Warcraft Looks

Cloth Transmog Outfit - Draenei Sun Dress

2013-08-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today's look is a simple yet beautiful little transmog set I threw together on my Draenei Mage. I call it "Draenei Sun Dress".

The Journeyman's Vest makes it appear that the character (at least a Draenei) is wearing something akin to a miniskirt. Pants are handled by the ever-useful Ancestral Woollies.

One of my favorite things about this look is that I found out that Frostwoven Boots (made by Tailoring) make it look as if the Draenei isn't wearing any boots.

Head past the jump for the items used in this transmog outfit as well as links to the whole set on Wowhead so you can try it on yourself.

Draenei Sun Dress Transmog item set:

Shoulders: Silk Mantle of Gamn (This item is no longer available within the game. I believe it was from a mage quest once upon a time. Glad I held onto mine.)
Chest: Journeyman's Vest
Hands: Bloodthirsty Embersilk Gloves (Same look as Vicious Embersilk Gloves which are still in the game.)
Waste: Serenity Belt
Legs: Ancestral Woollies
Feet: Frostwoven Boots (Don't appear to show up on Draenei hooves.)
Staff: Rosethorn Staff

Here is the Wowhead item comparison link for "Draenei Sun Dress". (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your own sex and race.)

Note: The lower "frill" of the chest peace doesn't seem to appear in the Wowhead previews but does appear in game.

From the Back:

Submit Your Look! We're always accepting reader submissions. Send your favorite Warcraft looks, armor, weapons, screenshots, gear lists and guest posts to powerwordgold@yahoo.com.

Cloth Transmog Outfit - Subtle & Sophisticated

2013-03-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

Today's look stopped me in my tracks on the way to the mailbox today. This is a cloth transmog outfit I call "Subtle & Sophisticated".

It's subtle because the of the care that has been taken to match the outfit to the character herself (note the white shoulder pads that match her skin color). It's sophisticated because it is able to blend many disparate items into one cohesive whole. I've looked at the outfit on other models and none pull it off like she does.

Head past the jump for the items used in this transmog outfit as well as links to the whole set on Wowhead so you can try it on yourself.
Subtle & Sophisticated Transmog item set:

Shoulders: Aurora Mantle
Chest: Soulcloth Vest
Wrist: Bracers of Inlaid Jade (not transmogged)
Hands: Mystic's Gloves
Waste: Imperial Red Sash
Legs: Black Mageweave Leggings
Feet: Shieldwarden Slippers (not transmogged)
Staff: Ethereum Life-Staff

Here is the Wowhead item comparison link for "Subtle & Sophisticated". (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your own sex and race.)

Here are a few more images of the creator wearing the outfit.

Submit Your Look! We're always accepting reader submissions. Send your favorite Warcraft looks, armor, weapons, screenshots, gear lists and guest posts to warcraftlooks@gmail.com.

Cloth Transmog Outfit - "Green Diver Deluxe"

2012-08-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

Every once and a while I come across a transmog outfit that stops me dead in my tracks. This outfit that I've dubbed "Green Diver Deluxe" certainly did that to me today. It's good to know that there is still plenty of originality to be had in transmogging.

Head past the jump for more shots and the full transmog item list

This outfit definitely has a sort of deep-sea-diver-meets-Bioshock feel to it and I love it. The subtle touches like the green glowing staff which perfectly matches the green glowing rocket/diver helmet really pull it all together.

A few other notable items about this transmog outfit: the wearer was only level 19 and it is one of the first times I've seen a shirt put to really excellent use in a transmog outfit.

"Green Diver Deluxe" Transmog Item List:

Head: Goblin Rocket Helmet (Engineer Only)
Shoulders: Double-Stitched Woolen Shoulders
Chest: Buccaneer's Vest
Shirt: Green Linen Shirt
Wrists: Shimmering Bracers
Hands: Shimmering Gloves
Waist: Greenweave Sash
Legs: Shimmering Trousers
Feet: Shimmering Boots
Staff: Foamspittle Staff (Possibly one of the best names for an item ever.)

Wowhead item comparison link for "Green Diver Deluxe". (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your own sex and race.)

Here are a few shots of the original creator wearing the outfit.

Submit Your Look! We're always accepting reader submissions. Send your favorite Warcraft looks, armor, weapons, screenshots, gear lists and guest posts to warcraftlooks@gmail.com.

Warrior Plate by Demona of Korgath

2012-02-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today's reader submission is a striking Warrior Plate set by Demona of Korgath. The set really flows well and is very flattering to female Draenei physique while still having a "battle-ready" feeling to it. Head past the jump for the full mogging item list.

Shoulders: Pauldrons of the Argent Sentinel
Chest: Carapace of Anub'shiah
Gloves: Fallen Brotherhood Gauntlets
Belt: Veteran's Lamellar Belt
Pants: Saltstone Legplates
Boots: Redsteel Boots
Sword: Greatsword of the Crown

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here's what Demona had to say about the outfit:

"My warrior Demona is my pride and joy. I needed something to match her personality of fearsome but sexy. The gear set all started with Pauldrons of the Argent Sentinel after an SSC clear run a few weeks back. After using MogIt, I played around with a few different sets finally settling on what you see before you. One of the biggest problems in getting this set was the leggings. Since I had already completed the quest Letting Earthbinder Tavgren Know in Terokkar Forest and possibly vendored the Cenarion Thicket Legplates way back in Burning Crusade, I had to either spend the 5000 gold to get the Saltstone Legplants, or kill ogres for 6 hours. I choose to kill them for off and on 6 hours in the past 3 days. One they finally dropped, I celebrated as I won a rare epic.

