Raider.IO Classic is HERE!

Recently, we teased that Raider.IO was coming to Classic World of Warcraft, and we’re excited to announce that the expansion is already complete. You can now visit classic.raider.io – your new central hub for all kinds of data and information previously unavailable for Classic WoW!

To start we’re bringing you the basic tools, such as Character and Guild info (Armory), but we’ll be adding additional features in the days to come, including the Raider.IO Recruitment System. Classic WoW is all about Community, so we’re going to make it easier to find yours!

Read on to learn more about the tools and features now available for Classic Era, and what we’re planning to bring in the future.

Table of Contents

Why Raider.IO Classic?

Bringing Raider.IO to Classic World of Warcraft has been a goal for many years now, and we are thrilled to finally have the capability. The API was previously unavailable, but Blizzard recently announced that API documentation for WoW Classic Era would be made available to coincide with the launch of the Official Hardcore Realms, which just took place a couple of days ago.

Raider.IO’s core mission is to provide easily-digestible data and information to the World of Warcraft Community, and that is one of the main reasons why we’ve been itching to expand into Classic. Character data, Guild information, Server Statistics – these have all been previously unavailable to search and find for Classic WoW. That is all changing now with classic.raider.io!

To start, we’re providing the basic tools, such as a Character Armory, Guild Rosters, and Server information. We will be working hard to add additional features such as the Raider.IO Recruitment System, and more, soon!

Character Data

Character profile pages will serve as an Armory, providing an overview of a variety of information and stats that will be updated whenever a Character logs out of the game. Gone are the days of having to manually set up a Character profile when you want to apply to a new Guild or raid group, and it has never been easier to see what talents or gear someone else is using!




As the Database is still growing, not all Characters or Guilds will automatically show up in the Search bar - but you can easily add them yourself by clicking Update Now + in the Navigation bar.

GEAR

The Character Armory will show every piece of equipment a Character is wearing. If you manage to score yourself a coveted piece of loot and want to show it off (did somebody say Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker?), you simply need to log off in-game and click Update Character on your profile page – a process we plan to be automated in the near future via the Raider.IO Desktop Client! You can mouseover specific gear items for their stat breakdowns, or click on them to be taken directly to an item’s page on Wowhead Classic to learn more about where that item can be acquired.




With your Raider.IO Character Armory, you will no longer have to manually create profiles for your Characters and painstakingly add every item of gear just to apply for a Guild or to get into a Raid. The relevant information is now easily accessible and shareable for anybody to see.

TALENT BUILDS

Character pages will also include Talent Builds, showing the full allocation of talent points in the tree. Classic players know that there is a vast sea of possible Talent Builds that can determine a Character’s play-style and capability in a Raid or Dungeon, and with the Raider.IO Character Armory you can easily see what build a player is using. Better yet, by clicking on the Calculator button, you’ll be taken to a fully configured Wowhead Talent Calculator, allowing anybody to quickly inspect a Character’s talents, whether they be potential guild applicants, the Hardcore Classic leveling racers, or friends on a different server that asked you for some help with their character.

CHARACTER STATS

Each Character's profile will also offer a summary of all the relevant Character stats, whether they be offensive, defensive, or general stats like Agility or Stamina. With just one look you will be able to compare your Character to someone else, or see whether your newest Tank applicant has the Armor required to step into Blackwing Lair! Curious to see how much Ranged Crit % that Hunter has, who’s consistently topping the metres? We’ve got you covered!

Guild Information

With Raider.IO Classic, you will also be able to pull up Guild profiles to view rosters and Guild information. As we continue to build out the site, Guild Leaders and Officers will be able to customize their Guild’s profile, adding a short description that can be used to recruit new applicants, inform the public what their guild is all about, or even instructions on how to join their Guild’s community.

Server/Realm Statistics

A big part of the World of Warcraft Classic experience is centered around the Horde versus Alliance conflict, and how the Community’s choices play into each Server’s representation of both factions. Some Servers are very Horde-heavy, others are dominated by the Alliance, and a select few have a very healthy community in both factions at the same time. With our Realm Pages, you can get all the relevant information at a glance, including faction split, population size, region & timezone, server type (PVE, PVP, RP, Hardcore, etc.), and even if it’s part of a connected realm!




If you haven’t decided on a new server just yet, this information might help you pick and choose a server which suits your needs and ambitions the most. If you want to be the underdog and prefer to play Alliance, go pick a server that is almost exclusively Horde! If you prefer a healthy community with many guilds and raids to play with, then you will quickly be able to find a server with a high population this way. And if you just want to enjoy some good times with fellow Roleplayers, but don’t know how many players each of the RP servers are housing, the Realm Page will have the answer ready for you.

