World of Warcraft: Dragonflight gets first patch, Embers of Neltharion

World of WarcraftIts first major content patch, Embers of Neltharion is diving beneath the Dragon Isles. Patch 10.1 does not yet have a release date. Players will be taken to Zaralek Cave, an area below the Dragon Isles, where the Earth Aspect kept secret laboratories. They will be facing off against the Incarnates, an elemental evil with a longstanding hatred for the Aspects. In their spare time, heroes can visit with adorable mole friends.

“This story and setting represents the convergence of a lot of different threads, which all share the common theme of legacy,” says Ion Hazzikostas, game director on World of WarcraftIn a Polygon call. The Dragon Aspects are our friends and they’re racing against evil incarnates to get to the laboratory. Dracthyr from both sides want to explore the laboratory and discover their origins.

Embers of Neltharion adds three important updates to the game. The Zaralek Cavern is home to three biomes. First, there are sulfur pools that have been contaminated with toxic chemicals. This is where Neltharion, also known as Deathwing, dumped his failed raid experiment. Also, there are huge crystalline stretches full of stalactites. There are also natural volcanoes, lava pools and craters. It’s not all danger and doom; players will meet the drogbar (last seen in Legion) and a rad new race of mole people called the Niffen with a new renown track.

Image: Blizzard Entertainment

Hazzikostas points out that the Cavern was not easy to create. “A lot of work has been done by our engineers over the last couple of years to — sorry, forgive this analogy — lay the groundwork for this. It was assumed that the terrain would not be placed on top of or beneath other terrain back when the foundations were created. We can have platforms or geometry and things floating in the sky, that’s no problem.” But the ground level was much more difficult to crack, and it required an investment into underground areas that will likely pay off in future patches and expansions.

A second update will be content for the Dragon Isles. Fire Incarnate Fyrakk has invaded the Dragon Isles to bathe them in flame, and is now going to tranquil locations. New quest lines will be added regarding the Blue Dragonflight, and the titan Tyr. Through tunnels and natural openings, the Dragon Isles connect to the Cavern. This means that there is no loading portal or instanced zone. Players can Dragonride through the Isles and dip down into the cavern in Thaldraszus, Azure Span or the Ohn’ahran Plains to traverse that massive zone, all without dismounting.

“We don’t want this to feel like — okay, you’re done having your fun in the four zones of the Dragon Isles that you visited so far,” says Hazzikostas. “Now it’s time to spend all your time in Zaralek and never go back.”

Finally, there’s Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible. It’s a nine-boss raid in the heart of Neltharion’s old laboratory, and all of the different draconic factions in the DragonflightConflicts are racing for the first place.

World of Warcraft In the 10.0.7 patch which will launch on March 21, players will be able to return to Dracthyr’s starting area of Forbidden Reach. The patch will introduce the new antagonists, provide more information about dragons and Dracthyr and unlock heritage armor quests both for humans and orcs. Although there’s no official release date for patch 10.1 yet, it will feature cross-faction alliance guilds and other quality updates.