[Update]: The heavily exploration focused Dragonflight expansion has now arrived, and so far it's looking quite good!
If you're itching to try out some of Dragonflight's new features like the improved flying mechanics and the new race/class combo, the Dracthyr Evoker, you'll be happy to hear that the World of Warcraft team has now unleashed the second phase of the pre-patch. Besides the new draconic race, the update has also brought with it a revamped version of the Uldaman dungeon, as well as a world-spanning invasion by the Primalists and their elemental lords.
By completing the new events you can acquire a variety of fancy gear, numerous cosmetics, as well as a brand new heirloom trinket. Thanks to the massive experience boost this is also a great time to level new characters, so if you're planning to switch mains or simply try something new in the Dragonflight expansion, this would be the ideal time to get your alts up to snuff.
One of the new rewards is the Primal Stormling battle pet
As far as I'm concerned, the freshly released Dracthyr Evoker race/class combo is the definite highlight of the update. Besides sporting an absurd amount of character customization options, far more than most other races combined, the Dracthyr Evoker also feature a couple of creative new abilities that really make it stand head and shoulders above some of the older classes.
The most enjoyable of these is Soar which allows you to launch yourself high into the air in order to zip around at high speed. Unlike the flying mounts of old, the new flying (or more specifically dragonriding) mechanics are far more reminiscent of Guild Wars 2's mounts. What this means is that instead of just 'swimming' through the air at a consistent speed regardless of what's happening, you'll now slow down and eventually stall out when going upwards, greatly speed up when going downwards, and control your character's movement in a much more dynamic and semi-realistic way. Long story short, it's a genuinely fun new system!
What this and the Dracthyr Evoker look like in action, that you can get a little bit of a sneak peek at through the brief trailer below. Have a gander:
To learn more about each of the new additions, including the full list of accompanying balance changes and bug fixes, you should head on over to the World of Warcraft website.
Once the Dragonflight expansion itself goes live, I'll make sure to let you know. Until then, I'll leave you with the newest cinematic trailer highlighting the lighter and more adventurous side of World of Warcraft. Enjoy!