Fans of Blizzard’s epic MMORPG will probably know all this already, but if not, great! It gives me a chance to witter on about one of the things I’m most looking forward to this year: the new WoW expansion Cataclysm.
While there is still some debate about the actual release date, it has been hinted at having a November 2010 release. Ideal for the Christmas market, although die-hard fans will have bought their copy at 00.01am on release day, having pre-ordered it on Amazon months before. Or is that just me…?
No matter when you get it, it’s certain to live up to the hype. Like the first expansion, Burning Crusade, Cata will see the arrival of two new races: The cursed Worgen of the Alliance, and the cunning Goblins who finally climbed off the fence and joined the Horde. Each race begins in a previously unseen area. The Worgen starter area is Gilneas and has been sealed off from the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms by Greymane Wall, located south of Silverpine Forest, and the Goblins start their journey in a city called Kezan on the Lost Isles, off the coast of Kalimdor.
The Worgen are unique in Azeroth’s playable races in that they are shape-shifters. During battle they will appear as a Worgen (their wolfish form) and their non combat appearance can be either Worgen or, to confuse others, human.
Worgen have a racial trait called Viciousness, which is a +1% damage to each attack. They also get an increased run speed boost, and have an automatic +15 skinning ability. Naturally, they don’t need a knife for skinning!
Most of the classes are available to play on a Worgen, except Paladin and Shaman. The increased skinning ability of the race would suggest that a leatherworking class, ie Rogue or Hunter, would be a good choice. I’m thinking of trying a Rogue as I already have a hunter – and a DK, which would have been my other choice, unless Blizzard decide to allow more than one per server *hint hint*. I’m also quite tempted by a Worgen Druid…not sure how that would work with the animal transformations, there’s bound to be some racial passive which aids this.
The Goblin is a race often seen around Azeroth, especially by frequent visitors to Booty Bay (don’t worry, the Bruisers will remain neutral after the Cataclysm!). Many have said they should be a playable race. Well, now they get their wish.
An increased skill in Alchemy and the ability to summon up their own personal bank teller are just two of the features that come with playing a Goblin. In addition, reputation discounts mean naught; the Goblins, with their mercantile shrewdness, get discounts from all the vendors regardless of faction rep. Goblins can play as all classes except Paladin and Druid.
I don’t know what the new races will fly on yet, but the Goblin ground mounts are an incredibly cool hot-rod type spike-wheeled beast of a car, while the Worgen get to roam around on an evil-looking version of the Gryphon. That is if the concept art is to be believed (and I hope it is!).
The new races are just one of the things I’m itching to get my hands on Cataclysm for. The fact that all the races will have at least one new class open to them is, for me, almost as exciting as the fact that they’re flooding Darkshore. Yes, you heard. Darkshore will be submerged underwater, and apparently the landscape on the Badlands will be changed forever too. I only wish I’d seen the pre-BC Blasted Lands so I’d have some idea of the level of change to expect…
More to come on Blizzard’s new Cataclysm expansion later.
