5 Things You Need to Know about WoW: Wrath of the Lich King

By The Gamepros
August 04, 2007 02:09 AM PST
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The second expansion for World of Warcraft has been formally announced at Blizzcon 2007, and we were on hand to get you the goods.

by Miguel Lopez

So after an agonizing week of rumors, it's finally official: the second expansion for World of Warcraft is called Wrath of the Lich King. As its name implies, you'll face off against the baddest Arthas, arguably the baddest Warcraft villain of them all, on his home turf: the icy continent of Northrend. Though it's a safe bet to say that what was revealed at Blizzcon was merely the tip of the iceberg (har, har), we know enough already to say that Wrath of the Lich King will be making some pretty key changes to the game as we know it. Here are the five most compelling reasons to be excited about it.

1: Level Cap Raised to 80

While you may still be reeling from the 60-70 grind at the moment, depending on slow you are, you should start prepping yourself for another 10; Wrath of the Lich King will see the level limit increased to 80, and no amount of pining to maintain the status quo will change this. Expect new abilities and talents as you make your way to the new level cap, and as before, you'll be able to solo quest the whole way through.

2: Death Knights!

Blizzard, at long last, will introduce hero classes to the game with the second expansion, and the implementation is probably not what you think. So far, only one has been announced for Wrath of the Lich King: Death Knights, appropriately enough. Lofty status as a scion of undeath isn't something your character will grow into, however; instead, once you reach level 80, you'll gain access to a series of quests which, when completed, grant you access on the account level to create one of these deadly characters. Death Knights will be a melee class with both tanking and damage-dealing capabilities, though they won't power their attacks with mana or rage; instead, they'll inscribe runes onto their weapons prior to battle, which are consumed when they use certain abilities. Blizzard promises that the system will offer a good deal of flexibility, allowing individual Death Knights to take up differing roles.

3: Siege Warfare

Another long-promised game element will finally see the light of day come the second expansion: siege warfare. Unfortunately, we couldn't see anything in action, but expect to have at least one new battleground devoted entirely to the destruction of enemy structures with all manner of siege engines, and don't be surprised if these sorts of mechanics make their way into other areas of the game. Like what, you ask? Well, there's going to be an entire outside zone devoted to PvP gameplay, which doesn't seem like much of a stretch. Furthermore, lead designer Jeff Kaplan intimated that we just may see siege elements make their way into PvE raids.

4: The Art of Inscription

A WoW expansion wouldn't be complete without a new crafting profession, and sure enough, Wrath of the Lich King will offer one up: inscription. Think of it as enchanting, but for your core class abilities instead of your equipment. Fancy your fireball spell packing a knock back effect? Just visit your local inscriber, and loosen your purse strings. Blizzard was hazy with details, unfortunately, but it sounds mighty cool.

5: Character Customization Features

A great many WoW players have surely gotten sick of the tired looks that their characters are sporting these days, but rest assured, relief is on the way: with the launch of expac number two, you'll be able to change up your characters looks. Haircuts, at the very least, will be changeable, though facial features will not be. Blizzard is reticent as to what else can be brought under the knife, so to speak. One thing that was mentioned, though, were new dance moves, though still no word on how they can be acquired.