Patch 4.3 Raid Preview: Dragon Soul

Patch 4.3 Raid Preview: Dragon Soul

World of Warcraft patch 4.3 will offer players the opportunity to take the fight to Wyrmrest Temple and beyond, assisting Thrall and the Dragon Aspects as they seek to bring an end to the Black Dragonflight once and for all. 10- and 25-person raids will get to take on Deathwing himself, with three levels of difficulty to consider and epic gear to claim.

Forged by Deathwing during the War of the Ancients, the Dragon Soul harnessed the power of the other dragonflights, until it was ultimately destroyed. After recovering a version of the artifact from the Caverns of Time, Thrall and the allied dragonflights now rally at Wyrmrest Temple in a desperate bid to use its might to defeat Deathwing.

Created by the titans as a sanctuary for all Dragonkind, the crumbling Wyrmrest Temple is now the final hope for the forces allied against the black dragon Neltharion, once the Earth-Warder and protector of Azeroth, now Deathwing the Destroyer. It is here that the remaining aspects -- Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, Kalecgos, and Thrall -- have gathered to empower the Dragon Soul -- Azeroth's last chance to stop the great behemoth. As they begin to charge the Dragon Soul with energy, Deathwing and his entire army assault Wyrmrest Temple. Players must thwart the attacking forces long enough for Thrall to charge the Dragon Soul.

Before you face Deathwing the Destroyer, you must prevail against six mighty bosses.

The most powerful elemental still under Deathwing's sway, Morchok -- once a passive guardian -- is now convinced that his only respite will come with Azeroth's demise. Morchok rages against the foundation of Wyrmrest Temple, Azeroth's last beacon of hope in the Hour of Twilight.

Countless ages ago, Warlord Zon'ozz and his soldiers waged endless war against the forces of C'Thun and Yogg-Saron. Millennia have passed, but the warlord still serves the chaotic might of the Old God N'Zoth. Deathwing has now unleashed this legendary faceless one to crush the defenders of Wyrmrest Temple.

Since the fall of the Bastion of Twilight, Yor'sahj the Unsleeping has eagerly assisted Deathwing, providing the Destroyer with the means to release more faceless ones from their prisons deep beneath the earth. Their numbers are endless and their power is beyond reckoning, and Yor'sahj intends to reap a grim reward for his faithful service.

Hagara the Binder, one of the first students of arcane magic under the Forsaken, showed surprising potential for one who had started learning so late in life. But in her undisciplined attempts to bind elementals into servitude, she was ensnared and twisted by the Windlord, Al'Akir. Now fiercely loyal to the Twilight's Hammer, Hagara binds others for her elemental masters to torment.

More an abomination of dark energy than a dragon, Ultraxion has spent his short life absorbing the essence of captured nether dragons. Ultraxion is the only twilight dragon Deathwing has praised, and his arrogance is overshadowed only by the crackling energies surging through his twisted form. Loyal to his master, Ultraxion swears to bring about the fall of Wyrmrest Temple.

 

Though once vast in number, only a few dozen twilight dragons now remain. Astride these hardened survivors are the last vestiges of the Twilight's Hammer's army: the elite drake riders of Deathwing's personal escort. Led by the insidious Warmaster Blackhorn, they move with unholy purpose, driven to protect their dark master.

When Deathwing first channeled the Dragon Soul's power against the other dragonflights, the massive energies that he unleashed threatened to break him apart. Rather than forgo this weapon, he had adamantium plates fused to his scales to hold his body together. Later reinforced with elementium, these plates are now his weakness -- the sole vulnerability to Deathwing's lethal presence.

Your assault on the massive Deathwing will begin a battle unlike any other. It is a fight so wide-ranging and intense that it comprises two unique encounters, taking place across Azeroth. Taking to the skies, players will parachute from soaring gunships to attack the monster mid-flight and attempt to weaken him by ripping away his armor, exposing the molten flesh beneath. Should they succeed, they will plunge into the depths of the Maelstrom for the final encounter.

No adventurer has yet taken on an enemy so large and dangerous and lived to tell the tale. Will you?

