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The island expeditions loading screen
Island Expeditions are 3-player scenarios introduced in Battle for Azeroth. Both factions sail across the seas of Azeroth to harvest and steal Azerite from the islands.[1] The maps for the expeditions will be provided by the gnomes and goblins, who have developed a new technology to find which islands may contain Azerite. Ships to the islands will depart from faction hubs.[2]
Island Expeditions unlock through the War Campaign account-wide. One can then do Island Expeditions on alts as they level.[3]
Contents
Description
Set sail for the previously unmapped isles of Azeroth. Battle in groups of three as you race against cunning rival intruders—or enemy players—to collect the island’s resources. Constantly evolving challenges await as you traverse frozen landscapes near Northrend, open the gates of an abandoned Gilnean castle, navigate a war between elementals and more. Rise of Azshara adds two new Island Expeditions to the mix—Crestfall, a gloomy, derelict skerry, and Snowblossom, an idyllic, mountainous island.[4]
Gameplay
Expeditions are role agnostic, and take around 15-20 minutes to complete. They can be played in four different modes, Normal, Heroic, Mythic, and PvP. The goal is for three players to collect Azerite and mystery treasures faster than an opposing team. Combat may ensue should the teams meet, and the island map adds Fog of War to conseal opponents' actions.
Each island has four possible starting points, and computer opponents use a tailored AI for this gameplay. NPCs on the island are randomized so the context can change entirely each time one visits an island. One time it might be populated with plundering ghost pirates, and next time with conquering mogu. There could be a thousand possible scenarios with the available islands and the possible mix of "puzzle" like a mix of mobs.[5]
Islands
There are currently 11 islands in rotation, with 3 available each week.
- Crestfall - Remnants of the Second War are found there.
- Dread Chain - A frozen landscape.
- Havenswood - An abandoned Gilnean settlement and castle.
- Jorundall - An island inhabited by vrykul.
- Molten Cay - A volcanic island with Zandalari ruins.
- Rotting Mire - A swampy island chain.
- Snowblossom Village - A pandaren village farm.
- Skittering Hollow - A dark and rocky island filled with spiders.
- Un'gol Ruins - A tropical island with ogre ruins.
- Verdant Wilds - A forested island with mogu ruins.
- Whispering Reef - A forested island with night elf ruins.
The Uncharted Island is visited as a tutorial scenario for Island Expeditions.
Island features
A group of Horde adventurers during an expedition.
Each time an Island Expedition is queued up, the island has different features. A list of features as seen below:
- Different creatures with different organizations with different amounts of Azerite
- You might find capture points
- Chests and Azerite Nodes of all kinds
- Different quest givers
- Consumables and Shrines
- Every island has at least 4 start locations
- Caves, Ships...and more![6]
- Different weather effects.[7]
Island denizens
Please add any available information to this section.
This is an incomplete list of creatures and islands where they can be encountered on:
| Humanoid groups | Encountered on | Additional interactions | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Amathet tol'vir | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins | Swirling Sands portal to Dusty Tomb |
|
Bloodfist ogres | Molten Cay | |
 
|
Bloodwake vrykul | Dread Chain, Molten Cay | |
|
Brineshell makrura | Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
 
|
Bristlemane quilboars | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Coldlight deep sea murlocs | Whispering Reef | |
|
Craghorn yetis | Dread Chain, Molten Cay | |
| Cultist necromancers and undead | |||
       
|
Keepers & dryads | Verdant Wilds | |
  
|
Feral shapeshifted druids | Verdant Wilds | |
 
|
Feral worgen | Havenswood | |
|
Frostbeard wendigos | Dread Chain | |
|
Dampscale gorlocs | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
Fleshrot vargul | ||
|
Gulan yaungol | Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins | |
  
|
Icetusk ice trolls | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
Kunzen hozen | Un'gol Ruins, Uncharted Island | |
  
|
Kvaldir | Dread Chain, Un'gol Ruins | Eerie Fog and Fetid Mist weather effects that reduce visibility Misty Gateway to Quarters of the Damned on the Naglfar |
 
|
Minions of the Old Gods | Havenswood | Shadow Storm tentacles appear periodically Dark Fissure portal to Maw of Go'rath |
|
Mirelurk saurok | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
 
