World of Warcraft: New Legion Expansion Announced. Here's Ten Things You Should Know

Updated:

22 Aug 2024

World of Warcraft: Legion Announced on August 6th

World of Warcraft players rejoice: on August 6th, Blizzard Entertainment announced the immensely successful MMO's seventh expansion, titled Legion. The shortest expansion title wise, yet it aptly explains it all: the Burning Legion is back, and this time, they're in Azeroth. There are a few delights in the trailer that will please Warcraft players: the most significant example is Khadgar flying in Stormwind Keep as a crow to warn King Varian Wrynn that the Legion has returned to Azeroth. Last time this happened, Khadgar's master Medivh did the exact same thing to warn the Keep of the Legion.

However, this much is known: the Tomb of Sargeras, the infamous Dark Titan, has been reopened by Gul'dan. The Burning Legion demons have invaded Azeroth in force, and troubling enough, they have found the key to reawaken their Dark Titan. With the Alliance and the Horde recovering from the last expansion, drastic measures are needed to quell the looming threat.

Blizzard Entertainment hasn't lost its ability to sell an expansion, and the new announced content will keep veteran players and new players alike intrigued. For those looking to play Legion in an attempt to stop the Burning Legion once again, here are a few things you should know:

1) The Announcement of a New Class

It's okay. They're with me.

With a large threat on the horizon, World of Warcraft players should have a new way to fight it. The last class release was the monk back with the expansion Mists of Pandaria, and the MMO is due for a new one.

Legion promises the release of the demon hunter, the blind fel users who have pledged their lives to slay demons. Naturally, with their elven background, the class is only available to night elves and blood elves.

The demon hunter is available as either a tank or DPS spec (Vengeance and Havoc respectively), and they will focus on speed instead of heavy armor to stay alive.

Three features for the demon hunter are as follows: Spectral Sight, which is magically enhanced sight they receive after physically blinding themselves; it means even enemies in hiding can be located, Metamorphosis, where the demon hunter's abilities are enhanced by transforming into their fel forms, and Unrivaled Mobility, where the demon hunter can double jump and use his/her wings to perform movement that other classes can't match.

2) Artifact Weapons That Can Be Customized

We'll need some extra firepower.

Artifacts of legend can now be wielded by the player, and they level as the player does. The weapon can be customized and changed as the player levels, which implies that one weapon will be used throughout the expansion.

This is definitely a nod towards the Warcraft series, although it puts a lot more focus on a player's character. With the artifact weapons released, there should only be one in existence. It'll be odd to see a bunch of toons with a weapon there really only should be one of, but that doesn't mean it won't be a lot of fun to wield it.

Examples of the weapons that will be available to players are the Ashbringer, the two handed paladin sword forged by Magni Bronzebeard, and a two handed death knight axe known as Maw of the Damned, which Gorelix the Fleshripper wielded for ages.

3) A new continent, The Broken Isles, will serve as the new battlefield

Variety!

The Broken Shore, Azsuna, Suramar, Stormheim, Val'Sharah, and High Mountain will make up the new zone for Legion, a continent flooded with demons and ancient night elf cities. The new level cap is 110, continuing the trend from Warlords of Draenor (gone are the times of 5 level increments).

Blizzard promises that there will be a variety in the new map to explore: forests, seashores, mountain ranges, and of course, the night elf cities of old. The Broken Isles will be a union between the natural and the demonic, as the Burning Legion carries their rampage through the continent. Players will have to save what they can.

Blizzard has also promised more dungeons in mass throughout the new continent.

4) Order Halls, the Legion version of the Barracks

There's no place like home...

It seems that the barracks from Warlords of Draenor are making some sort of return in this expansion, under the name of Order Hall: it will be unique to the champion's class, and there are some other implications that the Barracks will be getting a makeover.

A player can unite NPC's of a class's order to carry out missions at command. Like the Barracks, it'll be the base of operations.

