World of Warcraft: Legion – Shadows of Argus Patch Live

Shadows of Argus, otherwise known as the 7.3 patch for World of Warcraft: Legion, has been released. This massive update adds a new zone – Argus, the Burning Legion’s home planet, and turns the ridiculousness of WoW’s story up to 11, fully embracing the interstellar space opera motifs of the Warcraft universe. Don’t believe me? Check out this new trailer:

And on top of those brief glimpses of spaceships and planetary defense cannons, the official World of Warcraft YouTube channel also has this new cinematic that looks like it was taken straight out of Babylon 5, but with more Illidan:

And right over here, underneath all the trailers, you can find lots of 7.3-related info that covers the new animations, group content, invasion points, and so on, in case you’re more interested in the gameplay aspects of the update. The finalized patch notes are also there. An excerpt:

New Features

Argus

Following recent events in the Broken Isles, a link has been created between Azeroth and Kil’jaeden’s homeworld of Argus, bringing the Burning Legion closer than ever to destroying Azeroth. In order to stop them once and for all, Illidan and Velen are taking the war directly to the surface of Argus, where they hope to join forces with Alleria, Turalyon, and the Army of the Light to launch an all-out assault on the Legion’s primary base of operations.

Board the Vindicaar, a vessel that will serve as your mobile base of operations on Argus, as well as one of your few safe havens on the planet.

As you explore Argus, you’ll visit new locations across the planet, experiencing the epic conclusion to the Legion storyline and unlocking new world quests and other content along the way.

Invasion Points

Azeroth isn’t the only world connected to this hostile place. While on Argus, you’ll unlock the ability to enter the very portals the Burning Legion use to transport to other worlds. Once there, complete an event or defeat a boss to earn epic rewards.

New Dungeon: Seat of the Triumvirate

Once the heart of the ancient eredar civilization where Velen, Archimonde, and Kil’jaeden ruled their people, this temple has fallen to ruin. Return with Velen to retrieve an ancient relic of power, and battle the darkness that has overtaken this sacred place, in a new 5-person dungeon among the ruins of Mac’Aree on Argus, featuring four bosses:

• Zuraal the Ascended
  • Zuraal represents the Shadowguard’s first success at creating a Void-infused Broken whose mind has not fallen into madness. A renowned brawler in his past life, Zuraal uses his newfound dark strength to empower his attacks and decimate his foes.
• Saprish
  • The ever-tactical Saprish deploys the forces of the Shadowguard with calculated precision. Though a skilled commander and strategist, Saprish relishes taking a direct hand in battle. He turns his foes’ weaknesses against them, leaving his vulnerable adversaries at the mercy of his voracious pets.
• Viceroy Nezhar
  • Like others of his ilk, Viceroy Nezhar is obsessed with harnessing the power of the Void to serve his own ambitions. Drawn to the Seat of the Triumvirate by the immense darkness emanating from deep within, Nezhar will stop at nothing to claim it for his own. Given the viceroy’s experiments at infusing vessels with the power of shadow, the implications of what he might accomplish on Argus are dire indeed.
• L’ura
  • When Velen and his followers fled Argus aboard the Genedar, the naaru L’ura stayed behind to buy the draenei time to escape. Kil’jaeden, enraged by this betrayal, ordered the wounded naaru sealed away in the Seat of the Triumvirate. Over the long millennia that passed, L’ura fell from Light to Void. Her elegant song of courage and hope became a shadowy dirge of despair, luring those seeking to lay claim to her power.

Updated Features

Argus World Quests

As you progress through each of the areas to explore on Argus, you’ll unlock new World Quests and new Emissaries eager for your help.

Artifact Customization

Harness the power of Argus to activate the Netherlight Crucible aboard the Vindicaar, allowing you to augment your Artifact Relics. The Crucible can be used to strengthen and customize Relics, increasing their raw power and allowing players to choose from a set of additional powers, including a second Artifact Trait to improve.

Combat Animations

New and updated animations, effects, and audio are coming to all three Mage specs, all three Priest specs, and Elemental and Restoration Shamans. Restoration Druids have updated animations.

Class Halls, Champions, and Missions

Your Class Hall and its assorted Champions played key roles in the defense of Azeroth, and their keen efforts are needed to succeed with the new challenges of Argus. You’ll find dozens of new missions, along with new Troop types, and an increase in your Champions’ item level to 950.

Dungeons

Loot dropped in Normal, Heroic, and Mythic dungeons is now increased in power by 20 item levels:

• Normal: item level 845
• Heroic: item level 865
• Mythic: item level 885

Mythic Keystone rewards scale up to a maximum of item level 915 in the dungeon, and item level 935 in the weekly chest, both capped at Mythic Keystone 10. This cap in will increase to Mythic Keystone 15 at a future date.

The difficulty of Heroic and Mythic dungeons has increased to reflect the improved rewards. Normal dungeon difficulty is unchanged.

Pet Battles

Venture through the raids of Cataclysm to find new battle pets for the much-anticipated achievement, Raiding With Leashes V: Cuteaclysm. You’ll boast about finding a host of mostly elemental pets when you revisit Blackwing Descent, Bastion of Twilight, Throne of the Four Winds, Firelands, and Dragon Soul.

Advance scouts have reported spotting 18 legendary boss pets scattered about Argus, and these miniature monstrosities have otherworldly special abilities that the denizens of Azeroth have never seen before, such as the slightly terrifying Greater Apocalypse ability. Additionally, more than a dozen different capturable wild pets are said to be found on Argus, as well as a number of pets that can only be obtained via reward items and the new Family Fighter achievement.

Professions on a New Planet

Professional development turns a new page on Argus, with new gathering nodes for Herbalism and Mining, new material types for Skinning and Tailoring, and a new soulbound reagent: Primal Sargerite. Look for new items that can be created by crafters, as well as a new shoulder enchant that provides materials specific to Argus.

In a related turn of events, six renowned NPCs have emerged in the world of fishing. Every day, visit Akule Riverhorn, Corbyn, Ilyssia of the Waters, Impus, Keeper Raynae, or Sha’leth to earn reputation and explore the new rewards they have to offer, and ultimately earn the Fisherfriend of the Isles achievement to unlock a new alternate appearance for your Underlight Angler artifact fishing pole.