Outside a big well-cooked meal and a mug of holiday grog, nothing says "I wubs you" like a perfectly themed gift for a World of Warcraft player. As the holidays, all of them in fact, approach, it's a great time to take a look at some unique corners of the Interwebs to find just the right thing for the WoWster in your life.
Even a cursory look around the 'Net reveals that there are nearly as many fun and amazing gifts for WoW as there are corners of the globe. We've picked a representative sample of some of the most interesting with the broadest variety or the most unique things we could find in order to make that Goblin or Gnome in your life sing with joy. Without further ado, here is our curated list of nifty places to grab World of Warcraft goodies.
The Blizzard Gear Store
No list would be complete without mentioning the granddaddy of them all, the Blizzard Gear Store. Not only is it packed with gifts for the discerning Draenei, but it's also got some pretty cool offerings for some of those other games that Blizzard has created.
*hums Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer*
You've got t-shirts and lanyards and posters and Pepe, Horde pins and 'ball caps and wool scarves and figures ....but did you know? That there's also Mischief this year?
It's time to begin shopping, for the little WoWster now. And if you get it this week, it may even show on time. All of the other presents, will look shabby to be sure. don't forget little Mischief for your favorite gamer dear!
Yeah...well, anyway -- head over to the Blizzard Gear Store to see even more!
Other Officially Licensed Stuff
If you've got an Ally or Hordie with a t-shirt fetish...er...thing going on, there's nowhere better than Jinx to look for unique and exclusive t-shirts. There are long-sleeved tees for these cooler winter months, men's and women's shirts, class t-shirts, goofy tees and even a LEGENDARY t-shirt that can be given to anyone, particularly that Legionaire who has yet to get one in game!
Looking for an upgrade that's better than just another piece of armor? Then you'll definitely want to take a look at Think Geek for some of the most unique stuff ever. Oh sure, they have the requisite t-shirts and bathrobes, but for the truly interesting, dig a little deeper for things like the limited edition, Horde (or Alliance) Strongbox that comes packed with a faction mug, a wristguard, a cool looking lanyard, a metal key chain, a CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES wax seal stamp, a stick of sealing wax all nestled in a faux wood chest. Only 2500 of these babies will be made! Think Geek also has other things such as chair banners, sleepwear and wallets, to name a few.
Lit-raht-your For the Erudite Player
For the literary Paladin or Mage, nothing screams "OH BOY" more than a finely printed piece of reading material. I mean, what's better than the smell of new ink and the feel of high gloss prints? World of Warcraft, and the Warcraft RTS before it, is rife with novels and manga, comics and background lore books for a discerning player who wants to know more about Azeroth and its denizens.
For the Loremaster in your life, World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 is already out and is filled with all sorts of things that will interest people who love to know all the details. Much of what's inside has never been fully realized in game but provides some pretty amazing AHA moments when the pieces of the story fall together. You can also give the gift that keeps on giving by pre-ordering World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2 that will be out in March 2017.
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For those who prefer to learn lore with novels, Illidan: World of Warcraft might provide some insight into why we're on the Broken Shore in the first place and what Illidan's role in things may be. By knowing who he was in the time before, insight is gained into the future.
For someone who wants to actually cook better than that kitchen clown NOMI, look no further than World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook. Every recipe has been tested at the Goldshire Inn....hmm...maybe not there but you get the drift.
Check out Amazon's listing of Warcraft books to see what might suit the reader in your life.
Bringing Characters to Life
For something that will last a lifetime and capture your WoWster's in-game persona to perfection, look no further than FigurePrints, a company that has been present on every WoW players armory page for years. They take a moment in time of a player character and make a 3D printed figure in full size or as a bust. Their promise is real: We bring your character to life!
Now if only I could get SOMEONE...*casts a glance @BillMurphy* to get ME one!
Nothing Says Loving Like Handmade
There's something amazingly special about getting a truly one-of-a-kind gift that has been created as a work of art. For those inclined, it's possible to find cross-stitch patters of the Alliance or Horde symbols, patterns for knitting and even things like paint-by-numbers sets.
For those who are perhaps a bit artistically challenged, there's Etsy! It's a veritable treasure goblin sack of unparalleled items that will bring a sweet grin to the face of your WoWster. Drawings, jewelry, knitted items, hand painted cloth maps, lapel pins, socks, just about anything you can think of is there on Etsy. Just be careful not to spend a fortune!
And...no...you can't have these. My partner in crime @Shelassa sent them to me just this very week. ^_^