It's unknown how similar the two will be beyond the little information provided, but a place to call home will be comforting in the midst of a demon invasion. It is in the Order Hall a champion can forge his artifact weapon to improve it, and collaborate as much as needed before venturing into the dangerous Broken Isles.

5) The return of old and new NPC's

Her story continues...

With the return of the Burning Legion also brings the return of characters who will do anything to see it fall, as well as ones who's fate remains intertwined with it.

Maiev Shadowsong assisted in the demise of Illidan Stormrage and took his body to the Vault of the Wardens, along with his followers. The fanatical Tidemistress Athissa, naga servant of Queen Azshara, seeks a relic in the land of Azsuna. Gul'dan is the one responsible for the Burning Legion's invasion.

Sylvannas Windrunner, who Blizzard has been developing in the last few expansions, has a personal stake in the Burning Legion's return: if she dies, she will be eternally damned. All these characters, as well as more, promise a tapestry of subplots and tangents for a player to explore.

6) The Emerald Dream

Down we go the rabbit hole.

World of Warcraft has not allowed too large of a glimpse into the enigma that has warped many characters and kept Ysera asleep for a very long time. However, Blizzard has confirmed that one of the introductory raids will take players into the Emerald Nightmare.

The twisted World Tree in Val'sharah, called Shaladrassil, is inflicting fragments of the Emerald Nightmare upon the land. In order to stop it, players will have to venture in the Dream itself.

This is something that WoW players have been requesting for a long time, even asking to have an expansion based on it. It seems natural that a place of ancient Night Elf cities and demons will contain a chance to confront the monstrosities birthed from the Emerald Nightmare.

7) Rehashed PvP system

I swear that didn't happen last time.

Legion will introduce a brand new PvP honor system. The new system will allow players to rack up honor points to gain rank (there will be 1-50 ranks.) There will also be prestige ranks, Modern Warfare style, where a player can reset his rank, but this will be more for special mounts, titles, and other cosmetic rewards.

The PvP system will allow for a path of progression, more parallel with the PvE realm.

When a player ups his rank, the player has access to PvP exclusive spells, talents, and other perks. This is possible through the PvP talent system. They are separating PvP further from PvE, letting different preferences stay in their own preference.

8) The Return of Dalaran

This is what you see when you click your heels three times.

To those who loved the main hub back in the expansion Wrath of the Lich King, you're in luck: Dalaran is touching down on The Broken Isles, bringing back the Kirin Tor headquarters as the central hub for the new expansion.

It makes sense, as Khadgar has a personal vendetta against the Burning Legion, having corrupted his former master Medivh and from Gul'dan's role in Warlords of Draenor.

The mages of Kirin Tor are now led by Khadgar, which raises multiple questions about Jaina. She has gone through a lot, and her vendetta against the Horde is almost absolute. Time will tell what her anger actually means for the plot...

With the return of Dalaran, this also means Violet Hold is making a second return as a dungeon for the expansion. The Tomb of Sargeras awakens secrets inside Violet Hold that players must confront directly.

9) Level 100 character boost

We report back on this, right?

Starting a character at level 1 is daunting with the seventh expansion of World of Warcraft coming. It's a long and time-expensive haul.

Blizzard realized this when the Warlords of Draenor expansion was released, and introduced character boosts: someone could boost any level character to 90, and now with the release of Legion, a player can boost their character to 100 to immediately get into the expansion instead of leveling their way there.

This will be valuable to those with alts as well. These are people who already have played through the game, and enjoyed it enough to make another toon. There's very little reason to start the grind again. The return of character boosts will help keep Legion busy.

10) The Beta Will Be Here This Year

Announcing where we'll be this year... and the next...

If you look at the Legion website, you'll see that the Beta Opt-In button is active. People are already being encouraged to sign up for the beta release of the game, and that's because the beta will be active sometime in 2015. Since the year is more than halfway over, the beta will be here soon.

What do you think? What excites you the most about the upcoming Legion expansion?