Listen up, grunts. We just got intel from our informant inside BlizzCon on the latest arenas and battlegrounds coming out in the World of Wacraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. The basics are two new arenas, a new battleground and a new world player-vs.-player area. Sounds like plenty of opportunities for us to keep our skills honed and our bloodlust fresh.


Tell me, Conqueror. What of the arenas? My team is anxious to get in and start smashing skulls and melting faces to raise our team ranking.

A map of the Strand of the Ancients battleground.

Patience, noob. The first arena will be the Ring of Valor, a large arena with four moving platforms and lines of flame that do periodic damage to those stupid enough to be caught in it. From what we have gathered, the movable platforms rise up out of the ground, allowing you to stand on them. This is good for ranged classes and for melee classes that need to get out of the fray so they can heal, beyond line of sight. The platforms are divided into two sets of two: When one set is up, the other is down. You can run behind them or around them to affect casting.


What of the flame hazard, Conqueror? What if we get rooted in the flame? Will it kill us?


The flame will cause damage over time for three ticks. It should not kill you, as the flame is not constantly on, but it can do enough damage to weaken you. There will be warnings visible before it comes on, allowing you to move your sorry butts out of the way in time. However, healers need to be alert to cast heals over time on any grunt unfortunate enough to be caught in it. The flame, like the columns, is activated at periodic intervals, so you must stay alert for the signs, as well as watch your opponents.


I have heard tales of this arena, Conqueror. The seers have said that you will start face-to-face with your enemy ? close enough to smell their fear.


Yes, grunt, this is true. Your team will start on an underground platform that rises up to arena level. Your opponents will do the same. Both platforms are no more than a few paces from each other, so be alert for quick attacks from hidden foes that may root or incapacitate you. You and your squad must know what you will do the moment the battle begins. Some will need to scatter, while others will need to engage almost immediately. Practice your tactics well. This will be unlike any arena you have been in before.

The next arena will be the Dalaran Sewers, located deep underneath the magic city. The wizards there have moved the city to Northrend to prepare for the fight against the Lich King, and the sewers are rife with the unsavory sort looking for a fight. This will be a small arena with pipes and water hazards and will require solid tactics for a victory.

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How will the pipes come into play? What if a healer or Hunter decides to hide there and pick off our melee classes? What can be done, Conqueror?


The arena has a failsafe where water will jettison the honorless foe out of the pipe into the field of battle if they stay there too long or try to assist their comrades. This will not be an issue to concern you. Of greater concern is a pillar of water that will periodically cascade down from above and affect line of sight. If you get caught in the water, you will not take damage, but you will suffer a slight knockback that could interrupt spellcasting or actions that are not instant. Be on guard to time the waterfall so you are not affected.


This sounds like an arena that will favor melee classes. How can the casters and ranged members of the team combat the stuns?


Do you always whine like this before battle, grunt? If you were on my team, I'd kill you where you stand! The center of the arena is raised slightly, but only accessible by two sets of steps on either corner of the platform. If you fall or are knocked off the raised platform, you must get to the steps to get back up. There will also be crates on the corner of the platform where you can get out of line of sight if the nasty warriors or rogues scare you too badly.


Finally, you will not be able to use your mounts here. No need to complain. Just suck it up and form your battle plan accordingly.

Now, listen up. That is all we know of the arenas at the moment. We will now move on to look at the new battleground called Strand of the Ancients, which will be located off the coast of Dragonblight. The battleground will pit 15 Horde against 15 Alliance in a scenario that forces each side to attack and defend a base once during the game. There will be new siege engines and mines to break through barriers, and hiding spots are not even safe since the building around you can be destroyed.

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Will everyone get a siege engine, Conqueror? I prefer my combat face-to face.

The loading screen for the Strand of the Ancients battleground.

You will not be required to use a siege engine. They are useful for getting through the walls, but you can also use mines as necessary. If you are on defense, there will be gun emplacements to help destroy the siege engines to protect your walls. There will be several different types of siege engines, so learn them and use them properly.


Apparently there will be an advantage for the side that is quickest to complete its objective. Each side will attack and defend once. The team that accomplishes its objective fastest must then keep its opponent from accomplishing what it did in that time.


I hope none of you noobs get seasick, as you will approach the battleground by boat. The first phase forces you to fight your way off the boat while the defenders will be on the beach. So be prepared.


We will be getting more intel on this battleground later, but we do know that you will receive marks of honor for participation, as you do in the other battlegrounds.


Forgive the interruption, Conqueror, but the seers have seen a new world PvP area as well, in the area of Wintergrasp. What has the informant said of this?


Eager for blood, grunt? Again, patience. Be prepared and learn. Wintergrasp is a new world PvP zone that pits Horde forces against Alliance foes in an attempt to capture and control a castle or keep. The zone will have siege engines to knock down walls and buildings, and defensive towers and emplacements to guard against those engines. Now, here is the tricky part: EVERYONE must participate, or you will not be able to use the siege engines or get honor. The more you kill, the higher your rank. The higher your rank, the better siege engines you can use. There is no glory in cowering behind your mothers, grunts. You must kill the enemy. And after two and a half hours, the attackers will become the defenders.


We will capture the objective, Conqueror, but to what benefit?


For the glory of the Horde, idiot! But yes, there will be a benefit to capturing the zone. Once we have control, we will have access to special quests, a port to Dalaran and even a small instance with a Raid Boss that drops Epic gear for both PvP and player-vs.-environment battles. Also, if you control the zone, Raid Bosses throughout the world will drop Shards, similar to the Spirit Shards of the Bone Wastes, that you can use to buy things inside Wintergrasp. So, for those of you interested in more than just glory, your hunger will be appropriately sated.


What of the realms that have an imbalance, Conqueror, where our brethren are outnumbered by Alliance? Is there anything they can do other than fight and die in vain?


I agree, grunt, that any Horde life is wasted in those times, but the gods are granting a boon to those that are outnumbered. The boon is called Tenacity, and depending on how badly you are outnumbered, you damage will be greatly increased, and the damage taken will be decreased. Imagine taking on five Alliance on your own and coming out victorious! Those will be tales to be told to your grandchildren around the fire. You will always have a chance in Wintergrasp if you battle with your head and your heart.


What of the future, Conqueror? Is this all there will be? What if we choose to battle more against the demons and the Scourge than against the Alliance? To what end?


A sound question. The gods are watching you and your efforts. They will be examining you to see if you are just as worthy in the battlegrounds as against the forces that oppose the Horde. They will be looking to see if arena rewards and battleground rewards are equal and whether you truly deserve what you get.


They are also looking at the experience you gain, and plan to make it viable for you to gain experience through battle with the Alliance, and not just from killing bears, boars and birds. You may even be able to get experience and honor at the same time.


Also, imagine being able to join a battleground with your guild and being able to bring honor to your guild as well as to the Horde. Such glory! The gods are considering that as well, according to our informant. And finally, imagine being able to join a battleground or arena from anywhere, not just a city. It could be glorious.


So, yes, grunt, there is much to look forward to. Study your tactics and plans, gather your forces and prepare. New honor and glory await.


FOR THE HORDE!