Earlier today, MMO Champion posted a Tier 10 Mage and Warlock Preview including both images and videos of the new armor sets. Check out the videos and commentary below:
Warlock
Once again, Warlocks have a great looking gear set on the way. Though the shoulders are a recycled model and not very "cloth looking," the helm is a grand slam. It has an awesome The Nightmare Before Christmas feel to it that makes it unfortunate that we likely will be unable to get our hands on it before Halloween. The particle effects are also interesting with dark black specs and a light cloud of darkness floating around the Warlock's head. Though it may lack the demonic wings of Tier 6, it is certainly one of the best looking sets Blizzard has put together.
Mage
Where the Warlock Tier 10 set is a unbridled success, the Mage set is more than a little disappointing. First and foremost, it looks nothing like a "Mage set." The color patterns seem almost tribal where the models look much more like leather, mail, or plate than cloth. The shoulders appear metallic and give off a faint green glow to match the green glowing gems which adorn the rigid looking robes. Why Blizzard elected green effects, which tend to indicate nature or fel magic, rather than white, blue, or even red is confusing at best. The helm is perhaps the biggest disaster and would seem more at home atop a Shaman, Druid, or even a Paladin than a Mage. I am not certain what kind of aesthetic Blizzard was shooting for with the Mage Tier 10 set, but I am pretty sure they have missed the mark.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Death Knight Tier 10 Video
MMO Champion has posted a Tier 10 Death Knight Preview. Since the original posting, it has been updated with a video. Check out the video and my thoughts on the set below:
The Death Knights are getting a pretty attractive set in World of Warcraft patch 3.3. Aside from the awkwardly large gem atop the helm, the set likens back to the intensity of the older Tier 3 Warrior set with the perfect amount of Lich King influence. The set will make players look like a Death Knight should, dark and powerful. It does not get much better than that.
The Death Knights are getting a pretty attractive set in World of Warcraft patch 3.3. Aside from the awkwardly large gem atop the helm, the set likens back to the intensity of the older Tier 3 Warrior set with the perfect amount of Lich King influence. The set will make players look like a Death Knight should, dark and powerful. It does not get much better than that.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
World of Warcraft Tier 10 Armor Preview
Blizzard has created a page for unveiling the new Tier 10 armor sets to be released in World of Warcraft Patch 3.3. They intend to reveal them slowly, building up towards the patch. Feel free to click over to the World of Warcraft official website to check out the official tier 10 sneak previews.
Odds are all of the new models will be data-mined well before Blizzard roles them out officially, so if you are really interested in catching a first glimpse I would look to other websites like MMO Champion. Happy hunting.
Odds are all of the new models will be data-mined well before Blizzard roles them out officially, so if you are really interested in catching a first glimpse I would look to other websites like MMO Champion. Happy hunting.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins
In the final edition of our series exploring the lore origin behind World of Warcraft's playable races we look ahead to the second race which will be added in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the Goblins. As much of the Goblin's origin story will be told when Cataclysm is released, there are spoilers and speculation to be found below, so read with caution.
The Goblin race originally hails from the Isle of Kezan, a tropical island southwest of Zandalar. At their beginning, the Goblins were a far different race then they are today. Exceptionally weak and slow witted, early Goblins were nothing more than slaves to Kezan's large jungle Troll population. Relegated to mining the tunnels under Kezan for their Troll masters, life was tough for the Goblins until a single magical mineral drastically changed the course of their existence.
The material was called kaja'mite and although the Trolls recognized a fraction of its worth and used the mineral in voodoo rituals, it was the Goblins who uncovered its true power. Hording away their own supply of kaja'mite in the tunnels below Kezan, the Goblins began to create all manner of magical objects from it. Beyond leaving the Goblins well equipped, the kaja'mite had the added magical effect of dramatically boosting the Goblins' intelligence. Using their newly enhanced brains and the crude technology which sprang therefrom, the Goblins quickly obliterated their former Troll masters.
As the undisputed rulers of Kezan, the Goblins built a sprawling capital city in the labyrinthine mines they had once worked. Called the Undermine, the massive Goblin city was the birthing ground for many of Azeroth's most innovative and dangerous technological advances. Much of the technology was powered by kaja'mite and the Goblins grew wealthy peddling their wares all across Azeroth. Unfortunately, the Goblin's kaja'mite supply ran dry and both their innovation and intelligence began to wane. As the Goblin's searched desperately across Azeroth for more kaja'mite, their technology took many steps backward as they suddenly lacked the materials and wit needed to maintain their more complex inventions.
