Blizzard Entertainment has released Patch 5.1 of World of Warcraft for public testing. Starting today all current subscribers can download the PTR client and try out the first patch for the game since the Mists Of Pandaria expansion went live.
In Patch 5.1, the conflict between the Horde and Alliance over Pandaria will expand. Each faction brings their war fleets to the continent and establish outposts along the shore of the Karasang Wilds. Players will directly participate in this struggle by attacking the enemy base or defending their own. Expect new daily quests and a new reputation to grind.
The pet battle system introduced in Pandaria will get a face-lift in this patch as well. The biggest change is the introduction of Battle-stones. These items can be used to upgrade your pet. You can buy them for Justice Points or win them in pet battles. They're not soul-bound so you can sell them to other players if you so choose.
Much of the content in WoW requires a group of players, but the new Brawler's Guild does not. These underground fighting rings in the faction capital cities will let solo players fight creatures from throughout WoW. By winning matches, you'll increase your Brawler's Guild rank and unlock new rewards and activities.
As usual, Blizzard will be rolling out more and more of the patch's features as testing continues. For example, they've previously stated that 5.1 will also continue the legendary Wrathion quest chain introduced at launch.
