'World of Warcraft' lays out expansion plans
By GAME INFORMER MAGAZINE
Posted on Fri, Sep. 28, 2007


At its BlizzCon gathering, "World of Warcraft" developer Blizzard announced the next expansion for its massively popular MMORPG, but no release date. We fans are now left salivating over the first bits of info regarding the trip between levels 70 and 80, but no way to know when to re-spec our characters for the grind. Ah, well - anticipation flavors the most delicious of meals, and "Wrath of the Lich King" looks to be a feast beyond imagining.

"WoW's" second expansion will guide players through the final arc of Prince Arthas' storyline on the frozen continent of Northrend. As told in "Warcraft III," this fallen human lord of Lordaeron lost his soul to the runeblade Frostmourne, and ultimately fused with the Lich King to become something more. He even beat the hell out of Illidan - the final boss of "The Burning Crusade" - without anywhere near his full power. It will be interesting to see where this takes the "Warcraft" narrative, and what new directions Blizzard takes the world in. Unless our guess is off, the end of the expansion should mark the end of all the plot threads we've been following since "Warcraft III."

The themes of frost and undeath pervade "Wrath of the Lich King." "WoW's" first hero class, Death Knights, will become available to players who complete an involved questline. This won't involve changing one of your existing characters' class; instead, you'll unlock the ability to create a new Death Knight on your account that will start at a high level.

Naxxramas, the floating necropolis that was the highest reach of pre-expansion "WoW's" raid content, will be retooled as a 25-man raid for level 80 players. Only a tiny fraction of players were able to experience Naxxramas at level 60, and the designers at Blizzard have publicly opined that it is possibly their best work to date, so this seems like a natural fit.

A new profession, Inscription, will allow players to customize their spells (and sell scrolls to allow others to partake in the goodness) with additional effects.

Player-vs-player combat isn't being neglected, of course. A new battleground that Blizzard hasn't said anything about yet will be included, and siege weapons and destructible buildings will be incorporated into the world for non-instanced PvP combat.


Source: http://www.sunherald.com/152/story/152318.html