Tides of Vengeance Part 2 is live! The Battle of Dazar'alor raid is now available on Normal and Heroic difficulty, and with it comes 2 new cinematics!

Battle of Dazar'alor Cinematics

Alliance Attack Cinematic

Rastakhan Defeat Cinematic

Hotfixes

• Hotfixes: January 22, 2019

In addition we also have a few hotfixes to the Stormwall Blockade encounter, Azerite Traits in PvP, and the Bursting affix.

The Stormwall Blockade encounter has been hotfixed, making the fight easier to defeat.

 
Azerite Traits have been stealth changed and now are 50% weaker in PvP.

 
The Bursting affix is now stronger.

Allied Races Clarifications

Blizzard has posted clarifications regarding the next two Allied Races. Zandalari Trolls and Kul Tiran Humans will be available in Patch 8.1.5, and to unlock them you will have to finish the storylines in Zandalar and Kul Tiras, and complete the Tides of Vengeance / Tides of Vengeance War Campaign.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Source)

I’m curious if I can unlock it today or if I have to wait for the new raid to go to raid finder, anyone know for sure?
At BlizzCon we talked about these Allied Races coming in Patch 8.1.5. It might feel like a new patch day with the season update and raid opening up today, but this is still the continuation of the Tides of Vengeance story. We will have more information on the Zandalari and Kul Tiran soon!

The wait sucks, but I’m at a point of apathy about it now. I wish more clear info would come out about to what extent raiding is related to unlocking the two races. Can the quest be done in LFR if a quest is needed?
There will be no raiding required. Some people may have seen the requirements on the PTR and we do plan to talk about them more to help spread the word.

As it currently stands, if you do the Zandalar quest arc (through the Blood Gate quest and Zul’s death), the War Campaign through the Tides of Vengeance achievement, and get Exalted with the Zandalari Empire, you will be able to do the questline to get access to the Zandalari Allied Race as soon as 8.1.5 goes live.

What are the requirements for Kul’tirans? I’m assuming something equivalant to the Zandalari but specifics matter.
Tides of Vengeance War Campaign achievement is the same. The story arc should be “A Nation United” achievement. Exalted with Proudmoore Admiralty.

As it currently stands, if you do the Zandalar quest arc (through the Blood Gate quest and Zul’s death), does this just mean all the quests in zul or is there some hidden quests?
It should be the “Zandalar Forever!” achievement.

The Call of the Scarab Micro-Holiday returns tomorrow to commemorate the events that happened on January 23, 2006. This event is the perfect time to level alts, as well as earn rewards and represent your faction!

While the Micro-Holiday is active, a number of World Quests will appear on the map that give a lot of experience for low level characters. These World Quests will also give you 500 reputation with Cenarion Circle and grant credit to your faction. For players level 60 and above there is also a special quest Ahn'Qiraj: C'thun to defeat the final boss in Ahn'Qiraj.

There are two time-limited mounts available for purchase Ruby Qiraji Resonating Crystal and Sapphire Qiraji Resonating Crystal, which have an updated model of the original bug mounts Red Qiraji Resonating Crystal and Blue Qiraji Resonating Crystal. You can purchase them from the faction vendors for 1 Abyssal Crest, which you can get by defeating bosses throughout the zone.

Note: If your character has defeated Argus then you will have to talk with Rhonormu in Silithus to access the old version of the zone.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Source)

On January 23, 2006, a bloody war was triggered by a simple sound: the banging of a gong. No rallying fanfare, no bloodthirsty yell; just an eerie silence. Those long, uneasy seconds of dread. The calm before the storm.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder before the Scarab Wall, no one could have predicted what would happen—an epic ten-hour battle that claimed the lives of thousands of Azeroth’s bravest—or fully comprehended the effect it would have.

Action First, Faction Second

That’s not to say the battle at the gates of Ahn’Qiraj came as a surprise. When the menace of C’Thun turned into an urgent threat, leaders across the world pored over plans and forged unlikely connections as pressure mounted. Both factions knew war was coming and personal glory was a hubris no-one could risk. Any notion that one army could defeat General Rajaxx and his colossal battalion was soon abandoned as fantasy.

It was a unique time: scattered armies with varying allegiances were thrown together and faction pride was put aside. Let’s be clear: the battle at Ahn’Qiraj was won purely on the principle “united we stand, divided we fall.”

Warmongering vs. Gold Hungering

This uneasy alliance was not without its critics. Some showed their disapproval by shunning the war effort altogether, but others expressed opposition through acts of aggression. Rogue elements on both sides, unwilling to stomach this perceived betrayal of their faction, did not sit idle. Just as neutral auction houses became a tool for factions to share resources, they also became virtual battlegrounds. Crucial resources were picked up for next-to-nothing and sold on for personal gain. As with all wars, those who profit aren’t always the brave.

The sheer scale of that war effort is almost unimaginable when we live in a time of extended storage and fast mail. But back then, backpacks and cloth stacks were smaller. Getting precious resources gathered, sorted, and sent took many hours. And it took several weeks to source bandages, food, and equipment—resources that were in high demand and would soon dwindle.

The Importance of Remembrance

We would do well, in these dark times, to remember the courage and spirit of those who were there at the Gates of Ahn’Qiraj. We must have long memories if we’re to make quick work of the demon forces we now face.

From January 21–23 we ask that you join us as we remember the fallen and celebrate the victory. All of Azeroth are invited to a special holiday, ‘Call of the Scarab,’ where we will gather to perform acts of remembrance and share our factions’ pride.

Players who are in a different phase can speak to Rhonormu near the gong to enter the correct event phase.
Were you there? Share your memories with us in the comments below.

Blizzard has shared a Survival Guide for Tides of Vengeance Part 2, which will go live on January 22 in NA and January 23 in EU.

