Every few days, heroes of Azeroth are called upon to focus their collective efforts on a specific PvP battleground. This is known as a Call to Arms, and from July 18-21, battle will rage in Eye of the Storm. If you’re new to the battleground or haven’t participated in a Call to Arms before, read on for everything you need to know.

Eye of the Storm Basics

Number of players: 15 vs. 15

Minimum required level: 35

Location: Netherstorm

Entry points: Speak with a Battlemaster in any capital city or activate the Player vs. Player window (the default hotkey is ‘H’). Select the ‘Call to Arms’ option, and then click on the ‘Join Battle’ button to enter the queue for Eye of the Storm.

Objective: Capture and hold the four towers placed around the map. While in control of a tower, your team will steadily earn resource points—points are awarded faster if your team has captured multiple towers. Occasionally, a flag will spawn in the center of the map. You can earn bonus resources by picking it up and returning it to one of the towers controlled by your team. The first team to reach 1600 resources wins!

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Call to Arms Rewards

Participating in and completing the Call to Arms battleground grants you bonus Honor points, no matter if you win or lose— more than you’d earn for finishing the battle normally. Additional points are awarded for your first win of the day, and level 90 players can also earn Conquest points as a reward for victory.

Other Rewards

There are plenty of fun achievements to be earned in Eye of the Storm, including:

• The Perfect Storm [Win Eye of the Storm with a score of 1600 to 0.]
• Storm Glory [While your team holds 4 of the bases in Eye of the Storm, personally grab the flag and capture it.]
• Take a Chill Pill [In Eye of the Storm, kill a player who is under the effects of the Berserker power-up.]

For The Win

Eye of the Storm is a resource race: the team that captures and holds the towers and returns the flag more efficiently will win the battle. To capture a tower, simply position yourself near the tower banner; a possession slider will appear and slowly move toward your faction’s side (designated by the Horde or Alliance logo). The more teammates you have beside you, the faster you’ll gain possession of a tower, but be careful— nearby enemies will neutralize your control.

Throughout the battle, a flag will spawn on the bridge at the center of the map. Click on the flag to pick it up, and return it to any tower that your team controls to earn bonus resources. The more towers you control, the higher the bonus you’ll receive.

Victory in Eye of the Storm often comes down to some of the following strategies:

• Communicate with your teammates! Your whole team benefits from knowing when you’re about to attack a tower, if you need help defending one, or if you intend to turn in the flag at a particular destination.
• Look out for enemy players who can knock you into the void (especially when you’re trying to capture the flag on the narrow central bridge). If you’re a shaman, druid, or priest, look for opportunities to use knock-back spells to bump your foes into the abyss— this can be much more effective than going toe-to-toe (it’s also hilarious)!
• Choose your fights wisely and try to remain close to the towers you control. As outlined above, the two primary goals in Eye of the Storm are capturing towers and returning the flag, so focus your efforts near your team’s objectives.

There are many ways to win in Eye of the Storm, but you’ll always want to coordinate with your teammates and maintain control over your towers. The map is laid out evenly for both teams, so keep an eye on the movements of your enemies and try to predict where they’ll attack. Like all battlegrounds, avoid being caught alone and out in the open, otherwise you’ll be easy pickings for your foes.

You can learn more about Eye of the Storm on WoWpedia, Wowhead, and the Battle.net Eye of the Storm Battleground guide.