My biggest complaint about this set, is not the transmog it self but the horrible Landslide enchant. I really wish we could turn that off, or transmog a different enchant effect on the weapon instead."

Below are a few action shots of the outfit Demona included.

Great job and thanks for your submission Demona!

If you would like to share your transmogrification outfits with the Warcraft Looks readers send us an email at warcraftlooks@gmail.com. Something as simple as an armory link and a brief description of your outfit works fine but don't be shy about adding your own screenshots and including your mogging item list.

Reader Submission: Har of Garona - Warrior Plate

2012-02-23T12:58:00.001-08:00

Today's reader submission comes from Har who plays a warrior on Garona-US Alliance.

"Here is my warrior! His transmorg isnt quite fully done but its coming along. I was looking to go for the most vicious, scary and intimidating looking guy I can and he's about halfway there" -Har

Head past the jump for the full mogging item list.

Head: Destroyer Battle-Helm
Shoulder: Temporal Pauldrons (Until I get Destroyer.)
Chest: Battleplate of the Molten Giant
Hands: Destroyer Gauntlets
Waist: Cinch of the Flaming Ember
Legs: Destroyer Greaves
Feet: Warboots of Obliteration
2H Axe: Draconic Avenger
(Alternate) 1H Swords: Soul Blade

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is Har showing off the outfit. Great job!

Thanks for the submission Har! Look forward to seeing how it turns out when finished.

If you would like to share your transmogrification outfits with the Warcraft Looks readers send us an email at warcraftlooks@gmail.com.

Something as simple as an armory link and a brief description of your outfit works fine but don't be shy about adding your own screenshots and including your mogging item list.

Reader Submission: Kylaena of Mannoroth-US - Plate

2012-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today's reader submission comes from Kylaena who plays a warrior on Mannoroth-US Horde.

"Was going for a kind of Silvermoon champion. Everything is either crafted or a quest reward, with a couple of lucky drop pieces." -Kylaena

Head past the jump for the full mogging item list.

Shoulder: Conqueror's Epaulets
Chest: Thorium Armor
Tabard: Silvermoon City Tabard
Hands: Ragesteel Gloves
Waist: Thorium Belt
Legs: Thorium Leggings
Feet: Sha'tari Wrought Greaves
2h Axe: The Burning Crusader

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Special thanks to Kylaena for being our very first reader submission on Warcraft Looks. The outfit really looks great!

If you would like to share your transmogrification outfits with the Warcraft Looks readers send us an email at warcraftlooks@gmail.com.

Something as simple as an armory link and a brief description of your outfit works fine but don't be shy about adding your own screenshots and including your mogging item list.

Plate Mogging Outfit - "The Golden Knight"

2012-02-20T00:07:00.000-08:00

Today's outfit was spied on my home server and I just had to share it. I've entitled this outfit "The Golden Knight" and it really shows an entire outfit can be based around around a tabard to great effect. Head past the jump to find the mogging items used in this fantastic gold and red look.

Head: Conqueror's Helmet
Shoulder: Swiftsteel Shoulders
Chest: Thorium Armor
Tabard: Stormpike Battle Tabard
Hands: Conqueror's Gauntlets
Waist: Thorium Belt
Legs: Thorium Leggings
Feet: Conqueror's Greaves
2H Mace: Blood Knight Maul

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is the character I first saw in the set. Shiny!

Plate Mogging Outfit - "Black Dahlia"

2012-02-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

Today's outfit is a wonderful plate outfit created by a friend of the blog. They are always coming up with fantastic looks and this is no exception. This looks is called "Black Dahlia". I matches a sharp plate "tankini" with great matching pieces sporting black and gold accents.

Head past the jump for the full mogging item list.

Shoulders: Noble Plate Pauldrons
Chest: Warrior's Embrace
Hands: Gauntlets of the Vanquisher
Waist: Lawbringer Belt (Paladin only)
Legs: Inkling's Leggings
Feet: Boots of the Ancient-Killer
Shield: High Chief's Shield

Wowhead item comparison link for "Black Dahlia". (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is the outfit creator sporting the outfit.

Druid Mogging Outfit - "Shut Yo' Mouth!"

2012-02-10T00:23:00.000-08:00

I ran across this druid sporting a very unconventional mogging outfit. I call this one the "Shut Yo' Mouth!". Who says plate-wearers get to show all the skin! Head past the jump for a full transmog loot list.

Head: Stylin' Purple Hat
Shoulders: Ironfeather Shoulders
Chest: Cutthroat's Vest
Hands: Mosshide Gloves
Waist: Wanderer's Belt
Legs: Warbear Woolies
Feet: Boots of Fungoid Growth

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

The Case For Plump Pandaren Females

2012-02-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

Image Source: Drunkard's Regalia

First off, let me state that I believe that all females have the right to take up as much or as little space in this world as they like. A woman's body is her own and that includes her choice to have it be whatever shape and/or size she that likes. That said, I am a man and have zero experience as a woman.

Also, while this blog generally discusses World of Warcraft aesthetics in terms of armor and weapons I thought it wouldn't be out of it's purview to discuss body-type aesthetics as it relates to World of Warcraft. Head past the jump for my views on what I'd like to see for Pandaren female body types.

