The Mists of Pandaria Remix in World of Warcraft brings you back to the land of Pandaria before the downfall of Garrosh. If you started playing after the expansion came out, now is a great time to jump back and create a new character. For those who already played the expansion, there are new reasons to jump back in and explore the land of the Pandaren. Thanks to new equipment and some improvements to the storyline, there’s something for new and returning players. You can also bring the character you create from the remix into The War Within when it is released. With a powerful character ready for the expansion, you won’t struggle against the challenges ahead of you.
We spoke to Brian Dowling, Senior Game Designer, and Ciji Bambrick, Senior Test Analyst, about what the Remix offers. What would draw players to visit Pandaria when The War Within is around the corner?
“You have a lot of repeatable content that have different kinds of mechanics”
“You have a lot of repeatable content that have different kinds of mechanics” said Dowling. Future content that came after Mists of Pandaria don’t have the same mechanics, and players don’t have the chances to go back. Exploring unique stories about the Pandaren and other races is great along with the fractures between the Alliance and Horde factions.
The lands of Pandaria are accessible just after the crisis in the Cataclysm expansion. Both the Alliance and the Horde are exploring these lands while dealing with the aggressive Horde Warchief. Improvements have been made to the storyline that don’t change the overall plot, but make it exciting enough for veterans. They also help you understand the story better, which may help you follow along if you don’t understand certain points. The Remix has given the land of Pandaria a new look, updating all the story moments and environments that you explore. “Content is going to feel better to players” as Dowling says, letting you experience the expansion without any massive changes.
The Remix also introduces Gems that bestow effects onto equipment. These Gems are found during your adventures and fit into various slots on equipment, allowing you to mix and match effects. You can give characters abilities that would normally be impossible for their class to use, such as a Warrior using Vanish. Being able to experiment with Gems is a highlight and players will spend hours trying to get the best configurations they can. You can also obtain the Cloak of Infinite Potential, which strengthens you as you loot various threads of time.
The leveling experience is improved as you go from Level 1 – 70, letting you gradually unlock new zones. You can go through the content solo and later team up with new friends to help everyone experience the game. The Remix uses the modern Dragonflight systems, allowing players to easily transition even if they haven’t visited Pandaria before. Gather new transmogs for your equipment, earn new titles, and find new colour variations of flying mounts. If you are impatient to get to the flying mounts, Brian mentions that after the intro “you will be able to dragon-ride”. Combining legacy content with new mechanics from current expansions is what the Remix is about.
Some of these new additions are purchased with Bronze, a new currency converted from drops you don’t want. As Downling says, “Bronze is the main currency that players are going to have to worry about in the remix.” You can exchange Bronze for a variety of items such as class transmogs, Pandaria mounts, or toys. It’s an easy way for players to obtain items that were too difficult to obtain when the expansion first released. Bambrick also mentioned obtaining Bronze by flying through Bronze Orbs while riding on a flying mount, letting you obtain the currency through exploration.
The character you create and train in the Remix can be used for The War Within expansion when it is released. While you won’t keep the amazing items, there’s still plenty of time to join the Remix and train up your new characters. Explore the Mists of Pandaria Remix now and enjoy the story that illustrates the Horde Warchief’s downfall.
Grab the Battle.net desktop app and log into the Remix here until it ends on August 19, 2024.
About the Author
Victor Tan
He/Him
Victor spends his time trying to help players out of tricky situations and give them the guidance they need to succeed. Outside of the video game world, you can find him training at the gym or doing simple improv activities.
