Ahoy, World of Warcraft enthusiasts! Plunderstorm, the swashbuckling pirate-themed battle royale, has made its grand return to the Arathi Highlands, and it's packed with new thrills and treasures. Launched on January 14 after a brief delay, this fan-favorite mode is set to entertain players for at least a month, with no official end date announced yet. As you gear up for Patch 11.1, dive into Plunderstorm and experience the revamped battlefield that awaits.
This time around, Plunderstorm is brimming with exciting new features. The map now boasts fresh points of interest and mobs, with non-elite enemies respawning to keep the plunder coming. Fast travel horses dot the landscape, allowing you to swiftly navigate the terrain in search of chests, elites, and foes. The in-game map has been upgraded with zone threat indicators, showing where the action is hottest, and you can even choose your starting drop zone for a strategic advantage.
New World of Warcraft: Plunderstorm Features
- New points of interest
- Respawning non-elite enemies
- Fast travel horses
- Zone threat indicators on the map
- Selectable deployment zones
- Practice Lobby
- Plunderstore featuring new and returning rewards
- Game mode access while on World of Warcraft: The War Within characters
- New abilities:
- Offensive
- Aura of Zealotry – Passively increase movement speed for your allies. Cast to consecrate the ground, damaging enemies periodically. While in consecration, gain enhanced movement speed and melee attacks.
- Celestial Barrage – Call down a barrage of moonbeams, damaging enemies. This spell can be empowered to greatly increase its range.
- Utility
- Call Galefeather – Call forth Galefeather to knock enemies back with heavy winds for a short duration.
- Void Tear – Tear into the Void, placing a Void mark. Recast Void Tear to instantly return to the mark, damaging and slowing enemies. The recast can be performed instantly while casting any spell without interruption.
- Offensive
- Ability balance changes
- Earthbreaker – Cooldown decreased by 2 seconds at all ranks.
- Slicing Winds – Cooldown increased by 2 seconds at all ranks.
- Star Bomb – Cooldown decreased by 2 seconds at all ranks.
- Storm Archon – Cooldown decreased by 2 seconds at all ranks.
- Toxic Smackerel – Cooldown increased by 1.5 seconds at all ranks.
In this iteration of Plunderstorm, you can collect and upgrade a variety of new spells. On the offensive side, Aura of Zealotry not only boosts your team's movement speed but also allows you to cast Consecrate, creating a damaging area that further enhances your speed and melee attacks. Meanwhile, Celestial Barrage lets you rain down moonbeams on your foes, with the option to empower it for greater range. For utility, Call Galefeather summons an eagle to push back enemies, and Void Tear offers a strategic teleport that damages and slows enemies. Additionally, several existing spells have had their cooldowns adjusted, and a new UI makes it easier to swap and pick up abilities.
To hone your skills, check out the new Plunderstorm Practice Lobby. Here, you can experiment with abilities, tweak your keybindings and transmogs, and mingle with fellow players. From the Practice Lobby, you can queue for games or visit the Plunderstore, the go-to spot for all your Plunderstorm rewards. You can access both the lobby and the store from the login screen or directly within retail WoW via the PvP interface.
One notable absence this time is the Trios mode, which has left some fans puzzled. While Blizzard hasn't explained its removal, we're hopeful it might make a comeback before Plunderstorm sets sail once more. So, grab your cutlass, rally your crew, and dive into the action-packed world of Plunderstorm in World of Warcraft!
