WoW Cataclysm - Darkmoon Cards Overview
The first phase of the Cataclysm expansion introduces a new set of rewards from the Darkmoon Faire, with powerful trinkets crafted from new Darkmoon Cards being the highlight. Like their counterparts from previous expansions, these trinkets are made by combining eight cards into a deck and turning it in at the Darkmoon Faire while the event is active.
At level 85, players can acquire five different Darkmoon Card trinkets, each with an Item Level of 359, equivalent to items dropped in Tier 11 raids on Normal difficulty. Many of these trinkets are considered pre-raid best-in-slot (BiS), and some remain BiS throughout the first raid tier.
These trinkets are unique-equipped, meaning you can only equip one of each type. Additionally, they are bind-on-equip, so they can be traded or sold on the Auction House. By gathering the right cards and timing your turn-ins during the Faire, these trinkets can provide significant advantages to players venturing through Cataclysm. Keep an eye on the Auction House for cards and decks, and watch the Darkmoon Faire schedule to ensure you can turn in your decks for these valuable trinkets.
Darkmoon Card Trinkets
The new Darkmoon Card trinkets introduced in the Cataclysm expansion are valuable additions to any player's arsenal. Each trinket offers unique stats and effects tailored to different roles and classes. Here’s a closer look at each trinket:
Earthquake
- Role: Sometimes used by tanks, but considered the weakest of the set.
- Stats: +321 Dodge
- Use Effect: Increases maximum health by 15,500 for 15 seconds. Shares cooldown with other Battlemaster’s trinkets.
Hurricane (Strength Version)
- Role: Pre-raid best-in-slot for some Strength-based melee DPS builds.
- Stats: +321 Strength
- Equip Effect: Chance to strike your enemies for 5,250-8,750 Nature damage when dealing damage with melee or ranged attacks.
Hurricane (Agility Version)
- Role: Pre-raid best-in-slot for some Agility-based melee DPS builds; also a decent early option for Hunters.
- Stats: +321 Agility
- Equip Effect: Chance to strike your enemies for 5,250-8,750 Nature damage when dealing damage with melee or ranged attacks.
Tsunami
- Role: Pre-raid best-in-slot for all healers.
- Stats: +321 Intellect
- Equip Effect: Your healing spells have a chance to increase your Spirit by 80 for 20 seconds. This effect can stack up to 5 times.
Volcano
- Role: Best-in-slot for most caster DPS throughout the first raid tier of Cataclysm.
- Stats: +321 Mastery
- Equip Effect: When dealing damage with spells, you have a chance to deal 900-1,500 additional Fire damage to the target and gain 1,600 Intellect for 12 seconds.
How to Obtain Darkmoon Cards
Acquiring the Darkmoon Card trinkets in Cataclysm is a straightforward process, but it can be costly. Here’s a step-by-step guide to obtaining these powerful trinkets:
1. Collect the Cards:
- Each trinket requires a set of eight cards: Ace, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, and Eight of the same type.
2. Craft or Purchase the Cards:
- Crafting: If you have the Inscription profession, you can craft the cards yourself.
- Auction House: Alternatively, you can buy the cards from the Auction House. This might be the faster option but can be expensive depending on market prices.
3. Combine the Cards into a Deck:
- Once you have all eight cards, right-click one of them to combine the set into a deck.
4. Start the Deck’s Quest:
- After creating the deck, right-click it to start its associated quest.
5. Trade in the Deck at the Darkmoon Faire:
- During the Darkmoon Faire event, head to Darkmoon Island.
- Turn in the deck to receive your trinket.
