World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

	; World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment; Team 2; Proletariat
Publisher(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, macOS
Release	WW: November 28/29, 2022;
Latest release	10.2.7
Latest preview	10.2.7
Genre(s)	Expansion pack
Mode(s)	Multiplayer
	Base; Heroic; Epic; Collectors;
Expansion packs chronology

This article is about the expansion itself. For the types of dragons, see Dragonflight.

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight (shortened DF) is the ninth expansion for World of Warcraft set primarily in the eponymous region of the Dragon Isles. The expansion was officially revealed on 19 April 2022, and was released on November 28th of that year.^[2]

Its story serves to soften the tension from Shadowlands, being the first expansion since Mists of Pandaria that does not directly continue from the ending of the previous expansion, including a three year narrative time skip.

Dragonflight would later be merged with the base game on 23 July 2024 with patch 11.0.0, thus only requiring game time to access its content.

Story

Official site

Discover the Dragon Isles

The dragonflights of Azeroth have returned, called upon to defend their ancestral home, the Dragon Isles. Surging with elemental magic and the life energies of Azeroth, the Isles are awakening once more, and it's up to you to explore their primordial wonder and discover long-forgotten secrets.^[3]

Features

New level cap: 70
New playable race-class combo Dracthyr Evoker
Dragonriding
Talent System Revamp
Improved Professions
Updated UI

Zones

The Dragon Isles
- The Waking Shores
- Ohn'ahran Plains
- The Azure Span
- Thaldraszus
- The Forbidden Reach - dracthyr starting zone & outdoor max-level zone
- Zaralek Cavern (10.1)
- The Emerald Dream (10.2)

Instances

Dungeons

Algeth'ar Academy
The Azure Vault
Brackenhide Hollow
Dawn of the Infinite (10.1)
Halls of Infusion
Neltharus - fight to reclaim the stronghold of the black dragonflight
The Nokhud Offensive
Ruby Life Pools - life pools of the red dragonflight, where their sacred oath to the titans was put forth
Uldaman: Legacy of Tyr - Revamped from its Classic state, with previously unknown chambers

Raids

The entrance to Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible.

Vault of the Incarnates - Venture into the ancient prison of the Primal Incarnates before their malevolent power can be unleashed against the Dragon Aspects.
Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible (10.1) - Venture into Neltharion's secret lab, uncover great secrets and defeat Scalecommander Sarkareth.
Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope (10.2) - Defend the newly planted World Tree from Fyrakk and the Druids of the Flame.

Systems and rewards

The Major Factions in Dragonflight are an iteration on previous reputation-based gameplay with outdoor progression. Participating in content throughout the Dragon Isles grants reputation toward these Major Factions: Dragonscale Expedition, Maruuk Centaur, Iskaara Tuskarr, Valdrakken Accord, Loamm Niffen, and Dream Wardens. Each Major Faction's progression is different, with content fitting a variety of playstyles. Earning reputation unlocks renown ranks, and importantly unlike Covenants, major factions are not exclusive and players can be a member of all four factions at once. The ranks unlock questlines and cosmetics.^[4]^[5]
Timewalking Campaigns will allow leveling to 60 with new players still going to Battle for Azeroth content and Shadowlands content being added as an option for alts.
Converting Solo Shuffle PvP Brawl into a Rated Solo Queue Battlegrounds system.
Barbershop services no longer cost any currency.
Trading Post and Traveler's Log with new cosmetic items and activities introduced every month, introduced with patch 10.0.5.
Transmog opened to common and poor quality items, with patch 10.0.5.

Race and class changes

Rogue, Mage and Priest became available to all playable races with patch 10.0.2,^[6] with the exception of the dracthyr.
Warlock became available to all playable races with patch 10.1.5,^[7] with the exception of the dracthyr.

Prominent figures

Dragonflight key art.

