Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning : letter

Beta 4.1.1 Producer’s Letter and Update Notes

Zyuu — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:36:26 GMT

Today Mythic Entertainment posted a producer's letter about the Warhammer Online Open Beta. You can also check out the full patch notes for the 4.1.1 update below.

Beta 4.1.1 Producer’s Letter – Open Beta

Hello Everyone,

It's great to see all of you enjoying Open Beta! The past few days have been exciting and eventful and we couldn’t be happier with the feedback we've been receiving. Even so, it's clear there are still some pesky bugs that need to be exterminated and we will continue working around the clock in order to do so!

Before launch we wanted to get out a final update that cleared up many of the topics we've heard from you about, and put the icing on the cake for many of our features. This update is full of fixes and tweaks that, combined, will make your experience playing WAR even better!

We look forward to your feedback with launch just a few short days away. These are exciting times and we're proud to have you with us.

See you on the battlefield…WAAAGH!!
- The Warhammer Online Age of Reckoning Team

You asked for it!

The Community is a vital part of making WAR a successful game. With your feedback we're able to better chart our course as we move into the months and years ahead. It's important that the changes we make are a reflection of the players that will experience them, and so we are dedicated to listening to all of you along the way.

Below you will find a sample of what we've improved directly based on what we hear in game and on the forums. It is our goal to create a fun, engaging, and entertaining experience every time you log into the game. By continuing to play and provide us with feedback you are helping us to make that happen.

Keep up the great work and thank you for helping us make WAR an even better game…WAAAGH!!!

Loot Sparkles
We've continued to improve loot sparkles and have corrected one last small bug that caused corpses to sparkle even when you weren't able to loot them.

Pet User Interface and Behavior
In the near future we'll be working to make sure the Pet UI stays up for as long as your pet does so that it doesn't on occasion disappear when you log out or zone. For now you can re-open the Pet UI window simply by summoning another pet. One change that hs been made to pets already is that they have grown ever braver and will now listen to their masters’ directions. Their responsiveness and pathing has been dramatically improved, and we’ve made improvements to Magus pets and Engineer turrets.

Continued Improvements to Performance and Crash to Desktop Errors

Your ability to play the game smoothly and reliably is always our most important goal. We continue to work to apply fixes that will make your experience even more enjoyable. To help us out and make the experience better for you, be sure you have up-to-date drivers - including audio! Out of date video and audio drivers are among the highest contributors to game crashes.

"Ability Not Ready Yet”

We've recently improved ability responsiveness which will reduce the chance of you receiving the "Ability Not Ready Yet" message erroneously. This should help combat feel more natural!

Open RvR Ruleset Change

You've given us your feedback and we've listened! Open RvR servers will now allow you to play one tier below your current level without turning into a chicken. This will allow you more time to experience the PvE content of the first 3 tiers, and it also adds more danger to the mix.

Improved Graphics Options

We've got some great plans for improved graphics options as we continue through launch. Our number one priority is player performance. It's important in an RvR game for performance to be smooth and allow the game to be accessible to as many people as possible. In order to achieve our goals, we had to ensure a certain level of compatibility between devices. With all of the combinations and options available, we wanted to keep things simple and accessible to everyone.

With that in mind, we have a fix that may improve the ability of higher end machines to load textures, and we will continue to smooth out the process of the way textures load on your screen. In addition to this, we are exploring other options to add which will further enhance the graphics for mid to high range computers. If you find that your textures seem blurry or ‘popping’ <a href="http://help.warhammeronline.com/cgi-bin/eawarhammer.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=20330">visit this site for help</a>.

Improvements to RvR Itemization

We feel that it's important for players to be able to play RvR and PvE without missing out on appropriate loot for their level and career. See below for some of the changes that we’re looking into.

From Battlefield Objectives

Battlefield Sergeants will be itemized with the same loot table we use for other “Rare” spawn champions in PvE. This is to reflect the fact that BO’s do not turn over super frequently and have a 15 minute lockout after they are taken. While they won’t drop awesome loot every time they will drop much better loot more frequently!

