So far I have two main toons, Dreadmoon and Slimme, both 70, both belonging to a “this is the most nerfed class on the game” category: Druid and Hunter.

Of course, if they were anything else, they will still belong to the same category. After all, our class is hugely underpowered compared to any other class around… right?

As part of my “learning the class” experience I tend to visit the Class forums in the official World of Warcraft site. And let me tell you, that is a trip…
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..and finally found my motto in the Eitrigg forums.

It goes like this:

“If the tank dies, it’s the healer’s fault. If the healer dies, it’s the tank’s fault. If anyone else dies, it’s their own damn fault”
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More pics after the jump.
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Basics: The Death Knight Hero Class will not be a new class to be rolled and leveled from Level One. Instead, players reaching level 80 and finishing a “challenging but doable” quest will be able to unlock the Death Knight class at “a higher level between 55 and 70 or so”.

The Death Knight will be a plate wearing, dual wielding or 2h wielding, class with a new magic/melee system allowing it to tank and DPS effectively. Tom Chilton mentions that “they will not wield no wussy shields”. Unlike other tanks or casters there will be no rage or mana required to perform the DKs abilities or skills, instead a system of three runes (Blood, Frost, Unholy) arranged into any combination onto six rune slots.

The DK will need to etch those runes onto a sword outside of combat, spent runes will slowly regenerate in combat however.

Second panel today. Concentrates on the next Expansion.

Basics: there will be two entries into Northrend. Unlike Hellfire Peninsula, which was the way in for everyone, this expansion continent has two “low” level areas. This is, as I am assured after the panel, especially important since there’s no new races/classes to play and everyone will hit the new zones on opening day.

First Area: Howling Fjords. Viking themed. The “Howling Fjord” demo video shows a Fjord with small and larger settlements. Lots of snow.

Second Area: Borean Tundra. This one is Naga themed with the Tuskarr as its native inhabitants. The demo video shows a truly majestic Orc town and a goblin Settlement with an air strip as well as the Tuskarr coastal villages with fishing nets.

Third area, north of the Howling Fjords, Grizzly Hills. Home of the Furbolg. Time to get that rep up, I guess :). Blizz didn’t want to make this yet another “snow” zone, so it’s a lush and very dense Redwood area.

Fourth Zone, Dragonblight. Home of the Blue Dragonflight, which – just as the Burning Crusade last time – seems to the central theme in WotLK. To counter the Blue Dragonflight, the Kirin’Tor unearthed and retconned Dalaran from Arathi to Northrend, placing it hovering over the continent. This will be the Shattrah of Northrend.

Next topic: Death Knights. I’ll address all these things in the DK entry next.

Following: PvP and Battlegorunds. New Battleground with 30-45 minute game times upcoming. Also a PvP zone which is contested even on PvE servers. Siege Weapons and destructible buildings will be available both in the new BG and in the PvP zone.

The ceremony begins with “Where are all my Warlocks at?” – much yeah and boo.

Mike Morhaime comes on, thanks everyone. Shows a bunch of footage from WWI 3 in South Korea and then the Starcraft 3 trailer. We get to see some Terran designs.

Co-Founder Frank Pierce comes on. We’ll get Voice Chat in WoW 2.2. Now you’ll find out the Hot Night Elf Chick is actually a dude. And Guild Banks. No ninja looting the guild bank please.

That’s all cool, but here’s the “one more thing”. Who’s been posting rumors on the Internet? You’re all banned. Yes, there’s a new expansion called Wrath of the Lich King. He’s a baddie, so we’re raising the level cap to 80.

Customizable hair styles, dances. Cool new talents and skills. A new profession – inscription. Allows inscriber to permanently enhance spells and talents. A new continent – Northrend. And the first Hero Class – Death Knight.

Shows trailer.

Trailer shows a Paladin running away from a mob. Everyone laughs. Paladin gets surrounded, someone screams “Bubblehearth”. Everyone laughs. Paladin transforms into a Death Knight, ooohs and aaaahs, Death Knight kills everyone in his path.

Next up WotLK panel and Class Balance panel.