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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsPatch 4.0.3a: What's in The Shattering, what's not
by Anne Stickney 
Nov 23rd 2010 at 9:00AM
With Patch 4.0.3a, The Shattering, just around the corner, people are unsure exactly what this means. Will goblins and worgen be available? Will we be able to fly in Azeroth? Will we be able to do anything with the new race/class combinations? Fear not -- WoW Insider has a list of what you can expect to see in the upcoming patch and what won't be found till Dec. 7 and Cataclysm's launch.
What's in The Shattering
What's in The Shattering
- Hearthstone set to Dalaran? Better change that -- Dalaran and Shattrath portals will be removed once the patch hits.
- In place of the handy portals in Dalaran, you'll find a series of equally handy class trainers.
- The new race/class combinations will be playable, with the exception of goblins and worgen.
- If you're wondering why we spent all that time taking back Echo Isles and Gnomeregan, you'll be able to see the fruits of your labors in 4.0.3a, where both the trolls and the gnomes have their brand new starting zones.
- Speaking of zone changes, all level 1 to 60 zones will be forever changed, and as a result, all zones will have fully playable content.
- Fancy new Cataclysm loading screens will be available for all new zones. Be sure to check out the new Northrend loading screen, while you're at it.
- Did you like the new Cataclysm cinematic? Good, because it'll be viewable as of Patch 4.0.3.
- How long have you had your in-game music muted? Now would be a good time to crank it up again, as the new Cataclysm music for all new zones will be implemented.
- The new Cataclysm login screen featuring Deathwing in all his glory above a fiery version of Stormwind will also be available.
- Just in case you haven't gotten exalted with all your home factions, City Quartermasters will be available, along with reputation tabards for each faction.
- A host of bug fixes will be included with this patch.
- New class balancing mechanics and fixes will be included, as well.
- Speaking of classes, if you are a druid, priest, paladin, or shaman, your talent trees will be reset.
- The amount of experience required to gain levels from 71 through 80 will be reduced by 20 percent. Now's a good time to get the rest of those alts to 80!
- New tamable hunter pets, including monkeys, foxes, dogs, and beetles, will be included, as well as new skins for existing pet classes.
What's not in yet
- Want to create a goblin or worgen? You'll have to wait until Dec. 7 for that.
- The worgen and goblin starting zones will not be included until you upgrade to the expansion.
- The new archaeology profession will not be released until Cataclysm's launch.
- You will not be able to level your professions to the next rank (Illustrious Grand Master) until Cataclysm's launch.
- Guild leveling will not be introduced until the expansion's release.
- Similarly, Guild Achievements will not be available until Dec. 7.
- Want to fly in old-world Azeroth? You're going to have to wait until the official release for that one. The Flight Master's License is only available to those who have purchased Cataclysm.
- All new level 80+ zones, including Hyjal, Vash'jir, Uldum, and the Twilight Highlands will not be available for play until Cataclysm's release.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 9)
Ofeydofey Nov 23rd 2010 9:39AM
I did the same!
"It's so hard, to say goodbye, to yesterday oooooooooooooo"
Sinthar Nov 23rd 2010 10:16AM
As Alliance I know im supposed to hate the horde. But I cant hate Cairne or Thrall. TBH ill be glad they are gone in some ways, as i can finally do the 'For The Alliance' without feeling like im killing a 'good' guy.
TBH ive even seen hordies telling people when cata comes and thrall leaves they wont bother to defend a certain thrall replacement. Although I bet they have a defence raid ready - probably just wait until we have downed the boss and then will be 'FREE HONOR TIME'
Jaygath Nov 23rd 2010 9:12AM
It's bittersweet. Logged in early this morning and moved my original main (Human Paladin) back to Northshire Abbey, figured it'd be fitting for him to begin his adventures in the shattered world where his original adventures began.
