World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is the ninth major addition to the popular online game World of Warcraft, which comes after the Shadowlands expansion. The game was officially announced in April 2022 and became available to players on November 28, 2022.
Gameplay
The Dragon Isles are the main location in the game Dragonflight and are divided into five areas. Four of these areas are the Waking Shores, Ohn'ahran Plains, Azure Span, and Thaldraszus. The neutral city of Valdrakken, located in Thaldraszus, acts as a central meeting place, much like Oribos in Shadowlands. The fifth area, the Forbidden Reach, is where players begin their journey as members of the Dracthyr race.
Dragonflight increased the maximum level players can reach to 70, the first change since the level squish in Shadowlands. The game also updated the user interface and talent tree systems, introducing two branches of abilities.
A new playable race, the Dracthyr, and a new class, the Evoker, were added. Evokers are only available to the Dracthyr and are the only class the Dracthyr can play. Evokers wear mail armor and can choose from three specializations: Devastation, which focuses on attacking from a distance; Augmentation, which helps other players; and Preservation, which focuses on healing. The Dracthyr can join either the Alliance or the Horde, similar to the Pandaren in Mists of Pandaria. Dracthyr Evokers are considered a special class, starting at level 58 with a unique starting area.
The game updated the profession system, letting players send orders to create items.
A new feature called Dragonriding was introduced, allowing players to raise and customize a dragon. This feature includes a new way to fly using speed and movement skills. Players can use this ability from the start of the expansion, without needing to reach the maximum level.
Plot
After being hidden for 10,000 years following the War of the Ancients, the Dragon Isles, the ancestral home of all dragons, reappear on Azeroth. In a secluded area called the Forbidden Reach, a group of dragonkin soldiers known as the dracthyr awaken from a 20,000-year sleep. Confused about their situation, they learn they were placed in a frozen state by their creator, Neltharion the Earth-Warder (later known as Deathwing), the former Aspect of the Black Dragonflight. Neltharion feared the power the dracthyr could hold if not controlled, as they could use magic from all five dragonflights. The dracthyr quickly adjust and free other dracthyr, such as Scalecommander Emberthal, former leader of the Adamant Vigil, and Scalecommander Sarkareth, leader of the Ebon Scales.
A group called the Primalists invades the Forbidden Reach to free their imprisoned leader, Raszageth the Storm-Eater, an ancient proto-dragon and one of the four Primal Incarnates who oppose the Dragon Aspects. Raszageth and the other Incarnates were imprisoned during the War of the Scaleborn, a conflict between the Aspects and Incarnates that happened 20,000 years ago. During a battle between the dracthyr and the Primalists, Raszageth is freed, forcing the dracthyr to leave the Forbidden Reach. Many dracthyr join the Alliance and the Horde to learn about their new world, while Sarkareth, upset with the Aspects’ treatment of other dragonkin, leaves with the Ebon Scales to pursue their own path.
The Alliance and the Horde launch a joint mission to the Dragon Isles, where old enemies awaken alongside the continent, threatening the home of the five dragonflights. The Aspects of the dragonflights try to reactivate their power by relighting their Oathstones, which became inactive after the destruction of the Dragon Soul that led to Deathwing’s downfall.
In the Waking Shores, Alexstrasza the Life-Binder, the Aspect of the Red Dragonflight, protects the Ruby Lifeshrine, where dragon eggs are kept safe from the Primalists. Raszageth attacks the shrine but is stopped by Wrathion, the Black Prince, a black dragon. Wrathion asks Alexstrasza to help him reclaim the Obsidian Citadel, but she refuses, choosing to defend the Lifeshrine instead.
Wrathion gathers allies to attack the Obsidian Citadel, which is now controlled by the djaradin, a race of half-giants. He is aided by Sabellian, a black dragon and son of Neltharion, who returned with the Obsidian Brood from Outland. Together, they drive out the djaradin and restore the Black Dragonflight’s Oathstone. They later bring black dragon eggs to the Ruby Lifeshrine, helping restore the Red Dragonflight’s Oathstone, though tensions arise between Wrathion and Sabellian over leadership of the Black Dragonflight.
In the Ohn’ahran Plains, the Maruuk centaur clans form an alliance with the Green Dragonflight to fight the Primalists. However, the Nokhud Clan betrays them, joining the Primalists and capturing the wild god Ohn’ahra. Merithra, daughter of Ysera the Awakened, the former Green Dragonflight Aspect, arrives with her son Gerithus and is caught off guard by the betrayal, leading to the loss of one of her kin. Merithra and the Green Dragonflight then work with the Maruuk to protect the Ancient Bough, where the Green Dragonflight first connected with the Emerald Dream. They defeat the Primalists, rescue Ohn’ahra, and restore the Green Dragonflight’s Oathstone.
In the Azure Span, Kalecgos, the Aspect of the Blue Dragonflight, plans to reactivate the ley lines of arcane magic to restore the Azure Archives, a library of magical artifacts. However, decay caused by local gnolls makes this goal difficult. With help from Archmage Khadgar, the Iskaara tuskarr tribe, and a simulacrum of Sindragosa, Kalecgos learns that reuniting his disbanded flight is needed to restore the Blue Dragonflight’s Oathstone. When Raszageth attacks Vakthros, a ley line convergence point, Kalecgos teams up with Khadgar, the Kirin Tor, and Senegos, leader of the Azurewing brood, to defend it and restore their Oathstone.
