Zereketh stands at the entrance to Arcatraz, ready to slay all who would dare challenge him.


Dalliah The Doomsayer

Before she was imprisoned by the naaru, Dalliah was one of the most vicious and aggressive warriors within the Burning Legion. Spending so much time as a cellmate to Wrath-Scryer Soccothrates did not improve her disposition either.


Wrath-Scryer Soccothrates

Millennia ago, Soccothrates held a position of honor among the Wrathguards, standing at the side of the Burning Legion’s top commanders. Confinement did not suit his considerable ego. Neither did his cellmate.


Harbinger Skyriss

The naaru believed the persuasive voice of Harbinger Skyriss was silenced when they contained him and forced him into a long, dreamless sleep. The unfortunate warden of Arcatraz learned the naaru were wrong.

Tips

  • Zereketh is known for summoning void zones. Run out of them immediately!
  • Zereketh’s Seed of Corruption causes his victim to explode with damage. It’s best to stand apart when you’re the seedy one.
  • Dalliah’s Whirlwind should be avoided by all but the stoutest of tanks.
  • Her Gift of the Doomsayer channels healing to you if you have it. Healers beware!
  • Stay out of Soccothrates’ fel fire.
  • The one and only Millhouse Manastorm assists you in your battle with Harbinger Skyriss and his many “friends”. Keep Millhouse alive.

Achievements and Reputation

If you’ve not gotten them before, completing this dungeon will award The Arcatraz and Heroic: The Arcatraz , the latter of which is required for Outland Dungeon Hero.

Killing enemies in this dungeon increases your standing with The Sha’tar. For a full breakdown of what you can do with Sha’tar reputation, check out Wowhead and Wowpedia.

Get in there and Fight!

Timewalking dungeons are coming to WoW with Patch 6.2: Fury of Hellfire. Keep an eye out for the weekend-only quest “A Burning Path Through Time”, which rewards a Seal of Inevitable Fate when you complete five Burning Crusade Timewalking dungeons.

Dev Watercooler – Flying in Draenor

It looks like flight will be making it’s way to Draenor in a future patch, but you’ll have to earn it to be able to use it!

Quote from: Blizzard
Dev Watercooler – Flying in Draenor

We appreciate the spirited discussion on the topic of flying. The subject has brought out passionate viewpoints and sparked insightful conversations on our official forums and blogs, on community sites, and in chat channels. Your feedback has been a valuable part of the ongoing conversations within Blizzard as well, and today, we’d like to share some updated plans for how we’ll handle flight going forward.

The Thrill of Discovery

At the heart of the initial plan to restrict flight in Draenor (even after players reach level 100) lies the design goal of providing the best moment-to-moment gameplay possible in the outdoor world. From navigating the lava flows of the Molten Front in Patch 4.2, to breaching the Thunder King’s stronghold in Patch 5.2, to reaching the heights of the Ordon Sanctuary on Timeless Isle in Patch 5.4, to uncovering secrets deep within Gorgrond’s jungles on Draenor, World of Warcraft is full of memorable moments that are only possible when players explore the world by ground. And as we’ve continued to develop content over the years, we’ve focused more and more on providing players with these kinds of experiences.

However, while we firmly believe that keeping your feet on the ground is a key part of discovery in WoW, we also recognize that breaking free from those restrictions can be fun and rewarding as well, especially for those who’ve already fully experienced the game’s world content. With that in mind, we’re planning some changes in the near future that will allow players to enjoy their hard-earned flying mounts in Draenor—in a way that doesn’t compromise the excitement of ground-based exploration.

Mastering the Outdoor World

In an upcoming Public Test Realm build, we will be introducing a new meta-achievement called Draenor Pathfinder. You’ll earn this achievement in Patch 6.2 by mastering the outdoor environment of Draenor—exploring Draenor’s zones, collecting 100 treasures in Draenor, completing the Draenor Loremaster and Securing Draenor achievements, and raising the three new Tanaan Jungle reputations to Revered. Initially, this achievement will award a rylak mount: the Soaring Skyterror, one of the native beasts that roam Draenor’s skies. Players will remain ground-bound on Draenor until a small follow-up patch (6.2.x), when all players who have earned Draenor Pathfinder on at least one character will unlock the ability to fly in Draenor on all their level 90+ characters.

We believe this strikes the right balance between ensuring ground-based content lives up to its full potential, while providing players who’ve already fully experienced Draenor’s outdoor world extra freedom to “break the rules.” This also provides a general blueprint going forward for content to come. Players will explore new and undiscovered lands from the ground, and then once they’ve fully mastered those environments—a notion that continues to evolve with each new expansion—they can take to the skies and experience the world from a new vantage point.

