Can a World of Warcraft Warrior Survive in a Warhammer Online World?

With the recent launch of the much anticipated Warhammer Online (WAR), the burning question in many World of Warcraft (WOW) gamers' mind is how difficult the transition from playing WOW to WAR is going to be. In this article we will examine some of the fundamental differences and similarities between the worlds of WOW and WAR.  Will the transition from one to the other be as seamless as many gamers hope it will be?

Consider the story setting
One of most pronounced differences a WOW gamer will notice when entering the WAR world is the time frame and setting.  In WAR, you are landing in the middle of an all out war of destruction and annihilation! The concept of peace is all but wishful thinking in the Warhammer Online world! If looking for trouble and a fight, there is plenty to find in World of Warcraft, however in most cases you need to go looking trouble. In WAR it is in your face, up close and personal! Even the graphic visual surroundings help to portray this difference in the world settings. The bright colors and cute bunny rabbits hopping around the countryside found in many areas of WOW have been replaced by dimly lit landscapes in WAR, showing the scars of devastation and destruction left by unending battles and blood shed.

Consider the plot
The overall plot of Warhammer Online is by most accounts much more sinister and evil than what exists in World of Warcraft. The forces of evil known as "Destruction" are made up of some very twisted  and perverse races. Conversely the side of good or "Order" is deeply rooted in religion almost to the point of fanaticism. The line between what is "right" and "pure" verses "unjust" and "evil" appears to be much less defined in WAR than in WOW. In World of Warcraft the choice between playing the side of good or evil is pretty straight forward, whereas with Warhammer Online, things may not be as they first appear. Each side, "Order" or "Destruction" have their share of skeletons in their closet!

Consider playable classes
Although Warhammer Online does offer nearly twice the number of playable classes than World of Warcraft, the basic roles filled are essentially the same. You still have healers, tanks, melee dps and ranged dps. The race you decide to play will determine the classes available. So for example if you are used playing the role of a warrior in WOW, in WAR your options would be in the form of Ironbreaker, Black Orc, Swordmaster or Chosen. Obviously this is a rough comparison as each of the WAR characters has been "tweeked" with special racial abilities as well.

Consider rules of engagement
Rules of engagement or combat is very similar in most respects between WOW and WAR.  The main noticeable difference is Warhammer Online combat appears to be slower than in World of Warcraft. This allows the defender more time to react to an attack and prepare an effective defense and possible counter attack back at his opponent. One of the most significant differences between WOW and WAR is in the area of player verses player combat (PVP). The role of PVP is much more important in Warhammer Online. In WOW, PVP is just another interesting option, whereas in WAR, only by doing PVP will you gain a special kind of experience called "reknown" that allows for unique tactics and character improvements not available anywhere else in the game.

Consider questing and leveling.
As in World of Warcraft, quest givers are NPCs marked with a symbol, (green circles in WAR verses yellow exclamation points in WOW), who will give you tasks to complete to help level. Warhammer Online also has several different categories of quest types available ranging from the tradition quest WOW players are used to gain experience, money, and/or booty up to an new type of quest called the "Public Quest" that requires players to band together to accomplish an unique objective based on the WAR storyline. Yet another interesting experience found in the WAR quests, is the Tome of Knowledge, which actually keeps a record of your quests woven into a story-like account.

Consider occupation
World of Warcraft Online players have a wide range of occupations to choose from such as mining, leather working, jewel crafting, alchemy, etc. . Not so in the WAR world. Occupations occupy a much diminished role in Warhammer Online, possibly because you are too busy trying to stay alive! Occupations in WAR are limited to creation crafts of potion-making and talisman-crafting and some minor gathering crafts.

Consider a sense of community
The sense of community or "guilds" plays a much more important role in Warhammer Online than in World of Warcraft. In WAR the traditional reasons for belonging to a guild are to find help with quests, game play advice, raiding groups, money pool, resource exchange, etc. has been greatly enhanced. As WAR players advance, so does their guild, which allows for the attainment of new abilities, guild privileges, and rights by the player.

So, can a World of Warcraft Warrior (or any other WOW class) survive in a Warhammer Online world? Definitely, "yes"! There are however enough differences between the two games to make life interesting and challenging, and there is a new learning curve, (which may or may not be initially steep depending on your WOW gaming background) as with any new gaming experience. To help flatten out the learning curve and get your WAR gaming experience up and running quickly, I do recommend looking into purchasing good Warhammer Online gaming guides for leveling and gold farming.