14 DAY TRIAL // The next World of Warcraft update, numbered 2.4 for the math aficionados out there, is named Fury of the Sunwell and is currently undergoing public testing. With its deployment not too far away, it's worth looking at what it will bring to the players.
The 2.4 patch is the first time a whole new outdoor area is opened up through a patch. The area in question is Sunwell Isle and it is located near the starting area of the Blood Elf faction. With the island, players also get a town, new quests and two major instances. First up, we have Magister's Terrace, a dungeon that needs a party of five, in which the players will fight, for the second time in the game, Bloof Elf leader Kael'thas Sunstrider. The second instance is Sunwell Plateau, a raid intended for parties of 25 players. Blizzard has declared that this will be the hardest raid to complete in the game until the release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, hopefully later this year. Players will have to confront Kil'jaeden, who will have to be unlocked by the combined efforts of all players on the server, acting leader of the Burning Legion and the creator of the Lich King. The inclusion of such a boss fight in the new patch adds fuel to the rumors that this patch will be the last one before the new expansion is released.
Another interesting twist is that the quest hub on the island, Sun's Reach, will only be available after the buildings are cleared of the monsters that have overrun the island. Daily quests will be the main mechanic by which this objective will be accomplished.
The new content is not the only new element in the patch. Blizzard also offers the usual swathe of adjustments and fixes regarding class balance, most of it aimed at creating more evenly-balanced PvP combat in anticipation of the forthcoming pro-gaming Arena tournaments. The interface is also getting a bit of an overhaul with Blizzard modifying the combat log, with new filtering tools and the ability to define custom colors for friends and enemies.
The new patch seems just enough to tide level 70 players over till the release of Wrath of the Lich King. But, nonetheless, Blizzard is keeping its options open and says that further updates are possible if the expansion is delayed.