From Keep Siege

We have increased the number of “loot bags” that drop from a successful keep capture from 4 to 12. We have increased the number of GOLD loot bags that could drop from a successful keep capture to 2 bags. Players should see more high end loot entering through keeps as a result.

From Fortress Siege

We have increased the number of “loot bags” that drop from a successful keep capture from 8 to 18. We have increased the number of GOLD loot bags that could drop from a successful keep capture to 4 bags. Players should see more high end loot entering through keeps as a result.

RvR – Now With Better Loot

We heard the call and upped your loot! Now, coin gained from RvR kills has been modified so that it scales to be more on par with loot gained in PvE. Also, we improved the item parity between those gained in PvE and those gained purely from RvR. Now you can kill your enemies and reap the rewards!

Thought I Knew Dat…

Abilities will no longer disappear from a player’s quickbar when exiting a scenario. Now your quickbars will stay just as you arranged them while zoning.

NPCs Will Behave

Imagine going to work in the morning and knowing it’s your job to be pummeled into a bloody pulp by the masses. We wouldn’t want to do it either! But we’ve whipped our NPCs into shape. Now they’ll come when provoked, attack back right away instead of flinching and hesitating like wussies, and properly engage the enemy rather than staying stuck at range. Also, they’ll no longer fall into an “Unattackable” state or disappear in mid-combat.

Wait, My Boots are Really Gloves?

Wearing boots on his hands makes it a little difficult for a Bright Wizard to perform his casting incantations, or a Black Orc to swing that axe. All items which displayed incorrect item icons have been fixed.

Mister Who?

We resolved an issue in which Tome titles went missing, so they’re there now!

For the Absentminded Newbies

Rally Masters in the High Elf Tiers 1-2 areas will now give you a replacement Book of Binding if you lose, destroy, bloody, or hack your original one into tiny bits.

More Merchants – Less Confusion

Previously, in some locations normal merchants were also selling Renown gear. This proved to be a source of confusion, and so now this gear will be sold by the proper merchants in the first couple of chapters.

Pick That up, ye Git!

Previously when a Guild Standard was dropped on the field, it would fall too far in front of the Standard Bearer which sometimes resulted in it getting lost in the brush or rocky crevices. Now, when Standards are dropped, they will fall to the Bearer’s feet making them easier to recover.

Melee DPS Archetype

Jagged Edge: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.
Broad Swings: The buff window tooltip for this ability has now been fixed.

Tank Archetype

Shield Wall: This ability now requires a Shield.
Shield Wall: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.
Raze: This ability’s effect now plays for every damage pulse.
Guard: This ability will now display a visual effect when splitting damage. Also, its hate redirection has been changed to 35%.
Challenge: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.

Empire Racial Tactic

Sigmar’s Favor: Racial tactic will no longer benefit from Willpower or be able to land a critical.

Archmage

Golden Aura: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.

Black Orc

Save Da Runts: This ability now has visual effects when hitting a guarded target.
T’ree Hit Combo: This ability now hits 5 times instead of 3, and its damage per hit has been reduced.
Da Big Un: The damage of this ability has been reduced, but it now has a much longer range.

Bright Wizard

Slow Boil: This ability no longer incorrectly plays its debuff visuals on the player.
Magic Dart: This ability no longer hits before the projectile arrives.
Annihilate: This ability no longer places an icon in the buff window.
Funnel Power: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.
Fireball Barrage: This ability no longer places an icon in the buff window.
Flame Breath: This ability no longer places an icon in the buff window.

Chosen

Suppression: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Disciple

Thousand and one Dark Blessings: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Chant of Pain: This ability will now properly do damage and heal on each tick.

Engineer

Napalm Grenade: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Phosphorous Shells: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Iron Breaker

Oath Friend: This ability no longer requires the Ironbreaker to be grouped with his ally.
Oath Friend: The Ironbreaker and the target of the Oath Friend can now remove this ability by right clicking the icon on the buff window.
Heavy Blow: This DoT will no longer stack with itself.
Oath of Vengeance: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values..
Earthshaker: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.
Avalanche: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.
Skin of Iron: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.

