20170412: Death Knight Order Hall

Death Knight Order Hall

Location:
Planet: Azeroth
Continent: Eastern Kingdoms
Region: Eastern Plaguelands
Where: Acherus: the Ebon Hold, a fort floating above Light's Hope Chapel near the eastern border
Specifically: the whole fort is devoted to Death Knights
Faction: the Ebon Knights

Your title in the order hall: Deathlord (one word)

What one does there:
Get quests
Set missions
--as in Lords of Draenor, the Legion missions are done by named NPCs.
--examples: Thassarian,
--also available: nameless followers (ghouls of one sort or another)
Upgrade permanent followers from mission rewards
Do order research: most of this is done at the 110 level
Edit the artifact weapon at the weapon forge.  This is the only place for Death Knights to update traits.
Train temporary troops; here called 'ghouls'
Engrave weapons with enchantments
As one accomplishes more, be able to change the weapon's appearance with the artifact forge

How to get there:
Every Death Knight has a spell that invokes a portal to Acherus.  Only Death Knights can go through one of these, and one Death Knight may not use another's portal.

Return from Acherus:
There is a portal to the new Dalaran floating over the Broken Isles.
Alternately, fly out to the Eastern Plaguelands.

Artifact weapons: (can only be updated in Temple of the Five Dawns)

Blood (Tank):
--Maw of the Damned, two-handed axe
--relic slots: Blood, Shadow, (initially locked) Iron

Unholy (DPS):
--Apocalypse, two-handed sword
--relic slots: Fire, Shadow, (initially locked) Blood

Frost (DPS):
--Blades of the Fallen Prince; two one-handed swords (Frostreaper and Icebringer)
--relic slots: Frost, Shadow, (initially locked) Frost

20170412: Druid Order Hall

Druid Order Hall

Location:
Planet: Azeroth
Continent: Broken Isles
Region: Val'sharah
Where: the Emerald Dream subregion of Val'sharah
Specifically: the Dreamgrove, from a portal in the Emerald Dream
Faction: 

What you are called there: Archdruid

What one does there:
Get quests
Set missions using NPC followers
--known NPCs, such as Naralex and Zen'tabra
--train and use nameless troops, here Dreamgrove treants; cost for training is in Order resources
Upgrade followers from mission rewards
Do order research
Edit the artifact weapon at the weapon forge.  This is the only place for druids to update traits within the artifact weapons.
Train temporary troops; these are called treants (rather like Lord of the Rings treants)


How to get there:
Every druid (of any race) has a skill called Dreamwalk, which teleports the druid to the Emerald Dream, which is sort of a place, sort of a state of mind.  Within the Emerald Dream are a number of portals.  Choose the portal called The Dreamgrove.

Return from The Dreamgrove:
Take the portal back to the Emerald Dream.  Act like it's a physical place and walk out into Val'Sharah.
First alternately, there is a flight master in The Dreamgrove.
Second alternately, use the Dalaran hearthstone to return to the new Dalaran floating above the Broken Isles.
Third alternately, there is a direct portal to new Dalaran in the Dreamgrove.

Artifact Weapons for Druids:

Balance (DPS; Moonkin form):
--Scythe of Elune: two-handed staff
--relics: shadow, life, (initially locked) shadow

20170412: Paladin Order Hall

Paladin Order Hall (Sanctum of Light)

Location:
Planet: Azeroth
Continent: Eastern Kingdoms
Region: Eastern Plaguelands
Where: Light's Hope Chapel, toward the eastern border
Specifically: under the floorboards in the chapel itself

Your title: Highlord (one word)

What one does there:
Get quests
Set missions executed by NPC followers
--get armor for followers for harder later missions
--get artifacts that strengthen your weapon
--get buffs for followers
Do order research; this needs to be complete before the third relic slot is unlocked
Edit the artifact weapon at the weapon forge.  This is the only place for paladins to update traits.
Train temporary troops; here called 'squire squads'
One uses 'order resources' as currency to grease most of these operations.

How to get there:
1. If you are in the Eastern Kingdoms, fly to Light's Hope Chapel; walk in.

2. Hearth into the Dalaran that lies above the Broken Isles in the Legion expansion.  Inside the Kirin Tor building, teleport to the inner part of the building.  There is a portal to the Dalaran crater that is from the pre-Lich King period.  There is an immediate drop upon arrival.  Use some protection to avoid the damage from the long drop.  From the bottom of the crater, fly to Light's Hope Chapel to the east.

