Filed under: WoW TCG

The latest release in the WoW TCG -- Timewalkers: Reign of Fire -- is also its last, according to an announcement on the official site. For nearly seven years, the WoW TCG has been a staple among players in and out of the game alike -- tournaments hosted around the world were as wildly popular as the loot cards in decks that could be turned in for in-game items. Reign of Fire not only tackles the events and story of Warcraft III Timewalkers style, it also includes every loot card that has ever been released for the popular TCG.

Although this is the last set release for the WoW TCG, players will still be able to redeem loot codes for the game on the official website -- so don't despair if you've yet to use your codes for in-game loot! This announcement also marks the end of official tournaments hosted by Cryptozoic or Blizzard, but player-run tournaments will likely still be around for some time to come. At the moment, it seems that Blizzard will not be renewing the license for the WoW TCG.

This is, of course, not the last we'll see of Blizzard-inspired card games, with Hearthstone on the horizon. However, the WoW TCG, introduced during the Burning Crusade expansion, has been a constant for WoW players, and its contribution both in and out of the World of Warcraft will be missed. The announcement on the official website has more information for players, as well as a short FAQ.

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Fans of the WoW TCG already know a little bit about the next set available, but we have an exclusive preview of one of the cards from the new set. Betrayal of the Guardian is the second set in the Timewalkers block, sending players back to the days of the First and Second Wars on Azeroth -- the days of Orc vs. Humans and Tides of Darkness. Of course, you can't really call a set Betrayal of the Guardian without an appearance by the Guardian herself -- Aegwynn, Guardian of Tirisfal.

Aegwynn was appointed Guardian by the Order of Tirisfal in the earlier days of Azeroth's history. She accomplished more than a few astounding feats during her time as Guardian, including the defeat of the Avatar of Sargeras in Northrend. But what she didn't realize was that Sargeras' spirit then leapt to her body, and later, to her unborn son. When Medivh, Aegwynn's heir and the next in line for Guardian, was born, he was born with that piece of Sargeras' spirit slumbering inside of him, waiting for the right opportunity to wake up and take over.

But enough about Aegwynn's history. Let's take a better look at that gorgeous card after the break.

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how, but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

The Cataclysm expansion set out to do what prior expansions tried to do, and improve upon it in a significant way -- significantly inject lore into gameplay. And to some degree it worked; players found themselves working their way through zones both new and old by taking part in an interactive story. In between, we had short stories and novels that tied directly into that gameplay, weaving each part of the Warcraft franchise together into a solid storytelling tool.

But it also had its flaws. Storytelling in zones was fantastic upon first playthrough, repetitive upon repeated play. The story of Cataclysm was so widespread that it didn't seem to have the kind of dramatic impact it was intended to have. And Cataclysm introduced so many loose threads of story that trying to pick a clear resolution out of the tale was difficult, to say the very least. And then we have the ending, signifying the dawning of the "Age of Mortals" with no clear definition as to what that really meant.

We've got a little more definition now, and it's from an incredibly unlikely source, the last part of the franchise that didn't seem to have any significant lore tie-ins at all: the WoW Trading Card Game.

Please note: Today's Know Your Lore contains some minor spoilers for Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War. If you're looking to avoid all spoilers, you may want to come back when you're done with the book!

It's all a matter of time - time, and those walking in it, that is. Welcome to the Timewalkers: War of the Ancients preview up on the official WoW TCG site. Even if you don't play the TCG, just as a lore nerd or art loved these cards have a treasure trove of neat new things for you. I honestly plan on collecting several of them just for the art alone, like our old friend Broxigar the Red up there in all his wooden axe wielding glory. Have you ever seen a tree that could chop down another tree? Now you have.

But for players of the game, there's a lot more than pretty art and cool characters in store. (Although those are definitely part and parcel of the experience.) The new keywords in the set allow for themed decks built around various races (in this case, humans, orcs, tauren and night elves) to be constructed and to gain synergy and benefits from doing so. If you remember our preview of Malorne, that's just one of many awesome cards available in this set. The Ancients, heroes of legend, and even the mysterious Timewalkers faction await your discovery.

Remember, the Timewalkers: War of the Ancients officially releases October 2nd, but there will be sneak previews at various game and hobby shops September 22nd and 23rd, so keep an eye out for your chance to play it early.

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It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

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If you like the towering dunes and monumental art of Uldum (or if you just like smacking down your enemies playing the WoW Trading Card Game), you'll like Tomb of the Forgotten. Now on sale, it also offers loot cards like the Sand Scarab, the Spurious Sarcophagus (so now you can trap yourself inside and recreate the Imhotep-gets-eaten-by-scarabs scene from The Mummy) or the White Camel, for you mount collectors.

Players of the TCG will take note of the new Sentinel mechanic introduced in this set, which "lets you double up on attack or defense." You'll also want to pick up the complete Monster line-up, which includes rogue, priest and paladin heroes. There are also dual-class monster heroes and murlocs. You had me at murlocs.

Head over to either the WoW TCG page or Blizzard for details.

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World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.

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