WoW Classic: Phases Guide – Timeline, Release Plan, PVP

Our WoW Classic Phases Guide features a full look at the upcoming roll-out of content for the vanilla version of World of Warcraft. Blizzard isn't just leaving you with a few dungeons, they plan on bringing a lot of the original patches back to the game that brought in updates to PvP and the addition of Battlegrounds!

WoW Classic is going to have updates rolled out in phases. There are currently six phases planned, which should be rolling out periodically. Unfortunately, we don't currently know how long the gaps between phases will be! We do know, however, what each phase is likely going to contain. Blizzard appears to largely be modeling the releases based on the roll-outs of the original World of Warcraft, but they are also making a few modifications to make it run a bit more smoothly.

We'll keep this post up-to-date with the future release dates of the rest of the phases once they have been revealed!

Phase 1: Launch - Release Date: August 26th, 2019

These are all of what is going to be in the game on release. Believe it or not, both Molten Core and Onyxia have already been defeated within the first week of the release!

Molten Core

The signature dungeon of World of Warcraft is likely Molten Core. This is a 40-player raid that features a ton of fire wielding bosses and culminates with the epic battle with Ragnaros the Firelord!

Onyxia

Onyxia is the main boss of the Onyxia's Lair raid dungeon. This is another 40-player raid where you face off against the large purple dragon herself!

Maraudon

Maraudon was not originally released when World of Warcraft first launched. It was added in the 1.2.0 patch which was about a month later. It's a 5-player dungeon that is recommended for players that are level 46-55.

PvP

You can PvP one another in the world, but there is no tracking, and no formal rewards for doing so.

This is pretty much how I remember PvP being during the launch of the original game. Players would fight it out sometimes, but more often people would just wave at each other and try to get their levels in or quests done. I imagine now-a-days, however, there's probably going to be a lot more scuffling across the factions.

BEFORE PHASE 2: Dire Maul

Dire Maul is similar to Maraudon in that it's a 5-player dungeon that can be run prior to hitting level 60. It can be found in Feralas, and is recommended for levels 44-54. This was originally scheduled to be apart of Phase 2, but is instead going to be released on October 15th or 16th! The rest of Phase 2 remains the same.

Phase 2 - Release Date: November 12th - 14th, 2019

Azuregos

Azuregos is a world boss that can be found in Azshara. He is one of the first real world boss encounters in the game and requires a pretty strong group of level 60s to take-down.

Kazzak

Kazzak is another world boss that spawned at the Tainted Scar in the Blasted Lands.

PvP

• Honor System (including Dishonorable Kills)
• PvP Rank Rewards

The Honor System largely just rewards you for killing players of the opposing faction that are near your level. This was to discourage high level players from going to early level areas and laying waste to everyone. Having a higher honor ranking would lead you to gaining some sweet rewards!

BEFORE PHASE 3: Warsong Gulch & Alterac Valley - Release Date: December 10th, 2019

The release of Warsong Gulch and Alterac Valley has been detached from Phase 3 and will be going live on December 10th, 2019. We'll also be getting the Elemental Invasions will occur in Kalimdor, with Blazing, Thundering, Watery, and Whirling Invaders appearing in Un’goro Crater, Azshara, Winterspring, and Silithus respectively.

Keyring

The key button in your micro menu now opens your Keyring, an additional bag for keys only, that scales up to hold up to 12 keys.

Battlegrounds

• Alterac Valley (Version 1.12)
• Warsong Gulch

There's been a bit of controversy surrounding the Alterac Valley update, here's how Blizzard explains their decision behind starting it at version 1.12:

First and foremost, we’re planning to use the 1.12 version of Alterac Valley. For many parts of the game like this, we’re picking an original WoW patch that gives us the most clarity for WoW: Classic, and 1.12 is that patch.

In Alterac Valley, that puts us before the introduction of reinforcements. It puts us before the removal of all of the Commanders and Lieutenants. The only win conditions are the killing of Drek’thar in Frostwolf Keep or Vanndar Stormpike in Dun Baldar.

It gives us several early improvements to the BG that we’re glad to have in place. Early on in AV, there were too many NPCs and they were too hard to kill. By 1.12, many had been removed and NPC health was brought down to a reasonable level. Turning in armor scraps is an encouraged, supportive activity by this point. Many capture points (mostly graveyards) had been moved away from their initial placements to gain better balance across the map. Korak the Bloodrager was removed, and killing opposing players no longer drops items like Dwarf Spines, Orc Teeth, or Human Bone Chips. Gross.

