World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
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Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Activision Blizzard
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, Apple OSX
Genre(s)	MMORPG

Cataclysm redirects here. For the the warlock talent, see Cataclysm (talent)

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the upcoming third expansion for World of Warcraft and was officially announced on August 21, 2009 at BlizzCon 2009. The majority of the expansion content takes place in drastically reforged Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms.

It is to include the races of the worgen for the Alliance and the goblins for the Horde. Flying mounts will be finally available in Azeroth. Deathwing has made his return into the 'real world' from Deepholm, causing a new Sundering.

Some of the other features Cataclysm adds to the game will be:

"Hundreds of new quests" and a new secondary profession, archaeology.
There will also be new race/class combinations, such as tauren paladin.
There will be heroic Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep.
Level cap increased to 85.

Lore

From the official site:

An ancient evil lies dormant within Deepholm, the domain of earth in the Elemental Plane.

Hidden away in a secluded sanctuary, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth and biding his time until he can reforge the world in molten fire.

Soon, Deathwing the Destroyer will return to Azeroth, and his eruption from Deepholm will sunder the world, leaving a festering wound across the continents. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation.

Information Revealed at Blizzcon 2009

Level cap increased to 85.
Zones are destroyed in lava in Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. The Barrens has been split into two, and is full of canyons of lava. Wetlands is destroyed, Ashenvale hit as well. The Maelstrom churns.
The goblins are driven from their homes on Kezan. The Bilgewater Cartel has shipwrecked upon the Lost Isles, and have now accepted an alliance with the Horde. Possible classes at this moment: death knight, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, shaman, warlock and warrior.^[1]
The Greymane Wall has been shattered and the gate to Gilneas opened. Those within have undergone the transformation into Worgen. Under siege by the Forsaken, the worgen have joined the Alliance. Possible classes at this moment: death knight, druid, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, warlock and warrior.^[1]
New Race/class combinations. For the Alliance: gnome priests, night elf mages, human hunters, dwarf mages, dwarf shamans. For the Horde: blood elf warriors, troll druids, tauren priests, tauren paladins, orc mages and undead hunters.^[1]
New monsters.
Unearthed "Bastions of Antiquity". More dungeons than ever before.
Classic zones forever changed by the Cataclysm. The changes will be made available to all players regardless of expansion purchase.
Ability to fly anywhere due to the Azeroth revamp.
Guild advancement system.
Paths of the Titans character progression.
Rated battlegrounds
Ragnaros was banished in the Molten Core, but has now returned to burn Nordrassil.
Malfurion Stormrage has returned from the Emerald Dream to help defend Hyjal.
New Secondary Profession: Archaeology
Cross Server LFG

Prominent figures

Featured locations

Cataclysmzonelocations — Map of the locations of the 7 new zones (not to scale)

Gilneas (1-15)
Lost Isles (1-15)
Hyjal (78-82)
Sunken City of Vashj'ir (78-82)
Deepholm (82-84)
Uldum (80-84)
Twilight Highlands (84-85)
Tol Barad (84-85) (Outdoor PvP)

Dungeons and End-game Content

DungeonListCata — List of the Dungeons in Cataclysm

The Abyssal Maw (5 player (82-84) and a raid)
The Skywall (5 player (80-82) and a raid)
The Firelands (Raid against Ragnaros)
Uldum (two 5 mans)
- Lost City of Tol'vir (84-85)
- Halls of Origination (85 - 7 bosses)
Blackrock Mountain
- Blackrock Caverns (5 player (85) instance located in Blackrock Spire)
- Blackrock Descent (Raid inspired by Blackwing Lair with Nefarian as a boss)
Grim Batol (5 player instance (85) and a raid)
Heroic versions of Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep (Both 85)

PvP additions

Battlegrounds

Battle of Gilneas will be a new battleground in which you take control of the city by taking control of the most districts in the battleground.

Battlegrounds starting with Cataclysm will be rated, like arenas, and will provide the same rewards as arenas.

Arenas

New arenas are planned to be added with the expansion.

Word PvP

Tol Barad will be an outdoor PvP zone much like Wintergrasp. Unlike Wintergrasp, however, Tol Barad will also be the main daily quest hub in Cataclysm. By taking control of the Tol Barad Prison, players will gain access to additional, very profitable daily quests.