What We Know

What originally got me started thinking about female Pandarens was my research into what leather armor currently in the game might appeal to Pandaren monks. While we have images of what Blizzard is thinking of for the male Pandaren monks, they haven't given an concrete details (that I know of) for what the female Pandarens will look like.

Image Source

Then I saw the post "About female Panderans" over at Drunkard's Regalia and it got me thinking even more about not only how the Pandaren females should look, but also about how Blizzard handled the Worgen female body-types.

I'm not talking only about how the final female Worgen body-type ended up (which was far too "slimmed", "softened" and "sensualized" for my tastes) but also the process involved in changing the female Worgen body-type. For those who remember the Cataclysm beta, Blizzard seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time going back over the female Worgen models again and again.

I would have preferred a more "savage" appearance for the female Worgen body-type, closer to the male Worgen, but that ship has sailed. We have the permanently-snarling, "pretty" Worgen and that's not going to change.

This Is Your Chance Blizz

I hope the images below will convey what I think Blizzard should do with the female Pandaren.

I, like Dreamy stated in her Drunkard's Regalia post, think that Blizzard should make female Pandarens genuinely large in all dimensions. Big is beautiful. I think that female Pandarens certainly enjoy beer as much as the males. They should show that they love enjoying life and have the girth to prove it.

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other

Blizzard is famous for disparity in body-types between their male and female character models. (See "Sexual Dimorphism in World of Warcraft".) Below is an image that shows how Blizzard changed the female models from the original World of Warcraft alpha to release. If you're interested in Blizzard's shifts in female body-types I highly encourage your to read the above linked post.

Image Source

What I Want

The body-type I hope that Blizzard uses for the female Pandarens is represented well by the American actress Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, Samantha Who). Below is an image of Melissa. Loving life and being large aren't things to be ashamed of. With the Pandarens I'd imagine being rotund is simply a way of life. What's to hide?

Melissa McCarthy. Image Source.

What I Would Settle For

Unfortunately, I don't think Blizzard is bold enough to make the female Pandaren as voluptuous and genuinely plump as I'd like. My guess is that they will go for a much less plump and more athletic body-type. I'd accept this, but I'd consider it a missed opportunity on Blizzard's part. The model in the image below has the "athletic" body-type I think they will likely use.

Image Source

What I Do Not Want

What I do not want Blizzard to do with the Pandaren female is try to shoehorn some sort of "thin", "sensualized" and/or "skinny" body-type into what is clearly a "born to be large" race. This is an image of Britney Spears that I chose as a representation of the type of thinking I do not want Blizzard to cave to. Gamers shouldn't want to play female Pandaren just because they are "hot". That just doesn't seem to jive with what I would imagine the appeal of Pandarens would be.

Image Source

Conclusion

It may already be too late to change what Blizzard has chosen to do with female Pandarens, but if I had my druthers I'd go for a happy, fluffy, and plump body-type. We already have plenty of other choices if people want to play a stereotypically "sexy" characters (*cough* Blood Elves *cough*).

C'mon Blizzard. Prove me wrong. Show us all that you have the guts to go against mainstream thinking on this one.

UPDATE: Commentor Clockwork pointed out a great piece of fan art that I would be totally happy to have become our female Pandarens. I've included it below.

Pandaren Female consept by ~Smirgow

Searching Deviant Art for "Pandaren" I found that that I'm not the only one thinking about this. I've included a few images below that I feel help illustrate the points I made above.

This image in particular gives a nice visual explanation of what I've talked about.

WoW: Female Pandaren Body Chart by ~Lynxia

Another great example of a plump Pandaren.

Pandaren Female Sketch by ~Korrok

One last piece of great fan art pointed out by a commentor on the reddit post for this. I love how voluptuous this one is while still maintaining the strength.

Female pandaren concept by ~echostain

So the fan art community understands what good is. Time will only tell is BlizZard sees it that way.

Cloth Mogging Outfit: "Green! Glorious Green!"

2012-02-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

Today's look comes from a little unassuming gnome I spotted around the auction house. I call this outfit "Green! Glorious Green!" and it is, well, green. Really green. Bright green and I love it. A lot of effort and though went into this lemon-lime explosion.

Head past the jump for a full mogging item list.
Head: Green Lens
Shoulders: Pads of the Venom Spider
Chest: Hibernal Robe
Hands: Eldr'naan Gloves
Feet: Ringo's Blizzard Boots
Staff: Vengeance Staff

Wowhead item comparison link for this outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is the original creator. I love the green gnome hair that matches the outfit!

Mixed Mogging Outfit - "The Golden Lioness"

2012-01-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

Today's outfit is entitled "Golden Lioness" and was created by my wife April. It has a very strong "For the Alliance" feel to it with it's blue and gold coloration. One thing to note is that this is a mixed mail/plate set (due to April leveling her Holy Paladin with mail heirloom chest and shoulders). This means this set won't be possible for a full-plate level 85 character. Still, I wanted to include it due to it's awesome look.

Head past the jump for a full mogging item list.

Shoulders: Crusader's Pauldrons - Mail
Chest: Golden Scale Cuirass - Mail
Hands: Talonguard Gloves - Plate
Waste: Ravenguard's Baldric - Plate
Legs: Templar Legplates - Plate
Feet: Sapphiron's Scale Boots - Plate
1H Mace: Hand of Righteousness
Shield: Commander's Crest

Complete set Wowhead item comparison link.(Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is April's paladin wearing the outfit. I love the way all the colors blend together. Making a set that transitions from one strong color to another is quite a challenge.

