WOW DRAGONFLIGHT - OVERVIEW OF THE GAME

The WoW Dragonflight expansion release date could occur in 2023 as fans have pointed out that the gap between announcement and launch is often around a year for World of Warcraft expansions, which would make April 2023 sound like a realistic deadline for WoW Dragonflight release.

However, every rule has its exceptions and every expansion is different. Late 2022 could be possible, with some other speculation centring on November this year, but there's no way of knowing exact date just yet.

It could arrive in the new year, which would track with the previous nine-month lead time between announcement and release, it could retain the traditional August release date for the Summer holidays, or it could carry on the legacy of Shadowlands to release in November, both options are possible.

• Level cap - 70
• Four new zones, one new starter zone
• New playable Dracthyr dragon race
• New class - Evoker
• Plenty of new mounts
• HUD rework
• New talent system
• Professions update

Everyone who was waiting for it, it's time - you can play as a dragon in the next WoW Dragonflight expansion! The Dracthyr have a draconic form and a humanoid form, both of which you can customize when creating your Dracthyr character.

Dragons are so special hence why Dracthyr race is getting their own unique playable class: the Evoker. All Dracthyr are Evokers and all Evokers are Dracthy and as always you can choose to be Horde or Alliance.

They have serious physical attacks like flying overhead with dragon breath, unleashing wind with their wings, and also their magical abilities which focus on ranged DPS or on healing.

Dracthyr characters will start on their own new dedicated starting zone at level 58. When it comes to armor type of Evoker class we already know that it will be a mail wearer.

The new area coming in the Dragonflight expansion is the Dragon Isles homeland of dragonkind. It's divided into four new zones: Waking Shores, Ohn’ahran Plains, Azure Span, and the ancient Thaldraszus.

The Dragon Isles were always a mysterious part of WoW's lore, and now you'll be flying face-first into all its ancient secrets. During the reveal stream, Blizzard explained that the Dragon Isles were the center of the dragon kingdom when the world was new. Long ago, the sundering of Azaroth into its continents sent magic into a dormant state that forced dragonkind to leave the Isles behind. 

Besides dragons, there are several other mortal races that you'll run into on the Isles like the half-giant elemental Djaradin are old enemies of the dragons. The walrus-like Tuskarr are making a return appearance as well. It was also mentioned that an old civilization of Centaurs is living within the Isles.

Drake mount is customizable with different appearance unlocks (snouts, horns, tails, and more) and skills for making them fly further and faster.

Unlike flight as it exists in WoW so far, dragon riding is a bit more involved as riding your drake is something new. With dragon riding momentum and gravity are coming into play along with the all new animations for diving and barrel rolling around the Isles.

While it's not a replacement for traditional flying, dragon riding will allow you to take to the skies in the new Dragonflight zones. The ability to fly is usually only earned partway through an expansion and is gated behind a specific set of achievements which is not the case this time as you can use it straight away! 

Talent Trees are coming back, and look similar to their pre-Mists of Pandaria counterparts.Dragonflight will bring back a more complex talent system.

Instead of each class getting a tree for all of their specs in Dragonflight, you'll have a main "class tree" and an additional "specialisation tree", depending on which role you're currently specced into. The neat thing about this is that it will give you loads more choice, and you'll be able to save profiles for different talent tree set-ups, so you can easily switch between them for different kinds of content.

Players will be able to shift talents and specs around "at the same kind of frequency" they do now, supposedly in rested areas and preparatory situations as well as they will be able to save and name builds in addition to switching them easily whenever needed.

There's no getting around the fact that World of Warcraft's UI looks its age and Dragonflight will introduce the first major revamp in nearly 18 years.

The upcoming expansion will give the UI a cleaner, less cluttered look and allow you to move individual elements around the screen without any addon being required for it. 

Like talents, you'll be able to save UI profiles, and you can even have a specific set-up load automatically for different specialisations.

The UI overhaul isn't going to remove the need for addons but giving us the option of not being quite so reliant on them for basic customisation can only help our overall experience.

Crafting Orders: Crafting Orders is a new system that allows players to post requests for crafted items and materials that they aren't able to make themselves. Players can put requests into an auction house-like system, including the materials required, or make requests of players in-person. You'll also be able to send requests to your guild, or specific players too. For the first time, you can also make requests for players to craft Soulbound items, giving you access to profession-specific rewards.

Quality ratings: Crafted items now have a "Quality" rating. The higher the quality, the better the stats and effects.

Crafting specializations: Players will be able to focus on things like flasks or potions for alchemy, or armor and weapons for blacksmithing, for example, and focus stats and quests into those specific spec roles.You'll be able to invest points specifically in being proficient at crafting armor, for example, and then further invest points in being great at crafting specific item slots, such as chestpieces. This will give players a unique place in their server communities potentially, as players vie to be the "best helmet crafter," and so on.

Crafting tables and gear: In Dragonflight, all professions will get new crafting table requirements, similar to Dalaran's trading quarter. There will also be new gear specifically designed for professions, complete with stats that improve your skills at mining, gathering herbs, and so on. These items will utilize a separate inventory system, and won't take up space in your bags.

Dragonflight, which will introduce "improvements" to the weekly Great Vault from PvE content, as the team also explores ways to improve personal loot rules. Class-focused tier sets are going to stay, ditching the raid-themed tier sets that have become notoriously unpopular for their lack of luster and prestige.

We know a little about the new raids and dungeons planned for Dragonflight, but suspect this will expand considerably in the coming months. There will be new dungeons and four classic dungeons to PvE Mythic+ seasons moving forward, starting with Shadowlands Season 4 likely to start in the summer.