New figures

Azurathel
Cindrethresh
Chrono-Lord Deios
Emberthal
Eternus
Kurog Grimtotem
Maruuk
Morchie
Primal Incarnates
- Fyrakk
- Iridikron
- Raszageth
- Vyranoth
Sarkareth
Teera
Tyr
Viridia
Watcher Koranos

Returning figures

Creatures

Dragonkin

Dracthyr
- Dracthyr skeleton
Hornswog
Jeweled whelpling
Primalist drakonid
Primalist proto-dragon
Slitherdrake
Tarasek
Velocidrake
Vorquin
Wylderdrake

Giant

Djaradin

Humanoid

Beast

Argali
Armoredon
Bakar
Beaver (new type)
Beetle (new type)
Bristlebruin
Bruffalon
Dreamsaber
Dreamstag
Duck
- Mechanical duck
Flying squirrel
Fol'ya
Frillfish
Hornstrider
Ice spider
Magma slug
Magma snail
Magmammoth
Mammoth (new type)
Mantacorn
Marmoni
Ohuna
Ottuk
Peafowl (new type)
Porcupine (new type)
Primal thunder lizard
Rabbit (new type)
Rhino (new type)
Rockfang
Runebear
Salamanther
Scythid
Skitterfly
Slyvern
Somnowl
Swallow
Turtle (new type)
Umbraclaw
Woodpecker

Elemental

Air elemental (new type)
Arcane elemental (new types)
Crystal elemental (new types)
Corrupted ancient (new type)
Earth elemental (new type)
Fire elemental (new types)
Ice elemental (new types)
Sulfur elemental
Time elemental
Water elemental (new type)

Unique

Returning

Centaur
Dragon
- Drake
- Dragon whelp
Dragonspawn
Drakonid
Keeper of the grove
Elemental
Furbolg
Gnoll
Gorloc
Ice bear (previously seen as a store mount)
Mana wyrm (type previously seen as a store mount)
Monkey (type previously seen as a promotional pet)
Mountain giant
Phoenix (type previously seen as a store mount)
Proto-dragon
Titanic watcher
Treant
- Corrupted treant
Tuskarr

Pre-order options

Base option

Main article: World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Base Edition

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight digital license
14 Days Early Access to the dracthyr evoker
Drakks pet (pre-purchase only, no longer obtainable after the expansion releases)
With the introduction of the Trading Post, obtain 500x [Trader's Tender] via [Trading Post: Dragonflight].

Drakks

Heroic edition

Main article: World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Heroic Edition

Everything in the Base Edition, plus:
- Dragonflight-Level Character Boost (Level 60)
- [Tangled Dreamweaver] mount
- Murkastrasza pet

Tangled Dreamweaver
Murkastrasza

Epic edition

Main article: World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Epic Edition

Everything in the Heroic Edition, plus:
- [Timewalker's Hearthstone] toy
- [Diadem of the Spell-Keeper] head transmog
- Wings of Awakening back transmog ensemble, in five color variants representing each primary dragonflight
- 30 days of Game time

Timewalker's Hearthstone effect
Diadem of the Spell-Keeper
Wings of Awakening in one of five color variant

Collector's edition

Main article: Dragonflight Epic Edition Collector's Set

Everything in the Epic Edition, plus:
- The Art of Dragonflight
- Alexstrasza Mouse Pad
- Dragonflight Five-Pin Collector's Set

The Art of Dragonflight
Mouse pad
Five-pin set

System requirements

Main article: System requirements

Tie-in literature

Novels

Animated shorts

Legacies

Short stories

The Vow Eternal

Notes

Dragonflight has been described as an exploration-themed expansion, with comparisons drawn to Mists of Pandaria.^[8]
It was stated that Dragonflight would have a "big bad" as an antagonist, and that who/what it was would not be known initially.^[9] This is also similar to Mists of Pandaria, where Garrosh was a "surprise" final antagonist, empowered by Lei Shen's treasures and Y'Shaarj's remains.
- The main villain turned out to be the Primal Incarnates as advertised, with Fyrakk as the final raid boss, and with Iridikron as the more overarching threat.
When designing Dragonflight, the developers wanted "to tell a story rooted in adventure and optimism." That effects from previous games would be seen, but in a positive way.^[10]
Dragonflight is the first expansion since Wrath of the Lich King to not have a tie in novel to serve as a prequel for the expansion.
- Wrath of the Lich King eventually got Arthas: Rise of the Lich King as a prequel, though after the release of the expansion. Dawn of the Aspects retroactively serves as a prequel to the main plot threads in Dragonflight.
- War of the Scaleborn was also eventually released.
Dragonflight is the first expansion to feature a narrative time skip, with Shadowlands starting in Year 35 after the opening of the Dark Portal, lasting for two years, and Dragonflight starting in Year 40.^[11]
Dragonflight features some of the largest zones in World of Warcraft. This was not entirely intentional, as the developers were not sure how much space they'd need for the dragonriding feature.^[12]