Patch 4.1 PTR: Caster legendary news and speculation
by Anne Stickney 
Feb 24th 2011 at 8:00AM
The story so far: At BlizzCon 2010, an enterprising questioner at the Quests and Lore panel asked if we'd ever see a caster legendary weapon that wasn't a mace. The response from Chris Metzen was that we would see a caster staff. We didn't really hear any more about the subject until today's patch notes for 4.1, which included this tantalizing tidbit:
Caverns of Time - Caster Legendary - Camera Bunny 00
For those wondering, a "camera bunny" is an object that triggers a cutscene in game or controls some camera rigging -- we've seen them before, particularly in Uldum. What this implies is that somewhere -- possibly in patch 4.1, possibly later -- we'll see the introduction of the caster legendary. Since the bunny is located in the Caverns of Time, it's a somewhat safe assumption to make that we'll see it somehow incorporated in the Caverns of Time: War of the Ancients raid.
Currently, there's no information on when that raid will be released, which means this may just be preliminary information added to prepare for a future patch -- much like the pre-Shattering events were seen on the 3.3.5 PTR, well before the Shattering actually occurred. Regardless, the last time we saw a proper legendary caster staff was Atiesh, the staff wielded by Medivh and only available for a very short time to raiders that managed to collect the pieces from Naxxramas 40 before the instance was removed completely with the launch of Wrath of the Lich King.
While it's unlikely we'll see a return of Medivh's staff, the location of the camera suggests that perhaps the staff we're going to see in game originates in the days when Azshara reigned and Azeroth was still one complete continent. If this is the case, then what we're going to get is something we've never seen in-game before. Is it a staff belonging to Azshara? Cenarius? We don't know, and we won't know until we see more information. What do you think the staff will end up being, and more importantly -- whose dead hands are we going to have to pry it from in order to obtain it?
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Wayne Feb 24th 2011 8:09AM
Two thoughts on what it could be.
1) Some weapon that Azshara used/blessed/looked at/ etc
2) When Illidans took up the Warglaives of Azzinoth, what was he using prior to? Perhaps his discarded weapon becomes our next Legendary
In either case, or even if I'm wrong, will be nice to have a dedicated caster dps legendary in game
Geiss Feb 24th 2011 8:14AM
My warlock is crying green firey tears of joy over this announcement.
Kole Feb 24th 2011 11:34AM
Silly lock...you don't know what the word joy means. No go off and /cutwrist because, surely, it will be a Mage weapon (and because they heal us we will share with Priests and Druids too.)
Xayíde Feb 24th 2011 12:33PM
Oh nonono! It HAS TO BE a dps weapon. Healers got their turn at Val'anyr.
restodr00d Feb 24th 2011 1:08PM
WTB hit on that staff =(
Fade2gray Feb 24th 2011 1:54PM
While all you clothies (and Druids) bicker over who gets the staff it'll be us Shaman laughing all the way home with our new prize!
DaShiVa01 Feb 24th 2011 5:19PM
Um... I'm a Mage, and even I know it'll be a hunter weapon.
guybeaumont Feb 25th 2011 9:18AM
Legendary shaman staff!!!
donald-tR0ll3 Feb 25th 2011 3:17PM
With my luck, the staff will probably have agility on it... =(
Knob Feb 24th 2011 8:15AM
This CoT reference combined with "Anachronos Vision" as a phase pretty much confirms a War of the Ancient raid imo. Why? When we were allowed into Hyjal, it was not a major lore figure that let us into the place (or "attuned" us to the place, if you prefer). Now we have a vision from Anachronos, the successor of Nozdormu. Anything that involves a future Aspect has got to be huge, and what can be more huge than someone trying to interfere with the events of the War of the Ancients? I mean, letting Sargeras enter Azeroth? Pretty much wipes out the entire history of the planet.