3. In the Greyfang Enclave building in new Dalaran, there is a portal up one flight of stairs that activates when a paladin is near it.  Take it for direct teleport.

Return from Light's Hope Chapel:
In the order hall there is a portal to the new Dalaran floating over the Broken Isles.
Alternately, fly out of Light's Hope Chapel to the Eastern Plaguelands or other destination.

Artifact weapons: (can only be updated in Sanctum of Light)

Protector (Tank):
--Truthguard, Shield and Oathseeker, one-handed sword
--relics: holy, iron, (initially locked) shadow

Holy (Healer):
--The Silver Hand, two-handed mace
--relics: holy, life, (initially locked) holy

Retribution (DPS):
--Ashbringer, two-handed sword
--relics: holy, fire, (initially locked) holy

20170412: Monk Order Hall

Monk Order Hall

Location:
Planet: Azeroth
Continent: Unknown, but sort of near Pandaria
Region: the Flying Island
Where: the Flying Island, the newbie region of Pandas
Specifically: the Temple of the Five Dawns in the center of the island

Your title in the order hall: Grandmaster (one word)

What one does there:

1. Get quests from NPCs
2. Set missions using NPC followers
   --known NPCs like Taran Zhu, Chen Stormstout, Li Li Stormstout
   --a few new NPCs, like
   --renewable temporary troops


3. Upgrade followers from mission rewards: the NPC followers have iLevels that have to be increased in order to do tougher missions
4. Do order research: one must do this in order to unlock the third relic slot for your weapon.
5. Edit the artifact weapon at the weapon forge.  This is the only place for monks to update traits.  The forge is in the center of the Temple at the top level, on the face of the big turtle statue there.
6. Train temporary troops; here troops are called '{Ox, Tiger} x {initiates, adepts}'; the troops cost order resources and last exactly one mission
7. Get buffs from the Stormstout Brewery
8. Buy Grandmaster armor and armor upgrades after passing a variety of milestones

How to get there:
Every monk (of any race) has a skill called Zen Meditation.  Use this to travel to the Temple.

Return from the Flying Island:
Use Zen Return to get back to where you came from.
Alternately, use the Dalaran hearthstone to return to the new Dalaran floating above the Broken Isles.
After some leveling, there is a portal from the Island to Dalaran.

Artifact weapons: (can only be updated in Temple of the Five Dawns)

Brewmaster (Tank):
--Fu Shan, the Wanderer's Companion; two-handed staff
--relic slots: Life, Storm, (initially locked) Iron

Mistweaver (Healer):
--Sheilun, Staff of the Mists; two-handed staff
--relic slots: Frost, Life, (initially locked) Storm

Windwalker (DPS):
--Al'Burq, Fists of the Heavens; fist weapons
--relic slots: Storm, Iron, (initially locked) Storm

20170413: Demon Hunter Order Hall

Demon Hunter Order Hall

Location:
Planet: Azeroth
Continent: The Broken Isles
Region: Floating spaceship; has a helmsman and a control room
Where: Above Broken Isles, though peaking off the sides, looks like another dimension
Specifically: Mardum, the Shattered Abyss

Your title in the order hall:

What one does there:

1. Get quests from NPCs
2. Set missions using NPC followers and the scouting table
   --a few named NPCs, like Altruis the Sufferer, Asha Ravensong, Kor'vas Bloodthorn or Akama
   --unnamed temporary NPCs (troops) one buys with order hall resources
   --troops (Ashtongue Warriors) only last one or two missions, then have to be refreshed.
   --costs: order hall resources for the missions
   --rewards: armor for followers; in-game gold; new quests; artifacts
   
3. Upgrade followers from mission rewards: the NPC followers have iLevels that have to be increased in order to do tougher missions
4. Do order research; this takes a considerable number of the currency called 'order resources' --one absolutely has to do order research to unlock the third relic slot on your artifact weapon!
5. When one has enough artifact power assigned to the weapon, edit the artifact weapon at the weapon forge.  This is the only place for demon hunters to update traits.  The forge lies at the lowest level in the fort.
6. Buy demon hunter armor and armor upgrades from the Illidari Provisioner (higher level stuff) or from her assistant (the very lowest level DH armor).