|
Mistscorn taunka | Jorundall | |
|
Muckfin murlocs | Whispering Reef | |
|
Mudwhisker kobolds | Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Oomgut pygmies | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Pebblestone troggs | Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Razorfin jinyu | Rotting Mire | |
|
|
Rockmane wendigos | Dread Chain | |
|
|
Saltfur hozen | Un'gol Ruins | |
  
|
Sandscalp sand trolls | Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow, Whispering Reef | |
 
|
Shipwrecked humans | Rotting Mire | |
|
|
Slitherblade saurok | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
 
|
Southsea pirates | Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | Shoot yourself from a cannon to a pirate ship |
  
|
Spitefin naga | Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | Swirling Postern portal to Animated Cavern |
|
Stinkfur Virmen | Snowblossom Village | |
 
|
Stonebound mogu | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow | |
|
|
Undead vrykul | ||
        
|
Venture Company | Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds |  Profit-O-Matic cannon operated by a Venture Goon
|
   
|
Voru'kar nerubians | Skittering Hollow | |
|
Wildlands furbolgs | Verdant Wilds | |
 
|
Witherbranch trolls | Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Zara'thik mantid | Molten Cay | Creatures and Azerite encased in amber |
 
|
Zian-Ti mogu | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds | Spirit Gateway to Unknown Crypt |
| Lone giants | Encountered on | Additional interactions | |
|
Beach Strider | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Deepsea Tidecrusher | Skittering Hollow, Verdant Wilds | |
|
Earthliving Giant | Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Frozen Stonelord | Dread Chain | |
|
Gemshard Colossus | Molten Cay | |
|
Goldenvein | Dread Chain, Skittering Hollow | |
|
Island Ettin | Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
Magma Giant | Molten Cay | |
| Dragonkin | Encountered on | Additional interactions | |
     
|
Black | Dread Chain, Molten Cay | |
    
|
Twilight | Verdant Wilds | |
| Elemental groups | Encountered on | Additional interactions | |
  
|
Air elementals | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds | Tornadoes that lift players off the ground and damage them Gusting Portal to a visible sanctum in the sky above the island |
|
Air pandaren spirits | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire | |
    
|
Azerite elementals | Encountered on all 9 islands in rotation | |
|
Brimstone hell hounds | Molten Cay | |
  
|
Earth elementals | Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | Sandstorm weather effect Crystalline Ingress portal to Crystalline Depths |
|
Earth pandaren spirits | Rotting Mire, Verdant Wilds | |
    
|
Fire elementals | Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow, Verdant Wilds | Blazing Sky weather effect with fires that break out periodically Volcanoes that erupt rocks in a location that damage players Blazing Gateway to Blazing Cavern |
|
Fire pandaren spirits | Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
Thistlebrush sprites | Dread Chain, Verdant Wilds | |
| Nettlevine sprites | Un'gol Ruins | ||
   
|
Water and ice elementals | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | Snowstorm weather effect Frozen ground that slows movement speed Swirling Postern portal to Marine Grotto |
|
Water pandaren spirits | Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins | |
| Wild beasts | Encountered on | Additional interactions | |
|
Bonescale worms | Molten Cay, Dread Chain, Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Breakbeak vultures | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
Brightscale wind serpents | Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Whispering Reef | |
|
Brineshell turtles | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Bristlethorn tarantulas | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow | |
|
Coralback crabs | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
Craghoof goats | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Darktunnel worms | Whispering Reef | |
|
Deathsting scorpids | Molten Cay | |
|
Deepsea crabs | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
Dreadfang snakes | Molten Cay, Verdant Wilds | |
|
Duskcoat tigers | Dread Chain, Molten Cay | |
|
Flamescale hydras | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
|
Frostscale hydras | Dread Chain, Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Garnetback worms | Skittering Hollow, Whispering Reef | |
|
Gritplate basilisks | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | Other island denizens as statuesque Petrified Foes that can be released |
|
Grizzlefur bears | Molten Cay, Verdant Wilds | |
|
Ironweb spiders | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Jadescale worms | Skittering Hollow | |
|
|
Jungle tigers | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Kindleweb spiders | Molten Cay | |
|
Knucklebump gorillas | Un'gol Ruins | |
|
Mudsnout boars | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow | |
|
Muskflank yaks | Molten Cay, Rotting Mire | |
|
Nightsabers | Dread Chain | |
|
|
Nightscale wind serpents | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
 