Magus

Rend Winds: This ability now hits 3 times as intended.
Daemonic Maw: This ability is now a magical attack instead of melee.

Marauder

Scything Talons: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Hulking Brute: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Rune Priest

Grungni’s Gift: This ability now has an instant cast animation.
Rune of Shielding: This ability now has an instant cast animation.
Oath Rune of Sanctuary: This ability now works correctly.
Spellbinding Rune: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information
Rune of Immolation: This ability’s effect can no longer be removed by right-clicking.

Shaman

You Got Nothin!: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Eeeek!: The knockback portion of the ability will not fire if the shaman is stunned or rooted.

Squig Herder

Sharpened Arrers: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Horned Squig: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Gas Squig: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Sharp Toofs: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values, and the ability now functions correctly.

Swordmaster

Wings of Heaven: This ability is now more reliable when it leaps to the target.

Warrior Priest

Vow of Silence: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values..
Soulfire: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values..
Weight of Guilt: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Sigmar’s Fist: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Castigation: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Witch Hunter

Declare Anathema: The knockback portion of this ability will not fire if the Witch Hunter is stunned or rooted.
Confess!: The debuff icons for this ability now display correct timers.
Burn Armor: The debuff icon for this ability now displays information.
Fanatical Zeal: The debuff icon for this ability now displays information.
Sudden Accusation: The debuff icon for this ability now displays information.
Feinted Positioning: The buff window tooltip for this ability now displays the correct information.

White Lion

Pounce: The White Lion cannot activate this ability if stunned or rooted.

Witch Elf

Agile Escape: The knockback portion of this ability will not fire if the Witch Elf is stunned or rooted.
Kiss of Betrayal: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Pierce Armor: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.
Kiss Of Death: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct duration.
Masterful Treachery: The tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Zealot

Flash of Chaos: This ability now has an instant cast animation.
Mark of Remaking: This ability now works correctly
Chaotic Blur: Zealot now fades out correctly when using this ability, and the tooltip for this ability now displays the correct values.

Community Systems

New Help Interface
Players may now access the new Help Interface by selecting the Help icon (Question Mark) on the Menu Bar or by pressing H. The following five options are now available to choose from:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- The FAQ includes a number of questions and answers available to players with just a click of the mouse.

Game Manual
- Players may select from various categories to learn more about Warhammer Online. The manual covers everything from game basics and RvR to Warhammer lore.

CSR Appeals
- The Help Interface now contains a very in-depth yet simplified means for players to appeal for assistance from a Customer Service Representative (CSR). Players will be able to easily locate and categorize their appeal based on the issue they wish to report.
- Players may only have one open appeal at a time; however, players may report an inappropriate player name or game play violation while they have an active request for assistance.
- Players who need CSR assistance should choose the category which their question/concern falls under and add detailed information in the text boxes provided.
- When a player has an appeal waiting for a CS response, the question mark in the menu bar will display as dimmed.
- When a current appeal needs further information from the player, the question mark in the menu bar will pulse to indicate their attention is required.
- Players may always add more information to their current appeal at any time by using the ‘Add To Appeal’ button. Note: This button will only be displayed when players have an active appeal.

Report a Bug
- To report a bug, players may select the type of bug they are reporting and then enter their bug in the space provided. Please note that bug reports will not receive a response.

Send Feedback
- A drop-down menu is provided for players to categorize the type of feedback they are submitting before entering their feedback in the space provided. Please note that feedback submissions will not receive a response.

Cities

There is now an auctioneer at the Black Market in the Maw who will show up when the Inevitable City is under attack.
Auctioneers in the Inevitable City once again function properly. Enjoy the wares!

