Summary
World of Warcraftis finally updating the Shaman Ascendance forms for the first time in over 12 years. This much-needed visual update will arrive inWorld of WarcraftPatch 11.0.5, alongside the MMO’s 20th-anniversary update.
Recently,World of Warcraftrevealed Patch 11.0.5, the first big post-launch update forThe War Within. In addition to the massive in-game event celebration for the game’s 20-year anniversary, the update is also adding tons of gameplay improvements, including anexpansion to theWorld of Warcraftclasses Dracthyr can choosefrom.
However, one unexpected feature from Patch 11.0.5 is somethingShaman players inWorld of Warcraftwill want to be aware of. The update is overhauling the Ascendance forms used by each Shaman specialization, giving each of them a new look. There appear to be six new Ascendance forms in total: Fire for Elemental Shamans, Water for Restoration, and Air for Enhancement, each with versions for both Body Type 1 and 2.
New Shaman Ascendance Forms in WoW: The War Within
The Ascendance abilities for the Shaman class were first implemented inMists of Pandaria, but the forms themselves were inspired by enemies inCataclysm, making Ascendance 12 years old, and the Elemental Ascendant models themselves essentially over 14 years old.Every playable race inWorld of Warcrafthas gotten a visual update since then, making these old models stand out as particularly dated alongside them. Needless to say, it was about time they received a facelift.
Many players love these new Shaman Ascendance forms. Few could deny that they are of higher quality, especially considering how old the previous ones are. These new forms keep the general silhouette of the old iteration while bringing them more in line to whereWorld of Warcraft’s art direction has been over the course of the past decade, and many fans were delighted to see these updated forms seemingly come out of nowhere.
That said, some fans are displeased with these new forms. Some think they look less interesting than the originals, and are upset they no longer have the iconic cowls the previous versions had. Others wish Blizzard had gone in a different direction with the designs, such as with the Shaman conjuring an elemental around them, similarly to Dathea, Ascended in the Vault of the Incarnates. Hopefully,World of Warcrafteventually adds Glyphsto allow these players to choose between the old and new forms in the future – or better yet, let players customize visual aspects of their class like Druids and Warlocks can at the barber shop.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
WHERE TO PLAY
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.
