#0 - April 20, 2010, 10:53 p.m.
Blizzard Post


Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/faq.xml


What is the 2010 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament?

    The 2010 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament is a competition based on the Arena System (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/arena/index.xml) in World of Warcraft. All teams participating in the tournament will be competing on regional tournament realms -- separate from the live realms -- for a spot to play at the live events and win prizes. In addition, there is a registration fee to join. This specialized format provides a means for high-level players to face off in an intensely competitive environment that emphasizes strategy, skill, and execution over all other elements of play.

    The tournament will consist of one regional qualifier, followed by the regional finals. Winners of the regional finals will be invited to compete in a global championship. The cash prize package for this tournament, including prizes awarded at the regional finals and world championship, amounts to more than $200,000.

What is the format for this year’s Arena Tournament?


    Participating players will gain access to our dedicated tournament realms and be able to create up to three level-80 characters per registered account. This special realm will allow players to fully customize tournament characters with some of the best items available in the game. We will continue to use the 3v3 Arena format for this year's competition. Please note that the standard 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 Arena season games will continue as normal on the live realms and will not be interrupted by this tournament.

What are some special features of this year’s Arena Tournament?

  • Customizable level 80 character templates with gear from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.
  • Tournament vendors have been updated with some of the best items available in Northrend.
  • Players can earn the exclusive Armored Murloc pet for their live characters.
  • Players can earn the exclusive “Vanquisher” title for their live characters over level 71.
  • Cash prizes totaling over $200,000.

Do I have to participate in my home realm's Arena season to play in the Arena tournament?

    No, the tournament realm and the tournament itself are completely separate from the Arena seasons. Players who wish to compete in the Arena seasons for the coveted in-game prizes can continue do so as normal. The World of Warcraft Arena Tournament and the dedicated tournament realms are primarily intended for high-level players seeking to prove their skills against the best teams in the world and compete for cash prizes.

What are Arena teams?

    Arena teams are groups of players who choose to fight together in Arena ladder matches in rated Arena battles. Rated Arena battles affect your ladder ranking, whereas skirmish battles do not.

    • If you are not a part of a team, you cannot participate in rated Arena battles
    • Your team will obtain a ranking by playing at least 10 matches per week.

When will the tournament start?
How do the dedicated tournament realms work?

    By signing up for the tournament, players will be granted access to special tournament realms. They will be able to create up to three new level-80 characters of any race and class combination on these realms. There will be special vendors available who will have epic gear for players to choose from for equipping tournament characters. These realms have been created for the sake of the tournament and will not have any PvE instances or Battlegrounds available. Only Arenas will be available at this time.

Can I transfer characters to or from the tournament realm?

    No.

What epic gear will be available?

    Characters will have access to full sets of Arena armor and weapons, as well as items purchased with honor and badges. In addition, a selection of raid epics with the approximate power level of the Arena gear will also be available. To see a complete list of the available gear on the Arena realm, go here: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/items.xml

Why is the gear for the Arena Tournament realm not equivalent to the level of gear on the live realms?

    We have chosen a large selection of epic gear for our participants to ensure a competitive playing field. For the sake of consistency, items on the tournament realm will not always be able to correspond to the level of gear on the live realms.

How will each character obtain gear and other commodities?

    Upon entering the world with a new character, nearby NPCs in your starting area will outfit the character with gear, training, class-specific needs such as soul shards and hunter pets, and all the gold you'll need. In fact, everything your character will need to participate in the tournament will be located conveniently in your starting area.

Will there be permanent enchants, gems, and glyphs?

    Yes, there will be a large selection of permanent enchants, gems, and glyphs to choose from, including reputation-based head and shoulder enchants.

How do I make an Arena team on the tournament realm?

    You can create a team by purchasing an Arena Team Charter from the Arena Organizer, collecting the appropriate number of signatures on it, and then returning it him. Once the team is created, you can compete with your fellow teammates in the special tournament battlegroup.

How many team members do I need for the tournament?

    The tournament will use the 3v3 format only, so you need at least three members including yourself.

Can I have more than three people on my team roster?

    Yes. You can have up to six players on your 3v3 Arena Tournament team for the online qualifiers. The additional players will act as "bench" players in case one of your starting three cannot play, or if you want to change the makeup of your team. If your team advances to the live events, however, you will have to choose three players to represent your team. These players can choose which characters they wish to play at the live events and may switch characters as needed.

