Hands on with the Burning Crusade expansion

We know pictures speak louder than words -- the image above is from the E3 teaser video --so we've the following screenshots from The Burning Crusade expansion for you to pore over. Gameplay-wise, the expansion demonstrated at E3 is identical to the current version of WoW; it ran smoothly on the demonstration Macs.
We explored both the Draenei and Blood Elf starting areas, but we'll have more impressions later when we speak to Blizzard -- any comments or questions you leave in the next two hours may be passed on. In the meantime, enjoy these shots.
Hellfire Peninsula:

Draenei dancing:

Azuremyst Isle (Draenei starting area):

Draenei racials:

The racials for the new Draenei race are:
- Blessing of the Naaru - heals the target of 50 damage over 15 sec
- Gemcutting - Jewelcrafting skill increased by 15
- Inspiring Presence - Increases chance to hit with spells by 1% for all party members within 30 yards
- Shadow Resistance - increased by 10

Ghostlands:

Blood Elf racials:

The Blood Elf racials (as announced at Blizzcon) are:
- Arcane Affinity - Enchanting increased by 15
- Arcane Torrent - Silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec. In addition, you gain 20 Energy, Mana or Rage for each Mana Tap charge currently affecting you.
- Magic Resistance - All resistances increased by 5
- Mana Tap - Drains 50 mana from your target and charges you with Arcane energy until cancelled. This effect stacks up to 3 times.

Newly created Blood Elf on Sunstrider Isle:

Finally, a still from the teaser video, which describes "hundreds of epic quests", "uncharted dungeons", flying mounts, jewelcrafting, socketed items, a level cap of 70 and new spells and abilities:

Filed under: Alliance, Events, Blizzard, Expansions






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Molnek May 10th 2006 3:37PM
So now the horde has a stupid pretty race and the alliance gets the cool one, they should never have made more than one kind of elf.
Lummox May 10th 2006 3:40PM
With the addition of two new races and new zones to explore (two at least), will there also be new dungeon content in those new zones aimed at the mid-level player (anywhere from level 20-50)? As a long time player in an end-game raiding guild, I like rolling alts to keep from getting bored on my main, but running the same quests and the same dungeons over and over as I level grows just as stale and boring over time. Some new mid-level content would be very refreshing to keep people pushing through those middle levels, and provide something nice to the expansion other than just having new races and a level cap increase.
Lummox May 10th 2006 3:42PM
Can you ask Blizzard that question for me? KTHX BYE! :P
Carlos Andrade May 10th 2006 3:52PM
More in game events with GM's would be nice.
++ More mid level content also.
snivlem May 10th 2006 3:54PM
exxxxcellllent.
Ghostle May 10th 2006 4:00PM
Is it me or is the Blood Elves faction reputation missing Undercity. I hope its just an oversight on the part of Blizzard, or could it mean something bigger, hummm (start rumors now)
mike May 10th 2006 4:12PM
I think the real question we're all asking ourselves is also the most important one:
what do the dances really look like?
Ghostle May 10th 2006 4:16PM
well the blood elves do the twist (theres a video on google video just search blood elves). the draenei, who knows. I'm hoping out for the robot, or the carlton dance (from fresh prince of bel air if you dont know)
Riktopher May 10th 2006 4:16PM
It was mentioned in the NYTimes that there are new zones with non instanced sections containing elites and bosses more in the 20 area, one calle Deatholme, which lore-wise is chronologically after Stratholme.
I'm curious if the Belssing of the Naaru is scalable to the casters level? It would seem udderly useless at 70 game for a 3min cooldown (granted no mana cost). Or perhaps a percentage of the casters base health?
Mr. Tibbs May 10th 2006 4:28PM
ROFL those Belf racials are horridly powerful. Resists in all schools to start, a FREE AoE silence ability on a 2 min cooldown that also buffs you depending on another racial, and enchanting skill.
Let's look at the Draenei: oh that's right! So I'm a Draenei warrior with 4k hp. I'm getting hurt badly so I better pop that racial! 50 hp over 15 sec! That'll save me! The party buff is ... okay. Though I didn't know that spells miss very often. Usually they're just resisted (by Belfs that start with 5 to all resists).
Ouch Blizz, that cuts me deep.
Brian May 10th 2006 4:40PM
I noticed that the Draenei are starting on a little island in that screenshot. Is there any word yet on where on Azeroth that island is?
Mike May 10th 2006 4:40PM
Looking at the Blood Elf screens (particularly the third one down) it occurs to me that Blizzard is freaking brilliant. The Blood Elf race is going to go miles towards even out faction imbalances. Do you know how many adolescent boys currently playing WoW are going to start playing Blood Elves when the expansion comes out? Meanwhile the Draenei are cool, but not cool enough that the number of Horde to Draenei converts will rival the Ally to Blood Elf converts. Brilliant.
Techotter May 10th 2006 4:41PM
that draenei buff most likely scales with level, noob :P
Kol May 10th 2006 4:43PM
why does the new horde race have friendly faction with stormwind?
Ghostle May 10th 2006 4:45PM
#10 i will agree that some of the racials are overpowered (i can already picture rogues having fun with mages hitting them with mana tap and then arcane torrent), but +15 to enchanting is not that big a deal (twinks get their enchants from someone else, so it really only benefits BloodElves that want to do their own enchants). Now the +5 magic resist to all schools is nothing, i prefer having the +20 to one specific school rather than it being spread out
Mist May 10th 2006 4:59PM
That says Silvermoon not Stormwind.
Scott May 10th 2006 5:02PM
1) Blessing of the Naaru seems very weak for a main racial - 1.5s cast, 3min cooldown for only 50hp over 15s? I hope this scales with the level...
2) Will the new races be available on old servers (with the purchase of the expansion, of course), or will characters need to transfer to new BC servers in older to roll a new race twink?
3) The UC rep catch is veerrry interesting. Please ask them this.
4) Items with, say, 3x lvl70 sockets on them - will the sockets similar to enchants in that it raises stats and / or adds a +hit +crit, etc?
obo May 10th 2006 5:13PM
That's Silvermoon City, not Stormwind, Kol.
What do the Draenei sound like, and what dance do they do?
Also, I thought they were supposed to be the "ugly" race, but damn, Draenei chicks are hawt
Fueler May 10th 2006 5:15PM
I see druid Tier 3 gear is all healing. What armor has been added to help with Dire Bear, Cat and Moonkin forms?
Arthur May 10th 2006 5:16PM
You didn't mention what classes can the Draenei be...