In December 2020, Blizzard released one of the most original add-ons for World of Warcraft – Shadowlands. Let’s find out what’s special about this DLC and why it excites the players.
The plot of Shadowlands
According to the story, Silvana destroys the border between the world of the living and the dead. The forces of darkness instantly penetrate reality and destroy everything in their path. The only way out of the situation is to infiltrate the dark lands and stop the threat of destroying the universe. The player will become a unique defender of Azeroth. He was given the power to stay in the world of the dead without losing his physical shell. It will help him cope with the challenges of the new world and protect the balance between life and death.
New World and New Zones
The Shadowlands addition offers one major city of Oribos and 5 new locations: Bastion, Ardenweald, Maldraxxus, Revendreth, and The Maw. Each world differs in its design, quests, story, and backstory.
Eternal city Oribos
This place represents the starting location. From here, each player’s journey begins. The world is designed as a huge city, where the godlike Arbiter sits. It is he who decides where the departed souls will go.
Bastion
This is where souls go, whose job is escorting the dead to the Shadowlands. Service here is considered joyful and honorable, and the most worthy are admitted to it. The world is filled with vivid and picturesque scenery, complemented by tall towers.
Ardenweald
This is where souls whose activities have been inextricably linked with the wilderness fall. The world is the realm of the night forest, where giant trees participate in the cycle of rebirth of the spirits of nature.
Maldraxxus
It is a place of continual warfare and battle. Souls are forced to fight each other for dominion over the world. It is here that necromancers first learned how to subdue death. Dark mages use it to create immortal hordes of the dead and powerful spirits.
Revendreth
Revendreth is the realm where sinful souls end up. The world is a region of high castles and gothic villages, watched over by venthyrs. They feed on sinful souls, gaining them terrible torment. The spirits are forced to hide from their pursuers, hoping to last a little longer.
The Maw
This is a nasty world where the vilest souls go, doomed to endless suffering. The Maw is the most dangerous world, as it contains terrifying creatures in the universe. If they infiltrate reality, they can destroy it completely.
Covenants
Covenants are factions that the player joins. In them, users receive tasks and the opportunity for further progression through the story. For the completion of the orders of the faction, the player will raise their level and get new abilities with equipment.
There are 4 covenants: Necrolords, Night Fae, Venthyrs, and Kyrians. All factions are located in different worlds. They differ from each other not only by tasks but also by lores. All factions have different visions of the future of the Shadowlands, so the player’s choice will directly affect the process of passing.
Torghast tower
Torghast is a unique dungeon that can be played repeatedly. And each playthrough will be unique due to the random selection of enemies and level structure. The dungeon can be completed alone or as part of a team. At the end of the Torghast tower dungeon, players will get materials for crafting legendary gear and unique items.
Level system
In this edition, the developers changed the usual system of levels. It became more convenient and casual. Now it is easier to prepare for the passage of missions for newcomers. Experience requirements were changed, and the strength and progress indicators became more significant. Also, the additional zones will automatically adjust to the players’ skills. But the main innovation is increasing the maximum level from 50th to 60th.
New features for the appearance of characters
The standard character editor has been greatly expanded. The number of facial options and hairstyles also has increased. Moreover, tattoos and earrings became available to players. To change a character’s appearance, you must visit a barber in Azeroth.
