World of Warcraft: The War Within’s pre-expansion patch date and features

The next multi-expansion saga of World of Warcraft kicks off next month and, as always, a new expansion means a pre-expansion patch. Some of The War Within’s features (including Warbands) are arriving later this month ahead of the expansions August 22 launch. Blizzard’s recent blogpost highlights some of the additions, and they’ll be here before you know it.

Pre-expansion patch date and additions

The pre-patch goes live July 23, and the coming features will be available whether or not you’ve pre-purchased The War Within. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s coming:

Warbands: an alt-haver’s dream

Warbands, further detailed by Blizzard last week, are essentially parties of four of your characters across any server, faction, or account (limited only by region). These characters share a remarkable amount of features and progression, including most reputations, achievements, pet and mount collections, and even a new bank.

The War Within kicks off with Visions of Azeroth

This, likely brief, questline will close the chapter on Dragonflight and open the next for The War Within. You’ll just need to be level 70 and have completed the other major chapters of the Dragonflight questline to start it.

Dragonflight comes to more mounts with Skyriding

If you’re tired of Dragonriding on the same old mounts, prepare to be spoiled for choice. Skyriding is just a fancy name for Dragonflight’s style of flying, which you’ll now be able to use on nearly every flying mount in the game.

A new world activity with Warband rewards: Radiant Echoes

Even if you don’t have The War Within, you’ll still be able to earn some rewards that can be shared by characters in your Warband. The event starts in Dalaran, where portals will take you to one of three cycling zones. It’s the same routine you’re probably used to: kill dudes, complete event tasks, kill a boss, collect rewards.

This event will drop Residual Memories, a currency used to buy a new 32 slot bag, several mounts, and a whole slew of item level 480 gear. You can also pick up a Lifeless Stone Ring from the event’s Dalaran vendor, Amuul, which can be infused throughout the event into a level 227 heirloom ring.

And that’s it! There’s a whole month to pick at the odds and ends coming in pre-patch. If you need me, I’ll be agonizing over which characters to put in my Warband, then regretting it later.