Patch 4.3 preview: The all-new Darkmoon Faire

This is a huge content update to the Darkmoon Faire. From the preview, this appears to be the Molten Front of the Darkmoon Faire, a huge, fun questing and game experience that involves fun toys, games, and more. Games include Whack-a-Gnoll, Tonk Battle Royale, the ominious-sounding Cannon, a ring toss game, a shooting gallery, and more to be announced. A new Gurubashi Arena-style free-for-all PVP arena called the Darkmoon Deathmatch will be introduced, as well.
One of the most interesting parts of the new Darkmoon Faire is that you will be able to gain experience, prize tickets, and skill points for your professions -- up to five skills points per profession per Faire week. If you've been struggling with those last few points in a profession or want to level up alts' professions without spending too much on the Auction House, the first week of each month at the Faire opens up some new options.
Finally, a new item called the Darkmoon Field Guide will allow players to collect Darkmoon Artifacts from everything from PVE to PVP content. The book also acts as a Darkmoon hearthstone, bringing you to the Faire when it's in town. Collecting artifacts seems that it will be the new way to grind out reputation with the Darkmoon Faire.
Once a month, this new Darkmoon Faire will make its appearance. Carnival barkers will open up portals to Darkmoon Island, and the Darkmoon outposts in Mulgore and Elwynn Forest will offer free rides to the new faire grounds. This update is huge, and patch 4.3 just got even bigger. Pretty exciting stuff is on the horizon.
The all-new Darkmoon Faire, coming in patch 4.3
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up and prepare to be amazed!
It's incredible! It's unbelievable! You'll be dazzled. You'll be amazed! You aren't prepared for the Darkmoon Faire, 'cause it's like nothing you've seen before! Don't be shy now, don't be bashful, step right up for a tantalizing glimpse of what we've got in store for you when patch 4.3 arrives!
That old thing?
No, no, no, Clem. The Darkmoon Faire isn't what it used to be and it isn't where it used to be. The management hasn't changed but the Faire certainly has. It's a whole new animal. Tickets? You don't need those old tickets, just rip 'em right up, 'cause we've got new tickets! Out with the old, in with the new -- new quests, that is! Things have changed 'round here: we've got an island all to ourselves now, and what an island it is. Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It's a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn't believe the deals we made to get it... or who we made 'em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I'll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.
All new! All spectacular!
Catch a show at the marvelous main stage or witness a dazzling fireworks display. But don't stare too long or you might miss the stunning spectacles that surround you. Gaze in awe of our magical menagerie, get your fortune told by the amazing Sayge, go on a pony ride, experience the healthful effects of carnival food, and more!
Of course, there's more to the Darkmoon Faire than just fantastic shows and culinary delights. You can still turn in your Darkmoon Cards, but you wouldn't just come here for measly ol' cards when there's so much more to see, experience, and win. Yes, win! You like dancing bears, right? Everybody likes dancing bears. Even bears like dancing bears. How about a dancing bear... you can ride!
That's not all! We have adorable companion pets includin' a fez-wearing monkey, a plethora of profession recipes, toys, balloons, souvenirs, delectable carnival snacks and beverages, heirlooms for the little ones, and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we're offering for your Transmogrification needs. You can also make your mark with new achievements and titles. All it takes to earn these fabulous rewards is a few Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets and a good reputation with the carnies. How do ya get your grubby mitts on some tickets? I'm glad you asked!
Step right up! Try your luck! Everyone's a winner!
Have we got games? You bet we've got games, and they're so easy to play an orc could do it. Just head on over to the midway, buy some Darkmoon Game Tokens, and get ready to play. Easy to learn, difficult to master, anyone can play and everyone can win. Just lay your tokens down for a chance at winning Darkmoon Prize Tickets playing games like Whack-a-Gnoll, the Tonk Battle Royale, the Cannon, Ring Toss, the Shooting Gallery, and more! Five games are there to test your skills at any one time. The better you play, the easier it is to win a bucket of Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets! Once a month, you've got a shot at tickets, and the fun never stops 'cause you can play as many times as you like. But that's not the only way to win big!
