In a surprising twist, World of Warcraft (WoW) is set to introduce a groundbreaking form of endgame progression called “Delves” in its upcoming expansion, “The War Within.” This marks a significant departure from the traditional group-focused endgame content that WoW players have been accustomed to for years. The War Within is the first installment of the three-part expansion story called the “Worldsoul Saga,” and it brings several other exciting features along with it.
A new casual-friendly endgame experience
Delves are described as “bite-sized” adventures that can be accessed in the open world. What sets them apart is their flexibility, as they can be tackled solo with the assistance of an NPC companion or with up to four other players. The difficulty of Delves scales based on the number of participants, making them suitable for both solo players and small groups.
In Season 1 of The War Within, players will team up with the well-known character Brann Bronzebeard, who will serve as their Delve companion. Brann’s abilities and talents can be customized to align with a player’s specific preferences and playstyle. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the Delve experience.
Endgame seasonal progression gear
Like other forms of endgame content such as Mythic+ dungeons, raids, and PvP, Delves will offer seasonal progression gear through WoW’s existing Great Vault system. This means that players who primarily engage in Delves will have the opportunity to earn powerful gear, mounts, titles, and achievements, similar to their counterparts in other endgame activities. However, it remains unclear how the item level of gear rewards from Delves will compare to those from Mythic+ dungeons or raids.
The war within More than just delves
While Delves are a significant addition to WoW’s endgame progression, they are just one of the exciting features coming with “The War Within.” This expansion will also introduce Hero Talents for each class, providing players with new ways to customize their characters. Additionally, a new playable allied race will join the fray, offering players even more options for character creation.
The introduction of Warbands is another noteworthy addition. These Warbands will enable characters on the same account to share items and reputation, fostering a sense of cooperation among players. Furthermore, players can look forward to exploring new subterranean zones, adding fresh environments and challenges to the game.
A shift in expansion release schedules
While Blizzard did not explicitly state it, there is a subtle implication that future WoW expansions may be released on a faster schedule than fans are accustomed to. This hints at a potentially more frequent cadence of content updates, which could keep players engaged and excited about the game.
Cataclysm classic and season of discovery
For fans of WoW Classic, Blizzard has exciting news as well. “WoW Cataclysm Classic” is set to launch in the first half of the coming year, allowing players to relive the events of the Cataclysm expansion in its classic form. Additionally, a new WoW Classic season, titled “Season of Discovery,” is poised to bring fresh challenges and experiences to the classic version of the game.