Items

Armor Set Bonuses: The proc rates of armor sets have been set to their intended values.
Scorching Blast Potions: These potions will now be thrown at a targeted enemy instead of at a ground target, and will now play a visual effect.
Sticky Bomb Potions: These potions will now be thrown at a targeted enemy instead of at a ground target, and will now play a visual effect. In addition, the Debuff duration displayed on the icon is now more consistent.
Emberbreath Potions: These potions will now play visual effect when activated.
Potions with item levels above 40 will now be fully effective.
Buff potions will now print to your combat log when used.

Realm vs. Realm

Cheers and Jeers: New cheers and jeers ambiance has been added to Warhammer. Whenever a Battlefield Objective or Keep is taken over by your realm, NPCs will react in a positive manner, shouting for glory along with animations of victory. Along with this, a broadcast message and ‘Role Play’ chat will be sent out to the entire RvR lake extolling the virtues of the victors.

Achievements

The following achievements have been enabled:

Unlocks have been enabled for a few city events.
Secret achievements involving plungers have been enabled in tier 4 content for each pairing.
Achievements for salvaging have been enabled.

Bestiary
The following changes have been made to content relevant to the Bestiary section of the Tome of Knowledge:

The Bestiary entry for Rogue has been renamed to Bandit.
The Watcher entry has been moved from the Unmarked Daemons section to the proper section: Daemons of Tzeentch.
A few bestiary tasks had bugs fixed and polish applied.
Wights will now properly give kill credit for Wights. This fixes an issue where Wights were giving kill credit towards an incorrect monster type.
A number of behind-the-scenes changes to treasure indexes have been made to ensure that the drops needed for a number of bestiary tasks have the proper rarity. As well, they have been modified to have a chance to drop as long as someone in the group has need for the item; i.e. have not complete the associated unlock.
All items that are received and required for Bestiary tasks have been modified to ensure they are bind-on-pickup and indicate they are not trash items.

Rewards
The following changes have been made to the rewards given by the Tome of Knowledge:

All pocket items have been audited to ensure that they indicate they are not trash items.
The Tome Trainers in the Capital City library have had their titles changed to ‘Librarian’ from ‘Trainer’ to indicate their purpose in serving the Tome of Knowledge. The visual icon over their head remains as a training icon.

Maps
The following map changes have taken place:

The Dark Elf Chapter 20 map has been added into the Tome.
Map points have been added for High Elf and Dark Elf Warcamps in Caledor.

Old World Armory
The unlock text for a small number of armor set pieces have been updated to fix a bug in which the wrong piece unlock text was being given.

Tutorial Introduction Quest
The tutorial introductory quest text has been tweaked for content as well as grammatical and spelling issues.

Apothecary

Players can now create dyes. To create a dye, a player will need a Pigment, Fixer, and a special container. Crafting merchants sell Fixers and Dye containers. Pigments are usually obtained as a byproduct after a very successful Cultivation attempt.
Players can now create Gold Essence. To make a Gold Essence, a player will need a Goldweed, Quicksilver, Gold Dust, and a special container. Goldweed is grown by Cultivators. Gold Dust can be found by Scavenging or on some humanoid monsters. Quicksilver and Gold-Essence containers can be bought from crafting stores.
Potions effects have been revised. Healing potions are now more potent.
Potion makers can now have two types of super success. The first type of success results in the next level up of that potion, which usually has a higher level requirement. The second type of success results in a more potent potion that has the same level requirement (these are very good).
The UI tooltips regarding the “yellow zone” on the Unstabilityometer have been revised. Note that if the stability of a mixture is in the yellow zone, depending on the overall stability, the recipe will fail or be volatile.
Volatile potions can go wrong when they are used. The side effects can either knockdown a player, make them mute for a short time, or make them drop their weapons.
The stability of Cloudy Water has been increased.

