World of Warcraft will prepare its players for its seventh expansion pack, Legion, releasing it’s 7.0 patch on July 19th. This patch will contain a bevvy of updates and changes to sate current players and lure retired players back to Azeroth.
First and foremost, the newest hero class, the Demon Hunter, will not be releasing with this patch. For those who pre-ordered Legion, the class will be available around the second or third week of August, says Blizzard. The class will start at level 98, so players will not be expected to slog through previous content in order to play with their friends on the expansion’s launch day.
A primary focus of Legion is to make each class feel distinct from one another, and each specialization, the sub-class, even more so. For instance, the Hunter class has always had problems with identity; each of its specializations feeling undistinguished from another. In the expansion, each has been given an overhaul to flesh out the core fantasy of each specialization. Beast Masters are now more concentrated on their pet(s), doubling down on the the existing theme. Survival has been shifted towards a melee focus and traps, being the first specialization to do so for Hunters. Marksman Hunters barrage players from a great distance, and have the option of becoming pet-less. Each of the three specializations now carry distinct play styles, so even if you do not enjoy the bow and arrow fantasy, there might be something else in the class for you.
Some other noticeable changes to specializations are Demonology Warlocks losing their signature Metamorphosis ability (as it was always a Demon Hunter ability in older Warcraft games, and has been given back to them), but gains the ability to summon hordes of imps in addition to their standard arsenal of demons. Now Shadow Priests, whose shadow magic has always been a bit ambiguous and overlapping with Warlocks magic source, are now tied directly to the power of the Old Golds, using their own insanity as a resource to melt away their foes. These are just some of the changes to existing classes, and you can either test them yourself come Tuesday, or read about them on Blizzard’s class preview.
Also coming with Patch 7.0 will be the Transmogrification tab. It is now easier than ever to collect and store your items. Whenever you loot an item that your class can use, be it armor or weapons, the game will automatically add it to your collection. There is no more need to keep a small warehouse full of items in your inventory and bank anymore. In addition, every character on your account that could use said items will now be able to access it without the need to go and collect it yourself. It is a much wanted feature, as a heavy portion of the player base is invested into mixing and matching armor sets to create unique looking characters, or be like everyone else and use Death Knight Tier 10 armor.
Players who pre-purchase Legion will receive a free level 100 character boost. World of Warcraft: Legion is set to release on August 30th.