Heroes!

Your conquest draws near:

The Conquest of Azeroth Alpha enters its level 60 phase!

Storm into Azeroth and explore 21 Original Classes at their full strength: with CoA’s 60 Alpha phase, end-game content beckons you. Challenge end-game Dungeons, max level Battlegrounds, the Manastorm, Arenas, World Bosses, and more as your favorite CoA class. 

Each and every class receives a MASSIVE overhaul during this last phase of alpha, adding polish and detail to all 69 (nice) specs. With the 60 Alpha Phase, you’ll explore each like never before: every custom ability, every spec, every talent, is available for you to discover.

21 new classes set in a nostalgic, familiar world. 

Welcome to Conquest of Azeroth.

What is Conquest of Azeroth?

Conquest of Azeroth is an enormous project years in the making: a re-imagining of the original World of Warcraft Vanilla setting with 21 Original Classes. Each class has at least 3 unique specs for a total of 69 new ways to engage with, explore, and conquer Azeroth. 

CoA is more than just Vanilla+: it’s a complete overhaul to Classic that stays true to the soul of WoW while introducing incredible new ways to interact, master, and conquer the world:

• 21 Original Classes
• 69 Total Specs to play
• Hundreds of new, original spells, abilities, and talents
  • With custom visuals
• Overhauled Itemization
  • To make Vanilla Itemization more dynamic
  • Upgrade weak items to fit CoA classes and setting
• Brand New Items
  • To fit classes, theme, and setting
• Expanded Dungeon and Raid Encounters
  • Original mechanics for modernized boss fights
• New World Bosses
• New forms of PvE and PvP
  • The Manastorm
• Arenas
  • 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
  • Original Arena Maps
• New Quests
• New Custom Areas

With hundreds of new spells and abilities, meticulously designed classes and playstyles, and continuous improvement by a full-time development team, CoA brings you back to Azeroth re-imagined in a groundbreaking new way. Explore the next generation of Custom WoW, master new classes, and forge your legacy.

A Year of Development

Over the past year, Conquest of Azeroth has seen significant advancements, particularly in the design philosophy behind class development. The journey through the level 50 Alpha Phase highlighted several opportunities for improvement, leading to a comprehensive overhaul that has set the stage for a polished and cohesive experience in the upcoming Level 60 Alpha Phase.

What’s improved:

• Revised Class Design Philosophy

The introduction of Dragonflight-style Talents prompted a fundamental reevaluation of class roles and abilities. This shift ensured each class and spec now has a clear, concrete vision for in-game functionality, eliminating previous chaos and unfocused hybridization.

Foundational questions regarding class roles and mechanics were thoroughly addressed. Decisions such as which classes will tank and the types of tanking mechanics (Dodge, Parry, Block, Transform, etc.) were clarified, providing a solid framework for class development.

• Enhanced Use of Existing Assets

CoA now leverages the full potential of both Vanilla WoW and Ascension assets. By integrating thousands of itemization updates from classless realms, Conquest of Azeroth now offers a richer and more refined gameplay experience.

• Classes and specs now use a wide array of weapons, armor, and equipment so that ALL of Classic WoW feels exciting and useful to CoA classes
  • During the 50 phase, only 1 spec (1/69) really used Mail Armor
• CoA now better makes use of the years of work, content, and polish brought to classless realms, creating a even better experience
  • i.e. itemization updates, new item sets, new set bonuses, etc.

• More Balanced Ecosystem
  • Classes and Specs do comparable DPS
  • Each Spec has its niche and its strength and weaknesses
  • There’s a spec for everyone
    • Classes have better variance in complexity
  • Even gear distribution

Addressing discrepancies in class power levels was a priority. Through meticulous balancing, classes now exhibit consistent damage boosts and cooldowns, ensuring fair and engaging combat dynamics across the board. Each spec has its niche as well as its own strengths and weaknesses. This means you can play what you want.

Additionally, classes now have better variance in complexity: whether you want something with one buttons to zug zug, or you want the CoA equivalent of Spell Shredder, there’s a spec to suit your preferred level of complexity.

• Comprehensive Overhaul of Specs

Over two-thirds of Conquest of Azeroth’s specs underwent dramatic overhauls. Almost everything, except for the names of classes and abilities, has been revamped to enhance gameplay. The remaining third received significant polishing to align with the new design philosophy.

• Reworked Talent Trees

Talent trees have been completely redesigned to offer more depth and strategic choices. This overhaul ensures each class has a distinct and polished theme and flavor, enhancing the overall player experience.

• Enhanced Class Themes

Every class now embodies a well-defined and immersive theme, providing players with a cohesive and engaging experience. The redesigns ensure that playing each class feels unique and satisfying.

The last year has solved many foundational problems with Conquest of Azeroth: every class and spec has been analyzed, polished, and in some cases redesigned from the ground up. With these extensive updates and developments, Conquest of Azeroth is poised to enter the Level 60 Alpha Phase with a new level of polish, detail, and cohesion. The game now offers a balanced, engaging, and immersive experience, reflecting the dedication and hard work invested over the past year.

