Neckar Unrivaled

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 playable races of the worgen for the Alliance and the goblins for the Horde. Flying mounts will finally be usable in Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. Deathwing has made his return into the ‘real world’ from Deepholm, causing a new Sundering.

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.
* New race for the Alliance: Worgen
o Classes: death knight, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, shaman, warlock and warrior.
* New race for the Horde: Goblins
o Classes: death knight, druid, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, warlock and warrior.
* New Race / Class combinations. They will be explained in-game.
o Alliance: gnome priests, night elf mages, human hunters, dwarf mages, dwarf shamans.
o Horde: blood elf warriors, troll druids, tauren priests, tauren paladins, orc mages and undead hunters.
* New monsters, quests, and zones
* Several new dungeons and raids
* 3 new battlegrounds (including “Battle for Gilneas City”) and a new WG-like PvP zone, Tol Barad
* 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, which includes guild leveling, talents, achievements, and accessories.
* Revamped character progression via the Paths of the Titans, Archaeology, the new secondary profession, and Ancient glyphs.
* Rated battlegrounds, an alternative way to earn arena points
* 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.
* Profession cap raised to 525 and will be named Illustrious.
* New ability for Jewelcrafters, Engineers, Blacksmiths, Leatherworkers and Tailors called “Reforging”
* Stats armor penetration, attack power, block value,defense, mp5, and spell power are being removed from the game.

Azeroth zones affected by the Cataclysm
Kalimdor

* Darkshore: Auberdine is destroyed, and the very land torn asunder. The Alliance relocates to a new camp in the Northern end of the zone, while the Horde sets up camp to the South. Shatterspear Village, previously a closed zone, becomes an accesible subzone.
* Ashenvale: Heavier deforestation around the Warsong Lumber Camp causes the orcs to encroach on Silverwind Refuge. Zoram’gar Outpost is reinforced with black iron, similar to the Horde outposts in Northrend. Astranaar becomes the victim of air assaults launched by the Horde.
* Azshara: Azshara has been claimed by the goblins (likely as their second zone after the Lost Isles), where they have established a quarry to cut stone for the construction of their towns. The zone is also now directly linked with Orgrimmar.
* Orgrimmar: The trailer showed evidence of the front gates being reinforced with metal (like Warsong Hold). What metal is used is unknown, but at BlizzCon 2009 Tom Chilton said specifically “if you recognize the black iron… its from somewhere”, hinting that the metal has a specific origin. Possibilities include dark iron or even saronite.
* The Barrens: The Barrens is split in two by great fissures in the land, spouting fiery rivers of lava. The Northern Barrens is a level 10-20 zone, while the Southern Barrens is intended for higher level players. Portions of the Barrens have grown lush thanks to the work of the druid Naralex. The passage into Mulgore has been reinforced by the tauren, with high walls and a gate.
* Stonetalon Mountains: Eruptions decimate the landscape, spreading the flames of the Charred Vale even further. The goblins have cut through the mountains, forming a valley that leads into Ashenvale.
* Desolace: Once a barren wasteland, the Cataclysm has caused a rift to form, allowing water to flood in from the coast and bring life back to the region. However, the region is now being invaded by demons, including shivarra.

Eastern Kingdoms

* Undercity: The terrain in and arround the Ruins of Lordaeron has been remodeled to accommodate flying mounts.
* Hillsbrad Foothills: Southshore is now lost. Whether the Alliance will get a new settlement in the zone is as of now unknown.
* Wetlands: Heavily affected by Deathwing’s destructive exit from Grim Batol, with the Twilight Highlands now opened to the East.
* Silverpine Forest: The Greymane Wall has been destroyed by the Cataclysm, opening up the passage to Gilneas.
* Stormwind City: The castles and terrain surrounding Stormwind City have been remodeled to accomodate flying mounts. The Gilnean worgen have been assigned their own district.

Official Trailer