Thank you for your heartfelt feedback. We’ll see you in (and soon, above) Tanaan Jungle.

Warlords Season 1 Ending Soon, Raid Testing Schedule – June 10

Warlords Season 1 Ending Soon

The end of the PvP season has just been announced, another indication that patch 6.2 will reach the live servers in 2-3 weeks time!

Quote from: Blizzard
Warlords Season 1 Ending Soon

After an in intense season of conflict in Arenas and Battlegrounds, the time is coming soon to see who has climbed to the top of the PvP ranks. Prepare to fight your last battles of this season, and remember—there is no substitute for victory!

With the upcoming release of Patch 6.2, the Arena and Rated Battlegrounds Warlords Season 1 will be ending. Once the patch is live, we’ll begin a roughly two-week process to determine end-of-season reward eligibility.

All players who believe that they may have qualified for Warlords Season 1 awards should note the following:

  • In order to ensure you receive your award(s), please refrain from transferring your character(s) to another realm or faction until after Warlords Season 1 has ended.
  • Warlords Season 1 titles and mounts will be awarded approximately two weeks after the season ends.

Conquest Points will be converted to Honor Points at the end of the season, and any Honor above 4,000 will be converted to in-game currency at a rate of 35 silver per point. A few other things to keep in mind once the season has ended:

  • The Honor cap will remain at 4,000.
  • Warlords Season 1 items with rating requirements will no longer be available for purchase.
  • Rated Battleground and Arena matches will not be available during the break between seasons.
  • We will confirm the start date of the forthcoming Warlords Season 2 in a post here in the weeks to come.

In war, you win or lose, live or die—and the difference is but an eyelash. To the battlefield!

Raid Testing Schedule – June 10

Meanwhile some final testing is being done..

Quote from: Blizzard
We are aiming to get a new build onto the PTR on Tuesday, and will be using Wednesday, June 10, to revisit a couple of Mythic encounters in the new build. As is always the case with PTR raid testing, it is quite possible that there will be technical or gameplay issues that disrupt our plans. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Each encounter should be available at approximately the listed times below on all PTR servers.

Wednesday, June 10

Kormrok – Mythic Hellfire Citadel
13:30 PDT (16:30 EDT, 22:30 CEST)

Tyrant Velhari – Mythic Hellfire Citadel
15:00 PDT (18:00 EDT, 24:00 CEST)

As always, this testing schedule is very fluid and subject to the realities of a PTR environment. We might have to change the time of a testing session, change the boss being tested, or cancel a test entirely, due to bugs, server hardware issues, etc. Keep an eye on this forum for the latest information, and thank you in advance for testing and providing feedback.

Important Testing Notes

Q: How do I get into the raid zone?

A: In Stormwind, Orgrimmar, and your garrison, you may speak to Nexus-Lord Donjon Rade in order to teleport into the raid zone while it is open for testing. (The option to teleport into a zone will not be available when the zone is not open for testing.) You can also teleport to Tanaan and just walk in the standard entrance.

Q: How long does testing last?

A: The primary purpose of testing is to give us the information we need to balance the encounters, evaluate how mechanics are playing out in practice, and identify bugs. Once we’re satisfied that we’ve received that information for a given boss, we’ll be shutting down testing. Usually this takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, but there are no guarantees.

PTR Testing Heading Towards Final Phase

It looks like the PTR testing is heading towards it’s final phase. Zorbix just posted on twitter:

“We’ve reached a point in 6.2 testing where going forward, builds deployed to PTR are going to be flagged as “release” versions.”

This makes an end of June / start of July release a lot more likely.

Patch 6.2 Raid Preview: Hellfire Citadel, 6.2 PvP Gear

Patch 6.2 Raid Preview: Hellfire Citadel

Quote from: Blizzard
Patch 6.2 Raid Preview: Hellfire Citadel

When Garrosh encouraged Grommash to begin construction of this massive stronghold at the heart of Tanaan Jungle, to serve as a staging ground for the assault of Azeroth, he even suggested the name Hellfire, pulled from a different time and a different land. He dreamed of seeing mighty orcish iron towering over an unblighted landscape, so very different from the wasteland he had known in Outland. But even as times change, so too do they stay the same.

Located within the dark heart of Tanaan Jungle, Hellfire Citadel looms over the landscape and can be seen from nearly anywhere within the area. Having braved the dangers of Highmaul and Blackrock Foundry, the heroes of Azeroth and Draenor now must assault this fel-twisted bastion—the horrors within pose an unrelenting threat to everyone on Azeroth.

