Lots of new information on Wrath of the Lich King

Available at

http://www.worldofwar.net/articles/413359/wrath-presentation-all-the-facts-none-of-the-fluff
http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/world-of-warcraft-wrath-of-the-lich-king/872185p1.html

Some interesting bits:

- All raid instances will have 10-man and 25-man versions. This will allow smaller groups to experience most of the end-game content. 25-mans will have better loot, approximately one Tier higher.

- 5-mans are expected to take 1 hour in normal mode, better for casual players. Heroics may take longer, and will have better itemisation to provide incentive (probably whole new loot table, instead of sharing loot table with normal version).

- Northrend is going to larger than Outland by a fair bit.

- All you need to roll a Deathknight is to have a character of at least level 55. Limited to one Deathknight per server. Deathknights start at level 55.

- Deathknights are viable tanks and melee DPS. As tanks, will be best suited for tanking magic-based damage. As DPS, will be similar to Enh Shaman and Fury Warriors (prob below end-game Rogues).

- Any race can be a Deathknight. Yes, even Gnomes.

Nice some good info there,
Blacksmiths being able to add gem sockets to gear, wow that sounds great.

Gallowyn wrote:

Available at


- All raid instances will have 10-man and 25-man versions. This will allow smaller groups to experience most of the end-game content. 25-mans will have better loot, approximately one Tier higher.

Personally, I think this idea, albeit noble in intention, is probably going to cause more havock in guild organisation and point systems, than good, like the shrink from 40 men to 25 men did in TBC.

And Blizz is prolly lazy yet again, since perhaps the difference between 25 men and 10 men, is 50% less mobs and 50% less HP for bosses. Skimping on instance design by recycling fixed content.

Hmm. Don't think the encounters can be exactly the same since number of tanks, healers would be reduced. For example, Al'ar fight probably cannot be reduced to 10-man form with just less adds or hp.

But yah, it will probably affect guild organisation. For example, the better players in a 25-man raid guild see less reason to help the weaker raiders if they can just push ahead in 10-man mode. Imagine if the guild is stuck in 25-man SSC while an 'elite' smaller group is already in 10-man BT. Some guilds may fall apart for this reason.

personally, if I've run the 10s and seen the content - loot will not motivate me to suffer the 25s, UNLESS the 25-man loot looks more wicked, or the content is significantly different.