Happy Tuesday Morning, everyone. While it was not perhaps a deluge, we did get a few tidbits of Cataclysm news this past week, beginning with the latest Twitter Developer Chat, where the devs dropped hints on such sundry topics as the purification of the plaguelands, cross-realm mail and raids, submarines, a new caverns of time instance, the new class/race combos, and the dance studio. Then we got a very nice info-dump with an informative post on the way statistics will work in Cataclysm. We've already started breaking down what the stat changes mean to various classes and specs, and if your class hasn't been analyzed yet, chances are it will be today or tomorrow. Combine that with some new info from the Patch 3.3.3 PTR, and Blizzard's really packed on the news this cycle.

It's only rolling restarts this morning, but don't you deserve a break anyway? Check out our roundup of all the news after the break while you wait for your server to restart and for Ghostcrawler to deliver your moose.

Hot News and Features

• Some hackers have managed to use trojans and Man in the Middle attacks to circumvent authenticators. We have the facts on what it means and the source of the nasty trojan.
• See the latest updates to the Patch 3.3.3 PTR Patch Notes.
• Battleground marks are now phased out on the Patch 3.3.3 PTR. We have a look at the new mark turn-in quest and the new prices on all the old honor gear.
• Check out our review of the newest World of Warcraft novel, Stormrage. You also have a couple more days to win a copy of the novel.
• The Patch 3.3.3 PTR files have revealed something that has piqued this role player's interest: cosmetic overcloaks emblazoned with racial standards.
• Spoiler Alert: Datamining has revealed some very interesting quest info related to the pre-Cataclysm opening event.
• Ever wonder about the secrets behind GM Island? We have our own behind the scenes look at the mysterious island.
• We got our hands on the new Gryphon and Windrider plushies, and we have pictures to share.

Class News and Guides

• Check out our analysis on how the new Cataclysm stat changes will work for protection warriors, DPS warriors,mages, hunters, and balance druids.
• We have a breakdown on how spirit and mp5 will change in Cataclysm.
• Warriors got a nice Vitality change in the latest Patch 3.3.3 PTR update.
• Balance druids also got some interesting changes in the latest Patch 3.3.3 PTR update.
• Arcane Brilliance takes a look at the Patch 3.3.3 PTR changes for mages.
• Encrypted Text has a guide to Mutilate.
• The Light And How To Swing it starts in on Retribution 101.
• Totem Talk looks at restoration talents and glyphs.
• Spiritual Guidance starts in on a shadow priest guide to raiding ICC.
• Blood Pact's meet the minions series introduces the Felguard.

Items, Dungeons, Professions, PvP, and More

• No more paladin dresses in Cataclysm? Mastery will reward you for wearing your proper armor class.
• New companion pets and mounts have been found in the latest update to the Patch 3.3.3 PTR.
• Jepetto Joybuzz is apparently going through his blue period with his latest batch of new toys on the PTR.
• Insider Trader shows you how to make the engineering pets, which will be BoE in Patch 3.3.3.
• Random dungeon runners, you are being watched by new mechanics on the PTR.
• Raid Rx discusses healing 10-man raids with 2 healers.
• Ready Check talks about cultivating back up tanks and healers.
• Time is Money teaches you how to make the most of the Titansteel cool down removal.
• The Patch 3.3.3 PTR also saw some minor money saving changes to jewelcrafting.
• The Art of War(craft) teaches you how to fight priests.

Odds and Ends

• WoW Rookie shows you how to move the camera and your character.
• BlizzCast #13 had a small question and answer session on Icecrown Citadel and the future of Wrath raiding.

Tags: realm-downtime, realm-maintenance, realm-status, Rolling-Restart, rolling-restarts, roundup, roundups, scheduled-downtime, scheduled-maintenance, server-downtime, Server-Maintenance, server-status, tuesday, tuesday-maintenance, tuesday-morning, tuesday-morning-post

Filed under: Realm Status, News items