The Darkmoon Faire Field Guide
It's your passport to riches, my friend. Y'see, we need a few things -- just some junk, nothing valuable to a big hero like you. We call 'em Darkmoon Artifacts, and there's all different kinds to be found all over Azeroth. The Darkmoon Field Guide helps you discover artifacts while you're explorin' dungeons, slayin' monsters, and fightin' in Battlegrounds. Without a guide, you'd never notice 'em, and it'll help keep you focused on the stuff we want. Whether you just reached level 10, or you've crushed the biggest baddies in the land, we need somethin' from nearly everybody. You won't have to go too far out of your way to get 'em and each month you'll get a new opportunity to seek out an Artifact for us. What do you get out of the deal? Don't you worry, you'll get your cut. When you bring a Darkmoon Artifact back to us, you'll get valuable experience (it builds character, you know!), earn a better reputation, and possibly earn precious Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets too!
Oh, did I mention that you can use the Field Guide to get to Darkmoon Island whenever the Darkmoon Faire's monthly extravaganza is up and running?
So, you want to work in show business?
Maybe you'd like a little peek behind the scenes, eh? Want to see what it takes to run the greatest show on Azeroth? Well, it's not all sunshine and cotton candy, my friend. There are beasts to heal, food to cook, and buildings to fix. If you're willing help keep the show going and put your skills to work, you'll not only impress us, but you can get experience, Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and even polish up your skills -- up to five skill points per profession, per Faire week, if you're good at what you do!
Darkmoon Deathmatch!
Like any good carnival, the Darkmoon Faire has a shady side. You can leave the skilled labor to the suckers and go for a faster score instead. If you've got the minerals, the Darkmoon Deathmatch offers an experience unparalleled since the Gurubashi Arena. Pitmaster Pei has a big old treasure chest just brimming with goodies and Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets that he'll drag out into the Darkmoon Deathmatch Pit every three hours or so. Everybody wants it, so if you want a piece of the action you'll just have to jump in and prove that you're the toughest one in the Pit.
Oh, the Faire is perfectly safe, Clem. Just don't wander into the woods.
Now, now, don't panic. Darkmoon Isle might be a bit spooky, but except for the Deathmatch Pit, the Faire itself is completely safe, I guarantee it. It's a sanctuary even, and we won't let anybody's beef ruin the fun. The shadowy woods surroundin' the fair are another thing entirely, though. I wouldn't say that people have disappeared into those woods never to return, but, well... people disappear into those woods never to return. So watch your step , and your back, when you leave the Faire. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
Mark your calendar
Now that you know how amazing the new Darkmoon Faire is, you won't want to miss it. Just take a look at your in-game calendar, and the Darkmoon Faire dates will show up there on the first week of every month. Darkmoon Faire barkers and displays will also pop up in every capital city to herald the arrival of the Faire. Silas Darkmoon himself has even started up a mailer to make sure that no one misses out!
Hitch a ride
During the first week of each month, convenient Darkmoon Faire outposts with Darkmoon Portals will appear in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore, offering free rides to Darkmoon Island and the Faire!
Darkmoon Mages in capital cities and on Darkmoon Island will also be around to help you get between the Faire and various capital cities. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so naturally you're obliged to compensate them for their services.
The all new Darkmoon Faire is coming to Darkmoon Island in patch 4.3. Don't miss it!
It's incredible! It's unbelievable! You'll be dazzled. You'll be amazed! You aren't prepared for the Darkmoon Faire, 'cause it's like nothing you've seen before! Don't be shy now, don't be bashful, step right up for a tantalizing glimpse of what we've got in store for you when patch 4.3 arrives!
That old thing?
No, no, no, Clem. The Darkmoon Faire isn't what it used to be and it isn't where it used to be. The management hasn't changed but the Faire certainly has. It's a whole new animal. Tickets? You don't need those old tickets, just rip 'em right up, 'cause we've got new tickets! Out with the old, in with the new -- new quests, that is! Things have changed 'round here: we've got an island all to ourselves now, and what an island it is. Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It's a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn't believe the deals we made to get it... or who we made 'em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I'll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.
All new! All spectacular!
Catch a show at the marvelous main stage or witness a dazzling fireworks display. But don't stare too long or you might miss the stunning spectacles that surround you. Gaze in awe of our magical menagerie, get your fortune told by the amazing Sayge, go on a pony ride, experience the healthful effects of carnival food, and more!
Of course, there's more to the Darkmoon Faire than just fantastic shows and culinary delights. You can still turn in your Darkmoon Cards, but you wouldn't just come here for measly ol' cards when there's so much more to see, experience, and win. Yes, win! You like dancing bears, right? Everybody likes dancing bears. Even bears like dancing bears. How about a dancing bear... you can ride!
