Cataclysm Leak: Maps, models and more from MMO-Champion
by Anne Stickney 
May 6th 2010 at 2:35AM
The information pulled from the alpha client includes maps of several of the new zones, including a peek at the newly-terraformed Azshara, Blasted Lands, Gilneas and Hyjal. Also included are various NPC models including the Deathwing model featured the other day; and a host of various critters and items that will be found in Cataclysm. Boubouille has noted that the post containing all of this information is still currently being updated, however there are plenty of screenshots to look at already.
The most interesting information has nothing to do with screenshots or images: the new talent calculators are available as well. While these do not appear to reflect all of the changes coming in Cataclysm (hunters still appear to have mana-based talents and skills), there are new talents in the trees that were not mentioned in the Cataclysm class previews from last month. All in all, a wealth of new information to be pored over and analyzed -- but keep in mind, these are from the alpha build of the expansion, and will likely receive several revisions between now and release.
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 12)
Moonfaxx May 6th 2010 2:38AM
Let the Cataclysm floodgate open! *gets ready to catch it... then ultimately gets engulfed in awesomeness and dies a glorious death*
PictoKong May 6th 2010 10:44AM
Sorry to steal your post, but this is pretty important:
For the ones who wants to be spoiled... the link to the post contains TONS and TONS of screenshots, be it the new zones or the changes...
Barinthos May 6th 2010 10:57AM
I really shouldn't be looking at all these images and updates...my heart can't take the excitement that's being built because of them!
Angrycelt May 6th 2010 10:58AM
Yeah, just a tad overwhelming. Seeing the updates to even just to Stormwind... this is gonna be amazing to rediscover the whole world again.
:::continues making up reroll and new alt lists:::
kabshiel May 6th 2010 11:48AM
My mind has officially exploded. Just looking at the maps, these changes are so much bigger and more awesome than I ever expected.
Michael Martine May 6th 2010 7:02PM
OMG Stormwind!!!!
seanthehorde May 6th 2010 7:46PM
Haha Stormwind just got this nice brand new harbor only to get it DESTROYED. Muahahahaahahahah take that Alliance scum!
For the Horde!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IRvUyT6ETA&feature=player_embedded
If you don't believe me!
seanthehorde May 6th 2010 7:50PM
Well just a lighthouse, but still! AHA take that!
Gyromancer May 7th 2010 12:53PM
Ummm... don't think that's a lighthouse or the harbor. Unless they've tweaked the layout of the city, that's "The Park" area (including the moonwell).
Wonder if it was an attack, or if maybe something happens to the moonwells and the one in Stormwind went BOOM.
Jon May 6th 2010 2:39AM
AWWWWWWWWWWW snap!! I
KrusherX May 6th 2010 9:44AM
Garçon! A pair of new underwear please.
Vogie May 6th 2010 11:36AM
Sadly it looks like the some classes have little/no changes. Here's a breakdown:
Death Knight - little/no
Warlock -little/no
Warrior - Deep wounds is unlinked from Impale
Hunter - little/no
Mage - little/no
Paladins - some minor changes, mostly to wording, and spell effects.
Priest - High-tier changes: Chakra, Shadow Apparition, emp Renew moved, PW:B,
Druid - LOTS, including 3 new balance abilities, Tree form CD with 30% movement tax, little/nothing for Ferals
Rogue - Few changes, but lots of things moved around, especially in early trees.
Shaman - Lots of shiny's for enhancement, a few for Elemental (yay earthquake), few for Resto
These are kinda lacking. There are still +hit talents, boring +damage/+healing talents, and some things we know are going the way of the dodo: Toughness for enhancement, aspect of the viper, mana & melee references on a hunter, Master Shapeshifter referencing tree form, no mention of Nature's Grace having charges.
I do find it interesting that both resto druid and resto shaman have abilities that effect them doing damage...
Meatwadz May 6th 2010 11:41AM
Regarding the resto specs doing damage..
Is it possible that they are giving resto druids the ability to kill things? Now that we aren't confined to tree form 24/7 we may actually find some use in our damage spells!
About time.
Grovinofdarkhour May 6th 2010 11:49AM
@Vogie
I really want to assume you're referring solely to those changes currently visibly in place in the alpha files.
Because if you are saying that based on the cumulative evidence to date, the hunter class appears to be getting little to no changes, politeness will dictate that I ask you how you enjoyed your year on the space station.
warriorpanda May 6th 2010 12:34PM
These are nowhere near complete, of course. All we have here is a taste, just a small taste, of what's to come.
Damage talents for healing specs are probably there to make leveling as Resto less frustrating, and may also give healers a bit more utility in PVP (important if heals are less vital than they are now) or in content they vastly overgear (my Holy Pally wants to do more than 500 DPS in H-VH, thank you very much).
The changes to Balance are drool-worthy. This hardcore Feral may even consider chickenform in the expansion ...
Eh, nah.
Dan May 6th 2010 2:10PM
Garçon means boy.
clydefrog May 6th 2010 3:01PM
How about a couple less crabs or kobolds and give us some new player models? Seriously, if I have to lose out on seeing a few less better-than-me-looking kobolds in order to get some skin for the guy I'm investing all my time into so be it.
Vogie May 6th 2010 5:05PM
@Grovinofdarkhour
Yes, I was. By saying there were little to no changes, I meant that there are, at this moment, no changes of the Class Talent Trees between live and leaked cataclysm alpha realm from link posted in post. I focused first on the Warlock/DK/Druid/Shaman trees, because those are my 80s. The Alpha trees posted for DKs for example, has absolutely nothing concerning the changes we've been told will be happening.
To be clear, I wrote that Hunter trees are not complete. There are still references to mana cost and ammo in the hunter trees, which we know neither will exist in cataclysm.
Reading comprehension with context is key. Even when you play wow in space.
prenden2 May 6th 2010 2:40AM
From a quick skim over the talent trees, it seems that Beacon of Light now only works with Holy Light and (prepares to duck) Shockwave may have been somewhat nerfed. Also, I believe that Tree of Life last for 45 seconds, with a (talented) 3.5 minute CD.
Woif May 6th 2010 2:54AM
Shock wave was nerfed it looks like. From 75% of AP to ... 38%