Developer Blizzard Entertainment shared a number of articles to provide an in-depths look at some of the new systems, features, enhancements, and additions to be added in World of Warcraft: Midnight. Let’s check them out!
First things first, new and revamped zones. The events of the expansion take the heroes of Azeroth back to the famed, timeless kingdom of Quel’thalas, home of the sin’dorei. Previously known as the High Elves, they have renamed themselves Blood Elves in the wake of tragedy wrought by Arthas.
Silvermoon and the surrounding areas, much like the Draenei starting zones, have always been in a bit of an awkward spot. Technically belonging to the Outland, the zones never permitted flying since their initial introduction in The Burning Crusade.
WoW: Midnight seeks to change that by revamping the Silvermoon City and the surrounding zones (Eversong Woods & Ghostlands, united into a single zone). In addition to these familiar locations, players will also have a chance to visit two new zones. The first is Zul’aman, the expanded home of the Amani trolls that consists of mountains and forests. And the second is the Harandar, the prime jungle that serves as home to the new allied race, the Haranir.
However, it won’t be much of a void expansion if we were only bound to our own world, would it? Enter Voidstorm. Suffused with Void, this hostile land will test your mettle at every corner. Everything here is hungry and ready to devour and consume weaker creatures for their own power.
Speaking of the Haranir, these mysterious creatures have first appeared during the events of The War Within, but have largely stayed on their own. In Midnight, players will be able to learn more about their history and culture, unveil their origins, win their trust, and recruit them as an allied race.
An unfamiliar people from a forgotten time, Haranir will arrive with a variety of customizations available to them. They can be adorned with bioluminescent paint on their face and bodies in a variety of patterns that can be selected when customizing your character.
Haranir can be the following classes: Druid, Hunter, Mage, Monk, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, or Warrior.
But that’s not all, a new addition is coming to the Demon Hunter class, which is getting a third, Void-themed spec: the Devourer. This glaive-wielding, soul-harvesting, and planet crushing spellcaster operates from mid-range with the full suite of mobility you’d expect from Demon Hunters.
Use specialization and Hero Talents to augment your playstyle, enabling you to dive into melee and unleash devastating combo attacks.
For other expansion additions, let’s loosely split them into three categories: open-world, instances, and new systems & optimization.
Open World Additions
Prepare to hunt or be hunted with the Prey system, the new opt-in hunting system that lets you pursue powerful targets across the Midnight zones – or die trying. The system will offer new, Prey-specific World Quests and mechanics, and keep you on your toes as you go about your business. There are different levels of difficulty to suit your playstyle. The system offers various cosmetic rewards and a Great Vault activity slot.
New Activities scattered across the new zones. In Eversong Woods, you will need to balance your reputations between the four of Silvermoon’s military factions, each with their own cosmetic rewards. In Zul’Aman and other Midnight zones, harvest materials for the Loa of Abundance in the new fast-paced, professions-themed events. In Harandar, experience bite-sized, lore-rich journeys. Finally, the Stormarion Assault will test your skills and defenses as you protect the Void Elves from the relentless waves of Void attackers in the Voidstorm.
Leveling Updates – whether you’re new to Azeroth or returning to try out Midnight, the developers have your back. New players will find a smoother transition to get caught up with an updated New Player Experience. Players looking to come back will find a guided Returning Player Experience to help you remember how to play the game and get you on the path to the next latest content in World of Warcraft.
New Instances: Delves, Dungeons, Raids, PvP
Tired of adventuring with Brann and watching out for the webs and Nerubians? WoW: Midnight will introduce ten new Delves and one new seasonal Nemesis Delve that can be explored alongside a new NPC companion—legendary blood elf rogue Valeera Sanguinar.
Beyond that, new challenges await with eight new dungeons, each with unique environments and storylines as you level up through the campaign. These include the reimagined Magister’s Terrace and Windrunner’s Spire that give you a bit more lore regarding Silvermoon, Blood Elves, and one of the most famous families within Quel’Thalas.
To start the expansion off with a bang, Midnight introduces not one, not two, but three new raids available in Midnight Season 1. Each of these raid zones will take players into different environments, available via Story Mode or the usual group difficulties.
- The Voidspire: Ascend a towering structure filled with formidable foes and cosmic horrors, including a showdown with Dominus-Lord Averzian and Salhadaar in this six-boss raid.
- The Dreamrift: Step into the permeable veil between primordial dreams and brutal reality in this single boss raid encounter. Join the Shul’ka in their hunt of an undreamt god that never should have been and put down half-birthed abominations that lash out against existence itself.
- March on Quel’Danas: The story reaches a thrilling climax as the united armies of the elven tribes march on the iconic Sunwell Plateau.
PvP enjoyers can look forward to the new epic 40v40 battleground, Slayer’s Rise. Players will begin on opposite sides of the map and initially make their way to the middle where it will turn into an epic 40v40 full-on brawl for control.
New Features & Systems
Enjoy a glow-up with Transmog 2.0 – the long-awaited, massive revamp of the transmog system. Gone are the days of wasting thousands of gold to transmog every new item into your preferred look, the visual change now applies to an item slot instead. The developers also added the functionality to support multiple outfits to fit various situations.
Come home to Azeroth with Housing, a new massive feature that lets you build, decorate and personalize your home. Players can earn their own house and plot of land, move into a neighborhood with other players, or establish a neighborhood with their guild. Boundless self-expression awaits you!
New UI updates make WoW much less reliant on mods and add-ons. In the new expansion, Blizzard’s own UI will be expanded with Nameplates, Damage Meters, and boss alerts. Additionally, action bar editing will include a personal resource bar, cooldown manager updates, and more.