Plate Mogging Outfit - "Lady In Red"

2012-01-28T00:22:00.000-08:00

Today's plate outfit is entitled "Lady In Red". I encountered this outfit at a mogging event Keelhaul put on and both of us were pretty much gobsmacked by this outfit. The thing I love about this outfit is how each piece comes from a different place but goes together so well.

A special thanks to the player who created this set. We chatted for a bit. They were very nice. Head past the jump to get the mogging item list.

Head: Lightbringer Faceguard
Shoulders: Pauldrons of Roaring Flame
Chest: Hyperion Armor
Hands: Flameguard Gauntlets
Waist: Judgement Belt
Legs: Legplates of Blazing Light
Feet: Magma Tempered Boots
Sword: Blade of Infamy
Shield: Drillborer Disk

Wowhead complete set comparison link. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and select "View in 3D" to view the set on your sex/race.)

Here is the image of the outfit on it's original creator.

Mail Mogging Outfit: "The Steampunk Hunter"

2012-01-27T14:41:00.000-08:00

Image Source: Drunkard's Regalia

Today's mail outfit look is entitled "The Steampunk Hunter" and comes to us from Dreamy of the Drunkard's Regalia blog. I first saw this outfit linked on twitter and fell in love with it. Luckily my request for a loot list was met by Dreamy posting the item list in their blog post "Transmog: The Steam Punk Hunter".

With Dreamy's permission I've included the complete Steampunk mogging item list after the jump.

Head - Truesight Ice Blinders (engineering only)
Shoulders - Sparkleshell Shoulder Pads
Chest - Mail Combat Armor
Pants- Mighty Chain Pants (sold by an NPC)
Feet- Myrmidon's Greaves
Hands- Imbued Infantry Gauntlets
Polearm- Grizzly Glaive
Cloak- Sandstorm Cloak
Belt- Telaari Hunting Girdle

Thanks again to Dreamy. I love steampunk and this set definitely has a "brass and goggles" feel to it. This just might inspire me to try to create my own steampunk outfit at some point.

Leather Mogging Outfit - "The Dark Ranger"

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm calling the look found on this druid "The Dark Ranger" (even though druids nor rogues are rangers) I just like the sound of it. (Thanks to Gimp from Gimps Gold for pointing this char out to me.)

This outfit has a somewhat mix-and-match look to it but all the pieces work together to give an over all feeling of badass-itude that I dig. Head past the jump for the full mog item list.

Head: Stealther's Helmet of Second Sight
Shoulders: Shoulderguards of the Ice Troll
Chest: Eviscerator's Chestguard
Hands: Seafoam Gauntlets
Legs: Leggings of the Water Moccasin
Waist: Dementia Cord
Feet: Treads of Torn Future
2H Mace: Frightskull Shaft (I love this mace so much. Totally Predator style!)

Wowhead comparison link to the whole outfit. (Click the small arrow in the top left of the column and choose "View in 3D" to see it on your race/sex.)

Cloth Mogging Outfit - The "He-Man"

2012-01-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

I saw this bad ass in my local auction house and had to record this mogging outfit. I've dubbed this cloth look the "He-Man". I mean look at him. He look's just like the He-Man figures I has as a child.

This is a great example of how mogging allows us to take looks in unexpected (and awesome) directions. Read on past the jump for the full mogging item list.
Head: Amethyst Beholder Eye
Shoulders: Elementalist Mantle
Chest: Barbaric Cloth Vest
Hands: Wrathful Gladiator's Silk Handguards
Waist: Serenity Belt
Legs: Aboriginal Loincloth
Feet: Aboriginal Footwraps

Here's one more action shot for good measure. What a dead-sexy beast!

Hunter Mogging Outfit: Red Dead Redemption

2012-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

Today's outfit belongs to someone who purchased an Engraved Breastplate from me for 3000g on the auction house. I decided to look the buyer up and was pleasantly surprised with how well their Hunter's red and black mogging outfit works together. Head past the jump for the items used in this outfit.

Shoulders: Blood Knight Pauldrons
Chest: Engraved Breastplate
Hands: Marshcreeper Gloves
Waist: Runed Copper Belt
Legs: Blood Knight Greaves
Feet: Raider's Boots
Gun: Arcanite Steam-Pistol

Blizzard Tier Set Retrospectives

2011-10-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Blizzard has posted the final in their series of Tier 13 armor previews which included retrospectives on tier sets going all the way back to Tier 1. These retrospectives are a great way to look back over the previous tier sets to find ideas for transmogrification or simply to take a trip down memory lane.

Head past the jump to find links to the retrospectives for each class as well as a few of the retrospective images with my favorite tier sets.

Death Knight Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Death Knight Tier 11 and 12

Druid Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Druid Tier 1-5

Hunter Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Hunter Tier 6-8.5

Mage Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Mage Tier 9-10.5

Paladin Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Paladin Tier 1-5

Priest Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Priest Tier 6-8.5

Rogue Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Rogue Tier 9-10.5

Shaman Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Shaman Tier 9-10.5

Warlock Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Warlock Tier 6-8.5

Warrior Tier 13 and Visual Retrospective

Warrior Tier 6-8.5

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011 - My Example Of Excellence For Over 13 Years.

