Cataclysm and YOU - What you need to know

Alot of questions have arised about the release of tonights Expansion pack: World of Warcraft - Cataclysm.

The meaning of this topic is to prevent people creating new threads, and to direct their attention here for all questions they require answered.

Will the servers be restarted tonight at 00:00?

No, the servers will not be restarted tonight due to the reason of changing to Cataclysm.

Does this mean I will be able to start leveling RIGHT away at 00:00 with no need to relog?

Yes, and no. The way blizzard have mentioned the game switch-over to expansions tonight is what they call ''The Flick of a Switch'' meaning that as soon as it hits 00:00 everyone who ordered the Digital Download will be able to commence leveling and using Cataclysm right away without the need to relog.

This is best used in the term of ''Phasing'' Kind of how like when you go into a Dungon you get phased into it, the same thing will happen for Cataclysm, you will be phased into the new Expansion world.

For people who did NOT get the digital download, you will need to close you game client, and then re-open it at 00:00. This is due to a main reason.

At 00:00 your client will be sent small packets, adjusting it and allowing it to show EXP bars at level 80, allowing interactions with certain NPC's aswell as exploring new content. Similar to installing a new addon from Curse or WowInterface, a relog of the game client is needed to reflect changes.

Do you mean we will have to download more stuff at 00:00 for our clients to adjust (Non digital Downloaders)?

No, the information that is sent to adjust your client at 00:00 is extreamly small and only consists of a few KB's of data, there is a 99% chance that when it hits 00:00 and you look at the clock, it will of already been done and you didn't notice it. Then just close your game client and re-open it.

Where can I train flying in Azeroth?

For the horde, you can gain a Flight Masters licence from Maztha in Orgrimmar. Her location is here. http://www.wowhead.com/npc=44919

For the Alliance, you may get a Flight Masters licence from Bralla Cloudwing. Her locations is http://www.wowhead.com/npc=43769

These both require level 60, and will cost you 250 Gold.

I have just transfered to a new realm, am I still eligable for realm first(s)?

If you have transfered to a server, and the realm first achivement you are after has not yet been achived, then you too are also eligable for it. (The same way as if a new server was opened, and a Guild transfered there the same day, they would be eligable for Realm first raids such as Obsidian Sanctum, Yogg-Saron, The lich King etc)

Killing mobs when at the highest level of the expansion block gives 90% reduced experience.

That means, killing a level 72 mob in outland at level 70 will give you 1/10th of the exp it would have before friday the 3rd Dec, while killing a level 68 mob in wotlk would give you full exp (around 20 times more than the 72 from outland)
Also, it means killing wotlk mobs at level 80 will also give 90% reduced exp. This applies to world, 5man, and raid mobs.

Anyone planning to grind any kind of mobs or instances in wotlk needs to change their leveling plans right away.


This issue is being reported as a "bug" and often thought of hunter pets getting reduced exp, but it is the fact that the hunter pets are receiving exp from their level 80 owners who are now getting 90% less experience. Since this applies to all expansion brackets, 60 and old world, 70 and BC, 80 and wotlk, I personally find it too systematic for it to be a coincidental bug -- and even if it is, the chance of it getting fixed/changed by Tuesday is right around 0%.

several threads on this topic can be found here:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...-Pet-XP-broken
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/1208031008
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/1207991344

This change effects all players leveling a new character, and many players trying to level up in Cata.