WRUP: Pandaren vs. Ethereals
by Fox Van Allen 
Aug 13th 2011 at 5:00PM
On Thursday, Blizzard uploaded a curious new picture to its Facebook page. It's called "Glimpses," and it shows three ethereals in a building that looks identical to Cordell's Enchanting in Stormwind. But a glimpse of what? Patch 4.3? The next expansion?
The picture set off a flurry of speculation. One intrepid soul decided to treat the names as anagrams, converting Vaultkeeper Razhid to "hide a true leak," with "remaining letters ZPRV." I tried playing around with the letters myself, and all I can seem to make out of it is "Bill is The Mole." What do you think that means?
Of course, a lot of people out there are wondering whether or not ethereals will play a major part in the next expansion. So, in addition to the "What aRe yoU Playing" question, this week, we asked our columnists a very simple followup question:
| Pandaren | |
|---|---|
| Ethereal |
Adam Holisky (@adamholisky) (gplus.to/adamholisky) Ethereals all the way. I've almost bought the Ethereal TCG pet a dozen times, and I'd love to play one, if they ever make it a race. This weekend I'll be messing around in Rift for a while, as well as reviewing some material for my flight training.
Anne Stickney (@shadesogrey) I have relatives coming in this weekend, so most of my time will be spent entertaining, cooking and the like. Also I'm going to work on designing a bookshelf for my room, as I'm tired of the majority of my books being in the attic. As for Pandaren vs. Ethereal -- I don't really care one way or another. What I'm really hoping is Mister Void Storage is additional banking. Like, a lot of additional banking. Oh man, please please please, I need more bank space, pleeeeeze.
Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb) (gplus.to/danielwhitcomb) Incredibly busy IRL this weekend, but I do want to try to get the Sethria's Roost rare spawns killed. Once I have those, I will have my Flamebreaker title and thus be done with Molten Front forever. If given the chance, I will play Ethereals all the way. I'll even race change my death knight. The only race I'd want to play more would be Alliance high elves. That said, I doubt Ethereals will be playable. That screenshot is probably some patch 4.3 features being introduced via Consortium merchants, who will offer it to both factions. To which I say, about time. Ethereals were too cool to stay in the BC era (Wrath cameo aside).
Elizabeth Wachowski (@leeatwaterlives) I just picked up Shadows of the Damned, so I'll have to give that a try. Otherwise, leveling my druid. I really need her to get into Cata content because she now does all my mining and herbalism, so my 85s are dependent on her for their professions.
Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen) (gplus.to/foxvanallen) A certain snot-nosed boomkin invited me to his friend's "birthday bowling party," which suggests his friend may be turning 12 today. I dunno. Aside from bowling, I'll also be spending a chunk of this weekend playing my new Nintendo 3DS. (I drove out to Framingham on Tuesday to get it -- Walmart did an early price drop.) Zelda: Ocarina of Time looks absolutely gorgeous on the 3DS. They did an amazing job on the remake.
If I had to pick between pandaren and ethereals, it'd be hard. Still, I think a lot about WoW story lines have gotten stale, and I'd much rather the next expansion center around Magical Panda Zone rather than Netherstorm.
Joe Perez (@Lodurzj) More alt leveling in WoW, getting ready for LoL: Dominion, which looks like it's going to be a ton of fun, learning how to jungle with Skarner, and eagerly awaiting Deus Ex: Human Revolution! Also gearing up for another awesome week of podcasting with Raid Warning and For The Lore.
As far as Pandaren vs. Ethereal, I don't care what faction they wind up as, but Pandaren make me incredibly happy. It's possibly the only race I would ever consider making Lodur besides dwarven.
Josh Myers (@elamqt) We're moving into a new apartment this weekend, so my internet is out, which means no games for me. (If I was gaming, I'd be leveling my warrior in Rift though.)
As for ethereals vs. panderans, definitely more of a fan of ethereals. I'm also thinking the new void storage NPC will be a bank for your BOA items, so as to have easy access to them across characters.
Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra) Art, packing, and starting my new job! I'm so close to the Flamebreaker title I can taste it! I just need two specific elemental lieutenants to spawn ... Also, to quote my guild leader: "Kung Fu pandas or space mummies?" I'm finding the ethereals to be a little ... ah ... pulled out of nowhere, if you know what I mean.
Mat McCurley (@gomatgo) (gplus.to/gomatgo) League of Legends mad push to 30 to start ranked games. Ethereals as playable is weird. Pandas make more sense to me.
Matt Low (@matticus) I am starting to enter the world of competitive world of League of Legends. Really excited for the new Dominion game mode. The new Deus Ex is coming out soon and I can't wait for that game, either!
