Plunderstorm has made a triumphant return to World of Warcraft, delighting fans with a host of new features and rewards. This pirate-themed battle royale mode, where 60 players compete in the Arathi Highlands, is back in action following a brief delay, and is set to keep players engaged for at least a month. While there's no official end date announced yet, players can dive into the thrilling world of Plunderstorm, eagerly awaiting Patch 11.1.
This iteration of Plunderstorm brings exciting changes to the battlefield. New points of interest and respawning non-elite enemies ensure a continuous flow of plunder, keeping the action intense until the Storm closes in. Players can now utilize fast travel horses scattered across the map to swiftly move between chests, elites, and opponents. The in-game map has been updated with zone threat indicators, showing where the most action occurs, and players can even choose their starting deployment zones for strategic advantages.
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.
Players can now collect and upgrade a variety of new spells in Plunderstorm. Offensive spells like Aura of Zealotry and Celestial Barrage offer powerful ways to control the battlefield, while utility spells such as Call Galefeather and Void Tear provide strategic options for maneuvering and disorienting opponents. Additionally, adjustments to existing spell cooldowns and a new UI for ability management keep the gameplay fresh and dynamic.
A new Plunderstorm Practice Lobby has been introduced, allowing players to experiment with abilities, adjust keybindings and transmogs, and socialize with others. From the Practice Lobby, players can queue for games or access the Plunderstore, the hub for obtaining Plunderstorm rewards. This can also be accessed from the login screen and within retail WoW via the PvP interface, making it convenient for all players to engage with the event.
Notably absent from this run of Plunderstorm is the three-person Trios mode. While the reasons for its exclusion remain unclear, fans hope Blizzard will consider reintroducing it before Plunderstorm sails away once more.
