S5 Overview: World Bosses, Badge System, wprld boss overhaul

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World Boss Overhaul

World Bosses are receiving some hefty changes to the way their loot is distributed and rewarded. The goal of these changes is to make World Bosses not only worth doing, but worth fighting for.

World Bosses now award a [Treasures of Azeroth] to every hero in the raid that slays them instead of dropping individual loot. Like the [Spoils of War] caches from City Bosses, World Bosses now reward everyone in the raid who participated in their downfall.

In addition, the [Treasures of Azeroth] has a chance to contain loot from all world bosses, not just the boss you’ve slain. If your raid gathers up to slay Azuregos, there’s as good a chance as any that you’ll find Kazzak loot inside your crate. This opens up the idea that every world boss is worth doing all the time -- Even if you have what you need from Azuregos, he’s still worth taking down if you need Kazzak, Emeriss, or Lethon loot.

Every time a World Boss respawns it will send out a world-wide announcement to the entire realm, indicating that the boss has come back to Azeroth. In addition, it will indicate whether the boss has spawned in High Risk or No Risk on servers with the Hybrid Risk System.

Finally, we’re making mechanical improvements and refinements to world bosses, and tuning them to be a more fun and engaging challenge. Like other bosses, we’ll take a look at their abilities and encounters to make sure encountering them is a fun, dynamic experience.

World Boss Overview:

• World Bosses now award a [Treasures of Azeroth] to all members of the raid who defeated them when slain
• The cache has a chance to contain loot from ANY world boss, not just the boss who dropped it
  • Now all world bosses are worth doing
  • Even if you have the gear you want from Azuregos, slaying him gives you and your raid a chance at Kazzak, Emeriss, etc. gear.
• Caches will now drop Commondations, tokens used in the new Badge System
• World Bosses announce when they spawn, and what risk style they’ve spawned in
• World Bosses have received mechanical improvements to provide a more engaging challenge

PvE Badge System

The Badge System is a new feature on Ascension that will allow Heroes to purchase gear from raids they have conquered. With its release, you’ll be able to find and collect [Raider’s Commendation]s from bosses you defeat in raids. Collect enough, and you’ll be able to spend them to purchase gear from raids you’ve cleared. Use commondations to purchase the exact gear you need from bosses!

Here’s how it works:

Romus the Redeemer--a new vendor--can show heroes gear from Raids they have cleared. If you’ve cleared Molten Core, for example, he can show you all Molten Core gear. Using commendations, you can purchase that gear to use as you please. If you have not cleared Molten Core, then that option will be clearly locked. 

Heroes will have access to gear up to one raid behind the currently released one. If Blackwing Lair is open, you’ll be able to browse and purchase gear from Zul’gurub, Onyxia, and Molten Core, for example. Additionally, the gear is organized by slot, so if you know you need Jin’do’s Bag of Whammies, you can navigate directly to Zul’gurub Offhands--provided, of course, that you’ve cleared Zul’gurub.

Raider’s Commendations are a new currency that you’ll get from downing bosses in raids. On Ascension, Raid Bosses now drop 2 Raider’s Commendations for the entire raid when slain.

The Badge System allows Raiders to gear up and strengthen their Heroes no matter what, where, or why they raid.So long as you’re killing bosses, you’ll be saving up to purchase the gear you DO need, even if you’re in a raid, or at a boss, that you DON’T need.

Badge System Overview:

• All Raid Bosses now drop [Raider’s Commendations]
• [Raiders Commendations] allow Heroes to purchase raid gear from a new vendor
• To purchase raid gear, you’ll need to have cleared that raid
  • Once you’ve cleared a raid, the gear will become available for purchase with [Raider’s Commendations]
  • Collect commendations to pick up gear pieces you’re missing

And that, Heroes, if you’ve managed to make it this far, is the end of the Season 5 Overview! We hope you are HYPED to enter the realm of Bleeding Hollow on November 8th. With the number of changes Season 5 offers, there’s something for everyone as you dive into the trials and challenges of Season 5. See you there!