Patch 4.3: Blizzard's official preview of the Hour of Twilight heroic dungeon

The last of patch 4.3's time-traveling dungeons now has a preview available on the official website. The Hour of Twilight takes place in present-day Azeroth, where the Twilight's Hammer is putting on a full-scale invasion of Dragonblight. Why Dragonblight? Because that is where the ultimate showdown with Deathwing will begin -- and the Dragon Soul plays a key part in taking the former Aspect of Earth down.
Included with the preview are some unsettling images of Wyrmrest Temple crawling with the tentacles of Old God minions, as well as some shots of the surrounding areas. There are three bosses mentioned with the preview: Arcurion, a formidable water ascendant who is tasked with killing Thrall; Asria Dawnslayer, a deadly agent of the Twilight's Hammer; and a third face who should be instantly recognizable to Alliance players. If you want to avoid spoiler content, I'd avoid the preview, but the third boss is a shock for those familiar with him in game so far.
Did we mention Thrall? That's right, he's there too, and players must escort him and the Dragon Soul safely to Wyrmrest Temple. I'm having flashbacks to CoT: Durnholde Keep, but they are good flashbacks. From the looks of things, these events tie directly into Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects; those who are wanting to know more about the events in Hour of Twilight should check out that novel.
All in all, it looks like the three dungeons are similar to the last three dungeons of Wrath of the Lich King. They tie into the final raid encounter in a crucial way, and the story is interlocked between all three dungeons. Check out the official website for the full preview, plenty of images, and more boss information.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Included with the preview are some unsettling images of Wyrmrest Temple crawling with the tentacles of Old God minions, as well as some shots of the surrounding areas. There are three bosses mentioned with the preview: Arcurion, a formidable water ascendant who is tasked with killing Thrall; Asria Dawnslayer, a deadly agent of the Twilight's Hammer; and a third face who should be instantly recognizable to Alliance players. If you want to avoid spoiler content, I'd avoid the preview, but the third boss is a shock for those familiar with him in game so far.
Did we mention Thrall? That's right, he's there too, and players must escort him and the Dragon Soul safely to Wyrmrest Temple. I'm having flashbacks to CoT: Durnholde Keep, but they are good flashbacks. From the looks of things, these events tie directly into Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects; those who are wanting to know more about the events in Hour of Twilight should check out that novel.
All in all, it looks like the three dungeons are similar to the last three dungeons of Wrath of the Lich King. They tie into the final raid encounter in a crucial way, and the story is interlocked between all three dungeons. Check out the official website for the full preview, plenty of images, and more boss information.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Lore, Cataclysm
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Xantenise Sep 19th 2011 6:47PM
... Didn't they destroy the Dragon Soul? Even the pieces?
(Someone spoil me and tell me if it's back!)
Imnick Sep 19th 2011 6:50PM
We grab it from the past before it was destroyed
Then presumably we put it back again in time for someone to find and destroy it
ugoticedbro Sep 19th 2011 7:36PM
We go back to the war of the ancients and get it
omedon666 Sep 19th 2011 6:47PM
Ok, all my complaining about lack of normal mode aside, these are amazing, and I'm totally re-subbing for 4.3!
matticus Sep 19th 2011 6:48PM
Inb4 'We help Thrall and kill Benedictus?" OMG BLIZZ FAVORS HORDE!!!
Or am I too late?
Bellajtok Sep 19th 2011 7:03PM
Your comment is gold. However, I must downrate it because spoilers.
Vinyl Sep 19th 2011 7:13PM
Except the Alliance were already set to kill him before he was replaced with the Black Bishop in the pre-Twilight Highlands quests *sad trombone*
I-R-PALADIN? Sep 19th 2011 7:14PM
only a spoiler if you haven't read a certain book
Arrohon Sep 19th 2011 7:28PM
If you read Twilight of the Aspects then you pretty much already knew that we would kill him this patch. If you didn't then you really have no reason to demand a spoiler alert. The book came out in July and isn't even the most recent at this point. Snape kills Dumbledore.
Bellajtok Sep 19th 2011 7:34PM
Some people don't read the books at all. I think it's fair to respect that they don't want to put the effort into keeping up with the expanded universe. I don't care about spoilers myself personally, but I know other people do. Come on people. Let's let them get through this one unspoiled, okay? It's kind of a shocker.
vocenoctum Sep 19th 2011 8:00PM
I am really surprised I haven't seen "Dragonblight? rehashing entire zone now, lazy blizz"
Marolas Sep 19th 2011 8:46PM
Having Benedictus finally reveal his true intentions reminds me of the audio files datamined before Cataclysm even came out: the ones with both Grand Magister Rommath and Archbishop Benedictus revealing to the Horde (Lor'Themar) and the Alliance (Varian), respectively, that they were traitors all along.
Kinda hoping that they still incorporate those in, but it might just be that they changed their minds on how to handle the whole "the Twilight Cult has infiltrated everywhere" thing. Damn shame, too.
Imnick Sep 19th 2011 6:48PM
I love those mouths I wish there were more mouths everywhere
The next expansion better have a zone made purely out of mouths, eyes and tentacles
Bapo Sep 19th 2011 6:51PM
I know its kind of a meh wish, I just wish these would have a normal mode.
Also, is some mmo coming out soonish or what? Because holy crap, preview overload. @.@
Ben Smith Sep 19th 2011 7:12PM
My guess is 4.3 will be timed to keep players from defecting to SWTOR, but that wouldn't explain why all the announcements are being made today.
omedon666 Sep 19th 2011 8:06PM
Totally with you on the normal mode, yo!
http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/patch-4-3-blizzards-official-preview-of-the-well-of-eternity-h/comments/34806474/
It occurs to me, if 4.3 is at all positioned as a counter to SWTOR, that just favors a normal mode, since SWTOR (and GW2) is built on an up-to-date understanding of the needs of the individual player before their community dependence... And "heroic only" just highlights community dependence.
vegetto375 Sep 19th 2011 6:58PM
YES! 4.3 is gonna be the best patch ever. I love all three new instances and the epic amount of cameos that we will be seeing from young Tyrande, pre-demon Illidan, and the other guy, not to mention Azshara and we even get to bring the pain to Jaina, Sylvanas and some cow.
Sadly one thing has and will continue to bother me about Cataclysm, it was supposed to be all about the Big Bad Dragon you know... Deathwing but instead it feels like that Orc Guy you know what's his face took the spotlight in this entire expansion.
MusedMoose Sep 19th 2011 7:29PM
Agreed on all counts. Cataclysm had some great ideas behind it, but I think the execution wasn't as good as it could have been, and there wasn't nearly enough to do in the higher levels.
But DAMN, it's going out with a bang so big gnomes and goblins across the world will hug each other in mutual sympathy, knowing no explosion any of them could make will ever be so epic as patch 4.3. ^_^
johnthediver Sep 19th 2011 7:36PM
I wonder if all this info coming out now means 4.3 is closer than we think. I thought it would be end of the year, but maybe it will be before or just after Blizzcon? Also as I write this I realize "end of the year" isn't all that far off is it?
Siaperas Sep 19th 2011 7:50PM
Quick! It's all you can eat kalimari at the Wyrmcrest Temple! We got knives to cut it up, water to wash it down, and if you ask nicely a dinner prayer!
All kidding aside, with a showdown this big, I only need to know one thing: where they are.