The Need to Knows of Wow: Dragonflight
With Blizzard’s announcement of their 9th expansion in the World of Warcraft series: Dragonflight, it’s imperative to prepare oneself for the inevitable changes, and additions that come with every new expansion.
Changes in the Past
Throughout the history of the World of Warcraft franchise, expansions have always brought major changes. From introducing new races and classes, expanding the list of classes each race may choose from, and adding new content, to overhauling major gameplay facets (such as talents, or the PvP system).
Walking into a brand new expansion comes with risks. I’m here to help prepare you for them!
New Content
As is typical for any new expansion, new zones are introduced which will house plenty of sources for exciting end-game content.
Currently, we only know of three dungeons:
Uldaman, a revamped WoW Classic dungeon.
Neltharus, the seat of power to the Black Dragonflight.
The Lifepools, where the Red Dragonflight swore their sacred oath to the Titans.
We also know of the existence of the first raid, Primal Incarnates. The ancient prison of the Primal Incarnates, where they plot against the Dragonflights, and must be stopped.
Dracthyr and Evokers
For the first time ever, Blizzard is introducing a new class and a new race, this expansion. The Dracthyr are a subspecies of the drakonid race that many players are familiar with. We’ve dealt with them constantly, throughout every expansion of World of Warcraft. It appears as though, like Worgen, the Dracthyr will have two forms they may switch between (humanoid, and draconic). Unlike Worgen, both forms may be capable of combat.
Dracthyr in dragon form
The Dracthyr are a hybrid drakonid, capable of utilizing the powers of all five dragonflights: Bronze (time), Blue (magic), Red (life), Black (earth), and Green (The Emerald Dream). This lends to them the exclusive capabilities of the new class, Evoker.
The Evoker class will, like the Demon Hunter hero class of Legion, have only two specializations, instead of the normal three. The two classes are Devastation (DPS), and Preservation (healing). As of now, the Evoker is exclusively available to Dracthyr, and is the only class the race may choose.
A new type of spell is introduced through the Evoker class, “Empower”. Empower type spells will increase in potency in relation to holding down the key to “charge-up” the ability.
The Dragon Isles
With every new expansion, comes new territory to explore. The Dragon Isles, homeland to all the draconic species of Azeroth, will be the setting of this expansion. The Dragon Isles are a land that is bound by elemental magic, and appears primal, lush, and diverse.
So far, we know of five zones in The Dragon Isles:
The Waking Shores (home to the Red and Black Dragonflights) which is riddled with Trolls and Gorlocs.
Ohn’ahran Planes (home to the Green Dragonflight) inhabited by a 10,000 year old centaur clan.
The Azure Span (home of, you guessed it, the Blue Dragonflight) hosts Tuskar, Furbolgs, and Gnolls.
Thaldraszus (home of the Bronze Dragonflight) boasts the capital city of all Dragonflights, Valdrakken.
The Forbidden Reach (Dracthyr starting zone) populated by stinky old Mantids.
The Forbidden Reach, starting zone for Dracthyr
Dragonriding
A new type of flying is being introduced in Dragonflight. A vastly innumerable amount of customization options will be available to the new dragon mounts.
This new dragonriding skill has sub skills that may be upgraded, including speed. Several facets factor into flight through dragonriding, such as momentum, maneuvers and physics.
While Dracthyr will be able to fly in their dragon form, it won’t be affected the same way as Dragonriding (which will be available to dracthyr too, in their humanoid form).
Overhauls
Much like previous expansions, certain familiar aspects of the game will be overhauled.
The talent system will be expanded, similar to the point system that was in place prior to Mists of Pandaria, allowing more specific customizable options.
The entire UI and HUD will be overhauled, in order to make it more streamlined and visually aesthetic. This is in hopes of providing a more theatrical experience, which with the graphics boosts previously brought to the table, furthers the efforts placed on aesthetics.
Professions will also be seeing a revamping, introducing “Crafting Orders”, in which players can request certain items be made for them, by other players. This system will allow players to craft “soulbound” items for others.
Additionally, quality will now be a factor in gear. Both through the ingredients and the produced result, quality will affect the ending result of the product in question.
The Pièce de Résistance
They’ve finally given us ducks.
The Takeaway
Despite the modest announcement, it appears as though Blizzard is promising us quite a bit with this expansion. As we get closer to the release date, expect more updates on the details of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.
Excited for WoW: Dragonflight? Opt in to the beta, here.
Feel free to leave your comments, concerns, and opinions in the comments!