That's not all! We have adorable companion pets includin' a fez-wearing monkey, a plethora of profession recipes, toys, balloons, souvenirs, delectable carnival snacks and beverages, heirlooms for the little ones, and even replicas of long-lost suits of armor that we're offering for your Transmogrification needs. You can also make your mark with new achievements and titles. All it takes to earn these fabulous rewards is a few Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets and a good reputation with the carnies. How do ya get your grubby mitts on some tickets? I'm glad you asked!
Step right up! Try your luck! Everyone's a winner!
Have we got games? You bet we've got games, and they're so easy to play an orc could do it. Just head on over to the midway, buy some Darkmoon Game Tokens, and get ready to play. Easy to learn, difficult to master, anyone can play and everyone can win. Just lay your tokens down for a chance at winning Darkmoon Prize Tickets playing games like Whack-a-Gnoll, the Tonk Battle Royale, the Cannon, Ring Toss, the Shooting Gallery, and more! Five games are there to test your skills at any one time. The better you play, the easier it is to win a bucket of Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets! Once a month, you've got a shot at tickets, and the fun never stops 'cause you can play as many times as you like. But that's not the only way to win big!
The Darkmoon Faire Field Guide
It's your passport to riches, my friend. Y'see, we need a few things -- just some junk, nothing valuable to a big hero like you. We call 'em Darkmoon Artifacts, and there's all different kinds to be found all over Azeroth. The Darkmoon Field Guide helps you discover artifacts while you're explorin' dungeons, slayin' monsters, and fightin' in Battlegrounds. Without a guide, you'd never notice 'em, and it'll help keep you focused on the stuff we want. Whether you just reached level 10, or you've crushed the biggest baddies in the land, we need somethin' from nearly everybody. You won't have to go too far out of your way to get 'em and each month you'll get a new opportunity to seek out an Artifact for us. What do you get out of the deal? Don't you worry, you'll get your cut. When you bring a Darkmoon Artifact back to us, you'll get valuable experience (it builds character, you know!), earn a better reputation, and possibly earn precious Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets too!
Oh, did I mention that you can use the Field Guide to get to Darkmoon Island whenever the Darkmoon Faire's monthly extravaganza is up and running?
So, you want to work in show business?
Maybe you'd like a little peek behind the scenes, eh? Want to see what it takes to run the greatest show on Azeroth? Well, it's not all sunshine and cotton candy, my friend. There are beasts to heal, food to cook, and buildings to fix. If you're willing help keep the show going and put your skills to work, you'll not only impress us, but you can get experience, Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and even polish up your skills -- up to five skill points per profession, per Faire week, if you're good at what you do!
Darkmoon Deathmatch!
Like any good carnival, the Darkmoon Faire has a shady side. You can leave the skilled labor to the suckers and go for a faster score instead. If you've got the minerals, the Darkmoon Deathmatch offers an experience unparalleled since the Gurubashi Arena. Pitmaster Pei has a big old treasure chest just brimming with goodies and Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets that he'll drag out into the Darkmoon Deathmatch Pit every three hours or so. Everybody wants it, so if you want a piece of the action you'll just have to jump in and prove that you're the toughest one in the Pit.
Oh, the Faire is perfectly safe, Clem. Just don't wander into the woods.
Now, now, don't panic. Darkmoon Isle might be a bit spooky, but except for the Deathmatch Pit, the Faire itself is completely safe, I guarantee it. It's a sanctuary even, and we won't let anybody's beef ruin the fun. The shadowy woods surroundin' the fair are another thing entirely, though. I wouldn't say that people have disappeared into those woods never to return, but, well... people disappear into those woods never to return. So watch your step , and your back, when you leave the Faire. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
Mark your calendar
Now that you know how amazing the new Darkmoon Faire is, you won't want to miss it. Just take a look at your in-game calendar, and the Darkmoon Faire dates will show up there on the first week of every month. Darkmoon Faire barkers and displays will also pop up in every capital city to herald the arrival of the Faire. Silas Darkmoon himself has even started up a mailer to make sure that no one misses out!
Hitch a ride
During the first week of each month, convenient Darkmoon Faire outposts with Darkmoon Portals will appear in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore, offering free rides to Darkmoon Island and the Faire!
Darkmoon Mages in capital cities and on Darkmoon Island will also be around to help you get between the Faire and various capital cities. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so naturally you're obliged to compensate them for their services.
The all new Darkmoon Faire is coming to Darkmoon Island in patch 4.3. Don't miss it!
