In true Blizzcon style, many World of Warcraft fans have been overwhelmed by the amount of information and announcements that Blizzard have provided players about the upcoming expansion - Legion. In the first of a series of posts, this will cover the information revealed about Demon Hunters, Artifacts and Class Halls.
Demon Hunters
Demons Hunters are the second Hero Class in World of Warcraft, following the formula of the Death Knight when it comes to creating a Demon Hunter character. It is important for players to note that there are a couple of restrictions when it comes to creating a Demon Hunter:
- Players must have a character that is at least Level 70 to be able to create a Demon Hunter
- Players can only have one Demon Hunter per realm
- Only Blood Elves and Night Elves can be Demon Hunters
When creating a Demon Hunter, players will be able to pick their horns, tattoos, blindfolds, skin textures as well as the normal character customisation options that are available to their respective races.
Demon Hunters will also have their own unique VOs for emotes, such as /silly, /flirt and so on.
Starting Experience
After creating a Demon Hunter, youâll play through a Demon Hunter-specific starting experience and zone, beginning back in the Burning Crusade, which serves as a story bridge between the Burning Crusade to Legion. The introduction will begin with a cinematic which shows what Illidan was planning during the events of the one of the best known raids - Black Temple.
Yourself, along with the other Demon Hunters will be heading to Mardum, a former prison world for Demons on which Sargeras imprisoned Demons when he was not corrupted, with an item called the Sargerite Keystone. However, when Sargeras was corrupted, he shattered Mardum and freed the demon, and entrusting the Keystone with his most loyal demons.
Once on Mardum, youâll be turning the Legionâs devices and Constructs against them, and using them to gain buffs, such as temporarily removing cooldown periods on your spells. Like Death Knights, youâll be gradually gaining your abilities throughout the Introduction experience - by stealing them from the dead bodies of the Demons you have slain.
In true Hero Class fashion, youâll be given your own unique Class Mount - the Felsaber, created by Illidan himself for you.
Time passes during the events of the Sunwell, the Wrath of the Lich King, the Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor, where you remained imprisoned, but this changes when the Legion invades and Azeroth faces utter destruction. The second half of the introduction experience will take place in the Vault of the Wardens, where you are to break out.
After the introduction experience is completed, youâll go through the process of integrating into your faction while remaining part of the Illidari, youâll return to Mardum to establish the Demon Hunterâs Class Hall, and youâll participate in the questline for your Artifact Warglaives.
Specs
Demon Hunters will have two specs - Havoc DPS and Vengeance for tanking.
Havoc is a melee DPS spec with a focus on mobility and fighting demons with their own powers. They use Fury as a resource - similar to Warriorâs Rage. It is gained by using âbuilderâ spells, and used on âspenderâ, or finisher spells.
Demon Hunters have the ability to both double jump, and a âGoblin Gliderâ like ability, both of which are accessed directly from the Space Bar, with no other hotkey required.
Demon Hunters also have the ability to take on the form of a demon through the spell Metamorphosis. There are multiple visual appearances for Metamorphosis.
Spectral Sight will be another iconic ability of the Demon Hunters, giving them the ability to see their enemies through walls, stealth and invisibility.
Not much information has been released about the Vengeance spec yet, as it is still heavily in development. The fantasy of the class is being a âDemon Inquisitorâ.
Like the Havoc Spec, they will have a Metamorphosis form which will look heavier and more tank-esque.
Class Halls
Class Halls are Legionâs answer to Warlords of Draenorâs Garrison - with a more class based and social twist. The aim of the Class Halls is to provide each class with their own location in the world that strongly represents their classes fantasy with the dedicated cause of stopping the Legion. Class Halls will be cross-faction, but cross-faction wonât be possible with the exception of Demon Hunters, who can speak Demonic to each other.
Blizzard want to include as many of the fantasy archetypes as they can for each Class Hall, as each is equally as valid as each other. With the provided example of Warriors, some see themselves as a Berserker, as Grizzled Veterans of the battlefield or as the Knight in shining armour, and they want all of them to feel equally at home in their Class Hall.