Cultivation

Soil, Nutrients, and Watering Cans all now reduce the time it takes to grow a plant. These “additives” also increase the chance of hybrids and other weird items being grown, as well as the chance that a seed will be returned as a product.
Players can now obtain dye Pigments when they cultivate. For example, Musty Elvish Parsley (used to make restoration potions) can be grown into a hybrid called Trenchant Elvish Parsley, which can be used to make healing potions. Sometimes when Trenchant Elvish Parlsey is grown, you will also get Honeycomb Extract as a bonus product (it rubbed off an insect). Honeycomb extract can be used by Apothecarists to create Yellow dye.
Stabilizing Apothecary ingredients can now appear as Cultivation bonus products.
Growth times have been reduced.

Butchering/Scavenging

Players with these skills can butcher/scavenge any corpse.
When a player butchers/scavenges a corpse, the loot that is obtained is dependent on the player’s skill level. The higher the player skill, the better the loot. However, monsters will not give loot that is above their level.
When a player butchers/scavenges a corpse, the chance of a skill-up is dependent on the player’s level versus the monster’s level.
The skill-up chance becomes less the closer the player’s skill is to 200.

Magical Salvaging

Players with this skill can break down items that are of uncommon rarity or higher into fragments and essences. Fragments are the main ingredient in Talisman Making.
When a player salvages an item, the rarity of the obtained fragment is one rarity lower than the salvaged item. There is a small chance that the player will get a fragment of the same rarity as the salvaged item.
When a player salvages an item, he or she gets to choose which stat bonus to extract from the item. The resultant fragment is of that type.
When a player salvages an item, that item is destroyed.
Players can refine essences by right clicking on stacks of those items in their backpacks. Ten Echoes will refine into one Whisper. Five Whispers will refine into one Magic Essence. Magic Essences are used in Talisman Making.
Tier 1 and 2 monsters can now also drop very-badly damaged equipment (Shattered, Ruined, and Sundered Equipment). These uncommon items can’t be repaired, but can be salvaged. Players will be able to skill-up Salvaging using these items.
There are Salvaging trainers in each chapter 2 and in each city.

Talisman Making

Players can create Talismans by combining a fragment, a Gold Essence, a Curio, and a Magic Essence in a Talisman-Making container. Fragments and Magic Essences are obtained by Magical Salvaging. Curios can be also found on some humanoid monsters and from scavenging.
Gold Essence is created using the Apothecary skill. To make a Gold Essence, you need a Goldweed, Quicksilver, Gold Dust, and a special container. Goldweed is grown by Cultivators. Gold Dust can be found by Scavenging or on some humanoid monsters. Quicksilver and Gold-Essence containers can be bought from crafting stores.
Talisman-Making ingredients have “power”. The higher the skill-level requirement and rarity, the higher the power. The final properties of a crafted Talisman depend on the total power of all ingredients used to make it.
The rarity of the Fragment used determines the rarity of the crafted Talisman. There is a small chance that whenever a Talisman is crafted it will be one rarity higher than expected.
There are Talisman-Making trainers (Hedge Wizards) in each chapter 2 area and in each city.
Some equipment has Empty Talisman Slots. If a player Shift+Right-Clicks on an item with a talisman slot, that player can then drag a talisman onto the slot and fuse it to the equipment. The equipment will then get the bonus from the talisman.
Common, uncommon and rare talismans have timers on them. The timers begin to countdown when the talisman is fused to an item. Very-rare talismans do not have timers.
Merchants sell very basic Gold Essences, Curios, Magic Essences, and containers.
Known Issue: Armor and resistance talismans will not work if they are attached to a weapon.

User Interface

Member and Officer notes sections have been added to the guild UI.
We have reformatted and improved layouts for Public Quest, Battlefield Objective, City and Scenario trackers.
We have finalized our charatter introduction cinemas and narrations. Please note that during Open Beta only, for characters that already exist, you may see the introduction play at a random location upon first logging into each character.
Entry to the Leader’s Hall requirements now match in game descriptions.
Cloak Heraldry is now visible to other players.
Respawning in a scenario now triggers the zone load screen instead of the scoreboard load screen.

Warhammer Online February Newsletter

Zyuu — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:54:15 GMT

The February issue of the Warhammer Online newsletter is out.