In Valdrakken, the largest city on the Dragon Isles, Alexstrasza meets with Kalecgos and Nozdormu, the Aspect of the Bronze Dragonflight. They discover Primalist infiltrators in the city, trying to stir rebellion among dragonkin. At the Temporal Conflux, where the Bronze Dragonflight monitors time, Chronormu (Chromie) captures Eternus, an infinite dragon seeking to corrupt the Bronze Dragonflight’s Oathstone. Eternus escapes but helps Chromie while trapped in the past, leading Nozdormu to spare her. Eternus warns Nozdormu of his future transformation into Murozond, leader of the Infinite Dragonflight.
The Iskaara tuskarr chieftain seeks to reopen trade with the Uktulut tribe in the Waking Shores. They find the Uktulut chieftain grieving after losing his hunting companion to the djaradin. He overcomes his sorrow by uniting his tribe and driving the djaradin away.
In Thaldraszus, archaeologists of the Dragonscale Expedition uncover a titan-forged door sealed by the titan-keeper Tyr. After breaking the seal, they learn about the Dragon Aspects and experiments Tyr conducted on proto-dragons.
Alexstrasza, Kalecgos, and Nozdormu visit Tyrhold, a titan facility built by Tyr, to uncover a gift left by Tyr before his death. With the help of the titan-watcher Koranos, they reactivate Tyrhold’s forge, creating a body identical to Tyr’s. Though lifeless, the Aspects reveal that Tyr’s gift holds secrets yet to be discovered.
Setting
The game takes place three years after the events of Shadowlands and mainly occurs on the Dragon Isles, the original home of dragons. Over 20,000 years before World of Warcraft, the ancestors of modern dragons, called "proto-dragons," made an agreement with powerful beings known as the Titans. The Titans gave them magic to change them into the dragons seen today. Dragons are grouped into five different organizations called dragonflights, each led by a strong leader called an Aspect. These groups include many related creatures, such as dragonkin, which include the Dracthyr. The Dracthyr can change between dragon-like and human-like forms.
In the game's story, the Dracthyr were created by Neltharion, an ancient dragon and former leader of the Black dragonflight. Neltharion later became a villain named Deathwing. He combined the skills of human-like races and the power of all five dragonflights to create the Dracthyr, who were designed to be strong warriors. At first, only the Evoker class could play as a Dracthyr, but game developers plan to add more classes in the future. Morgan Day, an associate game director, explained that the Dracthyr are still learning about their abilities and may later learn skills from other creatures in Azeroth, allowing them to fight in different ways.
After the rise of the dragonflights, the remaining proto-dragons followed the Primalists, a group that rejected the Titans' power and wanted to rule Azeroth. The leaders of the Primalists, called the Primal Incarnates, were locked away by the Aspects. The long conflict between the Aspects and the Primalists is the main story of the expansion.
Reception
Dragonflight received mostly positive reviews, with a score of 82 on Metacritic. PC Gamer gave the expansion 80 out of 100, stating that while the expansion was not "thrilling," it felt like a "fresh start for a 20-year-old video game." Screen Rant called Dragonflight "compelling" and "fantastic," scoring it 9 out of 10. They noted that despite new innovations, the game remained largely the same underneath. Destructoid scored it 85 out of 100, saying that after the Legion expansion, World of Warcraft feels like it has been reborn. This view was shared by many outlets and fans compared to Shadowlands.
During the 26th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Dragonflight for "Role-Playing Game of the Year."
Players generally liked the new abilities of the Dracthyr, which helped update the game. John Carson of Game Informer praised the empowerment mechanic, saying it added elements found in modern MMOs like Lost Ark. He noted that the idea of becoming a dragon race and having a class based on their abilities is unique and exciting within World of Warcraft. Ryan Gilliam of Polygon called the class "impressively modern," describing the Dracthyr as "surprisingly mobile" and "flashy." He said playing the class felt "exciting" and "uniquely Warcraft." Len Hafer of PC Gamer said the Dracthyr made World of Warcraft feel like a different game, calling their aerial moves "completely bonkers" and saying they made "Azeroth feel new again." He described the race as "almost the culmination of what the ideal Warcraft experience is meant to be: It's fun, it's flashy, it's excessive, and it's kinda silly." While noting that the lore behind the race was "muddled," he said their new mechanics made up for it, and their ability design made him feel like he was "playing a much snappier action game than WoW truly is under the hood." Claire Tabari of Laptop Mag described the Dracthyr as "all of our hopes and dreams come true," calling their dragon forms "awesome" and praising their ability to function as a healer.
Some players criticized the Dracthyr for not having enough customization options compared to other characters. Fraser Brown of PC Gamer suggested using the "Chosen Identity" skill to stay in human form outside battle, saying it made existing armor sets work better and reminded players they were shapeshifters. Their human form having unique gameplay benefits was also controversial, as Lauren Bergin of PCGamesN said she was "a little deflated" that it offered an extra healing buff, as she preferred the dragon form. She noted that many fans continued to play permanently as a dragon, calling it "part of the class fantasy to be a dragon." Tabari noted that players were unhappy with the lack of other classes besides Evoker, agreeing they might become overabundant, but said new classes may be introduced in the future. In contrast, Michael Kelly of Dot Esports described the need to play in dragon form during combat as "one of the biggest turn-offs" for players, even causing some to use an in-game item to temporarily change their character's race. He praised the removal of this requirement in War Within and noted fans were concerned about the Dracthyr's appearance resembling Blood Elves.
Oli Welsh of Polygon said the Dracthyr were fun to play as but called them an "afterthought," saying they were "clearly invented to fill a hole" compared to other races. He noted their story tried too hard to explain why they had never been mentioned before and described their appearance as "conventional" and "somewhat anodyne," calling it "cosplay-ready" with "a hint of the furry about it." He wished they had been more "genre-bending" and "distinctive" like the draenei or worgen. He also said the class's skills lacked the same uniqueness as other races, saying "you could easily imagine it popping up in any other fantasy game."