Not every Class Hall was discussed, but some were shown.
Druids will be getting the Dreamgrove, a location in Broken Isles where the fabric between the Emerald Dream and reality is at its thinnest, and the home of Druidism on Azeroth. Like all Class Halls, it will be locked off to their designated classes.
Shamans will be around the Maelstrom, Hunters will have a lodge in Highmountain and Rogues will be in their own area of the Dalaran Sewers.
To replace followers, each Class Hall will have Class champions, which will contain some very prominent figures from Warcraft lore that many players will recognise. You will learn their backstory over time, and see them out in the world, helping with immersion and stepping away from the disconnect that Garrisons brought to Draenor.
Class Halls will also be the central location to engage in a multitude of content on the Broken Isles, with many quest givers working under a new questing system that will be introduced in Legion. The Scouting Maps will expose players to new content from the time the Class Hall is established until deep into max level.
Each Class Hall will contain an Altar where you can empower and customise your Artifact, as well as some class-specific quests and events, such as pickpocketing quests for Rogues and Demon Hunting quests for Demon Hunters.
Some Class Halls will provide classes with bonus perks, such as special Hunter-only Flight Paths utilising the native Giant Eagles from Highmountain, Dreamways for Druids to reach a number of natural locations in the World and a sparring arena for Warriors to fight NPCs and other players for bragging rights.
In order to get to a Class Hall, each class will have their own take on the Death Knight âDeath Gateâ, allowing for a cooldown travel method back to their Class Halls, such as a Giant Eagle for Hunters.
Artifacts
Artifacts are another major part of the Legion experience. Each specialisation for each class will have their own Artifact, each of which are highly customisable with different skins, colours, Traits and Relics which can be unlocked throughout the expansion through various different means.
Each Artifact is obtained through their own unique questlines, having the player travel over the world to obtain their artifact through a number of tasks. The places they travel to will be relevant to the lore behind their specialisationâs weapon.
Once players have obtained their Artifact, theyâll begin levelling it right away through various means.
Artifact Power will be obtainable from nearly every gameplay source, including Quest Bosses, Rare Spawns, Dungeon and Raid Bosses, Winning Battlegrounds and Arenas, as well as Rare Drops.
Obtaining Artifact Power will allow players to unlock Artifact Traits - a sort of talent tree for the Artifact, containing both Active and Passive bonuses, with the Minor Traits having multiple ranks that youâll have to unlock to progress further into the tree. The system will seem familiar to those who played World of Warcraft during Classic, Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King or Cataclysm.
Players will be able to unlock every trait for their Artifact, though it will take multiple months into Legion to unlock them all. However, even after youâve unlocked all of the traits, youâll still be able to obtain smaller power increases, so you can continue improving your weapon throughout the expansion.
In addition to Artifact Traits, Relics are drops that can be socketed into your Artifact to increase their power, increase their Item Level and give bonus ranks to certain traits. Each Artifact will have two types of Relic Slots, such as Fel, Holy, Fire, Water and so on.
By upgrading Artifacts, players will be able to unlock alternate Artifact models and colours, allowing for a lot of customisation to help make their Artifact unique to them. This can be unlocked from major events such as World Content, finishing a questing zone or dungeon.
