By Jason Parker
WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic鈥檚 pre-patch hit on July 1, 2025, but not everyone might be clear on what exactly that changes for the game. Whether it鈥檚 been a long time since you鈥檝e thought about Pandaria, or you weren鈥檛 playing back then, we鈥檝e compiled everything that鈥檚 important from yesterday鈥檚 pre-patch. There鈥檚 even something for the retail players, making it worthwhile for those players to come back, at least, for a little while.Whether you want a new class in Classic, a new race, or maybe you just want to start playing Pokemon in World of Warcraft again from the beginning, there鈥檚 something for you. Here鈥檚 everything you have to look forward to in the WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic pre-patch.WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic offers players Monks, Pandaren, a free Retail Mount and moreThere鈥檚 still a few weeks before WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic goes live, but the pre-patch is here, and dropped quite a bit of useful content into the game. This is a rich tradition in World of Warcraft, putting the most important features in before the expansion actually launches.This mount can be yours if you do the pre-patch content (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)The most important part of the pre-patch in WoW Classic Mists of Pandaria is the free mount! Players have until July 30, 2025 to earn the Shaohao鈥檚 Sage Serpent mount by simply playing Classic Mists! Just make a Pandaren character, and complete the starting experience, until you鈥檝e chosen Alliance or Horde. That will immediately unlock the mount for you.So much about the game changed in Mists of Pandaria, too. We have a new race, in the Pandaren, a Panda race from the Wandering Isle (Pandaria) itself. It鈥檚 also the first race to be playable by both factions. This also comes with the new Monk class, with a Tank (Brewmaster), Healer (Mistweaver), and Melee DPS (Windwalker) specs.All classes were overhauled for the WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic pre-patch too, with a new talent system, and improved abilities. Not everyone鈥檚 going to feel overpowered, but some classes, such as Survival Hunters, Unholy Death Knights, Arcane Mages, Restoration Shaman, and Retribution Paladins are going to feel very strong – so go with one of those, perhaps.It’s time to make a Pandaren! (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)There鈥檚 the Attack on Theramore Isle World Event to take part in as well, which is a brand-new scenario, as well as the introduction of Pet Battles. This system hasn鈥檛 seen many changes since, but it鈥檚 a fun way to make the various critters in the world worth collecting. In addition, looting got easier, as AOE Looting was finally introduced. Instead of one at a time, you鈥檒l loot everyone nearby.Now that pre-patch is here, the next step is the full expansion launch of WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic. There will be even more great content, such as the new raids that open on July 31, and the new dungeons that kick off with the launch of the actual expansion, as well as the whole of the new continent, challenge mode dungeons, and more. We first got a glimpse of this during the WoW Classic 2025 Roadmap, and now it鈥檚 almost here. If you missed Pandaria, it鈥檚 time to go back. Other content, such as the Isle of Giants, will no doubt come at a later date after Pandaria Classic has launched.Check out our other WoW guides and featuresWoW Classic guide: How to summon Gahz鈥檙anka (Tome of Polymorph: Turtle)3 Reasons to pick WoW Classic over Retail in 2025 (and 3 things Retail has going for it)WoW Classic: Everything you get from MIsts of Pandaria Upgrade Packs