1 Keeps and Sieges
2 Player Quotes from Beta
3 Development Diary -- Renown
4 Scenarios 101
5 Career Mastery Updates
6 Army Leader Profiles -- Leaders of Order
7 War Cinematic #2! -- More Details
8 Zone Overview -- Saphery
9 New Concept Art -- Inevitable City NPCs
10 New Concept Art -- Spawn of Chaos
11 WAR Production Video Podcasts
12 Paul's Video Phone Blog
13 Beta Sign-Ups
14 WAR Beta Journals
15 The Fan Art of WAR
16 The Warhammer Online Grab Bag
17 Meet the Developers

Keeps and Sieges

As you have no doubt seen in recent podcasts and newsletters, we’ve added Keeps and Siege to Warhammer Online! Now it is time to offer an in-depth explanation as to how these systems work and how they are integral to the Realm v Realm™ (RvR) experience.

Integrating keeps into WAR builds on the foundation and success of Dark Age of Camelot™. In that game, keeps were the epitome of land ownership and helped drive the sense of pride in RvR. In WAR, keeps are once again a focal point of pride for your Realm and worth the battle defend or capture them.

Read the rest here.

Player Quotes from Beta

Music rocks. Lighting is nice. Combat is much more fluid and responsive. PQ’s are fantastic, especially loot and rolling. Shadowing is nice and the artwork on characters is amazing to me. Good to be back in. Marauder seems fun so far.

-Level 4 Marauder

Having quests like this that direct players to new areas is a feature I like very much; there are some games that leave you wondering where to go once you have out-leveled an area, and the system you have in place prevents that while still leaving room for exploration.

-Level 4 Bright Wizard

Chapter 1 is a fun introduction to the game. The public quest ending with the giant fight was unique and I really liked the roll system for loot with the scoreboard.

-Level 4 Warrior Priest

The Marauder looks fantastic. Your art dept is amazing for this entire game, especially the class looks.

-Level 11 Marauder

Development Diary -- Renown

This month we check in with three team members to get the skinny on the Renown system. What is Renown? Why do I want it? Once I have it what can I do with it?

Scenarios 101

Episode 2: Stone Troll Crossing and Talabec Dam

by Brian Wheeler, Lead RvR Design

Welcome folks to another episode of Scenarios 101! This week we’ll be focusing on more Chaos vs. Empire scenarios: Stone Troll Crossing and Talabec Dam.

Career Mastery Updates

Bright Wizard Career Masteries

Master of the Lore of Fire, the Bright Wizard is the most destructive battle wizard in all of the Empire. The Bright wizard is renowned for his ability to incinerate anything, ranging from individual soldiers to an entire hillside. However, destructive fire is not the only trick in his arsenal. The Bright Wizards is also capable of manipulating the wind of Aqshy to cause a variety of debilitating effects, ranging from thick banks of choking smoke, to withering heat that saps the strength and endurance from even the staunchest warrior. Some Bright Wizards have even been known to dabble in the healing arts, though cauterizing a wound with white hot fire is never a soldier’s first choice!

Bright Wizard Mechanic

Due to the volatile nature of Aqshy, the Red Wind of Fire that they manipulate, the Bright Wizard is always risking a backlash that could incinerate himself as well as his opponent. This buildup of Aqshy is known as 'Combustion' and the greater the level of Combustion a Bright Wizard places into his destructive spells the more likely they will explode with stupendous results (Critical Hit). However, even the most skilled wizard will get burned when playing with fire. Pushing the combustion level too high can result in a backlash of magical energy that will damage the Wizard himself.

Bright Wizard Masteries

Path of Incineration

The Path of Incineration primarily focuses on destructive single-target spells. About half of these spells have high values of Combustion allowing those who master the Path of Incineration to focus on weaving high risk spells in with more reliable destructive magics for optimal single target damage.

Path of Immolation

The Path of Immolation focuses on damage over time and debilitating, lingering debuffs. A Master of Immolation is more patient, relying less on high-Combustion spells with explosive effect and more on slow burns that build up into an unstoppable inferno.

