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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsWRUP: 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 3 of 4)
Kook Aug 14th 2011 7:02AM
@Al
Though if you play through the goblin starter zone to level 5 or 6, you get to see a not very nice side to the humans.
here's the cut scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHPzgFl5Pgk
Cromlech Aug 14th 2011 11:08AM
"(The Horde) desperately need a faction with an actual moral compass..."
I'd say Tauren and Draenei are the only two races (from the PC selection anyway) in the game who are generally unambiguously "good."
That's one a piece for each faction. The other races are all varying shades of gray.
Xantenise Aug 13th 2011 7:46PM
Neither. NAGA ALL THE WAY.
DeathPaladin Aug 13th 2011 8:02PM
"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?"
Viral hutzpa reeked.
Vum, hag unearth teaser.
Amahs wrap, however.
Jeff (Not that one ^ ) Aug 13th 2011 8:38PM
$600 for a trademark registration and an hour's work for a fake screenshot is pretty cheap for a massive head fake to keep the rumors off-track
Noyou Aug 14th 2011 10:52AM
It's a real screen shot. The content of the screen shot could be in question. Of course since they put it on their own FB page and then lead you with a blue post I am inclined to believe you know it might be sort of on the level than not.
Stabaa Aug 13th 2011 8:49PM
Really cant see how Blizz could implement the ethereals as a playable race, they are cool for sure but they have no faces and you need to think of how they are going to look in plater armor etc.
MusedMoose Aug 13th 2011 8:58PM
Let's see. Customization options could include bandage color, glow color, and perhaps other decorations. But you're right, it would be hard to make them distinct considering the kinds of things WoW characters wear. One thing that might work would be to have the things they wear seem to be floating slightly apart from other things, so you can always see the glow underneath.
dkhar Aug 13th 2011 9:32PM
If they put in etheral's they would make their armor fit them like the forsaken I imagine. And I thought of the same as you did, no face or anything so that hair customization is kinda out the window. Would have to be color for bandages, different type's of bandage wrapping and/or design's. As much as I would love to see them as playable, I see it more likely we would get naga's than them(and I would love to play as an etheral).
MusedMoose Aug 13th 2011 9:49PM
@ dkhar:
Here's my hope for the future races: in the next expansion, we get to go to a new land, and there we meet new races previously unknown in the lore. By the time the expansion ends, each side has one of those new races as an ally, so when it's announced that those races get to officially join and become player characters, there's plenty of backstory and reason behind it.
I'm pretty much in favor of anything that makes for a good story with less QQing. ^_^ Also hoping for a new hero class in the next expansion, but that's not part of this discussion.
Darky Aug 13th 2011 9:49PM
I've loved Pandaren's since the warcraft 3 brewmaster so yeah :).
warcracknerd Aug 13th 2011 9:55PM
The poll needs an option for neither.
Gaurisk Aug 13th 2011 10:17PM
I choose Option C: roll back the talent tree changes and let me play the characters I had. Do that, and Blizzard can keep the new shit.
underground_slacker Aug 13th 2011 10:29PM
as a race? pandaren. the game just got one money gurbbing cartel race, it doesnt immediately need another. a far east warrior monk inspired race, even if you dislike the fact that these bear men are of the panda variety, would be a bigger change of pace and bring something new as a playable race that i think goblins sort of beat ethereals to the punch on.
Shrikesnest Aug 13th 2011 10:52PM
Does this hint that the incredibly amateurish Vengeance of the Void leak was actually real!? O.O I'm disinclined to believe it...
Noyou Aug 13th 2011 11:38PM
You are either a bad troll or incredibly dense. The "Leak" was on their FB page with a blue post leading up to it. Look around your laundry room for some ammonia and take a little whiff. Maybe that will wake you up.
Orrine Aug 14th 2011 1:05AM
As much as I like sute Pandarens, Ethereals are too cool. Just kile you Fox :P
bdew Aug 14th 2011 2:59AM
By the time they release Ethereals and/or Pandaren i'll probably be already playing a twi'lek jedi :P
Nathanyel Aug 14th 2011 4:36AM
Not that I think they'd do the "neutral race" thing where you can play a race on both sides, but if, how about Protectorate for the Horde, and zealous Ethereum for the Alliance? :P
Matthewgird Aug 14th 2011 5:33AM
Has anyone considered that maybe the horde gets Ethereals and Alliance gets Pandaren?