Patch 7.3 Breakdown: Shadows of Argus

Blizzard has done a phenomenal job of keeping the content fresh during Legion by releasing frequent content patches. With a release date of August 29th, we wanted to give a breakdown of the main important things coming in Patch 7.3: Shadows of Argus.

Here is what we will be covering:

• New Zone 
• Traveling on Argus
• Factions
• Artifact Knowledge Changes
• Netherlight Crucible
• Invasion Points
• Professions
• Mounts
• Pets
• Instance Content
• Miscellaneous Additions

New Zone

We will be travelling to Argus. This is of course not on Azeroth. Argus is made up of 3 zones:

• Krokuun
• Mac'Aree
• Antoran Wastes

Argus Travel

There are no flight points on Argus. You will travel via a teleportation system, that will be unlocked as you progress through the quest lines. The main hub and safe zone on Argus will be on a ship called The Vindicaar. 

Factions

There are two new factions on Argus:

• Army of the Light
  • After the fall of Argus, the draenei's finest warriors followed the prime naaru Xe'ra across the cosmos in an external war to bring about the Legion's end. Since then, other survivors of the Burning Crusade have joined the ranks of the Lightforged.
• Argussian Reach
  • Although many struggled to oppose the Burning Legion's conquest of Argus, not all were able to escape. Emboldened by the arrival of new allies, these refugees and outcasts stand united in their mission to reclaim their home. 

Artifact Knowledge Changes

The Artifact Knowledge cap has been increased to 55, which is up from the current level 40 cap. Instead of doing the traditional Artifact research to gain levels, you will gain 1 Artifact Knowledge level via an automatic global bonus once a week. The current alt catch up mechanic, the Artifact Research Compendium: Volumes I-IV, will no longer be used for alts. In its place with the global bonus, it will increase your Artifact Knowledge automatically to what level your main is at. This change is to allow players to swap their focus to the Netherlight Crucible, which we will talk next.

Netherlight Crucible

 The Netherlight Crucible is a new way progress your Artifact weapon by adding traits to the relics on your weapon. This is based on the traits you have unlocked for your weapon. The allows you to gain different abilities and passive buffs to your weapon. Here is how it works:

• When you socket a relic, it will populate random abilities you can select from. This will vary based of the relics you are using.
• You can see what ability options you will have before you socket a relic by going to the Netherlight Crucible UI.
• This will not be available to unlock until Week 3 of the patch. 

Invasion Points

Invasion points which are called Argus Rifts, will be a new way to fight the Legion in different worlds. These will be replayable and will require using riftstones to gain access. Through the Legion Portal Network, you will be able to use the riftstones to go to these different worlds and complete the objectives to take the Legion all over the cosmos. 

Riftstones:

• Charged Riftstone
  • This will allow access to Greater or Lesser rifts.
• Depleted Riftstone
  • This will allow access to Lesser rifts

Rift Worlds:

• Invasion Rift - Islands
• Invasion Rift - Sand
• Invasion Rift - Forest
• Invasion Rift - Blood
• Invasion Rift - Fire
• Invasion Rift - Ice
• Invasion Rift - Luminescence
• Invasion Rift - Marsh
• Invasion Rift - Swamp

Professions

There are a lot of things being added to professions with the patch. There are new recipes to craft and new materials. Here are the new materials being added:

• New Herb
  • Astral Glory
• New Ore
  • Empyrium
    • You will need to make sure you pick up the Krokul Mining Pick. 
• Obliterum 
  • Crafted gear will be upgradeable to ilvl 935.
  • You will need Primal Obliterum to upgrade crafted gear. 
  • You will need Obliterum and Primal Sargerite to make Primal Obliterum.
  • Instead of Blood of Sargeras, Primal Sargerite will be used for the new recipes added this patch.
• New Cloth
  • Lightweave Cloth
• New Hide
  • Fiendish Leather
• New Gems
  • Lightsphene
  • Hesselian
  • Chemirine
  • Labradorite
  • Argulite
  • Florid Malachite

Mounts

This is a list of a few of the confirmed mounts that will be added with the patch. The Talbuks and Manta Rays, have a variety of colours available to collect. 

•  Shackled Ur'zul
  • Dropped from Mythic Argus
• Talbuks
  • Exalted with Argussian Reach
    • Reins of the Amethyst Ruinstrider
    • Reins of the Beryl Ruinstrider
    • Reins of the Cerulean Ruinstrider
    • Reins of the Russet Ruinstrider
    • Reins of the Sable Ruinstrider
    • Reins of the Umber Ruinstrider
• Maddened Chaosrunner
  • Paragon reputation reward for Argussian Reach.

• Vile Fiend
  • Exact drop unknown, but it is on Argus.
• Lucid Nightmare
  • Dropped from Puzzler's Desire - Secret Finders believe it is obtained similarly to the Riddlers mount. 
• Darkmoon Dirigible
  • Purchases at the Darkmoon Faire.
• Mana Rays
  • Drop from Fel-Spotted Eggs on Argus. 
    • Vibrant Manta Ray
    • Scintillating Manta Ray
    • Felglow Mana Ray
    • Lambent Mana Ray
    • Darkspore Mana Ray
• Pond Nettle
  • Drops from Fishing.
• Lightforged Warframe
  • Exalted with the Army of the Light.
• Glorious Felcrusher
  
  • Paragon reputation reward Army of the Light.
• Antoran Charhound
  • Dropped from the Antorus, the Burning Throne raid.
• Antoran Gloomhound
  • Reward for completing Glory of the Argus Raider.
• Vicious War Fox
  
  • This is a PvP reward.
• Vicious War Bear 
  • This is a PvP reward.
• Violet Spellwing
  • Dalaran

Pets

There are a ton of new pets that are coming with the patch. We have highlighted a few. 

• Uuna
  • Dropped from The Many-Faced Devourer.
• Amalgam of Destruction
  • Completing achievement Raiding With Leashes V: Cuteaclysm
• Felclaw Marsuul
  • Completing Family Fighter.
• Docile Skyfin
  • Drop from Fel-Spotted Eggs on Argus
• Fel-Afflicted Skyfin
  • Drop from Fel-Spotted Eggs on Argus
• Cross Gazer
  • Quest in Antoran Wastes
• Rebellious Imp
  • Drop from Mother Rosula which is a rare on Argus.
• Grasping Manifestation
  • Drop on Mac'Aree, Argus.
• Orphaned Marsuul
  • Honored with Argussian Reach.
• Fossorial Bile Larva 
  • Skinning, although the exact drop is unknown. 
• Fel Lasher
  • Herbalism, although the exact drop is unknown. 

Instance Content

• New Dungeon
  • The Seat of the Triumvirate
    
    • This dungeon has 4 bosses.
    • Will open the 3rd week of the patch.
• New Raid
  • Antorus, the Burning Throne
    • This raid has 11 bosses.
    • Raid release schedule is still TBA.

Miscellaneous Additions

• Veiled Argunite 
  • Will be used on Argus versus Nethershards.
  • The Nethershard Relinquished vendor, Thaumaturge Vashreen, will be moving to Argus for this new currency and the new ilvl gear. 
  • These are used to purchase ilvl 910 gear from the ethereal vendor on The Vindicaar.
  • You will still be able to buy the previous items with Nethershards if needed.
  • The Nethershard item ilvl gear will remain the same for the Dauntless Gear vendor. The Dauntless vendor is will remain on Broken Shore.
    
•  Man'ari Training Amulet 
  • New Heirloom neck. 

Do you have feedback on this review, or see any errors or omissions? I would love to hear from you.   

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