In Hellfire Citadel, players will be able to earn items ranging in power from item level 675–685 in Raid Finder up to item level 735 in Mythic difficulty. You’ll also have a chance to add a new Rare quality companion, the Corrupted Nest Guardian, to your pet collection. You’ll need an item level of at least 650 to enter Raid Finder.

The Iron Bulwark (exterior area)

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Hellfire AssaultWith the aid of the mercenary Blackfuse company, the Iron Horde constructed devastating siege machinery in the shadow of Hellfire Citadel, to be used in the eventual assault upon Azeroth’s capitals. With the tanks now retrofitted to use fel energy, Siegemaster Mar’tak awaits Gul’dan’s command to begin the assault.

Designer notes: Like Spoils of Pandaria in Siege of Orgrimmar, this is a raid “boss” without a single named boss that must be defeated. Players must withstand waves of attackers, salvaging ammunition from their fallen vehicles, and using that ammunition to power the massive Hellfire Cannons that stand in the courtyard. Victory is achieved by breaching the gates of the Citadel.

Iron Reaver

The schematics for the Iron Reaver were found in the workshop of Blackfuse himself after the fall of Orgrimmar, drawing inspiration from the mighty constructs of the Legion and designed to be the nefarious goblin’s masterwork. The project was completed after his death, and represents the pinnacle of the Iron Horde’s military might.

Designer notes: We started out thinking of the traditional Outland Fel Reaver here, but the more mechanized side of the Legion is only present in an all-out invasion, and that didn’t really feel appropriate given the nature of their involvement here. So instead we went with an interpretation of the Fel Reaver that reflects the apex of the goblin-influenced siege vehicle that Garrosh brought to the Iron Horde: an evolved version of the Iron Juggernaut that once defended Orgrimmar, retrofitted to use fel power.

Pits of Mannoroth

KormrokAs ancient as Draenor itself, Kormrok once ruled Gorgrond, the creatures of the land slinking away from the giant magnaron’s destructive fury. But then the Iron Horde came, trapping the behemoth and attempting to break his will. They were entirely unsuccessful . . . that is, until the rise of Gul’dan, and the fel power that Kormrok could not resist.

Designer notes: In general, the lower floor of Hellfire Citadel reflects the Iron Horde as it was before the influence of Gul’dan, whereas the upper reaches reflect the Shadow Council and the Legion more directly. Alongside siege machinery, the massive beasts of Gorgrond were the other lynchpin of the Iron Horde’s invasion force, so it should come as little surprise that Gul’dan would seek to corrupt and empower them with fel energies.

Court of Blood

Hellfire High CouncilThousands of Iron Horde orcs accepted the blood of Mannoroth, but none grew as powerful as the three that stand before you. Dia Darkwhisper, master of void magic and an outcast of the Shadowmoon, rose quickly to power—the left hand of Gul’dan. Gurtogg, with his insatiable hunger for blood, emerged the victor in hundreds of trials by combat. He has met his match only once, fighting Blademaster Jubei’thos to a draw. Tainted with fel sickness, they serve Gul’dan as both Highguard and Council of War.

Designer notes: We couldn’t in good conscience make a fel orc raid set in Draenor without a throwback to Gurtogg Bloodboil, the brutish Black Temple boss whose signature Bloodboil ability makes a return in this encounter. Accompanying Gurtogg are champions of other allied orc clans, expressing the core of each clan’s power with a fel twist.

Kilrogg DeadeyeKilrogg Deadeye, Warlord of the Bleeding Hollow, seized control of his clan after performing a ritual to learn of his death. With this knowledge, he led his clan fearlessly on countless campaigns, marching toward the glorious end he desires. Now, with demon blood coursing through his veins, Kilrogg awaits you in Hellfire Citadel, awaiting the moment of his death—or yours.

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Designer notes: Ever since the Lords of War shorts highlighted the gory ritual that lies at the heart of the Bleeding Hollow clan’s traditions, we knew that visions of death would have to feature prominently in the encounter. It’s unclear whether these visions are immutable, or whether knowing one’s destiny gives one the power to alter it. . . .

Hellfire Antechamber

GorefiendFalling into the heart of the mausoleum Auchindoun, the Shadow Council lieutenant Teron’gor gorged upon hundreds of draenei souls, becoming a bloated abomination in the process. More than just an orc now, Teron’gor gave up his old name and has taken a new one: Gorefiend.