• Classes now have a solid, polished level of theme and flavor
  • “It really makes you feel like Batman…”

The Overhaul

The recent changes in Conquest of Azeroth have focused on fixing core issues with all classes and specs. This solid foundation makes future updates easier and faster. Here’s a summary of the key improvements:

• All 21 classes and 69 specs now have clear, defined identities, roles, and playstyles
  • Traditional roles are properly represented: Tank, Healer, DPS, and Support.
    • Tank
    • Healer
    • DPS
    • And even new roles like Support
      • Made sure enough specs supported enough role types
      • Each spec supports the right role types, with careful planning to match classes to roles based on their themes.
  • The classes have been completely reimagined to fit better within the game.
  • All specs have been overhauled to ensure they work well and make sense.
    • Mechanics Tinker the mechsuit form is now a stable part of the rotation, enhancing combat experience.
    • Soul Reaper: Redesigned to excel in both PvE and PvP, no longer focused only on PvP.
    • Hellfire Knight of Xoroth: Transformed into a powerful Plate-wearing juggernaut attacking from atop a Xorothian Warsteed.
    • And so, so much more…

New Specializations

Clarity is essential in an RPG. Previously, certain CoA classes could have multiple diverging paths in a single spec: i.e. one half of your Inquisition tree was DPS and the other was Tank. This created an environment that was confusing for you and impossible to balance for CoA, so instances like these have been separated and made into a 4th spec.

The following classes now have a 4th unique spec.

• Primalist
• Starcaller
• Sun Cleric
• Witch Hunter
• Venomancer
• Son of Arugal

Balanced Values and Effects

• Values, Effects, and Proc Chances have been analyzed and polished across all classes
  • Previously, two different classes might have drastically different (5% vs 15%), stacking party-wide buffs
    • This created situations where some classes had objectively better buffs than others
    • Problems with how they stacked went against current WoW and Ascension buff paradigms
  • Buffs with similar cooldowns and purpose would provide wildly different values for the same effect, creating a massive disparity in cost -> reward.
    • For example, one class might have a 5% damage boost while another class had a 30% damage boost for the same duration and cooldown
      • These value differences are continually being identified and resolved

Standardized Abilities

• Abilities across classes have been diversified so that each class feels unique and powerful
  • Previously, many classes essentially doubled down on the exact same type of ability category–such as a class having 5 versions of Arcane Power/Adrenaline Rush (offensives CDs), or 9 rotational abilities with minimal purpose–rather than having a variety of unique concepts at their disposal.
• Many proc chances and talent values were in a placeholder stage or had been given generic values that were often too low 
  • These have been standardized based on extensive testing and community feedback

Early Game Pacing

Every single Hero in Conquest of Azeroth starts the game at level 1. As such, and this may be hard to believe, but first impressions are everything and the pacing of the early game is one of the most essential aspects of your journey. Those early levels are how you:

• Learn the basics of your brand new class
• Adapt to the pacing and feel of the game
• Come to understand your role, how you play, and what your buttons are
• …and more

For the past few months, a lot of time went into making sure you got the right abilities at the right time. Things like Necromancers getting summons at the right level (that’s what you’re playing necromancer), ensuring tooltips are tight and clear, and reducing bloat all come together to make pacing in the early game feel t i g h t.

New Spell Visuals

Looking cool slaps. CoA got new spell visuals so you look cool as hell while playing.

• Death Necromancer/Harvest Reaper/Artificer Chronomancer/Brigand Ranger/Tyrant Felsworn/Geomancy Primalist have so far all received new spell visuals (everyone has, but these are stand out)

Burning Quiver - Increases damage of ranged abilities by 10% and causes them to deal additional fire damage

Spray Quiver - Quick Shot now strikes up to 5 enemies.

Pillar of Flame Precast - Incineration Pyromancer

(Pillar of Flame Impact - Incineration Pyromancer)

(Pillar of Flame Animated - Incineration Pyromancer)

(Plaguebringer - Death Necromancer)

(Putrefy - Death/Animation Necromancer)

These visuals are designed to fit within the world of Azeroth so they add to the feel and don’t look out of place.

Gear Acquisition and Itemization

• Defined Gear Usage
  • Each class and spec now has clear gear usage and a path of progression.
  • Proper use of the wide variety of gear in WoW, including Ascension’s improvements, has been ensured.
    • Both normally AND including all of Ascension’s itemization improvements
    • This included adding new items to the game to support classes where appropriate…and even some NEW hidden items out in the world.
• New Items and Hidden Treasures:
  • Headhunters, Witch Hunters, Templars, and Tinkers needed unique weapons to suit their classes
  • Unique weapons for Headhunters and Tinkers have been introduced.
  • These items offer meaningful upgrades for each level bracket, enhancing the gameplay experience.
    • Added items to compliment these classes such as Intellect Guns, new Throwing Weapons.
    • All of these items offer MEANINGFUL upgrades for each level bracket.

CoA brings a TON of new playstyles that weren’t necessarily supported in classic WoW. Many of the new custom classes need specific equipment like First Weapons or Throwing Knives to gear up. These weapon types now exist at lower levels so that every class can enjoy the RPG power fantasy of gearing up and getting stronger.

• Fist Weapons

• Guns with unique stats like strength and intellect

• More Throwing Weapons

Meant in part for the Headhunting spec in Barbarian, but also usable by other classes.

• New Crossbows

Meant in part for the Boltslinger spec in Witch Hunter, but also usable by other classes, like Ranger.

While these new items of course benefit the specific classes they are designed to compliment, they of course benefit all of Ascension’s projects. These items will hit Classless realms as well, providing new and existing heroes with more gear options to compliment their chosen specs.

Class Name Changes

Demon Hunter and Monk are two class names that CoA and Retail shared, and with this came an expectation of similarity, despite the differences in playstyle. We changed that.

• Demon Hunter
  • Renamed to Felsworn
  • New race/class combo additions: Draenei and Orc
• Monk
  • Renamed to Templar
  • All races can be Templars.

The data showed that these two were the least played classes on CoA: likely because people thought they weren’t new. The name change makes it clear that they are distinct, new, and s p i c y. The spice must flow.

The name changes allow for these classes to uniquely exist, without giving players an unfair expectation of what they’re getting into.