Here's a recap of all the recent updates posted by Blizzard:

• Tides of Vengeance Part 2 Survival Guide
• Season 1 Arena and RBG Title Cutoffs: US Region & EU Region
• Tides of Vengeance Part 2: Azerite Armor Updates & Changes
• Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 2
• What’s Changing (and Not!) in Season 2
• Battle of Dazar’alor Raid Preview and Schedule
• Battle for Darkshore Warfront

Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 2 goes live Tuesday, January 22 in NA and Wednesday, January 23 in EU. With this new season we have a few system changes and updated Conquest rewards.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Source)

Conquest Reward Updates

With PvP Season 2, we’ve fine-tuned the Conquest reward schedule to provide players with more variety and flexibility to get the kind of gear they’re looking for.

Players who earn 500 Conquest points in a given week will receive one Quartermaster’s Coin and a piece of gear from that week’s selection. Players might also earn an additional piece of gear or Quartermaster’s Coin each week by using a weekly bonus roll token in PvP. 10 Quartermaster’s Coins can be exchanged for a Warlord’s Trophy, which players can use to upgrade a piece of Sinister Gladiator’s gear to a higher item level (based on their current Rated PvP bracket).

During weeks when the Conquest reward is a head, shoulder, or chest item, players can choose from one of four different pieces of Azerite gear. For the weeks when the Conquest reward is not an Azerite piece, trinket, or weapon, players will be able to choose gear from one of two different slots such as legs and wrists, hands and back, or finger and feet.

Week	Item Level	Item 1	Item 2
1	375	Weapon
2	385	Head
3	385	Legs	Wrist
4	385	Trinket
5	385	Chest
6	385	Hand	Back
7	385	Shoulder
8	385	Trinket
9	385	Finger	Feet
10	400	Weapon
11	400	Head
12	400	Legs	Waist
13	400	Trinket
14	400	Chest
15	400	Hand	Wrist
16	400	Shoulder
17	400	Trinket
18	400	Finger	Feet
19	400	Weapon
20	400	Head
21	400	Waist	Back
22	400	Trinket
23	400	Chest
24	400	Legs	Finger
25	400	Shoulder

The PvP reward UI will now show the criteria needed to receive your weekly chest. Elite sets (available to earn for a limited time only) can also be viewed in the Appearances interface under the Set tab.

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Ranked PvP Rewards

We’ve also updated the naming conventions for the brackets. Now when players reach a 2400 rating in any bracket (2v2, 3v3, or 10v10 Rated Battlegrounds), they will be moved into the Elite bracket. Like other brackets, players will immediately be granted an achievement and title when reaching the bracket. Elite titles are class-specific, and players will receive a unique tabard for their collection.

PvP Tier	Rating
Unranked	0-1399
Combatant	1400-1599
Challenger	1600-1799
Rival	1800-2099
Duelist	2100-2399
Elite	2400+

Sinister Gladiator Title

The Gladiator title and achievement will now be earnable by winning 50 games above a 2400 rating in 3v3 Arena. Players in the top 0.1% at the end of the season in this bracket will earn the title Sinister Gladiator for Season 2.

Season 2 Mounts

During Battle for Azeroth Season 2, players can work toward claiming the Vicious Black Warsaber or Vicious Black Bonesteed. Once earned, players can fill the bar again to receive a Vicious Saddle, allowing them to purchase a mount from previous seasons.

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Keep an eye on the Player vs. Player Leaderboards during the season to follow who’s making waves at the top.

Blizzard has announced four new books coming to stores this fall. Whether you're into Hearthstone, Diablo, or World of Warcraft (or all the above), there's something special waiting for you within the pages of these collectible volumes.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Source)

The Art of Hearthstone: Year of the Kraken

Something stirs in the dark ...

The second volume of The Art of Hearthstone dives deep into the Year of the Kraken, the first year of Hearthstone’s standard format. Enjoy 144 pages consisting of hundreds of illustrations from the corruptive cults of Whispers of the Old Gods, the glamourous disco of One Night in Karazhan, and the turf wars of Means Streets of Gadgetzan. Year of the Kraken goes into detail on the Hearthstone team’s artistic process for card art, game boards, and other visual designs, while also exploring the challenges and triumphs of creating a game enjoyed by millions of players around the globe.

Purchase the first volume today on the Blizzard Gear Store or at your favorite local bookstore.

The Art of Diablo

For more than 20 years, the artists behind Diablo have conjured new visions of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, built nightmarish corridors filled with monsters and demons, and unleashed swarms of malevolent creatures upon players worldwide. The Art of Diablo plunges into the concept, design, and environmental art that has defined the world of Sanctuary and the Eternal Conflict at the core of the Diablo series.

The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft

The drums of war thunder once again ...

Over the course of World of Warcraft’s 15-year history, each new chapter in the game’s story has been bolstered through an array of epic cinematics; The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft goes behind the scenes with the team who built these movies. With never-before-seen concept art and accounts of the creative and technical process, this is the definitive visual gallery of how countless artists helped bring the world of Azeroth to life in incredible detail and motion.

World of Warcraft Pop-Up Book

Choose your faction, pick your weapon, and prepare for an astonishing vision of the world of Azeroth like you’ve never seen before!

Built by best-selling paper engineer Matthew Reinhart, the World of Warcraft Pop-Up Book brings the beloved locations of Warcraft to life, from the classic faction hubs of Orgrimmar and Stormwind, to the battle-scarred lands of Lordaeron and Teldrassil, and even the new capital cities of Kul Tiras and Zandalar!

Each page unfolds into an eye-popping treat, depicting iconic sites with brand-new art and interactive pieces.

 

Keep an eye on your local booksellers or online shops for when pre-sales go live.