I wonder if Archimonde will be the enemy we again fight there. Considering he's a very powerful caster and this legendary is a caster one, could it be that mortal casters will end up wielding a weapon once wielded by Archimonde himself? I really hope there's a cool quest associated with it and it's not just a single drop, it's done kinda deal. I don't even play a caster class and I'm excited about the possibilities here.
Mike Feb 24th 2011 8:48AM
Or perhaps a Caverns of Time raid for War of the Ancients was confirmed by Blizzard itself. That too. I will agree that seeing Archimonde again before his Third War death would be pretty cool.
Debesun Feb 24th 2011 8:16AM
I was under the impression from Blizzcon that the legendary was going to be a caster dagger (or jokingly, a staff with a dagger on top). My memory could be wrong though.
And this post from GC.
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/19982/caster-dps-legendary-weapon-cata
razion Feb 24th 2011 8:30AM
I just don't think Blizzard would go around to making a legendary dagger that wasn't rogue-based. Legendaries are very iconic, and as such they will have a tendency (I believe) to be iconic to the classes they'll be used by. You don't normally see non-Warlock casters with daggers, so it is my speculation that they'll be leaning to another caster-staff (although I doubt they would recycle Medivh's as a second legendary).
Sterb Feb 24th 2011 9:23AM
"You don't normally see non-Warlock casters with daggers"
Except moonkins.
And mages.
And elemental shaman.
And priests.
Hint: Only Holy Pallies don't use daggers.
gboyd Feb 24th 2011 9:35AM
At Blizzcon a player asked Metzen I believe, if they would be putting in a caster legendary. Metzen asked the player what sort of legendary he would like to see them put in. The player replied with a staff. Metzen said ok to that and they would work it into a future content patch after Cataclysm's release.
So it's been known for some time now that it's definitely not a dagger, but a staff.
lownwolf Feb 24th 2011 10:36AM
i was there at the Q&A and the way it was handled was really funny..
it was something like:
Person: Are casters ever going to get a legendary?
Metzen: Yeah.....yeah..i think so, i think that's something we can work on in the future. What do you want?
(Crowd cheering and yelling out)
Person: Uhh... ah staff?
Metzen: yeah. ok. done
the pure nonchalance of how metzen responded cannot be conveyed in text and it was purely incredible. It was like he randomly decided it would be so, and so it will be.
Tcyph Feb 24th 2011 8:46AM
Whoever it is, we're gonna have to smash the granite outta them
MikeLive Feb 24th 2011 8:29AM
I think it's premature to say that the new weapon won't be involved in 4.1 due to mentions of Caverns of Time. I think it's very likely that the War of the Ancients storyline will begin in 4.1 (though the instance won't be until 4.2), considering the Firelands story began in 4.0 only to be continued in 4.1. I see many people comparing Cataclysm patches to previous expansions, but considering 4.0 was on a completely different scale from 3.0 etc, I think the sky's the limit when it comes to theorizing here.
lownwolf Feb 24th 2011 10:42AM
remember that Vala'nyr (or however you spell it) came in ulduar, which was the second raid in Wrath.
Also remember Blizzard has previously stated that they are keeping individual raids shorter in length than Wrath.
So consider that we'll be getting more than 1 raid in 4.1 and that they will probably be different storylines?
Looking at the datamined info, there is some event information about hyjal invasion, which would seem to be the setup for the firelands, which makes sense. So Firelands has a pretty big storyline going through the entire area, which makes me think that a Caverns of Time raid would be perfect. Less time can be spent on developing a story outside of the instance, because all of CoT are perfectly self packaged stories.
TLDR: Personally, i think 4.1 will bring us the War of the Ancients raid and the Firelands raid.
quasarsglow Feb 24th 2011 8:32AM
Hmm.. a caster.. during the war of the ancients.. Please can it not have belonged to Rhonin? I don't want a time wizzard weapon.
I wouldn't mind getting a scepter of Azshara to go with her nightgown tho. Super fancy!