How to get there:
Near Dalaran there are two floating islands.  One (Illidari Redoubt) holds a gate to the order hall.  Get close to that island, then take a running leap toward the island.  While in the air, engage the Glide skill.  Try to hit the green bull's eye on the island, then take the gate near the center of the island.  Just where the gate takes you is quite a mystery.

If you miss the island, all is not lost.  A strange bird catches you in the air, flies a bit, then drops you on the island.

Return from the Mardum:
There is a portal in the order hall to new Dalaran.

Artifact weapons: (can only be updated in Mardum)

Vengeance (Tank):
--Aldrachi Warblades, glaives
--relic slots: Iron, Arcane, (initially locked) Fel

Havoc (DPS):
--Twinblades of the Deceiver, glaives  (Verus and Muramas)
--relic slots: Fel, Shadow, (initially locked) Fel

20170315: The Return, Part 3. Early Legion material.

1. The biggest differences between Legion and previous WoW material.
1. Artifact Weapons.
1. Earlier WoW weapons could be leveled and improved, but this is a step beyond that.
2. Your artifact weapon will be your last weapon, in Legion, anyway, levels 101 to 110.
3. Artifact weapons allow for leveling, from the initial iLevel 750 to well over iLevel 900.  This helps your average armour level grow significantly.
4. Beyond the iLevel, the artifact weapons have an associated large tree of nodes that can be grown by the player.  The nodes have levels.
5. The levels of the nodes strengthen or alter existing skills, and sometimes create all new skills that are few but extremely powerful.
6. Buying a traditional WoW weapon that is similar or better just will not happen.
7. One evolves the artifact weapon through joining artifacts or relics to the weapon.  Such artifacts are obtained at the end of hard quest changes, from boss drops, or from raiding treasure chests.
8. Smaller quest drops or field drops allow increase of node levels through 'artifact power.'  As one spends artifact power on node level increases, the cost for the next bump goes up.
9. The first bump cost is 300; the next is 325, after that 350 and so on.  At level 13, the cost to level up goes from 1000 artifact power to 6875.  Later on there are even bigger jumps.
10. Each artifact weapon allows for the installation of 3 relics.  The relics enable level increases of the weapon itself, plus an increment in a single node.  For instance, a relic might increase the iLevel  of the weapon by +2 (early acquisitions, when the character is around level 101) to +56 (later in the game, character at 110, tougher quest chains or raids).
11. The relics come in types: Frost, Iron, Storm, Blood, Holy, Life, Fel, Shadow, Fire.
12. Relics can occasionally be purchased at the Auction House. Look under 


2. Armor improvements.
1. Each class/specialization has a primary statistic: Strength, Agility, or Intellect.
2. When a character switches specialization, say Monk/Mistweaver => Monk/Windwalker, the primary statistic might change. In this example, Intellect => Agility.
3. In Legion, the statistic (Strength, Agility, Intellect) for most armor pieces changes when the specialization changes.
4. This is true for (head, shoulders, chest, wrist, hands, belt, legs, boots), but not for the decorations (neck, shirt, cape, tabard, rings (2), trinkets (2)).
5. When making weapon sets for characters, one good piece of armor for the head will work for any specialization.  However, a trinket, for example, might have a fixed primary statistic, say Agility.  When switching to a specialization using Intellect, one needs to get a piece of armor with Intellect or just use one that has neither.


3. Specialization switching is easier and cheaper.
1. When switching specializations, the artifact weapon is switched automatically in your armor set.
2. The primary statistic (Strength, Agility, Intellect) is automatically switched on eight pieces of armor (see above).
3. This makes it unnecessary to have separate armor for the eight most expensive pieces.
4. However, take care with the choices for the decorations.  If you have a trinket, for example, that has only Agility as a perq statistic, switching to an Intellect or Strength specialization renders the trinket almost useless.
5. If you have all three artifact weapons (two for Demon Hunters), and you have chosen decorations carefully, selecting the specializations automatically accomplishes the full armor set change.