Bonus: Ethereals seal the real deal! *squeal*
Robin Torres (@cosmiclaurel) (gplus.to/cosmiclaurel) I will be entertaining The Spawn as usual with games of Uno, Spite and Malice and Super Hero Squad when indoors. After bedtime, it's Firelands Dailies with The Spousal Unit, and then I'll probably be fiddling around in the beta I got into. If these end up being our new race choices (which I don't think they will be at all), then the picture shows that Ethereal are Alliance -- so I'd have to go Pandaren. For the Horde! Seriously though, I think the void storage will be for cross-server transfers and the Transmogrification will be for pet changes or in-game plastic surgery. The "mogrification" part implies a creature, not gear. Regardless of what they turn out to be, added features = yay!
Tyler Caraway (@murmursofadruid) Playing with my Fox Van Allen action figures!
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
Filed under: WoW Insider Business
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Philster043 Aug 13th 2011 5:03PM
It's not even a contest... Ethereals anytime. They have always been a very attractive race in terms of wanting to play as them.
I don't think we'll see either one be playable, though. They will both remain very cool neutral factions, but I do hope to see more of the Ethereals in a future expansion - I'm glad Blizzard hasn't forgotten them.
Noyou Aug 13th 2011 11:36PM
Well it's a small sample size but it looks like 62% of the playerbase will be disappointed with Pandaren.
WaterRouge Aug 13th 2011 5:03PM
Oh my gosh. I LOVED The Mole.
zubbiefish Aug 15th 2011 10:07AM
Same here. It's too bad they didn't make more.
Zakarii Aug 13th 2011 5:05PM
Why do you give me such difficult decisions...
Starlin Aug 13th 2011 5:06PM
Ethereals may just be a red herring to distract from the Mists of Pandaria trademark getting so much attention.
leper1983 Aug 13th 2011 5:10PM
Neither because we're getting a new Hero Class :)
Task Aug 13th 2011 7:45PM
Show this evidence of such a claim otherwise be better at humour.
Noyou Aug 13th 2011 11:40PM
Yeah because they had so much fun with balancing the DK. I think we have as much chance at getting another "hero class" as I have landing a job with blizz for this next expansion.
leper1983 Aug 14th 2011 3:15AM
Why would they give us new races back to back?? Other option would be a new Hero class like i don't know a Monk ;)
epiclulz Aug 14th 2011 5:52AM
I think we are gonna get a hero class too. I just dont think they will release new races back to back like leper said.
Noyou Aug 14th 2011 10:48AM
We could get a new race and a new class. Who knows. It's there game. It's been race/class/race so far and that's all we have to go by. Given the fact that there are 10 classes and classes are infinitely harder to implement than races, I could see them skipping the class thing. So we could easily have no new race or class. Maybe a dance studio. Exodar disco!
Ice Aug 14th 2011 12:24PM
"Yeah because they had so much fun with balancing the DK."
Thing is, they wanted to make DK super-versatile class where EVERY TREE "can be tank AND dps".
That was mostly the annoying part of that balance to them... "Unholy should be able to tank but they are too powerful defensive on pvp cos of this but we cant really.."
If they would make new class they would learn from mistakes. Lets say its melee/healer hybrid.. they wouldnt make each tree "healer melee!1" etc.
Like example:
Healer tree, Caster tree, Dualwield tree.
And NOT like this:
Healer melee, healer caster, healer dualwield.
We have too many races already anyway.
Tho IF ethreals will be race..screw hero class, I want to be freaking ethreal RIGHT NOW. Been waiting for it since BC, best animations and style ever.
blazenor Aug 13th 2011 5:14PM
Ethereals 100%, only wish they can be playable races.
Udderpowered Aug 13th 2011 5:17PM
I'll cry if Alliance got ethereals and we were stuck with those bloody pandas. Cry for my wallet as I faction switch to the dark side.
Can't really see them gong for new races two expansions in a row though, diminishing returns and all that stuff.
cloudhopper013 Aug 13th 2011 9:48PM
And many hordies said the same thing about worgen and goblins, that we'd be getting ripped off if we got gobbos.
Look how wrong they turned out to be. :]
Ice Aug 14th 2011 3:59PM
You cant really compare worgen vs gob if ehtereals and pandas were next one..
I mean ethereals are like VOID SPACE NINJAS who leave trail of 3 images of yourself when running and fly in the air when casting.
Vs ""cute fluffy" drunken pandas"
Is there competition? Really? Reaaaally? Not to me.
Besides theres no way pandaren will be race if the name is "mists of pandaria" because why would they name whole expansion after one race that other faction cant play?
Thats like naming BC "wrath of the blood elves" and WOTLK "Humans of ebon hold" then cataclysm "Curse of gilnean worgen"?
Thomas Higgins Aug 13th 2011 5:26PM
I am not voting on this poll, enticing though that may be. I prefer a third option.
Ogres. Alliance ones. That is all.
razion Aug 13th 2011 5:32PM
With a picture of strictly Ethereals at the top, I'm inclined to say the polls may have been slightly influenced. Poor Pandaren never stood a chance. :(
Deathknighty Aug 13th 2011 5:45PM
I want both.