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Designer notes: We laid the groundwork for this encounter in Auchindoun, further reinforcing the rule that if you don’t actually see a boss die, it’s quite possible that you haven’t seen the last of them. Of course, the inverse of that rule isn’t necessarily true—Kael’thas says “hello.” In any case, Gorefiend hearkens back to encounters like C’Thun and Yogg-Saron, where players are devoured and must overcome spirits inside the stomach of the bloated monstrosity to prevent them from escaping to attack the raid.

Grommash’s Torment

Shadow-Lord IskarAfter Iskar’s efforts to resurrect Terokk and return to power ended in frustration, he was approached by Gul’dan with an offer and a promise to break the ancient curse of Sethe. No longer flightless, elevated from the shadows yet still a master of illusion and deception, Iskar’s hour of vengeance is at hand.

Designer notes: If something seemed suspicious about Shadow-Seer Iskar as you quested through the Spires of Arak, you weren’t mistaken. This was a fun encounter for the group to brainstorm, beginning with the premise of illusions and an artifact that let a single player see through those illusions, and weaving that concept through multiple abilities and interactions.

Fel Lord Zakuun

Speculated by some scholars of the Legion to be an evolved version of the common felguard, Fel Lords serve as enforcers in the direct service of Archimonde. Their cruelty is matched only by their brute force. Zakuun was set to a task that called upon both of these traits in equal measure: breaking the iron will of a stubborn and defiant orc chieftain of the Warsong Clan. . . .

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Designer notes: This Fel Lord represents a type of demon never before seen by players. We approached this encounter with the intent that it be the “Patchwerk” of the zone—that is to say, a heavy melee bruiser without companions—but of course he has a few tricks up his sleeve that will keep players on their toes.

The Felborne Breach

Xhul’horacSummoned by Gul’dan from the depths of the Twisting Nether, Xhul’horac is one of the most powerful of the Void Revenants—a race of parasitic void-beings that tear holes through the planes of reality, consuming and absorbing the energies and beings within. Gul’dan has twisted Xhul’horac by feeding him overwhelming fel energy, and using his powers to tear open the portals through which he plans to rally the forces of the Burning Legion.

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Designer notes: A lot of our boss concepts for Hellfire Citadel began by imagining what would happen if we added fel energy to different parts of the Draenor ecology. What would a fel variant of one of the void revenants we saw a glimpse of in Shadowmoon Burial Grounds look like? Xhul’horac answers that question, and the mechanics of the encounter play off the different polarities of fiery fel energy and the shadowy void, which players must manage as they fight a creature with one foot (or tendril, as the case may be) in each realm.

Halls of the Sargerei

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Socrethar the EternalThe greatest warriors of the draenei have their souls imbued into gleaming constructs serving as eternal Vigilants in defense of their people. Originally a member of the Council of Exarchs before his descent into darkness, Socrethar has perverted this holiest of rituals, and used a warped fel construct to preserve his soul after his defeat in Talador.

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Designer note: Another familiar name, Socrethar represents one of the leaders of the Sargerei with whom players contended in Talador. His soul is ensconced in a construct, a twisted version of the first boss of Auchindoun, giving us a chance to play with a boss design idea that we haven’t really seen since Razorgore all the way back in Blackwing Lair: What if you let the player control a raid boss and use all its abilities for a period of time?

Tyrant Velhari

When Gul’dan brought his gift to the Sargerei, Velhari had already made her ambitions clear and risen through the ranks with brutal ferocity. Known to her enemies as the Tyrant, Velhari was one of the first to accept the fel touch, further enhancing her combat prowess. Velhari now bears a mockery of the holy symbol of the Naaru, signifying her conviction to the new order.

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Designer note: The concept for this boss began with a simple idea: anti-paladin, or “dark vindicator.” What would a corrupted version of a draenei vindicator fight like? Many of Velhari’s abilities are a play on core Paladin mechanics such as (Un)holy Power builders and spenders, auras, and Guardians of Ancient Kings, with each of the three phases having a theme that parallels one of the Paladin class specializations.

Destructor’s Rise

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Mannoroth

Bloodthirsty and brutal, Mannoroth was Archimonde’s most feared enforcer, until he was felled by a mighty blow from Grommash’s blade. Even in death, his blood was used by Gul’dan to fuel a dark bargain with the Iron Horde and their allies. Gul’dan and his minions now seek to reanimate the shattered remains of Mannoroth so that he may continue to serve the Legion.