|
Pinegraze deer | Verdant Wilds | |
|
Rotclaw bears | Dread Chain | |
|
|
Runehoof deer | Molten Cay, Verdant Wilds | |
|
Rustpelt wolves | Dread Chain, Molten Cay | |
|
|
Snowfur wolves | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Skittering Hollow, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Sparkleshell crabs | Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Spineclaw crabs | Dread Chain, Un'gol Ruins, Whispering Reef | |
|
|
Spineshell turtles | Rotting Mire | |
|
Venomfang spiders | Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds | |
|
|
Venomscale hydras | Molten Cay, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds | |
|
Vicejaw crocolisks | Dread Chain, Molten Cay, Rotting Mire, Skittering Hollow, Un'gol Ruins, Verdant Wilds, Whispering Reef |
Explorers
Explorers that can be found on Island Expeditions[8] are listed below:
Aerin Skyhammer- Apprentice Karyn
- Arwan Beastheart
- Brunold
- Burgle
- Flickerwick
- Gimzy Trickelbank
- Glint-Eyed Frankie
- Gregg
- Grubby Beard
- Longpaws
- Manape
- Nizhoni
- Old Li
- Royston P. Crutchley III
- Spooner the Scalawag
- Sylvester
- Taz'anga
- Tinny
- Tweets Lightsprocket
- Two-Socks
- Valero
- Vizio the Cartographer
- Waterspeaker Deshi
- Yuke
Advanced NPC opponents
In three difficulties Normal, Heroic, Mythic the 3 person player group faces off against a team of 3 Advanced NPC opponents from the opposite faction in a race who can gather more Azerite to reach the required amount of Azerite for victory.
The Advanced NPC groups seem to be mirrored between the Alliance and Horde, with a pirate group on each side, gnomes on one side and goblins on the other, Horde pyromancers against Alliance cryomancers, so on.
All of them can be seen resting at Tradewinds Market in Boralus.
- Briona's Buccaneers: Dwarven and gnomish pirates (Briona the Bloodthirsty, Varigg, "Stabby" Lottie).
- Auric's Angels: Male hydromancers (Frostfencer Seraphi, Squallshaper Bryson, Squallshaper Auran).
- Light's Vengeance: Lightforged and normal draenei (Vindicator Baatul, Anchorite Lanna, Archmage Tamuura).
- Razak's Roughriders: Gnomish soldiers and engineers (Razak Ironsides, Dizzy Dina, Tally Zapnabber).
- Riftrunners: Void elves (Riftblade Kelain, Shadeweaver Zarra, Duskrunner Lorinas).
- The Wolfpack: Worgen (Gunnolf the Ferocious, Fenrae the Cunning, Raul the Tenacious).
- Dark Iron Demolishers: Dark Iron dwarves (Airyn Swiftfeet, Lady Tamakeen, Brother Bruen).
- Thornspeakers: Kul Tiran human druids (Thornguard Burton, Thornspeaker Tavery, Thornstalker Nydora).
All of them can be seen resting in Dazar'alor.
- The Headhunters: Zandalari and jungle trolls (Berserker Zar'ri, Shadow Hunter Ju'loa, Witch Doctor Unbugu).
- Warbraves: Highmountain tauren (Spiritwalker Quura, Mahna Flamewhisper, Sunwalker Ordel).
- Greenbelly's Raiders: Orcs and Forsaken pirates (Captain Greenbelly, Dorp, Sneaky Pete).
- The Blazing Sunhawks: Blood elven pyromancers (Phoenix Mage Rhydras, Phoenix Mage Ryleia, Sunbringer Firasi).
- The Highborne: Nightborne (Moonscythe Pelani, Rune Scribe Lusaris, Astralite Visara).
- Gazlowe's Greasemonkeys: Engineers (Gazlowe, Skaggit, Lady Sena).
- Draenor's Blood: Mag'har orcs (Nagtar Wolfsbane, Ranah Saberclaw, Charg "The Boisterous").
- Raptari: Zandalari troll druids (Guardian M'sheke, Mooncaller Mozo'kas, Wardruid Ko'chus).
Rewards
Island maps shown at BlizzCon 2017 that didn't make it into the game.
Obtaining rewards through an Island Expedition is based on the themes provided with the creatures and invasions that occur during an expedition. For example, 
[Squawks] is a mount reward from a pirate-themed expedition. If the player encounters some pirate-themed rare creatures and kills them, pirate-themed items such as Squawks may show up in the loot window when the expedition has been completed. Another example would be the 
