What to do before Shadowlands is released?
What do you need to do before the next add-on, Shadowlands, is released? As Battle for Azeroth slowly comes to an end, players have less and less time to get things done and earn certain items and achievements that will become inaccessible or harder to acquire with the release of the pre-release patch and the expansion itself.
This guide has all the information you need to do and what items are worth obtaining before Shadowlands is released. Certain Battle for Azeroth content will be removed in two stages: some will be removed in the pre-patch add-on, and the rest will disappear with the Shadowlands release. Therefore, most of the Battle for Azeroth-related tasks are recommended to be done now.
What will be removed from the game with the release of update 9.0
When will update 9.0 be released?
The Shadowlands pre-patch update 9.0 will be released 1-2 months before the add-on's release. The exact release date is not known yet, but is planned for late 2020.
The achievements "Hero of His Time" and "On the Edge of the Blade"
Both achievements, Hero of His Time: N'Zoth Infestor and On the Edge of the Blade: N'Zoth Infestor, will be unavailable for obtainment with the release of the pre-patch.
Defeating N'Zoth on epochal difficulty is quite difficult, but every player should try to get a Hero of Their Time: N'Zoth Infestor. If you need help on this achievement, check out the awesome guys at PerkyPugs (America) and Ready, Set, Dragon! (Europe - Horde). There you can find groups to learn the boss fight or groups that will carry you through for absolutely free.
Battle for Azeroth Elite PvP Sets
Players will lose the opportunity to collect elite sets from BfA Season 4 with the Battle for Azeroth override. These will be released incrementally as you reach certain ranks in ranked arenas or battlegrounds. The final pieces of kit will become available when you reach 1800 rating points ("Favourite: Battle for Azeroth Season 4") in Season 4 PvP.
Battle Guild.
As another add-on is coming to an end, another season of Battle Guild is coming to an end. While there's no official confirmation from the developers yet, it's likely that all current achievements will be moved to the Legacy tab and new ones will appear in their place.
Stuck on some bosses? Our Guide to the Brawler's Guild guide explains the best strategies for defeating guild bosses.
Don't forget to complete the mysterious quest chain to get Bruce!
Epochal+ dungeons: the Awakened rank and the Awakened Worm of Doubt mound
With the release of the Shadowlands pre-patch, you will no longer be able to obtain the Awakened Worm of Doubt. This vehicle was first added in Season 4 as a reward for completing the Battle for Azeroth Season 4 Master Keys. If you fail to close level 15 dungeons in time, you can still gain the title "%s Awakened" for successfully completing level 10 dungeons ("Key Conqueror of Battle for Azeroth Season 4").
Level 4 Azerite Essences and the "Phenomenal Space Force" achievement
Not yet confirmed by the developers, but it's possible that level 4 essences will be impossible to obtain in the future, as they serve as a purely cosmetic reward for completing tasks in the current content. The possibility of obtaining the Phenomenal Space Force achievement also remains in question.
With the release of the pre-patch, you will no longer be able to obtain two certain rank 4 entities. One requires you to earn the Battle for Azeroth Season 4 Master Keys, and the other requires you to unlock a week-long PvP summoner with a rating above 2400 points. Thus, if you haven't met these two criteria beforehand, the achievement Phenomenal Space Force becomes unavailable. So if you're considering getting this great feat and the title "%s, defender of Azeroth", you should do so before the pre-patch release. (Unless Blizzard adds a new option to get these two achievements after Battle for Azeroth is complete).
Azerite Essences Guide.
What will be removed with the release of Shadowlands
Intact Serpent of the Abyss
You will still be able to get Untouched by the Spoiling Serpent of the Abyss in the pre-patch before Shadowlands is released. To do so, you need to defeat N'Zoth on heroic difficulty, after which you will receive the Child of Vexiona, which starts the " Wandered Pack" quest. This quest rewards you with a themed means of transportation, the Untouched Spoiling Serpent of the Abyss. If you need help with obtaining this kit, check out the awesome folks at PerkyPugs (America) and Ready, Set, Dragon! (Europe - Horde). There you can find groups to learn the boss fight or groups that will carry you through for absolutely free.
What will remain available, but will be harder to get in Shadowlands
The Mighty Boading Brutosaurus.
In previous news from Blizzard, the Mighty Pack Brutosaurus Reins will not be available for purchase from its original merchants in Shadowlands. If you wish to obtain this adorable brutosaurus with a saddle auction, you should hurry! Time is running out and the price of this mount is as much as 5,000,000.
After the release of the new add-on, this vehicle will occasionally appear for sale on the Black Market. And from the looks of it, it will cost a lot more.
Island Expeditions
Blizzard has not mentioned removing island expeditions in the future... But not all players will have the desire to keep you company in outdated content. Everyone will be busy exploring Shadowlands content. So we advise you to complete all the achievements and get the coveted items from Island Expeditions now.
There are plenty of collectibles available from Island Expeditions, such as mounts, battle pets, parts of transmogrification kits, and more. Read more about these rewards in our guide: Island Expedition Collection Rewards Guide.
Some island expedition achievements are quite difficult to complete, particularly PvP achievements. To obtain them, you'll need to manually assemble a group and line up against enemy faction players. Learn more about Island Expedition Achievements in our Island Expedition Achievements Guide.