Path of Conflagration

The Path of Conflagration is the most destructive of the Bright Wizard masteries with area effect spells capable of burning entire swaths of land to a crisp. However, Masters of Conflagration must exert the most self-control; most of their spells build up high levels of Combustion andtehir reckless use could mean the Bright Wizard’s doom as well.

<b>Zealot Career Masteries

The Zealot is a fanatical orator, intent on spreading the glory of the Raven God throughout the land and serving the will of the Great Changer. Draped with ritual vestments and tools of sacrifice, the Zealot can imbue various talismans and potions with the primordial power of Chaos. These items become potent magical conduits through which he can mend wounds, enhance his allies, and plague his enemies with unholy scourges.

Zealot Mechanic

Zealots are some of the few mortals who can call forth a Mark of Tzeentch upon living flesh, branding their allies as sanctified soldiers of the Changer of Ways. These marks will not only bolster their holders' powers far beyond normal human limitations, but also serve as direct conduits to the powers of Tzeentch himself, allowing their bearers to gain entirely new abilities. A Zealot can also desecrate a patch of land with Dark Rituals & Rites, marking that spot as claimed by Tzeentch and crippling any nonbelievers who dare to tread upon it.

Zealot Masteries

Path of Alchemy

The Path of Alchemy is the Zealot's primary healing mastery. A specialist in Alchemy will become a mighty healer, capable of mending the most grievous wounds and ensuring that Tzeentch's armies live to see their enemies fall before them. While a player who selects this mastery may not necessarily gain the most powerful offensive capabilities, they will have absolutely no problems finding allies to protect them and do their bidding.

Path of Ritual

The Path of Rituals is focused on warping the entire balance of power across a battlefield, skewing the fight to bring about the inevitable triumph of Tzeentch's followers. They are just as proficient at enhancing their allies as they are at stunting their enemies - and, in fact, can do both at the same time.

Path of Witchcraft

The Path of Witchcraft is for a Zealot who chooses to make himself into a talon of Tzeentch, reaching out to slaughter his enemies through magical attacks. These manifest themselves as deadly portents of chaos. Flocks of shrieking ravens may fall upon a Zealot’s foe to consume their flesh, or strange demonic manifestations may appear out of thin air to lash at his foes.

Army Leader Profiles -- Leaders of Order

EMPEROR KARL FRANZ

– Leader of the Empire Army

A soldier, statesman and leader without peer, Karl Franz rules the greatest nation of men in the Old World. Karl Franz is not only a fearless and cunning general who leads his loyal armies from the front rank; he is also a patron of the arts sciences, and an advocate of innovation. During his reign, the Imperial Engineers' School has grown and the Colleges of Magic have thrived.

In the time that Karl Franz has ruled, the Empire has flourished, its armies claiming one victory after another against the savage Orc hordes and the dread legions of the Chaos gods. The Age of Reckoning, however, is war on a scale that even the Great Statesman has rarely seen. The people of the Empire are depending on the heroic leadership of Karl Franz to see them through this dangerous time, and all hope of survival for the Old World may well rest upon his shoulders.

FINUBAR THE PHOENIX KING

– Leader of the High Elf Army

Unlike previous insular monarchs of Ulthuan, Finubar the Seafarer favors relations with the other races of the world. He is a proponent of maritime trade, and has opened the grand city of Lothern, capital of the island nation of Ulthuan, to visitors from around the world.

Finubar's progressive nature will prove a valuable asset in the Age of Reckoning, for the High Elves must depend on the Empire and the Dwarfs, just as the Old World will depend on the aid of the High Elves. Only united together can the Armies of Order stand against the rampaging hordes that assail their lands.

HIGH KING THORGRIM GRUDGEBEARER

– Leader of the Dwarf Army

Reigning from his seat in the ancient fortress of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim Grudgebearer is a model of Dwarf resolve and steadfastness. At his side, the High King keeps the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges. Like all his people, King Grudgebearer takes the recording of grudges very seriously, to ensure that no offense goes unanswered

Since the time of Sigmar, the Dwarfs have enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect with their neighbors in the Empire. Their attitude toward the High Elves of Ulthuan, however, has ranged from mistrust to outright hostility. If the Dwarfs are to survive in this new era of strife, the High King will need to set an example for his people, putting aside old enmities for the good of the war effort.

