Are invisible mobs ushering in the Cataclysm world event?
by Adam Holisky 
Dec 28th 2009 at 2:00PM
We know that Deathwing is going to tear Azeroth up in a big way. Take a look at the Cataclysm trailer for how destroyed the land is going to be. Barrens ripped in half, parts of Azeroth's climate will change, and general hell will come forth unto the plentiful lands. We also know that the world event ushering in the Cataclysm is going to be big, really big. The event itself is not in the patch files yet.
Or is it?
There are invisible mobs called Shakers in the game right now. There are two types of these mobs. The first is just called [DND] Shaker that was potentially in the game as early as patch 3.2.2, based on comments left on the live version of WoWHead. There was also another mob added in patch 3.3 called [DND] Shaker - Small.
People on the PTR briefly reported seeing these mobs as targetable entities in Stormwind. They were mobs without any textures, with only their nameplate showing. You were able to damage them, but never kill them. Just like a target dummy. After a PTR patch the mobs became untargetable and entirely invisible again.
It is possible that these mobs are the hidden game mechanic causing the screen to shake. And given that they appear to have been activated with patch 3.3, it does make at least some sense that they could be tied to the beginning of the Cataclysm world event.
Of course, there is no official or unofficial word from Blizzard on this yet. Kisirani, the world designer, has been quiet as of late, and she's usually the one to let on hints about world events and other hidden things like this. We'll keep and eye out and an ear to the ground for more information, but we thought given the evidence out there now this was worth letting you all know about.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
combosation Dec 28th 2009 2:02PM
That's super cool.
boyle132 Dec 28th 2009 2:03PM
Yes, i notice this aswell when i was doing gnomeregan the screen started to shake randomly and i thought what the heck was that?
ROB13 Dec 28th 2009 2:53PM
The Gnomes have begun to retake Gnomer! Clearly your Earthquake was just millions of Gnome feet storming the Instance!
Sorro Dec 29th 2009 1:10AM
I saw this tonight. Didn't seem like quakes to me. I thought my graphics card was glitching out.
Deadly. Off. Topic. Jan 5th 2010 12:02PM
I keep seeing that in Dal and I always put it down to the levitate spell they used for the city.
BigBiker05 Dec 28th 2009 2:03PM
There are or there aren't, make up your mind... anyways, I have experienced earthquakes, figured it was something stupid like more hunter pets walking by.
Tommy Dec 28th 2009 2:31PM
Hunter pets don't shake the screen anymore.
Morealtsplz Dec 28th 2009 2:06PM
I thought rogues were evil enough to the innocent clothie like me...Just dont give these guys daggers.
ciggychan Dec 28th 2009 2:04PM
I actually had this random shaking happen to me a few weeks ago while grinding up meat for my daily cooking quests in Northrend. It hasn't happened since so I didn't think anything about it. I bet this is a Cataclysm buildup. That is awesome.
icer Dec 29th 2009 9:41AM
same here
snowleopard233 Dec 28th 2009 2:04PM
Why am I so creeped out by invisible ghost npc’s tearing the world apart?
Gustie Dec 28th 2009 2:52PM
Because they are invisible Bunnies!!!!!!
Elmo Dec 28th 2009 4:20PM
This is true, watch them in 3d at Wowhead.
an invisible bunny of doom!
Drakkenfyre Dec 28th 2009 4:55PM
Ever port to the Mage Tower in SW? You run thru an invisible critter each time.
Back during 2.2 or so, you could target "Invisible Stalkers" around the world in some places. You couldn't click on them, but you could manually target them. One of them is right in-front of the portal to the way out. It's a programming bit that tells your camera to shift to the new location when it hits it.
snowleopard233 Dec 28th 2009 4:56PM
Suddenly I’m thinking of all the level 1 rabbit critters I’ve killed over the years and how vengeful their spirits must be…
staffan.johansson Dec 28th 2009 10:08PM
Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes
They got them hoppin' legs and twitchy little noses
And what's with all the carrots?
What do they need such good eyesight for anyway?
Bunnies! Bunnies, it must be bunnies!
Suzaku Dec 28th 2009 10:36PM
Be very afraid, then. There are these invisible ghost mobs *all* over the place, used to trigger various special effects or emit sounds.
artifex Dec 29th 2009 12:34AM
staffan: hey, you put Buffy in my WoW!
...mmm, it tastes good.
Mark Dec 29th 2009 1:43AM
They are probably relatives of the great beasts of Caerbannog with their nasty, big, pointy teeth, They are extremely dangerous.
In the old days, if you could get past these terrible creatures you'd have to face the Legendary Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh. But you can only face it if you get past the great beasts of Caerbannog and the only way you can get past them is to use a Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch after consulting the Book of Armaments, Chapter 2, verses 9-21.
Good luck finding those two items. I've been looking for them for the longest time but I've never, ever seen them. Blizz must have really nerf'd the drop rate for them.
Kir Dec 29th 2009 4:44AM
As any hunter who has left his tracker on Undead in Ulduar or Naxx will tell you, there are already invisible bunny mobs. Thorim Trap Bunny, for example, is a remnant that sits where Thorim stands during the encounter. Clear as day on the minimap [or it used to be, I haven't been in Ulduar in months] and is invisible.
Weird? Yeah.