Patch 7.3: What we know so far

Let me just open this post with one word: Wow.

Patch 7.3’s Argus, recently deployed on the PTR, is fragmentary and doesn’t contain most of what will eventually come in the future. But what it has is already (and I don’t use this word lightly) magnificent. The story and lore, the new models, the new dungeon and raid… if patch 7.3 delivers the quality that the PTR is already showing us it will be by far the best patch we’ve had this expansion.

So what’s actually in this patch so far? What do we know we’re going to see? I feel like I should warn you now there will be a lot of spoilers for the patch in this post. This is by necessity. We can’t really talk about the cool new stuff without spoilers, so if you don’t want to see any of that, don’t read any further. We’ll be adding to this post as more is discovered so be sure to check back.

What’s in patch 7.3

• Argus zones
  • Right now, there’s a Tanaan Jungle-style zone for players to explore on Argus. It includes the Vindicaar, a new home base/ship which will deploy teleport nodes as you explore the zone. The Vindicaar and the Argus opening quests come from your faction capital city (Stormwind/Orgrimmar) and lead you to Azuremyst Isle, where you depart the Exodar on the new ship.
  • There will be three areas to explore on Argus, but only one is currently open on the PTR.
• Dungeons and raids
  • There’s a new 5-player dungeon: the Seat of the Triumvirate. It’s the location where Velen, Kil’jaeden, and Archimonde once ruled Argus before the coming of Sargeras.
    • There are currently four bosses in this dungeon:
      • Zuraal the Ascended
      • Saprish
      • Viceroy Nezhar
      • L’ura
    • The dungeon drops ilevel 825 gear for normal and 845 for heroic but that could change.
  • There’s also a new raid: Antorus the Burning Throne.
    • There are eleven boss encounters in this raid and some of them have huge implications for the lore of the game. (This is another spoiler warning. If you keep reading you’re going to get spoilers.) The bosses are:
      • Garothi Worldbreaker
      • The Hounds of Sargeras
      • The War Council
      • Eonar The Lifebinder
      • Portal Keeper Hasabel
      • Imonar the Soulhunter
      • Kin’garoth
      • Varimathras
      • The Coven of Shivarra
      • Aggramar
      • Argus the Unmaker
    • The Dungeon Journal entries are not complete for all these bosses as yet, but we have models for them, and we know (for example) that the Eonar fight is us helping her, while Aggramar appears to not be that.
    • Loot starts at ilevel 915 for LFR, 930 normal, 945 heroic, and 960 mythic difficulty.
• World Bosses
  • Argus will also be home to a variety of new World Bosses. It’s unknown as of now if there’s a system like the ones in the Broken Isles or on the Broken Shore that rotates them but I assume so.
  • World boss loot is ilevel 930, same as Normal.
  • The World Bosses:
    • Inquisitor Percontatum
    • Mistress Alluradel
    • Ovetigo
    • Sotanathor
    • Matron Foluna
    • Keeper Aedis
    • Void-Blade Zedaat
    • Pit Lord Vilemus

Class changes

• There are a host of new class animations coming. Restoration Druids, Elemental and Restoration Shaman, Discipline and Holy Priests, and all three Mage specializations are currently live on the PTR, with Shadow Priests coming in a future build.

Profession changes

• Primal Obliterum will allow you to upgrade crafted gear to item level 915 as long as it’s soulbound. It requires Primal Sargerite, a new material found on Argus.
• Jewelcrafters get several new epic gems.
• Alchemists can craft a new Alchemist’s Stone trinket and a new elixir that’s likely to become popular in Tomb of Sargeras and on Argus.

Follower changes

• There are several new Legendary pieces of follower equipment: the Darklost Claw, Fel-Infused Effigy, Wrathguard Skull, Stygian Scroll, Censorite Staff, Azurelight Candle and Praetorum Tome.
• In addition to those, there are three new items that instantly upgrade a follower’s ilevel — the Krokul Armor Set upgrades a follower to ilevel 900, the MacAree Armor Set to 925, and the Xenedar Armor Set to 950. There are also several pieces of new equipment to collect for followers.

Gear and transmog

• There are a host of new transmog options. There’s a new Ensemble for Plate, Mail, Leather and Cloth themed around Argus and the Triumvirate, possible a raid or dungeon reward, as well as another Ensemble called the Lightforged Weapons.
• There are also new crafted pieces, including crowns for Jewelcrafters and a Blacksmithing breastplate item, and a first look at Tier 21 armor, although it’s clearly not finished yet for every class.

Mounts and models

• There are six new mounts available in patch 7.3, according to datamining. There’s the astonishingly creepy Shackled Ur’zul, the Vile Fiend, the Darkmoon Dirigible, a new Mana Ray Mount, the Lucid Nightmare and an Argus Talbuk.
• There are a whole lot of new models in this patch. These models imply a great deal about Argus, and include models similar to ones we’ve seen in Ulduar and other Titan facilities called Dark Watchers, a void Naaru, at least two new kinds of Naaru model, and most importantly actual models for Aman’thul, Eonar, Khaz’goroth, Golgonneth, Norgannon and Aggramar, as well as apparently a brand new Titan we’ve never heard of named Argus.

There will be more soon (including in-depth looks at the new dungeon and raid and other two zones) as they open up on the PTR. For now, go ahead and gorge yourself on Argus news.