Student Fodder and the Endgame: A Guide to Phase 4 of Season of Discovery
Phase 4 of Season of Discovery marks a significant turning point, bringing players to the original endgame of Vanilla WoW with the level cap raised to 60. This phase introduces a wealth of new content, from revamped raids and class runes to epic mounts and the Alterac Valley battleground. This comprehensive guide explores the key features of Phase 4, including the continued relevance of items like Student Fodder, and what players can expect as they delve into the endgame.
The Continued Utility of Student Fodder
In Phase 2 of Season of Discovery, the Cozy Sleeping Bag and Student Fodder were introduced, offering players a rested experience bonus. While the Cozy Sleeping Bag is reusable, Student Fodder is a consumable item, usable only once. Student Fodder is obtained through the Cozy Sleeping Bag quest chain. Each piece grants 20% of a level in Rested Experience upon use, equivalent to 36 hours spent in a rested area.
The 20% rested experience is a flat bonus, meaning it remains consistent whether you are level 25 or level 59. Rested experience accumulates at the same rate regardless of level, making this buff increasingly valuable at higher levels as each level requires more experience. Any Student Fodder you haven’t used should also work up to level 60.
Leveling and Experience Gains
The Discoverer’s Delight buff will persist in Phase 4, granting 150% increased experience gains from level 1-50. From levels 50-60, the buff continues at a reduced 50% increase, easing the final grind. Nightmare Incursions are being updated as daily quest hubs and will continue to grant experience up to level 53.
Mounts and Travel
Epic mounts will be obtainable at level 60, increasing movement speed across zones. While the cost is yet to be revealed, basic riding at level 40 had its price reduced by half. Paladins and Warlocks can complete their epic quests to receive new special class mounts, which, while having associated costs, should be cheaper than vendor-bought mounts.
Read also: Student Accessibility Services at USF
New Rune Engravings
Phase 4 introduces new Rune Engravings for every class in the cloak slot, adding new abilities and expanding on the roles and builds established in previous phases. These runes will be added to class pages as they are discovered. A new set of utility runes for the ring slots will also be available, and are available for testing on the PTR, but will not be discoverable until after Phase 4 launches.
Class Quests and Abilities
While most classes acquire the bulk of their new abilities by level 50, Phase 4 offers a few remaining abilities and significant class quests that are available at level 60 in Vanilla WoW.
Professions
Phase 3 raised the profession level cap to 300, the maximum in Vanilla WoW. Specializations for Blacksmithing, Engineering, and Leatherworking, as well as new Alchemy specializations, became available. While we won’t be able to level any higher in Phase 4, expect new crafting recipes, likely unlocked through another epic quest chain in the Molten Core raid.
Dungeons and Zones
Several new dungeons become available in Phase 4 with the level 60 cap, including all three dungeons in Blackrock Mountain, all three wings of Dire Maul, and both dungeons in the Plaguelands. The Eastern Plaguelands and Winterspring offer valuable high-level quest rewards, reputation, and farming opportunities. Blackfathom Deeps, Gnomeregan, and Sunken Temple will all continue to be relevant as leveling raids. Fervor of the Temple Explorer will most likely function through level 59, just as Boon of Blackfathom works through 39 and Spark of Inspiration is available through 49.
Raids
Phase 4 overhauls Molten Core and Onyxia’s Lair, the first two raids of Vanilla WoW, and redesigns Tier 1 sets for every class and build. Molten Core will have variable difficulty for the first time in Vanilla WoW. Two world bosses, Lord Kazzak and Azuregos, are also being overhauled and instanced. These bosses, along with Onyxia, have been retuned to be killable with a 20-player raid, but can be taken on with up to 40 players. The two world bosses will be available a week after the phase launches. Molten Core and Onyxia’s Lair will be available the following week.
Read also: Guide to UC Davis Student Housing
Iconic Quests and Legendary Weapons
The quest to get Benediction/Anathema puts all of a Priest’s abilities to the test for an iconic reward: a two-in-one staff that can be used for healing or damage. The quest for Rhok’delar, Longbow of the Ancient Keepers is similarly challenging and offers an equally valuable reward for Hunters. Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker is the most famous legendary weapon in World of Warcraft, and one that could be notoriously difficult to collect due to the randomness of its drop rate. Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros is the other legendary weapon in Molten Core.
Player vs Player
Alterac Valley will join the Battleground roster in Phase 4, offering epic 40 vs. 40 PvP matches for characters level 51 and up. The Blood Moon event is once again receiving some new rewards and currency as it did in Phase 3.
Read also: Investigating the Death at Purdue
tags: #student #fodder #phase #4