The past year of development prioritized stable foundations for every aspect of the game including itemization, class and spec themes, ability design, and talent design to ensure that each and every class–each and every spec–feels powerful, unique, interesting, and fun to play. The 50 Alpha Phase was essential to transforming CoA into a more cohesive, wholistic game.

The Classes

Necromancer

The Necromancer is a dark caster that summons multiple undead pets at the same time to swarm and overwhelm enemies. Call upon hordes of wildly unique Undead minions like skeletons, wraiths, abominations, ghouls, and more, and wield Plague and Frost Damage to whither foes to a tragic end.

• Role: DPS
• Primary Stat: Intellect
• Armor: Cloth

Class Mechanic - Life Force: Necromancers possess a pool of reanimating energy to raise undead pets. 

The new Necromancer Summon UI

Specializations

Death: Inflict and spread diseases with Plague Bombs and Crypt Plagues to deal devastating DoT damage as your undead minions batter diseased foes.

Animation: Become a dark summoner, animating hordes of undead to swarm and overwhelm foes.

Rime: Embrace the cold and deliver swift, icy death to your enemies. Rime Necromancers embrace the frosts of Northrend to transform into powerful Liches, chilling enemies to the bone with icy magic and caster-focused minions.

Pyromancer

The Pyromancer is a devastating force of destruction that uses flaming magics to decimate foes with heavy hitting single-target and AoE spells. Wield fire, meteors, molten rocks, and even transform into a dragon to obliterate foes with a snap of your flaming fingers. Some pyromancers may instead choose to heal with their flameweaving, embracing the regenerative power of the phoenix to mend allies and keep friends from harm.

• Role: DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Intellect
• Armor: Cloth

Specializations

Incineration: Burn enemies to cinders with outrageously powerful direct damage spells and fire DoTs. Obliterate foes with meteors and barrages of molten rock while powerful Ignite and Blaze DoTs reduce them to smoldering ash. 

Draconic: Embrace the cunning of the Black Dragonflight to become a highly mobile magical assassin. Draconic Pyromancers specialize in close-range casting with fast, bursty fire attacks and draconic breaths. As you slash enemies with Draconic Fang, you’ll build up breath charges to unleash different breath attacks based on each Dragon Aspect. The most powerful Draconic Pyromancers can ascend into their red dragon form and rain fire on foes from above.

Flameweaving: Some Pyromancers use their blazing heat to heal, leaving behind trails of flame that mend allies and damage enemies. This DPS Healer build uses spells like Volcanic Shell to support their party, and can even summon a Phoenix as a pet.

Cultist

Give in to the madness of the Old Gods and herald their coming: Cultists use their magic to build up Void Runes to cast powerful spells, and gather Insanity: a resource that grants massive surges of damage. However, going fully insane breaks your mind, destroying you from the inside out in a burst of shadow damage. You’ll need to balance your Insanity to stay alive and usher in the Hour of Twilight.

Cultists choose between N’zoth, Y’shaarj, C’thun, or Yog’sarron, and gain different abilities based on which God they serve.

• Role: Tank, DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Strength, Intellect
• Armor: Cloth, Plate

Class Mechanic - Insanity: Cultists generate Insanity when using powerful abilities. The higher your insanity, the more damage you deal. However, going fully insane breaks your mind, causing certain death.

Specializations

Godblade: Channel the Old God’s power into your mighty blade, unleashing eldritch powers to corrupt and decimate the righteous. Summon swarms of various tentacles to pummel and cripple your enemies, as well as building up dark runes of power to unleash powerful unholy strikes on all who would oppose your will. 

 

Corruption: Dedicate yourself to C’thun and become a dark herald of the Black Empire: Corruption Cultists are Intellect focused casters that inflict dark nightmares on their foes, weaving direct damage Shadow spells and DoTs together. As you cast, you’ll build up Insanity: keep it at just the right level for a MASSIVE shadow damage boost. But let it build up too far, and the madness of C’thun will overwhelm and destroy you.

Influence: Influence Cultists sway allies towards their masters with promises of immortality, taking on the role of dark healers. Call upon Yogg-saron to protect your followers with powerful absorb shields and healing, and unleash Edict spells which let allies benefit from their unique procs.

Dreadnought: Channel the might of Y’shaarj to invoke Armageddon on the field of battle. The Dreadnought can absorb insane levels of punishment by utilizing heavy armor and powerful absorption effects to nullify all who would challenge the might of the old gods.

Starcaller

Infused with the light of the Moon Goddess Elune, Starcallers channel lunar power into their weapons, armor, and spells. As a Starcaller, you are an astral knight that can adapt to any role. Whether with blade or bow, defensive or healing magic, you’ll bring the light of the moon to the darkest corners of Azeroth. Unless you succumb to corrupted waters…

• Role: Tank, DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Intellect
• Armor: Mail, Plate

Specializations

Warden: Some Starcallers walk the path of Maiev Shadowsong and choose to become Wardens: those who specialize in Warden empower themselves further with arcane magic, charging into battle as an avatar of Elune.

Sentinel: Sentinel Starcallers walk the path of the Priestesses of the Moon, enhancing their bows with astral magic to deal damage and heal. The strongest Moonbows can fully adopt their ancestral traditions, mounting a warsaber to engage in mounted combat and unleashing a flurry of glaives upon foes. The Moonbow can be played as either a ranged damage dealer or healer.

Moon Priest: Moon Priest Starcallers weave the moonlight to replenish and restore allies and utilise enchanted arrows to restore their mana and become one with the lunar phases. Wield moonlight and the eclipse to soothe your party’s wounds.

