Happy Tuesday Morning, everyone! Of course, the big news this week was all the class previews for Cataclysm, unless your favorite class is the paladin. Paladins have to wait a few more days. But paladins aside, there's been tons of buzz, debate, and argument. Some people are happy, some are angry, some are confused. But overall, we think the right scope to take is to chill out and see what happens. If nothing else, other things are going on. For example, Operation: Gnomeregan is imminent. And it has some of the snazziest propaganda ever. Seriously, Blizzard, make prints of that poster. I would buy one in three seconds flat.

Regardless of your news preferences, we do have downtime this morning, from 5 AM to 11 AM Pacific. To keep you busy while WoW's down, we have our usual roundup of the latest news below, including a special section collection of all the class previews along with our analysis of every single class and their respective roles and talent trees.

Class Previews and Analysis

• Here's the shaman preview and follow-up, along with analysis for all three trees.
• Here's the warlock preview and follow-up, along with analysis of the changes.
• Here's the death knight preview, along with some of the extra information posted and our analysis of the changes, including a deeper analysis of the tanking tree change.
• Here's the priest changes and follow-up, along with analysis for both shadow and healing priests.
• Here's the warrior changes, along with analysis of the changes.
• Here's the rogue changes and follow-up, along with analysis of the changes.
• Here's the hunter changes, along with analysis of the changes, and a reminder not to get too worked up about it all.
• Here's the druid changes and follow-up, along with analysis of the balance, feral, and restoration changes.
• Here's the mage changes and follow-up, along with analysis.

Other Hot News and Features

• Here's an interesting tidbit: It looks like a lot of the new Cataclysm class skills and spells were first tested in ICC as NPC abilities.
• Press invites are going out for the Cataclysm Beta, but only to the press. Don't get taken in by scams!
• Ask a Faction Leader speaks with the Bronzebeard family.
• The Starcraft II Collector's Edition will include a WoW vanity pet: Thor.

Class News and Guides

• Totem Talk covers restoration addons and macros.
• Enhancement shamans can expect a Flurry buff.
• Shifting Perspectives offered up a bear wish list (written before the druid class preview), as well as a paean to Starfall.
• Encrypted Text offers a course in Combat 101.
• The Light and How to Swing It looks at tanking stat changes in Cataclysm.
• Spiritual Guidance helps shadow priests compensate for the scrubs.
• Scattered Shots offers a compilation of useful hunter guides.

Items, Dungeons, Professions, PvP, and More

• Zarhym recently offered some clarification on Cataclysm's dispel mechanic revamp.
• Ready Check discusses the effect of the new class changes on raiding.
• Raid Rx offers up some thoughts on raid healing in Cataclysm.
• Gold Capped discusses cross-faction buying and selling.
• The overachiever looks at those really nasty achievements.
• AddOn Spotlight covers class-specific addons for paladins, shamans, and death knights.
• WoW Rookie discusses changes coming in Cataclysm for leveling players.
• The Art of War(craft) discusses what the new dispel mechanics will mean for PvP in Cataclysm.

Odds and Ends

• Guest blogger Anna shows us how to make characters who are true to the lore without being Mary Sues.
• Know Your Lore discusses the state of forsaken politics.
• Holy Cow!

Tags: downtime, maintenance, realm-downtime, realm-maintenance, realm-status, roundup, server-downtime, Server-Maintenance, server-status, tuesday, tuesday-maintenance, tuesday-morning, tuesday-morning-post

Filed under: Realm Status, News items