Retrospective of Warcraft Expansion Pre-Patch Events and Rewards

PTR Posted 2020/09/16 at 3:14 AM by perculia

Death's Rising Shadowlands Eventavailable for background downloadexpansion pre-patch lastedBurning Crusade: The Dark Portal

Started January 7, 2007

Notable rewards Tabard of the Protector

Lasted one week

Azeroth is under attack! Horrific creatures are swarming from a suddenly active Dark Portal and have rampaged into the Blasted Lands. Defenders from Nethergarde Keep have scrambled to meet the enemy head-on. However, even with the assistance of reinforcements from the ever-vigilant Argent Dawn, the forces of Azeroth need your help! Not much is known of the invasion at this early stage, but early reports from the battlefront describe wave after wave of demonic attackers charging from the Dark Portal. It is also reported that Lord Kazzak was seen departing through the Dark Portal. In his stead he has left his minion, Highlord Kruul, to sow fear and confusion among the defenders. Accompanied by a host of infernals, Kruul has been seen near a number of major cities in Azeroth, along with the following outdoor areas:

Hinterlands
Eastern Plaguelands
Winterspring
Stranglethorn Vale
Azshara
Silithus
Searing Gorge

Not even the elite forces of the Argent Dawn have dared attack Kruul directly. Only a large and well-coordinated group of adventurers might stand a chance of defeating him.

Into the BreachTabard of the ProtectorBadge of the ProtectorLegionThe Highlord's ReturnWrath of the Lich King: Zombie InvasionWrathBlessed Battlegear of Undead Slaying

Started October 23, 2008

Notable rewards Monster Slayer's Kit, Arcanite Ripper, Tabard of the Argent Dawn, Blessed Battlegear of Undead Slaying

Lasted three weeks

Prince Tenris MirkbloodNecrotic Rune

Prince Tenris Mirkblood was a special Karazhan boss who dropped some fun items: Vampiric Batling, a battle pet, and Arcanite Ripper, a weapon with an iconic model that turns you into Bergrisst of L80ETC.

Necrotic Rune could be traded at Argent Dawn NPCs for interesting items like Argent Tome and Tabard of the Argent Dawn

Rares could drop Undead Slaying armor, some of the most-fondly remembered rewards from the event due to their Judgement-inspired appearance: Blessed Regalia of Undead Cleansing, Undead Slayer's Blessed Armor, Blessed Garb of the Undead Slayer, Blessed Battlegear of Undead Slaying

Cataclysm: The ShatteringCataclysm

Operation Gnomeregan and Zalazane's Fall: September 7, 2010

Elemental Invasion event: November 1, 2010

Shattering event: November 23, 2010

Gnomeregan PrideDarkspear PrideMists of Pandaria: Theramore's FallTides of War

Started September 17, 2012

Notable rewards Theramore Tabard, Mini Mana Bomb

Lasted one week

Link to event summary

World Event: Theramore's Fall

Warchief Garrosh, obsessed with assuring the Horde’s supremacy over Kalimdor, launches an all-out attack against Jaina's island home of Theramore. Though valiant Alliance defenders rush to repel the sudden onslaught, they’ll soon find themselves unprepared for the terrible scope of Garrosh's true plans…
This Scenario will become available for level-85 characters during the week of September 17, and will then be available to level-90 characters after the launch of Mists of Pandaria on September 25.

WrathCataclysmTides of WarTheramore TabardMini Mana BombWarlords of Draenor: Iron Horde Incursion

Started October 14, 2014

Notable rewards

Lasted one month

Link to event summary

The Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands has turned blood red. Hundreds of strange-looking orcs are violently pouring into Azeroth, killing everything that stands in their path. Nethergarde and Okril’lon have already fallen, and while the Horde and the Alliance moved as quickly as they could to get reinforcements to their people, they are too late. The Iron Horde invasion has begun.
Adventurers looking to dislodge the Iron Horde’s attempts to establish a foothold on Azeroth should visit the Blasted Lands.
A specially revamped five-player version of Upper Blackrock Spire is available to level-90 characters for a limited time, and sets the stage for the coming counterstrike against the Iron Horde.

whyWar CrimesLegion: Demon Invasions and Broken Shore

Started August 9, 2016

Notable rewards: Fel transmog, It All Makes Sense Now, Pocket Fel Spreader

Lasted three weeks

Link to event overview

Starting on August 9 with maintenance in each region, the Burning Legion’s incursion on Azeroth will get underway, and players who have pre-purchased the expansion will be able to create their first Demon Hunters.

Learn more in our Demon Invasions preview and Demon Hunter guide, then dig into the stories behind the expansion in our Legion digital comic series.

Hellfury LongbowPocket Fel SpreaderDoomsayersecret itemsBattle for Azeroth: War of the Thorns

Started July 24, 2018

Notable rewards Smoldering Reins of the Teldrassil Hippogryph and War-Torn Reins of the Undercity Plaguebat

Lasted three weeks

Link to event overview

The discovery of Azerite—a new and powerful resource—has the potential to change the very face of warfare on Azeroth. As warchief of the Horde, Sylvanas Windrunner is willing to do whatever she deems necessary to secure it and keep it out of the hands of her enemies—even if it means venturing into Darnassus to root the Alliance out of Kalimdor once and for all.

For the Alliance, the threat the Horde poses is undeniable. King Anduin Wrynn has heard from his spies in Orgrimmar that the Horde has begun to mobilize an army into Silithus . . . but he quickly learns it’s a feint by the Horde to draw away the Alliance’s defenders. Will you be too late to protect the innocent in the Horde’s path as they march toward the great tree Teldrassil?

