Brawl Breakdown: An Insight into Battleground Blitz - Blizzard Blog

Blizzard has recently unveiled the details of the exciting new Battleground Blitz Brawl that will be introduced in Patch 10.2! As part of the Guardians of the Dream content, this new mode of play will allow players to engage in intense 8v8 PvP battles through a new solo queue. With its fast-paced action and thrilling gameplay, the Battleground Blitz Brawl has the potential to become a highly competitive and rated mode in the future. Let's dive deeper into what this new feature has to offer!

Get Into the Blitz

The Battleground Blitz Brawl will allow players to join the action either solo or as a duo (if one player is a healer) for epic 8v8 PvP battles. The intense battles will take place on eight initially available maps, including iconic locations such as Warsong Gulch, Twin Peaks, Temple of Kotmogu, Eye of the Storm, Silvershard Mines, Battle for Gilneas, Arathi Basin, and Deepwind Gorge. This new brawl will be active and available every week starting from its release in the week of November 7.

Team Composition

In this new mode, each team will consist of 2 healers, 5-6 damage dealers, and 0 to 1 tank. Both opposing teams will always have the same number of tanks, either 0 or 1. Matches that do not include a tank will not take place on any Capture the Flag maps, such as Warsong Gulch and Twin Peaks, to ensure balanced gameplay. The team composition aims to create a leaner matchup in the 8v8 format.

Map Mechanics

The Battleground Blitz Brawl introduces some exciting changes to how players interact with the battlegrounds, resulting in a faster pace and new mechanics to utilize against opponents. Here are some key details:

• Cast time to take objectives reduced from 6 seconds to 4 seconds on maps where casting is required.
• Control points on domination maps are captured in 30 seconds instead of 1 minute.
• Players gain a new buff, Swift Pursuit, which grants 150% increased mount speed.
• New power-up runes are available on several maps, each providing unique benefits:

Modifications to Existing Maps

• Eye of the Storm

Only 2 out of the 4 nodes are capturable at a time, with the middle flag always available. When the middle flag is captured, the previous nodes move to neutral and reset. This alternating capture mechanic creates dynamic gameplay, and points for capturing a flag are significantly increased. The other set of nodes becomes available after 15 seconds.

• Arathi Basin and Deepwind Gorge

Both maps now feature 5 capturable nodes, and resource acquisition has been increased. When a node is fully captured, it is deactivated for 45 seconds before becoming available for capture again.

• Warsong Gulch and Twin Peaks

The flag carrier debuff, Brutal Assault, now stacks 100% faster at a rate of each stack every 15 seconds. The maximum game length for these maps has also been set to 12 minutes.

• Battle for Gilneas

The acquisition rate of resources in the middle areas of the map has been increased to encourage more intense battles.

• Temple of Kotmogu

The resource acquisition rate in the middle areas of the map has been bumped up to enhance the action-packed gameplay.

Cross Faction Queuing

To ensure quality matches and reduce queue times, players will be able to queue and join the Battleground Blitz Brawl more quickly, regardless of their faction. This change aims to prioritize matchmaking and create a more seamless gameplay experience.

Item Scaling

In the Battleground Blitz Brawl, the item level for equipped gear above 312 item level will scale to 472, which is 4 item levels below the Dragonflight Season 3 Honor gear level. This scaling is implemented to prevent potential issues related to over-scaling stats on items from previous expansions. Additionally, players will need to have a minimum item level of 330 to queue for the brawl.

To the Victor (and Loser) Go the Spoils

Participants in the Battleground Blitz Brawl will receive rewards regardless of whether they win or lose. Here's a breakdown of the rewards:

• Conquest has been increased for wins and will also be awarded on losses in close matches.
• The first win of the day grants 100 Conquest.
• Additional wins on the same day award 50 Conquest.
• Close losses will grant 25 Conquest.

In addition to the weekly "Something Different" brawl quest, two new weekly quests have been added specifically for Battleground Blitz. These quests can be obtained from Malicia in Valdrakken, with the second quest requiring the completion of the first one.

New Achievements

Players will have the opportunity to earn several new achievements to showcase their prowess in the Battleground Blitz Brawl. These achievements include:

• Battleground Blitz Novice: Win 10 Battleground Blitz Matches.
• Battleground Blitz Apprentice: Win 25 Battleground Blitz Matches.
• Battleground Blitz Veteran: Win 50 Battleground Blitz Matches.
• Learning the Ropes: Complete 25 Battleground Blitz Matches.
• Brawlroom Blitzer: Complete 50 Battleground Blitz Matches.
• Battle-Scarred Battler: Complete 100 Battleground Blitz Matches.

The Fine Print

It's important to note that the deserter penalty, which is applied after leaving a Solo Shuffle match, will also be applied in Battleground Blitz. Additionally, items, spells, and toys that are currently restricted in Rated Battlegrounds will also be restricted in the Battleground Blitz Brawl. Teamwork and coordination will be key to achieving victory, so make sure to utilize the tools at your disposal, including the new Ping System feature, to communicate effectively with your team.

Conclusion

With the arrival of the Guardians of the Dream content update, the Battleground Blitz Brawl promises to deliver intense PvP battles and push players' skills to the limit. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the world of PvP, this new mode offers a thrilling and fast-paced gaming experience. Are you prepared to step into the arena and dance your way to victory?