Darkspear Islands preview adds reputation and gear

The Darkspear Islands, the 15v15 battleground Blizzard named in its What’s Next panel recap, now has a post of its own. It sits off Dustwallow Marsh’s coast and takes players from level 30 to 60.

Four capture points score for whichever side holds them, and the more a side holds, the faster its total climbs. There is also a flag at the center of the map: carry it to a base your side controls for bonus points. Reaching 2,000 points wins the match.

You can queue at a battlemaster in any major capital, or head to your faction’s base in the Barrens and take its portal into the match. The Horde’s Darkspear Raiders are at the Merchant Coast, the Alliance’s Theramore Expeditionary Force at Northwatch.

Each base also has vendors and quests for the battleground. Standing with your side’s faction unlocks more at its vendors as it rises: gear and consumables, among them trinkets, rings, cloaks, weapons and armor. Some of the quests are reputation quests tied to Marks of Honor, and Exalted opens a short questline for the faction’s exclusive tabard.

Forever’s client files at build 1.60.1.70245 carry a Darkspear Islands Mark of Honor, which they describe as a medal for fighting in the battleground. Datamined wowforever.ninja — Forever's client files and beta cache, build 1.60.1.70245

Why it matters: its 30 to 60 range makes the Darkspear Islands something to queue for while you level, not only once you hit 60.