The big news of the week, of course, is patch 5.0.4, which now on live servers. We, of course, have been offering all the news and guides you'll need to stay informed on how the patch works and how your class has changed. One of the most pleasant changes for me, personally has been the increased leveling speed. Suddenly, it's sort of fun to level again, and I already have a new level 85 warrior as a result, thanks in part to Rossi's excellent warrior guides.

There's non-patch news too, as well. My favorite tidbit is the news that they're working on new Orc and Human models. As someone who plays a human male main, I'm definitely looking forward to possibly not looking like a shaved gorilla, I won't lie.

You can read all this and more in our usual news roundup below. Downtime is limited to rolling restarts at 5 a.m. PDT, but why not take a breather and catch up?

Hot news and features

• We have a roundup of class resources and guides for Mists of Pandaria. If your spec isn't cover yet, check back. Chances are it will be in the days leading up to Mists.
• Check out the official release patch notes for patch 5.0.4.
• Glyphs saw a lot of changes in the patch. We have a class by class breakdown of what changed.
• Confused about the new account-wide pets, mounts, and achievements? We'll let you know what's up.
• Sometimes, it's the pleasant little surprises that get you with each new patch. 5.0.4 was no exception.
• The Queue has been answering a lot of your patch 5.0.4 questions. Check out their back issues and see if yours got answered.

• Is your Mac overheating when you try to play WoW with patch 5.0.4? We have some possible fixes.
• Blizzard has an official preview up that covers some of the new mounts you can get in Mists of Pandaria.
• Li Li's Travel Journal offers a sneak peek at some of the new areas of Mists through the eyes of a young explorer.
• Your spellbook probably looks a little different now. Let us walk you through the changes.
• The Battle of Theramore scenario will be available for play starting Sept. 18.
• The new Warcraft novel Tides of War has been released. It ties in with the events that will begin the Mists expansion, so it's a must-read for lore buffs.
• If you've been dismayed by your DPS against test dummies, don't get too worried. They're level 93 now.
• Transmogrify yourself into a member of Hellscream's Vanguard.
• The Blue Child, Azeroth's 2nd moon, can once again be seen in WoW's night sky.

Class news and guides

• Totem Talk has patch 5.0.4 survival guides for restoration shamans and elemental shamans.
• Shifting Perspectives has a guide to patch 5.0.4 for guardian and restoration druids.
• Lichborne has a guide to blood tanking for Mists and patch 5.0.4.
• Encrypted Text answers your post-patch rogue questions.
• Scattered Shots list 5 awesome hunter things from patch 5.0.4.
• Arcane Brilliance loves mages in patch 5.0.4.
• The Care And Feeding of Warriors also talks about patch 5.0.4.

Dungeons, items, professions, PvP, and more

• The Power of the Aspects buff in Dragon Soul is up to 35%.
• Guild leveling and reputation caps are gone in patch 5.0.4.
• Have Group, Will Travel is gone. Luckily, we have some advice for getting around in other ways.
• Sated-type debuffs will fade upon the end of raid encounter now.
• If you missed out on the 2009 promotion, you can now buy the Mountain Dew Warbot pet and fuel at toy vendors in game.
• Addon Spotlight offers some patch survival tips.
• Blood Sport offers some impressions on patch 5.0.4 PvP.
• If you're looking to stock up on low level ink, don't worry. You can still buy it with Blackfallow Ink.
• The Overachiever recommends you finish these achievements ASAP.

Odds and ends

• Want to brush up on Mists lore? Check out these resources.
• The popular Travels Through Azeroth and Outland blog is returning.
• Know Your Lore discusses the coming storm and offers some wild theories about Wrathion's coming war.
• We review the Goblin Ambush Mega Bloks set.
• WoW is now available with an Italian language pack and Italian realms.
• WoW Archivist looks at even more infamous raid exploits of yesteryear.

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