# Forum > News > OC News > Articles and Interviews >  [Update] The Buzz in WoW #3

## Glynbeard

*Hey again everyone!* So I've decided to create another article which will include: information regarding upcoming events in WoW, some cool finds and a fun game that I think we should try out. 

I would also like to announce that the next Section Interview will take place in the Model Editing section, so make sure to check back here sometime next week to find it!

Now, on with the article!...

[BREAK=Patch 3.3.3 Information]



 - *Patch 3.3.3: A Call to Arms*

This next minor content update will offer a host of new features and improvements, including items like:

*i)* Random Battleground queue option and an improved Honor reward system
*ii)* Key adjustments to the Wintergrasp faction balance functionality
*iii)* Several user interface improvements for the Quest Tracking feature, Auction House, Dungeon Finder, and more
*iv)* Additional class balance changes and profession revisions



Probably the most anticipated change is the update to the inner-workings of Battlegrounds. Below is a quote from Blizzard which describes a bit more about these changes:




> We have several changes planned for Battlegrounds in the next minor content patch and would like to share them with you now. This patch will be available for public testing and we encourage you to participate, queue up and provide some feedback on these changes.
> 
> 
> *1.* Firstly, say goodbye to Battleground Marks of Honor. We feel this currency system is a bit outdated and are getting rid of it. Any items which require these marks as currency will have their costs adjusted appropriately to remove this requirement. The quest NPCs will still be available to award players Honor for turning in leftover marks, including individual Marks of Honor if a player has more marks from one Battleground than another, but this is only to help players clear this expired currency.
> *2.* Next, the Battleground holiday weekend will now be denoted as "Call to Arms" in the Battleground tab and Calendar. If you prefer a specific Battleground over all others, look for those words next to its name to determine whether or not you'll receive bonus Honor. The bonus awards for Call to Arms Battlegrounds have been adjusted.
> *3.* Winning a Call to Arms Battleground for the first time in a day will award players with 30 Honorable Kills worth of additional Honor currency and 25 Arena points.
> *4.* Additional Call to Arms Battleground victories after the first win for a player that day will award them with 15 Honorable Kills worth of additional Honor currency.
> *5.* Losing a Call to Arms Battleground will award players with 5 Honorable Kills worth of additional Honor currency.
> *6.* To bring the rate at which players obtain PvP rewards with Honor more in-line with the rate at which players obtain PvE rewards via the Dungeon Finder, we'll also be increasing the amount of Honor awarded for an Honorable Kill by 100%. In light of this, the amount of experience provided from an Honorable Kill, and the amount of Honor awarded for completing the Wintergrasp weekly quests, have been reduced by 50%.
> ...


Blizzard also commented on the updates they are initializing in Wintergrasp. The quote below touches on those ideas:




> In the next minor content patch, we will be making some minor alterations to the way in which the internal balance system for Wintergrasp works in an attempt to better support realms with greater variations in the level of participation between the Alliance and Horde. Since we have never gone into much detail about how this hidden system currently works, we’d like to explain exactly how it will work in the next patch. Keep in mind that, although this information may feel very new to you, the actual changes being made in the patch to the current system are relatively minor. You can view the Patch 3.3.3 Public Test Realm Notes here: World of Warcraft - English (NA) Forums -> PTR Patch 3.3.3 Notes
> 
> Here are the key systems in place behind the hidden Wintergrasp advantages and how they will function in the upcoming patch:
> 
> 
> * There is an internal tug-of-war scale not visible by players which will shift under specific conditions.
> * The scale starts at 0 (neutral) and can move up to 700 points in either direction favoring the Alliance at one end, and Horde at the other.
> * This scale is persistent and does not reset to 0 whenever control of Wintergrasp shifts.
> * If an attacking force captures Wintergrasp Fortress while under the effects of any of the advantages listed below (400-700 points in their favor), the scale tips 100 points in favor of the opposing faction.
> ...


For full patch notes, check out the following *link*.

[BREAK=Patch 3.3.5 Information]



 - *Patch 3.3.5: Defending the Ruby Sanctum*

The Ruby Sanctum is attacked by a surprise strike force of Deathwing's fierce allies and must be defended. Do you have what it takes to defeat Halion the Twilight Destroyer and his three destructive lieutenants, or will the Ruby Sanctum be forever lost?



*Patch Features:*

*i)* The Ruby Sanctum, a 10- and 25-player raid offering both normal and Heroic challenges, will feature all-new encounters and rewards.