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
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The latest patch 5.3 news
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 11)
BrentJackson Aug 25th 2011 1:07PM
Transmogrifying and void storage is neat.
Deathwing raid is cool.
But this... this...
/swoon
Kuro Aug 25th 2011 1:07PM
Please. Please. Please.. let it give DMF rep.
I'm tired of milling Bruiseweed.
Bellajtok Aug 25th 2011 9:25PM
Well, note the part where it says you'll need good reputation with the carnies. All your work may yet pay off! In fact, you might want to start stockpiling those cards. They'll sell super well if you time it right.
wow Aug 25th 2011 1:07PM
"I wear a Fez now. Fez's are cool." -- The Doctor
Shinanji
Vael Aug 25th 2011 1:09PM
I want a the surrounding forest to be a PvP-centric zone, a la Halaa!
Kendro Aug 25th 2011 2:16PM
Screw that, I want them to be old fashion scary, like old school Shadow Whisper Gorge meets Sons of Arugal.
Mobs have a chance to drop some sort of important loot piece (eye of shadow sorta stuff?) or can be farmed for rep of sorts, but you have to be careful or travel in numbers.
If you just have it be a forced pvp flag zone, with some sort of objective it'll hold attention for a few months and then die off like Halaa.
Plainswander Aug 25th 2011 2:20PM
I want the surrounding forest zone to be filled with sneaky elites that will WTF PWN your ass if you're not careful. A lá SIlverpine Forest 'back in teh day'.
Draelan Aug 25th 2011 5:22PM
What I want is some creepy woods with mobs that will be the Fel Reavers of the area. Higher-level elites, whose approach incites terror into those unfortunate enough to encounter them. In my mind I'm picturing something fairly large, but not towering-above-the-trees large. And instead of stomping and the roar of metal, it would carry an aura of fog around it. Basically, it would be a sort of mobile Hrothgar's Landing effect where being close enough to it causes the white fog effect around the edges of the screen.
What would this mysterious mist-monster be? Who knows. Perhaps a Jabberwock. =)
Seraph Aug 25th 2011 6:45PM
If I hear burbling in the tulgey wood, I'll crap myself.
GuyverIV Aug 26th 2011 12:03AM
"I want a the surrounding forest to be a PvP-centric zone, a la Halaa!"
...would it make you so happy you sing?
Something like "Halaa la la la, la la, la laaa?" (Think christmas-y tunes...)
But no, seriously. That would be epic and acceptable IF and ONLY IF the Darkmoon Faire had carnie and fez-monkey guards on a hair trigger to jump BOTH folks involved in PVP combat as soon as they crossed into the "sanctuary" of the Faire. None of that "trick you into fighting me, lolz you got killed by the goblin bruisers!" stuff that happens around the Bay and Gadget.
You bring a fight inside? You're both goin' down.
And it would be by a fez monkey. Which probably would make it worth it, wouldn't it?
RetPallyJil Aug 25th 2011 1:09PM
I guess I'd better get the Mutton Mace Set while I can :x
Daniel Whitcomb Aug 25th 2011 1:09PM
Man, I'm just so glad my game where you can run around with a pet Monkey wearing a Fez won't allow rogues to dual wield fish. Cuz that would be immersion breaking.
StClair Aug 25th 2011 1:12PM
Monkey seeks your life!
(cutaia) Aug 25th 2011 1:15PM
Aw man, my ball landed in old man Whitcomb's yard. Now I'll never get it back. :(
( :P )
Daniel Whitcomb Aug 25th 2011 1:17PM
Not trying to be a grump, I swear. I'm actually pretty excited for this!
(cutaia) Aug 25th 2011 1:18PM
I know. I'm just messin' with ya'.
(cutaia) Aug 25th 2011 1:21PM
Really, I just wanted an excuse to use the phrase "old man Whitcomb."
Daniel Whitcomb Aug 25th 2011 1:26PM
"Old Man Whitcomb" is a pretty cool turn of phrase. I will have to endeavor to live up to it when I am an old man. >:|
The Dewd Aug 25th 2011 1:28PM
Do you realize what kind of a mess it would make if you stabbed a fez-wearing monkey with a pair of fish? Ugh... I don't even want to think about it.
(For the record, I think you should be allowed to dual-wield fish.)
loop_not_defined Aug 25th 2011 1:52PM
Why does it have to be all or nothing? Can't there be a middle-ground?