Moon Guard:The Moon Guard were an elite group of night elf sorcerers who served as protectors and peace-keepers in the ancient Kaldorei Empire. Take up their mantle and defend your allies by utilizing arcane magic barriers gaining strength in accordance to the flow of mana.

Sun Cleric

The Light is a powerful force on Azeroth, but few choose to worship its physical source. As a Sun Cleric, the blazing sun itself is your deity, augmenting the Light with the raw destructive force of fire. Bring down righteous flames upon the wicked and smite the shadows from Azeroth. Sun Clerics can choose to become any manner of fighter, caster, or healer, but all wield searing flames.

• Role: Tank, DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Strength, Intellect
• Armor: Cloth, Plate

Class Mechanic - Sunset: Certain abilities generate Solar Power. At 20 stacks, unleash it to modify your spells with additional effects.

Specializations

Piety: Piety Sun Clerics are solar priests, weaving their burning light into powerful spells. As you sear foes with Holy and Fire damage, you’ll build up Sunset stacks to unleash massive burst damage upon the unworthy–if you can time it right.

Seraphim: Begin your crusade as a wrathful angel, using zealous attacks to smite the wicked and shield the weak from the blasphemous. Seraphim Sun Clerics infuse burning light into their weapons and armor. Blaze into battle as either a Dual Wielding DPS or a Shield Tank, using light-based abilities to protect allies and burn foes to cinders. 

Blessings: Fire can provide gentle warmth as well as wrathful purge: Blessing Sun Clerics use their faith in flame to heal and protect allies. Invoke the blessings of the sun and build up Solar Power, which can be unleashed for massive group healing. 

Valkyrie: Imbue yourself with the power of the Val’kyr, smiting unholy abominations with searing holy fire. As a Valkyrie Sun Cleric you use your dual wielding prowess to unleash devastating flurries of strikes and wreak havoc in melee combat. Utilizing flaming spears and zealous might you will carve a path of righteous destruction throughout the lands of Azeroth!

Tinker

The Tinker is an eccentric inventor dabbling in the creation of all things explosive and mechanical. Whether constructing turrets to blow foes away or leaping into mech suits to destroy swaths of enemies, the Tinker can be described in one word: ingenious. Utilize your arsenal of different bullet types, landmines, bombs, and mechs to strategically augment the battlefield, blow up foes, and support allies.

• Role: DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Agility, Intellect
• Armor: Leather, Mail

Class Mechanic - Rounds: The Tinker has an arsenal of different and unique round types for their gun.

Specializations

Demolition: Some inventors only dabble in one thing: explosions. Blackpowder is a form of explosions, and as a Demolitions Tinker, you have a lot of Blackpowder. Explosive Rounds, Sapper Charges, Rocket Launchers, Handcannons, Cannonballs and more. Focusing primarily on a fast paced and explosive playstyle, they’re sure to demolish any enemy in their way.

Mechanics: Like any good inventor, some Tinkers prefer tinkering with mechanical doodads and whizbangs. As a Mechanics Tinker, you specialize in building. Become a master of turrets and land mines, using your massive intellect to augment and improve your turrets. Or walk the path of the mechanist with a Shredder mechsuit to dish out punishment with sawblades and flamethrowers.

Invention: Inventors use their genius to augment and empower their party, placing down beacons that give effects within a certain radius, and utilizing their handy dandy nanobots to heal allies! They can purge harmful effects from friends, patch up wounds, and can even use a ‘healing gun’ to… uh, support allies! Yeah!

Runemaster

Draw your power from ancient runes: the Runemaster weaves runic power and wild magic into their spells to augment their abilities and unleash wild new effects unlocked through long lost combinations of runes. Use inscribed runes to wield powerful arcane magic, and see if you can master the runes and glyphs of old.

• Role: DPS
• Primary Stat: Intellect, Spirit
• Armor: Cloth

Class Mechanic - Attunement: The Runemaster cycles through Attunement to either Frost, Fire, or Arcane. This attunement cycles every 8 seconds, and slightly affects the Runemaster’s abilities.

Class Mechanic - Inscribe Rune: Runemasters can store up to 4 runes at once, which regenerate mana and can be spent to power certain abilities.

Specializations

Spellslinger: Let loose dazzling arcane barrages to overwhelm your enemies. The Spellslinger is a raw caster archetype which uses the shifting wild magic of runes and glyphs, which alter and empower their Thaumaturgy spell to inscribe, and unleash devastating magic onto enemies.

Riftblade: Channel raw magic into your blade and become an agile assassin. Riftblade Runemasters cycle between Fire, Frost, and Arcane weapons to stealthily assassinate targets from within their Mana Shroud. Use your elemental blades in different orders to create different combinations and wild new effects. Create combo spells that deal devastating damage to your foes.

Conjuration:

Conjuration Runemasters are a pet-focused class where all of your abilities radiate from your Runic Familiar. As a Conjuration Runemaster, you’ll play around your pet: displacing it, repositioning it, and using teleports to disrupt, confuse, and disorient enemies. All the while, you’ll unleash shockwaves that deal massive damage.

Primalist

The Primalist is a multi-faceted beast of primordial powers, channeling the power of the earth, nature, great beasts, and the mountains themselves. As a primalist, you maintain the natural order while augmenting yourself and allies with powerful boons.

• Role: Tank, Healer, DPS
• Primary Stat: Strength, Intellect
• Armor: Plate

Specializations

Geomancy: Become the embodiment of earthen fury, shaping earth and rumbling the ground beneath in waves of earthbending magic to bludgeon enemies with shards of stone.

Mountain King: Embrace the spirits of the mountains, becoming a defensive bastion of might and earth magic to defend your allies and deal punishing AoE damage. Master the art of the Tectonic Shift, dealing damage to enemies who strike you, but be careful! Too much tectonic action and you will stun yourself for a period of time as your earthen defensives are overloaded.