2011-10-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Apologies for going a little off topic but we all lost a shining example of excellence today.

On the Apple website announcing Steve Job's passing was the following: If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

Below is what I wrote to Steve.

Steve,

I came to really know and love Apple right after you had come back to the company. The iMac was so much more than any other computer I'd seen in my life. It was just "right". Since then you continues to build product after product that inspired my and changed my life.

More than anything you showed that excellence is possible if only you believe and are dedicated to making the absolute best product you can.

My life will forever be changed by your example and I hope to live up to that example.

You will be missed but not forgotten Steve.

With gratitude,
-Jim Younkin

While the ache I feel in my heart for the loss of Steve will take a while to pass the fact that even right up until the end he was leading by example will be something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Shields To Show Horde Pride

2011-10-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to our Shields To Show Alliance Pride post we present shields to show your Horde pride. If you want to show those sniveling Alliance the true might of the Horde than grab one of these shields we list after the jump. For the Horde!

Bastion of Resolve

Bastion of Resolve - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

This shield has it all: bones, steel, wood, chains, spikes and (most importantly) a Horde symbol. This shield would look great on an orc warrior or any member of the horde wanting to show their enemies what being part of the Horde means. Just like the Horde itself, savage is the best word to describe this shield.

This shield can be obtained by members of the Horde only and comes from the Champions' Cache in the Trial of the Crusader 25-man raid.

High Warlord's Shield Wall

High Warlord's Shield Wall - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

Dark iron, read and silver are the colors that adorn this classic Horde shield. All the original races of the Horde, Orcs, Tauren, Undead and Trolls are represented on this shield. I true symbol of the solidarity and strength of the Horde. Also it has plenty of large spikes. Nothing says "Horde" like giant metal spikes.

This shield can be purchased from Stone Guard Zarg in Orgrimmar for 185 Honor Points.

Fel-Iron Shield

Fel-Iron Shield - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

While the other shields in this lineup may include a Horde symbol this shield is a Horde symbol. There is no mistaking when you are sporting this steel and wood shield that you are representing the Horde. It doesn't hurt that the Horde symbol just happens to have some very nice sharp edges and pointy bits. Perfect for impaling anyone who dares stand against the Horde.

This shield is a world drop and can often be found on the auction house. (Shields with similar looks: Tyrant's Shield, Lofty Shield, Savage Boar's Guard, and Dreadguard's Protector.)

Sternhorn's Shield

Sternhorn's Shield - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

Taurens wanting to show their pride need look no further than this shield. Crafted from animal hides, teeth and large sharpened stick this shield not only evokes an aesthetic distinctly Tauren but also includes a large red hoof print painted on it. One with nature. One with the Horde.

This shield is a quest reward for Horde players who finish the Southern Barrens quest A Line in the Dirt. (Shields with similar looks: Rhombeard Protector, Bloodspattered Shield, Warlockbane Shield.)

Blood Knight Defender

Blood Knight Defender - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

While the Blood Knights are an elite group of blood elf paladins this beautiful gun metal and blood red shield (or it's twin the Bloodforged Guard) would look great on any blood elf. For blood elf paladins who have their Blood Knight Tabard this shield is a perfect match. Any other member of the horde who wants to show their solidarity with the blood elves should sport this magnificent crest.

This shield is dropped by Watchkeeper Gargolmar in Hellfire Ramparts (Heroic).

Special thanks to the redditors who commented on our previous reddit post sharing their favorite Horde shields. As mainly play Alliance your help was invaluable in putting this post together.

We'd love to hear about shields you feel show Horde pride that we may have missed.

Shields To Show Alliance Pride

2011-09-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today we are taking a look at shields that help you show off your Alliance pride. If you are wanting to represent your faction these are the shields to choose. Head past the jump to see our picks.

Royal Treasury Courier's Shield

Royal Treasury Courier's Shield - Shield ( Click to Enlarge)

While this shield (and it's now unobtainable counterpart the Dwarven Defender) not an exact replica of the Iron Forge guard shield is as close as you can get. Sporting the crest of Iron Forge itself this is a great shield for any red-blooded dwarf. This shield comes as a quest reward from the Alliance-only quest The Mosshide Job in Wetlands.

King's Bulwark

King's Bulwark - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

This shield (and it's now unobtainable counterpart the Gold Lion Shield) is the perfect shield to let everyone know you are a true defender of Stormwind. The Stormwind crest brought to life in flawless bronze. This shield comes as a reward from the quest The Twin Clefts of Nagrand (Alliance) and An Audacious Advance (Horde) in Nagrand.

Aegis of Stormwind

Aegis of Stormwind - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

This blue-hued take on the Stormwind Guard's shields is as close to the real deal as you are likely to find. This is a world drop and can often be found on the auction house. (Gold-making Tip: Buy these cheaply on the Horde where they are in lower demand and re-sell them to the Alliance.) (See also Commander's Crest.)

Grand Marshal's Aegis

Grand Marshal's Aegis - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

This seems like the shield for the Alliance players who may be just a bit *too* excited to show their Alliance pride. I love the Badges recognizing the dwarves, night elves and gnomes (suck it space goats) along with the intricate and highly detailed (for a Vanilla model) Stormwind blue and gold crest. The hash marks showing the number of Horde killed is an interesting (and slightly psychotic) addition. This shield can be purchased by Alliance in Old Town Stormwind from Lieutenant Jackspring for 185 Honor Points.