War Cinematic #2! -- More Details

In this month’s tease, we unveil the High Elf Shadow Warrior in all her Dark Elf-hating glory. Armed with a pair of swords and finely crafted bow and arrows, she is more than a match for anything Destruction can send her way.

Stay tuned for more as we bring you another peek at the WAR cinematic next month. Enjoy!

Zone Overview -- Saphery

As the heart of Ulthuan's magical traditions, Saphery is a natural target of the Dark Elf invasion. Not only is Saphery home to many of Ulthuan's High Elf Archmages, it also holds countless artifacts and items of power. If the servants of Malekith can gain control of even a fraction of these magical resources, they can twist their power to their own ends, while simultaneously weakening the High Elves.

As the Dark Elves march from Avelorn into Saphery, they advance along a number of fronts, intent on dozens of targets. Prime amongst these are the many towers of Saphery, wherein the magical knowledge and power of the High Elves is kept. Of these, the Ithilmar Tower, the Tower of Flames, and the White Tower of Hoeth are three key objectives. If the Dark Elves were to take all three towers, it could spell ruin for the High Elves.

New Concept Art -- Inevitable City NPCs

New Concept Art -- Spawn of Chaos

WAR Production Video Podcasts

Check the Video Podcast here. It's lots of fun!

As voice talent goes, the various artists, designers, programmers and writers at EA Mythic turned out to be very talented . . . artists, designers, programmers and writers. What can we say, we were early in development and needed some placeholder sound. For the finished game, Sound and Music man, Brad Derrick, and everyone’s favorite British bandleader, Paul Barnett, traveled to sunny Los Angeles, California to record with professional talent to give the people and creatures of WAR a true voice.

Paul's Video Phone Blog

Join Creative Director, Paul Barnett, and his trusty video phone for a truly unique look at the making of WAR. This month, Paul celebrates getting old, watches a director in action, pals around with White Dwarf and Gamespot, and shares gifts from Father Nurgle.

View the Video Blog.

Beta Sign-Ups

Updated Empire and Chaos content and open world keeps and siege are being tested on beta now. Don’t waste any time, sign up now to take part in one of the largest beta tests ever for an MMORPG. More than a half a million players have registered so far, but we are always looking for new recruits. Sharpen your sword, unleash your inner mutation, and prepare to meet your destiny on the battlefields of Warhammer Online.

Sign up for the WAR Beta at: Warhammer Online

WAR Beta Journals

There are a million stories in the Age of Reckoning just waiting to be told. What is your tale?

This month we follow a tried and true Witch Hunter into a fight with the hordes of Chaos. Will he make it out of New Emskrank alive?

Read This Month's Beta Journal Entry

The Fan Art of WAR

EARN A SPOT IN THE CLOSED BETA!

Feeling creative? We know we have some talented fans out there and now is the time for you to demonstrate your skills. Send us your WAR-inspired art and we’ll showcase the best submissions in upcoming newsletters. Plus, featured artists will be invited to join us in the closed beta test!

Visit the Fan Art Gallery.

Submit your artwork.

The Warhammer Online Grab Bag

Welcome to the WAR Grab Bag, where our friendly neighborhood community team answers the most pressing, the most popular, and the most interesting questions from fans. Keep those questions coming, as we’re eager to hear what you have to say!

Check out this month's Grab Bag.

Meet the Developers

Dan Enright, Senior Game Designer

"I’d like the tone of the Warhammer universe to be conveyed by the underlying game systems in addition to the content in order for the game to deliver an experience that is undeniably Warhammer."

Developer Profile.

Nate Levy, Designer

"My hope is that even my friends who haven’t liked other PvP games so far will love WAR’s RvR!"