Death Knight:
| Blood: Maw of the Damned âAn ancient Legion axe forged from a metal that drains its victims' vital energies. The soul of its original creator is trapped within and cursed with unending hunger. For more than a thousand years, an old and cunning mo'arg has used the axe to butcher uprisings and consume the life force of the Legion's foes. Over its long and infamous history, the weapon has made its demonic bearer extraordinarily powerful.â |
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| Frost: Icebringer and Frostreaper (Blades of the Fallen Prince) âCrafted by the Burning Legion to corrupt the world of Azeroth, the soul-stealing runeblade Frostmourne was shattered by Ashbringer atop Icecrown Citadel. Countless souls were freed from the broken blade, but others were not so fortunate. Today the shards of Frostmourne can be recrafted and infused with even more power. However, the spirits still trapped within must first be subdued and bent to the wielder's will.â |
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| Unholy: Apocalypse âVampiric demons known as nathrezim forged this ancient sword, which brings with it violence, plagues, and death. Apocalypse soon earned a horrific reputation in the hands of a Tirisgarde mage who couldn't control its destructive energies. In time the sword was seized by the malevolent Dark Riders: servants of Medivh, the corrupted Guardian of Tirisfal. They hid the blade in the catacombs under his home, the tower of Karazhan.â |
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Warrior:
| Arms: Stromkar, the Warbreaker âThis greatsword was borne into combat by the barbarian warlord who first united humanity under a single banner, founding the nation of Arathor. A master tactician and strategist, King Thoradin went on to play a critical role in ending the Troll Wars. Later the sword was lost while it was being used to subdue a C'Thraxxi monstrosity in a forgotten tomb beneath Tirisfal. Abandoned and all but forgotten, Stromkar has been slowly drinking from the shadowy power there over thousands of years.â |
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| Fury: Warswords of Valajar âIn ages past, the titanic watcher Keeper Odyn betrayed the sorceress Helya, killing her and twisted her spirit into a spectral Val'kyr. He forged this pair of swords for the mightiest of his storm-forged Valarjar, but Helya stole the swords and infused them with a portion of her rage. She then gave them to her own champion, who used them to hunt the greatest of heroes and drag their souls away to serve in Helheim. These swords stir their owner into unrelenting and punishing attacks that overcome a target's defenses and leave no opening for counterattacks.â |
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| Protection: Scale of the Earth-Warder âAn impenetrable shield crafted from a scale of the black Dragon Aspect, Neltharion the Earth-Warder, before the Old Gods' corruption overcame him. The formidable vrykul king Magnar Icebreaker carried this shield into combat and won victory after victory in the face of grim odds. When he finally fell in battle, it was due to treachery by servants of the Val'kyr Helya. The shield is now entombed with King Magnar's body in the Path of Kings in Stormheim.â |
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Paladin:
| Protection: Truthguard âThe titanic watchers Tyr and Archaedas created this shield when their comrade, Loken, fell to corruption. They gave Truthguard to a vrykul champion who used it to expose Loken's treachery. When Tyr and his allies later stole the Discs of Norgannon and fled, the champion stayed behind and held off many of Loken's servants. A desperate Loken sent horrific monsters after Tyr, who fell in combat. In time the vrykul champion migrated to Stormheim in the Broken Isles, where the shield was eventually entombed in the Path of Kings.â |
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| Retribution: Ashbringer âKing Magni Bronzebeard forged the Ashbringer from a piece of crystal purified by wielders of the Holy Light. This gave the sword strange Light-bearing powers. It was named for its ability to slaughter undead, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. Ashbringer passed through several hands, serving both Light and Shadow, before it came to the legendary paladin Tirion Fordring, who used it to shatter the Lich Kingâs runeblade, Frostmourne, on the top of Icecrown Citadel. Tirion has carried Ashbringer with him ever since.â |
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Shaman:
| Elemental: The Fist of Ra-Den âAman'Thul the Highfather, leader of the titan Pantheon, entrusted his greatest servant, Highkeeper Ra, with this artifact, which could channel the fury of the storms. Ra used it to bestow life on the titan-forged mogu race, and he wielded it in battle against the Black Empire for years beyond counting. Later lost to Ra, the weapon was ultimately recovered by the August Celestial Xuen, who saw its immense and dangerous power, and chose to safeguard it until someone worthy could take up the weapon in a righteous cause once again.â |