Foxwind Nov 23rd 2010 9:12AM
Thank goodness I logged out at my customary (for now) position sitting next to Cairn. ...if you're not there when I log in, Cairn, I'm gonna cry! ;3;
Daedalus Nov 23rd 2010 9:34AM
Then have your Kleenex handy when you log in, 'cause when the servers come up, Cairne's going to be hoisting a beer with Magni in whatever passes for Azeroth's afterlife.
Telwar Nov 23rd 2010 10:09AM
Hrm. One wonders what the various racial afterlives are.
I presume tauren would go to some sort of Happy Hunting Ground, while dwarves would head to the Elemental Plane of Beer.
Chris Nov 23rd 2010 10:24AM
@Telwar
"I presume tauren would go to some sort of Happy Hunting Ground, while dwarves would head to the Elemental Plane of Beer."
...there's a difference?
gboyd Nov 23rd 2010 9:12AM
It bugs me that Hunters continue to get new pets and updated skins for existing pets, yet warlocks are still stuck with the same pet skins since vanilla. I recently summoned my imp and pulled out any of the newer non combat pets and had a good look. The imp looks terrible by comparison. It's very clear that he's an artifact of vanilla wow. I know they've released updated models for some of the Warlock pets when BC came out. It would be nice to even have one of those in place of our current ones.
Rob Nov 23rd 2010 9:50AM
Yes, but nobody loves warlocks. Maybe if you didn't steal souls and summon demons you'd get some respect.
Daedalus Nov 23rd 2010 9:50AM
Hey, I was just so thrilled to get my pet's original names back after they reset in 4.0.1, I'm not going to complain about anything else.
I mean, my succubus' name was changed to Carolla. Carolla for god's sake! In addition to not sounding in the least bit demonic or nefarious, it had the added problem that whenever I saw it, I immediately pictured ADAM Carolla in that get-up, with a whip, and I'd have to go bang my head into a wall until the brain trauma wiped the image from my mind.
Not to mention the fact that my poor Felguard was renamed to something undignified like Fhaartun.
But, uh, yeah; new models would be nice. As long as we keep the old names.
gboyd Nov 23rd 2010 9:58AM
@Rob - isn't that a bit like telling the Druids to stop dreaming, rogues to stay in sight, Shaman to stop leaving their little stumps of wood on the ground, and Pally's to stop dressing in pastels and bubbling all the time? It's just a part of our nature.
McRaider Nov 23rd 2010 10:21AM
"As long as we keep the old names."
When I noticed that my lil' Karnik had gotten his name changed to something like Lazjub... well yeah, the same as everyone else... Keep the old names because all my friends also know what I mean when I say "WTF is Karnik doing up there spanking that boss?"
Allan Nov 23rd 2010 9:12AM
i changed my hearth back to trade district as it was when i was level 10, and all my characters are now sitting in um, the park lol
Zune Nov 23rd 2010 9:13AM
I am so happy I finished Loremaster of Kalimdor last night!
Dan Nov 23rd 2010 10:43AM
You and me both. I was lucky to get it finished with 2 hours to spare, after spending 3 or 4 hours grinding back my Ratchet rep, lol.
Fraeda Nov 23rd 2010 10:43AM
Gratz, in under the wire. I had a guildy get that ZG Tiger last night at about 11pm
Teej Nov 23rd 2010 9:13AM
So will we be able to start grinding out reputation in Wrath heroics for the goblins/worgen? Chances are I'm going to spend my time rolling a new troll druid but my main is so close to 100 mounts and getting some from the goblins sure would be great.
frugality Nov 23rd 2010 9:46AM
This.
I'd love to know if the city quartermasters include the worgen/goblin ones and you can get rep with them already.
Blazenwing Nov 23rd 2010 10:28AM
Both the Goblin and Worgen quartermasters are active and rep can be gained with both. The Goblin quartermaster can be found in Orgrimmar (along with the Orc and Troll) and the Gilnean quartermaster can be found next to the Night Elven quartermaster in Darnassus.
Gossamer Nov 23rd 2010 9:16AM
Nice, the new login screen is up.