Wildwalker: Rove the wildlands of Azeroth as a primal fighter: Wildwalker Primalists are totem warriors who commune with wild gods and ancient spirits. Dedicated to defending the natural order, Wildwalkers deal brutal physical damage, summon Spirit Animals as pets, and do battle with either a 2H Weapon or Dual Wielding.

 

Life: Invoke the power of the Earthmother and become a healing juggernaut. Life Primalists are nature-weaving, melee Rage-based healers that fight alongside their tanks to keep allies alive with radiating AoE heals and animalistic boons.

Reaper

The Reaper is a shadowy melee DPS that harvests the souls of fallen enemies. Feed on the life of your victims and use your own health to empower your strikes. The Reaper can even slip into the shadows to become invisible to enemies, biding time until you strike.

• Role: Tank, DPS
• Primary Stat: Strength, Intellect
• Armor: Plate

Specializations

Harvest: Use your scythe to drain the essence of your enemies and become a powerhouse of death and destruction. Harvest Reapers are melee bruisers that restore their own HP by draining the life from their enemies. Harvesters can also use their own life as a weapon, using health to increase their damage and cleave foes into sanguine corpses.

.

Soul: Soul Reapers are powerful melee casters that harness the power of the Shadowlands. Fading in and out of reality as shadowy wraiths, these Reapers combine shadow damage, spell power, and Dual Wielded weapons to carve a dark path through enemies. Soul Reapers can slip in and out of the Shadowlands to become invisible, and can even drag their enemies souls with them to guarantee 1v1 fights for a brief moment.

Domination: Bolster your physical form and augment your armor with death magics: Domination Reapers are savage tanks that consume their own health to gain threat and deal AoE damage. They utilize a two-handed weapon to parry and take down their foes, and also have multiple sustain and defensive abilities to become undying avatars and shrug off pain.

Venomancer

The Venomancer is a disciple of the Poison Loa, Shadra. This venom-druid possesses multiple poisonous shapeshift forms, including a spider, scorpion, snake, and more. As you stack multiple poisons on your foes, you’ll erode away their life until nothing but a husk remains. Burrow underground for temporary invisibility, or transform into a Vizier to amplify healing over time spells–that which kills can also heal.

• Role: Tank, Healer, DPS
• Primary Stat: Intellect
• Armor: Leather, Mail

Specializations

Rot: Rot Venomancers use their knowledge of entropy and decay to poison foes and damage enemies.. Use your Rotweaver form to spread poisons across the battle which hinder and debilitate foes while you spread toxic mayhem across the battlefield.

Vizier: Venom is the essence of many cures. Attain the knowledge of the ancient nerubian viziers to mend wounds of allies through regenerative magic. Apply Shadra’s Vigil on allies and start ritual chanting to speed up their recovery.

Stalking: Embrace the goddess Shadra and alter your transformations into slithering, skittering new forms. Sneak up on enemies and inject them with horrific toxins in Spider Form: a nature damage assassin that can burrow beneath the ground. As you progress as a Stalking Venomancer, you can become a Serpent Lord, Nerubian, or even a Spider Lord.

Fortitude: Fortitude Venomancers take on the form of the Scorpion, gaining natural armor and abilities to reflect damage back onto enemies. While using the Scorpion form, you go through stages of molting your Exoskeleton, which can be used to empower your defensive capabilities. Block damage, dish it back out, and whittle foes down with poison.

Chronomancer

Become the ultimate trickster mage and embrace the time-warping magic of the Chronomancer. Master the timeways, balance order and chaos to deal damage and remake wounded allies, and alter space time in all kinds of ways: create clones stuck in time that you can return to, duplicate allies that replicate their spells, shift, translocate, and turn back time to rewind rewind yourself, your allies, and even your enemies.

• Role: DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Intellect, Spirit
• Armor: Cloth

Specializations

Duality: Time is a delicate balance between order and chaos, and Duality Chronomancers manage both in equilibrium to unleash devastating magics. Use the magic of Order to deal direct and AoE damage, while Chaos magic erodes foes over time and causes devastating execution damage. Master both to unmake foes!

Artificer: Artificers weave the magic of the Bronze Flight into their wands, imbuing them with colossal power and skillfully destroying enemies. Manage your wand attacks in the ultimate auto-attack build that ramps up power over time, gathering attack speed to unleash a torrential barrage of magic strikes. Artificers can use Wand Empowerments to augment their attacks, stacking them all up to become a dangerous ranged combatant.

Displacement: Master the fabrics of reality to support allies and dazzle enemies: as a Displacement Chronomancer, you have access to wild utility spells to confuse enemies while you patch up your allies. Displacement Chronomancers have various Aeon effects that modify their primary heal with additional effects. Rewind time to keep allies healthy, and utilize your Bronze Whelp pet to assist you with your healing duties!

Son of Arugal -

The sanguine Curse of the Worgen transforms even the stoutest hearts into bloodthirsty monsters: driven into frenzy by the scent of blood. As a Son of Arugal, you grapple with your curse and alternate between a caster and an enraged wolf. But there is a path to mastering your curse, sacrificing your feral bloodlust to become a crimson Blood Mage. Which path you walk is up to you.

• Role: Tank, Healer, DPS
• Primary Stat: Agility, Intellect
• Armor: Leather

Specializations

Ferocity: Give into the Curse and unleash the power of your sire, transforming into a ferocious Worgen. Ferocity Sons of Arugal begin gathering rage in their base-form by casting blood magic to grow their fury. Once your rage fills, unleash it to transform into a Worgen: gaining access to savage new abilities. Leap into combat and tear foes to shreds. Make them bleed, then make them bleed: the hunt is on.

