WoW PTR 7.3 – Mac’Aree Zone Opens

With Patch 7.3 (24539), the Mac’Aree zone became accessible for testing. It also added maps for all three zones. The first area map now has been properly named as Krokuun. The third zone is named Stygian Wake.

 

In addition, the map now shows 2 Invasion Point scenario markers. These have to be completed in order to gain entry to the second zone. Illidan also has a new quest at the Vindicaar ship: “Where they least expect it.”

New Army of the Light tabard sold by Vindicator Jaelaana at The Vindicaar for 300 gold.

 

There are many quests with placeholders, currently missing in-game cutscenes. So far I have found about 5+ quests. In the current patch build, the quest “A Vessel Made Ready” is broken. The ethereal Locus-Walker opens a portal into the Void, but it can’t be interacted with. Wait until the next build for the fix.

Locus-Walker is trying to convince Alleria Windrunner about her destiny, and considering she has a void skin in the datamined files, it doesn’t bode well. Still, we will have to wait and see what exactly happens.

Among the missing cutscenes, one of them shows memories of the arrival of Sargeras upon Mac’Aree, as well as younger Archimonde before his transformation into a Legion lieutenant.

 

Invasion Rifts

There is a new content that I find intriguing. It is incomplete. There are scenarios throughout Krokruun (Zone 1) and Mc’Aree (Zone 2). At least 2-3 scenarios per zone. These scenarios are marked in the map as Invasion Point.

According to Illidan, these Invasion Rifts are portals leading to other worlds. Illidan wants you to infiltrate those worlds to bring the fight to the Burning Legion at those outposts.

PTR Testers have deep criticism about Invasion Points due to crashes, mob respawns, and some unexplained content. We still don’t know what the rewards are, and when you queue for the scenario sometimes you enter it alone. Unless that is a bug, it is currently seen as a possible scaling scenario where you can either solo, 2-man, or 3-man. We will have to wait for Blizzard to clarify. If it is meant to scale, it is not currently doing so. Overall, based on observation my take is that this new scenario feature is intended to be like the Diablo III’s Nephalem Rifts.

**Some of these names might be placeholders.

Krokruun Invasion Points:

• Invasion Rift: Blood (located at Grove of Naroua – 73.50, 33.80)
• Invasion Rift: Ice (located at Deceiver’s Scar – 47.02, 77.37

 

Mac’Aree Invasion Points:

• Invasion Rift: Marsh (located at Conservatory of the Arcane – 70.42 , 38.52 | this is Outland’s Zangarmarsh)
• Invasion Rift: Forest (located at Arinor Gardens – 60.94, 18.84)
• Invasion Rift: Islands (located at Prophet’s Reflection – 38.76, 12.50)

 

Observation 1: I played in the Invasion Rift: Ice three different times. The first time the final boss was a Pitlord. The second time it was an eredar named Flameweaver Verathix. The third time I ran the same scenario, it was a spider-queen boss named Flamecaller Vezrah. The rifts are static in a specific place, but the bosses are random generated, allowing for replayability.

Observation 2: Each Rift location has a unique environmental mechanic that helps you during the encounter. In the Ice rift, standing next to the green-fire braziers gives you a 1% heal every 3 sec if you stand near the fire.

 

In the Islands Rift, there are pink Temporal Anomaly bubbles that give you Haste increased by 15% and Movement increased by 15%. This buff stacks up to 10. Each Rift location has a different environmental mechanic.

 

In the Swamp Rift, the Energized Vine gives a run speed for 6 sec. You have to run on top of the Spore Stalks. When you see a red lightning on you, you get a permanent buff when inside the scenario that stacks up. At 13 stacks — Embedded Spores: Damage dealt increased by 130%. Healing done increased by 65%. At 21 stacks — Embedded Spores: Damage dealt increased by 210%. Healing done increased by 105%. At 24 stacks: damage 240% and healing 120%.

 

In the Forest Rift, I couldn’t see any particular environmental buffs, but saw something awkward coming toward me. A ball of vines rolling toward me. I ran away, which put the ball and the mob I was fighting in the same trajectory. When I stopped, the ball cast Entangled Roots on the mob.

 

The Blood Rift was a bit confusing. I think that while you are in the river you get a buff every 15 seconds or randomly for no reason. I got this buff named Warmth of the Phoenix: Critical Strike increased by 800. Lasts around 5 sec. Whenever I killed one of the blood oozes, I got another buff named Surging Blood – Haste increased by 15%. Explodes on expiration. Lasts around 12-15 sec.

 

UPDATE

Lastly, this is the plan for this week, and the dungeon was canned until next week due to unforeseen technical issues.