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| Enhancement: Doomhammer âForged in elemental lava on the orc homeworld of Draenor, this massive hammer is connected deeply with the elements, and its true power is only awakened in the hands of those who can speak to the elements in kind. The Doomhammer was long wielded by Orgrim Doomhammer, one of the greatest orc warriors of the Horde, and now rests with Thrall, one of the most powerful shaman Azeroth has ever known.â |
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| Restoration: Scepter of Azshara âA powerful scepter created by Queen Azshara long ago, before her transformation into a naga. The scepter swirls with waters from the Well of Eternity prior to its corruption, granting the scepter great magical and restorative powers. The Scepter of Azshara was lost during the War of the Ancients, shortly before Azshara and many of her followers were swallowed by the sea. Taken up by surviving night elves who knew nothing of the power it truly held, it was buried with an unknown priestess in a family tomb in Azsuna, waiting to be discovered by someone that could unlock its true potential.â |
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Hunter:
| Beastmaster: Titanstrike âA peerless example of techno-magical engineering, the Titanstrike was designed by Keeper Mimiron, a titanic watcher and brilliant inventor. Securely housed in the heart of the rifle, a relic known as the Thunderspark powers the Titanstrike, harnessing the essence of storms and focusing it into concentrated blasts of energy. The rifle's power source can also be credited to Mimiron, who devised it for his comrade, Keeper Thorim, in ages past.â |
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| Marksman: Thasâdorah, Legacy of the Windrunners âA proud heirloom of the Windrunner family, Thas'dorah was carved from a bough of the mother tree of Eversong Woods shortly after the elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas was founded. Handed down to the eldest of each generation, the bow was last wielded by the high elf Ranger Captain Alleria Windrunner. It disappeared along with its owner following the destruction of the orcs' homeworld, Draenor, and the subsequent formation of Outland.â |
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| Survival: Talonclaw, Spear of the Wild Gods âThe Highmountain tauren crafted this spear, which predates the first demonic invasion of Azeroth more than ten thousand years ago. Talonclaw's wielders have fought alongside many guardian animal spirits, also known as Ancients, to defend the world of Azeroth and its wildlife in particular. Over the millennia, these Ancients have bestowed their blessings on the weapon, imbuing it with a portion of their power.â |
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Rogue:
| Assassination: Anguish and Sorrow âThe orc warlock Gul'dan had these daggers made for his personal assassin, Garona. The blades are said to drink blood and inflict traceless poison, leaving little sign of their grim work: the perfect tools for an assassin. She used them to carry out countless atrocities while under Gul'dan's control, including the murder of Stormwind's King Llane, whom she had befriended. Afterwards, in anguish, she asked a trusted ally, Meryl Winterstorm, to help her hide the blades away in the hope that they'd never have to be used again.â |
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| Outlaw (New Combat): The Dreadblades (Fate and Fortune) âShortly after the Cataclysm, Admiral Eliza Goreblade discovered a pair of ornately crafted cutlasses inside a recently unearthed wreck not far from Booty Bay. Though the origins of the blades are unclear, their power was not, as Eliza quickly made her name known pillaging countless ships across the Great Sea, none able to best her in combat. Rumors spread among pirates and sailors about the Dreadblades, the most common ones all agreeing that they are cursed, and that if they should ever stop being fed new victims, they'll claim their owner instead.â |
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| Subtlety: Fangs of the Devourer âGoremaw the Devourer, Sargeras' personal hound, claimed countless lives before it was eventually ambushed and killed on another world long ago. Following the hound's death, Mephistroph had its fangs crafted into two powerful daggers that still carried with them some of the potent withering essence that made Goremaw's bites so deadly. These daggers were passed to Akaari, one of Sargeras' most deadly assassins, who wields them to this day.â |
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Druid:
| Balance: Scythe of Elune âThis mystical artifact was created millennia ago from the Staff of Elune and a fang from the wolf demigod Goldrinn. The Scythe of Elune carries a long and unsettling history for druids: those who are not careful enough can easily be overwhelmed by Goldrinn's spirit, which infuses the scythe. Tied to the origin of the worgen on Azeroth, the scythe is said to possess untold lunar power for the druid with balance enough to keep control.â |
