Just a reminder that tomorrow, September 25th, is the release of World of Warcraft expansion Mists of Pandaria.
New features can be summed up like this (well, sort of): Level 90 Pandaren Monk LF Challenge Mode Dungeon. Will be waiting in the Pandarian Horde Capital, come join me for a pet battle in the mean time.
So in other words…
90 is the new level cap. And don’t you even think about flying until you hit it, buddy. Unlike in Cataclysm, you have to prove your worth to get a driver’s license in Pandaria.
Pandaren is the new race. As the name suggests, they are vaguely reminiscent of the WWF logo and the first race ever in WoW history to belong in both factions! Gnomes or Goblins, your choice. One of their notable racial traits is the ability to receive double bonuses from food buffs.
Monk is the new class. Monks are skilled warriors in leather armor who can be either tanks, healers or melee dps. They can equip a range of weapons but generally fight barehanded, only using weapons for certain abilities.
Dungeons now have Challenge Modes in addition to Normal and Heroic difficulty settings. The challenge consists of completing a regular dungeon on the clock and with a premade set of gear. Completing the dungeon will award you with medals depending on your time and cosmetic gear sets for the top times.
Pandaria is the new continent. This beautiful tropical paradise boasts 7 huge zones (plus the Pandaren starting zone), a welcoming population, fine drinking and dining as well as regular Mantid invasions. As a result of the division among the Pandaren people, two cities will welcome their Horde and Alliance guests separately.
Pets can be battled. That’s right, your Perky Pug is now a ferocious killing machine that can’t wait to sink its teeth into other (previously) non-combat pets. Collect, level up, catch wild pets and train them to fight.
Obviously there are a few other things, like new raids and dungeons, revamped old dungeons, new enemies and lore. The talent system has also had a massive overhaul with the intention of making specs the primary choice and talents more a matter of taste and utility. On that note, glyphs are back to major and minor, which I personally find a lot less confusing. Scenarios also promise to be a fun, dynamic feature for three players. And while World of Warcraft isn’t really my game anymore, I’d love to see some input if you have the time. What do you think of the expansion? Pandas, pet battles, dungeon armor sets, all that stuff.