This Week in World of Warcraft - New Promotions and Hero Talent Trees (Feb 26, 2024)

Key Takeaways

• On February 27, 2024, Blizzard previewed eight more Hero Talent trees for the upcoming The War Within expansion: Elune's Chosen and Wildstalker for Druid, Scalecommander for Evoker, Herald of the Sun and Templar for Paladin, Trickster for Rogue, Diabolist for Warlock, and Colossus for Warrior.
• Hardcore Self-Found mode launched February 29, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. PST (22:00 GMT) on WoW Classic Hardcore realms, starting players at level 1 with no mail, no Auction House, and no trading.
• The Arena Skirmish Bonus Event and the Gravity Lapse PvP Brawl both ran February 27 to March 5, 2024, with Skirmishes awarding Honor at an increased rate.
• The Trading Post rolled over on schedule: February's lineup closed on February 29 and March's "Green is Good" rotation opened March 1.
• The Darkmoon Faire returned March 3 to March 9, and the live retail patch was Dragonflight 10.2.5 "Seeds of Renewal", with The War Within still months from its August 26, 2024 release.

Here is how the week of February 26, 2024 played out across retail and Classic.

Blizzard Previewed Eight War Within Hero Talents

The headline of the week was a developer preview rather than live content. On February 27, 2024, Blizzard published an early look at eight more Hero Talent trees for The War Within, the expansion that would not arrive until August 26, 2024. This was the second batch, following an earlier set of four trees shown in early February. The eight new trees were Elune's Chosen and Wildstalker for Druid, Scalecommander for Evoker, Herald of the Sun and Templar for Paladin, Trickster for Rogue, Diabolist for Warlock, and Colossus for Warrior. Each tree slots into an existing specialization and fills out across levels 71 to 80 once the expansion goes live, so the preview let players start planning builds half a year ahead.

Hardcore Self-Found Mode Launched February 29

On the Classic side, Hardcore Self-Found mode went live February 29, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. PST (22:00 GMT). It layered a strict solo ruleset on top of the existing Hardcore realms, where a single death is permanent. Self-Found characters began at level 1 and could not send or receive mail from other players, could not buy or sell on the Auction House, and could not trade items or enchantments in any form. Everything a character needed had to be gathered, crafted, or looted personally, which turned the early levels into a real test of resourcefulness rather than a gold-funded sprint.

Weekly PvP, Skirmishes, and the Trading Post

The retail bonus slot rewarded PvP that week. The Arena Skirmish Bonus Event ran February 27 to March 5 and handed out Honor at an increased rate, while the scheduled PvP Brawl was Gravity Lapse, the Eye of the Storm variant that periodically flings everyone into the air. Players chasing a rating climb during the Honor bonus could see our WoW Arena boosts to make the most of the window. The Trading Post also turned over: February's board closed on February 29, and March's "Green is Good" rotation opened March 1 with a fresh batch of Traveler's Log goals and Trader's Tender rewards.

The Darkmoon Faire Returned March 3

Rounding out the calendar, the Darkmoon Faire opened March 3 and ran through March 9, keeping its usual first-Sunday cadence. The Faire brought its profession quests, carnival games, and reputation grind back to Darkmoon Island for the week, a reliable monthly stop for an experience buff and a few collectibles. Blizzard also flagged routine shop promotions and a Blues News update across February 27 and March 1, the standard community housekeeping that closes out most weeks.

With the week's calendar covered, here are the questions players asked most about it.

FAQ

What hero talents did Blizzard preview on February 27, 2024?

Blizzard showed eight more Hero Talent trees for The War Within: Elune's Chosen and Wildstalker (Druid), Scalecommander (Evoker), Herald of the Sun and Templar (Paladin), Trickster (Rogue), Diabolist (Warlock), and Colossus (Warrior). They were a preview of the next expansion, not live Dragonflight content.

When did WoW Hardcore Self-Found mode launch?

Hardcore Self-Found mode launched February 29, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. PST. It runs on WoW Classic Hardcore realms and forbids mail, Auction House use, and trading, so a character has to earn everything alone from level 1. As on all Hardcore realms, death is permanent.

What was the PvP Brawl during the week of February 26, 2024?

The brawl was Gravity Lapse, played on a variant of Eye of the Storm where low gravity periodically launches players upward. It ran alongside the Arena Skirmish Bonus Event, which awarded Honor at an increased rate from February 27 to March 5.

What was the Trading Post theme for March 2024?

March's Trading Post was themed "Green is Good," leaning into spring and St. Patrick's cosmetics. The February board closed on February 29 and the March rotation opened March 1. Filling the Traveler's Log earned Trader's Tender to spend on that month's rotating mounts, pets, and transmog.

When was the Darkmoon Faire in early March 2024?

The Darkmoon Faire ran March 3 to March 9, 2024. It opens on the first Sunday of each month and stays for roughly a week, offering profession quests, an experience and reputation buff, and carnival games on Darkmoon Island.

Was The War Within live in February 2024?

No. In late February 2024 the live retail patch was Dragonflight 10.2.5 "Seeds of Renewal." The War Within was still in development and launched on August 26, 2024, which is why its hero talents appeared only as a preview that week.

Last reviewed 2026-06-22 against Patch 10.2.5 Seeds of Renewal. Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.