Royal Crest of Lordaeron

Royal Crest of Lordaeron - Shield (Click to Enlarge)

Anyone who want to represent the "old-school" Alliance should grab this shield. While there's a chance an Undead player might want to use this shield (as The Undercity is built on the remains of Lordaeron) I think this is really for characters yearning for an earlier time in the Alliance history. Perhaps they had this passed down to them from their ancestors in the Alliance.

This is one of the most highly detailed, stunning and well-designed shields in the game. If you want to hearken back to a simpler time, a time when Arthas was simply a prince than this is the shield for you. The shield comes out of the Dark Runed Chest available after killing Mal'Ganis in Caverns of Time: The Culling of Stratholme.

We'd love to hear about shields you feel that show Alliance or Horde pride.

Blizzard Clarifies Mogging Rules (So Far)

2011-09-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

In a blue post on the Blizzard forums (see "(Sticky) Transmogrification Rules") Community Manager Kaivax took time to give further clarifications on the rules for transmogrification. For those of us who are excited about the possibilities of transmogrification and have been running old content and/or collecting gear these rules could be a big help. We don't waste time getting gear that ultimately won't be usable for mogging (*cough* Dark Herring *cough*).

Head after the jump where we provide all the rules as well as give our thoughts.

Here are all the current mogging rules from the original post from Kaivax. (Emphasis added.)

Since we announced the transmogrification feature coming to World of Warcraft with patch 4.3, we have monitored thousands of follow-up comments, questions and suggestions from players all over the world.

What follows is our current list of rules for transmogrification. This is a set of rules that we expect to change over time, and is not intended to be 100% comprehensive, but we hope that it can be referenced to answer most questions that players currently have about what they can and cannot expect to be able to do with transmogrification,

• The character must be able to equip both items.
• Only common (green), rare (blue) or epic (purple) items may be transmogrified. (exceptions: a select few of these items will prevented from being used to transmogrify if they are inappropriate)
• Items must share the same armor type (examples: plate for plate, cloth for cloth)
• Weapons must be the same weapon type (exceptions: Guns, wCrossbows, or Bows)
• Guns, Crossbows, and Bows can be used to transmogrify Guns, Crossbows, or Bows.
• Main hand weapons can only be used to transmogrify Main hand weapons.
• Off-hand weapons can only be used to transmogrify Off-hand weapons.
• One handed weapons can be used to transmogrify a Main hand or Off-hand weapon.
• Using an item for transmogrify makes it soulbound.
• Using an item for transmogrify makes it non-refundable.
• Using an item for transmogrify makes it non-tradable.
• Heirlooms and Account Bound items can be transmogrified.
• Heirlooms and Account Bound items can be used to transmogrify.
• Legendary items cannot be transmogrified.
• Legendary items cannot be used to transmogrify.
• Fishing Poles cannot be transmogrified.
• Fishing Poles cannot be used to transmogrify.
• Mailing an item strips its transmogrification.
• Placing an item in Void Storage strips its transmogrification.
• Vendoring an item strips its transmogrification.
• The displayed enchant will be that of the currently equipped item.
• There may be individual items that are excluded from being transmogrified on the basis that they were originally added to the game as absurdities. (examples: a weapon that looks like a fish, or a chest piece that is invisible)

Further down in the thread Kaivax makes a few more clarifications.

Lohida: I've heard people claiming you can only do weapons to another weapon of the same stats type. Like only spellpower swords to spellpower swords and AGI swords to AGI swords. Is that a restriction or no?

Kaivax: At this time, that is not a restriction at all.

All in all nothing too surprising. Glad to have some clarifications on one-handed/main hand/off hand weapons. While I am a little disappointed I won't be able to dual wield Sun Eater's it makes me happy that any one-handed weapon I own can always be used to mog my dual-wielder's weapons regardless if they are main hand/off hand or one-handed. My rogue is especially happy about this.

It is also is nice that we will be able to use heirloom items *to* mog with. Some of the older set items are quite iconic (I love the look of the cloth heirloom headpiece.) I think the mail intellect heirloom set might be quite popular with shaman.

Reading these guidelines make me even more excited for patch 4.3 and transmogrification. 4.3 can't come soon enough.

(PS. Does anyone have ant idea which item is the "chest piece that is invisible"? Never heard of it before but now they got me curious. Ah hah! Further down in the thread poster Solderberg lets us know the chest in questions is Sandrene's Invisible Vest.)

(PPS. It should also be noted that while Kaivax calls "green" items "common", items with their name in green text are actually labeled "uncommon". "Common" items have their names in white text. Nitpick I know but I like to stay consistent.)

Dungeon Diggin' - The Mechanar's Best Looking Items

2011-09-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Dungeon Diggin' is a series where we scour through old instances looking for unique and interesting looking armor and weapons.

For today's Dungeon Diggin' we are heading to The Mechanar. This instance was introduced in The Burning Crusade and is one of the four floating inter-dimensional spaceships (the Exodar was originally one of this group of ships as well) that can be found in the western edge Netherstorm in Outlands. Follow us after the jump where we look at some the best looking items in The Mechanar.

Stellaris

Stellaris - 1H Axe (Click to Enlarge)

This gorgeous 1-handed (one-hand) axe which drops from Nethermancer Sepethrea has always been one of my favorite axes from The Burning Crusade. It's huge gun metal handle-length blade, floating forward facing spikes, subtle and beautiful baby blue scrolled detailing and its subtle purple glowing gems are astonishing beautiful. The fact that this item is one-hand (as opposed to main-hand) means that these can be dual wielded which looks...ahem...stellar!