No longer able to rely on their ingenuity alone, the Goblins began to use their gold supply to create a massive commercial empire. Profiteering their way through the First War, the Goblins became exceedingly wealthy as their society was dominated by various trade princes and their designated cartels. By the time the Second War rolled around, the Orcs shelled out gold sufficient to persuade the Goblins to be the Horde's exclusive arms and mercenary provider. Though this provided an opportunity for some camaraderie between the two races, the Goblins returned to neutrality following the war to enhance their profits.
In the events following Deathwing's sundering of Azeroth, a massive volcano is reawakened on Kezan and many Goblins begin to fear that the Undermine's end is nigh. Other Goblins see an opportunity to profit from the growing panic and begin charging exorbitant fees to ferry goblins away from Kazan. To expand their bottom line, some unscrupulous transporters even sell their passengers into slavery or leave them abandoned on desert islands. One such transport vessel runs afoul of fire from an Alliance fleet, stranding its passengers on a mysterious island chain called the Lost Isles. The Goblins there have many unfavorable run ins with Alliance forces and turn to the Horde for assistance. Thus a small faction of Goblins are brought into the Horde and become Cataclysm's playable Goblins.
Goblins are already a strong neutral presence all across Azeroth. It will be interesting to see what effect the new Horde affiliated Goblins have on the race as a whole. Additionally, the Cataclysm provides ample opportunity for Blizzard to more fully explore Goblin history as well as the chance to direct the course of their future. One can only hope that the Goblins are able to hold on to their quirky, profiteering ways even while battling alongside the Horde.
Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
The Goblin race originally hails from the Isle of Kezan, a tropical island southwest of Zandalar. At their beginning, the Goblins were a far different race then they are today. Exceptionally weak and slow witted, early Goblins were nothing more than slaves to Kezan's large jungle Troll population. Relegated to mining the tunnels under Kezan for their Troll masters, life was tough for the Goblins until a single magical mineral drastically changed the course of their existence.
The material was called kaja'mite and although the Trolls recognized a fraction of its worth and used the mineral in voodoo rituals, it was the Goblins who uncovered its true power. Hording away their own supply of kaja'mite in the tunnels below Kezan, the Goblins began to create all manner of magical objects from it. Beyond leaving the Goblins well equipped, the kaja'mite had the added magical effect of dramatically boosting the Goblins' intelligence. Using their newly enhanced brains and the crude technology which sprang therefrom, the Goblins quickly obliterated their former Troll masters.
As the undisputed rulers of Kezan, the Goblins built a sprawling capital city in the labyrinthine mines they had once worked. Called the Undermine, the massive Goblin city was the birthing ground for many of Azeroth's most innovative and dangerous technological advances. Much of the technology was powered by kaja'mite and the Goblins grew wealthy peddling their wares all across Azeroth. Unfortunately, the Goblin's kaja'mite supply ran dry and both their innovation and intelligence began to wane. As the Goblin's searched desperately across Azeroth for more kaja'mite, their technology took many steps backward as they suddenly lacked the materials and wit needed to maintain their more complex inventions.
No longer able to rely on their ingenuity alone, the Goblins began to use their gold supply to create a massive commercial empire. Profiteering their way through the First War, the Goblins became exceedingly wealthy as their society was dominated by various trade princes and their designated cartels. By the time the Second War rolled around, the Orcs shelled out gold sufficient to persuade the Goblins to be the Horde's exclusive arms and mercenary provider. Though this provided an opportunity for some camaraderie between the two races, the Goblins returned to neutrality following the war to enhance their profits.
In the events following Deathwing's sundering of Azeroth, a massive volcano is reawakened on Kezan and many Goblins begin to fear that the Undermine's end is nigh. Other Goblins see an opportunity to profit from the growing panic and begin charging exorbitant fees to ferry goblins away from Kazan. To expand their bottom line, some unscrupulous transporters even sell their passengers into slavery or leave them abandoned on desert islands. One such transport vessel runs afoul of fire from an Alliance fleet, stranding its passengers on a mysterious island chain called the Lost Isles. The Goblins there have many unfavorable run ins with Alliance forces and turn to the Horde for assistance. Thus a small faction of Goblins are brought into the Horde and become Cataclysm's playable Goblins.