Check out our previews of the forthcoming five-person dungeons, End Time, Well of Eternity, and Hour of Twilight.

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Comments (2,443)

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Glexandon
Drak'thul
Glexandon
10/8/2011
@Glexandon: More Comments PLEASE!!!!
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Wolfghostt
Laughing Skull
Wolfghostt
10/10/2011
@Glexandon: In the Hour of Twilight book arygos gets killed by someone i shouldnt say for spoilers, but anyway Kalecgos is new aspect
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Zarckon
Kel'Thuzad
Zarckon
10/10/2011
@Glexandon: Just read Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects and everything will pretty much be summed up. Arygos, Benedictous and why the Twilight Hammer is still going.
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Jumpeor
Dentarg
Jumpeor
10/7/2011
Nice Nice. Lore from all over. I feel like looking up these names and see if I can find out more about who I'm going to kill next. Nice job. Makes up for the tier.
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Blakkdusk
Bloodscalp
Blakkdusk
10/7/2011
WORD UP!!!
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Krazyito
Gnomeregan
Krazyito
10/12/2011
@Blakkdusk: Tell yo sista, pull her skirt up.
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Ironmonk
Blackrock
Ironmonk
10/6/2011
o and stop nerfing me pls
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Laet
Scarlet Crusade
Laet
10/6/2011
@Ironmonk: you kidding enhancement shammys and feral druids are OP as hell
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Mathelis
Uldaman
Mathelis
10/7/2011
@Ironmonk: I agree with the Alliance dog on this one. Please stop making the Horde look bad.
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Krazyito
Gnomeregan
Krazyito
10/12/2011
@Ironmonk: I also want to say that you are an IDIOT for having Assassin's Step as an Enhance Shaman.... Way. To. Fail. Damn Horde...
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Krazyito
Gnomeregan
Krazyito
10/12/2011
@Ironmonk: Also, if you would learn to play the class you probably wouldn't fail so hard... I mean really... Why reforge all your Hit away when your just going to gem for it? >.>
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Ironmonk
Blackrock
Ironmonk
10/6/2011
agreed nightterrors theyres always segaras
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Soroth
Magtheridon
Soroth
10/6/2011
@Ironmonk: Honestly I think that makes almost NO sense. If they do sargeras it will be its own expansion. A continuance of the burning legion maybe. But if they add another raid to this expansion it will likely be an old god. Afterall the old gods are the ones responsible for corrupting neltharion. Theres always been references of at least 3, if not 5, old gods. This one was rumored to be found around vash'jir.
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Droomoo
Korialstrasz
Droomoo
10/9/2011
@Soroth: And if you look, there is actually what appears to be an instance portal in the abyssal depths next to the entrance to Throne of the Tides. Raid with that Vash old god? possible.
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@Droomoo: It was going to be a raid, but was discontinued due to fitting in the lore.
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Nightterrors
Maelstrom
Nightterrors
10/6/2011
Just cuz Deathwing is dead doesn't mean there wont be another raid.
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Darkshank
Skullcrusher
Darkshank
10/6/2011
Hope this is better than 4.2 because so far I'm feeling ripped off content wise.I mean let me see $60 for the xpack and 15 dollars a month since december 15*10 +60=$210 for one raid and a rehashed level 70 instance give me a fckn break
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Xarthelm
Moon Guard
Xarthelm
10/6/2011
You won't be able to kill Deathwing, im pretty sure they won't kill him yet. You'll just weaken him and destroy most of the Black Dragonflight, they wouldn't kill Deathwing in a few months, took Lich King a year.
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Michealscott
Misha
Michealscott
10/10/2011
@Xarthelm: you do kill him you know, 1st fitht you rip off his armor and in the second fight you stop him from breaking the world and watch as his body rips itelf apart, the you throw his remains into the heart of the maelstrom, destroying him. srry, cata is over quickly
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Falspur
Area 52
Falspur
10/13/2011
@Michealscott: Nope.

