So despite the continued lack of a patch 4.3 PTR, the patch 4.3 news came in with a vengeance this week. Not only did threat become trivial, but we're going to see active mitigation for tanks and extra bank storage for your stray item sets and fashion pieces. We found out that cross-realm raiding is in the works. We also learned that Deathwing will be the final boss of patch 4.3. But all that pales in comparison to the #1 news: We're getting cosmetic armor slots.

Sure, there are restrictions (some of them more arbitrary than others), but we're finally getting them. I figure it's all about baby steps. Sure, my death knight can't wear an eyepatch for now. My rogue won't be able to wear a Corsair's Overshirt and be a swashbuckler. And I'll have to defer my dreams of my warrior becoming a leather-clad berserker. But sooner or later, maybe Blizzard will realize that it's not a bad thing to offer your players even more choices and that in a game with a distinguished history of poop quests and featuring such NPCs as Mylune, Goblin Hitler, and Linken, maybe a rogue dual wielding fish isn't really all that immersion-breaking after all.

All that said, it looks like we're no closer to the patch 4.3 PTR this week, as all we get is a quick set of rolling restarts for downtime, starting at 5 a.m. PDT. While you're waiting for your server to come back up, you'll definitely want to catch up on all the patch 4.3 buzz here. Our usual roundup awaits you after the break.

Hot news and features

• Mat discusses the ramifications of transmogrification on the silhouette philosophy.
• Rossi discusses what the new threat levels mean for the tanking game.
• Check out the latest patch 4.2 hotfixes for Aug. 16.
• Real ID cross-realm grouping is now out of beta -- and free!
• Blizzard's announced the 2011 Global Writing Contest.
• WoW Archivist takes a look at patch 1.9, The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj.
• Headed to BlizzCon? Better get your plane tickets soon.
• WoW has managed to fight off hacker attacks.

Class news and guides

• Scattered Shots looks at hunter reforging priorities.
• The Care and Feeding of Warriors speculates on new tank designs in patch 4.3.
• Totem Talk talks crit, haste, and mastery for the restoration shaman. We also have a look at elemental UI elements.
• Spiritual Guidance has a shadow priest's guide to Baleroc.
• The Light And How to Swing It has a guide to tanking Alysrazor and healing Ragnaros.
• Encrypted Text offers more Firelands tips for rogues.
• Shifting Perspectives helps you gear your restoration druid in patch 4.2 and compares tier 11 and tier 12 for moonkin.
• Lichborne offers some advice for the new level 85 death knight.
• Raid Rx has a guide to healing Majordomo Staghelm.
• Arcane Brilliance helps you grab those old mage sets.

Dungeons, items, professions, PVP, and more

• WoW Rookie is working on a cure for the summertime blues.
• Ready Check has a guide to Ragnaros.
• Blood Sport has more to say about having fun in the arena.
• The OverAchiever looks at mounts you can't get anymore.
• Addon Spotlight totally has the best addons ever, y'all.
• Gold Capped has tips for avoiding neutral auction house sniping and making money off leatherworking.

Odds and ends

• Know Your Lore continues the story of Anduin Lothar and offers a biopic on Tyrande Whisperwind.
• About the Bloggers continues with a conversation with Daniel Whitcomb.
• World of WarCrafts features the musical talents of Katethegreat19.
• The Lawbringer discusses WoW's gold farming vaccinations.
• The Guild's Season 5, Episode 4 is up!

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Tags: downtime, maintenance, realm-downtime, realm-maintenance, rolling-restarts, roundup, scheduled-downtime, scheduled-maintenance, server-downtime, server-maintenance, server-status, tuesday, tuesday-morning, tuesday-morning-post

Filed under: Realm Status, News items