Goblins are already a strong neutral presence all across Azeroth. It will be interesting to see what effect the new Horde affiliated Goblins have on the race as a whole. Additionally, the Cataclysm provides ample opportunity for Blizzard to more fully explore Goblin history as well as the chance to direct the course of their future. One can only hope that the Goblins are able to hold on to their quirky, profiteering ways even while battling alongside the Horde.
Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
In today's exploration of the lore behind World of Warcraft's playable races, we will be looking ahead towards one of the two races which will be made playable in the games next expansion, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the Worgen of the Alliance. Since the tale of the playable Worgen still largely remains to be told, keep in mind that much of the following information is speculation.
The distant origins of the Worgen race are a bit convoluted in that they are simultaneously the victims of a potent curse and beings from another world. The Worgen hail from a dark and violent world where they are constantly at war with an enemy thus far known only as the Lords of the Emerald Flame. Some have speculated that their ancestral enemy might be the Burning Legion while others entertain the idea that the Lords of the Emerald Flame are members of the Green Dragonflight and that the Worgen's home world is actually the Emerald Dream. Regardless of who their enemy might be, the Worgen fight tirelessly, their aggression fueled by the blood lust which accompanies their curse.
Worgen first appeared in Azeroth after being summoned by the Human Archmage Arugal. Using research from a Dalaran magician called Ur, Arugal was able to portal an army of Worgen from their home world to Azeroth. Arugal had planned to use the monsters in the ongoing battle with the Scourge, but they proved impossible to control and killed both friend and foe alike. Driven mad by his failure, Arugal began to see the Worgen as his children and started living amongst them in Shadowfang Keep.
Ultimately, Arugal uncovered the secrets of the curse which generated the Worgen and began to spread it amongst the Humans living near his keep. The nearby Human kingdom of Gilneas, which had already been rather isolationist, sealed itself off behind the massive Greymane Wall in an effort to avoid the curse. Unfortunately, their efforts were to no avail and the Worgen curse ravaged Gilneas' people. Ultimately, however, the people in Gilneas proved stronger than the dark magic and developed a means of controlling their Worgen ferocity. Still being Humans at heart, the Worgen of Gilneas make natural bedfellows for the Alliance following the opening of the Greymane Wall when Cataclysm is released.
There is still a great deal of mystery to the Worgen's origin and it is almost certain that their history will play a large part in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Perhaps, as many speculate, some tie between the Worgen and Night Elf Druidism will be uncovered. Here is hoping the newest members of the Alliance have as rich a back story as their other companions.
Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins
The distant origins of the Worgen race are a bit convoluted in that they are simultaneously the victims of a potent curse and beings from another world. The Worgen hail from a dark and violent world where they are constantly at war with an enemy thus far known only as the Lords of the Emerald Flame. Some have speculated that their ancestral enemy might be the Burning Legion while others entertain the idea that the Lords of the Emerald Flame are members of the Green Dragonflight and that the Worgen's home world is actually the Emerald Dream. Regardless of who their enemy might be, the Worgen fight tirelessly, their aggression fueled by the blood lust which accompanies their curse.
Worgen first appeared in Azeroth after being summoned by the Human Archmage Arugal. Using research from a Dalaran magician called Ur, Arugal was able to portal an army of Worgen from their home world to Azeroth. Arugal had planned to use the monsters in the ongoing battle with the Scourge, but they proved impossible to control and killed both friend and foe alike. Driven mad by his failure, Arugal began to see the Worgen as his children and started living amongst them in Shadowfang Keep.
Ultimately, Arugal uncovered the secrets of the curse which generated the Worgen and began to spread it amongst the Humans living near his keep. The nearby Human kingdom of Gilneas, which had already been rather isolationist, sealed itself off behind the massive Greymane Wall in an effort to avoid the curse. Unfortunately, their efforts were to no avail and the Worgen curse ravaged Gilneas' people. Ultimately, however, the people in Gilneas proved stronger than the dark magic and developed a means of controlling their Worgen ferocity. Still being Humans at heart, the Worgen of Gilneas make natural bedfellows for the Alliance following the opening of the Greymane Wall when Cataclysm is released.
There is still a great deal of mystery to the Worgen's origin and it is almost certain that their history will play a large part in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Perhaps, as many speculate, some tie between the Worgen and Night Elf Druidism will be uncovered. Here is hoping the newest members of the Alliance have as rich a back story as their other companions.
Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins
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