Telescopic Sharprifle

Telescopic Sharprifle - Gun (Click to Enlarge

This gun drops from Pathaleon the Calculator and includes an interesting combination of refined ivory and bronze detail work with three massive (yet still beautiful) under-barrel bayonet blades. The walnut stock includes it's own ivory and bronze detail plate. It also includes a scope with a cover with ivory and bronze detailing as well. If you are looking for a steampunk style sidearm this is a great choice. This firearm is beauty and the beast wrapped up in one.

Bloodfyre Robes of Annihilation

Bloodfyre Robes of Annihilation - Cloth Chest (Click to Enlarge)

This striking cloth robe is contained inside the Cache of the Legion which is a ship-themed loot chest to the left if the elevator. The rode fades from red to maroon at the hem and includes bronze scrolled detailing with sunburst orange accents which could represent crystal, stone or even magma. The ornate quality and overall beauty of this robe is quite high. It would be a great choice for a mage or warlock.

The Sun Eater

The Sun Eater - 1H Sword (Click to Enlarge)

This one-handed (main hand) sword drops from Pathaleon the Calculator (Heroic) and is held by many to be the best looking one-handed sword in the game. I agree with that statement. This absolutely massive rectilinear blade not only has a glows molten orange and red but also has a side-scrolling cracked crystalline pattern (not shown in image above, have to see it in game to appreciate it). The blade has three iron spikes inset into it that indicate that this sword means business. The hilt includes a sunburst motif with plenty of spikes to go around. This blade seethes with hate. Molten hate boils beneath it's surface. If you are looking for something eye-catching that is savage yet surprisingly refined this sword may just be for you.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Dungeon Diggin'. Join us next time when we contune to scour the instances of World of Warcaft for fantastic looking items.

Great Looking Uncommon Mail Sets

2011-09-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is the third in our series (see our previous leather and plate posts) based on Wowhead News' fantastic transmogrification post with numerous links to matching uncommon (AKA "green") items. (See "Transmogrification, Part 4: Matching Greens" at Wowhead News) I was fascinated at the variety and quality of some of these sets that we may have passed over in the past as we leveled past them.

Follow us past the jump we're going to be highlighting some of the most interesting and unique looks among uncommon mail item sets in World of Warcraft.

All the items in this post are uncommon (AKA "green" quality) which means nearly all of them are drops from MOBs which are Bind on Equip and can often be found for sale on the auction house. If you don't find all the pieces needed keep checking back. You never know when they may pop up.

(NOTE: The links in this post lead to a Wowhead comparison of the items. To view the set in 3D select the left drop down arrow in the comparison box and select "View in 3D".)

View in 3D in the Wowhead comparison menu.

Veteran

Veteran Set - Mail (Click to Enlarge)

This level 10-11 set may only have three pieces but those pieces are highly detailed and very attractive. Beautiful brown leather is set off by brass riveting and a bronze chain mail underlay. This set has a very nice mail and leather aesthetic and fits into what I consider to be a classic hunter look. (For a green variation see the Soldier's set. For blue Nexus-Strider)

Hulking

Hulking Set - Mail (Click to Enlarge)

This level 15-23 set is quite intriguing. It is composed of small gunmetal plates held together by grey leather straps with bright silver rivets and rings. The belt is quite striking with a multi-ring design. This set not only looks badass but emanates power. Great for a enhancement shaman set. (For a red/dark copper variation see the Slayer's set. For green Thick Scale.)

Knight's

Knight's Set - Mail (Click to Enlarge)

While this level 29-34 set mail look much more like plate than mail that is the exact reason I've included it. Besides being a great looking set which includes polished iron plating with finely detailed leather straps it could be a great rouse. If you are trying to transmogrify to the give the look of the wrong armor type (ie. a mail wearing enhancement shaman appearing to be a plate wearing fury warrior) this is a great set to look into. Up until level 40 warriors and paladins wear mail which might explain the look of this set. Regardless it is a great looking set if you want to break out of the mail aesthetic.

Gryphon Mail

Gryphon Mail Set - Mail (Click to Enlarge)

What can yous say about this level 40-46 other than feathers, feathers and more feathers. The amount of detail that this set has is incredible especially in the shoulders and head. With brown feathers pluming everywhere along with contrasting purple edging and green inset details this set would look great on and caster shaman. It gives the feeling of being in touch with nature and the elements. Not only that but it is one of the most unique looks you'll find in any armor type. My only against this set is I wish the legs matched a bit better color-wise.

Talhide

Talhide Set - Mail (Click to Enlarge)

Like the Knight's set above his level 69 set (and its visual twin the Netherstorm set) fall into to category of mail that doesn't look like mail at all. This set appears to be is a plain (albeit well put together) brown leather set. It includes an attractive yet understated brown leather vest with gold detailing as well as simple multi-tone brown leather boots and gloves. The appeal of a set like this is either to roleplay or specifically look like another class (such as a rogue). While hunters would have a pretty hard time pulling it off a rogue-rouse (don't mind the gun in my hand while I shoot you in the face) a shaman might be able to pull it off. Additionally if you are just wanting to break away from the mail look this set might fit the bill.

