Blizzard came out with the announcement and content preview for the upcoming Battle for Azeroth patch, 8.3. Titled “Visions of N’Zoth,” the massive patch will introduce a new level of endgame, as well as a variety of other welcome additions to the modern version of World of Warcraft.
On a “small” note, Blizzard announced that new allied races would be joining the fray, with one on each faction. Horde will be getting the small humanoid foxes of Vol’dun, the Vulpera, while the Mechagnomes of Mechagon will be joining the alliance. As with all allied races, players must complete a questline that becomes available once they raise their reputation with the faction to exalted before they can utilize these races.
Another welcome addition is the heritage armor sets being added for Goblins and Worgen. The race-based armor sets will embody the theme of their respective races, with Goblins wearing explosive rockets on their shoulders and Worgen getting top hats.
Aside from these minor changes, Visions of N’Zoth comes with massive alterations to the world. Due to N’Zoth themselves being freed upon the world with the ending of the Rize of Azshara patch, other zones of the game will come under assault from the Old God’s forces. Players will have to journey to these zones and defend them, all the while fighting off the maddening whispers and temptations that N’Zoth will use to drive away their sanity.
Moving further, the long-heralded Ny’alotha is finally making an in-game appearance. Hinted by a wide number of creatures through the game, such as Il’gynoth back in Legion, Ny’alotha is the domain of the old gods. An alternate world, the Sleeping City of Ny’alotha has been revealed to be an alternate plane of existence parallel to that of Azeroth. N’Zoth’s primary goal is to tear down the veil that separates the two worlds to release his true fury against the forces of Azeroth.
In working to defeat N’Zoth, players will travel to Titan-centric zones that were dealt with in previous expansions. Uldum and the Mogu’shan Vaults are both open once more with their resources and powers now up for grabs for players to refocus against the Old God.
There’s much more coming in the enormous patch than can be written in a brief article. N’Zoth’s coming promises to radically change the world of Azeroth, providing players with countless hours more of entertainment as they rally against the Old God.
