WoW Patch 10.1, the update with the auspicious name “Embers of Neltharion”, should hit the servers of the online role-playing game like a bomb by early summer 2023 at the latest. Well… that’s definitely what Blizzard’s developers want and the heroes of Azeroth should see it that way too, because finally there’s a lot to do again. Hopefully!
The menu for patch 10.1 reads at least substantial. There is a brand new area for you to explore and loot, the Zaralek Cave underground zone. There is the Abberus raid, the Crucible of Shadows, Neltharion’s apparently abandoned laboratory. And apart from that, you get a lot of fat loot, in raids, dungeons and in the open world.
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Cataclysm 2.0
The visual and substantive references of Embers from Neltharion to the third WoW expansion Cataclysm are so obvious and so wanted that I should never be the only WoW veteran in my life who immediately has Deep Home and Blackwing Descent in mind. The parallels cannot be overlooked! And they don’t have to be bad! I am still a huge fan of Tiefenheim today, because this region of Azeroth is so beautiful in a different way. Get rid of Hyjal and Vashj’ir, all I ever wanted to see in Cataclysm was Deepholm!
I still have the best and most positive memories of Blackwing Descent with the cool Atramedes mechanics, the iconic appearance of Nefarian and Onyxia and the Omnomnom security system. Yes, I know it’s called the Omnotron Security System, now let’s not be so fussy. Instead, let’s take a look at the parallels that can only be drawn from the published press material – and which become even more obvious after a visit to the test server.
Zaralekhöhle: Tiefenheim 2.0
The Zaralek Cave is characterized by lava, lava, sulphur, crystals and lava. Dark corridors run through the cave, lava flows feed the Za’qali caldera, sulfur ponds are reminiscent of the Draenor zone Gorgrond. Of course, Zaralek Cavern isn’t as massive in height as Deepholm itself, but there’s still enough scope for a decent full-throttle kite ride to get you traversing the more extensive area in adequate timeframes.
In the Zaralek Cave you will find an area with sulfur pools. [Quelle: buffed]
We know many of the elements that create a dark, dangerous atmosphere in the Zaralek Cave from Tiefenheim. Okay, Tiefenheim was less traversed by lava, but we know crystalline formations, salt lakes and spore areas from there and can also be found in the cave.
Aberrus: Blackwing Descent 2.0
As mentioned, the shadow crucible is in the Zaralek cave and as our lore expert Tanja knows to tell, seems the laboratory near the world core of Azeroth to lie. Could the fiery core that powers the lab be of similar significance to the Deepholm World Pillar? Even if not, Blackwing Descent functioned, much like Aberrus, as a laboratory for Neltharion’s experiments.
Source: Blizzard test tube concepts from Aberrus
Source: Blizzard The main area of Aberrus is strikingly reminiscent of the blackwing descent.
Source: Blizzard In Aberrus you also compete against this Hydra. Reminds a bit of…
Source: buffed …Chimaeron from Blackwing Descent!
While the raid isn’t open yet, we already know some of the enemies from the patch announcement concept art. There is the concept of Lavahydra, which only has one head in the picture, but we know one Hydra opponent from Blackwing Descent: Schimaeron. And there is already an in-game model of this boss; in the picture officially shared by Blizzard, he has three heads. In general, the arena-like structure of the laboratory is reminiscent of Blackwing Lair. And when I think of the “test tubes” I think of the small but nice little room where Maloriak really warmed us up.
Armor: Direct from Cataclysm
That Aberrus according to the developers as a blueprint for Blackwing Lair and Blackwing Descent served, we can see for ourselves in the armor that you loot in the new raid. The resemblance of the Tier 24 death knight to the Tier 11 death knight, for example, is just as obvious as the flashback of the Tier 24 shaman to the Tier 2 shaman. The parallels between the Aberrus Warlock set and the Shadowflame set from Blackwing Descent are also clear to see.
Source: buffed tier 24 of the death knight vs tier 11 – not only the color scheme is similar to the “old” set.
Source: Shaman buffed Tier 24 vs Tier 2 – the heads on the pauldrons are particularly noticeable.
Source: Buffed In theory, this would be a comparison between Paladin Tier 24 and Paladin Tier 2 – but the Blizzards still claim that the Tier 24 set would belong to the priests.
Source: Buffed Warlock Tier 24 vs Tier 11 – especially the designs of pauldrons and helmet can be compared.
And: I don’t care what the devs say, I still see the Paladin tier 24 in the center of this image, and if the colors don’t immediately make you think of the Judgment armor from Blackwing Lair, then I know no further.
(Supposedly) Tier 24 of Death Knight, Priest and Paladin Source: Blizzard
Are the signs for WoW Cataclysm Classic
Now let’s put all the nostalgia aside and not debate whether or not Embers of Neltharion, with its strong Deathwing references, is the logical story development in the Dragonflight adventure. The question is: does the concept of “feels familiar” resonate with you or not? Because I ask the underlying question: If the content, look and feel of WoW (buy now) Patch 10.1 is positively received by the community, is that also an indicator of a Cataclysm future for WoW Classic?
The fact that the people at Blizzard would not be averse to a rerun of Cataclysm can be assumed from the fact that WoW Classic and especially WoW WotLK Classic were a groundbreaking success. In the Summer 2022 became Irvine already sent out a survey about a possible Cataclysm Classic. Of course, the extension offered some cool features, but “in the long run” the conversion of the old Azeroth ate up so many resources that there wasn’t much time and space left for big content offensives. The Dragon Soul Raid will haunt many WoW players as a disappointment because the Drachenblight from Northrend was recycled. I don’t think WoW will be the end of WotLK Classic, but that Cataclysm will be back, no matter how silly that may seem to some. And in this respect, the contents of WoW Patch 10.1 could actually represent a kind of cautious approach.
