Cataclysm earthquake mobs "visible" in Stormwind

Today, WoW.com can report that these mobs are again visible in Stormwind on some servers. We've verified that when you view nameplates on mobs (by pressing the V key) and look up around the Stormwind bank, you can see the [DND] Shaker mob, as pictured above. The Shaker mobs are also present in the trade district. When you are able to view the nameplates, you can't view the actual mob itself -- they are invisible / have no form.
We're not sure how they work. We think they appear at random intervals, as sometimes we can see them and other times we can't. We also are guessing that they might only be able to be seen on some specific servers -- we know they're on Sisters of Elune and Ner'zhul.
However it's important to make very clear that other than their appearance and function, we don't know for sure how they appear.
We're interested in what others are seeing, on what servers, and under what conditions the mobs are seen. So far our staff has only been able to verify that these mobs are present in Stormwind, however we wouldn't be surprised if they're just intermittently visible in other cities.
We know that in Cataclysm Deathwing is going to come back and destroy a lot of old world Azeroth. Entire cities can change, and lands will be torn asunder. These earthquakes appear to be part of the lead up to the event, with Deathwing's return causing the very land to shake in fear.
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: News items, Cataclysm
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Reader Comments (Page 4 of 6)
Ikatsu Mar 24th 2010 9:51PM
They're on moonguard as well, lvl 60
WoWDKDruid Mar 24th 2010 9:58PM
In conclusion, these NPC mobs are assumed to be in every server, weren't intended to be seen, are congregated in SW and various other cataclysm areas, and don't want to be disturbed.
That's really all of interest :\
SamLowry Mar 24th 2010 11:49PM
The "weren't intended to be seen" part really reinforces your confidence in the devs, doesn't it? Kinda like how they'll be monitoring the DF instakick, just to see what happens with it.
Deb Mar 24th 2010 10:03PM
My spriest can use mind vision on them in SW. Looks like a smokey huge tower off in the distance.
Rexton Mar 24th 2010 10:04PM
HOLY CRAP DEATHWING IS ATTACKING US WITH WOOD
DUCK FOR COVER
lalaland Mar 24th 2010 10:11PM
when i was in dalaran today, i was in the alliance war room in dalaran waiting for a wintergrasp queue and out of no where the ground started to shake, the first thing that came to my mind was when wow.com brought this up a few months ago
Ahlaen Mar 25th 2010 9:24PM
If thats the case, is it not strange that a city suspended in mid air is affected by earthquakes... things that happen on the ground usually. i'm not saying you'r wrong, just saying it strikes me as a bit bizarre.
kia Mar 24th 2010 10:57PM
afaik in Dalaran you can get those shakes when you're nearby someone that gets the debuff for flying over a non-flying zone.
lalaland Mar 24th 2010 10:13PM
its on malorne btw
Shadow Mar 24th 2010 10:19PM
I play on Sisters of Elune, and personally I think it makes sense they'd show up there. RP server and all.
Haven't seen any on Arygos.
jsz Mar 24th 2010 10:37PM
Does everyone that reads WoW.com play Alliance? I've been running around Orgrimmar on Magtheridon-US and I haven't seen any. But I have been seeing the world shake (not a mammoth running past) for weeks and weeks now.
Piisuke Mar 24th 2010 10:38PM
The most surprising and interesting effect of the Scourge Invasion, was that if you'd encounter an opposing faction player and killed him and turned him into a zombie, you could actually talk to each other. The very first time Blizzard openly allowed cross-faction communication.
Also, raiding SW with a group of 40 zombies was quite cool. It was surprising how effective they were, we'd just had to watch out for those Argent Guardians that kept casting those "3 strikes, you're dead" spells.
I am looking forward to the world event leading up to Cataclysm. I hope it will be as good as the Scourge Invasion.
Oh, another interesting tidbit was that Orgrimmar was being attacked and that Sylvanas, Thrall, Grommash and Saurfang would fight the Scourge and then the duel between Grommash and Thrall where Grommash seemed to have the upper hand. Then we cheered for Grommash... now we hate him though... especially with the rumours popping up that Cairne is murdered by Grommash for something like treason... As far as I am aware, these are still rumours and I hope that is what they'll remain.
Hivetyrant Mar 24th 2010 10:41PM
You need to google/wiki "Grommash"
Hivetyrant Mar 24th 2010 10:39PM
I wonder though why they need invisible NPC's to cause the quakes? (assuming thats what they actually do)
Surely Blizzard could have done this through some other in game mechanic? LIke a sheduled screen shake commend send out, the same as the old core hound's did back in the day?
I'm not complinaing, its pretty cool anyways, just curious if there is something more to the NPC's...
bynde Mar 25th 2010 11:28AM
I wondered this too. Why the NPC to 'cause' earthquakes?
There's something more to this and I love it already...
Stouph Mar 24th 2010 10:43PM
Confirmed on Arygos-US, I see 4 in the proximity of the square in front of the AH. On the rooftops.
However I've never experienced an earthquake in game....
themann1086 Mar 24th 2010 10:46PM
BTW, the DND tag here means (I think) Do Not Display. Whenever MMO's database gets updated during PTR patches, there's a whole bunch of things labeled DND, and they're usually hidden markers and what have you. So for some reason the Do Not Display tag failed...
Honeydew Mar 24th 2010 10:48PM
I see them in Stormwind on Baelgun.
Nikkiezorz Mar 24th 2010 11:09PM
Confirmed on Lethon - US
Seriously, I didn't think i'd find them when i read this, but there si one on top of virtually every building in trade district. Its slightly creepy.
I haven't been noticing the earthquakes, mind you i havent spent any time in azeroth for a long time now.
Thyago Mar 24th 2010 11:18PM
Aerie Peak - US too.