Source

Warsong Gulch is basically a capture the flag type of battleground where you'll need to retrieve the enemy's flag and return it to where yours resides.

Phase 3 - Release Date: February 13th, 2020

At 12:01 a.m. CET on Thursday, 13 February, we will unlock the following WoW Classic content simultaneously on all realms:

Blackwing Lair

In the dark recesses of the mountain’s peak, Nefarian, the eldest son of Deathwing, conducts some of his most awful experimentation, controlling mighty beings like puppets and combining the eggs of different dragonflights with horrific results. Should he prove successful, even darker pursuits rest on the horizon. And, yet, the Lord of Blackrock is not a mere scientist - he is a great dragon cornered in his lair. Can he truly be defeated by mortal hands?

The Blackwing Lair attunement quest, “Blackhand’s Command”, will become available on all realms tomorrow, Friday, 10 January.

Level 50 Class Quests

All players, starting at level 50, can now begin class-specific questlines offered by class trainers in capital cities. These quests conclude with a choice of one of three powerful rare items.

New Reputation Rewards

The Argent Dawn, Thorium Brotherhood, Timbermaw Hold, Silverwing Sentinels, and Warsong Outriders faction vendors now offer reputation reward items that were added in patches 1.6 and 1.7 of original WoW.

Eternal Quintessence

Players who complete “Hands of the Enemy” and reach Revered reputation with Hydraxian Waterlords may now obtain Eternal Quintessence from Duke Hydraxis.

Darkmoon Faire – Coming Earlier in February

A gathering of the exotic from around the world and beyond, Silas Darkmoon has brought together the Darkmoon Faire as a celebration of the wondrous and mysterious found in Azeroth. While the Faire spends most of their time in parts unknown, they do stop from time to time in Mulgore and Elwynn Forest. When the faire is on its way barkers will stop by Orgrimmar and Ironforge to announce its arrival.

The first Darkmoon Faire in WoW Classic will get underway in early February, with barkers and the Faire setup appearing on Friday, 7 February, and the festivities opening on Monday, 10 February. Look for the many Darkmoon Cards that make up the beasts, elementals, portals, and warlords sets to begin dropping from enemies and bosses on Wednesday, 5 February.

Source

Phase 4 - Release Date: Unknown

Zul’Gurub

This is a 20-player raid that can be found in northeastern Stranglethron Vale. It's a pretty large dungeon that has you fighting down tons of trolls and finally completing it by taking down Hakkar the Soulflayer.

Green Dragons

Head into the Emerald Nightmare and fight four different Dragons of raid level difficulty!

PvP

• Arathi Basin

The addition of the Arathi Basin battlegrounds! This is a King of the Hill type game that has you attempting to control various spots on the map that gain your team resources. To win the game, your team needs to accumulate 1,600 resources!

Phase 5 - Release Date: Unknown

Ahn’Qiraj War Effort begins

The opening of AQ depended on the dedication of your server. Both Horde and Alliance needed to gather supplies, once you turned them in you gained signets that could be used to gain reputation with a capital city of your choice. After all of the supplies had been gathered and your server had completed other tasks, the Ten Hour War would start and all hell would break loose!

Ahn’Qiraj raids open when the war effort dictates

Once the Ten Hour War concluded, you would then be able to enter into the AQ raid itself.

Dungeon loot reconfiguration: Tier 0.5 Dungeon gear, Relics, drop rates and location changes

Adventurers of Azeroth can now quest to upgrade their previous Rare-quality Dungeon set to a new, higher-quality set, including epic gear! These tasks include all-new boss encounters, so prepare your finest group of dungeon-delvers and prepare for a challenge!

PvP

• Nothing Planned.

Phase 6 - Release Date: Unknown

Naxxramas

A massive 40-player raid that took place in a huge necropolis that hovered above the Eastern Plaguelands. If you and your raid group were able to reach the end, you'd take on the powerful Kel'Thuzad!

Scourge Invasion

An event to bring in excitement for the opening of Naxxramas. Many regions in the world are attacked by the Scourge, and you and your faction are tasked with keeping them at bay.

PvP

• World PvP objectives in Silithus and Eastern Plaguelands