Blood: Relinquish the savagery of your Worgen form to fully embrace the gift of the San’layn: Blood Sons of Arugal use their own health to devastate enemies and transfuse life into allies. As a Blood Son of Arugal, you’ll deal damage with blood bombs and deadly life siphons, and use your own health to sustain both yourself and teammates.

Packleader: Fully embrace the Worgen curse and give into your feral desires: Packleader Sons of Argual permanently transform into Worgen and take control of a Shadow Pack: when you deal or take damage, you’ll summon additional shadow worgen to shred foes. Lead your allies in battle and tear through enemies to claim your territory.

Fleshweaver: Invigorate your allies with the rejuvenating effects of Blood Magic, weaving ancient spells to mend and heal your friends as you pool Vitality with your spells to cast extremely powerful blood rituals. The Fleshweaver steals life from his foes and itself to give it back to his teammates in spades, healing mortal wounds that would vanquish them in seconds.

Guardian - 

The Guardian is a stoic knight committed to the rules of chivalry and engagement. A master of all martial weapons, this Strength-focused fighter is the perfect adventurer for exploring the world of Azeroth. With heavy defense through plate armor, and the ability to Tank, DPS or even fully Support allies, the Guardian stands as a stalwart ally to any party: and a deadly foe to encounter alone.

• Role: Tank, DPS, Support
• Primary Stat: Strength
• Armor: Plate

Specializations

Gladiator: Don the savage mantle of the Gladiator and engage foes in brutal combat: Gladiator Guardians have a plethora of nets, charges, and leaps to stick to even the slipperiest foes. With a focus on physical damage, Gladiators also have robust defenses in their plate armor and serve as the perfect fighter.

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Vanguard: Lead the charge into battle with ironclad protection and destructive force: Vanguard Guardians shield themselves and allies in a tanking spec with multiple AoE abilities to keep targets focused on them. Wielding a massive shield with nigh impenetrable defense, Vanguards are the ultimate Shield Tanks.

Inspiration: Inspire your allies with ballads and songs that bolster their effectiveness on the battlefield. Inspiration guardians are empowering support heroes that often serve as Bards to the adventurers of Azeroth. Lead the charge with spells that boost your group’s morale and power, claim conquered territories by placing supportive Banners and sing empowering songs of battle: with plenty of abilities that enhance their group, Inspiration Guardians are a welcome force in any adventuring party.

Stormbringer 

Unleash the savage fury of the storm and electrify the battlefield with crackling lightning and roaring thunder. Stormbringers are lightning mages that wield the unbound element of lightning: build up Static to zap multiple foes at once using wind, thunder, and lightning. Your supreme display of power is sure to leave foes electrified!

• Role: DPS, Support
• Primary Stat: Intellect
• Armor: Cloth
•  

Class Mechanic - Static: 

Stormbringer abilities generate 

Static, 

which stacks up to 100 times, increasing spell proc chances and damage of specific abilities.

Specializations

Lightning: Channel the power of nature to unleash powerful storms of static to electrocute foes in a stunning display. Lightning Stormbringers are single-target, burst damage focused casters that build up Static to unleash additional effects on their most powerful spells.

Thunder: Harnessing the power of the Thunder King, Thunder Stormbringers unleash a torrent of storms as the ultimate AoE mages. Summon multitudes of lightning orbs, chain lightnings, and instant casts to make the entire battlefield the eye of your storm. Take down multiple enemies at once, quell the thunder, and breathe in the scent of storms.

Winds: Control the raging winds of the storm and summon an Air Elemental, which grows in strength while in combat. As a Wind Stormbringer, you support your allies with various buffs and effects, all while your Air Elemental keeps your storm brewing. The longer you remain in combat, the stronger you can boost your elemental: empower it enough, and it will Unleash, gaining a huge power boost and conjuring wild, roaring winds to devastate the battlefield.

Felsworn

Previously agents of the Burning Legion, Felsworns now use their demonic knowledge in service of a greater cause. Cleave through swaths of foes with powerful combos, or harness chaos magics to burn enemies to cinders. An agile fighter, the Felsworn can lead or follow in a group setting, and is dangerous to encounter alone. Woe unto the fool whom the Felsworn makes its prey…

• Role: Tank, DPS
• Primary Stat: Agility, Intellect
• Armor: Leather

Class Mechanic - Felfury Charges: Felfury Charges are passive charges that allow the use of certain abilities. They are on a cycle timer and regenerate after using them.

Class Mechanic - Demon Form: Felsworns gather rage over time, and once maxxed transform into their Demon Form, gaining additional damage.

Class Mechanic - Felstrikes: Felsworns have fel-infused weapons, causing certain attacks to trigger an additional felstrike.

Specializations

Slaying: Slayers devote their training to material prowess and physical ability. A highly mobile and deadly melee combatant, Slayers let loose brutal combo attacks on enemies and deal massive burst damage. Use your skills tactically in a specific order to trigger bonus effects.

Infernal: Infernal Felsworns channel their power into demonic magics as Chaos Mages, conjuring felfire storms and chaos bolts to consume their enemies. This extremely mobile caster spec specializes in instant casts and DoTs, dashing around the battlefield and bathing foes in felfire.

Tyrant: Fully unleash your demonic blood and the strength of the Burning Legion, transforming into a permanent Demon to become a chaotic bulwark: Tyrant Felsworns are mighty tanks wielding felfire and flames. Yet they still maintain their agile nature, able to mitigate, deflect, and even evade damage entirely as they leap into combat.

