Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark, Release Date

Fans of Dungeons and Dragons Online will be very happy to hear that Turbine has announced the release date for the game’s first expansion, Menace of the Underdark, as June 25th. The announcement came hand-in-hand with their next content update: Web of Chaos, but that’s not all. Turbine also announced the details for pre-orders which unlock  in-game items and account bonuses, some which players will receive now and others when the expansion arrives. We also have some screenshots of some of the items that are available with the pre-order and a screenshot of the new class, Druid (to the right).

Now let me get into a little bit more detail about the pre-orders that unlock items and bonuses. There are three different forms of pre-purchasing, each with their own benefits, the more expensive you go the more benefits you get. Pretty logical right? Well I have seen the items/specials you get and I am pretty happy with them, however many of the items are already available in the game and the specials are definitely available in the DDO store for purchase. There is but just one (two actually) items that I am not so sure about, which are the masks you get. At first glance I thought the masks provide only a different helmet appearance, but it turns out they also give a stat bonus to character skills and better resistance to poison. Now I don’t like that fact that players who pre-order the game will receive stated items, however if they’ll also be available via the DDO store then I’m fine with it since everyone can access it. Besides that point the pre-order items are good.

Continue below to read the full press release for the Menace of the Underdark expansion.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE®: MENACE OF THE UNDERDARK™ TO LAUNCH ON JUNE 25TH

Players may Pre-Purchase the First Major Expansion to the Award-Winning MMO Starting Today!

NEEDHAM, MA – February 27, 2012– Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast announced today Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Menace of the Underdark™, the first expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) will launch on June 25, 2012. Players across North America and Europe can pre-purchase Menace of the Underdark to receive exclusive benefits starting today at http://www.ddo.com/underdark.

“The journey to the Forgotten Realms begins today,” said Fernando Paiz, Executive Producer of Dungeons & Dragons Online, Turbine. “Today we introduced the Web of Chaos content update that serves as the prologue to our first foray into the Underdark which makes it a perfect time to introduce our pre-purchase program which offers very cool items that players will be able to use immediately as they prepare for the launch of Menace of the Underdark on June 25th.”

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: MENACE OF THE UNDERDARK FEATURES:

Ø Three New Forgotten Realms Adventure Packs — Featuring a multitude of epic adventures, unprecedented new wilderness areas with challenging objectives, a host of dungeons, and more!

o The King’s Forest: Explore deep into the King’s Forest and defend the village of Eveningstar from Lolth’s Drow legions.

o The Underdark: Venture down into the Underdark and confront Lolth’s elite followers in the Drow city of Sschindlyryn.

o The Demonweb: Journey to Lolth’s home plane, battle demon hordes and confront the spider goddess herself as you attempt to stop her scheme.

Ø Attain Epic levels to 25! — Deadly battles and high-speed action continue as your advance your character to the Epic level 25!

Ø Introducing Epic Destinies — Attain epic enhancements as you progress through levels 20-25!

Bonus Features-Free to VIPs or with purchase of Collector’s or Standard Pre-Purchase Editions

Ø The Druid Class: Wield nature’s magic or transform into a powerful animal form as you play the all new shape-shifting Druid class!

Ø Eveningstar Challenge Pack: New challenge quests for levels 15-25!

Starting today, players can take can take advantage of three special pre-purchase offers to celebrate the release of the first major expansion to DDO:

Ø Menace of the Underdark Base Edition – $29.99/£22.99/24,99€

Includes access to Adventure Packs and Epic Destinies, plus:

– Lesser Tome of Learning (1 free tome per DDO game world)- Permanently increases experience earned by a character up to level 20. Provides +25% bonus to experience for first-time quest completions and +10% boost to other earned experience points. Stacks with other experience boosts and persists through all forms of reincarnation.

– Pre-Purchase Bonus Item:

· Demonweb Spiderling Creature Companion – A tame little spider from Lolth’s domain. Includes 3 tricks and a collar. Exclusively available with pre-purchase of Menace of the Underdark!

Ø Menace of the Underdark Standard Edition – $49.99/£39.99/44,99€

Includes access to Adventures Packs, Epic Destinies, the Druid class and Eveningstar Challenge Pack plus:

– Greater Tome of Learning (1 free tome per DDO game world): Permanently increases experience earned by a character up to level 20. Provides +50% bonus to experience for first-time quest completions and +20% boost to other earned experience points. Stacks with other experience boosts and persists through all forms of reincarnation.

– 1,000 Turbine Points

– Veteran Status (lvl 4)

– DDO Classics Adventure Pack bundle (Phiarlan Carnival, Attack on Stormreach, The Path of Inspiration, The Dreaming Dark)

– Pre-Purchase Bonus Items!

o Demonweb Spiderling Creature Companion

o Druid’s Wolf Pup Creature Companion – A grey wolf pup as commonly seen accompanying young Druids. Includes 4 tricks and a collar. Exclusively available with pre-purchase of Menace of the Underdark.

o Spider Cult mask cosmetic helmet- Change your helmet appearance to a mask like the one worn by Lolth’s followers in Eberron and receive a stat bonus to character skills and poison resistance!

Ø Menace of the Underdark Collector’s Edition – $79.99/£59.99/69,99€

This limited time offer includes access to Adventures Packs, Epic Destinies, the Druid class and Eveningstar Challenge Pack plus the following items that players can begin using immediately:

– Greater Tome of Learning (1 free tome per DDO game world)

– Lesser Tome of Learning for all characters (1 free tome per character – forever)

– 2,000 Turbine Points

– Veteran Status (lvl 7)- Start a new character at level 7!

– Veteran Status (lvl 4)-Start a new character at level 4!

– DDO Classics Adventure Pack bundle

– DDO Epic Classics Adventure Pack bundle (Vault of Night, The Red Fens, Sentinels Stormreach, Devil Assault)

– Pre-Purchase Bonus Items!

o Demonweb Spiderling Creature Companion

o Druid’s Wolf Pup Creature Companion

o Elite Spider Cult mask cosmetic helmet

o Onyx Panther Cub Creature Companion – A rare dark panther cub from Faerun. Includes 4 tricks and a collar. Exclusively available with pre-purchase of Menace of the Underdark.

o Figurine of Wondrous Power: Onyx Panther – Summon this Level 20 Black Panther Hireling to assist you in Dungeon and Wilderness Adventures! (min level 18 to use)

Players will have access to all the bonus items including the new companions, veteran status, cosmetic helmet and Figurine of Wondrous Power and Tomes of Learning immediately after purchase. Menace of the Underdark expansion itself will be available to play on June 25, 2012. These special offers will only be available for a limited time. For more information, please visit www.ddo.com/underdark.