At the completion of this chapter, players will receive a special mount to commemorate their participation in this prelude to the coming war. Alliance characters will receive the Smoldering Reins of the Teldrassil Hippogryph and Horde characters will receive War-Torn Reins of the Undercity Plaguebat. If you earned one of these faction-specific special mounts on a Horde or Alliance character, both mounts will be added to your collection upon completion of the event. Once the event ends with the launch of the expansion, so will the opportunity to collect these mounts, so don’t delay!

A Flicker of Hope"Elegy""A Good War,"What Comes Next?Death's RisingAccursed KeepsakePapa's Mint Condition Bag

Comment by sharnieI'm not really feeling incentivised to do prepatch stuff, just like with BfA. Legions one was useful though.

I'm happy for those that will enjoy it though.Comment by kodora1316I still have Necrotic Rune in my old warlock’s bags, but no way to spend them to get the tabard I missed out on. :(Comment by MixineWell Bfa mounts were cool, I hope sl will have something similar not just ugly tmog..warfront theme xDDComment by BurnGuardThe Legion prepatch was definitely the best one. It was very useful, had plenty of rewards and made us go back to old zones to stop legion invasions. It was a lot of fun.Comment by Celthric317Wish I did the pre-patch to TBC back in the day, would've been nice to showcase that tabardComment by WepstarThere was also Argent Down gear found for Shadowlands pre-patch?

As for my favorite, I liked Cata most, because I spend 100500 hours investigating new world, investigating how did this world changed. From time to time being killed by flying Deathwing, who was burning down entire zones....

I did not like WOTLK one. It was a pain for alts. For example I has transporting Blood Elf civilian to the Ratched on my new Horde alt, for ~30 minutes, just to fail the mission being killed by max lvl zombie guards...

But the one that I hated most was Darkshores BfA event. Because in this event Alliance have lost, and the Horde have won. I spend 3 weeks to fight for Night Elves, just to lose the war in the end.
Also that quest with saving civilians. No matter how hard I try, all those woman and children burned down alive, because I have failed to save them.
Its ugly to start addon as a loser... Usually I expect something positive for pre-patch, but that one have bring only negative emotions.Comment by CyynaUm.. didn't they legit post this one already a week ago or am i just rememberthing things wrong? also no Blessed Battlegear of Undead Slaying. D: legit we get a bag if you really kill those elites. and nothing else.. i got better rewards for simply playing hearth stone. elites drop gear that you get from the WotLK dungeons just scaled up and i lose faith in the quality of the game as a whole. you can legit Copy Paste an unused mount model as a reward from the vendor AT HOME! so not its not "they ran out of time!"Comment by CyynaI'm not really feeling incentivised to do prepatch stuff, just like with BfA. Legions one was useful though.

I'm happy for those that will enjoy it though.Comment by pabasaI view the Legion pre-patch as most useful as it was the patch that helped me get all 7 of my alts to 100, and sufficiently geared to go into the expansion as well.

Doesn't look like the SL pre-patch will be that useful for levelling alts, but I think they do drop gear to help my alts that are already 120?Comment by CyynaThere was also Argent Down gear found for Shadowlands pre-patch?

As for my favorite, I liked Cata most, because I spend 100500 hours investigating new world, investigating how did this world changed. From time to time being killed by flying Deathwing, who was burning down entire zones....

I did not like WOTLK one. It was a pain for alts. For example I has transporting Blood Elf civilian to the Ratched on my new Horde alt, for ~30 minutes, just to fail the mission being killed by max lvl zombie guards...

But the one that I hated most was Darkshores BfA event. Because in this event Alliance have lost, and the Horde have won. I spend 3 weeks to fight for Night Elves, just to lose the war in the end.
Also that quest with saving civilians. No matter how hard I try, all those woman and children burned down alive, because I have failed to save them.
Its ugly to start addon as a loser... Usually I expect something positive for pre-patch, but that one have bring only negative emotions.Comment by Sielinthfrom a story point of view the MoP pre patch was terrible

zero context and I think alliance one was just flat out wrong, never matching what was told in the book

that said reading through this article does make me feel pretty old since i have everything... on several characters as well... man I've been playing WoW longer then my relationship hahahaComment by CyynaI view the Legion pre-patch as most useful as it was the patch that helped me get all 7 of my alts to 100, and sufficiently geared to go into the expansion as well.

Doesn't look like the SL pre-patch will be that useful for levelling alts, but I think they do drop gear to help my alts that are already 120?Comment by rossyysI'm still wondering if that Argent Conscript gear is just a placeholder, why would Alliance get an unused tint while the Horde don't?Comment by CyynaI'm still wondering if that Argent Conscript gear is just a placeholder, why would Alliance get an unused tint while the Horde don't?Comment by UnowhatI'm still wondering if that Argent Conscript gear is just a placeholder, why would Alliance get an unused tint while the Horde don't?Comment by NexsaThis pre-patch looked like it was going to be fun. Now not so much. Boring rewards and boring invasion.

It's end of expac and people cried because the undead who are a huge threat and invading. A sense of danger in the world and havoc. Now it's a watered down mess that I don't intended to participate in. This game is being catered to the people who are easily offended and want everything handed to them because everyone should have everything!Comment by pabasaI view the Legion pre-patch as most useful as it was the patch that helped me get all 7 of my alts to 100, and sufficiently geared to go into the expansion as well.

Doesn't look like the SL pre-patch will be that useful for levelling alts, but I think they do drop gear to help my alts that are already 120?Comment by wee888Instead of telling you which one is my favorite, I'm gonna tell you which one is my least favorite: Shadowlands...Comment by shadowedscholarI missed the BfA one, and I'm still bummed about it. The SL one being a more balanced Wotlk event is fine with me. You couldn't level back then, it was basically a bunch of higher level people griefing low levels.Comment by kragraghI still carry the Haunted Memento in my bags to this day.