Barbarian - 

Throwing axes, savage strikes, and ale: Barbarians are masters of combat that know how to have a good time. Call upon the strength of your ancestors and wield the mightiest weapons in a classic archetype whose rage and love of tavern drinking is legendary. Barbarians can dish out damage by throwing axes and spears with deadly precision, causing their foes to bleed out before getting in close to finish the job. They can also share a drink with allies, granting everyone temporary buffs and a raging good time!

• Role: DPS, Support
• Primary Stat: Agility
• Armor: Leather

Class Mechanic - Unbridled Rage: Barbarians naturally build up rage while in combat, and become Enraged after scoring critical strikes. Certain abilities can only be used while enraged.

Specializations

Ancestry: Ancestry Barbarians call on their mighty divine ancestors, the Vrykul, to support and buff both themselves and allies. With an array of both offensive and defensive buffs and skills, Ancestry Barbarians keep friends in the fight while carving through foes with a deadly frost axe in one hand and a pint of ale in the other. Remember, ale’s truest delight: cold, crisp perfection!

Brutality: Few encounter the rage of a Barbarian and live to tell the tale. As a Brutality Barbarian, you fully embrace your animalistic nature to become a savage fighter. Become an unstoppable force and tear through foes in a reckless rage, dealing dealing massive cleave damage either with a massive 2H Weapon or Dual Wielding.

Headhunting: Some Barbarians are in it for the sport: the thrill of the chase and the skill of throwing the perfect axe. Headhunter Barbarians hurl powerful axes and spears at their foes, attacking from a distance and working themselves into a frenzy. Headhunters unleash deadly bleeds with blow after blow, and enemies usually bleed out before they reach you.

Witch Doctor - 

Wield the power of voodoo: the Witch Doctor uses ancient hex magics to curse and cripple foes, as well by mixing potions and elixirs to create powerful temporary buffs. They can also summon primal dinosaurs to aid them in combat, empowered by the Loa Wild Gods. 

• Role: DPS, Healer
• Primary Stat: Agility, Intellect
• Armor: Leather

Specializations

Brewing: Brewing Witch Doctors create powerful potions on the fly, and can mix them in different ways to provide different buffs depending on the situation. Learning to mix potions quickly mid-combat will mark you as an effective Brewer. Brewing Witch Doctors can also channel beams of voodoo energy and place iconic Healing Wards to keep allies alive and invigorated through the most savage encounters.

Voodoo: Voodoo Witch Doctors focus on hexes and jinxes to enfeeble foes, stacking multiple debuffs and DoTs on targets. Once foes are significantly crippled, you can channel dark magic into them to enhance your debuff’s effects. Voodoo Witch Doctors specialize in wearing them down, and sending them to the Odda’ Side as shallow husks. Stay away from da voodoo!

Shadowhunting: Not all Witch Doctors are casters: Shadowhunter Witch Doctors embrace the legacy of Vol’jin, becoming deadly ranged hunters that channel the wrath of their Loa Gods while inflicting enemies with powerful hexes. Use a bow to land precise shots with shadow-poisoned arrows while being supported by an invoked dinosaur and Serpent Wards.

Witch Hunter

Azeroth is no stranger to monsters stalking the dark: but the Witch Hunter is the one thing all monsters fear. An agile, precise and highly mobile Monster Hunter, the Witch Hunter uses dual crossbows, muskets and good old-fashioned fiery glazed blades to purge Azeroth of the wicked. A dark vigilante that can DPS or Tank, monsters in the night fear the Witch Hunter.

• Role: Tank, DPS
• Primary Stat: Agility
• Armor: Mail

Specializations

Boltslinger: Wield repeater crossbows and relentlessly track down the evil: Boltslinger Witch Hunters are extremely mobile mid-range damage dealers that combo their shots together in a deadly dance of silver coated bolts. Seize the momentum of the hunt and unleash a blinding flurry of attacks that pierce the dark with a silvery shine. The dark should fear me.

Inquisition: Some Witch Hunters are driven by their brutal faith in justice and light: compelled to seek out Azeroth's darkness and cauterize it in righteous fire. Dedicated to purging the wicked, these Witch Hunters are known as Inquisitors. Many have joined the Scarlet Crusade, but you hold no such loyalties. Purge foes by any means necessary, alternating between Purity and Wickedness. In Purity, your faith illuminates the dark; in Wickedness, your enemies burn.

Darkness: Darkness Witch Hunters have no attachment to the light. Like Felsworns, these dark gunslingers understand that the enemy’s power can be used against them. Cloaked in darkness and armed with a silver-loaded musket, Darkness Witch Hunters use shadowy hounds to track down evil and root it out. Unleash the dogs of war, pepper foes with brutal shots, and blow the unholy into oblivion.

Black Knight: Don the witchmail, protecting yourself from the corrupting powers of evil which you wield to fight fire with fire. Black Knights utilize dark magic to bolster their defenses and leech health from enemies through powerful two handed weapon strikes.

Knight of Xoroth

The Knights of Xoroth are savage Hell Knights and harbingers of apocalyptic war. Using massive blades, hooks, chains, and hellfire, you’ll decimate foes and herald the end of all things. As a Knight of Xoroth, you stand as a juggernaut of destructive fire, taking and dishing out brutal punishment. Harvest health from slain enemies, unleash waves of agonizing flame, and ride your dark steed into battle to cleave foes from atop its back.

• Role: Tank, DPS
• Primary Stat: Strength, Intellect
• Armor: Plate

Class Mechanic - Deathfire: Knights of Xoroth build up Deathfire in combat using abilities. Like combo points, these can be unleashed for apocalyptic finishing moves to bring enemies to their end.