Can I be on more than one Arena Tournament team?

    You can participate in more than one 3v3 Arena Tournament team; however, you must meet the minimum play requirements to qualify for the tournament. Each player may only qualify for one team. If a player is a member of two qualifying teams, he or she must choose which team to play for. Each team must have three eligible participants to advance to the regional finals.

How many games do I have to play to be eligible to qualify?

    Each team must play a minimum of 100 rated games during the last four weeks of the qualifier and each player, including "bench players," must participate in at least 30% of the team's total games to be eligible to advance to the regional finals. If a team were to play the minimum of 100 games, then each player on the team would have to have played in at least 30 of those games. Only three players per team will be eligible to attend the live events.

How do I check my rankings?

    Team rankings will be available on WorldofWarcraft.com at the Armory (http://www.wowarmory.com/) and updated daily, with the tournament realm making up the Coliseum battlegroup.

Will tournament characters and teams appear on the Armory?

    Yes, there will be full character and team profiles for the tournament on the Armory. These profiles will be slightly different from those on the live realms to highlight the relevant PvP information more prominently.

How is the tournament structured?

    There will be one online qualifier that will run for eight weeks. The first four weeks of the qualifier will be used for practice. After the practice period, ratings will be reset and the tournament will continue for four weeks. To encourage team stability, there will be a 150 team rating penalty for any player additions to your team during the first two weeks after the practice period. Player rosters will be locked down during the final two weeks of the tournament, and no changes may be made to your team during that time. Please make any adjustments to your final team roster prior to the roster lockdown. The top eight eligible teams from the online qualifier will advance to the regional finals. The top teams from each regional final will be invited to represent their respective region at the global world championship.

What happens if a team member who otherwise would qualify to compete in the regional finals is deemed ineligible?

    Team members who are ineligible will be unable to play in the regional finals, but the rest of that member's team can continue if they can field at least three eligible team members. Eligibility is determined by residence, percentage of total team games played, and other factors.

Will Blizzard Entertainment contact team members who are ineligible at any point?

    Each team will be responsible for ensuring that their team members are eligible to compete. If a registrant is unable to participate in live events due to residence restrictions, this information will be brought to your attention when registering.

What are the prizes?

    The available prizes are listed below:

    • Players who participate in at least 50 rated tournament games on one character and with the same team during the last four weeks of the online qualifier will be eligible for the Armored Murloc pet for their live characters.
    • Players who have a character in one of the top 1000 teams and have participated in at least 100 rated tournament games during the last four weeks of the online qualifier will receive the “Vanquisher” title for their live characters level 71 and over.
    • The grand prize for the global invitational world championship will be $75,000 for the top team. The top team of each regional final will receive $15,000. For more information, check the complete breakdown of prizes in the rules.
    • Please Note: The characters that players use to qualify for the above prizes must play all of their qualifying games on the same team and must remain on that team for the duration of the tournament. If a player leaves their team at any time, it may void their eligibility by resetting the number of games needed to be played. The live characters players wish to receive the in-game prizes must be on the same account as the one registered for the tournament.

Sounds good. How do I sign up?

    To participate, you must:

    • Have an active subscription to World of Warcraft with an account in good standing, meaning the account is not flagged, suspended, or banned for violating any of the Terms of Service, EULA, or other rules of World of Warcraft.
    • Have a World of Warcraft account that has been upgraded to Wrath of the Lich King
    • Have a valid credit card to pay the per-competitor registration fee for the tournament, which is $20 in North America.
    • Reside in a country or territory that allows participation (you will see the full list when registering).
    • Complete the required information on the registration page to register for the tournament.
    • Meet all eligibility requirements listed in the rules. Players meeting these requirements will be allowed to participate in the tournament and will have access to the dedicated tournament realms in their region.

Why is there an entry fee to join the 2010 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament?

    There are several reasons for the entry fee, one of which being that, as with most professional tournaments, the fee helps ensure that participants are invested in the competition and remain dedicated to it for the duration of the tournament. In addition, the stakes are higher for this tournament than for standard Arena play, with a total prize pool of more than $200,000 in cash prizes up for grabs. Furthermore, this format should help provide high-level players with an intensely competitive, even playing field on the tournament realms.

How do I learn more about the Arena System?