Today is a momentous day in World of Warcraft history as myriad changes are being implemented in preparation for the upcoming November 13 release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. After a rather rocky start yesterday, the "Echoes of Doom" patch seems to be up and running for all servers.

Read about the top ten changes after the jump.

1) Titles and bees and bears, oh my!
If you were one of the few who downed Lady Vashj and Kael'thas Sunstrider for that coveted “Hand of A'dal” title, you are the bees knees. If not: Sucks to be you. As of today, you can no longer obtain such chain quest titles. Any who completed the two toughest fights in the game will forever get to flaunt their leetsauce with titles hanging above their heads in nameplates that will never again be offered.

Another Item of Prestige that’s been removed: The rockin’ Amani War Bear mount, which was won by successfully completing the timed event in Zul’Aman. Here’s to you, riding high and proud on your epic war bear mount, Mr. I Am The Hotness. If your 10-man was too slow to win this coveted mount, then it’s back to your boring old frostsaber that you’ve had for years.

2) Haircuts
Dateline: Nov. 24, 2004. You rolled a female gnome. Called yourself Daisypants (or something equally as fearsome) and gave yourself bright pink hair, done up in Princess Leia double-buns. It’s now Oct. 2008 and it’s not as funny or cute (or kick-ass?) as you once imagined. You’re tired of looking at the back of that damned perky head and you’re desperately in need of change. Lucky for you, Blizzard has implemented a new barbershop. What’s the point in crushing your enemies, seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentation of their women if you can’t look hip while doing it?

Shave and a haircut: 2 bits.
Updating your cool factor: Priceless.

3) The talent trees blossom
Every class’ talent tree, without exception, has been tweaked, changed, altered and, in every possible way, re-imagined. OK, that may have been a bit of an overstatement: But that fact remains that a lot has changed. The Circle of WoW turns as veterans find themselves noobing it up again as they walk the world on faun-like legs, re-learning their class and what’s best for raiding, battlegrounds and arenas. Rogues aren’t sure if they should be dagger spec at level 80. Shadow priests are suddenly not the mana batteries they used to be. Warriors and Paladin tanks are (supposedly) interchangeable in instances. Dogs and cats are living together. It’s mass hysteria!

4) Consumable pets
You’ve collected all those fun little pets from various quests and holiday events … but you’re running out of bag space. You have so many of those little bastards that your guild views you as the Crazy Cat Lady (except, instead of cats, it’s a mini-elekk, nether ray fry, moth, crocolisk, etc.). You agonize about vendoring old epics and quest rewards in favor of making room for that newest little cute, tchotchke non-combat pet. Well, agonize no longer: As of today, your pets are consumable—meaning that right-clicking them will “learn” them, like a spell or scroll, and move it to a tab on your character sheet. These vanity pets will no longer waste space! They are, in essence, the perfect pet: They no longer make a mess in your bags!

5) “ZOMG: I’ll have to re-roll, since my class is getting nerfed!”
Calm down, monkeyboy. You’re not getting nerfed. Every class feels this way. Seriously, everyone. Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There’s a balance to the game and whenever sweeping changes are made, the balance moves back and forth among the various classes and specs. (Talk to the undergeared retribution paladins who couldn’t get a game of tiddly winks since the last xpac came out.) This, too, shall pass. Warcraft today is not the same as it was yesterday. And remind yourself that it’s a good thing. (And, more importantly, that it’s a game.) Get a Mountain Dew. Huddle with your buddies and figure out how to make the changes work for you. It’s a lot to absorb, especially if you have multiple toons. Take a step back, inhale, exhale. And … oh. You’re a holy priest? Yeah, you might want to re-roll.

6) Bosses get easier … or do they?
Raid bosses are getting a dramatic reduction in hit points. Hurray! Warcraft just got put on E-Z Mode! Illidan, here we come! Or … wait a minute. What the? Oh, right, that whole “balance” thing. Stacking shamans and shadow priests no longer works the way they used to in raids. You can’t chug mana and health potions every two minutes due to a new out-of-combat cooldown. This change in the game is not unlike seeing an ex-girlfriend after years apart. She’s different. You’re different. She’s not necessarily easy, but then again, your game ain’t what it used to be. But it doesn’t mean you can’t try set up a time for some “raiding.”

7) The Oldest, er … Newest Profession: Inscription
For the past month or so, many people have been hoarding herbs in anticipation of the newest profession: inscription. Think of it like enchanting, but for abilities, not gear. Also, think of it as an addition timesuck as players spend time running all over Azeroth and Outland herbing it up (or blowing wads of gold in the auction house.) This profession seems to be a step in making players able to vary their characters in a substantial, and somewhat unique, way. More meaningful, than, say, choosing a goatee or pigtails for your dwarf. (See the barbershop entry above.)

8) The threat of too much threat isn’t as much threat as it used to be
Many of the fights in The Burning Cursade relied on DPS classes staring at Omen (an addon measuring threat-per-second) as they worried about surpassing the tank and wiping the group. Even the paladin Blessing of Salvation sometimes wasn’t enough for uber (and undisciplined) players. (“Hi. My name is .”) Fear not, yon DPS classes! Without getting technical, tank threat has been increased up their plated wazoos while, simultaneously, DPS classes have had a threat-reduction mechanic baked right into the gooey center of their code. It’s like getting stranded on Gilligan’s Island with Ginger AND Marianne, without that pesky professor around telling that what you’re about to do is wrong. Or something. (Please no “lil buddy” jokes.)

9) The Greatest Achievements
Achievements! Achievements! Achievements! What are they? They’re things you do—anything from braining baddies in PVP to collecting thingys to going places and seeing things. Or hugging things. Or collecting things. (How’s that for vague?) And doing these things gets you points which you can redeem for valuable cash and prizes. A subset of this system is the “Feats of Strength.” Very apropos, what with Festivus on the horizon. (Visit the World of Warcraft realm forums for the traditional Airing of Grievances.)

10) Spellpower Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry (When Bidding DKP)
Hey, you got your +spelldamage gear in my +healing gear! (You know where this is going, so I’ll stop while I’m ahead.) Two great tastes that tasted fine while separated are now whopped together like so many crazy delicious peanut butter and chocolate treats. Gear has been consolidated to make use of a single stat, +spellpower. Mechanically, we’re assured that nothing will change. (Not that we’d notice what with everything else changing!) But I guarantee, when the phat lewtz starts dropping and healers are bidding DKP against casters … it’ll get bloody. Like the shower scene in Scarface.