Hardcore Classic

Hardcore Realms have only been up for a couple of days, but the excitement is already palpable. We’ve worked hard to bring some Hardcore-specific Leaderboards to the front page of Raider.IO Classic, so if you’ve been tracking the leveling race, this is the place to be.




We’re monitoring the highest level characters sorted by Class in our Hardcore Hall of Fame. We’ve also got a Hardcore Graveyard where you can see the highest level Ghosts, as well as recent deaths. Getting all the way to 42 only to perish… ouch!




We’ve also got a Mak’gora Leaderboard to keep track of the most deadly adversaries of each Faction. We hope to see these populate soon as more and more players set their sights on Hardcore Classic!

Recruitment

Classic WoW is truly all about Community. Anybody who plays Classic Era or Classic WotLK can confirm this, and this is doubly true for Hardcore Classic. The Official Hardcore Realms are the result of an extremely passionate group that had been playing the game with Hardcore rules (created and enforced by the Community itself), pushing Blizzard to bring this popular and exciting style of gameplay to the masses.

However, Recruitment has been notoriously difficult since the launch of Classic WoW due to no central hub of Guild and Character information. Additionally, with Server populations being such an important factor, and faction changes not available until Classic WotLK, finding guilds and players has been a struggle for many.




Now that classic.raider.io is officially LIVE, we will be bringing the Raider.IO Recruitment System to the Classic playerbase very soon! The system will follow the same logic and structure as on the retail version of the site, so you will be able to create filters and search for exactly what you need. No more will you have to find the right Discord server for your Realm and sift through endless Recruitment posts to find a home. No more will you have to wade the treacherous waters of trade chat to find a solid player that will help you get that Ragnaros kill.

With the Raider.IO Recruitment System, building your Classic WoW Community will be easier than ever!

Keystone.Guru Classic

On top of creating an Armory and information hub on classic.raider.io, we have also been hard at work expanding the tools over at Keystone.Guru for Classic players. As of Thursday’s launch of the Hardcore Realms, detailed Maps are now available for 11 of the starting Classic Dungeons, with plans to add more shortly!

Have you ventured into the Official Hardcore Realms, or are you planning to? Are you relatively new to Classic WoW, or has it just been so long that you forgot your way around Wailing Caverns? Do you happen to remember that Classic Dungeons have no maps? That’s right, when you zone into a Dungeon on Classic Era (or Hardcore) servers, you’ll find no map, no directions, no GPS to tell you where to go.

Dungeon mobs can also be treacherous on Hardcore, and let us tell you first-hand that the patrols in Classic Dungeons are lengthy and can easily catch you by surprise. Don’t be caught unawares by a roving Evolving Ectoplasm – give yourself and your group an advantage with the Keystone.Guru Classic Maps because if you die on Hardcore, that’s the end of the road for that Character!




Head on over to Keystone.Guru Classic Maps to access Maps for the following dungeons:

• Ragefire Chasm
  
• The Deadmines
  
• Wailing Caverns
  
• Shadowfang Keep
  
• Blackfathom Deeps
  
• The Stockade
  
• Gnomeregan
  
• Scarlet Monastery: Graveyard
  
• Scarlet Monastery: Library
  
• Scarlet Monastery: Armory
  
• Scarlet Monastery: Cathedral

Click on Create Route in the navigation bar, select your Dungeon from the dropdown menu, and hit the Create Route button. This will bring up the basic Map of the dungeon, which includes enemy mobs, the extensive patrol routes, some possible loot chest locations, and important notes. From the menu on the left, you can mark-up the Map and draw pathways or add notes before sending the URL to your teammates so they can view it themselves.




Don’t forget, on Hardcore Realms you’re only allowed to do each dungeon once per 24 hour period, so preparation is key. We’ve got you covered with Keystone.Guru Classic Maps!

What’s Next?

We’re already hard at work on bringing additional features to Raider.IO Classic beyond the initial Armory. The Recruitment System will be available shortly, as will Advanced Search options, User Profiles, and customization options for Character and Guild pages.

As we continue building Raider.IO Classic, we’ll be looking to expand our content, events, and featured streamer programs as well. Keep your eyes out for future announcements on how we’ll be able to support Community events and competitions!

As for Classic WoTLK players, we haven’t forgotten you. We have been informed that the team over at Blizzard is hard at work preparing API documentation for Wrath Classic as well. Hopefully that means wotlk.raider.io will be ready for our adventures into Icecrown Citadel to take on the Lich King!

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Links

• Join Raider.IO on Discord
  
• Support Raider.IO on Patreon
  
• Become a Keystone.Guru
  
• Download the Raider.IO Client

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