[Plundered Blade of Northern Kings], which is only available from encountering and killing vrykul-themed creatures in an expedition which provides a chance for this two-handed sword or other vrykul-themed items to be awarded at the end of the expedition.
Focusing on special enemies, such as themed creatures and rare-quality mobs, is believed to improve the odds of being rewarded special loot. Regardless, it still comes down to the RNG on if anyone in the group manages to loot items related to the creatures that were killed.[9]
Notes and trivia
- Island Expeditions introduced a new type of tactical AI being tested in Battle for Azeroth.
- Krill Island, Oyster Reef, and Scarlet Isle were islands shown on drawn maps at BlizzCon 2017 but didn't make it to the game. Other islands have been datamined since but not implemented, such as White Mesa Isles.[10][11]
- The Ultimate Visual Guides state that many small islands dot Azeroth's oceans and explorers agree that more remain to be discovered.
Gallery
- Islands
Island expedition randomness 1.
Island expedition randomness 2.
Island expedition randomness 3.
- Opponents and user interface
The Spirits of Vengeance, now changed to The Headhunters.
Unused dwarf team representing all three dwarf factions, including Kurdran Wildhammer who is oddly wielding
[Scaleshard].
Horde victory.
Alliance victory.
Patch changes
- Patch 9.1.5 (2021-11-02): Can now be solo-queued.
- Patch 8.2.0 (2019-06-25):
- Crestfall and Snowblossom added.
- New expedition teams representing Raptari and Thornspeaker druids.
- Patch 8.1.0 (2018-12-11):
- Jorundall and Havenswood added.
- The logic used to spawn Island Expeditions has been adjusted to favor more organic concentrations of foes, with more clear paths in between, to make it easier to navigate without being forced into combat.
- New enemies and relocation of many enemies on existing Islands. Many many rare enemies are present on every Island.
- New events and changes to existing events such as an Azerite Extractor that slowly collects Azerite overtime.
- New expedition teams representing Dark Iron dwarves and Mag'har orcs.
- The chance for cosmetic rewards are now based on all the enemies and Azerite present on the island, and no longer tied to only the enemy camps your team defeats. Completing an Island Expedition at a higher difficulty increases the chance of receiving these bonus rewards.
- Battle pets rewarded from the completion of islands that were previously uncageable can now be caged.
- The weekly quest to recover Azerite now requires 36,000 Azerite (was 40,000).
- Mythic and PvP Islands now reward 350 Artifact Power (was 300), and PvP Islands now award 50 Conquest on a win (was 8).
- Look for new vendors in Boralus and Dazar'alor who offer exclusive rewards in exchange for your Seafarer's Dubloons.
- Patch 8.0.1 (2018-07-17): Added.
References
- ^ MMO-Champion: World of Warcraft – Gameplay and Systems Deep Dive
- ^ Battle for Azeroth Muffinus Interview - Island Expeditions, Wrathion
- ^ World of Warcraft - Battle for Azeroth
- ^ MMO-Champion: Shadow the Fox Plush, Collegiate Dungeon Race, Developer Interviews, WoW History
- ^ World of Warcraft Gameplay and Systems Deep Dive - BlizzCon 2017
- ^ http://www.wowhead.com/news=283331.2/battle-for-azeroth-media-day-interview-roundup-weather-2-0-more-collection-achie
- ^ Achievement [Helping Hand]
- ^ perculia 2018-09-25. How Drops and Chances for Island Expedition Items Work. Wowhead. Retrieved on 2018-09-29.
- ^ Islands803, minimap, newmaps.marlam.in
- ^ MMO-Champion: Battle for Azeroth Alpha - Build 25902 Misc Changes
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