Conclusion

I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in what the uncommon mail sets had to offer the two classes who wear it almost exclusively: shaman and hunters. While the majority of the Vanilla sets (and there were a lot of them) give some impression of mail it tended to lean towards the "warrior wearing mail" side of things. Many of the sets looked like plate armor. Not enough attention was paid to making them more animal-like or elemental.

Once we got into Wratch of the Lich King and Cataclysm the sets just got bland and re-used over and over again with little variation. (Not Blizzard's finest moment in armor design.) If you've leveled a hunter or shaman through WotLK you know the pain. All and all there were a few pleasant surprises (like the Gryphon Mail set) and a few fun sets for cross-armor looks. My advice to Blizzard would be make the next expansions mail sets reflect the classes that will be wearing them: hunters and shaman.

Is there an uncommon mail set that you are fond of that we missed? We'd love to hear about it in the comments. Also we're always accepting screenshots+item list submissions via email (warcraftlooks@gmail.com).

Great Looking Uncommon Plate Sets

2011-09-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is the second in our series based on Wowhead News' fantastic transmogrification post with numerous links to matching uncommon (AKA "green") items. (See "Transmogrification, Part 4: Matching Greens" at Wowhead News) I was fascinated at the variety and quality of some of these sets that we may have passed over in the past as we leveled past them.

Follow us past the jump we're going to be highlighting some of the most interesting and unique looks among uncommon plate item sets in World of Warcraft.

All the items in this post are uncommon (AKA "green" quality) which means nearly all of them are drops from MOBs which are Bind on Equip and can often be found for sale on the auction house. If you don't find all the pieces needed keep checking back. You never know when they may pop up.

(NOTE: The links in this post lead to a Wowhead comparison of the items. To view the set in 3D select the left drop down arrow in the comparison box and select "View in 3D".)

View in 3D in the Wowhead comparison menu.

Overlord's

Overlord's Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more iconic "plate" set (as in this is what people think of when you sat plate armor) than this his level 43-47 set. The hammered and polished multi-plate armor held on over chain mail with brown leather straps screams "I'm a knight in shining armor". If your toon wishes they lived in Camelot than this is the set for you.

Glorious

Glorious Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

This level 50-56 set follows Blizzard's oft-used philosophy that (at least in the case of the women of Azeroth) less is more. This is golden and bronze set includes little more than a plate bikini and leg plates for women. For men Blizzard is kind enough to include not only a full breastplate but also a pair of leather shorts to help cover their shame. A very interesting set for either sex. (For a similar green/gold variation see the Lofty set. For blue/copper (along with an interesting feathered headpiece) see Vanguard.)

Exalted

Exalted Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

This level 54-60 set has a great contrasting black and bronze coloring. The detailing is very angular yet organic. It almost has a skeletal feeling to it. The midriff chestpiece is flattering on women. Very few sets seem as well thought out and coordinated as this one. (For a bluish/green variation see the Warleader's set.)

Boulderfist

Boulderfist Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

This level 65 set makes me think of Orc and The Burning Crusade. It has a very nice black and red motif with some very impressive yet somehow understated shoulders (at least as far as size). The chest and legs have a very "gladiator" feel to them and on women show a bit (but not too much) skin. If your character pines for the days of TBC and Hellfire Peninsula you've found your set. (For a similar look with copper/red see the Bloodfist set. For red/blue try Warmaul.)

Magnataur

Magnataur Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

While I wasn't a huge fan of the green armor in Wratch of the Lich king this level 75 set (and it's visual twin the Revenant set) have just the right color and detail combination to set it apart. I especially love the look of the shoudlers. To me this set has always seemed to have a strong Ulduar feel to it. It feels rugged and well used. The blue highlights really set off the muted iron feel of the set. I alwaysa thought this was a very attractive set for a tank. Indeed the set seems as if it could have been pieced together of armor pieces from an actual tank. (For a brown/bronze variant see the Necropolis and Frostpaw sets. Green/iron see Kraken. Gunmetal/copper see Golem.)

Stormforged

Stormforged Set - Plate (Click to Enlarge)

This crafted level 80-83 set is by far my favorite uncommon set introduced in Cataclysm. I love the true gladiator feeling this set has. I can almost smell the dirt of the arena floor and hear the roar of the crowd when I see this set. The burnished silver and gold detailing sets of the extremely highly detailed set. Plates, straps, buckles, leather, chain mail? This set has it all. In one of the rare exceptions to the rule this chest actually shows more in the male version than the female. The gladiator harness looks incredible on a male character particularly the larger-chested races such as the orcs and draenei. This is the transmorgrification set I am going to be using for my paladin's retribution gear. (In one of the worst cases of re-use we've seen if you want a green/silver variation on this set pick anything from the Ravencrast, Direforge, Crystalvein, Fargodeep, Steelgrill or Stonewrought set. For a somewhat similar set in red/black see the Redsteel set.)

Conclusion

There are some really fantastic looking uncommon plate sets out there. Things get a bit thin after Vanilla but finish strong in Cataclysm with the Stormforged set. It's amazing to compare the level of detail of Cataclysm compared to Vanilla. That said Vanilla still hold it own. If the Stormforged set is anything to go by I think we should have some great sets to look forward to in the next expansion.

Is there an uncommon plate set that you are fond of that we missed? We'd love to hear about it in the comments. Also we're always accepting screenshots+item list submissions via email (warcraftlooks@gmail.com).