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Designer note: Taking place atop the Citadel, looking out over the corrupted expanse of Tanaan Jungle below, this encounter features a parallel and opposing ebb and flow: initially, fel spires act as conduits for minions of the Legion, but as they are destroyed, Mannoroth gains more and more power as he is more fully reconstituted. The battle begins against a set of channelers and their minions as Mannoroth is nothing more than a heap of bones on the ground, and concludes with a final battle against the fully empowered Mannoroth.

The Black Gate

Archimonde

One of the original eredar who betrayed the draenei of Argus to take his place as the sinister hand of the dark titan Sargeras, Archimonde the Defiler commands the military might of the Burning Legion. He arrives in Draenor, reaching across space and time, to ensure that the invasion of Azeroth proceeds as planned, and that Gul’dan does not fail his Legion masters.

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Designer note: We planted some seeds that this confrontation might be coming in the level-up quest experience. In the original timeline, Kil’jaeden was the broker behind Gul’dan’s dark deal with the Horde, but here—thanks to Garrosh’s interference—he failed, and so Archimonde was entrusted with the task of finishing the job. There are a couple of nods to the old Battle of Mount Hyjal encounter (Doomfire was mandatory), but Archimonde has learned a number of nasty new tricks since then. Although you have the greatest heroes of Azeroth and Draenor standing beside you in this battle, even they cannot aid you within the Twisting Nether itself. . . .

Now that you’ve seen the faces of the enemy, we hope you’ll be ready when it’s time to crash the gates of this fel fortress. The fate of Azeroth depends on it.

6.2 PvP Gear

Quote from: Blizzard
Since we started testing the new patch on the public test realm, we’ve taken a lot of time to read a great deal of your feedback on PvP, with a lot of focus on how Versatility items are being handled in Patch 6.2. We want to make sure we’re making our intentions clear regarding Champion’s Strongboxes.

First, it’s important to consider what isn’t changing in the next season. Like any other season, players will be able to acquire a full set of Wild Gladiator gear, including their weapons, by doing nothing more than competing in the Arena and then going to the gear vendor. Play Arenas steadily, and you’ll earn a full set of gear at the maximum ilevel possible for PvP. This ensures that a player can be competitive at the highest levels without ever worrying about Champion’s Strongboxes.

At the same time, when a player wants to pursue a very specific set of gear, we want Patch 6.2 to have some new avenues to do so.

We’re making some items obtainable exclusively from Champion’s Strongboxes, and there are two ways to get them. The first way you can earn a Champion’s Strongbox is by winning 3 rated battlegrounds in a week. Before Patch 6.2, you had a chance to win an item for each of your first 3 wins, but in Patch 6.2 you’re guaranteed to get an item after your third win each week. You can also earn an additional Champion’s Strongbox each week by completing the weekly quest Ashran Dominance.

We’ve heard loud and clear that some players take issue with the fact that Champion’s Strongboxes are only available from Rated Battlegrounds and Ashran. We feel that the unique nature of the reward lends itself well to being obtained via PvP content that is exclusive to an expansion, as Ashran is for Warlords of Draenor. We also like it when a reward like this requires a higher degree of player organization, like Rated Battlegrounds do.

As always, our goal is to make it possible for players to acquire the gear they need to compete and enjoy PvP in WoW, while bringing some variety to the acquisition process. Overall, players will be receiving more gear next season than ever before.

We appreciate your feedback on PvP, and look forward to seeing you out there.

Live Q&A Date Changed

Quote from: Blizzard
The Q&A is being moved to Saturday, June 13, at 2:00 PM Pacific time (5:00 PM Eastern, 11:00 PM Central Europe), and I’ve updated the original post with the new schedule. The window of time to submit questions will be extended as well.Look forward to seeing you then!

Original post:

Quote from: Blizzard
This Saturday, I’ll be joining World of Warcraft Lead Game Designer Ion Hazzikostas to answer your questions live on Twitch.TV! With Patch 6.2 rapidly approaching, we wanted to take the opportunity to not only answer any questions the community has regarding the new content and features in the patch, but also take a look back at the challenges we’ve faced (and the lessons we’ve learned) when developing the Warlords of Draenor expansion and Patch 6.1.

When: Saturday, June 13, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Pacific time (see this handy tool to find when that is in your local time!)
Where: The World of Warcraft channel on Twitch.TV/WoW

There are two ways to submit questions. If you’re using Twitter, simply tweet your question using the hashtag #WarlordsQA. You can also ask it as a reply to this forum thread; however, as we’d like to get to as many questions as possible, we will only consider questions using 40 words or less. Make them count! In order to be considered, your question must be submitted before 12:01 AM Pacific time on Saturday, June 13.

See you there!