The Next Expansion Is Only One Year Away

The Burning Crusade is coming out this week. After 1.5 years of waiting and arguably 2 years of development we're finally getting to hold the boxes in our hands and installing the expansion on our computers. It truly is sweet.

But is this the last expansion? No! According to Blizzard COO Paul Sams in an interview five months ago they're expecting to release one every year from now on (BC was delayed due to the fact that they were developing regular content at the same time).

So what does that mean? If Blizzard follows their schedule (hard to type without bursting in to laughter) 12 months from now we might be sitting here and enjoying our new Spell Warding blessing that we like to throw on Warriors and Rogues so they can wtfpwn casters.

In other note: I love the fact that when they changed Improved Resistance Auras they called the new talent Spell Warding, cause it seemed to me as a subtle wink-wink nudge-nudge to us. All of our spells and abilities have some form of naming consistency so here's a list I produce (not promising it's comprehensive). I know that some of these explanations might be a bit wormy, but bear with me:
- Crusader is thrown around when it comes to the idea of charging, doing swift damage (Seal of the Crusader, Crusader Strike, Crusader Aura, Crusade)
- Divine is instant beneficiary and protective (Divine Strength, Divine Intellect, Divine Shield, Divine Protection, Divine Intervention, Divine Favor, Divine Purpose)
- Illumination is used for mana (Illumination, Divine Illumination), much like Wisdom (Blessing of Wisdom, Seal of Wisdom).
- Light is obviously used for healing (Flash of Light, Holy Light, Blessing of Light, Seal of Light).
- Righteousness/Vengeance is for involvement of Holy damage of some kind (Righteous Fury, Seal of Righteousness, Seal of Vengeance, Vengeance) which makes the choice to name our taunt "Righteous Defense" really puzzling.
- Wrath is used for all-ends-to-means damage contribution (Holy Wrath, Hammer of Wrath, Avenging Wrath)
- Avenging is used for when it's time to get down (Avenger's Shield, Avenging Wrath).
- Holy is very broad and is just for raw and pure Holy spells (Holy Power, Holy Guidance, Holy Shield, Holy Light).
- Power is used for increased chance to crit with spells (Holy Power, Purifying Power).
- Justice is stunning and incapacitation (Hammer of Justice, Seal of Justice).
- Retribution is pure holy damage (Retribution tree, Retribution Aura).
- Sanctified means augmentations of existing spells (Sanctified Light/Crusader/Judgement), whereas Sanctuary and Sanctity refers to holy damage output contribution with slight inclusiveness of defensive mechanics (Sanctity Aura, Blessing of Sanctuary) - and yes, I know I'm being very broad there! Hah.