Blizzard Entertainment announced its newest expansion, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight. This expansion promises a “new era of high-fantasy adventure” and introduces Dracthyr Evokers, World of Warcraft’s first-ever combination race and class.
Depending on their class, players can use Dracthyr Evokers as a damage dealer using breath, fang, and claw, or aid and bolster their allies as a healer. Players who create dracthyr Evokers will be able to design both the draconic avatars and the humanoid Visage forms. Dracthyr Evokers begin the game at level 58, with a unique starting questline, and they can choose to align with either the Alliance or Horde. Blizzard also announced that all players will be able to learn the art of Dragonriding in this expansion, along with extensive updates to the talent and profession systems.
Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment, commented on the new expansion, saying:
“Players have been eager to revisit World of Warcraft’s high-fantasy roots, and they’re going to find just that in Dragonflight, with a deeper exploration of Warcraft®’s iconic dragons and a thrilling adventure into their legendary homeland. We’re also completely overhauling many of the game’s underlying systems to ensure that WoW® continues to offer the type of experience that players expect not just with this expansion but for many years to come.”
The expansion’s key features via Blizzard can be seen below:
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Features
- Discover the Dragon Isles: In their journey to the new level cap of 70, players will explore the primordial wonder and ancient secrets of the Dragon Isles across four new zones—the Waking Shores, roiling with elemental power; the vast expanse of the Ohn’ahran Plains; the frosty peaks of the Azure Span; and the majestic spires and temples of Thaldraszus.
- New Playable Race/Class Combo: Players will menace their foes (or empower their allies) as a dracthyr Evoker, WoW’s first ever race/class combo. They’ll design both humanoid and draconic forms, pick between the Alliance and Horde, and venture forth as a healer or ranged damage-dealer that harnesses the collective might of all dragonkind.
- Soar Through the Skies: Dragonflight introduces Dragonriding, an all-new skill-based method of aerial movement that allows players to take to the skies on the back of their personal Dragon Isles Drake. Players will customize their drake as they progress through the expansion, collecting more appearance options and enabling them to fly farther and faster.
- Talent System Revamp: The new talent system empowers players to make creative and flavorful talent choices without compromising their effectiveness—and most importantly, it gives them meaningful options at every level.
- Improved Professions: Crafters rejoice! In Dragonflight, players who aspire to become renowned for their crafts will find a host of new features and tools to fuel their ambitions, including player-driven work orders, new profession equipment, and an all-new specialization system.
- Updated UI: Dragonflight will refresh the World of Warcraft user interface, with improvements to the look and feel of the minimap and other elements, and new options for players to customize different aspects of the UI to their tastes.
Blizzard Entertainment also announced that World of Warcraft®: Wrath of the Lich King Classic is coming later this year. The expansion will be available at no additional cost to existing subscribers and will offer players “a new adventure that indelibly shaped the ongoing story of Warcraft.” Additionally, Blizzard announced that players will be able to create Death Knight characters during a content update prior to the launch of Wrath of the Lich King Classic.
All players will be able to create their first Death Knight characters without any prerequisites or restrictions, and players without existing will be able to take advantage of an optional level-70 character boost before Wrath of the Lich King Classic’s launch.
Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment, commented on the announcement saying:
“We’re thrilled to revisit one of the most beloved eras in Warcraft history with Wrath of the Lich King Classic. The original release of this expansion brought many improvements to the game, along with a timeless villain and an epic story. We’re taking care to preserve the authentic Classic experience for those looking to relive their glory days in Northrend—and deliver a worthy and accessible re-creation for those embarking on this vast adventure for the first time.”
The expansion’s key features via Blizzard can be seen below:
Wrath of the Lich King Classic Features
- The Grim Frozen North: Players will begin their journey in one of two zones in Northrend—Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord—and experience some of the most epic vistas and beloved storylines in all of Warcraft before breaching the seat of the Lich King’s power in Icecrown.
- The Rise of Death Knights: Available to both factions and starting at level 55, Death Knights—WoW’s first hero class—harness the powers of darkness to help combat the evil that threatens Azeroth.
- New profession—Inscription: This new profession allows players to scribe mystical gylphs that alter the appearance and modify the properties of spells and abilities, as well as craft powerful trinkets and off-hand items.
- Achievements Unlocked: Achievements are coming to WoW Classic, giving players a whole new set of rewards for their exploits and accomplishments.
- Dungeons & Raids: Relive seminal 5-player dungeons like Azjol-Nerub and the Culling of Stratholme, and lay siege to Naxxramas in a 10-player raid, an update of its original iteration as a 40-player raid in pre-expansion World of Warcraft.
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