4. The game recommends pursuing more than one specialization for a given single character.
1. I took my lead monk to level 101 as a Mistweaver (healer).  I chose Windwalker (DPS) for the second artifact weapon to pursue.
2. The game suggested I look for a second artifact weapon.  The second go was easier since I started at a higher rank and was familiar with the process by then.
3. After playing with the Windwalker for a while, I noticed that the quest giver offered a quest to start looking for an artifact weapon for the third Monk specialization, Brewmaster (tank).
4. I had not played a tank for five years or so, but I thought, why not.  See what it's like.
5. I got through levels 106 to 110 as Brewmaster faster than I did levels 98 to 105.  Brewmaster is really good for quest chains in the Broken Isles, where mobs tend to gang up on you, and are fast relative to what I was used to from Mists of Pandaria.
6. Keeping separate artifact weapons of Mistweaver, Windwalker, and Brewmaster approximately equal in strength has been challenging.  Still, this seems a good idea, since I might start dungeons and quests again.  I'm not sure whether to go with DPS (probable for dungeons) or healer (most of my WoW experience) or tank.


5. As in Warlords of Draenor, Legion characters get followers that one can send on missions.
1. The followers are more configurable in Legion.
2. One of the followers will, at your choice, follow you around on the Broken Islands to assist in your questing.
3. Some of the rewards in the follower quests are armor upgrades to the followers.
4. After level 110, followers get a listed iLevel, which starts at 760.  The armor upgrades increase the iLevel of the followers.  Some quests will not start unless the followers are above a certain level.
5. Followers, as opposed to your character, continue getting experience after level 110.  Followers are first green (ordinary), then progress to blue (kinda special), then progress to purple (more special).
6. After a time, your followers have to be purple with iLevel 830 or more, then 850 or more.
7. All missions cost order resources.
8. The missions give better rewards after a while, but never great.


2. Early tasks that one must do to continue.
1. Do the Alliance or Horde quests that lead to the Broken Isles.
2. Do the return quests. By this time, you'll have some significant armor upgrades.
3. Get the quest that lets you observe the teleportation of Dalaran to the Broken Isles.
4. Do the quest sequence that allows you to get your first artifact weapon.  This quest is class-specific, and on the difficult side.  The artifact weapon is likely a big armor level boost; the weapon is usually iLevel 750, a big jump up from WoD levels.
5. Also, the artifact weapon has an entire tree within it that allows improvement through getting rewards that include 'artifact power.'
6. Your single artifact weapon grows with you for levels 99 to 110.


3. Around level 102, one might get the option of pursuing a second artifact weapon.
1. For example, I got my first artifact weapon as a Mistweaver Monk, around level 99.
2. I got some advancement through artifact power.
3. Later I got a summons to the home region of the Monks, which was updated from the Pandaria expansion to the Legion expansion.
4. Then I got a chance to do quests to get an artifact weapon suitable for Windwalker or Brewmaster Monks. I chose Windwalker.
5. After completing those tasks, I was asked whether I wanted to get a Brewmaster weapon. I passed on that.
6. After attaining the second weapon, it is a good time to configure a second armor set in the Character pane.
7. After I equipped the new fist weapons, I went through the talent tree, and chose talents for Windwalker, then ordered the skill bars.
8. Fortunately, the Intellect rating I had for Mistweaver was automatically switched over to Agility when I activated Windwalker.
9. That represented a huge savings in not purchasing new armor.
10. Also, to interchange Mistweaver to Windwalker, I only need to activate the specialty and switch armor sets.
11. The choices in the Talent pane and in the skill bars are remembered and returned.
12. In DPS only classes (say Warlock), one can still choose among different specialties, such as Affliction versus Destruction versus Demonology.  There are separate Talent choices, skill choices, and weapon choices that can be interchanged quickly.

20170228: the return, part 2

The Return. Comments on changes, part 2.

Characters, Antonidas Realm, 2016-1228 to 2017-0216

Character	Class	Sub-Class	Level	Sub-Class	Level	Armor Level
Kronoszero	Druid	Balance	37	Balance	38	n/a
Kronosten	Priest	Discipline	53	Discipline	56	n/a
Kronosnine	Warlock	Affliction	64	Affliction	66	n/a
Chronosnine	Mage	Fire	86	Fire	86	n/a
Chronosone	Warrior	Arms	86	Arms	86	n/a
Plutozero	Hunter	Marksmanship	85	Marksmanship	86	n/a
Chronosten	Death Knight	Blood	86	Unholy	92	565
Kronosone	Paladin	Retribution	34	Retribution	100	648

For the Realm Uldum, same period:

Character	Class	Sub-Class	Level	Sub-Class	Level	Armor Level
Kronoshunter	Hunter	Marksmanship	52	Marksmanship	54	n/a
Chronosmage	Mage	Fire	86	Fire	88	n/a
Chronospriest	Priest	Discipline	90	Discipline	93	542
Chronoslock	Warlock	Affliction	90	Destruction	96	541
Chronosmonk	Monk	Mistweaver	90	Windwalker	95	550
Chronosdruid	Druid	Restoration	90	Balance	98	550
Chronoslycan	Death Knight	Blood	90	Unholy	100	596
Chronosmwone	Monk	Mistweaver	90	Mistweaver	102	696
Chronosdh	Demon Hunter	dne	98	Havoc	101	683

Qualitative changes:

1. New planet: Draenor; new player levels 91 to 100; new regions and many new quests
1. Moonshadow Valley--levels 90-92
2. Tanaan Jungle--level 100
3. Gorgrand--levels 92-94
4. Frostfire Ridge--90-92
5. Spires of Arak--96-98
6. Talador--levels 94-96
7. Nagrand--levels 98-100


2. Transition Activity: Pandaria expansion to Warlords of Draenor expansion
1. My level 90 characters from 2013 started my 2017 experience with this.
2. As part of a quest with Khadgar at the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands/Eastern Kingdoms/Azeroth...
3. ...go through the gate to Tanaan Jungle on Draenor
4. Dozens of quests.  One gets improved armor and lots of XP.
5. Shift to garrison site in Northern Shadowmoon Valley.
6. Continue the quest for armour until one can quest easily and use LFG for dungeons.
7. All that once fine 476, 483, 522 level armour from Pandaria raids and reputation: replace all of it.  You will need an average of around 520 just to get started on WoD dungeons.
8. Professions: if you were 600/600 before, you are nowhere now.  Start doing quests, killing monsters, and finding the right professions merchants.  Instead of trainers, most professions upgrades come from dropped scrolls that allow you to learn levels 601-700.


3. Alternate Transitions: Demon Hunters and straight to level 100 upgrades
1. Demon hunters start at level 98 and have an alternate route (through 75+ quests) to start in the Battle Isles.
2. In the Antonidas Realm, I used the Blizzard gadget (obtained by buying digital version of the Legion expansion) to promote my retribution Paladin from 34 directly to 100.
3. Demon hunters are heroic characters that have excellent armour and weapons.  Their quest line provides further excellent armour choices.  The skill set gets a nice workout during the 75+ quests.  Gliding is a nice borrow from Guild Wars II, and the eye-beams are fun for mass destruction of enemies.  Demon hunters start with average armour level at 660.  After the 75 or so quests, my Havoc (DPS) DH had armour level 683.
4. In similar fashion, the Paladin upgrade forced me to re-learn the typical Paladin skills. The initial new level 100 armour was rather nice as well.


4. Garrisons:
1. Do a few initial quests to get to Shadowmoon Valley, then build the first stage of your personal garrison (fort).  Upgrading the fort and getting new followers continues through level 100.
2. Get a new hearthstone for the garrison in addition to the original hearthstone.
3. Get your own fishing daily quests.
4. Get your own mining daily quests.
5. Get your own herbalism daily quests...all the harvesting sources.
6. Keep building as your accumulate garrison resources, gold, and followers.  Send your followers on garrison missions to level them up and get occasional armour rewards.
7. Cooperate with other parts of the Alliance (or Horde) to fight the Iron Horde.
8. Build (option) your own bank.
9. Build (option) your own auction house.


5. Transition from WoD (Warlords of Draenor) to Legion.
1. I have only four level 100+ (100, 100, 101, 102) characters, so my experience here is limited, to say the least.
2. WoD ends at level 100.  At level 98, WoD characters can start the Legion quests, which often yield armor fit for Legion environment.  Newfangled armour starts showing up at the Auction House at levels like 685 and 715.  Levels 98 to 101 are great for upgrading your average armor score.  Do the main quests.
3. Early on, a level 98+ character gets a quest that allows witnessing Dalaran's move to the Battle Isles.  In addition, one gets a third hearthstone, used only for returning to the new Dalaran, which is mildly re-designed from the old one.  In addition, one gets quests that enable flight paths from new Dalaran to the Battle Isles.