While it wasn’t clear what all was coming with the 16th Anniversary event, it did at least seem like we knew when it was going to be. As it’s turned out, though, Blizzard has chosen to move up the event by one week so that it doesn’t overlap with the Shadowlands launch. Losing out on the 16% experience buff will be a bit sad, but this does at least give the full three weeks to grind out your Anniversary mount without conflicting with what you’d prefer to be doing in the first week of Shadowlands availability.

Much of this year’s event mirror’s last year’s festivities with a notable transmog addition. The new reward is an often requested high definition basic cape model for those of you who prefer simple designs. In addition, the mounts from last year are available once more for those who missed them.  Most of the gameplay is tied up in PvP, with a small aside for PvE players that can award some alt gear, but no progress towards the real crown jewel.

Accessing the Anniversary Event

Unlike a lot of other in-game holidays, the Anniversary isn’t as in-your-face. It starts with a mailed invitation that you can find when you first log a character in. This part you’re probably familiar with if you make a habit of checking in on your character’s mailbox, but it can get a little confusing after that. You’ll follow that quest to the Caverns of Time, visit Chromie, and then there’s not much in the way of further direction except a quest to participate in Korrak’s Revenge. That’s part of what’s available, but it isn’t everything, it doesn’t even give you any of the major rewards.

Head to the right while you’re facing Chromie and you’ll find two “Historian” NPCs. Ma’di is a vendor who will sell you your basic blue or red faction cape, among some other Anniversary related goodies. These go for Timewarped Badges, the Timewalking Currency, but the anniversary gift you received in the mail contains the 200 you need if all you’re looking for is your cape. Llore offers a daily quest to kill Vanilla’s world bosses for modern leveled loot as well as a trivia question that can earn you a few badges for your time. Keep in mind Llore’s world bosses give usable ilvl gear, where the cape is only valuable for its appearance.

Korrak’s Revenge and the Anniversary Mounts

The real draw for most players on the anniversary is going to be the mounts. You’ll earn those through a special Quick Match PvP Queue called Korrak’s Revenge. This is a throwback battleground themed on Alterac valley that rewards Timewarped Badges for its dailies and completion, as well as a bonus for winning. Doing one run of Korrak’s Revenge a day, win or lose would be enough even if you do no dailies and don’t win.

The associated achievement Alterac Valley of Olde is what actually rewards the mount but watch out, Chromie’s quest for gaining honor in Korrak’s Revenge doesn’t count. You have to earn your badges directly from Korrak’s Revenge, which is primarily going to be coming from dailies and trying to win. Ultimately, you’ll be best served by playing your best and getting daily progress along the way. Doing this will knock out the achievement in a few days and earn you the Stormpike Battle Ram for Alliance

And the Frostwolf Snarler for Horde, both of which are fairly standard style mounts for their faction, but are in much higher graphical quality than you’d usually get from normal wolves and rams.

Once you’ve got those, you’re ready to use that 16% experience and rep buff to its fullest, as you’ll have completed the anniversary content outside of killing the world bosses each day if you need their loot. It’s around lvl 80-90 and could be a decent alternative to Death Rising gear.