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| Feral: Fangs of Ashmane âThe massive gray panther Ashamane, one of the first Wild Gods, was one of many to answer the call of the demigod Cenarius and defend the world of Azeroth during the War of the Ancients. She fell in battle against the Legion, but saved countless lives in the process. A great shrine was built in her honor in Val'sharah, and her fangs were adorned and put on display there. It is said they still carry much of her power.â |
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| Guardian: Claws of Ursoc âForged from titansteel by the titanic watcher Keeper Freya, these claws were her gift to the great bear Ursoc, one of the Wild Gods. He wielded the claws in countless battles until his death during the War of the Ancients. Although his body faded away, the claws remained, and legends say a fragment of his spirit lingered within them. After wrestling the claws away from Ursoc's furbolg followers, a band of druids took the claws to the Emerald Dream, sought out Ursoc's spirit, and returned the claws to him for safekeeping.â |
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| Restoration: GâHanir, the Mother Tree âThis is a single branch taken from G'Hanir, the first tree, which was gifted to mortal druids by the demigod Aviana long ago. Its connection to the mystical Emerald Dream serves as a healing and stabilizing influence on the world of Azeroth. In recent times, druids have used this staff to hold back the corruption and madness of the Nightmare. As a result, satyrs within the Nightmare are desperate to see G'Hanir destroyed.â |
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Monk:
| Brewmaster: Fu Zan, the Wandererâs Companion âLong ago, as the titanic watcher Keeper Freya set out to populate the world with life, she placed one of the first seeds in Pandaria. From it grew Fu Zan, the first, and all of Pandaria's forests descended from it. Before populating the rest of Azeroth, Freya fashioned a walking stick for her travels from one of Fu Zanâs branches. Eventually Freya passed her staff to the Jade Serpent, Yuâlon, who later gave it to a uniquely clever hozen. The Monkey King, as he was called, hung his most prized possessions from the staff, which he carries with him to this day.â |
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| Mistweaver: Sheilun, Staff of Mists âDuring last Pandaren Emperor's reign, a prophecy arose that a ruthless Legion would invade the world of Azeroth and leave it shattered. To save his people, Emperor Shaohao embarked on a series of trials, taking with him the ancient staff Sheilun. Afterwards, he used his newfound wisdom to become part of the land. He made Pandaria into a separate continent and enshrouded it in mist to protect it. His staff clattered to the ground, where it lay until the monks of Tian Monastery found it and took it to the Terrace of Endless Spring for safekeeping.â |
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| Windwalker: Fists of the Heavens âThousands of years ago, the famed tol'vir smith Irmaat crafted a pair of magnificent handblades. Unsatisfied with his work, Irmaat tried to capture the essence of Al'Akir the Windlord to infuse into his blades. Al'Akir was not amused. To spite the smith, Al'Akir poured unspeakable amounts of raw elemental fury into the handblades. When Irmaat attempted to unleash their might, a great vortex sprang up, engulfed his city, and scattered the weapons to the winds.â |
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Demon Hunter:
| Havoc: Twinblades of the Deceiver âThese glaives belong to the former demon hunter Varedis Felsoul. Once a member of the Illidari and a sworn enemy of the Burning Legion, he was slain at the Black Temple. After the Legion's leader, Kil'jaeden, revived him in the Twisting Nether, Varedis surrendered to the demon within him, forsaking his mortality. In the process, he and his glaives were infused with great power by Kil'jaeden's eredar allies.â |
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| Vengeance: Aldrachi Warblades âIn ages past, the dark titan, Sargeras, offered the mighty aldrachi people a place in his Burning Legion. But the aldrachi proved incorruptible: they slew innumerable demons before their race was wiped out. Sargeras personally killed their greatest champion and seized his weapons. Much later, a demon hunter willingly became the servant of Sargeras' lieutenant Kil'jaeden. Pleased, Kil'jaeden bestowed the warblades on her, that she might wield a portion of the aldrachi's bygone might, and devastate the mortals of Azeroth with it.â |
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Warlock:
| Affliction: Ulthalesh, The Deadwind Harvester âThe first necrolyte to walk the world of Azeroth, Satiel, was given this scythe by the titan Sargeras himself. It grows in power as it draws souls from its victims. The Harvester earned its name as Satiel methodically drained all life from the hapless inhabitants of Deadwind Pass, creating a potent magical nexus there in the process. Hunting down Satiel, the Guardian of Tirisfal turned the scythe on her, sending her soul to join those of her victims. Eventually the Dark Riders recovered the weapon and secreted it beneath the tower of Karazhan.â |