Specializations

War: Many Knights of Xoroth serve as heralds of apocalyptic War, flaying and bleeding enemies until they’re ripe for the kill. A physical damage dealer, War Knights of Xoroth are savage butchers that flay corpses for health regen and utilize butcher hooks and chains to drag foes close.

Hellfire: Hellfire Knights of Xoroth walk the line between savage hell knight and flaming occultist, specializing in big bursts and strong AoE damage. These hybrid Knights are melee fighters that prioritize caster gear to maximize the damage of their hellfire. Unleash demonic fire magic through your blade, sear through foes, and even transform into a blazing demon: all to ensure your enemy’s end.

Defiance: Raise your flaming bulwark and halt enemies in their tracks: Defiance Knights of Xoroth are warrior warlocks that use Hellgates to unleash hoards of flaming demons. Oppose order and usher pure chaos into Azeroth: pull imps and abyssal infernals from the firelands to ravage all in your path. This flaming sword and board tank is an unstoppable juggernaut, and your enemies will know war.

Templar 

The Templar is a devout martial artist and master of multiple styles of combat. With a focus on combos and using skills in just the right order, the Templar is an agile skirmisher that chains together combos before unleashing powerful Combo Breaker finishing moves. Weave together vicious strikes with a blade, staff, or your fists, and bring balance to the world of Azeroth.

• Role: Tank, DPS
• Primary Stat: Agility
• Armor: Mail

Class Mechanic: Combo - Templars are agile fighters that specialize in comboing their abilities. Weave together Openers and Followups to unleash wild Combat Moves, finishing foes with a Combo Breaker!

Specializations

Crusader: Crusader Templars are graceful fighters dedicated to the study of the Holy Light. Weave in and out of your opponent’s range to sever their spirit, confuse the enemy with spiritual abdications, and return them to the light in a shining vortex of blades.

Martial: Eliminate enemies in a flurry of swift strikes while utilizing powerful combos to unleash devastating effects on your enemies.

Discipline: Through rigorous monastic training, Discipline Templars steel both mind and body to absorb punishment and deal it right back. Wielding a traditional staff, Discipline Templars deflect blows and weave their strikes to maintain a stacking tank buff that mitigates harm.

Ranger

Rangers are the outlaws and farstriders of Azeroth: the scouts and brigands of the wilderness. At home forests and proficient with both melee weapons and a bow, these versatile survivalists are deadly in combat. Some live their lives as cutthroats, ambushing prey and stealing what they need to survive. Others are wandering huntsman who find company beside their War Falcons. Be wary should you encounter a Ranger alone, and count yourself lucky to find one as an ally.

• Role: DPS, Support
• Primary Stat: Agility
• Armor: Leather

Specializations

Archery: Become a dedicated archer and wreak chaos from afar, peppering foes with a hail of arrows. Archery Rangers are long-ranged skirmishers that can make use of Quiver abilities to modify their damage. With excellent mobility to keep the enemy off its heels, Archers are a deadly sight throughout Azeroth.

Brigand: Living on the boundaries of civilization, ambushing the rich and taking what they want by force, Brigand Rangers assault targets with brutal melee attacks. These underhanded bandits have no qualms using dirty tricks to take down foes quickly. Armed with poisons that cripple and debilitate foes, Brigands are deadly fighters that always come out on top.

Farstrider: At home in the wilds and at peace with animals, Farstrider Rangers can call War Falcons to battle and let loose roaring horns to support allies. Farstrider Rangers are a support class, using powerful Horns to buff allies.

Entering the 60 Alpha Phase and the Future of CoA

Conquest of Azeroth has come a LONG way from its initial conception, and the level 60 Alpha Phase is a huge milestone in development. As classes continue to receive tweaks, upgrades, and polish, Conquest of Azeroth moves ever closer to its official free-to-play release.

Here are the remaining phases before release:

• Level 60 Alpha Phase
• Closed Beta Phase
• Open Beta Phase
• Release

CoA will continue to receive full-time development and improvements as the game prepares for release.

Progressive release of Vanilla Content in the Alpha

The CoA Alpha 60 Phase will see a partial progressive release of Vanilla content similar to Leagues/Seasons. Enough content throughout Vanilla will be released to allow for extensive testing and adjustment of classes in end-game content. As you discover and play your favorite classes and specs, you can test your newfound power against classic challenges:

• End-game Dungeons
  • Normal
  • Heroic
  • Mythic0
  • Mythic+
    • With expanded dungeon mechanics in Mythic Dungeons
• End-Game Raids
  • Normal
  • Heroic
  • Mythic
  • Ascended
    • With expanded mechanics in Mythic and Ascended Raids
• Expanded Itemization
  • Both the Itemization Overhaul from classless realms AND brand new items introduced to CoA
  • So you can have more control over how you customize your class
• New Original World Bosses
• The Manastorm
  • Challenge 4000+ levels of the Manastorm as your favorite CoA Champion!
• Adventure Mode
• Hardcore Trials
• New Quests
• World PvP
• Level 60 Battlegrounds
• Level 60 Arenas
  • 1v1
  • 2v2
  • 3v3
• CoA High-Risk PvP

Get Conquest of Azeroth

Heroes interested in playing the CoA Alpha and supporting development can do so here:

Elune: 

https://ascension.gg/store/elune/584/conquest-of-azeroth-alpha-bundle-21-custom-classes/ascension-bundles

Area 52:

https://ascension.gg/store/area-52/584/conquest-of-azeroth-alpha-bundle-21-custom-classes/ascension-bundles

As Heroes test the 60 phase of CoA, more information and articles on changes, updates, and the eventual release of CoA will be available. This article is the first of a more dedicated effort to showcase CoA and its incredible features.

See you in Azeroth, Heroes.