You want to socket what?!

All trade skills have been expanded in Burning Crusade. Now players who have achieved the previous skill cap of 300 may advance their chosen craft skill to the grandmaster level of 375. The new skill of gem cutting/jewelry making has also been added, allowing player to even further buff and customize their equipment. Jewelry crafting allows players to take raw gems found in the game world and cut and crafts them into magical jewelry. Rings, amulets, even trinkets in the form of figurines that bestow an effect upon the wearer. "Socketed" items may come in the form of armor or weapons. Each socket on a given item may be color coded to a specific gem color which will grant further special stat bonus beyond the gems' original effects.

Ready... FIGHT!

The PvP element has been expanded upon as well with the introduction of the Arena PvP System. This point-based system allows players to take part in gladiatorial matches based on a 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 team combat. Players may build teams, registering them as an Arena team and take part in the extremely competitive Arena Seasons where team work and combat skills matter more than time spent in a Battlefield Queue.

Hellfire LFM! PST, Need healer!

The final aspect added to WoW with Burning Crusade is probably the most valuable to most veteran players. The addition of new, high end content, that will take veteran level 60 characters to level 70 and the addition of dungeons to match. The Outland is a violent place and it is also home to three of the four new dungeon zones that range in level from 60 to 70. Many of the dungeons are split into separate areas, which are intended for 5 man teams of the appropriate level.

There are, however, a couple of exceptions. One of the four raiding areas of Coilfang Reservoir is a 20 man raid zone as well as the 10 man level 70 raid zone included in Karazhan, located deep within Deadwind Pass. The first raid zone players will have a chance to experience is Hellfire Citadel. Designed for 5 man teams, the three wings of the Citadel will set the pace for what is to be expected in the later Outland raid zones.

Sleep is for the weak

Burning Crusade offers a considerable list of additions to an already epic MMO. With the coming generation of new MMOs around the corner, and the next generation of MMO players to play them, Burning Crusades will ensure that Blizzard's World of Warcraft will remain a competitive and enjoyable title in the coming years.