Limited Invitation Only Alpha of Battle for Azeroth Begins

Both WoWHead and MMO-Champion are busy streaming away now that they have gained access to the invitation-only alpha for World of Warcraft's Battle for Azeroth. Several streamers have taken to Twitch to show off live action from the alpha version, among them Twitch's Towellie, a Paladin tank. 

Based on a few minutes' watching, streamers are showing off the introductory quests and locations as well as some of the action on one of the dungeons. You'll also get a good look at the "stat squish" that is coming in BfA to reduce health pools, damage numbers, new warlock animations and more.

You can expect a lot of new datamined information from both sites in the coming days as well as tons of class information and more.

Here's what players will find when joining the alpha:

Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth alpha test! Please note that this test provides a very early look at the next expansion, so your feedback and understanding are very much appreciated at this stage. As with any test environment, none of your progress here applies to your live character, and anything you see here is subject to change before the final version. You’re welcome to publicly share your experiences and adventures in the alpha , so feel free to stream, record video, and post articles and screenshots. Here's a quick summary of what’s available in this phase of the alpha test: Two Zones: Drustvar (Alliance) and Nazmir (Horde) Drustvar: The harsh lands of Drustvar are ruled by House Waycrest, who conquered these lands after vanquishing the ancient, evil Drust. The edifices of the Drust still stand in ruin across the land, but that’s not all that remains of this accursed people. Recently, their evil leader has been awakened—and if left unchecked, his dark power will spread throughout all of Kul Tiras. Upon arriving in Drustvar, you will be met with a request to visit Mayor Cyril White of Fallhaven in eastern Drustvar. Nazmir: Once the shining heart of troll civilization, Nazmir is now a swamp riddled with bleak, ruined reminders of its greatness. Its inhabitants are the vile blood trolls, dedicated to the worship of the Blood God G’huun and to a single-minded purpose: the destruction of the last functioning titan disc within the city of Zuldazar. Should the trolls shatter this seal, G’huun will be freed from its eons-long confinement to rule the world. Upon arriving in Nazmir, you will meet Princess Talanji, who will ask you to escort her as you look for signs of blood troll activity in the area. Two Dungeons: Atal’Dazar and Freehold Atal’Dazar: For millennia, the Zandalari kings were laid to rest within the tombs of Atal’Dazar, secluded high atop the mountain Mugamba. These pyramids grew more elaborate with each passing ruler, as new rooms were constructed to house the deceased’s vast wealth. Now, these once pristine halls have been corrupted by the Prophet Zul and his trusted lieutenant, Yazma, who seek to twist the power of these ancient kings for their own dark machinations. Freehold: Freehold has traditionally served as a haven for pirates, scoundrels, and those who wish to live free of Kul Tiran control. Now, the Irontide Raiders have brought the city under their harsh rule and are coercing the various pirate crews under their banner. While the pirates gather, a small group of heroes must infiltrate the town and eliminate their leadership to dissolve this growing alliance of cutthroats. Dungeons You can access dungeons via the Dungeon Finder system (hotkey “I”). Select Random Battle for Azeroth Dungeon or specify which one of the dungeons you’d like to explore, then select Find Group.  General Known Issues: • Not all class talents will work as intended. • Boss mechanics may not work as intended. • Not all areas of the zones are active. • Players may receive UI errors. • Terrain and NPCs may clip. • Work-in-progress art assets will be present. • Limited voiceover, audio, and music is present.