Ashran

Ashran island^{[citation needed]} is a new world PvP zone in Warlords of Draenor. It will share similar elements to the original Alterac Valley. Ashran is a large, open PvP zone for players who have reached the max level of 100, and it offers a little something for everyone.

Built upon the remnants of an ogre civilization, Ashran looks deceptively like a nice enough island just off the coast of Tanaan Jungle. And it probably would be a lovely place to visit if not for the never-ending tug-of-war between the Horde and Alliance bases, Warspear and Stormshield, taking place in the central region of the zone.

Overview

Ashran is a small island of the eastern coast of Tanaan Jungle on Draenor. It is a staging area near the Dark Portal that the Horde and Alliance are fighting to control. There are faction bases with a variety of hotspots that each faction wants to control.

What makes this different than other world pvp zones is that it is persistent, meaning the battle is going on all the time. All the objectives will be PvP oriented, but players will be free to do what they want. The zone will also use Cross-realm.

This place will also house the two capitals of the Alliance and Horde, Just outside of the World PVP zone. (https://twitter.com/mumper/status/482381728393072641)

Features

• Build and commandeer siege vehicles
• Reduce enemy base to rubble
• Persistent battle

Layout

One main artery runs through the center of the zone, and it’s here that players will engage in an endless faction tug-of-war. At opposite endpoints, Horde and Alliance bases wait to be captured, and they'll be fighting for control of five additional capture points as they make their way down the lane. Capturing these points along the way will push each faction toward the enemy base. To effectively hamstring opponents and hobble their efforts for a time, players need to take down their General within their base. Doing so will not only garner bragging rights, but will also deny the opposing faction access to their General, who serves as a Conquest vendor.

At the central hub, the Ogre King stands waiting, flanked by his two bodyguards. Engaging one of the bodyguards and proving their worth in combat will win the Ogre King to the players' faction’s side, and he will fight for them for a time. His endurance is limited, and the longer he goes undefeated, the more susceptible to damage he becomes.

As in many Battlegrounds, each faction will have a Resource count available to them. Once a faction’s Resources drop to 100, they’ll get a little extra help via a randomly spawning Captain who will begin to fight for their side. Many of these will bear familiar names such as Swifty, who will fight for the Alliance, or Talbadar, who will fight for the Horde. There’s no guarantee who will ultimately come to players' aid, however. Each time a side reaches this Resource count, a new random captain will join the fray.

There’s more to Ashran than the conflict in the central lane. Around Ashran there are additional points of interest (POIs) and monsters to slay. The various POIs offer a variety of random events which will allow players to win awards for the Horde or Alliance. Buffs can also be earned by killing other players or NPCs. There are currently seven POIs set around the edges of Ashran.

Rewards

As players make their way around Ashran, they’ll be collecting currency from other players and from monsters they’ve slain. This currency can then be turned in at their base for additional bonuses for their faction, such as Mage Portals or a Warlock Gateway. Or they can choose to summon a random — and truly epic — NPC to join in the fight. One losing encounter with a player of the opposite faction can strip players of their hard-fought treasure and have it wind up in opposing pockets instead.

Players will also be able to collect zone-bound items (usable only on the island) to give themselves a little extra advantage as they take on the various challenges around Ashran.

For those looking for the next step in gear, Ashran will provide access to Conquest-quality gear that is unavailable elsewhere.

Getting there

Players can reach the island easily a few different ways, including using a flight path or by unlocking quick access within their Garrison once it reaches Tier 3.

Areas of interest

At each end of the island, separate from the conflict enveloping the isle, players will find a small sanctum of relative safety. Full-sized Horde and Alliance hubs sit behind each faction’s base, offering pretty much everything a regular city would.

Notes

• No raid group is required to take part
• The zone will cap out at approximately 100 players per side

See also

• Trial of the Gladiator (NYR)

Patch changes

• Patch 6.0.2 (14-October-2014): Added.