Sweet, a new raid! But wait a second... *wtf is the Ruby Sanctum*? Well, here is some lore to help build a better picture in your mind:

A powerful war party of the Black Dragonflight, led by the fearsome Twilight dragon, Halion, have launched an assault upon the Ruby Sanctum beneath Wyrmrest Temple. By destroying the sanctum, the Black Dragonflight look to crush those that would stand in the way of their master’s reemergence into Azeroth and to ultimately shatter the Wyrmrest Accord – the sacred bond that unites the dragonflights.

The battle that is to come will surely deal a crippling blow to the Red Dragonflight, however, it is up to you to stop this unprecedented offensive and defend the Ruby Sanctum. First you must face the assault of Halion's servants, Saviana Ragefire, Baltharus the Warborn, and General Zarithrian, before squaring off against Halion the Twilight Destroyer, a new and deadly force in this realm.



A quote from the Blizzard employee Zarhym explains a couple extra details:




> The lieutenants are sub-bosses which will each drop an Emblem of Frost. Halion is the main boss. While the activation of Heroic difficulty is different from the Obsidian Sanctum, the overall raid format for the Ruby Sanctum is very comparable.
> You're likely to find some random pieces of armor on par with Lich King loot, similar to the items Onyxia dropped while Trial of the Crusader was the top-tier raid. You can also expect to see some more trinkets and things of that nature.
> This raid will not only provide a bit of additional content to pair with the current content of patch 3.3, it will be the beginning of an advancement in the storyline for Cataclysm.
> The plan is to have a normal mode and a heroic mode just like Icecrown Citadel, so far there is no plan for a Sartharion +1/+2/+3-like encounter.


Currently there is not a whole lot of information other than that to go off of, so I'd suggest checking back in a couple weeks when Blizzard has had time to finalize and release more details.

[BREAK=Misc Information]



This page is dedicated to a couple neat tidbits of information I found around the web about future plans in WoW (mostly related to Cataclysm).

To start off... It seems that Gnomeregan will be retaken before Cataclysm is released.

Achievements like:

*Gnomecoming King* - You assisted High Tinker Mekkatorque and the Gnomeregan Exiles in the recapture of Gnomeregan's surface.

*Gnomecoming Queen* - You assisted High Tinker Mekkatorque and the Gnomeregan Exiles in the recapture of Gnomeregan's surface.

Seem to be pretty strong indicators that something is going to happen soon.

Also, it is still a little unsure of what will happen with the Horde, but information has been circling suggesting Trolls will have a big impact on the event.

Troll & Gnome leader appearance updates are other examples of strong indicators that this change is happening very quickly:

*Vol'jin:*


*
Mekkatorque:*



[BREAK=Gaming MMOments]



I was wondering to myself the other day on how I would go about making these articles not only informative but also a bit more fun for those members who are reading them week after week... Then I remembered how the World of Warcraft community site posts screenshots of characters in-game doing who knows what and I thought "Why not do that here, except for any MMO you play?".

So basically, I'll post a picture here for this week because it is the first one, but after this I will allow users to Private Message me screenshots of their toons and I'll pick one to post in next weeks edition of The Buzz in WoW.

So here it is!

*Week #1:*


[BREAK=Conclusion]



Well guys, that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed the little update and make sure to check back again for the next installment of this series!

Also, don't forget to submit your screenshots for next time!

Sources:
website 1
website 2
website 3
website 4

*Glynbeard*

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## JD

Great article mate  :Smile:

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## Ground Zero

Really nice article qhanfag.  :Smile:

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## Reflection

Very nice  :Big Grin:

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## Zantas

Isn't it patch 3.3.4?

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## ßetray

> Isn't it patch 3.3.4?


This.

Also I was thinking of suggesting a SSotD [Screenshot of the Day] sort of thing as well, but looks like you'll be doing SSotW[eek].

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## Glynbeard

I don't play WoW anymore so I no longer have any client on my computer to tell me what rev we are currently on and all my sources told me 3.3.3 and 3.3.5. main source.

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## Reflection

It's 3.3.3. Nothing said about 3.3.4 yet, only 3.3.5.

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## Zeroi9

Hmm, 3.3.5? Didnt Blizzard say Lich King was the last boss before Cataclysm? (I dont want Cata, lol.) Ruby sanctum will be cool.

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## Don'tTazeMeBro

> Hmm, 3.3.5? Didnt Blizzard say Lich King was the last boss before Cataclysm? (I dont want Cata, lol.) Ruby sanctum will be cool.


They said he'd be the last WOTLK storyline raid boss.

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## Errage

Source site #2 got censored lul.

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## Glynbeard

> Source site #2 got censored lul.


Knew it would, but can't say I didn't try!

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## Dr. Cheasterfield

Great Article, as always.
I think that the real Wow is going to die, such a lot of shits since TLK...

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