1st phase you chase him down in a ship.
2nd phase you jump on his back and tear armor off.
3rd phase he falls to ground, you kill him.
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Yusei
Warsong
Yusei
10/5/2011
lol
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Xelaroin
Zul'jin
Xelaroin
10/5/2011
One word, EPIC.
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Vendrizi
Anetheron
Vendrizi
10/5/2011
i cant wait to see how this raid looks
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Zïllïx
Jubei'Thos
Zïllïx
10/5/2011
i might start raiding again when this is out
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Taurensmash
Ursin
Taurensmash
10/9/2011
@Zïllïx: id have to agree, im more of a pvp man myself but this raid sounds interesting.
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Daggim
Madoran
Daggim
10/4/2011
Seems like some really good things are up coming for wow. I am so looking forward to the new changes. I'm hoping the raids are as much fun as they look like they are going to be. Seems like there are some good things for ever lvl player. Hardcore and casual. Thanks Blizz for all your hard work.
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Hathrael
Elune
Hathrael
10/4/2011
I'm gonna take a wild guess and say this is gonna come out shortly after SWtOR to try to hold on to people and/or regain people if they don't like SWtOR... I feel that is why Blizz is rushing the end of Cataclysm. I just see the loss of $30 a month in my future lol
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Daggim
Madoran
Daggim
10/4/2011
@Hathrael: What are you talking about. Didn't Really understand any of that.
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Iamyou
Malorne
Iamyou
10/6/2011
@Hathrael: If you pay $30 a month for wow you're doing it wrong.
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Darrma
Tichondrius
Darrma
10/4/2011
Well we still need to go into the emerald dream and make sure azeroth is super dupper before we go off assulting the old gods/burning legion ......Altho it be nice if were on the Offence for once instead of the defence .....maybe thats why Burning Crusades was fun?
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Torvis
Kul Tiras
Torvis
10/4/2011
message for every one saying bad things here about blizzard. go and play a different MMO if you don't like it. we don't want to hear it. keep up the good work blizzard can't wait to see what is next.
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Sissybubble
Kael'thas
Sissybubble
10/4/2011
@Torvis: you have to own a copy of wow atached to your acount to comet on fourms - so thoes "haters" are from wow
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Retholyprot
Khaz'goroth
Retholyprot
10/4/2011
@Dontlookup: You clearly didn't understand Torvis, yousir, should not of commented.
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Shankslap
Daggerspine
Shankslap
10/4/2011
Why haven't we fought Sargeras yet? Isn't he really the most evil of the evils in WoW lore? I don't remember him dying or anything in the back story. just being banished to the twisting nether at one point during the events of the war of the ancients. I'd like to see the great Titan be fightable. I mean every single bad guy in all of WoW is actually working for Sargeras...arent they? even Deathwing is just a pawn of sargeras' own manipulations. screw mists of pandaria, i want an expansion called Rage of Sargeras :D
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Balathaz
Cairne
Balathaz
10/4/2011
@Shankslap: Sargeras is in fact one of the top evils in wow. that being said, he will be one of the last ones to face. The more powerful they are, the more powerful we will need to be to face them. Srsly, if they had already had us face sargeras, then rolled out an azhara boss as being more powerful and dangerous, i would lol.
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Itari
Tortheldrin
Itari
10/4/2011
Which is what some people are hoping for for the last xpac....the last battle against the titans/old gods.
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Marzune
Anetheron
Marzune
10/4/2011
@Shankslap: Well if they Sargeras and u kill him, then there is no more wow because he is basically the most powerful thing in all of wow!
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Frozencrow
Nazgrel
Frozencrow
10/4/2011
@Shankslap: I agree, I just hope they don't mess it up.
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Odinslayer
Azjol-Nerub
Odinslayer
10/5/2011
@Balathaz: There not gunna role with a final unless they have somthing to replace wow with there rolling in the dough from wow and theres no way that theyll let us end it. I see some new lore if sarages is to be fought some more ancient evil then anything existing there will be no end we still have have a globe to explore.
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Odinslayer
Azjol-Nerub
Odinslayer
10/5/2011
@Odinslayer: That and there still has to be a war between Allys and the HORDE! If they make them get along i would quit war is war.