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| Demonology: Skull of the Manâari âBefore the eredar served the titan Sargeras, one of their greatest leaders, Thal'kiel, had unprecedented skill with summoning and binding magics. Driven by ambition, he reached into the Void and was answered with knowledge of dark creatures unlike any the eredar had seen before. His audacious power grab infuriated the demon lord Archimonde, who struck him down, then had his skull gilded and placed on display as a warning. Today the dreadlord Mephistroth uses it to enhance his ability to summon and command demon armies for the Legion.â |
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| Destruction: Scepter of Sargeras âCreated through incredible effort by hundreds of Sargeras' servants, this scepter can rip open dimensional gateways between worlds. It was entombed beneath the sea for centuries, then used by the orc shaman Ner'zhul to open the portals that tore the world of Draenor apart, leaving behind the shattered realm of Outland. The scepter was finally secured by the elite magi of the Kirin Tor. Unable to destroy it, they hid it away in a magically protected chamber and put it under eternal watch to prevent it from ever being used again.â |
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Mage:
| Arcane: Aluneth, Greatstaff of the Magna âAluneth was most notably wielded for a time by Aegwynn, the only female Guardian of Tirisfal, although stories indicate that it is far older than she. She is said to have found the staff roughly a century after she took up the mantle of Guardian, and to have wielded Aluneth in many battles against the Burning Legion. Several years before relinquishing her title, she retired the staff, but none know where she might have stored it.â |
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| Fire: Feloâmelorn â"Flamestrike" in its native tongue, Felo'melorn was borne into battle by members of the Sunstrider family as they proved their valor in the War of the Ancients, during the Troll Wars, and against the death knight Arthas Menethil. After it was destroyed, Prince Kaelâthas Sunstrider reforged the sword to be even stronger and used it against the Lich King, trading several blows with the demonic runeblade Frostmourne. Ultimately Kaelâthas was forced to retreat, and the sword was lost in the frigid wastes of Northrend.â |
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| Frost: Ebonchill âThis greatstaff was wielded by Alodi, the first Guardian of Tirisfal. He bore the staff into many battles against Legion forces for the century in which he served as Guardian, then stepped down from the role of Guardian, but he retained the staff to his dying day. Upon his passing, the Kirin Tor stored the staff safely away for fear of what might happen if a lesser mage attempted to wield its power without the ability to control it fully.â |
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Priest:
| Discipline: Lightâs Wrath âObsessed with cleansing undead from the world of Azeroth, the fanatical Scarlet Crusade tried to create a second Ashbringer in the form of a staff. However, a dreadlord who had infiltrated the order intervened, interrupting their efforts and triggering a violent magical explosion. The damaged staffâs power proved nearly uncontrollable. After several wielders tried and failed to use the staff safely, the elite magi of the Kirin Tor hid it away lest it unleash further deadly calamities.â |
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| Holy: Tuure, Beacon of the Naaru âObsessed with cleansing undead from the world of Azeroth, the fanatical Scarlet Crusade tried to create a second Ashbringer in the form of a staff. However, a dreadlord who had infiltrated the order intervened, interrupting their efforts and triggering a violent magical explosion. The damaged staffâs power proved nearly uncontrollable. After several wielders tried and failed to use the staff safely, the elite magi of the Kirin Tor hid it away lest it unleash further deadly calamities.â |
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| Shadow: Xalâatath, Blade of the Black Empire âThis terrifying dagger was made from the claw of an Old God eons ago, and dark priests used it for ritual sacrifices during the height of the Black Empire. After the fall of the Old Gods, Xal'atath was hidden away by cults. It has surfaced from time to time over the course of history, inevitably associated with some horrific ritual or disaster. The blade has a will of its own: it uses powerful Void energies and mind magics to warp everything around it for some nefarious purpose.â |
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What are your thoughts on your classes Artifacts? Will you play a Demon Hunter or are they not your style? Do you think Class Halls will be more enjoyable than Garrisons, or do you think they'll just be another place to AFK?
Stay tuned for more posts about the Broken Isles, Professions and Items, Class Changes, Raids, Dungeons and more!
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