WoW Classic Sunday and Phase 2

WoW Classic has finally reached its Phase 2 status.

Classic is as classic does

Dire Maul, which was originally slated to be unlocked as part of Phase 2, was opened up to players back in mid-October.  The hold up on the rest of Phase 2 was said to be based on realm populations.  Blizz wanted to remove layering from all WoW Classic realms before they put Phase 2 into effect.  This past week they removed layering from all realms.

They didn’t fix the population problems, and there are still free transfers available for US and EU realms off of servers that are over-crowded, so Blizz expects you to resolve your queue issues on your own.

Phase 2 brings two world bosses into the game, Lord Kazzak in the Blasted Lands and Azuregos in Azshara, both of which are suggest as 40 person raids.

Phase 2 also brings in the PvP Honor system, where players can earn honor points for killing players from the other faction.  Since the first battlegrounds won’t be introduced until the next phase unlocks, this means open world kills as well as raids on enemy capital cities to kill faction leaders.  There is a diminishing returns system that reduced the amount of honor for killing the same person or faction leader in the same day:

• 1st: 100% of Honor
• 2nd: 75% of Honor
• 3rd: 50% of Honor
• 4th: 25% of Honor
• 5th (and beyond): 0% Honor

That, of course, won’t keep people from killing you over and over.

And for all that honor you can earn ranks and unlock gear, ranging from the Private/Scout ranks with their tabard up to the Grand Marshal/High Warlord rank, which will give you access to some epic quality weapons.

One of the items not included yet with Phase 2 is the key ring.  That is expected to be included before the end of the year.

Details for PvP ranks and honor requirements are all in a blog post by Blizzard.

With Phase 2 in play now, people will be looking for an indication as to when Phase 3 will be coming along.  Phase 3 will bring Blackwing Lair, Darkmoon Faire, and the first two battlegrounds, Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch.