Patch 8.2: Everything you need to know about the new patch, now live

Patch 8.2 is right around the corner, and it’s packed with so much content that it’s kind of hard to keep up. Fortunately for you, we rounded up the highlights of game’s next update.

Here’s everything we know that’s coming with patch 8.2: Rise of Azshara.

Patch 8.2 is live now!

The patch will be live soon: Blizzard has confirmed that Rise of Azshara hit servers on June 25.

Something sinister stirs beneath the waves — Rise of Azshara arrives June 25! pic.twitter.com/PDT1YXWAEH

— World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) June 18, 2019

All world content is available, but but raid and dungeon content will open later. Look for Azshara’s Eternal Palace and Mechagon to open on July 9.

Flying is coming to all Battle for Azeroth outdoor zones

We’re getting flying, as expected. What’s unexpected is that this time, it’s coming to everywhere. Unlike the notable inability to fly on Argus during Legion, flying will be enabled in the two new zones in patch 8.2 — as soon as we unlock it. Getting Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part Two will require getting revered with the two new factions which will be the biggest hurdle. Based on community interviews, the devs estimate that should take about two to three weeks.

Ready to take to the sky? Here’s how to get the Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part 2 achievement.

Mounts are getting some upgrades with a new system

Speaking of flying, our regular mounts are also getting some new additions. Noticing how popular the Water Strider mounts have always been, due to their ability to walk on water, the WoW devs decided to extend that to all mounts and give players a bit more personal choice. The new Mount Equipment system will allow players to “socket” a piece of equipment that will add an effect to all of that character’s mounts. So far we have seen water walking, daze immunity, and parachute effects.

There are a few caveats though. Water Striders will have water walking removed so that you can’t double up on mount effects. The Sky Golem will be exempt from using Mount Equipment because of its unique ability to pick herbs while mounted. And Druid mount forms will be unaffected by the system, as will Death Knights and Shamans — they’ll be able to use their water walking abilities in conjunction with Mount Equipment.

We’re getting two new zones

Rise of Azshara will have us diving into two brand new zones. Queen Azshara finally plays her hand, luring us out into the middle of the ocean, where we drop into her home of Nazjatar. Though the zone does technically exist under the water, it won’t necessarily be an underwater zone. The city “rises” up, with walls rising up out of the sea, so that we can have the cool sea aesthetic without the annoying mechanics that plagued Vashj’ir. When we get there, we befriend different factions that are fighting against the Naga. From there we build a base, similar to our old Warlords garrisons, and level up combat allies through a bodyguard system like we saw in Legion.

Nazjatar will feature an evolving zone with a choice of activities, similar to the Timeless Isle. It will have five subzones with rare spawns and mini-events to make things interesting. PVP objectives will also make an appearance with a world PVP event. There will be a new currency to purchase rewards, from large rewards like mounts to fun small rewards that allow you to ride your underwater mounts anywhere in Nazjatar.

Mechagon also follows a similar model to the Timeless Isle. When we get there, we help the Rustbolt Resistance rise up against King Mechagon to stop his plan to eradicate life. From there, however, it’s a free-for-all. This zone is all about exploration and tinkering. We’re expected to explore the zone to find new cool things. The new Junkyard Tinkering system encourages us to explore and build things — from mounts to pets to consumables to toys. The zone is apparently full of secrets just waiting for players to uncover them, starting with a new trinket that will be customizable.

We’re invading a new raid and new dungeon

Battle for Azeroth Season 3 kicks off with patch 8.2, rotating out old PVP, Mythic+, and raid achievements. The new Mythic+ affix is Beguiling — which sounds a lot more annoying than today’s Reaping affix — but the biggest Season 3 addition is the new raid and dungeon.

Nazjatar’s story culminates with an attack on Queen Azshara herself in Azshara’s Eternal Palace. There will be eight total bosses, with one fully underwater encounter. Here’s the unlock schedule:

• July 9: Normal and Heroic Difficulties
• July 16: Mythic and Raid Finder Wing 1 (Abyssal Commander Sivara, Blackwater Behemoth, Radiance of Azshara)
• July 30: Raid Finder Wing 2 (Lady Ashvane, Orgozoa, The Queen’s Court)
• August 13: Raid Finder Wing 3  (Za’qul, Queen Azshara)

In Mechagon, we confront King Mechagon to prevent him from turning everyone into robots. It will originally launch as a Mythic-only mega-dungeon, similar to Karazhan, with eight bosses. In a future patch 8.3, the dungeon will be split into two Heroic and Mythic+ dungeons.

Azerite is getting a revamp

The Heart of Azeroth system will be going through some drastic changes in response to player feedback since the expansion started. All Azerite Armor traits on gear will be automatically unlocked — no more leveling up to unlock traits on new gear. Instead, we get a new customization system via Essences that functions similarly to Artifact Relics and the Netherlight Crucible.

Essences will be socketed into the Heart of Azeroth like Relics in Artifact Weapons. They each have Major and Minor traits with some that can change depending on your spec, and have four levels of power. Essences are acquired in all sorts of ways — by raiding, questing, PVPing, and more — so everyone should have plenty of opportunities to pick them up. Once you learn an Essence, you can then freely swap between them.

Wowhead has a Heart of Azeroth calculator to preview the combinations.

More lore and story progression

The story continues. The War Campaign continues from where we left off in patch 8.1.5, and we see how Sylvanas will deal with Baine’s apparent betrayal. Someone is also mucking around with a certain Blade of the Black Empire, which doesn’t bode well for our world’s survival or Mitch’s assurance of sanity. Magni is still trying to fix Azeroth’s wounds with MOTHER. And a return from an old hero could change everything. Though we should have seen this coming; it was hinted at in an awesome surprise appearance last year at BlizzCon.

And, of course, there’s everyone’s favorite dragon: Wrathion. We don’t know what he’s doing, as usual, but he and his agents just keep popping up where we least expect it. You can be certain he’s up to something.

New transmog and Heritage Armor

Obviously, the most important part of a new patch is “how will we look?” Fabulous, that’s how. Patch 8.2 will bring us the much anticipated and much requested “hide everything except pants” look. No more trying to make a transmog work by trying to find the least visible pair of bracers, or the gloves that only kind of match. You’ll be able to hide every armor slot except for legs.

Gnomes and Tauren also get their day with Heritage Armor questlines. The questlines will look at issues important to the two races and how they tie into the story at large. Gnomes will investigate Thermaplug, the Gnome who irradiated their home city of Gnomeregan, and Tauren will be involved in the War Campaign somehow. The requirements to start the questline will likely be similar to that of the Dwarf and Blood Elf Heritage Armor quests — have a character of that race at level 120 and be exalted with that faction.

What else is coming?

• Mythic+ dungeons get a new themed affix for their third season: Beguiling. Here’s everything else you need to know about BFA Season 3.
• Professions get recipe updates for new consumables and crafted gear, including Inscription trinkets.
• There are tons of new mounts and new pets to collect, along with a new pet dungeon: Stratholme.
• Benthic catch-up gear, which will come in handy whether you’re currently well-geared or not.
• Two new Island Expeditions: Crestfall and Snowblossom.
• Heroic Warfronts will be coming, starting initially with Battle for Stromgarde. These will scale from 10-20 players and will require more strategy than regular Warfronts, but they’ll also have better rewards.
• PVP Season 3 will arrive a few months after 8.2 comes out, with a Basilisk mount.
• We’re finally getting the promised portal to Caverns of Time in the new portal rooms.