onetimesilence Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. -Wernher von Braun

BlizzCon WoW News – Cataclysm

I was on my way out of town this afternoon when I decided to catch up on the latest news and Twitter updates on my iPhone. I read a few articles and updates when I started noticing some short Twits like "Defense gone!" and "MP5 gone!"

These updates were referring to changes being made in the upcoming World of Warcraft Expansion "Cataclysm".

Even though there may be many sites out there that will fill you in on all the changes to expect, I'm going to consolidate all the info I find onto this post for your convenience.

This list will expand over the next week. Changes may or may not be dated.

Comment on changes and additions to my list.

1. Two new playable races - Worgen and Goblin

• Goblins will join the Horde.  Starting from the Lost Isle's off the coast of the Barrens. Goblins will not play as druids.
• Worgen will join the Alliance. Starting zone will be from behind the Greymane Wall.

2. New classes available to races

• Horde: Troll Druid, Undead Hunter, Orc Mage, Tauren Paladin, Blood Elf Warrior, Tauren Priest
• Alliance: Human Hunter, Dwarf Mage, Gnome Priest, Night Elf Mage, Dwarf Shamen

3. Level cap raised to 85

4. Flying mounts can be used in Azeroth

5. Azeroth has been totally changed by the Cataclysm and pre-expansion events.

• Greymane Wall has been shattered
• Barren's is split. Life has come back to the northern Barren's.
• Life has come back to Desolace. Demons invade Desolace.
• Thousand Needles is flooded.
• Chared Vale expanded in the Stonetalon Mountains. Venture Company cut passage into Ashenvale.
• Auberdine is destroyed. New Alliance camp in Northern corner. Horde camp in south.
• Wetlands is destroyed.
• Mount Kajaro erupts on Kezan
• Southshore now belongs to the Horde
• Tauren's fortified the entrance into Mulgore
• Astranaar is the victim of air assaults from the Horde
• Zoram'gar Outpost is reinforced with black iron.
• Orgrimmar is reinforced with black iron
• Thrall may give command of the Horde to Garrosh Hellscream.

6.  New monsters

7.  News areas and previously incomplete or blocked areas are now revealed.

• Grim Batol (Deathwing exits from here)
• Twilight Highlands (east of Wetlands)
• Mt. Hyjal
• Gilneas
• Lost Isles
• Uldum
• Kezan
• Deephome
• Tol Barad
• Sunken City of Vashj'ir
• Shatterspear Village

8.  Deathwing is back.

9.  Archaeology added to the secondary professions

• Paths of the Titans character progression (more soon)

10.  Changes to classes

• Hunters use Focus instead of Mana.
• Hunters equip ammo and it does not deplete.
• Warlocks use Soul Shards in a whole new way.

11.  Guilds now advance and earn achievements

12.  Heroic Classic Instances and Dungeons

• Deadmines gets Heroic mode
• Shadowfang Keep gets Heroic mode
• The Abyssal Maw
• The Skywall
• The Firelands
• Deepholm
• Uldum (Lost City of Tol'vir, Halls of Origination)
• Blackrock Mountain (Blackrock Caverns, Blackwing Descent)
• Grim Batol

13.  New PvP Zone

• Tol Barad (similar to Wintergrasp)

15.  New Rated Battlegrounds

16. Malfurion Stormrage has returned from the Emerald Dream to defend Hyjal

17. Profession cap has been raised to 525 and is named Illustrious

18. Reforging added to existing professions

• Allows crafters to reforge weapons and armor to custom tailor a spec to the users needs. Take half of existing stat and add to non-existing stat for that item.